An Injury Lawyer Helps Victims Understand Their Legal Rights

Many people make the mistake of putting themselves at a disadvantage by negotiating with insurance companies on their own. Insurance adjusters are not out there to award policy holders full compensation for their losses. Their goal is to minimize settlements for injury claims so that they can increase the profit margins of the insurance company that they work for. To avoid being duped by your insurance company in the event of a serious injury, it is important to present a strong case with the help of an injury lawyer.

An injury lawyer understands how insurance companies work, and will be prepared to take on any challenges that an insurance adjuster throws their way. If you don’t believe that you are being fairly compensated for all of the immediate and long-term costs associated with your injuries, it may be time to seek the counsel of an injury lawyer.

If you have been involved in an accident or have suffered injuries that were caused by another person or an organization such as a nursing home, then you may be entitled to compensation for the following:

• Medical Expenses. Your injury lawyer will assess all medical bills, such as hospital treatment and medications, to determine the medical costs associated with the injury you are filing a claim for. Rehabilitation. Individuals with serious injuries may require ongoing medical treatment. In some cases, this may mean lifelong rehabilitation and medical costs.

• Lost Wages. Your injury lawyer will fight for your right to receive fair compensation for lost wages that are directly caused by your injury.

Property damage, psychological pain, and other associated damages will also be carefully considered by an injury lawyer. It is important that all of these immediate and future expenses are included in the equation and presented by your injury lawyer. You can get your case underway right away by contacting an injury lawyer who will perform a professional evaluation of your case, and work assiduously to achieve the very best outcome.

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Help! I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Decide If I Should Press Charges

Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere. When a fall results in a severe injury, it’s important to know who’s responsible. In short, the answer will be situational. Sometimes the property owner is responsible for the accident, and sometimes he or she is not. Slip and fall accidents are a personal injury and are considered a tort. There are four general types of slip and fall accidents:

Trip-and-fall: When there is a foreign object in the walking path.
Stump-and-fall: When there is a barrier in the walking surface.
Step-and-fall: When there is an unexpected hole or malfunction in the walking surface.
Slip-and-fall: When the combination of the shoe/foot and floor fails, oftentimes involving a slippery substance on the floor surface.

It is the duty of the property owner to keep their facility safe of hazards. They must take the appropriate amount of steps to ensure that their property is free of dangerous conditions. The property owner can be at fault if they knew there was a permanent hazardous condition (such as broken flooring) but didn’t do anything about it.

Comparative negligence is also considered when a slip and fall accident occurs, and is often a significant hurdle in making claims. This means that you, in some way, contributed to your own accident.  You may have fallen because you were running on a slippery floor when there was a warning sign by it. Because of your own carelessness, you may have a lessened award for your injuries or none at all.

Most often the issue of comparative negligence arises because the property owner will say the cause of the fall was “open and obvious.” In other words: the person who fell should have seen what caused their fall, but as they didn’t, they are at fault themselves.  This can be tricky to balance against a property owners duty to keep their premises safe.

If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, you may receive compensation. Compensation may include damages already incurred and those in the future that may be incurred for: medical bills, time away from work, and pain and suffering.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, and are not sure who is at fault, McCullough & Associates will be there to answer any questions you have.

Recovering for Personal Injury Caused By A Loaner Car Crash in California

Recovering for personal injury caused by a loaner car crash in California can be tricky!  As a California car accident attorney, this is one of the most common traffic collision scenarios that I see.  The registered owner of a motor vehicle loans their automobile to a third party who then wrecks the car, causing property damage and bodily harm to the victim.  What are the accident victim’s options for recovery of medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and all the other remedies to which they may be entitled.  As we know from my prior posts, every person in California is responsible for their own actions or in actions and can be held liable if they fail to act reasonably (i.e. if they are negligent) but, as we also know, we need to find a pocket from which to collect damages, if we hope to successfully obtain compensation and that usually comes in the form of automobile insurance coverage.  The first thing a good personal injury attorney would explore in this situation is if there was insurance coverage for the driver themselves that may apply.  Oftentimes, however, there is no coverage or limited coverage and the lawyer must also analyze the following:

California Liability for the Permissive Use of an Automobile

California Vehicle Code section 17150 provides as follows: “Every owner of a motor vehicle is liable and responsible for death or injury to person or property resulting from a negligent or wrongful act or omission in the operation of the motor vehicle, in the business of the owner or otherwise, by any person using or operating the same with the permission, express or implied, of the owner.”  Therefore, if the injured person is harmed by a loaned vehicle, the owner is responsible so long as the following are proven:

•     The driver was negligent
•     The owner was on the registration to the vehicle at the time of the accident; and
•     The driver was operating the vehicle with the consent of the owner (which can be shown by words, conduct or factoring in any relationship between the owner and the driver)

The caveat here is found in CA Veh. Code 17151(a) which can limit the owner’s total liability exposure to $15,000 per injury (in the case of one claimant), $30,000 for bodily damages (in the case of multiple claimants) and $5,000 for damage to property.
Negligent Entrustment of a Motor Vehicle Under CA Law

Oftentimes, serious and catastrophic injuries with medical expenses and emotional tolls or, worse yet, a death occurs as a result of a freeway or surface street smash up.  Victims and their families in these instances are clearly entitled to more than just $15-30,000 in bodily injury compensation.  Can they ever recover more than this?  Depending upon the facts, the answer is YES.  In addition to simply showing that the car was being driven by a negligent operator with the permission of the registered owner, the plaintiff would need to show that the owner was also negligent in loaning the automobile to the driver.  This is what is known as a negligent entrustment theory of recovery and requires proving the following:

•     The driver was negligent
•     The driver was controlling the vehicle with the owner’s consent
•     The owner knew or should have known that the driver was incompetent or unfit to drive the vehicle
•     The unfitness or incompetence of the driver was more than just a trivial factor in causing harm to the injured party

This would allow for the wounded person to recover for beyond just the “permissive user” limits.  It would also invoke a duty on the part of the owner’s insurance carrier to defend the claim fully and to pay in excess of the 15/30 limits for injury if the negligent entrustment theory has merit.  Facts sufficient to prove this theory can come in many forms but, the most common is the “designated driver” scenario where an intoxicated vehicle owner allows someone else to operate their motor vehicle but, that person is also under the influence of alcohol or drugs and the owner knows or SHOULD know that they are drunk or “buzzed”.  Other instances may include an owner who knows or should have known a driver has no license, a bad driving record, a history of accidents, a disability such as being prone to seizures or having problems with their eye sight, hearing or other issues that affect their ability to drive.

Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist Claims

The other issue that should always be analyzed in the case of a loaner car crash is the ability to seek compensation or additional moneys from the injured party’s own auto insurance company.  Uninsured motorist coverage may apply where, for whatever reasons, the above theories do not apply and there is no insurance coverage for the loaner vehicle.  Additionally, if the facts are such that there is liability but, this is limited to the $15,000/$30,000, an underinsured motorist claim may be made if the policy of the injured person has coverage in excess of these amounts.  (e.g. if the person harmed has coverage of $100,000 for bodily injury, they would be able to exhaust the $15,000 in liability for the permissive owner and then collect an additional $85,000 assuming the value of their claim justified this additional recovery).

Importance of Hiring A California Personal Injury Lawyer Familiar With Loaner Car Accidents

These issues get tricky.  Full recovery in loaner auto crashes requires full and complete analysis of the facts surrounding the incident, investigation of the driver and the owner to determine the circumstances and scope of the permission to use the car and the relationship between the driver and owner (e.gs. Are they relatives? Did the owner know the person to whom he loaned his car?  Were the driver and owner out drinking or partying that night?).  Competent legal counsel can also fully analyze coverage for the driver, the owner and the injured party (in the case of UM and UIM claims).  This makes it critically important to hire a good attorney and to do so sooner rather than later!

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Coffee and Car Accidents: A Deadlier Combination Than You Think

A recent study by Exxon Mobil Corp. reveals that at least 70 percent of drivers admit to eating while driving and another 83 percent admit to drinking beverages. While this may not seem like a big deal, eating or drinking while driving could be even more dangerous than texting. New statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that 80 percent of all car accidents and 65 percent of “close calls” are caused by distracted drivers, many of whom are munching or sipping rather than focusing on the road.

Coffee Ranks Number One
Of all the things you could eat or drink on the road, coffee is the worst, according to studies. Even with a travel lid on the beverage, the chances of coffee spilling when a driver hits a bump are high, and having scalding liquid land on your lap is sure to cause stress and slow down reaction times to dangers in the road.

Coffee and other hot drinks made the top of the list of most dangerous foods, but studies also indicate that burgers, tacos, hot dogs, fried chicken and doughnuts can also be dangerous due to the increased need for “hands-on” management of these types of foods. Even soda made the list due to the possibility of it spilling or fizzing while driving.

Distracted Driving Dangers
While a great deal of focus has been placed on texting and driving, there are other distracted driving factors such as food or drink that are largely ignored. The fact is that anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the road can be considered dangerous.

According to Distraction.gov, the government’s website devoted to the topic of distracted driving, the following can be considered activities that can take a driver’s attention away from driving long enough to be considered dangerous:

•     Texting
•     Using a cell phone
•     Eating and drinking
•     Talking to others in the car
•     Brushing hair
•     Applying makeup
•     Reading
•     Using a navigation system or GPS
•     Watching a video
•     Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

Additionally, Distraction.gov offers the following frightening statistics:

• In 2011, 3,360 people were killed in distracted driving crashes. This number decreased slightly in 2012 to 3,328. However, the number of people injured in these crashes increased during that same time period, from 387,000 in 2011 to 421,000 in 2012.

• For drivers involved in fatal crashes who are under the age of 20, about 10 percent are reported as being distracted. The actual number may be much higher. About 27 percent of fatal distracted driving crashes involved drivers in their 20s.

While Distraction.gov focuses on cell phone use, particularly texting, the same dangers can be applied to eating or drinking while driving. Anything that causes distraction is a potential danger and should be avoided.

What If I Am The Victim of Injuries Caused By A Distracted Driver?
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, there are several things you should do immediately after seeking medical attention.

First, document and preserve any evidence you have that the driver was distracted. You may not know if a driver was texting, drinking, eating or otherwise engaging in dangerous behavior but if you have any indication this was the case, be sure to write it down. This may involve taking the names of anyone who was a witness to the crash.

Next, you can also talk with police officers who investigate the scene. If you think you are dealing with a distracted driving situation, ask the police officers to investigate fully.

Finally, talk to a personal injury attorney. If you suspect that the driver was distracted, you may need help protecting your rights and recovering damages from the driver.

http://www.injury-attorneys.com/

When Should You Hire Personal Injury Attorneys?

Like any company with a profit margin to think about, insurance companies are also designed to increase their profits while minimizing the amount that they pay out to policy holders. If you have been injured in an accident, have a loved one who has experienced nursing home abuse, or have been involved in any other incident which has left you with medical bills or other expenses, it is a good idea to seek the help of personal injury attorneys.

Without the guidance of personal injury attorneys, you will be at a significant disadvantage when trying to attain the fair compensation you deserve. Even if you have all of the paperwork and evidence that is required of you, insurance company legal teams will do their best to find loopholes to minimize the compensation you receive. Attempting to win higher compensation on your own may not lead to the most desirable results, unless you have years of legal experience yourself. Personal injury attorneys will provide the professional leverage that you need to achieve an adequate settlement.

It is common for insurers to seek quick settlement so that policy holders don’t have time to think twice about the unfair settlement they’re being offered. If your insurance adjuster is putting pressure on you to quickly settle the case, you should consider hiring personal injury attorneys.

Personal injury attorneys will also help you to determine how much compensation you should receive. All current and future expenses, such as ongoing medical care, will be assessed by personal injury attorneys so that you aren’t left with unexpected bills.

Seek the help of personal injury attorneys if you have sustained injuries, physical and/or emotional, that result in costly upfront and long-term consequences. With the help of personal injury attorneys, you will be able to rest assured that all aspects of your unique case are considered. With no stone left unturned, you will be far more likely to receive fair compensation for all immediate and future expenses.

"I Didn't do Anything. Why do I Need a Lawyer?"

Many of our clients come to us late in the court process. They often think that if they have no record, or if the didn't commit a crime, they don't need a lawyer. I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone say; "I didn't do anything. What do I need a lawyer for?"

They irony of this belief is that this is exactly the kind of situation where hiring an experienced criminal defense lawyer is most important! If you have no record, or feel that you did nothing wrong, you will want to preserve your clean criminal record as long as possible. You will want to hire an aggressive criminal defense lawyer that will actively challenge the prosecutor at every turn.

In order to get the best outcome possible on your case, you need to get an experienced criminal defense lawyer involved as early as possible. We find that the clients that have the most successful case outcomes are the ones that hire us before they are even charged with a crime. Obviously, this is not always possible.

If you have been charged with a crime, have been contacted by a law enforcement officer, or believe you may be the subject of a police investigation; call a criminal defense lawyer right away!
Keegan & Novick, LLP, a premier Boston criminal defense law firm, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call and speak to one of our criminal defense lawyers today!

Common Truck Accident causes in Clearwater

Tractor-trailers, or any commercial truck for that matter, are essential to the American economy. However, as our economy recovers and more and more tractor-trailers travel American highways, these mechanical mammoths need to have more and more competent operators behind the wheel. Unfortunately, when there is a buck to be made, people, including truck carriers, will often turn the other cheek to potentially make a few extra dollars. Practices such as hiring unqualified drivers, violating national hour of service laws, and rigging log books all can lead to accidents that seriously injure innocent citizens.
                                           
COMMON CAUSES OF TRUCKING ACCIDENTS

Drunk driving: Believe it or not, drunk truck drivers are a main cause of trucking accidents. Drug use is also a problem amongst truck drivers, especially methamphetamine, which is used to get a truck driver through a dangerously long haul.

Distracted Driver: We are living in the technology age, and while this has many, many benefits, there are also some downsides. One of them being the constant need to be connected and checking of cell phones. Just like us, truck drivers have cell phones that they check while driving, along with other devices in their cockpit such as radios and dispatch devices.

Driver Fatigue: A very common problem amongst truck drivers due to the nature of their job, driver fatigue has been a target of recent legislation limiting truck drivers’ drive times. However, most drivers will attempt to get around the laws by fudging their log books. Also, the new legal amount of operation time for a driver is still a long time without sleep.

Illegal Maneuver: Tractor-trailers are extremely large vehicles, and when they are not operated properly they can cause serious damage. An illegal maneuver such as rolling through a stop sign, yielding at an intersection, or failing to check if lane is clear before switching can mean damage.

Mechanical Error: Being the large machines that tractor-trailers are, they also have a lot of parts. If these parts are not maintained properly, they can malfunction and cause an accident. Worn out tires, faulty brakes, or other defective parts will lead to an accident.

Poor weather conditions: During severe weather, such as torrential downpours, heavy fog, snow storms, or icy weather can severely hinder a trucker’s ability to operate their rig. Also, due to poor road conditions, it can affect the time it takes for a truck to slow down and stop as well.

Overloaded cargo: If a truck is overloaded with cargo, it will affect the way the truck handles and can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Also, overloaded cargo may not be properly secured and cause the cargo to spill out of the truck, and become hazardous to other drivers.

CONTACT PINELLAS COUNTY TRUCKING ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS DOLMAN LAW GROUP

When tractor-trailers are involved in accidents with regular motor vehicles, the results can be deadly. This summer, famous comedian and actor Tracy Morgan was involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer that killed one of his friends, and he has kept him in the hospital. It was found the driver of the truck suffered from extreme fatigue at the time of the accident.

If you, a loved one, or someone you know was seriously injured in a trucking accident that you believe was caused by a negligent driver, you may be entitled to compensation. Our experienced trucking accident attorneys at Dolman Law Group will aggressively fight to hold those negligent responsible for the accidents they have caused and will get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation at 727-451-6900 or via our online contact form.

Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-451-6900
 Visit: http://www.dolmanlaw.com/practice-area/truck-accident/