Auto injury accidents are a leading cause of injury and fatalities in the United States. As roadways become more congested, drivers are subject to more distractions. Distractions range from texting while driving, using cellular phones, iPods, and other electronic devices that take attention away from the operation of a vehicle when used. Human error will always exist.
Investigating automobile accidents is often time-sensitive: evidence can disappear fast. Tim has handled automobile accidents since he started practicing law – he would like to speak with you about your auto case. Getting the right legal help quickly is often critical to the success of a case. Tim and his staff, as well as with experts he can bring to the case, start with appropriate case investigation, and can also assist with other automobile insurance issues: medical claims, wage loss benefit claims, and personal injury protection (PIP) benefits claims.
Auto cases require documentation. Photographing the scene of an accident before the cars are removed is ideal – and with camera phones, much more feasible today. If the vehicles have been moved, thorough photographing of them is still very important. Also, some cases involve auto accidents and injuries caused by dangerous vehicles – these are product liability claims: from vehicle roll-over cases, to seat belt or airbag/safety failures. In these cases, the vehicles need to be secured, preserved, and documented. Failure to do so can damage or destroy the case. Documentation of one’s recovery is likewise very important to the case – taking pictures of bruises and scars as they heal is very important. Tim and his firm can help with these issues – and again – they are time sensitive. If we can help, we want to help.
Rollovers are complex crash incidents and are particularly violent in nature. Rollovers, more so than other types of crashes, reflect the interaction of the driver, road, vehicle, and environmental factors. So while vehicle type does play a significant role, other factors such as driver behavior and road and environmental conditions can also cause a vehicle to roll over.
All types of vehicles can rollover. However, taller, narrower vehicles such as SUVs, pickups, and vans have higher centers of gravity, and thus are more susceptible to rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash. What can contribute to causing a rollover? Fatal rollover crashes are speed-related more often than fatal non-rollover crashes. Some 40% of fatal rollover crashes involved excessive speeding. Additionally, nearly ¾ of fatal rollovers took place where the posted speed limit was 55 miles per hour or higher. Rural roads tend to be undivided and without barriers. They are thus more likely to be the scene of a fatal rollover. Almost ¾ of fatal rollovers occur in rural areas where the posted speed limit is typically 55 miles per hour or higher.
NHTSA data suggests that over 90% of the vehicles in fatal, single-vehicle rollover crashes were involved in routine driving maneuvers (going straight or negotiating a curve) at the time of the crash. This further suggests that driver behavior (distraction, inattentiveness, speeding, and impaired driving) plays a significant role in rollover crashes. NHTSA data show that nearly 85% of all rollover-related fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes. This means that the majority of rollover crashes and fatalities do not involve any other vehicle besides the one that rolled over, further suggesting that driver behavior plays a significant role in rollover crashes.
Rollover case analysis requires the use of experts in accident reconstruction, as well as in other applied sciences. Involvement in a rollover accident producing an injury or fatality of any sort should result in a quick, and thorough investigation of the accident. The necessary investigation required to document a rollover case with potential for a product liability or other claim will often be greatly in excess of that performed by police or any other investigative agency. In determining whether to accept a rollover case, available evidence and the passage of time are important considerations. If you or a loved one has been involved in a rollover accident, contact us as soon as is possible. If we can help, we want to help.
Automobile fires are often the result of a dangerous defect in a vehicle. If a fire follows an accident, often the source of the fire is overlooked as a potential recovery for the injured person. The fire may have resulted because the vehicle is not sufficiently crashworthy.
Crashworthiness is a concept that focuses on occupant protection to reduce the number of fatal and serious injuries that occur in the United States each year. Cars should be able to withstand certain crash forces. Automobile manufacturers are required to build to industry minimum standards to accommodate such forces. As a result, automobile fires resulting from a crash should be investigated thoroughly to determine whether a defect in the automobile contributed to causing the subsequent fire.
Any automobile fire that starts without a crash should be investigated for the same reasons as with a crash. Many models of vehicles have been recalled due to fire hazards that result from a defect in design or manufacturing. A recall is, however, a drastic measure taken by a manufacturer, or ordered by the government. Prior to a recall, typically a great number of incidents involving the defect in the vehicle will take place. This ultimately prompts the expensive and drastic response of a recall (voluntary or mandatory) by the manufacturer in the interests of safety. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of an auto fire or other defect, contact us as soon as is possible. If we can help, we want to help.
Despite the best efforts of authorities, drunk and drugged drivers continue to drive. The results are devastating. In many cases, representing a person injured by a drunk or drugged driver will require working in tandem with police and prosecuting authorities.
Representation of the client in the criminal process against such an accused driver can often be important – the client is often the prosecuting witness against the driver. Tim can help to protect the rights of the client through the criminal process, and at the same time, work to document the liability case against the driver that will result from the drunk and impaired driving.
Tim has handled many cases involving drunk and drugged drivers, through both representation of the client through the criminal process and in the resulting injury claim. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a drunk or drugged driver, contact us as soon as is possible. If we can help, we want to help.
If you’ve been injured, call now and get the justice you deserve.