Types of Accidents

Personal injury claims and issues arise in so many contexts that it’s difficult to list them all in one place, especially when one considers that new factual scenarios seem to underlie personal injury claims with regularity. However, there are certain types of scenarios that are more prevalent than others, and below are just a few examples of common types of situations that give rise to personal injury claims.

Semi-Truck Accidents

Semi-truck accidents continue to rise in number, and given the enormous size and weight involved with every semi-truck when combined with the speed they generate when they travel, semi-truck accidents almost always leave a wake of extreme devastation.

Trucking Companies

There are many different types of trucking companies in the United States, and as one would surmise, the bigger the company, the more likely it will be involved in a personal injury controversy.

State Trucking Profiles

Every state offers a different set of risks when it comes to semi-truck driving and accidents that result, and several factors will work together to result in a state’s tendency to have to deal with these types of accidents.

Serious Automobile Accidents

Not to be outdone, the number of serious automobile accidents is also on the rise, and the dangers that surround these situations are extreme in nature.

SUV Accidents

SUV accidents are problematic not only for the ‘usual’ risks involved with any type of driving, but SUV’s have also shown an alarming tendency to roll over and lead to terrible injuries and deaths.

ATV Accidents

ATV’s are becoming progressively more popular, and these recreational vehicles offer fun for thousands of people. However, they are also quite dangerous and can lead to instant injuries and death.

Rollover Accidents

These types of accidents most often involve a hard turn with an SUV, but that’s not the only cause of rollovers.

Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycles are a draw for many people because of their looks, their performance and the image they present, not to mention the fun they provide. They also leave passengers completely vulnerable to serious injuries and death when an accident occurs.

Train Accidents

Train accidents remain startlingly prevalent in today’s society, and every train accident leaves behind an incredible amount of damage.

Bicycle Accidents

Although bicycle riders do not move nearly as fast as those riding a motorcycle, they are just as vulnerable to serious injuries or worse when an accident does occur.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents, especially those that involve moving vehicles, are tragic for many reasons, as the pedestrian basically has no chance against a machine that’s moving at such a high rate of speed.

Defective Auto Accidents

Defective auto accidents occur all over the United States, and the victims of these situations often suffer severe injuries simply because there’s no way to foresee these accidents.

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in any type of accident, you need to contact an experienced accident attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation, as you may have rights that need to be explored and, if necessary, pursued. Contact an attorney today.

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Semi-Truck Accidents

Semi-truck accidents are an enormous problem in the United States, and when an enormous vehicle is involved in such a wreck, the wake of damage can be nothing short of devastating. These vehicles can weigh several tons, and when they build up a large amount of speed, they will destroy anything within the immediate area.

Statistics show that the number of semi-truck accidents around the United States is holding quite steady. Below is a brief look at the number of accidents involving large trucks in recent years, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

2006

Injury crashes: 60,058
Fatal crashes: 4,968

2005

Injury crashes: 61,611
Fatal crashes: 4,951

What it all Means

As you see, the number of semi-truck accidents is nothing short of alarming, and thousands of people are killed every year in such incidents. If this has happened to you or someone you love, you may not be sure where to turn, as dealing with the legal fallout of a semi-truck accident can be incredibly complicated.

For instance, you may not be sure whether to file a legal claim against the driver of the truck, other drivers involved, the trucking company or some other party. This is a critical issue, as not naming the proper defendants can cause serious problems with the viability of your claim overall.

Therefore, if you are looking for answers, you need to contact a semi-truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation. He or she will be able to help you decide how to proceed so you can make a decision based on a foundation of knowledge. Contact an attorney today.

List of all the various Trucking companies

Trucking companies exist far and wide, and there are innumerable different companies that occupy almost as many different niches within the trucking industry. Regardless of the type of company, you need to act immediately if you’ve been injured in a truck accident, and you need the help of a trucking accident attorney in order to proceed properly, as these can be very complicated matters in terms of legal technicalities.

Below are just a few examples of major trucking and shipping companies, and many of them encounter legal issues for several different reasons:

1. Federal Express
2. UPS
3. DHL
4. Schneider Transport
5. A1 Transport
6. A to Z Trucking
7. EDI Express
8. Good Day Trucking
9. Jet Delivery
10. T&T Trucking, Inc.

Potential Complications

There are several complications that could arise in any legal situation, especially one that involves interstate trucking. For instance, jurisdiction could be an issue, especially if the truck in question is operating outside of its own state lines. Naming the proper defendant could also be difficult, as one may not know whether to name the individual driver, the trucking company or some other entity as parties to the action at hand.

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, you need to act now to protect your rights. Contact a trucking accident lawyer as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation and to get the answers you need to properly move forward.

Trucking regulations

The trucking industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and as such it is regulated closely by both state and federal governments. These trucking regulations are meant to govern trucking companies so that safety is promoted and required and unnecessary accidents are avoided at all costs. Some examples of the types of regulations that exist include:

1. Weight of trucks
2. Number of hours truckers are allowed to drive
3. Speed
4. Weather restrictions
5. Dangerous material hauling

These are only examples, and if a trucking company is found to be in violation of these regulations, that company can face stiff fines and even restrictions in terms of the number of hauls they can make.

What this means for you

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in a trucking accident, then you need to contact a truck accident lawyer, as he or she will understand the relevant trucking regulations and whether any were violated that contributed to the damages you have suffered. In certain cases, the violation of trucking regulations could be seen as ‘per se’ evidence that the trucking company is at fault for any damages that occurred. If this evidence is not viewed as ‘per se’ in weight, it would still be extremely favorable towards your overall cause of action.

Therefore, rather than attempting to navigate this morass of regulations on your own, you need to work with an experienced professional who will immediately understand your rights and legal options. Contact a truck accident lawyer today to get this process started.

State Trucking profiles

The trucking industry is extremely prevalent in the United States, as several billions of dollars are spent every year in furtherance of this overall effort. Every state experiences a high volume of trucking for various reasons, and given this reality, different risks can be posed in different places depending on the time of year and types of materials involved.

Below is an informal breakdown of state trucking profiles:

Coastal States

Coastal states such as California, New York and Washington are often seen more as ‘destination’ states because millions of tons of materials are shipped into the ports that abut these states and transported across the United States.

Midwestern States

Those states in the Midwest can be seen more as ‘transport’ states because many of the trucks you’ll find on those roads are simply passing through on their way to their ultimate destination. This generally means that you’ll find trucks in these areas travelling at a high rate of speed with no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Climate Considerations

States that are located in areas with cold winters pose more dangerous conditions for truckers, as during the winter, the roads used can be extremely slippery, covered with ice and can also present extreme difficulties in terms of visibility.

Your Next Step

Regardless of where a truck accident occurred, you need to be aware that your first step in response to such an incident should be to contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation. He or she will be able to help you understand the legal process and to provide you with enough information to make an informed decision regarding how you should proceed. Contact an attorney today.

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Serious Automobile Accidents

Automobile accidents number in the thousands every year in the United States, and many of them are quite serious in nature, in that people who were involved in these accidents face life-threatening medical problems and perhaps a lifetime of pain and suffering. Serious automobile accidents can occur at any time and in any place, and you need to know that if you or someone you love has been injured in such a circumstance, there are actions you need to take to protect your rights.

Causes of Serious Automobile Accidents

It would not be possible to list every potential cause of serious automobile accidents, but there are some causes that are more prevalent than others. Below are a few of these examples:

1. Speeding
2. Reckless driving
3. Driving too fast for the conditions
4. Failure to yield
5. Tailgating
6. DUI
7. Road rage
8. Failure to stop at a signal
9. Failure to recognize a dangerous situation
10. Failure to drive defensively

Of course, the list above represents only 10 examples of causes of serious automobile accidents, and there are many other reasons that they occur.

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in a serious automobile accident, you need to take immediate steps. You should contact an auto accident attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation, as your attorney will be able to help you decide how to proceed by providing you with answers to any legal questions that could arise within the context of any factual situation. Contact an attorney today.

SUV

SUV’s have become a staple of the American automotive industry. In recent years, SUV’s have been seen by many as an option that offers drivers more space and power, and many choose such a vehicle because of the perceived additional safety they provide. However, SUV’s have proven to present extreme dangers as well.

SUV Safety Risks

SUV safety risks are actually numerous in nature, and below are a few examples of them:

1. Rollovers
2. Rough handling
3. Inability to handle high speeds
4. Unsafe roofs
5. Unsafe interiors

Of course, these are only a few examples, but the fact remains that a driver and its passengers may not be any safer in an SUV than in a sedan or another type of vehicle. Not to mention, an SUV can cause serious damage to another sedan in a crash because its body is higher, thereby crushing the body of the lower sedan.

What it all Means

What this means to you is that if you are thinking of buying an SUV because of the added safety, you need to research this issue more carefully, as you may not necessarily garner that benefit by driving one. You should also be aware of the inherent risks of an SUV in other ways, and you should always drive as defensively in an SUV as you would in a much smaller vehicle.

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured in an SUV accident, you need to contact an accident attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation. He or she will be able to explain the issues that surround SUV accidents and provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision regarding how to proceed. Contact an attorney today.

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ATV

ATV’s, or All Terrain Vehicles, are becoming an enormous seller in the United States for those who are looking for a recreational outlet. These vehicles draw buyers in with the promise of extreme fun and wild rides, which may sound great to those who seek thrills, but in reality, these vehicles are extremely dangerous and can lead to serious injuries and death.

The statistics surrounding the safety of ATV’s remain largely unchanged, and these statistics are nothing short of troubling. For instance, an average of between 400 – 700 people every year are killed in ATV accidents, and more than 100,000 people are treated in the emergency room for ATV-related injuries, a figure which has held steady for the past five years.

The causes of ATV accidents are numerous, but perhaps the most obvious tie to these situations is the fact that these vehicles are driven on extreme terrain, as their name states, and they are relatively light in weight. Going over enormous hills and jumps puts the driver and anyone in the immediate vicinity immediately at risk, and when an ATV lands on top of a passenger, that passenger’s life is immediately in danger.

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured in an ATV accident, you need to contact an accident attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation. He or she will be able to help you decide how to proceed, and you’ll be able to make that critical decision with help and with a foundation of knowledge. Contact an ATV accident attorney today.

Rollover

Rollover accidents are traumatic for many reasons, not the least of which is that they occur in a completely unexpected manner and can happen even if no other vehicle is involved. These crashes leave the vehicle’s occupants extremely vulnerable because they are literally turned sideways and/or upside down, and they can be trapped inside the vehicle even if the roof collapses.

Rollover Statistics

According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs, the statistics regarding SUV rollovers are troubling in nature. For instance:

1. As a group, SUVs roll over more easily than other types of vehicles; about 27 percent, compared to 8 percent of crashes involving ordinary passenger cars. (National Safety Council)
2. SUVs have a rollover rate of 98 fatalities per million registered vehicles, compared to 44 fatalities per million for other light vehicle types. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
3. Single-vehicle rollover crashes accounted for 47 percent of driver deaths in SUVs in 2002, compared with 36 percent of deaths in pickups and 20 percent of deaths in cars. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute)
4. 7,195 SUV occupants died in 2002. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute)

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in a rollover accident, you need to act immediately to protect your rights. Contact a rollover accident attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation, and your attorney will be able to help you decide how to proceed. The information you obtain in this meeting will allow you to make a decision with a foundation of facts and knowledge. Contact an attorney today.

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Motorcycle

Motorcycles are a draw for thousands of people for many reasons. First among them is style, as many motorcycle owners will tell you that there’s nothing quite as exhilarating as hitting the open road with the sun and wind on your face. They are also a draw for those who want to ride in packs or groups, as most anyone can attest to after hearing the collective roar of motorcycles on the roads near them at almost any time.

Of course, motorcycles are also extremely dangerous, as every driver or passenger is totally exposed and vulnerable to serious injuries when accidents occur. This holds true even if an occupant is wearing a helmet, as almost nothing will save a motorcyclist from a collision at 60 miles per hour.

The statistics tend to bear this out. Estimated indicate that almost 5,000 people every year are killed in motorcycle accidents in the United States, and many more are seriously injured. There are also generally identified leading causes of motorcycle accidents, including:

1. Driver error
2. Roadway defects
3. More accidents involve short trips
4. Failure to yield
5. DUI

Your Next Step

Of course, statistics and leading causes mean nothing if you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident. If this has happened to you or someone close to you, you need to act quickly in order to preserve your rights. Contact a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation. He or she will be able to listen to your situation and provide you with information that will allow you to make an informed decision regarding how to properly proceed. Contact an attorney today.

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Train

Trains remain an integral part of our transportation effort, and most train accidents leave such a wake of utter devastation that they are heavily covered by national news outlets. Therefore, most people incorrectly think that train accidents are few and far between, but the fact is that nothing could be further from the truth. Aside from their surprising prevalence, train accidents also lead to serious injuries and death, and perhaps the worst part is that the occupants most often have no control over what happens and no idea of the risks they’re undertaking.

Train Accident Statistics

Train accidents occur at an alarming rate. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, more than 3,000 train accidents occur every year in the United States. Of these accidents, between 150 – 210 deaths result, and more than 2,000 people are injured in such occurrences. These numbers appear to be holding steady, and they are cause for alarm.

Your Next Step

When train accidents do happen, pursuing a legal claim can be complicated, as railroads are governed almost exclusively by the federal government, which means that most legal claims must be brought in federal court, which presents a very different set of legal norms, rules and practices when compared to local or state district courts.

What this all means for you is that if you or someone you love has been injured in a train accident, you need to contact an experience attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation. You need knowledge upon which to base a decision regarding how to move forward, so contact an attorney today.

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Bicycle

As fuel costs rise and people look for alternatives to provide transportation, bicycles are once again growing in popularity. Bicycles not only conserve fuel, but also provide an extremely healthy form of exercise for those who ride them regularly. However, bicyclists who share the road with automobiles face extreme danger almost every time they hit the road, and when a bicycle is involved in an accident, serious injuries and death are often the immediate result.

Bicycle Accident Statistics

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 660 bicyclists were killed in the United States in 2002. While this number is down from 25 years earlier, the number of accidents continues to hold steady, and that number is in the thousands every year. What’s most troubling is that of those fatalities, 98% of the victims were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

The majority of bicycle accidents occurred between a bicycle and an automobile, and this obviously places the bicycle rider at an extreme disadvantage given the weight, force and speed differences between the two vehicles. Not to mention, the majority of those killed on bicycles perished from an accident that occurred on a major road.

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured in a bicycle accident, you need to take immediate action. Contact a bicycle accident attorney as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation, as he or she will be able to listen to your situation and to provide you with the guidance you need regarding whether or not to file a legal claim. You have rights that may need to be enforced, so contact an attorney today.

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Pedestrian

When people search for fresh air and some relaxing exercise, many will choose to walk. Going for a walk can help a person’s overall health, but that’s only true if one considers the physiological benefits that such exercise provides. As you’ll see below, pedestrians are also at risk of accidents at almost any time.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to estimates, approximately 5,000 pedestrians are killed every year in the United States, and 64,000 pedestrians are injured. As one would expect, the vast majority of these accidents involve a pedestrian and a moving vehicle, and the majority of these accidents occur at busy intersections in urban settings.

Obviously, a pedestrian has no chance of coming out well from a collision with a vehicle or even a bicycle, and an unfortunate number of these types of accidents result in hit-and-run situations. Pedestrians almost never wear protective gear, leaving them utterly exposed and vulnerable to the force of the machines that hit them.

Your Next Step

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in a pedestrian accident, you may not know where to turn. Your first step should be to contact a pedestrian accident lawyer to schedule an initial consultation. Your attorney will be able to listen to the facts of your situation and to help you apply those facts to the relevant laws that govern the scenario.

Based on the information you receive during this initial consultation, you’ll be able to come to an informed and educated decision regarding how you should proceed. However, you first need to gain an understanding of your legal rights, so contact a pedestrian accident attorney today to get this process started.

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Defective Auto

Given the investment levels and ubiquitous marketing the people of the United States experience in relation to their vehicles, we as a society have been conditioned to trust our cars, trucks and SUV’s to keep us safe and to protect us from unreasonable harm. However, it’s also clear that this safety is only provided to those who drive defensively and responsibly.

Unfortunately, even exercising the ultimate in caution will not necessarily guarantee one’s safety. Defective automobiles come in all shapes and sizes, and the particular types of defects are often unseen until it’s too late. Below are just a few examples of the types of defects in autos that can leave people seriously injured or worse:

1. Defective airbags
2. Faulty brakes
3. Fuel leaks
4. Faulty suspension
5. Faulty transmission

Of course, these are only a few examples, but no one could be expected to possibly foresee any of these problems until they arise at the worst possible time. When they do arise, occupants can be seriously injured or killed, even in single-vehicle accidents.

Your Next Step

Further exacerbating the problem with a defective auto is that most times, a legal action will require a theory of products liability to be put forth in order to obtain a justifiable recovery. This can be a complicated theory to prove, which is why you need to contact a defective auto attorney if you or someone you love has been injured or worse as a result of such a defect. You do have rights that need to be explored and, if necessary, enforced, so contact an attorney today.

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