According to the Nielsen Company, 51.7 million cases of beer are sold to fans on Super Bowl Sunday. This number continues to grow every year so it comes as no surprise that police were patrolling for drunk drivers all day Sunday. Did you know that alcohol is a depressant that affects your reaction time, coordination and vision? Additionally it can compromise your judgment and ability to multitask. What this means is that when danger is ahead, your distance and speed perception might not be what they seem so things can look closer or further away than they really are. You...[ Read More ]
Low impact auto accidents are generally incidents that take place at speeds less than 10 miles per hour. These types of collisions usually cause the least amount of damage to the vehicles involved. Victims of low impact auto accidents often resist seeking medical attention because they may not initially feel the impact of the accident. Even with this type of low impact accident, soft tissue injuries may still occur. One client of mine did not initially seek medical attention; however a few days later she began having severe neck and back pain, and headaches. Eventually the pain got so bad...[ Read More ]
Do you multitask while driving? Multitasking can cause you to look away from the road, not pay attention to your speed and potentially cause a collision. Multitasking might include chatting with friends, changing music or eating while driving. The following are distractions you may encounter in day to day driving and methods to deal with them effectively. Talking with Passengers - All of us enjoy a good conversation while driving, however chatting while driving can become a distraction when it involves teasing, back-seat drivers or kids fighting and screaming or even kicking the back of the seat. If you are...[ Read More ]
Personal injury cases are almost never straight forward. There could be hidden facts surrounding your case that may help or hinder it. The following is a list of five key factors that can ultimately impact the value of your case: 1. Economic Damages - These damages include a loss of income, medical expenses and property damage. Additionally, resulting disabilities could mean lost money over the course of a person's lifetime due to missed days of work or missed promotions. 2. Non-Economic Damages - These damages include physical disfigurement, future medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Chronic pain that results from...[ Read More ]
In 2011, at least 23% of auto collisions involved cell phones. That amounted to 1.3 million crashes. This number is now up to 1.6 million annually. Additionally, texting and driving is the number one killer of teens, amounting to 3,000 teens per year as reported by CBS. The National Highway Transportation Safety Admin actually said it is the same as driving after four beers. So what is it about texting that makes it so dangerous? The minimum amount of time your attention is taken away from the road while texting is only five seconds, however if you are driving at...[ Read More ]
Collecting physical evidence from the scene of a collision is critical in helping to determine what percentage each party is at fault. Why does this matter? The amount awarded to an injured victim is directly determined by how much each person contributed to the accident. An insurance adjuster can either deny or reduce a percentage of your claim if they can prove with physical evidence or by witness statements that you partially caused the collision. For example, if it is found that a person was texting while driving then they would be at fault for causing the collision. Not every...[ Read More ]
In the first stages of claim negotiations, the insurance adjuster calculates the total medical expenses related to the injury. These medical expenses are called "special damages". Once this figure is established the adjuster can determine how much to offer the injured person for pain, suffering, and other nonmonetary losses. The amount established for special damages is then multiplied by 1.5 or 2 if the injuries are minor. If, however the accident injuries have impacted the victims ability to function normally, then the adjuster will multiply the amount of "special damages" by a factor of 5, or as high as 10...[ Read More ]
In order for a victim to receive compensation there are three specific requirements that must be met by law: 1. Being able to prove that another person was at-fault (negligent) for causing an event that led to injuries. 2. The victim must be able to prove with “evidence” that they have actually suffered an injury as a direct result of someone else’s carelessness. 3. An accident victim must be able to prove the loss of quality of life as a result of the injury. This can be a complex issue to prove because everyone responds differently to pain. Personal injury...[ Read More ]
When an insurance company makes an offer it is natural for the injured victim or family members to want to know the value of their case. Unfortunately, determining a firm financial figure can be difficult in the initial stages following the accident. In order to establish the case worth you need to know all of the damages you are entitled to. The following is a list of damages the insurance company for the at-fault party will compensate an injured victim for: • Property damage • Permanent disfigurement and physical disabilities • Loss of income due to the accident • Medical...[ Read More ]
The following eleven point check list has been designed to help you evaluate the aptitude and ability of the personal injury lawyer you are thinking of hiring. If you are unsure who to hire meet with multiple lawyers and then compare notes. Attorney/Firm Information Name of the Law Firm: ________________________________________ Name of attorney being reviewed: _______________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________ Zip Code: _________ Phone Number: ______________________________________________ E-mail address: ______________________________________________ Eleven Point Check List: 1. Who Will Be Handling My Case? ___ You ___ An Associate ___ Paralegal ___ Someone I Have Never Met 2. Amount of Experience:...[ Read More ]
