Day: March 22, 2018

If you’ve experienced a personal injury, chances are you may have a lot of feelings to process. Your feelings of anger, sadness, or even hopelessness are normal when it comes to gauging your current mental, physical, and emotional standing in relation to your personal injury.

Find Law elaborates that personal injuries are injuries an individual obtains after being subjected to a situation or an accident that can be attributed as a fault of another person. As such, when it comes to personal injury cases, the plaintiff will have to establish that the defendant is the person at fault. Court judgment will formalize such a decision, which makes trials something people can’t fully control. Meanwhile, another solution that is common for those experiencing these cases is something called an informal settlement, as this is where both parties decide to forego any future legal actions after a party is paid a particular amount. 

Identify What Injury You Experienced

Regardless if whether or not you’re seeking legal action, remember that it might help to understand the kind of injury you experienced so you know exactly what kind of options a lawyer may present to you.

• Accidents are considered sources of personal injuries when an individual’s recklessness caused harm to another person. Opposite this is an intentional act, where an intentional action has caused harm to a person, such as battery.
• A person can be found liable for injuries related to a defective product, especially if said product defect has created product liability claims.
• Defamation, or when a statement can cause harm to another’s standing, can also be a cause for personal injury.

Identify Damages You Want To Recover

When it comes to considering your actions after a personal injury, you have to get a good grasp on just what sort of damages you want repaid as part of your compensation. This is because an accident has likely cost you money for expenses another party should’ve been responsible for.

• Damages is a form of compensation paid to you that is based on the quantifiable costs of things you’ve purchased or paid for after the injury/accident. These include medical and therapy costs, and even property damage.
• Compensatory damages is a form of compensation that can be paid to you for things that aren’t quantifiable or tangible. These include loss of companionship and income, as well as pain and suffering.
• Punitive damages is a form of compensation that can be paid to you as form of punishment for the party at fault.

Don’t Forget The Statute of Limitations

Should legal options be some of the things you want to consider, don’t forget about something called the statute of limitations. This is the legal concept attached to any potential lawsuit wherein one party can only file a particular case within a certain amount of time. In the case of personal injuries, this means an injured party or the plaintiff can only file a lawsuit against another person regarding the injury for a set period.

• When deciding on what legal action to take, do consider discussing your options with your lawyer, especially in terms of statutes of limitations, as these differ per state and what kind of injuries you’re talking about.

Consult Your Lawyer

After thinking about the things above, it’s important to communicate with a lawyer to identify the form of legal actions you should take in regards to your personal injury. This is because deciding on a course of action immediately without a lawyer’s guidance might not be a good decision to make.

• After all, both a settlement and a court trial have their advantages and disadvantages that are best discussed with an attorney, but studying the considerations above are also likely to help.

Conclusion

Do remember that dealing with your personal injury can seem overwhelming, but it’s not something that is impossible to do. Always try to take a step back, take a deep breath, and assess your situation from different angles. If you’re sure you may need to pursue legal action for the matter, you can click here for further assistance.

Numbers from the World Health Organization indicate that road traffic accidents are the eighth leading cause of fatalities among people worldwide. In fact, there’s an estimated 1.25 million people dying every year due to these crashes, meaning that there are at least 4,300 people dying from these accidents everyday. Of these numbers, half of them actually come from what the WHO calls “vulnerable road users,” or road users such as pedestrians, and motorcycle and bicycle riders. These fatalities are often the result of these vulnerable road users colliding with vehicles such as cars, buses, and trucks that are often larger and sturdier. Outside these numbers, 20 to 50 million people around the world either suffer various kinds of injuries or gain a disability as result of these accidents.

While a vehicle accident itself can seem hassling enough, it seems it’s a bit more stressful than usual if you have to deal with an accident with a reckless driver. Dealing with such a driver can make things a bit more complicated depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident in itself, but a few reminders can help:

Get Information, Documentation

After the accident, if you’re safe, immediately try to get as much information as you can about the people and circumstances around you. Whenever you talk to people, always remember to maintain politeness and respect. However, don’t you ever apologize for anything in the accident as they may think of it as admission of fault.

• Get the names and contact information of everyone in the scene, including passengers, witnesses, pedestrians, and other drivers. Get their license numbers, contact numbers, and other relevant information that may help you get in touch with them.
• Ask responding officers if you can get a copy of the police report that they file. Ask for their name, badge number and contact information for easier reference.
• Try to take pictures of what’s happened in the scene. Take pictures of damages in vehicles and other property, as well as injuries that happened to you. This helps you get a better idea on what to show your lawyer and how these can help establish a case.

Consult Legal Counsel

When you have the time, try your best to get in touch with your lawyer immediately. They are the best people to consult when it comes to matters of vehicle accidents, especially if your lawyer in particular has a background on traffic law. They may be able to be the ones capable of knowing just what is best for your particular needs.

• Always remember that laws differ from one state to the next, which means certain traffic laws that may have particular variations that don’t exist in your particular state. As such, a lawyer can give you a better background on how to proceed with consideration of your state’s laws.
• Always remember as well that different accidents have different situations surrounding them, which means no two accidents can be dealt with the same manner. If you have the necessary documentation, a lawyer can help you with the kind of outcome you want.

Your Intention Is Important

Remember that part of the most important legal things to do is to notify your lawyer of your intention and what you want to get out of these circumstances. You can either settle or take the case to trial, and you may have a reason to prefer either option. Explain your decision to your lawyer carefully so they can give you advice on whether or not that choice is good or if there’s a better alternative. Your decision will ultimately influence your other legal actions in the future related to this accident, so be careful with your choice. Click here for further legal assistance.

Statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration indicate that 15 percent of accidental deaths in the workplace actually occur because of falls, trips, and slips. Although this number seems small, this in fact makes slipping and falling the top cause of accidental deaths in the workplace, second to being involved in motor vehicle accidents. In fact, injuries from falls on the same level and to a lower level were the second and third leading causes of disabilities gained in the workplace as of 2011.

Slipping and Falling: How This Happens

In its most basic sense, anyone can slip almost anywhere. Slipping, and even tripping, can result in falls. Unfortunately, falling the wrong way can cause injuries that can disable individuals, or even kill them. When these happen in the workplace, they can be especially costly to everyone involved.

• Slips occur when surfaces get slippery due to oily or wet processes. These can include substances from debris and materials left along the walkway, leaks, and floor cleaning. If surfaces are uneven, they can also cause slips such as bunched floor mats, depression or holes, protruding nails and boards, and even uneven carpeting.

However, perhaps the most danger from slips, trips, and falls come not from the act itself but from the injuries they can cause. Some of them are the following:

• These can cause dislocation of body parts. When you fall from slips, there’s a possibility for a body part to be dislocated. The shoulder is particularly prone to such a possibility. Not only is a dislocation painful, but it will most likely require immediate medical attention to be treated properly. Some cases of dislocation will require patients to receive months of physical therapy to ensure they can fully use the affected joint again. In worse cases, patients need to undergo surgery in order to repair and stabilize the joint.

• These can cause sprains and broken bones. Twisting ankles, elbows, and knees are common when you fall from slipping. This is why these incidents normally cause torn ligaments that may take many months to heal. In worse cases, broken bones can come with these tears and sprains.
• These can cause injuries to the spine. When you fall from slips, sometimes these can cause complications to the spinal cord and the back. In worse cases, you may fracture a vertebra or even have a herniated or slipped disk. A mild injury to back itself can be debilitating, and worse falls can cause severe impacts on a person’s mobility.
• These can cause head injuries, and worse, brain injuries. These injuries can range from something mild like a concussion, and in some worse cases, they may even cause permanent cognitive damage. Unfortunately, these injuries can also cause seizures, impairment to motor skills, and chronic headaches.
• These can cause hip fractures. Unfortunately, hip fractures aren’t only expensive to treat, but can also severely debilitating. A lot of victims may require not just prolonged stays in the hospital and rehabilitation center, but even hip replacements. Elderly people, in particular, are vulnerable to such injuries.

Conclusion

Always remember that when it comes to slipping, tripping, and falling, it’s important to always be aware of one’s surroundings and always be on the lookout for your safety. It can be a good idea to be extra wary and alert of one’s surroundings in order to get a good assessment of what can go on within a particular environment, especially when you know a location is especially slippy or under maintenance. Do click here if you think you’re in need of further legal assistance.

World Health Organization states that road traffic accidents are in fact the eighth leading cause of deaths among people worldwide annually, with 4,300 people dying because of these crashes every day. Of these numbers, half belong to “vulnerable road users,”such as pedestrians, and bicycle and motorcycle users, as the deaths are caused by collisions with sturdier vehicles such as cars, buses, and trucks. This makes road traffic accidents also the leading cause of death among individuals that are 15 to 29 years old.

Just because accidents are common, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t avoid them entirely. You can actually keep yourself safe from accidents by following these handy tips:

• Know your route properly. A lot of accidents happen because of lack of knowledge, and sometimes drivers tend to underestimate the kind of information they know about the paths they’re taking. If you’re taking the same route on most days, especially to and from school or work, try to assess just what kind of intricacies and situations are happening on your route. Do accidents occur here often? When, what time, and where in particular do these things happen? These can give you a general idea on what to avoid at certain times of day.
• Know your state laws properly. You may consult with a legal professional about this, but try your best to be familiar with the kind of laws that might affect your safety. This is especially important since some states have different laws and regulations, which means your knowledge on them is vital as minute differences in what signs mean can spell life or death.

• Don’t lose focus on what signs, signals, and warnings mean. Always refresh your memory about what certain signs mean and what they stand for, so that you’re always aware as to whether or not certain cars or pedestrians are doing something they can’t verbally express.
• Don’t lose your focus on your surroundings. Keep an eye on the road and on ongoing and upcoming traffic to have a general idea on what’s occurring everywhere. This gives you a heads up whenever something weird might be happening and how you can avoid it.
• In fact, be extra wary of your surroundings. If you think something’s not right with your particular path, do find an alternative that can take you home. If there’s heavy traffic nearby, for instance, try taking an alternate route instead.
• Don’t let yourself be distracted by things around you. Don’t use your mobile phone or other gadgets while driving, especially if they’re not important for your safety. Don’t overestimate your multitasking skills, as losing even a little focus on what you’re doing can mean life or death for you.
• Don’t drink or consume illicit substances before or while driving. These substances might have a profound effect on your senses that might leave you vulnerable. Losing your focus even for a tiny bit can raise the risks of accidents for you.
• Maintain eye contact whenever you see pedestrians, as this will notify them that you’re aware that they are moving, especially when they have to cross the street.
• Follow regulations even when there aren’t other vehicles out there. Making road safety a habit can ensure that you’re capable of following regulations everywhere and can be a good way for you to guarantee that you’re still keeping an eye out of the safety of others as well. Remember, if you want to keep yourself safe on the roads, you have to do your part and try to keep the roads safe for other people as well.

Conclusion

Always remember that when it comes to road safety, it’s extremely vital for you to understand what signs around you mean and how they work. Having a good understanding of these concepts can allow you to determine how to act in certain situations without potentially endangering the lives of those around you. Do click here if you believe you’re in need of further legal assistance on the matter.