4 Tips for Choosing a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’ve suffered a personal injury, you need to consider the future. You may soon become saddled with endless medical bills, time off from work, and other financial considerations. Pursuing legal compensation may be necessary, and it’s critical that you select the right attorney. Throwing a dart at the phone book is an easy way to choose, but there are much better ways to proceed. Select a Local Attorney Most people turn to the internet to find just about anything nowadays, so searching for legal help is likely to fall into that category. It’s important that while cyberspace knows no physical boundaries, your future attorney’s license to practice law certainly does. Your search should immediately narrow down to those who are licensed in the state in which the injury occurred. Next, consider only those within driving distance to your place of residence. Face-to-face visits with your legal counsel will be necessary, so you don’t want to travel too far for these meetings. Find an Attorney That Specializes in Personal Injury Law firms practice in several different areas, including criminal law, divorce litigation, child custody, and tax law. Personal injury cases require specific knowledge, such as medical terminology and different types of injuries. Personal injury attorneys typically have ample trial experience, while others (such as real estate attorneys) may have none at all. They’re also good negotiators and can develop a fair out-of-court settlement on your behalf. Choose a Successful Attorney Once you’ve narrowed down your choices a bit, do research into your potential candidates. Find out how many years they’ve been practicing law. What sort of track records do...4 Most Famous Personal Injury Cases
While most personal injury cases deal with typical slip and falls, car accidents, or defective devices, there are also some cases that are so unusual they’ve become famous. These are a few of the most legendary personal injury cases to make their way through the court system. Stella Liebeck Versus McDonald’s Perhaps the most famous personal injury case of all is Liebeck vs. McDonald’s, otherwise known as the hot coffee case. In 1992, Stella Liebeck ordered a cup of coffee from McDonald’s. As the 79-year-old was holding the coffee between her legs in the passenger seat of a parked car, the coffee spilled on her lap and caused third-degree burns. Before Liebeck’s case, McDonald’s had received over 700 reports of injury from its coffee. Liebeck offered to settle for $20,000 to cover lost income and medical expenses, but McDonald’s thought it would win the case and went to trial. However, the jury sided with Liebeck. She and McDonald’s eventually reached a confidential settlement. Bret Michaels Versus CBS In 2009, Bret Michaels, lead singer of the rock band Poison, suffered an injury to his face at the Tony Awards, which was broadcast by CBS. Michaels claimed that a set piece hit him in the face because CBS didn’t tell him how to exit the stage safely. Immediately after the incident, he had X-rays that showed a broken nose. A few months later, he also suffered a brain hemorrhage, which he believes was from the accident. Michaels and CBS eventually settled the lawsuit, and the terms were not made public. Cedrick Makara Versus Newmark Realty and 40 Worth Associates A jury awarded Cedrick...Maritime Injury Compensation
Did you know that you can file for compensation for an injury that happened while you were on a cruise ship? Just like any other personal injury, maritime injuries are also compensated, if you were injured while on a water transportation vessel you deserve full compensation for those injuries, especially if you were on the boat or ship for work related reasons. One of the many reasons why people who get injured while at sea do not make compensation claims is that the maritime lawsuit can be complicated, especially when it comes to proving the liability. State worker’s compensation laws are sketchy when it comes to injuries on water, but the experienced lawyers at David W. Singer & Associates, P.A. know how to go about getting you the full compensation that you deserve. Recently, the Jones Act has provided many people who work on the water with plausible grounds to file a personal injuries lawsuit. To take full advantage of the Act you need to know if you qualify to make a claim. Who qualifies to make a claim under the Jones Act? The Jones Act applies to individuals who meet the following characteristics: The water vehicle you were injured on must be in navigation on the water that is classified under interstate and commerce routes. The injury should have occurred while you were working on board the water transport vessel The types of employees covered by the Jones Act is also quite diverse. These include: Fishermen Cruise ship workers Ferry boat workers Transportation workers Construction workers Oil-platform workers Commercial divers If you are based in Hollywood, FL, you can make...Common Personal Injury Cases
Several types of accidents can result in personal injury cases. Most personal injury victims are not aware that someone else’s negligence may have caused their accident. Having this knowledge can lead you on the right path of collecting compensation for your injuries. Hiring a professional legal team can help you to determine if your accident is due to negligence and fight for your compensation. Several accidents can result in personal injury (also known as PI) cases, but these are the most common. Auto Accidents Auto accidents are one of the most common causes of personal injury cases. If another driver hit you in an automobile accident and sustained injuries, you might be eligible to seek financial compensation for your injuries. Drivers can be held responsible for negligence if they were speeding, driving while under the influence, traffic violations, and much more. Your PI lawyer will work with the additional parties involved with your case to determine the circumstances. Accidents in the Workplace Another common PI accident results from workplace injuries. If you are a victim of a workplace injury, you may be able to seek workers compensation for the injuries you sustained while on the job. Hiring your personal injury lawyer early on will help your case due to their knowledge about the legalities involved with Workers Compensation cases. Slip & Fall Slip and falls can be very dangerous and lead to several injuries. While they can happen anywhere and to anyone, there are many things to take into consideration when filing your case for compensation. If you slipped and fell due to unsafe conditions such as wet paint or pavement,...Avoiding Personal Injury during the Holidays
The holidays are a great time to review the year with family and friends. With all the hubbub, it may be easy to forget some common safety tips that will keep you and your loved ones out of harm’s way. In addition, some may be working during the holidays and it is just as important to stay alert to avoid any personal injury. While we are here to help in the event of a personal injury, we would not wish it on any one, especially during this fun time of year. Some of the most common injuries during the holidays include falls, which may include smaller injuries like sprains or larger injuries like a fracture or bone break. Falls may happen in the home or at work. For example, in the home, you may be putting up decoration but did not secure the ladder enough. While at work, a fall may occur as you’re helping a customer. Everyone is on the hunt for the perfect gift, so it’s important to be aware of the possible crazy customers that may not notice you on the ladder or carrying boxes. In both of these instances, it’s critical to note that you should have the proper ladder height for the job and should be wearing shoes with a good bottom to give you enough traction. If you are working outdoors, try to avoid working on days with a lot of wind or when it’s raining. If you are grabbing boxes of decoration out of the attic, or receiving a shipment from work, be sure to keep the pile of boxes at a...8 Common Mistakes When Making a Personal Injury Claim
Learn more about the eight most common mistakes personal injury victims make. Contact us today to get the most out of your case!
Why Facebooking about your Personal Injury Case is a Big “No-No”
Social media, in general, is not good for your personal injury case. You may think that sharing details about your case – even in a private message – will make you feel better or that your friends will give you good advice, but it can actually damage the credibility of your case. Facebook is the first place that your insurance company or defendant’s lawyer will check in order to find information to use against you. Your social media accounts may be private, but there is always a way to access them, especially when a judge orders you to give the defendant’s lawyer your passwords because they believe there is something they could use against your case. Some of the aspects of social media that can be used in opposition to you include videos or photos that you are tagged in or have posted, statuses, and private messages. Defendant lawyers are looking for anything that could potentially prove that you hurt yourself at a different location or negligent person. Just be cautious when posting during a personal injury case and remember that even if you delete a post, it is there forever. The defendant lawyers and insurance companies are there to make your claim go away so they will do anything it takes, which includes reinterpreting your posts’ meaning in order to hurt your claim. The best-case scenario is to not post at all, but if you must post, try to follow these terms to avoid common social media mistakes: Let everyone know not to post anything about you, which includes tagging and messaging. Do not tell them this through...Common Medical Malpractice Questions
The laws and procedures surrounding Medical Malpractice can seem daunting if you aren’t familiar with the specifics. We’ve compiled some of the most common questions asked regarding Medical Malpractice to help you better understand what is it and what it involves. Q: What is the statute of limitations on Medical Malpractice cases? A: In general, the statute of limitations for Medical Malpractice cases is two years. However, that can sometimes be open for interpretation. You have two years to file from the time the incident occurred, or from when a family member, loved one, or guardian should have realized the issue. The later part of that statement is what is open-ended. A reasonable argument needs to be made to justify any delays in realization of a potential health issue. Q: What qualifies as Medical Malpractice? A: Medical Malpractice can be broadly defined as any time in which an injury results from a medical professional failing to adhere to the medical community standards of care. Wrongful death, medication errors, birth injuries, misdiagnosis, surgical errors, and negligence are some examples of Medical Malpractice. If you still have questions about whether what you or a loved one are experiencing qualifies as malpractice, please contact us. Q: What is the difference between Malpractice and Negligence? A: There are several types of Negligence; Malpractice is a type of negligence that involves a licensed professional. As such, Medical Malpractice is the negligence of a licensed medical professional- including doctors, nurses, and technicians- that is caused by carelessness. If a medical malpractice injury is found to be due to intentional harm, it can become classified as...Lesser Known Florida Driving Laws
For some of us, studying for our license was a months-long process with flash cards, color-coded highlighting, pop quizzes, and group study sessions. For the rest of us, it was more like a mad dash to the finish line after days of cramming. We’ve put together some of the lesser known Florida traffic laws that may surprise you. You must move over for tow trucks We’ve all seen the signs on the highway urging us to move over for emergency vehicles. But did you know this law also extends to tow trucks that are responding to an accident or disabled car? Moving over a lane helps to ensure the safety of all people present at, or responding to, an emergency scene. Minimum speed limits are a real thing You may think you are being extra safe by driving slowly on the highway, but minimum speed limits (just like maximums) are in place for the safety of all drivers. As a general rule, the minimum speed limit on most highways is 40 miles per hour. If the maximum speed is 70 miles per hour, the minimum increases to 50 miles per hour. You can’t drive with your hazard lights on Contrary to popular belief, hazard lights are only to be used when your car is stopped. The intended purpose of these blinking lights is to help identify immobilized vehicles that may be obstructing traffic flow to approaching vehicles. Hazard lights are not to be used while your vehicle is moving for any reason- including heavy rain. If weather conditions become too intense or obstructive for your personal...Best Ways to Reduce and Manage Workplace Stress
If you have ever had a job, you know just how easy it is to become stressed out. Sometimes stress is a good thing and can help with production, but often times, stress can be a negative feeling that can become detrimental to a person’s well being. If stress becomes unmanageable, it can interfere with productivity and can even cause an impact on physical and emotional health. Although we cannot control everything in our work environments, we can control ourselves and our reactions. There are many ways to manage stress in the workplace that can become beneficial to yourself and even to those around you. The better you become at managing your stress, the more positively you will affect those around you. Below are some tips as to how you can better manage your stress levels in the workplace: Learn to relax – go for a walk, stay hydrated, or listen to your favorite song Timing – timing is everything when it comes to stress management. Plan your tasks at the start of the day and work through an effective schedule Avoid overload – overloading a day can cause stress on anyone. Don’t feel like you are required to yes to everything asked of you; stick to a schedule and effectively decide what additional tasks you may be able to take on Communication is key – create a strong workplace environment by addressing issues in a considerate manner. Openly communicate with your coworkers to create a better workplace environment Make food choices that keep you going – eating small and frequent meals throughout the workday can help to maintain...The Hollywood injury attorneys at David W. Singer & Associates, P.A. handle all types of accident injury cases in Florida.
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