Posts Tagged ‘vehicular 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.
Tags: accident, accident law firm, federal motor carrier, federal motor carrier safety administration, highways, ledgerlaw.com, loose control, motor carrier safety, motor carrier safety administration, Negligence, ploy, point in time, roadways, safety, safety administration, safety precautions, semis, truck accident, truck accidents, truck drivers, trucker fatigue, trucks, vehicle, vehicle accident, vehicular accident, vehicular accidents
Posted in Trucking Accident Lawyer | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
No one can be prepared to be involved in a car accident, but if the worst happens and you find yourself involved in a car accident, it helps to know what steps to take after the accident occurs to protect you and your rights. Each year, there are over six million car accidents in the United States. In 2008, in San Bernardino County alone there were 8,504 vehicular accidents with two hundred and sixty-three fatalities according to the California Highway Patrol. These statistics tell us that despite adhering to all safety precautions, there is a good chance that you may be involved in a car accident at some point in your life. While you can’t do anything to change an accident that has already happened, there are things that you can – and should – do after the fact to help protect you and your rights, says San Bernardino car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates.
1. Get evaluated by a medical professional. Many people think that they did not suffer any injuries in a car accident only to wake up the next day in severe pain or worse. It is always best to be checked out immediately following a car accident for hidden injuries to prevent long term problems. It is also important form the standard of any claim you may have against the at fault driver. Your car accident attorney will have to prove that any injuries you have are related to the accident itself so the closer in time that you are evaluated and diagnosed the easier it is to show that the accident was the cause of the injuries.
2. Get names and contact information from the other driver as well as any witnesses present at the scene. You may think that a police report will have all of that information; however police reports frequently lack complete information on witnesses in particular.
3. Call the police. You may feel that the accident was just a minor fender bender; however a police report can be an invaluable tool if you ultimately file a claim against the negligent driver for injuries sustained in the accident.
4. Take photos. When you are able, take photos of your vehicle, the scene of the accident and any injuries that you suffered.
5. Get estimates. If your vehicle was damages in the car accident, get at least two estimates to repair your vehicle. You may think hat you have to accept the amount that the other drivers’ insurance company offers you to repair your vehicle but that is not always the case.
6. Document your time off of work. As your employer for a letter showing how many days/hours you have missed from work as a result of the car accident. This can include time spent going to doctor’s appointments, getting your car repaired or just recuperating.
7. Document your pain and suffering. It may seem like a lot of work, but start a journal or diary and keep track of your recovery process. Makes notes about how you feel and what limitations you have as a result of injuries you received. This can be an invaluable tool for your car accident attorney when he attempts to value your pain and suffering in your car accident case says San Bernardino car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates.
If you have been involved in a car accident and would like a free detailed evaluation by San Bernardino car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates, please contact his office at 1-800-300-0001 or through his website at www.ledgerlaw.com
Tags: car accident, car accident attorney, car accidents, damages, insurance, negligent driver, offer, pain and suffering, severe pain, suffering, vehicle, vehicular accident, vehicular accidents, witness, witnesses
Posted in Auto Accident Lawyer | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
In a city the size of Los Angeles, car accidents are bound to happen every day. The most recent statistics available from the California Highway Patrol tell us that for the year 2008 there were over 52,000 accidents in Los Angeles County with 667 fatalities as a result of vehicular accidents. Not surprising when you factor in recent estimates that put the population of Los Angeles County at close to ten million people. One question that Los Angeles car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates gets asked frequently is whether citizenship status affects someone’s right to recover for damages sustained in a car accident.
While exact figures are very difficult to come by for the number of undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles County, most experts put the number somewhere close to one million people. These people live, work and drive in the Los Angeles area. Many immigrants think that if they are not here legally that they cannot be compensated for injuries they sustain in a car accident. That is not the case according to Los Angeles car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates. Your citizenship status is not a factor in determining whether you are entitled to compensation for a car accident. The only thing that truly matters in a car accident case is who was negligent – or at fault. If you were in a car accident and the other driver was at fault, then you can receive compensation for your injuries.
If, however, you were driving and did not have the required liability insurance, then under California law you cannot collect for pain and suffering, says Los Angeles car accident attorney Emery Ledger. What this means, in essence, is that you will be able to collect for out of pocket expenses such as medical bills, lost wages and damage to your vehicle but you will not be able to collect any additional money for the emotional impact of the accident. The important thing to remember is that if you were not at fault, then you do not have to bear the burden of paying for your medical bills, car repairs or any other expenses that are considered economic damages. Under the laws of the State of California, the responsible party will have to pay for any injuries that they caused you in the car accident.
If you have been involved in a car accident, the best thing you can do is consult with an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney. Only an experienced car accident attorney can evaluate your specific case and advise you whether you have a valid car accident case and what – if any – compensation you are likely to receive. Don’t let fear of the judicial system stop you from receiving what you are entitled to as a result of someone else’s negligence.
If you would like a free detailed and confidential evaluation of your car accident case, please contact Los Angeles car accident attorney Emery Ledger at Ledger & Associates. He can be reached at his office at 1-800-300-0001 or through his website at www.ledgerlaw.com
Tags: accident, accident attorney, accident case, attorney, car accident, car accident attorney, car accidents, vehicle, vehicular accident, vehicular accidents
Posted in Auto Accident Lawyer | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Statistics tell us that the chance of being involved in a car accident at some point during your lifetime is about one in four. Each year, over six million car accidents happen on the United States roadways. In Sacramento County alone, for the year 2008, there were 7,874 injuries related to vehicular accidents and eighty-four fatalities according to the California Highway Patrol. If you are involved in a car accident, one of the most important things you can do is seek medical care as soon as possible following the accident according to Sacramento car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates.
In a catastrophic car accident, the victims are transported from the scene of the accident to the nearest emergency medical center and are checked for all possible injuries. Frequently though, in less sever accidents, the victims don’t feel the effects of the accident immediately and refuse transport to an emergency room for evaluation. Sacramento car accident attorney Emery Ledger says that refusing to be transported for evaluation can often be a mistake.
He most important reasons why you should agree to be checked out thoroughly immediately following a car accident is that many injuries do not present themselves with symptoms until some time after the accident. The most common example is whiplash. Many people suffer whiplash injuries after a car accident but they typically do not feel the pain from the injury until hours or days after the accident. While whiplash is not normally a life threatening injury, it can have complications and should be treated as soon as possible. Treatment may also prevent more sever pain from the injury. Other injuries, such as back and spinal cord injuries, can be much more sever and even life threatening. As with whiplash, the true symptoms of these injuries may not present themselves immediately. Unlike whiplash though, delays in treatment of a back or spinal cord injury can seriously hamper the recovery process and may even lead to additional injuries. The only may to be certain that you have not suffered any serious or life threatening injuries is to have a medical professional evaluate you immediately following the accident, says Sacramento car accident attorney Emery Ledger.
The other reason to seek treatment immediately following a car accident is that if the accident was not your fault and you hope to recover anything for your injuries, then you will need to prove that any injuries you have were a direct result of the accident. The longer you wait to seek treatment, the harder it will be to prove that the injury you have was a result of the car accident, according to Sacramento car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates.
If you have recently been in a car accident and have not yet been evaluated by a medical professional, you should consider doing so immediately. If you were in an accident and believe that the other driver was at fault for the accident, then contact Sacramento car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates for a free detailed evaluation of your case. Attorney Ledger can be reached at his toll-free number 1-800-300-0001 or you may visit him at www.ledgerlaw.com.
Tags: accident, accident attorney, accidents, California highway patrol, car accident attorney, car accidents, sacramento car accident attorney, spinal cord injuries, spinal cord injury, vehicular accidents, whiplash, whiplash injuries
Posted in Auto Accident Lawyer | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Unfortunately, car accidents happen every minute of every day across the United States. In Kern County alone, for the year 2008 there were 3,460 injury accidents and one hundred and three deaths as a result of vehicular accidents, according the California Highway Patrol. While roadway conditions and defective parts can be the cause of an automobile accident, the vast majority of accidents are caused by human error, says Kern County car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates. So what are the most common errors committed by drivers?
By far the most common cause of vehicular accidents is the use of handheld devices. Despite a California ban on the use of handheld devices while driving, many drivers continue to use them, according to Kern County car accident attorney Emery Ledger. Whether someone is talking on a cellular phone, texting or checking for directions, the time they spend on the device takes away from their attention to the roadway. Those few seconds can mean the difference between avoiding a collision and having one. Studies tell us that we have only about two seconds to recognize a potential accident and react to it to avoid the collision. If we are distracted by our handheld device, then we have lost the opportunity to react to the threat.
Another major contributor to car accidents in Kern County is drowsy driving. People simply do not recognize when they are too tired to be on the road. With people working more hours and commuting farther to work, the chance of becoming drowsy behind the wheel continues to rise. Sadly, most people do not even realize that they are falling asleep until it is too late and they have been involved in a collision. Additionally, both over the counter and prescription medications can contribute to drowsiness while driving. Sometimes people take medication without realizing how it will affect them with tragic results.
Distracted driving in general is another leading cause of car accidents, according to Kern County car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates. Aside from handheld use, drivers can become distracted for a number of other reasons. Talking to passengers in the car, changing the radio station, looking at another accident and eating are just a few of the examples of distracted driving. All of these activities can cause the driver to taker his eyes off the road and can potentially be the cause of an accident.
All of the above accident causes are examples of negligent driving. If you have been involved in an accident and believe that the other driver was at fault – or negligent – then you may be entitled to recover compensation for any injuries that you sustained in the accident. Consult with an experienced Kern County car accident attorney to see what your legal options are. Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates has been practicing car accident litigation for over twelve years in Kern County and would be happy to give you a free detailed evaluation of your case. Contact him at his office at 1-800-300-0001 or visit him online at www.ldedgerlaw.com
Tags: accident, accident attorney, automobile accident, car accident, car accident attorney, car accidents, deaths, drowsiness, drowsy driving, emery, emery ledger, fault, injury, injury accident, injury accidents, juries, law, Ledger, legal options, litigation, vehicular accident, vehicular accidents
Posted in Auto Accident Lawyer | No Comments »
Friday, April 9th, 2010
Accidental deaths are one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States. In Fresno County alone, there were one hundred twenty-seven fatal vehicular accidents in 2008 according to the California Highway Patrol. When someone we love dies as the result of an accident, we frequently lose not only their love and affection, but financial support as well. According to Fresno wrongful death attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates, this is when we should consider filing a wrongful death claim. If you are like most people, you are asking yourself “How can I possibly put a dollar value on the life of my loved one?”. This is a perfectly normal question to be asking yourself and one that Fresno wrongful death attorney Emery Ledger gets asked all the time. The reality is that the laws of California have evolved to provide a framework to attempt to do just that.
Under the wrongful death statutes in the State of California, a claimant in a wrongful death lawsuit can recover for the following categories of damages:
1. Future earning capacity
2. Loss of household services
3. Loss of love, companionship and consortium
4. Funeral and burial expenses
5. If the decedent survived for any length of time – survival benefits
6. Under special circumstances punitive damages can also be awarded
The first three of those categories are the most complicated and difficult to determine, says Fresno wrongful death attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates. No one wants to put a value on the life of their spouse, parent or child. It is a highly emotionally charged process and can take months – or even years – to come to conclusion.
Your wrongful death attorney must determine who was at fault for your loved one’s death. Once fault has been determined, then he can begin the process of valuing your claim. Many factors will go into valuing a wrongful death claim including: earning capacity of the decedent; educational level of the decedent; relationship between the claimant and the decedent; age and health of the decedent and claimant; and family size and age of children. All of these factors and many more must be taken into consideration when determining what a wrongful death claim is worth.
Fresno wrongful death attorney Emery Ledger says that he will often need to consult with economists, accountants and medical doctors in evaluating the value of a wrongful death claim. If the decedent was contributing financially to the family, then the decedent’s present and future earning capacity must be calculated. While this can be complicated, it is largely based on what the decedent was earning at the time of death plus any education that he had to add future value to his earning capacity. If the decedent was performing household services then the value of those services must be determined. These household services can be a little more difficult to value but generally have a connection to how much the family as a whole was earning. Loss of love, companionship and consortium (if applicable) can be even harder to value. The closeness of the relationship between the decedent and the claimant will play a big part in this value.
As you can see, valuing a wrongful death claim is a long and complicated process and one that requires the guidance of an experienced wrongful death attorney. If you would like a free detailed evaluation of your potential wrongful death claim, contact Fresno wrongful death attorney Emery Ledger at Ledger & Associates – 1-800-300-0001 or at www.ledgerlaw.com
Tags: accidental deaths, burial expenses, punitive damages, survival benefits, time of death, vehicular accident, vehicular accidents, wrongful death, wrongful death attorney, wrongful death claim, wrongful death law, wrongful death lawsuit
Posted in Wrongful Death Lawyer | No Comments »
