Handling Accident

After being in a car accident , you may be faced with the task of finding the right lawyer for you. To help you guide you through the process, here are the 5 Top Questions to ask an attorney in your personal injury case:     •    Will you be the actual person handling my case? At some larger firms, during your initial consultation, you will have a quick meet and greet with your lawyer, yet never see them again. During your first meeting, ask who will be your contact? And ask who will be the person handling your case? Many firms will route you to the paralegal, even if you would like to speak with your attorney on a certain issue. Make sure that you have access to your lawyer when you need them.     •     What is your contingency fee? Most personal injury lawyers will not require you to pay for any attorney’s fees out of your pocket. The typical fee ranges from 25-50% of the ultimate recovery. You are paying for an attorney’s skill a...

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence [1] sets forth many disturbing facts regarding the use of alcohol and drugs by impaired drivers: - An estimated 32% of fatal car accidents involve an intoxicated driver or pedestrian. (NHTSA) - 3,952 fatally injured drivers tested positive for drug involvement. (FARS) - Over 1.2 million drivers were arrested in 2011 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. (FBI) - Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens, and about a quarter of those accidents involve an underage drinking driver. (SAMHSA) - On average, two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime. (NHTSA)   The 2013-2014 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use [2] by Drivers published by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speaks to the use of illegal and prescription drugs and impaired driving: “ In this study, for marijuana, we tested only ...

What are some common at-home products which can cause injury? Individuals can suffer various different injuries while at home. However, some of the more serious injuries are caused by at-home products that may be defective. Among those are the following: ·       Appliances: At-home appliances play an important role in facilitating our lives. However, each year, appliances cause numerous at-home injuries and deaths. For example, cooking equipment such as ovens and microwaves help contribute to 162,400 structure fires, 430 deaths, and 5,400 injuries per year . 1 ·       Electric Wiring - When incorrectly installed, it can cause electric shock as well as create a fire hazard. ·       Improperly Installed Flooring - When flooring is improperly installed, individuals run the risk of slipping, falling, or tripping. This can result in individuals suffering minor to serious injuries. ·     ...

Since tax time is near, I thought providing you with information on whether personal injury settlements are taxable was in order. After being in a car accident and having received a settlement, you may be wondering if you have to report that money to the IRS as “income”. The short answer is: NO (BUT, there are exceptions where do have to report the income). In a typical car accident claim, you will be awarded monies for bodily injury and related pain and suffering, that you may have sustained as a result of the accident. In this scenario, which usually happens in your standard car accident claim, you will not have to report your settlement as “income” to the IRS. However, there are some exceptions to this general rule.  The first exception applies if you have taken itemized deductions for medical expenses in recent years on your tax return. If  your medical expenses have been so high in the past, that you itemized those bills on your tax return, you MUST report your personal...

Issues surrounding pregnancy, labor, and the birth of a child are very personal to a woman. Women and their partners seek professional assistance from obstetricians in order to help them plan or avoid a pregnancy. Still, injuries and complications can occur and cause the woman significant physical and emotional pain. When injuries and complications arise, an obstetrician may have committed malpractice. Of course, injuries and complications can and do often occur naturally. Still, malpractice is a potential cause that should not be ignored. Malpractice may impact the physical, emotional, and financial well-beings of women and children. Obstetrician Malpractice Obstetricians are held to a certain standard of care for the medical services which they provide. Whenever an obstetrician’s care dips below the baseline standard, he or she is committing malpractice and risks causing injury to the mother and any potential offspring. Some of the more common examples of obstetrician negligen...

With the passage of the Affordable Health Care Act, almost everyone can get health insurance now. However, if you have been in a car accident and have health insurance, there are some things to keep in mind. First, you should know that if you are taken to the hospital after an accident, there may three separate bills related to your accident treatment:     •    Ambulance bill;     •    Hospital Bill; and     •    Doctor at the Hospital (Doctors are usually not employees of hospitals. As a result, they send out a separate bill, over and above what the hospital charged you. This usually comes as a shock to most people.) In most cases, your health insurance company will pay for your emergency, car accident related, medical bills. However, your health insurance company may ask that you pay the health insurance company back. They will ask you to pay them back out of the settlement proceeds from your pe...

One of the last things a driver wants to experience when in a motor vehicle is facing the prospect of failed brakes . Brakes play a critical role in helping a car is reduce its velocity and stop before colliding into other vehicles or fixed objects or before running off roads. When brakes fail, it may result in a collision as well as serious injuries to the driver or multiple parties. Potential Injuries Caused by Failed Brakes Serious Physical Injury - In 2015, Florida car accidents have already resulted in 220,340 injuries . 1 When brakes fail, drivers and passengers are at risk of collisions with objects. This can cause an individual to be thrown from the vehicle, strike a part of the vehicle’s interior, or suffer injuries such as whiplash or head trauma. Emotional Trauma - Cars are designed with safety in mind. Whenever an ever-important safety feature fails, it can cause emotional trauma. Deaths - Florida was home to 2,494 fatalities car accident related fatalities in 2014 ...