Posted by rozeklawoffice on April 20, 2010 under Car Accidents, Insurance | 
One of the most common mistakes made by an injured party directly following a car accident is signing an insurance release too early. Insurance companies often attempt to convince an injured party to sign a release early on, settling their personal injury case as quickly as possible after the accident. A quick settlement almost always equals less compensation than warranted for the injury victim.
What a lot of people do not realize is that insurance companies, like any other business entity, has protocol to follow to save money when making payouts to their clients. The insurance wants to cut costs and increase profits. What you may not know is that, according to a study commissioned by the insurance companies, claimants that are represented by lawyers receive an amount 2 to 3 times more than those not represented by an attorney, and this is after the attorney fees are paid.
Keep in mind that many times, injury symptoms (particularly brain injuries) do not appear right away. Although you may be symptom free or only have mild symptoms directly following the accident, a few weeks later, you may feel differently and start experiencing injury symptoms.
Also, doctors are usually not able or willing to assess a permanent medical condition until at least 6-12 months past accident. A quick settlement prevents an injured person from making a claim for permanent injury and the costs of any future medical treatment that may be needed.
My advice is simple: Do not settle your case unless you are absolutely sure that your injuries have resolved and you will have no problems in the future.
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For more on common mistakes made after a car accident, order your free Consumer Guide to Auto Accidents in Wisconsin or contact an experienced Wisconsin Car Accident Attorney.
Posted by rozeklawoffice on April 19, 2010 under Avoiding Car Accidents, Car Accidents |
More than 5,000 teens die in car accidents every year. A fact that inspired the BMW Foundation and Tire Rack to create and sponsor a nationwide program to help teens learn better driving skills. The program is titled Street Survival and is offered annually to 25 Milwaukee teens. The first Milwaukee course was held in 2009.
Street Survival mixes classroom instruction with actual driving lessons. Teens partner with certified program instructors to practice making emergency stops, controlling skidding, and focusing on the road rather than texting or talking on the cell phone.
Classroom instructors are actual local physics teachers and explain to the students the importance of limiting distractions and keeping their eyes on the road. Teens learn that a car traveling 60 mileas an hour can go the distance of a basketball court in 1 second! While many teens view driving as a right, the Street Survival program tries to get these young adults to understand that driving is one of the first major responsibilities of being grown-up.
Preliminary nationwide results with teens that have gone through the program (including those in the 2009 Milwaukee course) indicate that the information taught is making a difference with teen drivers, as seen by the decrease in driving incidents among graduates of the program. Graduate programs such as this have helped to reduce teen car accidents.
The next Milwaukee Street Survival course will be in September 2010. For more information on this program and to access a registration form, simply go to www.streetsurvival.org.
Information obtained from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
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For more information on Protecting Teen Drivers from Milwaukee Car Accidents.
Posted by rozeklawoffice on March 22, 2010 under Avoiding Car Accidents, Car Accidents, General, Safe Driving Tips, Wisconsin Law |
Nationwide and throughout the State of Wisconsin, authorities are reporting more crashes caused by distracted drivers.
According to a National Highway Traffic Administration study, distracted driving accounts for 80% of all car accidents.
The Top 7 most distracting tasks that should be avoided while driving include:
- Reaching for a moving object
- Reading and Writing
- Applying Makeup
- Dialing a Hand Held Cell Phone
- Eating, and Drinking
- Texting, Talking and Listening on a cell phone
- Adjusting the Radio or CD Player
The most common distraction that causes the most car accidents involves dropping one’s cell phone while trying to dial or text and then trying to pick it up while driving. Reaching for dropped objects is twice as dangerous as other non-driving tasks including reading and changing the radio channel.
Not paying attention when driving can result in relatively minor car accidents such as collisions in parking lots; however, many times it results in serious crashes causing extensive damages, injuries, and fatalities. The good news is that distracted driving is avoidable.
According to the Wisconsin AAA, the average driver makes approximately 200 driving decisions per mile. As the number of activities increase so so the chances of an accident. And today, more than ever, we have so many opportunities to be distracted, changing songs on your iPod, glancing at the DVD your child is watching, entering an address into your navigation system, and texting a friend. A study done by the Virgina Tech Transportation Institute found that for every 6 seconds of drive time, a driver sending or receiving a text spends 4.6 of those seconds with their eyes off the road.
To reduce distractions, plan ahead. Map out your route before entering the vehicle. Eat before you leave the house. Shut off your cell phone and put it out of site. Once in the car, make a point to concentrate on keeping your hands on the wheel.
Many individuals do not believe that anyone will know if they are texting or talking on the cell phone and happen to be in an accident. It is important to understand that even if you are in a car accident caused by another driver, the insurance company will request your phone bill, review it, and determine if you were talking or texting at the time of the accident. If you were injured in the accident and are pursuing the other driver’s insurance for medical bill payment, you may loose your case based on your phone records.
Now before the Wisconsin State Assembly is a bill that was passed by the Wisconsin Senate banning texting while driving. This ban is proposed to help keep our roads safe. To assist with getting this bill approved, visit legis.wi.gov to contact your local legislator and request the passage of this bill.
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For more information on Wisconsin Car Accidents or to speak with a Wisconsin Car Accident Attorney about an accident that involved distracted driving.
Tags: car accident and fatalities, car accident and injury, Car Accidents, cell phone and car accident, distractions and car accidents, texting and car accident, wiconsin car accident attorney, wisconsin AAA, wisconsin car accident, wisconsin car accident and injuries, wisconsin car accident and phone records, wisconsin distrated driver, Wisconsin texting ban
Posted by rozeklawoffice on March 6, 2010 under Car Accidents, Whiplash Neck Injury |
Whiplash is by far the most common injury resulting from car accidents. The following are the four common mistakes that could ruin or reduce the value of your whiplash neck injury claim.
1. Giving a Recorded Statement to an Insurance Adjuster
Insurance investigators and adjusters are directed to obtain recorded statements as soon as possible following car accidents. I have had clients that were called by insurance adjusters seeking a recorded statement before the injury victim had even been released from the emergency room. Insurance adjusters are also trained in taking recorded statements in a manner that reduces their “exposure,” i.e. the amount they will have to pay on a claim. SPEAK WITH A LAWYER BEFORE GIVING A RECORDED STATEMENT!
2. Not Seeking Medical Treatment Immediately Following the Accident
If you have suffered a whiplash injury, your injuries need to be documented. Oftentimes, people refuse transport at the scene because they are in shock or the rush of adrenaline prevents them from realizing the full extent of their pain. Then the next few days, they don’t leave their house because they are in so much pain. Then the pain gradually begins getting better so they “wait it out” and refuse to see a doctor. Soon it is 2 or 3 weeks post-accident and they realize the pain is not resolving on it’s own. At this point, an insurance carrier will generally deny or greatly reduce any future claim payout because it is too difficult for the injured party to convince a jury that the accident caused the injury. The insurance company may be right. If you are in pain following an accident, don’t “wait it out,” get to a doctor.
3. Not Properly Documenting Your Harms and Losses Due to the Accident
Injury victims are entitled to recover their medical bills, wage loss and pain and suffering. All of these different elements of damages can be properly documented but the average person may not have any idea how to document their losses. Advice from an experienced whiplash attorney can greatly increase the value of a case.
4. Not Hiring an Experienced Whiplash Attorney
Once you have been involved in an accident and suffered a whiplash injury you need to decide who you are going to ask to help you with your claim for compensation. You should read the small print of anyone who offers you help. Be sure to hire an experienced whiplash injury attorney to help you recover all of your harms and losses from the accident.
