Posts Tagged ‘vehicle’

What Can I Do if I Have Lost A Loved One In A California Motorcycle Accident?

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

Motorcycles are a popular form of transportation as well as being a popular form of leisure time activity in the State of California. According to the California Highway Patrol, there are over one million motorcycles registered in California and many more than come to visit and ride each year. Anyone that rides a motorcycle knows that the risks of serious injury or death are greater on a motorcycle than in a conventional vehicle in the event of an accident. The simple truth is that while a bike affords the rider and passenger a much greater feeling of freedom while riding, that same feeling of freedom also means less protection in an accident. The past few decades have seen massive efforts by both government and private groups to educate the public about the presence of motorcycles on the roads; however the number of serious injuries and fatalities continues to rise on California’s roadways. Each year, 10,000 bikers are seriously injured in California and almost 500 are killed. If you have recently lost a loved one to a motorcycle accident, then you may be able to file as a claimant in a wrongful death action according to California motorcycle accident lawyer Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates.

Statistics tell us that the vast majority of accidents that involve a biker are actually caused, at least in part, by the driver of the other vehicle. The fact remains that drivers in cars or trucks simply do not see motorcycles on the roadway until it is too late many times. If this was the case in your loved one’s fatal accident, then the other drive may have been negligent. When someone else is negligent and that negligence causes a death, then the surviving family members may be able to receive compensation for the loss of their loved one through a California wrongful death lawsuit. A lawsuit will certainly not turn back the clock and prevent the accident, but if you were emotionally and/or financially dependant on the decedent, then you should receive compensation from the negligent party for causing their death. The amount of compensation that you may be entitled to will vary from case to case, but may include compensation for the loss of future earnings, loss of affection, loss of household support and loss of consortium among others.

Understandably, many people do not want to think about lawsuits and legal matter when they have lost someone close to them. It is important to remember though that there is a time frame within which you must initiate a wrongful death action or you will lose your right to pursue the compensation that you deserve. If your loved one supported you while they were alive, don’t you think they would want you to continue to receive support even though they are no longer with you?

If you would like any additional information or would like to schedule a free and confidential detailed evaluation of your potential California wrongful death motorcycle accident case, please contact the law offices of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit them online at www.ledgerlaw.com.

Truck Driver Fatigue Results in Accidents

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

All of us have been on the road at some point in time with the big trucks. Sharing the road with semis is something that all of us accept if we spend any time at all on America’s highways. Trucks are still one of America’s main forms of transportation for commercial good and products. Without them, and the drivers that are willing to pass their days over the road, we would not have the variety of produce, meats, clothing and household goods that we enjoy today. The truth is that we are dependant on these rolling behemoths to bring us the goods and products that we use every day. What do who know though about who is driving these trucks and whether or not they are taking required safety precautions? What happens when one of the drivers pushes their body too far – past the point at which the body must rest?

The fact is that each year truck accidents kill over 5,000 people and injure another 150,000 on America’s highways. According to one report, one in every four multiple-vehicle accident involves a large truck. Large trucks are involved in vehicular accidents twice as often as passenger vehicles resulting in over 800 drivers of large trucks dying each year. Despite the stringent requirements for obtaining a commercial driver license, it appears as though truck drivers are still involved in a disproportionate number of accidents each year. Commercial truck drier’s are required to complete a rigorous hands on training school as well as pass background checks, drug test, driving tests and written tests before they can obtain a commercial driver license. So why are these highly trained and screened drivers still getting into accidents?

One of the leading causes of truck driver accident is fatigue. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is charged with overseeing large trucks on American roadways. The FMCSA tells us that in recent years, as many as 750 people were killed and another 20,000 injured as a direct result of driver fatigue. Long hours on the road can take its toll on a driver. Although the federal government has set strict regulations regarding the number of hours a driver can spend on the road, drivers continue to reach the point where fatigue takes over and they loose control for that split second-just long enough to cause an accident. In a passenger vehicle, if you start to lose control you can generally gain back the control rather easily if you react quickly enough. In a large truck, however, once you start to lose control getting it back may be impossible due to the sheer size and weight of the truck. As a result, thousands of Americans are injured or killed each year due to the negligence of a driver that was simply too tired to drive.

Whether the driver himself made the decision to keep on truckin’ or whether his employer was pushing him on, the bottom line is that if you were involved in an accident with one of these “kings of the road” and you believe that accident may have been caused by fatigue, then you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries that you suffered. Contact the California truck accident law firm of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit them online for more information at www.ledgerlaw.com.

How Can California Motorcycle Lawyer Help Me Win My Motorcycle Accident Case?

Monday, June 28th, 2010

California is one the most beautiful places to enjoy riding a motorcycle. Not surprisingly, there are over 1.3 million motorcycles registered in the state of California. Whether people are riding for pleasure or for the economy of riding a bike, there are certainly a lot of them riding. Despite efforts by both public and private groups to make other drivers on the road more aware of motorcycles, motorcycles continue to account for a disproportionate number of accidents each year. While bikers represent only 2.1% of all registered vehicles in California, they account for 9.4% of all traffic fatalities in the state. Each year, about 500 people are killed in the State of California in motorcycle accidents and another 10,000 are seriously injured. Sadly, those figures are going up instead of down. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, you may be considering hiring a lawyer to represent you. You may also be wondering how a motorcycle accident lawyer can help you in your motorcycle accident case.

While each motorcycle accident case is different, statistics tell us that there is a very good chance the accident you were involved in was not your fault. About 75% of all motorcycle accidents are caused by the other driver. In the majority of those cases, the driver of the other vehicle admits that they simply did not see the motorcycle. If the accident was not your fault, then a motorcycle accident attorney may be able to help you receive compensation that you are entitled to for the injuries that you suffered as a result of the accident. Under the California laws of negligence, if someone else was negligent (at fault) in your accident, then they must compensate you for your physical and emotional injuries that are a result of the accident. A motorcycle lawyer has years of experience handling these claims and is better able to negotiate a settlement for you. While it is true that you may be able to deal directly with the insurance company and they will likely offer you a settlement without the assistance of a lawyer, chances are that they will offer you far less than what you deserve.

Additionally, if your case does not settle – either because the other driver is not admitting negligence or because they are not offering you what your case is worth – then you will have an experienced and knowledgeable litigator at your side fighting for your rights and for the compensation that you are entitled to for the injuries you have suffered. Only a lawyer knows the ins and outs of a trial. Everyone hopes that their case can be settled quickly and efficiently without the need to go to trial, however if a trial is necessary, there is nothing like the feeling that someone is by your side and will lead the way through the process.

If you have been injured in a California motorcycle accident and would like a free and detailed evaluation of your potential motorcycle case, please contact motorcycle lawyer Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates today for an appointment. He can be reached at 1-800-300-0001 or online at www.ledgerlaw.com

Can I Afford Lawyer for My Accident Claim?

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

If you were injured in an accident in California and you believe that someone else was at fault for the accident, you may be faced with medical bills, property damage and time lost from your job. Depending on how severe your injuries were, you may even have lost your job and may be facing additional medical bills in the months or even yeas to come. You could even be facing problems finding a medical provider to treat your injuries if you did not have medical insurance at the time of the accident. You are not alone. Accidents of all kinds happen every day in California and the victims are left trying to figure out how to pay for medical treatment, how to repair damage to vehicles and what to do about their job. This is where a California accident lawyer can help. You may be concerned that on top of all the other bills you now have that you cannot afford to hire a lawyer to represent you in your accident lawsuit. The good news is that you may not need to worry about money for your California accident lawyer.

The benefits of hiring an accident lawyer to represent your interests are numerous. Statistics show that accident settlements and jury awards are consistently higher for victims that are represented by lawyers. This means more money for you to pay your bills and to compensate you for the pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of someone else’s negligence. In the short run, having a lawyer represent you means that you do not need to talk to the insurance company, the defendant or the courts. You can focus on healing the injuries that you suffered. Additionally, if you are having problems getting your vehicle fixed, finding a medical provider to treat you or are in jeopardy of losing your job, your lawyer may be able to intervene and help.

Unlike many other types of cases that lawyers handle, accident lawyers frequently accept personal injury accident cases on a contingency basis. A contingency arrangement basically means that you will not be charged anything upfront. Your lawyer will aggressively investigate, negotiate and even try your case to a jury without you having to pay anything. At the end of the case, your lawyer will receive a percentage of the final settlement or jury award as payment for their services. This method of payment was developed many years ago precisely for situations like yours where the victim would be left without any way to be compensated for their injuries if they had to pay a lawyer upfront just accept the case. This type of payment arrangement also gives your lawyer an incentive to get you the most compensation possible. At the end of your accident case, your lawyer will pay out any medical providers, expert witnesses or other bills associated with your case and then your lawyer will be paid his agreed upon percentage. Everything that is left will be your compensation for the injuries you have received.

In the end, if you have been the victim in a California accident, you may be able to hire an accident lawyer to represent you without having to worry about yet another bill. If you have additional questions or would like a free and detailed evaluation of your accident case, please call California accident lawyer Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit him online www.ledgerlaw.com.

California Motorcycle Accident Attorney Talks about Injuries

Monday, May 31st, 2010

With over 4 million motorcycles registered in the United States, it is clear that for those who love to ride, they are willing to risk the potential for injury. Statistics, as well as common sense, tells us that if you are involved in a motorcycle accident that the chance that you will suffer injury is great. With nothing between you and the road, or another car, you are likely to make direct contact with the road or another hard object. No airbags to soften the blow. Unfortunately, how safety conscious YOU are may not be as important as whether the other drivers on the road are watching out for you. Accident statistics tell us that well over half of the two vehicle accidents that involve a motorcycle are actually the fault of the person driving the passenger vehicle. What this means is that you can be obeying all traffic rules, wearing the proper reflective clothing and be an experienced biker and someone may still simply not see you and cause an accident. Motorcycle accidents, when they happen, can cause serious injuries. One of the most common injuries in a motorcycle accident is a head concussion or a traumatic brain injury. A concussion is a type of brain injury that is usually caused by a blow to the head and generally results in unconsciousness. A concussion can normally be treated easily and the patient may just need to go home and rest for a day or two. A traumatic brain injury, on the other hand, can have serious and lifelong consequences. That same blow to the head can cause the brain to become severely damaged. Many people think that a person must lose consciousness for there to be a serious injury. This is not so. You could be suffering from a serious brain injury after a motorcycle accident and not be aware of it. Wearing an approved helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 40%. Broken bones or joints are another common motorcycle accident injury. The most common breakages are the shoulder and the pelvis. Not surprisingly, when you collide with a hard surface, whether that is the road or another vehicle, your bones or joints can only withstand so much blunt force trauma before they snap. Road rash, or soft tissue injuries are also common injuries from a motorcycle accident. Some of these can be just minor surface scrapes, but others can be deep and leave serious scars. Road rash is what happens when exposed skin scrapes along the road during a collision. Wearing leather clothing or other protective gear can help reduce the risk or the severity of road rash in the event of an accident. If you have been in a motorcycle accident in the State of California and you believe that the accident was caused, in whole or in part, by the negligence of the other driver (or drivers), then you may have a valid California personal injury claim. If someone else was responsible for your injuries, then you may be able to receive compensation for those injuries – including money to repair your bike. Contact the motorcycle accident law firm of Ledger & Associates for a free detailed evaluation of your case. They can be reached at 1-800-300-0001 or visit them online at www.ledgerlaw.com

California Motorcycle Accident Attorney Discusses How to Value Your Motorcycle Accident Case

Monday, May 31st, 2010

If you own a motorcycle, then you know that along with the incredible freedom that comes along with riding, you also accept the risks of an accident. Despite decades of attempts by both government entities and private groups to educate the car and truck driving masses about the need to watch out for motorcycles, they still fall short. Statistics tell us that the majority of the time when a motorcycle is involved in an accident with a passenger vehicle, the passenger vehicle was at fault or more at fault in the accident. Of those accidents, drivers most often report that the reason they were involved in the accident in the first place was because they simply did not see the motorcycle. Motorcycle safety has also come a long way. Bikes are made better and come equipped with a number of safety minded options. Protective clothing is available to prevent or limit the severity if injuries if the worst happens. Many states now require protective head gear to be worn at all times to prevent or limit head injuries. Having said all of that, if you are involved in a motorcycle accident, the chances are good that you have suffered damages (injuries in legal terms). SO how do you know what your motorcycle accident case if worth?

According to California motorcycle accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates, determining the value of any personal injury claim can be complicated and may involve a number of factors that are specific to your case alone. There are, however, a few things to take into advantage in all motorcycle accident cases to help you determine the value.

1. Who was at fault? If the other person was 100% at fault, then that makes computing damages much simpler. While you may think that the other driver was completely at fault, that may not turn out to be the case. Even if you did share some of the fault, in California as long as the other person was MORE at fault, you may still be able to recover damages and receive compensation. Your compensation will simply be adjusted according to the amount of fault (or negligence in legal terms) that you shared in the accident.
2. What are your economic damages? Economic damages are quantifiable damages. These include things such as medical bills, lost wages, damage to your bike and others.
3. What are your non-economic damages? Non-economic damages are what most people think of as “pain and suffering”. Computing non-economic damages can be more difficult and may depend on this such as the type and severity of physical injuries you suffered and your general health before the accident.

Only an experienced California motorcycle accident attorney can accurately determine what the value of your motorcycle accident case is based on your specific set of facts. If you have been in a motorcycle accident, contact the motorcycle accident law firm of Ledger & Associates as soon as possible for your free detailed evaluation of your motorcycle accident case. They can be reached by visiting them online at www.ledgerlaw.com or by telephone at 1-800-300-0001.

California Aviation Attorney Talks about Recent Advancements in Airplane Safety

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Airline travel has certainly come a long way since the Wright Brothers took that first flight back in 1903. While the first commercial flight took place a just a decade after that, travel by the predecessors of today’s jet airlines didn’t start until the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Airline safety has made advancements in leaps and bounds since the first jet airliners took to the skies – but have those advancements truly made travel by airplane that much safer?

With over 87,000 flights in the skies over the United States in any given day – 5,000 at any given moment – there is no arguing that recent advancements in radar technology have made the air traffic controller’s jobs a little easier. The air traffic controllers are who are in charge of keeping track of all those flights and directing them when to land and take off. Of the planes in the sky each day, about one third are commercial flights, another third are private airplanes, with the remaining third being planes for hire, military and cargo planes. Air traffic controllers must keep track of all these planes and must know at any given moment how many airplanes are in their assigned air space. The development of modern day radar has helped air traffic controllers locate airplanes in the skies as well as help airplanes land in bad weather. For instance, airplanes that years ago could not land in foggy conditions can do so now with the help of radar assisted ground approach systems.

Additional advancements in safety technology have benefits the aviation industry and allowed more flight to take off and land smoothly. For instance, ice that once crippled an airplane can now be handled with the help of de-icing technology. Fire safety systems have also come a long way since the first commercial flights took to the skies. Large commercial jets are so highly advanced that they are literally capable of flying themselves under the right conditions.

That, however, brings up the down side of all these advances in technology. Much like advancements in vehicles, trains and boats, airplane technology has moved ahead at lightening speed in the last two decades. While technology can be a wonderful thing, the question “At what cost” should be considered. Are the pilots and crew members relying too heavily on computers to fly the plane? Are the air traffic controllers to reliant on computers to tell them what to do – to the point where in an emergency that aren’t equipped to act without the guidance of a computer. Using technological advancements to aid in flying a plane can be an invaluable tool, but relying too heavily of that technology can cause a pilot to make critical mistakes.

If you have suffered injuries as a result of an aviation accident or lost a loved one in an aviation accident, the best thing you can do is to consult with experienced California aviation attorney Emery Ledger with the law firm of Ledger & Associates. Call 1-800-300-0001 toady for a free detailed evaluation or visit them online at www.ledgerlaw.com