Wisconsin Car Accident Insurance Defined

Posted by rozeklawoffice on May 1, 2010 under General | Be the First to Comment

Wisconsin recently enacted a set of laws that make changes to your auto insurance coverage. Beginning June 1, 1010, Wisconsin will join 48 other sates that require all auto owners to carry insurance on each of their vehicles. Below is a summary of the insurance you are required to carry if you own and operate a car in the State of Wisconsin.

Bodily Liability Insurance: If you are in a car accident and cause injury to the other car’s passengers or injury to passengers in your own car, then this coverage would cover those expenses, up to a certain amount. Typical expenses covered include the other person’s medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering. The coverage only kicks in if you are determined to be more at fault than the other person who suffers the injury. As of January 1, 2010, you are required to carry a minimum liability coverage of $50,000 per persona or $100,000 per accident.

Property Damage Liability Insurance: If you are in an accident and cause damage to the other person’s property (typically their car, but could include other physical property) then this coverage would cover the repair expenses of the other person’s vehicle, up to a certain amount. Typical expenses include vehicle damage, bicycles, homes, and other physical property). This coverage does not apply to the damages that occur to the vehicle you were driving. As of January 1, 2010, the minimum coverage you must purchase is $15,000.

Underinsured Motorist Coverage: If you are in a car accident, a bicycle accident, pedestrian accident caused by the other driver, you have suffered an injury, and the accident was caused by someone who did not have enough insurance to cover your medical bills and other injury related expenses,then your Underinsured Motorist Coverage will cover these expenses. As of November 1, 2009, the coverage became mandatory in the amount of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident. This is  a new type of required insurance for State of Wisconsin drivers.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage: If you are in an accident, caused by the other driver, you or someone in your car is injured, and the other driver does not have auto insurance, this coverage would pay for everything that your own auto insurance would. Typical expenses include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering. This coverage will even apply if you are riding in someone else’s car, riding a bike, or walking. Many times, it also applies if you are involved in a hit and run, caused by the other driver, and the other driver can not be identified. As of November 1, 2009, the amount of coverage your are required to carry increased to $100,000 per person or $300,000 per accident.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

If you believe that your insurance company is not treating you fairly by denying you coverage after a car accident, we encourage you to contact an experienced Wisconsin Car Accident Attorney who can review the specific details of your accident and policy.

You can also contact a Milwaukee Car Accident Attorney for your free copy of the Wisconsin Association for Justice Brochure email info@rozeklaw.com or call 1-888-ALAWYER.

Milwaukee County Leads The State Of Wisconsin In Car Accidents and Fatalities

Posted by rozeklawoffice on April 21, 2010 under Bicycle Accidents, Car Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents | Be the First to Comment

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, there are more vehicle fatalities in Milwaukee (47 in 2008) than any other county in the state. Waukesha County came in second with 27 fatalities in 2008, almost half that of Milwaukee County.

In a report released by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation siting 2008 statistics, across the state, the months of February and August were identified as having the most car accidents fatalities, with the most incidents occurring on Thursdays and Saturdays. In Milwaukee County, the most car accidents with injuries occurred during the months of January and July.

Surprisingly, throughout the State of Wisconsin, the most car accidents occur during the timeframe of 3:00 – 4:00 pm.

The study showed that Wisconsin bicyclists and pedestrians that were between the ages of 10-14 and drivers between the ages of 25-34 were injured most often.

Whether traveling by bicycle, vehicle, motorcycle and/or walking in urban areas across the state, males were more likely to be in an accident than females.

____________________________________________________________________

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Milwaukee County, contact an experienced Milwaukee Car Accident Attorney.

Milwaukee Teen Driver’s Learn To Avoid Car Accidents

Posted by rozeklawoffice on April 19, 2010 under Avoiding Car Accidents, Car Accidents | Be the First to Comment

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.

______________________________________________________________________

For more information on Protecting Teen Drivers from Milwaukee Car Accidents.