Archive for the ‘Accident News’ Category
Salt Lake Woman Ejected From Truck in I-215 Collision
May 10th, 2013
Posted in Accident News
Salt Lake City, UT- Three people were injured and one woman was ejected from a truck following a serious collision on I-215 last Saturday evening around 7:15 p.m.
Reports state that the driver of a silver Honda was traveling west when they tried to avoid colliding with a van that had just pulled out in front of their vehicle. While trying to avoid that initial collision, the Honda sideswiped a large Ford pickup truck hauling a utility trailer, Utah Highway Patrol said.
The impact of the collision caused the truck to roll over, ejecting one of the three passengers, none of who were wearing their seat belts.
According to the Deseret News, one of the truck passengers, a man in his 50 was briefly pinned in the truck. The driver of the truck, a man in his 30s was also injured. They were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.
The passenger that was ejected was a woman in her 20s and she sustained critical injuries. Police did not state what injuries this young woman suffered.
The Honda driver was also suffered minor injuries but was not hospitalized.
Police were forced to close down the westbound lanes of I-215 for a couple of hours while they investigated.
It is unclear what type of injuries the woman who was thrown from the truck suffered, but often in accidents involving an ejection the victims suffer from broken bones, spine and back injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
All of these injuries, especially spine and brain injuries require extensive rehabilitation. The people suffering from these injuries often have to relearn skills that once came naturally. They can be in rehabilitation for months or years.
In the worst cases, personal injury victims can become paralyzed or suffer permanent brain damage. They will never be able to have their former lives back and must adjust to their new lives, which can cause them incalculable emotional distress and anger.
All of these injuries can lead to temporary or permanent disability and can be extremely costly to the victims. People who suffer brain or spinal injuries can expect their medical costs to range in the tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Many accident victims find that their immediate and continuing medical costs to reach a million-plus.
An accident victim’s financial problems don’t end with their medical bills. These injury victims are often unable to work or earn a living for weeks or months. Some victims are hurt so badly they will never be able to return to work.
Those who are seriously harmed in a traffic collision have the legal right to pursue the person or person’s responsible for compensation. In most cases, the negligent driver’s insurance company will approach a victim immediately to offer a settlement. If the injuries and property damage are minor then a swift settlement may be appropriate for the victim. However, if the victim has catastrophic injuries they should speak with a Utah personal injury attorney before accepting a settlement.
If I’m Accidentally Injured, Why Do I Need a South Carolina Accident Lawyer?
May 9th, 2013
Posted in Accident News
Beaufort, SC- Accidents whether they are on the road, at work or in our homes are inevitable. The majority of South Carolina residents have been involved in at least one accident in their lives. Some traffic collisions are minor, allowing those involved to walk away relatively unscathed, but there are times when these accidents are serious and the victims incur serious injuries or lose their lives.
Most people, who are involved in any type of accident, wonder if they really need to hire an attorney. The simple answer is yes; hire a personal injury attorney even if you don’t have intentions of pursuing a court case.
Past studies have shown that people who have legal representation walk away with more compensation than those who don’t hire an attorney even after the legal fees are paid.
Insurance companies are not on the personal injury victim’s side, they are primarily concerned with making their shareholders happy. And their main objective is to make a profit which is maximized when they pay as little for an insurance claim as possible.
Insurance companies employee numerous adjustors, investigators, and attorneys to work for them so you, as the victim, also need someone with knowledge and expertise when trying to secure a fair financial settlement for your pain and suffering. A South Carolina personal injury attorney is aware of the true value of your injury claim.
By hiring an injury attorney, you are sending a signal to the negligent party’s insurance company that you won’t settle for less than you deserve and having legal representation assures you won’t be taken advantage of in negotiations with the person responsible for your injuries and their insurer.
Never speak to the insurance company without speaking to your attorney first; the insurer wants to minimize their liability and increase their profits, so anything you say has the potential of damaging your case. Since your attorney better understands the language of the law always allow them to speak for you.
In South Carolina establishing negligence is the most important aspect of any personal injury lawsuit. To be eligible for compensation the victim must prove that the party that caused your injuries had a responsibility not to injure them and failed to live up to that duty. Also, the victim must prove there is a connection between the negligent party’s responsibility and the victim’s injuries and you suffered emotional and monetary losses as a result of the accident.
Once you have been involved in an accident, it’s critical that you contact an attorney immediately; you have a limited amount of time to file for a claim. In South Carolina, personal injury suits must be filed within 3 years from the date the injury occurred.
This gives your legal representative the opportunity to gather evidence and speak with witnesses while the incident is still fresh in their minds, allowing them to firmly establish who was negligent and responsible for a victim’s injuries. The longer an attorney has to work on the case the better chance they have of getting you a generous settlement that adequately compensates you for the suffering you’ve endured.
Mobile Man Killed in Drunk Driving Accident
May 8th, 2013
Posted in Accident News
Mobile, AL- Police have charged a Mobile man with vehicular manslaughter after he was involved in fatal accident with a motorcyclist.
According to local NBC affiliate 15TV, police responded to an accident on Saturday, April 28th at the intersection of St. Francis Street and North Bayou Street around 11:45. When they arrived they found Edward Lindsey Mack, 60, lying in the street unconscious, but he later died at the scene.
Police say that Alexander Graff, 29, struck Mack in St. Francis Street. He remained on the scene and police detected the odor of alcohol, AOL News reported.
Graff was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter. Cpl. Christopher Levy, public relations officer for the Mobile Police Department would not comment on Graff’s blood alcohol level stating it was a matter for the courts, according to AOL.
Graff has previous alcohol-related arrests. In 2006 he was arrested for DUI with a blood alcohol level of .016. He pleaded guilty to that charge and was on probation for one year.
Police are trying to determine if Mack was wearing the proper safety gear at the time of accident since the responding officers did not included that information in their initial report.
The Centers For Disease Control estimates that almost one-third of all fatal accidents nationwide are caused by drivers under the influence. Alcohol-related crashes cost an average of $51 billion annually, the NHTSA reports.
Losing a loved one in a traffic accident is one of the most shocking things a family can go through, especially if their death was caused by a negligent driver. The families of accident victims are left to deal their grief while also struggling to figure out how they are going to pay for the many costs associated with a traffic accident. In many cases, the person killed in traffic accident is the primary provider for their family.
The families of fatal accident victims have the expectation that the responsible party will pay for their medical and funeral expenses along with property damage. Even though accident settlements are often paid for by the negligent driver’s insurance companies, accident victims and their families should always consult with a wrongful death or injury attorney before agreeing to a settlement amount. Injury victims who have legal representation are able to obtain settlements that are two to three times larger than those who have no lawyer.
These victims also have the right to seek a larger settlement by pursing a civil case, but Alabama laws relating to wrongful death are complicated. Unlike other states, wrongful death victims in Alabama can only seek compensatory damages, which means a jury cannot award a victim’s loved ones compensation for lost wages or the mental anguish the victim suffered before death.
Timing in all accident cases, whether they involve catastrophic injuries or a wrongful death caused by a traffic collision, an industrial accident, defective product, or medical malpractice, is crucial. If you plan to file a wrongful death or personal injury suit, don’t do it alone, contact an Mobile injury attorney to help.
Bachelorette Party Turns Tragic As Limo Fire Kills Five
May 6th, 2013
Posted in Accident News
San Mateo, CA- Investigators are still unclear why a limo carrying 9 women for a bachelorette party burst into flames Saturday night killing five and seriously injuring two others.
The blaze erupted around 10 p.m. as the stretch limo was crossing the 7 mile San Mateo- Hayward Bridge.
The driver of the limo Orville Brown told the San Francisco Chronicle that he heard the women yelling “Smoke, Smoke,” but the he was confused, the loud music made it difficult for him to understand what the women.
“They had the music up in the back, and I figured she was asking, ‘Can I smoke?’” Brown said. “I said, ‘The owner doesn’t allow smoking in the car, and we only have four minutes to the destination.’”
Finally, Brown realized they were yelling for him to pull over which he did, but it was too late for some most of the women. The driver says it only took him 30 seconds to pull over once he realized the back was filling up with smoke.
After pulling over Brown helped four of the women out of the vehicle through the partition. The first woman out ran to open the open a one of the back passengers doors, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
“When she opened that back door, I knew it wasn’t a good scene. I figured with all that fire that they were gone, man,” Brown said in an interview. “There were just so many flames. Within maybe 90 seconds, the car was fully engulfed.”
Once the blaze was extinguished, emergency crews found the bodies of four women, who were huddled near the partition, San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault told reporters. “They were there on top of each other and doing what they could to get out,” Foucrault said.
Among the deceased were Neriza Fojas, 31, a registered nurse who was celebrating her marriage. Fojas and her friends were headed to a nearby hotel for a wedding celebration where her husband was waiting. The couple was about to embark on a trip to Fojas’ native Philippines to have another wedding ceremony in front of family.
According to California Highway Patrol, the four injured women were taken to area hospitals to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation. Two of the women, Jasmine Desguia, 34, of San Jose, and Amalia Loyola, 48, of San Leandro were listed critical condition.
Investigators are trying to figure out what caused the fire, the limo was not involved an accident.
Brown is an experienced commercial driver, but had only worked with the limo company for a couple of months, the Chronicle reported. The company he was working for Limo Stop is licensed and insured, but it is unclear if they have any previous safety violations, but they still may be liable for the injuries and wrongful deaths.
Limo Stop released a statement which said, “Limo Stop, Inc. will do everything possible to investigate and assist authorities in determining the cause of this fire in order to bring forth answers and provide closure to (the) victims and their families,” adding they were “deeply saddened” by the tragedy.
Michigan Lawmakers Approve Bill to Limit Benefits for Accident Victims
May 3rd, 2013
Posted in Accident News
Lansing, MI- In spite of passionate and emotional testimony from catastrophically injured accident victims, members of the state House Committee approved two bills which will make sweeping changes to the no-fault insurance system and cap the benefits personal injury victims are entitled to.
The bills will cap lifetime benefits for those who are critically injured to $1 million, ending unlimited benefits for these personal injury victims, the Lansing State Journal reported.
Changing the no-fault insurance laws would save Michigan drivers up to a $125 a year once the bill is enacted. Those who approve of the bills including AAA note that Michigan is the only state that has no lifetime cap on catastrophic injury benefits and also has the highest insurance rates of any state.
According the Lansing Journal, Heather Drake of AAA said the bills would ensure that healthcare providers charge insurance companies the same as other payers, citing a case where Spectrum Health in Michigan charged $403,870 for an accident victim’s 30 day stay, but the same stay under workman’s comp would be half that she told the House Committee.
“The cost shouldn’t vary depending on who is paying the bill,” Drake said according to the Lansing Journal.
But is this punishing the victims for the actions of health care providers?
The committee heard weeks of testimony from accident victims who have been permanently disabled. Many of those who testified were in wheelchairs or suffered from traumatic brain injuries.
Accident victims who are paralyzed or suffered traumatic brain injuries can easily rack up a million dollars in medical bills in a very short period of time. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that the short- and long-term care for brain injury sufferers cost $75 billion annually.
Former state Representative for St. Charles, Jim Howell testified before the committee relating the story of his son Sam, who suffered a brain injury just before he was about to attend Harvard Medical School.
“My precious son Sam wouldn’t have survived without no-fault. He went through $1 million in less than a month,” Howell said.
With the rising costs of healthcare, many of these accident victims could face financial ruin if these bills managed to get passed. An estimated half of all personal bankruptcies in America are caused by medical bills.
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who is a wheelchair because of a traffic accident, explained the plight of catastrophic injury victims, “One million dollars will be quickly depleted, and the patient will then be facing personal bankruptcy as family and loved ones exhausts their family assets to care for him. He ultimately becomes a ward of the state, and the taxpayers underwrite the patient’s future care through the Medicaid system.”
Medical bills are just one of the challenges that accident victims who suffer catastrophic injuries face, in many cases these individuals will never be able to work or support themselves again and depend on personal injury settlements to give them a quality life.
