SettlementBoard.com News, Articles and Information for Legal Junkies

12Sep/110

The Various Causes of Accidents in Montgomery

One of the most common causes of an auto accident in Montgomery is negligence by a driver.  Speeding, texting or using cell phones while driving, fatigue, breaching traffic rules or signs, and the use of alcohol or drugs are common examples of negligence.

Defective vehicle parts also contribute to a number of accidents in Montgomery County and surrounding areas. Product defects are a result of poor design or a flawed manufacturing process. Poor auto repair and servicing can also be a factor. In fact, tire and brake defects account for most defect-related auto accidents. In many cases, an expert is needed to determine liability.

Besides the above-mentioned reasons, other factors that contribute to accidents include bad weather conditions, unsafe road routes filled with potholes, construction work, and falling materials, such as tree branches. When possible, always drive defensively.

An experienced Montgomery County auto accident attorney can protect your legal rights, seek the help of experts, and help you receive fair compensation for your injuries and lost wages.

Though many cases are settled through negotiation, your local attorney should always be prepared to defend a personal injury case in Montgomery County court.

Consult a lawyer before you settle with an insurance company. You have the right to be compensated for economic damages, such as medical expenses, and non-economical damages, such as pain, suffering, and mental distress.

1Sep/110

Personal Injury in Washington – Know Your Legal Rights

Have you or your loved one sustained personal injury in Washington DC? Read on to know that you have a duty of protecting your rights to compensation legally.

Following (but not limited to) are the causes for personal injury in Washington DC:

  • Medical Malpractice
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Railroad Accidents
  • Aviation Accidents
  • Boating Accidents
  • Cruise Line Accidents
  • Swimming Accidents - Drowning
  • Burn Cases
  • Casino Accidents
  • Construction Injuries
  • Premises Liability
  • Dog Bites
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Food Poisoning
  • Hotel Liability
  • Store Accidents
  • Product Defect Injuries
  • Machinery Accidents
  • Serious Scarring
  • Wrongful Death
  • ATV Accidents

Victim of personal injury due to any of the above mentioned causes and lot of other external factors is entitled to various compensations, which can be acquired by a skilled legal approach.

Say if you sustained a serious injury in an automobile accident, it is wise to retain a Washington DC auto accident attorney immediately. The reasons being:

  • You may concentrate in your physical recovery.
  • An attorney having expertise in a similar case will be able to strategize your case well to present in trials.
  • The attorney from the same jurisdiction will be fully aware of the relevant laws in Washington, which will help in seeking the deserving compensation.
  • Experienced attorneys are also compassionate and will understand your situation and involve you to a permissible degree during the legal proceedings.

Having said all these, as victim you are expected to be determined, until you receive your compensation for all the damages and cooperate with your attorney.

1Sep/110

Automobile Accidents in Montgomery County – Legal Help is Vital!

Year after year the number of victims injured in automobile accidents is far too high. Even when no one is killed, the consequences of automobile accidents involve more than just physical or emotional injuries—victims suffer financial losses, family turmoil, and sometimes the end of a career. You have the right to put your life back together by taking a legal approach. If another party is responsible for your injuries, you need an experienced Montgomery auto accident attorney to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

The benefits as per Maryland laws for an auto accident victim may include:

  • Payment of medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Compensation for your pain, suffering, and inconvenience

You may also be entitled to more than what is listed here based on the unique nature of your case.

Appointing an experienced lawyer is imperative to protect your legal rights and properly evaluate your case.  Insurance companies habitually attempt to settle claims by convincing victims like you to settle for less compensation than you actually deserve.  An attorney with expertise in handling auto accident cases is capable of doing the following:

• Analyze the details of your accident
• Consult experts who can explain what happened to a jury
• Determine precisely who was responsible for your injuries, even if multiple parties are involved
• Negotiate effectively with an insurance company
• Help you detail the medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages in financial terms

If you are seriously injured, the sooner you get an attorney, the sooner someone can begin to fight for you while you begin to rebuild your life.

26Aug/110

Distracted Driving Concerns

Controlling and reducing traffic accidents is a burgeoning concern today.  As part of the effort to make roads safer, the government established various traffic agencies such as the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), which address road safety at the national level, and state associations such as the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) that develops programs to improve road safety statewide and locally.

Of recent concern is the newly coined term distracted driving.  NHTSA devotes an entire website entitled the US Government Website for Distracted Driving to raise public awareness about road safety issues.  Despite proactive measures taken by the federal government, distracted driving continues to cause accidents.  These accident victims find themselves resorting to Georgia accident lawyer for legal help.

Preventing driving distraction through social media networking

Some of the latest driving distractions are cell phones, texting, and social media networking through Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and similar sites.

The Hill reports the latest government battle to keep social networking from distracting drivers in an article called DOT to automakers: Put the brakes on social media in cars.  Innovative ideas to keep up with the times led auto manufacturers to consider adding social media applications to onboard car computers.  The computer capability exists to add such features through already existing auto navigation and performance monitoring computers.

However, automakers must report to the DOT, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took a stand against this potential additional distraction.  He spoke with various auto manufacturers voicing his objection and engaged them in campaigns against distracted driving.  BMW and Subaru both agreed to discourage texting, tweeting, and Facebook posting while driving through a public service announcement campaign.  The idea that automakers can create greater conveniences to distract drivers directly clashed with the DOT effort to disabuse drivers of doing anything but driving while in the car.

Distracted driving statistics

NHTSA reports the following statistics on distracted driving:

  • 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved distracted driving
  • 18 percent of fatalities in these distracted driving crashes involved cell phone use
  • The age group with the greatest percentage of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group
  • Using a cell phone while driving whether hand-held or hands-free delays driver reaction time and is comparable to drivers testing with .08 blood alcohol content (Source: University of Utah)

If you are an accident victim because of distracted driving, consult an accident attorney in Georgia to find out about your legal rights.