Auto Accident Lawyer

When I think of the word “investigation,” I think of CSI or Law and Order. However, in a serious personal injury case, the investigation of the accident can make a big difference in how the case is viewed and valued by an insurance company or solvent defendant. For example, in a motorcycle accident, the motorcycle should be preserved and inspected by competent engineers for liability purposes. A competent accident investigator (hired by a lawyer) should inspect the scene immediately and preserve evidence by taking photographs and perhaps video. The investigator should take statements from the parties and witnesses. The 911 logs should be obtained to find witnesses the police did not catch (this happens all the time). All potential defendants should be identified and investigated. The lawyer should spot any roadway defect and product liability issues and handle any and all legal deadlines that will come up within months of the accident. We settled a case this week for the policy limits of $100,000 on a motorcycle case. The police report stated that our client was speeding well over the speed limit. An independent witness told the officer that my client was going “way too fast.” The insurance company reviewed the report and spoke to their insured and concluded that my client was to blame. My seasoned investigator took a statement from this same “independent witness” who estimated my client’s actual speed lower than the posted speed limit, despite her claim he was going too fast. This changed the insurance company’s position from “no value” to policy limits of $100,000. Don’t wait to have your case investigated. Make sure you hire a good lawyer who has a competent investigator working on your case. Feel free to contact us to get your investigation started. Our toll free number is (888) 873-6639. Our email address is info@penneylaw.com.

A car accident in Soledad has left four people dead and at least one injured. The accident involved a Honda Accord and a Chevrolet Silverado.  According to the California Highway Patrol, the Honda Accord driver was making a left turn from the Highway 101 off ramp, and trying to cross the southbound lane when the pickup crashed into the car. The four occupants of the Honda Accord were declared dead at the scene of the crash. Two of the rear passengers in the car were not wearing seatbelts, and were ejected from the vehicle. The pickup truck continued traveling south and then rolled over to land on its wheels. The pickup truck driver Chualar Resident, Juan Francisco D’ Anda, suffered minor injuries. According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Coroners Division, they are waiting to identify the occupants of the Accord before releasing their names. The CHP says that the car occupants were between 18 and 35 years old, and on their way to work at the time of the accident.       The crash occurred six miles south of the site where a tour bus crashed into a wall last month, killing five people and leaving dozens of bus passengers with injuries. Investigations into that accident are continuing, but preliminary investigations seem to point to driver error. California Highway Patrol says that the highway is not a dangerous road, and that there are not an “unusual” number of accidents there.” According to the CHP, alcohol doesn’t seem to be a factor in the crash. Earlier in 2006, another accident on Highway 111 at Major Farms where Tuesday’s accident took place, left a 42-year-old man with injuries.   We will have to wait for the safety investigation to be completed before we can come to any conclusions about the accident.   It’s worth looking into whether highway 101 has design defects that could possibly increase the risk of fatal accidents. A total of nine people have lost their lives in two separate fatal accidents on the highway in the last couple of months alone. A highway doesn’t necessarily need to have obstructions, lack barriers or signs, or have malfunctioning lighting to be dangerous. A wide, straight and perfectly smooth highway can actually place motorists at a risk of accidents by lulling them into a false sense of security. Motorists on roads like these could actually find themselves losing concentration, which is always dangerous. Besides, a road can also be dangerous if it has a poor design that includes steep curves and sharp turns. Absence of barriers and signage can mislead motorists, and increase the risk of accidents. Inadequate or malfunctioning lighting can pose visibility problems, increasing the risk of a car crash. Authorities who are responsible for making enhancements to road safety often have to consider a number of factors, including the traffic and pedestrian volumes in the area, the site’s accident record etc. This means that a dangerous road could actually see several serious accidents before enhancements are finally made. The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of car accidents . Please visit our website at trlglaw.com . If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us . The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

When you’re in a car accident, you need professional help from several different realms. First, you’ll likely need some sort of medical attention, as thousands of car accidents in Washington every year involve either minor or serious injuries. Additionally, it’s quite possible that you’ll need help from a car accident lawyer if you’ve been injured and you need to pursue a justifiable recovery. Below are some basic ideas to consider as you search for an experienced car accident lawyer in Washington. Do Not Handle this Yourself If you’re one of the 56,00+ people who suffers minor injuries in a car accident in Washington every year, it’s likely that you’ll think that you’ll save yourself some time and money by negotiating with the insurance companies involved on your own. If you do this, it’s quite possible that you will save neither time nor money. Insurance companies are staffed with in-house defense attorneys whose job is to limit the financial liability that their companies face. If you get involved in this situation, you’ll soon be buried in paperwork and you’ll be inundated with legal jargon and other steps that will not be familiar to someone without relevant legal experience. In the end, this could cost you a large portion of your justifiable recovery. Ask Questions If you’ve made the wise decision to speak to a car accident attorney, a good place to start would be to ask around. As mentioned above, tens of thousands of people are injured in Washington car accidents every year, so chances are that you’ll know someone who’s needed legal help as a result of such an occurrence. This personalized perspective is valuable and can offer you much more insight than simply looking at the phone book or responding to an advertisement. Own the Consultation After you’ve decided to meet with a car accident attorney, come prepared with questions as well as with all the information that pertains to your accident. The attorney will need to review your situation in order to provide you with sound recommendations, and you’ll need to ask some questions to make sure that you’re working with someone you feel is the proper fit. Below are some examples of questions you should ask during this meeting: How long have you been practicing law? How long have you been handling car accident cases in Washington? How many cases have you handled? How many cases have settled? How many have gone to trial? What were the results? How does your fee structure work? Aside from the answers to your questions, you should also pay attention to the dynamic that exists between you and the attorney across the desk. The reason is that you will be working with your attorney closely throughout this process, and you’ll need to feel comfortable discussing potentially uncomfortable subjects.

Rash driving, improper safety measures on the road, slippery surfaces are known to be the most common caused of road accidents. Many a times, car accidents also result when another car rams into the backend of a car. This causes serious injuries. Many people suffer serious injuries. Some are lucky to get away with minor injuries. If you or anyone known to you has suffered such type of injury, you can make 100% compensation for car accident claim. This type of compensation assures claimant 100 % compensation. This is applicable for any type of injury. After an accident has occurred, not many people consider making a claim. They are afraid it may take a long time to make a claim. Some of them are worried about the expenses involved. This is not true. It does not take too long to make acclaim and is inexpensive. An accident victim has to go through immense pressure - both financial and emotionally. The trauma of the injury can last for a long time. If you have been involved in an accident and have had to pay for medical expenses for the treatment, you can make a claim. You can also get compensated for any kind of emotional trauma that you may have undergone due to an accident. You can also make a claim on no win no fee basis. This type of claims procedure offers you an opportunity to seek compensation without paying any fees. Your solicitor will bear the expenses. No matter whether you win or lose the claims case, you will not be required to pay any fees. Car accident claims will help you get suitable compensation for the losses suffered. The most common injuries are whiplash. These types of injuries are difficult to classify. The common symptoms of whiplash are: Blurred vision and pain behind the eyes Neck pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion Headaches Numbness of the head and face Jaw pain Problems with balance Difficulty swallowing Ringing in the ears Due to sudden force when a collision occurs, the car is thrown front and backwards with a thrust. This causes the driver to fall backwards and forward. This causes head injuries. Seeking advice from accident claims specialist will help get suitable compensation quickly. Car accidents can indeed be stressful for everyone involved. It may be a pedestrian, driver or passenger even if you have not sustained serious injuries. Seeking medical attention is very important. It is important to seek medical attention straight away, and also begin thinking about making a car accident claim if the accident was not your fault.

Contingency car accident lawyers do not charge a fixed amount of legal fees for the services rendered by them. In such a contract the petitioner agrees that the lawyer’s fee will be determined by the amount of settlement awarded to the petitioner. The obvious clause in this contract is that the case should be won in the favor of the petitioner. If the petitioner does not win the case, the lawyer will receive no fee. In case of a car accident, a person may file a lawsuit against the offending party for claiming compensation. This may be done in spite of not having adequate resources to pay for the same. In such a case many lawyers do consider working on contingency basis. However, many people falsely tend to believe that if they lose the case they will not have to pay anything. This is not completely true. Though it is a fact that they may not have to pay the attorney’s fee, they are liable to reimburse the expenses occurred by the attorney while pursuing their case. These fees might include medical reports, analytical services, proficient witnesses, judicial costs and court reporter fees. Irrespective of winning or losing, the client will be responsible for the expenses or cost of bringing the claim to the court. When the contract to pay a lawyer in case of a car accident is based on contingency, the fee is always set at a pre-arranged percentage of whatever the compensation amount might be. This may sum up to much more than the normal fee the lawyer would have been entitled to. However, it is seen that there are many advantages to paying on contingency. If a person loses the claim, the question of paying the lawyer’s fees does not arise at all. If the person’s compensation is received in arrears, the lawyer’s fees can also be paid accordingly. Paying on contingency can enable a person to hire the services of an expensive attorney even though he may not be in a position to pay for it. The attorney also tends to work harder since his fee is at stake. Before getting into any agreement all the factors and clauses of the contract should be studied in great detail.

The recent Soledad bus crash underscores the need to have seat belts placed in tour buses. Several people were killed and severely injured when a bus carrying tourists on a Highway 101 overpass crashed against a guard rail, careened across the road and rolled over. Several of the passengers were French and Canadian tourists. The tour bus is owned by Orion Pacific, an Orange County based charter bus company. There was notable damage to the roof, which invites another discussion of the roof crashworthiness of tour buses. This crash is simliar to the tour bus crash that occurred in Mexican Hat, Utah on January 6, 2008. This firm represents one of the families that lost a loved one in this crash. In this crash, a chartered tour bus carrying skiers from Colorado to Arizona struck a guard rail and rolled down a steep embankment killing and severely injuring several people. The issues in this case involve the absence of seat belts in the tour bus and the inadequately supported roof. This crash also involves the investigation of insurance and other methods of recovery against multiple defendants and parties. The crash necessitated a team of lawyers to pool their resources to handle cases involving nine deaths and multiple individuals with serious injuries. A recent article by CQ Today (Congressional Quarterly) dated April 22, 2009 states that “the motor coach industry and highway safety advocates are backing competing versions of bus safety legislation that are likely to be in play during surface transportation reauthorization negotiations this year. Both bills would promote new motor coach safety standards designed to protect occupants in a crash or rollover.” The article then explains one bill requires the installation of seat belts, firefighting equipment and stronger windows in new buses within a year. A competing bills seeks to delay required compliance with new standards for as long as 18 years. This second bill is unacceptable. The first bill is reasonable. A copy of this rather detailed report can be requested from our office by email. Please email us at info@penneylaw.com. We can then email this PDF document to you for your review. As stated previously, this firm represents a family in a wrongful death case against multiple parties in the Mexican Hat, Utah tour bus accident. This firm understands the investigative needs in a bus case of this magnitude. Feel free to contact us to discuss the Soledad bus crash case or our pending Mexican Hat, Utah case. Our toll free number (888) 873-6639. You can also email us at info@penneylaw.com or visit our website at www.penneylaw.com.

Have you recently been involved in a car accident? This can be a very traumatic event both mentally, physically, and financially. While many people are satisfied to just walk away alive from the accident, you don’t have to settle for this. If you are suffering losses as a result of the car accident, in any manner, you need to get a Boston car accident lawyer on your side. With the help of a lawyer you will understand what your rights are and you will be able to get what is owed to you. Living in Boston, you know that traffic is an issue. Not only are there a lot of people on the road, there are some that have a total disregard for the safety of others. We live in a fast paced society and the result is that many people are not as careful on the roads as they should be. The result is that they cause a car accident, an accident that can take up a lot of your time as you recovery from mental and physical injuries. It doesn’t matter what the reason for the accident is, if you are missing time from work, losing income, suffering from pain and suffering, and paying for health care bills and the accident was not your fault you need to be represented by a professional. You should not simply accept the fact that the accident happened and move on; instead you should get the help of an attorney who can help you recoup some of your losses. A Boston car accident attorney can help you take your life back by making someone may for your mental and physical pain and suffering, by paying for the damage to your vehicle, reimbursing your lost wages, and paying for your medical bills. These are things that can really turn a person’s life upside down after a car accident, but the right attorney can help you take your life back and begin to move on in the right way. A car accident that was not caused by you doesn’t have to change your life as you know it. While you cannot take back the accident and pretend it never happened, you can come out on top instead of being dragged down by the experience. If you have been involved in a car accident, make sure that you get in touch with a personal injury attorney at your earliest convenience to help you move on.

Here is one of our cases that settled for $1,200,000.00 in 2009. There are other similar cases pending with our office. Our clients were enjoying a beautiful drive along the California Coast when suddenly a drunk driver traveling in the opposite direction struck them head-on. One client sustained severe leg and knee pain. He eventually had multiple surgeries to his lower extremities, including the insertion of a titanium rod in one of his legs. His knee cap was crushed. He spent several weeks in the hospital and rehabilitated for several months. He then returned to work at his desk job. His wife fared much better, but sustained soft tissue injuries and multiple abrasions/contusions. The only insurance available was $500,000, which was offered after a court ordered mediation. However, we were able to force the DUI defendant and his family to pay an additional $700,000 for a total of $1,200,000. The additional $700,000 came from the DUI defendant’s assets, including an inheritance and home. This case is a good example of how critical it is to have a comprehensive investigation immediately after a serious accident. Anyone who has a serious injury case must have an independent investigation (not just rely on the police investigation) conducted right away. We conduct a thorough investigation in the serious injury cases, especially those involving death or multiple surgeries. We dispatch our seasoned investigators immediately to gather information about the accident, obtain statements, and seek information regarding insurance/assets. Feel free to contact us to discuss your case. The toll free number is (888) 873-6639. You can also email us at info@penneylaw.com. We handle serious injury and death cases. Many of our cases involve commercial vehicles and big rigs. We also handle cases involving vehicles, motorcycles, boats, trains and serious dog bites. We look forward to helping you get through what is certain to be a very difficult time for you and your loved ones.

A birth defect lawsuit could be filed if a child born with physical defects is believed to have been caused by medical malpractice, negligence resulting in exposure to chemicals and other environmental factors, and genetic testing. Birth defects cover abnormalities in bodily functions or structures that permanently cause mental and/or physical disabilities. Severe birth defects could even be fatal. Lawyers specializing in birth defect lawsuits establish whether the defect is caused by a mother’s exposure to chemicals and other toxic substances in the workplace. Many lawsuits have been filed by people who worked in the likes of beauty parlors, paint factories, metal cleaners, and other manufacturing facilities, where employees are constantly exposed to various substances. Birth defects could be blamed to many other causes, some of them still unknown, but the most common and strongest cause to file a birth defect lawsuit is when the victims have been exposed to toxic substances such as pesticides, fungicides, metals, paint, and other chemicals due to negligence in the working environment. Sometimes, lawyers also have to deal with birth defects caused by harmful substances in drugs wrongly prescribed by doctors. In other cases, cities governments, companies, and contractors have found themselves facing lawsuits for contaminated water or air, also causes for physical defects in newborn children. Skillful and experienced lawyers are therefore needed by parties looking to file birth defect lawsuits. The attorneys will be in charge of investigating the cause of the birth defects and building a link between the resulting problem and the suspected cause of the defect.

To some, it may seem a bit complicated how lawsuits work but basic knowledge as promised by this article could prepare one in case he gets involved in a civil case. A lawsuit is usually filed in cases when arguments call for the need to be settled in a higher court or other criminal acts that may result in physical injuries or the loss of life. A lawsuit starts with the victimized party filing a complaint, usually with the help of the lawyer. The aggrieved party is called the plaintiff while the party being brought to court is usually called the defendant. The formal complaint narrates the plight of the plaintiff down to the last detail, as well as the compensation being asked for damages incurred by the defendant. This document is prepared with what is called the Summons containing the defendant’s name, which is then filed in court. The “serving” process usually takes some time. The defendant is then required to file an Answer to the Summons as a response to the case filed against him. The Answer, by the name itself, issues the defendant’s answers point-by-point to the complaint filed against him. It specifies which details he agrees with and which ones he contests. Defendants are given deadlines by a court to file their Answer. After the Answer is filed, the Discovery process starts. In a nutshell, Discovery is when relevant documents and other evidence are produced and sworn statements are taken in preparation for trial. At this stage, a settlement could be reached if the two parties agree. If not, trial then begins. This is the part that we usually see in court dramas and movies where juries, witnesses, judges, and prosecutors are involved. iLawyerSource: Directory of lawyers all over the United States, searchable by name, location or area of law. Includes free legal information , legal answers and more. This lawyer directory is free to use.