When you get up in the morning, you get ready for you day, grab your keys and start your car. Though you know driving is dangerous, you get behind the wheel on a daily basis. Most days, even years, you do so safely. So, when you get involved in a car accident, you may not know what to do.
If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, take a moment to think before getting out of your car. You may not realize what happened at first, so taking a couple breaths can help you regain your bearings.
For over-the-road (OTR) truck drivers, deadlines are everything. When they have a load scheduled to get from point A to point B in a short of time, there is no time to waste. If two loads divide their trailer, destined for two separate places, staying on schedule can be increasingly difficult. Taking weather conditions, road construction and traffic into consideration, a driver may feel forced to break driving regulations. Paid just cents on the mile, a driver may go out of their way to avoid late penalties for his or her load.
With the size and weight of semi trucks comes a longer stopping distance than personal vehicles. This is part of the reason for speed governors, though many mechanics and drivers find ways to circumvent their use. And, while the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires log books tracking a driver’s hours of service, many drivers run two separate logs: one for their employer and DOT and the truthful one.
Tragedies happen across America every day. One of the worst, and most easily prevented, is a pedestrian-vehicle crash. In places where pedestrians are often out on or near the roads, drivers have to be cautious not to strike them. Even a single error could lead to a fatality.
A crash that happened in Santa Clara shows how quickly a collision can lead to a death. A pedestrian was walking across the street on Kiely Boulevard when they were struck. The crash, which happened at 3:38 p.m., has little information about it, but the police department stated that it would shut down the area around Kiely Boulevard while investigating.
When people think of serious injuries they often think of physical therapy sessions, body casts, wheelchairs and mourning. They rarely look into the future to truly weigh the extent of the damage: the lost income, the pain and suffering, the stress on family and friends. Tragedy is life altering for everyone it touches. It’s a rare accident where the doctors stitch up a wound and everyone walks back to into their routine.
An electrical accident in Maryland
When we here the phrase spinal cord injury, our thoughts immediately flip to a person in a bed or wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck or waist down. The reality, however, is often quite different. Not all injuries to the spine result in long-term or permanent paraplegia or quadriplegia. But the spinal column is the conduit for our body's central nervous system to and from the brain. That means that every injury to the spine must be taken seriously, for both immediate treatment and long-term rehabilitation.
About 37 million vehicles made by at least 19 different manufacturers were equipped with defective Takata airbags, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The defective airbags are being recalled because long-term exposure to heat and humidity can cause them to explode when deployed, often shooting pieces of metal at the vehicle’s occupants. These defective airbags have already caused numerous serious injuries and deaths.
Although the recalls for Takata airbags began several years ago, NHTSA calls them the “largest and most complex vehicle recalls in U.S. history.” Because the recalls affect so many vehicles, they have been conducted in phases, and additional recalls will continue through December 2019. NHTSA data from September 2018 indicates there are over 15 million affected airbags that have not yet been repaired.
As automakers push toward creating self-driving vehicles, many consumers may be relying too heavily on systems that are not autonomous. AAA tested four different vehicles with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking and found these systems do not always respond correctly, even in everyday scenarios.
Today, cellphones are the Swiss army knives of communication. They connect us to billions of people around the world via voice, text, email, web browsing and application functions. These versatile tools fit in pockets and purses and are portable enough to be used just about anywhere. However, that doesn’t mean they should be used everywhere. Using a cellphone while driving is a dangerous practice that can lead to catastrophic or fatal injuries.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), thousands of people around the country are killed each year by distracted drivers. Over 54 percent of California drivers said in 2016 that they had been hit or almost hit by someone who was using a cellphone. OTS resources also state that five seconds is the average time someone’s eyes are off the road while texting and driving, and if that person is going 55 miles per hour, five seconds is enough time to travel the length of a football field.
New parents have a lot to learn when they have a child. Household choking and suffocation hazards suddenly become a concern. Rescheduling the day around feeding and sleep schedules is suddenly the norm. And of course, there’s loads of new equipment to learn to use—from strollers to car seats.
Using a car seat isn’t always as straightforward as a new parent might expect. Sifting through the enormous variety of car seats on the market is an undertaking in and of itself. Figuring out how to use it properly is an entirely different challenge.
For those employed in the construction industry, it is no surprise that this type of work is fraught with injury risks. The four most common construction accidents are falling from heights, being struck by objects, being caught in equipment or machines and electrocution. In California and other states, all employers must have workers' compensation for their employees, but sometimes, this is not enough for those suffering serious injury.
We understand how complicated it is to seek compensation other than workers' comp. You cannot typically sue your employer for your accident because he or she has provided workers' compensation insurance. With this in mind, most injured workers feel that they have no other solution at their disposal. You may be pleased to learn that other options may exist, depending upon the circumstances of your case. One of the most advantageous solutions is filing a third-party injury claim if eligible. This remedy applies in construction accidents in which third-party negligence caused or contributed to the worker's injury.
He actually persuaded me not to settle because he believed that we had a great case. So we took the case to trial and he fought like crazy for me. And we won! It was a really good experience —well, as much as it can be for a lawsuit — and I'm very happy I went with them. I've been really blessed to have him as my attorney, so I recommend him whenever I can."
He actually persuaded me not to settle because he believed that we had a great case. So we took the case to trial and he fought like crazy for me. And we won! It was a really good experience —well, as much as it can be for a lawsuit — and I'm very happy I went with them. I've been really blessed to have him as my attorney, so I recommend him whenever I can."
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Ball & Bonholtzer
300 North Lake Avenue Suite 1100
Pasadena,
CA
91101
Phone:
626-817-6453
Fax:
626-793-3198
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