Findlay Personal Injury Lawyer - auto accidents

Helmets a must when riding a motorcycle

Anneke Kurt — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:14:59 GMT

All Ohio motorcycle riders and passengers under the age of 18 must wear a helmet at all times. Ohio law also requires all riders, regardless of age, to wear some sort of protective eye wear while riding a motorcycle.

As the weather warms up and snow disappears from the pavement, more and more motorcycles are dusted off brought out on the roads. When preparing a bike for its first ride of the year, riders should also prepare to wear a helmet, in order to prevent personal injury in the event motorcycle accident.

The chance for a motorcycle accident increases as drivers get used to sharing the road with motorcyclists when bike season starts, which is why it is so important to protect yourself.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helmets reduce the risk of death by 29% and are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcycle riders.

Even the safest motorcyclists have no control over other drivers on the road, and must prepare to ride defensively and obey all posted traffic signs, in order to prevent personal injury from a motorcycle accident. Our Toledo, Ohio motorcycle accident attorneys urge cyclists to use proper turn signals, mind the speed limit, and always stay visible to other vehicles around you. Wear a helmet while riding, regardless if the law requires you to. As with all types of motor vehicles, never drink and drive.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Tip #2 on how to maximize a personal injury case

Anneke Kurt — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:54:39 GMT

Our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys encourage anyone who has suffered personal injury, such as from a car accident, to follow important tips in order to receive fair compensation. Continuing on with 10 Tips to Maximize Recovery from The Ohio Accident Book, here is tip number two.

2. Don't rush to settle your claim quickly.

If you're reading these tips because you were recently involved in a car accident caused by another driver, you may already have received a call from an insurance adjuster trying to settle your claim. Typically, an adjuster will wave a few thousand dollars under your nose to settle the claim quickly. It sounds good until you realize you're hurt more seriously than you anticipated or your medical bills end up eating into that money.

If you're tempted to settle your case below its value just because you need money for your medical bills, hold off. If you hire an attorney, the attorney usually will be able to work out an arrangement with your health-care provider for your provider to be paid out of the proceeds of your settlement. The doctor or chiropractor will continue to treat you without requiring payment after receiving what's called a "letter of protection" from your lawyer. This allows you to continue getting the treatment that you need, while ensuring the doctor is paid at the end of your case.

Settling your case quickly doesn't allow you to be fully compensated for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. It only benefits the insurance company because it won't have to pay out the full value of your case.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Car accident involving cell phone use reaches $5.2 settlement

Anneke Kurt — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:33:11 GMT

A $5.2 million verdict was recently reached in Fulton County, GA, in a personal injury case involving a car accident caused by cell phone use behind the wheel. The case was set for trial on March 17, 2008, but settled out of court.

According to the complaint filed in 2006, an employee of International Paper Co. rear-ended Debra Ford, while talking on her cell phone. Her cruise control had been set at 77 mph in a 70 mph speed limit zone. The impact of the car accident caused Ms. Ford's car to overturn, which pinned her arm between the vehicle and the pavement. The plaintiff's arm had to be amputated just below the shoulder.

Georgia's cell phone statue states that drivers are not to do anything distracting while behind the wheel. Currently in Ohio, it is not against the law to talk on your cell phone while driving. However, our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys encourage drivers to be safe on the roads and pull over to use their phones. Prevent the distraction that talking on a cell phone can cause, in order to prevent personal injury from a car accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Prevent long-lasting pain after a car accident

Anneke Kurt — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:05:35 GMT

Of those suffering personal injury from a car accident or other type of traumatic experience, majority of the pain lasting over a year is found in the joints and limbs. Other spots of pain included the back, head and neck.

A recent study published in the Archives of Surgery found that pain experienced by those involved in a personal injury accident, such as a car accident, lasts more than a year for roughly 60 percent of those injured, according to Reuters.

Our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys urge those suffering personal injury resulting from a car accident to seek treatment immediately. Follow all doctors' orders and do not stop treatment before you are completely healed. Be open with all physicians, physical therapists and other health care providers to ensure that the pain and suffering from a personal injury accident can be eased effectively and permanently.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Help maximize your personal injury case

Anneke Kurt — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:26:54 GMT

Our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys have compiled ten tips to help you avoid insurance company traps and receive fair compensation for your personal injury. If you've suffered personal injury in an accident, the initial steps you take can make a big difference to the outcome of your case. Here are the first three:

1. Seek treatment immediately.

The best thing you can do for both your physical and financial health is to get the proper medical treatment for your personal injuries. This isn't a time to tough it out and hope that you'll miraculously heal. Returning to health should be your top priority. You need to go to your family physician or to the emergency room to make sure that you get the treatment you'll need to recover from the personal injury you suffered in the accident.

Once you go to the doctor, follow his or her orders so you can make the best recovery possible. If your doctor tells you to go to a physical therapist, do it. If you visit a chiropractor, complete the recommended treatment plan.

This makes sense not only for your physical health, but for your financial health as well. An insurance adjuster is going to base any settlement offer to you on the medical care you've received because it provides a way to measure your injuries and resulting pain. Getting treatment demonstrates to the insurance company that you're not faking your injury and that you're taking the process seriously. Compensation for the pain and suffering you've endured as a result of your accident will be based to some degree on the amount of your medical bills.

Once you've started treatment, see it through to the end. Don't stop the second you start to feel better if your doctor has recommended that you complete a certain amount of rehabilitation. If you stop early, you may not be fully healed. Resuming treatment months after you've stopped sends a message to the insurance company that you may not have been hurt in the first place or that you're trying to take advantage of the process.

2. Don't rush to settle your claim quickly.

If you're reading this book because you were recently involved in an accident caused by another driver, you may already have received a call from an insurance adjuster trying to settle your claim. Typically, an adjuster will wave a few thousand dollars under your nose to settle the claim quickly. It sounds good until you realize you're hurt more seriously than you anticipated or your medical bills end up eating into that money.

3. Don't underestimate the insurance adjusters who contact you.

This tip goes back to what we discussed in the introduction. Insurance adjusters handle claims for a living. They're judged by their bosses by how they settle claims and how much money they save for the company. This doesn't make them bad people; they're just doing their jobs and looking out for the best interests of their employers. It's up to you and your lawyer to look out for your interests.

It's no shock that insurance companies often own the tallest skyscrapers in a city. They have powerful lobbies throughout the country and, along with other business interests, have done their best to get legislation passed that makes it hard for accident victims to be fairly compensated. They've gotten rich by collecting as much money as possible from all of us while trying to avoid making fair settlements with people suffering from accidents they didn't cause.

So, when an adjuster representing the person who caused the accident gives you a call, keep in mind where their loyalties lie. They'll likely be extremely pleasant, but they have one goal: to settle your claim as cheaply as possible. They do this for a living, all day and every day. Because this is probably the first time you've been an accident victim, you are at an obvious disadvantage. Be smart when you're dealing with them - or better yet, hire a lawyer who deals with insurance companies on a daily basis. After all, the insurance companies have professionals working for them, so you should too.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Personal injury, workers' compensation discussed in new web video

Anneke Kurt — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:14:35 GMT

Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys Chuck Boyk, Mike Bruno, and Dale Emch have posted videos to give practical advice to people who may be searching for answers on the web. Because our office believes knowledge is power, the attorneys have ventured deeper into cyberspace by posting the video clips on our firm's website to provide information about a variety of injury topics, including car accidents, workers' compensation, and dog bites.

In addition to being viewable on our website, the clips can also be seen on the video websites YouTube, Google video, and Yahoo video.

"I think it's important to provide information through all different types of media," said Attorney Mike Bruno. "My generation and my parents' generation are used to viewing everything in print.

"Our video, which is closer to a television-type broadcast, is helpful to those who better process information visually. It's important that people actually see the attorney talking."

Some of the topics include what to look for in an attorney, whether to speak with the other driver's insurance company, the pitfalls of signing medical authorizations, and the benefits of purchasing uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

The attorneys have added this whole new dimension of video to give people information that's easy to digest. Videos don't require readers to wade through a lot of text to find the help they need. The information is instantly available to anyone around the world, with a click of the play button.

The videos are a great addition to the articles and library we currently have on our site. We hope sending the clips out into cyberspace will aid anyone seeking information on the personal injury or workers' compensation process.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Fostoria man suffers personal injury from ATV accident

Anneke Kurt — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:38:22 GMT

A Fostoria man suffered personal injury after an ATV accident Tuesday night, according to the Toledo Blade. The Blade also reported the impact knocked his helmet off. A recent study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that the number of ATV accidents has increased in the past three years, with 606 people suffering wrongful death from ATV accidents in the year 2006 alone. Thirty percent of all injuries related to ATV accidents involve children under the age of sixteen.

Our Toledo, Ohio ATV accident attorneys urge riders and drivers to be careful while on all-terrain vehicles, to avoid ATV accidents. Always wear a helmet and obey all posted traffic signs. Make sure you have proper training before driving an ATV, and never allow children to drive an adult ATV. As with any motor vehicle, never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Drowsy driving can cause car accidents, personal injury

Anneke Kurt — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:19:49 GMT

Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving. According to the Wall Street Journal, sleeping only four hours a night for five nights in a row can have the same effect on the body as being awake for 24 straight hours, which is the equivalent to legal drunkenness. Put that feeling behind the wheel, and you could be driving towards a potential car accident.

Car accidents caused by drowsy driving can be prevented. Our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys encourage drivers to get enough sleep before a long drive, or pull over if you feel yourself becoming drowsy. Drooping eyelids, excessive yawning, drifting in the lane, or nodding off are all important signs to watch out for. The National Safety Council recommends not driving between midnight and 6am, and having a driving partner. Delaying a trip for 30 minutes to pull over and take a nap is a small price to pay if it means preventing a car accident and potential personal injury or wrongful death.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

New car seat safety ratings could protect children from personal injury in event of car accident

Anneke Kurt — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:28:07 GMT

Riding in the car as a child can be an exciting experience - sometimes even more exciting than the destination. Our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys want to remind parents, however, that no matter how excited kids get while in a car, they must always remain seated and buckled up, to prevent personal injury in the event of a car accident.

Ohio state law requires that all children weighing less than 40 pounds use a car seat when riding in a motor vehicle, to prevent personal injury in the event of a car accident, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The government agency also recommends a booster seat for children over 40 pounds until they are 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall.

In an effort to address their statistical findings showing that seven in 10 child safety seats are either the wrong size or misused, the NHTSA has introduced a five-star Ease of Use rating system to judge just how easy it is for parents to install or uninstall a car seat. If a car seat is the wrong size or incorrectly installed, the ability for the seat to protect a child from personal injury in the event of a car accident greatly decreases. NHTSA hopes that the new rating system, to replace the former letter graded system, will help parents choose the seat that is best for their child.

The rating will not affect the fact that all child seats must adhere to federal safety regulations, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys urge parents to always take all safety precautions when traveling with children. Make sure your kids are in a properly installed car seat or buckled up. Choose child safety seats wisely, and research their ratings before deciding to allow them to protect your child. NHTSA estimates that child restraint systems, when used properly, reduce fatal injuries by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers in passenger cars and by nearly 60% for infants and toddlers in sport-utility vehicles, pickup trucks and vans, according to the Wall Street Journal. Children should never ride in the front seat of a car, as the front airbags have the ability to cause severe personal injury in the event of a car accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Can prospective bill banning texting prevent car accidents, personal injury?

Anneke Kurt — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:51:02 GMT

Text messaging has become the fastest new way to keep in touch with family and friends. While sending text messages is fun, texting behind the wheel is dangerous and can cause car accidents resulting in personal injury or wrongful death.

Ohio State Representative Diane Fessler believes that the practice is so dangerous, that she has introduced a bill that would make text messaging while driving against the law.

Similar to the consequences of not obeying Ohio's seatbelt law, the offense would cost a driver $250 in fines, according to Toledo Legal News.

Our Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys want to remind readers that while technology can improve our lives, some of our gadgets can be distracting when we're behind the wheel. The risk for a car accident increases by 50 percent for those who text while driving, according to a study by psychologists at the University of Utah.

The American Automobile Association found that out of 1,000 16 and 17-year-olds polled, 46 percent of them admitted to text messaging while driving. AAA also found that some teens receive and send as many as 500 text messages in one day.

That means a lot of distracted driver could be on the roads.

Teens aren't the only ones to blame. Many cell phones have personal computing capabilities, such as the Blackberry or the iPhone. Checking email, sending memos, and setting calendared appointments behind the wheel can be just as distracting as text messaging.

Toledo Legal News also reported that AAA found that a driver doubles his risk for a car accident when he takes his eyes of the road for more than two seconds, and that 80 percent of collisions involve some sort of inattention.

It takes two hands to drive a car, and only two seconds to cause a car accident resulting in personal injury. Keep yourself and your family safe by keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt