There are nearly 150,000 accidents involving large “big rig” trucks every year. Since Indiana is considered the center of the traffic patterns in the country it has more than its share of the truck accidents. Additionally, almost 10% of all automobile accident fatalities involved one of these large trucks—typically en route to making a delivery. Why do these accidents occur? While the answer might seem obvious (i.e., reckless driving, the enormous weight of these trucks versus the size and weight of passenger cars), semi-truck accident lawyers in Indiana say there are many other factors that contribute to the large number of these accidents.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a truck accident, contact our Indiana truck accident lawyer now!

Legal Drugs
Nearly one-half (44%) of all collisions involving big rig trucks occurred when the driver was taking a legal prescription or over-the-counter drug. This is because most large trucks travelling in or through Indiana are making deliveries a long distance away from their intended destination. Indiana semi-truck accident lawyers say that instead of taking the time they need to rest, many truck drivers take some type of legal medication. However, these can have various side effects, especially drowsiness. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 250,000 Americans drive while drowsy every year. This contributes directly to 60,000 serious injuries and 8,000 deaths annually.

Making a Delivery
Over 75% of large semi-trucks get into accidents while making a delivery. This is borne out by the statistics. For instance, 23% of accidents occur when the truck is moving too fast. Additionally, 22% of accidents take place because the driver has to go through unfamiliar terrain. In many of these cases, semi-truck accident lawyers in Indiana point out that the driver was relying upon a computer or GPS program to get to his destination; taking his eyes off the road contributed to the accident. While many Indiana semi-truck accident lawyers argue that these devices contribute to accidents, trucking industry officials counter that these programs help the drivers to get to their intended destinations. Furthermore, when a driver is unfamiliar with the area, he is more likely to be prone to outside distractions—these account for 8% of all trucking accidents.

When Passenger Car Drivers Are at Fault
Even though truck drivers are at fault in most accidents, passenger cars also contribute. This is because many drivers of smaller cars simply do not know how to drive around these large trucks. They do not realize, for instance, that these trucks take wide turns, or that truck drivers have less visibility than do other cars. Additionally, some car drivers try to quickly maneuver away from large trucks too hastily. This might include hasty lane changes in front of a truck, misjudging an approaching truck’s speed at an intersection, merging into traffic at too slow a speed so that a truck is forced to slow down, being blown out of position by air turbulence after passing a truck, or driving between two trucks. Should an accident occur in such cases, the car driver will likely be at fault. Even if that is a case, it is nonetheless imperative that he consult a Indiana semi-truck accident lawyer so that he will know his legal rights, and not be abused when it comes to negotiating a settlement.

How a Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Indiana Can Help

If someone has been involved in an accident involving a large truck, they should contact a Indiana semi-truck accident lawyer right away. These attorneys serve valuable tasks, including determining who is at fault, helping the victim to sort through a myriad of legal issues, and providing assurance that they will recover from such a traumatic experience. A semi-truck accident lawyer in Indiana will help his client with all of these issues, and to ensure that they receive fair compensation.

Punitive damages are awarded over and above compensatory damages and are designed to punish the wrongdoer and to deter similar conduct on the part of others. Punitive damages are awarded only when the defendant’s behavior is willful, intentional, reckless, outrageous or malicious in some way. As a consequence, punitive damages are typically not available in simple negligence lawsuits such as cases involving ordinary auto accident injury.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of another, contact our Indiana Personal Injury lawyer now!

A person who believes he or she is entitled to personal injury compensation should contact a local personal injury lawyer for advice and counsel. Most states impose time limits on bringing personal injury lawsuits, and waiting too long could impact one’s ability to collect damages for personal injury.

Nominal damages are small token awards given when the judge or jury finds the defendant has technically committed a tort, but the plaintiff did not suffer any harm as a result. Usually, nominal damages consist, as the name suggests, of a mere nominal amount of money such as $1 or $10.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of another, contact our Indiana Personal Injury lawyer now!

Nominal damages are awarded only in intentional tort and strict liability cases. They cannot be awarded in negligence cases because an element of every negligence claim is damage to the plaintiff. Personal injury attorneys seldom take on cases in which nominal damages are likely, unless the client pays by the hour. Plaintiffs in such cases are usually motivated to vindicate a perceived injustice rather than to seek compensation for injury.

Compensatory damages are the most common form of monetary award in successful personal injury lawsuits. This is true because most personal injury lawsuits are based on negligence. As a general rule, plaintiffs in simple negligence cases may recover only compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are monetary payments intended to make the plaintiff “whole.” That is, they are awarded to compensate the plaintiff for actual losses he or she has suffered or will incur in the future because of the defendant’s conduct.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of another, contact our Indiana Personal Injury lawyer now!

Placing a value on property damage is very simple, as cars and any other property can be accurately appraised and accounted for in a claim. However, for personal injury there are many complexities to account for to determine a specific value, and contacting a qualified personal injury attorney is recommended to accomplish the task correctly.

Compensatory damages cover both economic losses and non-economic losses. Economic losses include actual out-of-pocket expenses the plaintiff has paid or will pay in the future because of the defendant’s wrongdoing. An example of an economic loss would be the costs associated with repairing one’s damaged car following an automobile accident. Non-economic losses are commonly referred to as pain and suffering damages. They include compensation for such things as embarrassment, humiliation or grief.

Many people each day, especially those that are elderly, suffer slips and falls and these people include the residents of Indianapolis. It is unfortunate that these incidents and accidents occur and that personal injuries may happen, but it is important to know what you or your loved one can do if it does happen to you.

If you or your loved one suffered from a slip and fall, contact our Indianapolis slip and fall lawyers now!

The following will help provide you with information about the causes of slips and falls and how to avoid them. There is also information about actions you take if you or a loved one is injured in a slip or a fall. Some of the actions you may be able to take include contacting an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer or personal injury lawyers in Indianapolis to help you decide what you can do once an injury has occurred.

Causes of Slips and Falls May Include:
• Slippery Floors or Surfaces
• Obstructed Views
• Poor Lighting
• A foreign object in the path
• Foot encountering problems within its path
• Walking defect or foot defect of the person
• Hole in walking surface
• Shoe failing to support a person
• Wrinkled Rugs or carpets

These causes of slips and falls may require further action being taken if an injury has been suffered, these actions may include getting medical help and then contacting an Indianapolis lawyer. If our Indianapolis personal injury lawyers feel you have a personal injury case, they will take further action and advise you of your next plan of action.

Preventing Slips and Falls

There are many ways that a slip or fall can be prevented so that a personal injury can be avoided. These ways to prevent a slip or fall may include:
• Cleaning all spills right away
• Clearly marking wet or hazardous areas
• Mopping or sweeping areas
• Making sure rugs or carpets are secure
• Keeping walkways well lit
• Wearing appropriate footwear
• Adjusting your pace to fit walking surface
• Always Watch Where You Walk

Actions to Take When Personal Injury Is Suffered

It is important that we know about slips and falls and how to prevent them to help prevent personal juries from slips and falls. However, when slips and falls do occur it is important to know what actions you or your loved one can take and if you are entitled to money for your suffering. If you or a loved one has suffered from a slip or fall related injury, it is important to contact an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer or lawyers. Contacting a personal injury lawyer or lawyers in Indianapolis is the first step in getting the care you need and deserve. Our personal injury lawyers in Indianapolis will listen to your case and help you decide what further action you can take and will help you with your rights.

A report from the THE CANADIAN PRESS EXPLAINS THAT Bodychecking more than triples the risk of injury and concussion in peewee hockey, according to a study conducted by the University of Calgary.

If you have a child with an sports injury, contact our Indiana personal injury lawyers now!

Researchers compared rates of injury between peewee teams in Alberta and Quebec. Bodychecking is allowed at the peewee level in Alberta but not in Quebec.
Peewee hockey players are 11 and 12 years old. Quebec introduces bodychecking at the bantam level when players are 13 and 14. The study was conducted during the 2007-08 season on 74 boys teams from Alberta (1,108 players) and 76 from Quebec (1,046 players). There were 209 injuries in Alberta compared to 70 in Quebec, according to the study.

• Always be a defensive boat or jet ski driver. Be mindful that other drivers around you might not be experienced on the water.
• Remember that jet skis do not have brakes. Be careful when driving near them.
• Pay attention to posted signs. They function just as street signs do and can include instructions such as speed limits, required idle zones or restricted skiing.
• Always carry enough accessible life jackets for everyone on board the boat. Children must have appropriately sized vests. Boats more than 16 feet long must carry a throwable flotation device.

If you have been injured in a boating accident, contact our Indiana boating accident Lawyer

Source: Matt Tholen, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

The recalled lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Since the May 2009 recall, HP has received 38 additional reports of batteries that overheated and ruptured resulting in 11 instances of minor personal injury and 31 instances of minor property damage.

The recalled lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are used with various model series of HP and Compaq notebook computers. The chart below includes all notebook model numbers associated with batteries recalled to date. The computer model number is located at the top of the service label on the bottom of the notebook computer. Not all batteries matching the bar codes are being recalled.

If you have been injured because of one of these batteries, contact our personal injury lawyers now!

The insurancejournal.com reported that The Indiana Supreme Court said that an insurance company was wrong in denying coverage for injuries to an employee of an independent contractor under a farm personal liability policy.

Rick and Katrina Taylor held a farm personal liability policy issued by Everett Cash Mutual Insurance Company (Everett Cash). They had filed for coverage under the policy for injuries sustained by an employee of an independent contractor who was hired to some buildings on their property.

The Taylors sued the insurer for breach of contract after Everett Cash denied the claim citing exclusion for workers’ compensation in the liability policy.

One of the more popular questions regarding person injury cases or a “bodily injury claim” is; are medical bills included in a bodily injury claim? The answer is yes. Economic damages include, but usually aren’t limited to: Lost wages, medical bills, Rental car expenses, etc. In most cases general damages include: Pain, Suffering, Humiliation, and Distress. When you settle your bodily injury claim, it should include all the types of damages available to you, or you’ll likely lose your right to recover for those losses.

RSS Disclaimer:

  • NOTE:
    This is an advertisement. We are a debt relief agency who assists people with finding relief under Title 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This web site does not contain legal advice. That can only come from a qualified attorney who is familiar with all the facts and circumstances of a particular, specific case and the relevant law. Visiting this website does […]
© 2010 Indiana Personal Injury Lawyer Blog Suffusion WordPress theme by Sayontan Sinha