Criminal and Civil Liability in Hit and Run Cases

Criminal and Civil Liability in Hit and Run Cases

Hit & Run accidents are often portrayed in a wildly dramatic way on TV or in the movies. Someone is driving recklessly and rams into another vehicle or drives onto a sidewalk causing property damage before accelerating off into the distance. But the reality is a hit and run can be any accident where there is property damage or injury and you leave the scene before exchanging information with others involved and contacting law enforcement. In other words, a hit and run charge involves your duty to report. In any accident, you must exchange driver’s license, address, and registration information with other drivers involved and when serious, report the accident to law enforcement. If you are criminally charged with Hit and Run, you should immediately consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Property Damage

In minor accidents the priority is to move the cars out of the way so as to not obstruct traffic and then exchange information with the other driver. In more serious accidents, as in, you cannot just … Read the rest

What Are Damages?

What Are Damages?

Whether it be the result of a car accident or slip and fall, in every personal injury case there are generally two things that the victim must prove-liability and damages. Liability means fault, so the first thing the victim must prove is that the other person or company was at fault for the accident. If the victim can prove that the other party was at fault, then the victim must prove their damages.

As a car accident lawyer trusts can explain, damages are generally broken down into two different areas – economic damages and noneconomic damages. Economic damages are things such as past and future medical, nursing, rehabilitation and supportive care expenses. For example, if someone is injured and can no longer clean their house or maintain their yard, not only are their ongoing medical expenses an economic damage they can recover for, but the cost to have someone take care of their house and yard is also considered to be an economic loss for which they can seek recovery in their personal injury case. If the … Read the rest

What to Do After a Minor Car Accident

What to Do After a Minor Car Accident

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, the United States incurs losses of more than $230 billion owing to the over seven million car crashes annually. This results to over two million individuals injured and a further 40,000 killed. Insurance statistics place minor accidents at a 75 percent threshold, with losses considered as more of property damage as opposed to injury accidents. Such matters are easily resolved, and the following are the steps you can take after being involved in a minor incident.

1. Keep Calm

The instinctual actions that kick in when you are in an accident include tempers flaring, yelling and engaging in a blame exchange. It is important that when in such a situation, stay calm. Get out of your car and do not confront the other motorist. Instead, determine if yourself or anyone in the other vehicle was hurt and if so, seek medical attention immediately.

2. Safety First

Before doing anything else, it is wise to inform other road users of the impending danger. Turn on your hazard … Read the rest

Common Challenges When Pursuing a Slip and Fall Injury Case

Common Challenges When Pursuing a Slip and Fall Injury Case

Most personal injury attorneys understand from experience that slip and fall injury cases can be challenging for several reasons. Their success is usually dependent on the material case facts and potential problems when establishing the negligent party.

Injuries that occur in remote locations can be particularly problematic when an owner or property manager cannot be located. Many times the accident investigation will include searching property tax and ownership records to pinpoint a responsible party. In addition, remote location injuries also still require a police report to establish the fact of where the injury occurred and establish a timeline of what actually happened. When you add the fact that slip and fall injuries are also usually defended strongly, each juncture of the negotiation process can present challenges.

Establishing the Facts

Personal injury attorneys have a standard requirement in the first stages of any injury claim.

• They must establish by documentation or testimony that an accident happened resulting in injury to their client and that the accident was the fault or responsibility

Who Can Be Held Liable In A Truck Accident?

Who Can Be Held Liable In A Truck Accident?

Commercial trucks travel the highways every day, delivering goods we need to states all over the U.S. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were over 500,000 accidents involving commercial trucks in 2016 alone. One reason for these high numbers is the fact that drivers must stick to very tight schedules and often drive while fatigued. The following is an overview of personal injury law and how it may help those hurt in a commercial truck accident. If you have been hurt in a collision with a large, commercial vehicle contact a truck accident lawyer trusts to find out who can be held liable for your damages and medical expenses.

Truck Accident Injuries

The vast majority of those traveling in passenger cars suffer very serious or debilitating injuries when involved in a collision with a commercial vehicle. This is due to the large size and heavy weight of the truck. Some of the most common truck accident injuries are:

• Closed Head Injuries
• Injuries to the Spinal Cord
• Paralysis
• Traumatic

Accidental Gun Shootings – How a lawyer helps victims and their families.

Accidental Gun Shootings – How a lawyer helps victims and their families.

Despite what we read about in the papers and hear across the airwaves, people today in the United States of America, generally speaking, are safer now than they were in years past. The one exception to this fact concerns accidental gun shootings, both those that involve injuries and death. These incidents have continued to increase for the past many decades.

Many of these victims, and many of the shooters themselves, are children. Every day, somewhere we hear stories of young children coming across an unsecured gun, and accidentally discharging it with horrific, life changing, consequences. As an attorney who has dedicated his practice to helping victims of accidents, I have learned that much can be done to compensate these victims and their families. In most situations, after such a tragedy, there is no consideration for what can be done for the victims and others affected by bringing a civil claim, but virtually always, hiring an attorney to represent the interests of the family and the child is of … Read the rest

Is there a difference between DUI and DWI?

Difference Between DUI and DWI?

One of the easiest questions one can ask a skilled Louisville KY DUI lawyer and certainly one of my favorites to answer. If this was all I had to do all day I would be a happy lawyer and very wealthy in both happiness and money!

The easiest answer in the world is – there is no difference!
DUI is an acronym that stands for Driving Under the Influence (of alcohol or other intoxicants), while DWI stands for Driving While Intoxicated (usually just refers to alcohol, in most cases).

Another possibility is DUII, or DWII which is most commonly used in Oregon – Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (kind of combining the former two), or Driving While under the Influence of Intoxicants.

Different states promulgate different laws and legislatures choose whatever acronym or vernacular that fits their needs or interests that day, week or month, so at the end of the day, it does not matter which acronym you are being charged with, so long as you are being actively charged with a driving … Read the rest

Parking Lot Accidents

Parking Lot Accidents

Parking lots are one of the most common places for accidents. Though these collisions are often at low speeds and lead to minor damages, like scratches and dents, they can also be very serious and expensive disasters.

Many drivers trivialize the damage done in parking lot collisions, and drive away from the scene to avoid getting in any trouble. This can often make the most stressful part of a parking lot accident finding who is responsible. To be clear, striking a parked vehicle with your car and driving away without leaving a note or any other way to find you is a crime. If you find yourself in a situation where you have hit a parked car, the best practice is to take pictures and call the police to report the accident. At the least, you must leave a note with your address, name, phone number and insurance information. Doing this will save you a grave deal of legal trouble in the long run.

If you return to your parked car to find it damaged without a … Read the rest

What Are the Most Common Workers Compensation Claims?

What Are the Most Common Workers Compensation Claims?

Workplace injuries are unfortunately far too common. The causes of these injuries vary depending on the workplace environment and the circumstances of the accident.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, which tracks workplace injuries, released its most recent findings for the year 2014. They determined that the five most common types of injuries that resulted in lost work time are:

Common Types of Injuries

33.2 % — Overexertion and bodily reaction

27.4% — Falls, slips and trips

22.2% — Contact with an object or equipment

6.3% — Violence and injuries caused by other persons

5.4% — Transportation incidents

Common Categories of Workers Comp Claims

There are five common categories of workers compensation claims. This determination is based on data maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Liberty Mutual, and the National Academy of Social Insurance. These five most common claims are:

OVEREXERTION is the most common workers compensation claim. These injuries can be caused by a range of physically exerting activities including pushing objects, lifting objects, holding and carrying, … Read the rest

Navigating the Pre-suit Texas Medical Malpractice Minefield

Steps Toward Navigating Your Medical Malpractice Case

In the event your case is a death case, ensure that you’ve taken the appropriate steps to have someone named as the personal representative of the estate, that you have obtained Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, and although not mandatory, it’s also prudent to obtain an order in probate court authorizing the personal representative to file suit against the tortfesor that caused the decedent’s death.

Notice 

Before you can file a medical malpractice petition in many states, including Texas for example, you are required to provide formal notice to the Defendant.  Failure to do this is fatal to your case.  Check the statute for the required inclusions to this letter, or email the author of this article for an example of a notice letter.

Second, some state codes require that any healthcare provider who is put on notice of a potential claim provide complete and unaltered copies of the patient’s medical records. This language should be included in the notice letter, along with a HIPAA-compliant Medical Authorization.  Recall that by this point, … Read the rest