About Slip and Fall: Hiring a Lawyer if You Get Injured in Los Angeles

 

Slip and fall Injuries are nothing new in Los Angeles, California, just as motor vehicle accidents are a common occurrence in the city, as well as in the whole state’s roadways. The city’s public places and business establishments are almost always filled with a lot of people, but if a hazard is left unattended in such areas, expect that someone would get injured or even get killed.

Premises accidents are truly devastating. Slip and fall mishaps, which falls under premises accidents, can be actually prevented had property owners made the initiative or effort to fix or correct any condition that poses a risk to people who are within the premises.

Slippery walking surface, poor lighting, unfixed steps on a staircase, and even a water spill left unclean can cause someone to slip or trip and then fall. According to a slip and fall accident attorney in Los Angeles, injuries related to these kinds of mishaps include sprains, concussions, fractures, and other serious, life-threatening ones like injuries to the spinal cord and even brain injury.

The lawyer for slip and fall in Los Angeles understands the immense consequences that injured victims and their families will have to go through because of these accidents. True enough, having the legal services of the said legal counsel will enable them to exercise their rights to seek damages from the liable parties involved. If you have been injured, or your loved one died, because of the accident, then you must immediately consult with an experienced Attorney for slip and fall accident in los angeles who can help you all throughout the complex legal process.

When you do hire a lawyer for your slip and fall claim, you will be able to know if the other party was truly responsible for what happened to you. This is why having a legal counsel to represent you and your claim is imperative; without one, you may be unable to collect compensation for your injuries and other losses you incurred.

By collecting and preserving valuable pieces of evidence to strengthen your claim, your Los Angeles slip and fall lawyer will prove that the negligent party, who can be anyone in-charge of looking after the property where the accident happened, knew of the dangerous condition. Not only that, but it must be known by the liable party for a considerably long time, which could have been discovered within the time period and fixed or corrected before someone else gets injured.

Having a topnotch attorney for your slip and fall case will help enhance your chances of obtaining a reasonable compensation for your incurred damages. Also, you and your family will obtain the justice you deserve from the negligent property owner.

Road Maintenance: An Important Way To Keep Roads Accident-free

The government is still battling ways on how to put a stop to accidents once and for all. However, despite the ton of efforts, the number of accidents involving motor vehicles continues to surge. While driver factor remains to be the biggest contributor to these incidents, the condition of the roads also plays a huge role in lessening them. The same goes with the condition of the vehicles. And so, the government is implementing ways on how to cut down if not totally prevent these accidents from happening.

The importance of maintaining these roads

As mentioned earlier, the condition of the road plays a huge factor in the occurrence of accidents. A well-maintained road is safer to drive in than one that has puddles of water or crater-like potholes. Ever heard about hydroplaning? Have you saw cars get broken because of suddenly hitting large potholes? These things can affect one’s driving and cause accidents. That is why roads always have to be maintained well. Rightfully so, the government is spending a huge sum of money to keep these roads in their top condition.

Fixing those broken roads

The government has been checking roads lately and starting to fix these broken roads or structures for the benefit of the people. For example, Olympic Boulevard in Los Angeles was closed to undergo rehabilitation. Not too long ago, eastbound and westbound lanes of the west side of the road, between south Beloit Avenue and Cotner Avenue were closed. To protect motorists and pedestrians alike, curbs are demolished and replaced with a sidewalk. This way, people will be protected better from wayward vehicles from hitting them. Also, this will help drivers avoid pedestrians as they would be using the sidewalks now than walking on roads which is a very dangerous act. A lawyer that handles auto accident in los angeles believes that such thing would help make road accidents happen less than it used to.

Yes, there are many reasons as to why road accidents happen. Yes, human error still plays a huge part as to why accidents do happen. However, at the end of the day, this measure to curb accidents is still a good way to save lives on the road. And every life saved is worth every penny that the government spends.

7-year-old Kid’s Life End Because of “Ice Cream”

 

 R.I.P Diyarbek Uzakbaev

Another young, promising life suddenly ends. This is what happened to a 7-year-old boy as he was killed after being struck by a vehicle. According to reports Diyarbek Uzakbaev was trying to cross the street to reach an ice cream truck was hit by a speeding vehicle around the crossing of the 29000 block of Pujol Road in Temecula, California.

The police identified the driver who struck the kid with his car, 25-year-old Bradley Megginson. He was arrested for gross vehicular manslaughter. Authorities added that they believe Megginson was drinking alcohol leading to the accident.

In the fifth issue of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Safety in Numbers campaign released last August 2013, the agency highlighted the great effect of impaired driving and hot it contributes to accidents. The same issue said that impaired driving, where you are the one drinking or not can affect you and get you involved in an accident.

In 2011, 9878 people have died because of drunk driving. This means that 31 percent of all road fatalities caused by motor vehicle crashes are related to impaired driving. While the number of the people who die because of accidents have generally decreased, the number of people died because of impaired driving remains at the same level.

According to NHTSA studies, in all of the alcohol-related crashes, 1,612 individuals have been passengers of a driver with Blood Alcohol levels of 0.08 percent or higher. Additionally 1,049 people were occupants of other vehicles, 710 were pedestrians or bicyclists, and finally 91 of it were very young child passengers of motorists with BAC levels 0.08.

If you’d sum those numbers up, it means that for the past years, around 3,500 people get involved in accidents just because of drunk drivers. The same number of people are put into danger because of some irresponsible motorists.

That is why a lawyer for car accident remind everyone of the consequences that comes with drunk driving. One needs not to be through difficult times because of accidents to know the dangers that alcohol and impaired driving brings. He says that drivers should be responsible enough to know the possible bad effects of their negligence and insensitivity.

How Distracted Driving Can Get Things All Screwed Up

 
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving is any activity that diverts a person’s attention away from driving. Sending or reading text messages, fiddling with a cell phone or smartphone, eating and drinking causing the driver to let go of the steering wheel, excessive talking to passengers, grooming or putting on make-up, reading including maps, fiddling with a navigation system, watching a video, even the excessive adjusting of a radio, CD player or MP3 player all count as distractions when driving.

Facts about distracted driving

Most people don’t recognize the ill effects of distracted driving. In fact, a lot of people believe that distractions can really affect one’s skills, preventing them from being successful in avoiding accidents as hazards suddenly pop out of the road.  In fact, the number of those involved in accidents got lower at 387,000 in 2011 compared to the 416,000 involved in accidents back in 2010. However, the number of people who died increased to 3,311 in 2011, 64 deaths higher than the recorded 3,267 deaths because of crashes brought about by distractions to the driver, 64 cases higher than the number of casualties for the same period in 2010. These staggering numbers prove the point that distracted driving can really get one person into serious trouble.

The aftermath of an accident caused by distracted driving

Beyond the numbers mentioned in the statistics, the damage caused by such accidents can be devastating. For one, crashes bring about damage to property. Accidents can cause damages to the car of both parties, as well as other structures on and off the road. These accidents can also cause bodily injuries which hurt or leave a victim temporarily and permanently disabled.

Running after irresponsible drivers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
If the negligence of a driver has caused an accident that resulted to damage to one’s property or worse, caused one to get injured or dead, the driver can be held liable for personal injury. By filing a personal injury claim through the help of a car accident attorney in Los Angeles, one victim can avenge what has happened to him or her. This will help them get compensation to have the damaged properties fixed. More importantly though, such repayments can be used by one to get the treatment, medication, and rehabilitation that they need, while also being paid of the earning they should have received while they are unable to work because of these disabilities. This will help these poor victims rebuild their good life that they’ve almost lost when this accident happened.

So when you’re out on the road, keep those distractions away and focus on what you should really be doing; driving—nothing more, nothing less.

Mistakes That Parents, Caregivers Make When Dealing with Child Safety Seats

The use of safety devices for children is one of the most basic driving laws in the U.S. As it is, every parent, caregiver, or any supervising adult must be aware of the right restraint for his or her child relative to the latter’s age and size. More importantly, children must be seated at back of the car.

Basically, California law dictates that children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat of the vehicle. If they are under 8 years old but are 4’9” or taller, they may be secured by a safety, still in the back seat of the vehicle. When they reach 8 years old and over, they must be secured with a child passenger restraint system or safety belt.

Indeed, there is no doubt that when it comes to crashes, children today are a lot safer now, and that is thanks to the implementation of child safety seat laws. In fact, since 1975, the rate at which children die as passenger vehicle occupants has significantly declined by 59 percent. Despite this, there are still a lot of vehicle crashes which involved children who are either seriously injured or killed.

One factor as to why they happen is due to the mistakes that parents, caregivers, and supervising adults make when dealing with child safety devices. Some of these mistakes may seem irrelevant, but then, even the smallest of errors can result in serious consequences, rendering such devices as ineffective if not installed and secured on a child completely.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one of its surveys revealed that one in five parents, caregivers, or any supervising adults fail to read the instruction manuals that come with the child safety devices. Aside from this, here’s a list of some of the other mistakes, as detailed by the AAA:

•    Moving a child out of a booster seat to the safety belt before he or she reaches the age wherein he or she is allowed to wear a seat belt.

•    Adding toys, padding or mirrors to a child or booster seat.

•    Having a child wear coats or sweaters while secured in a car seat.

•    Loose harness straps.

•    Retainer clip too low.

•    Loosely installing the car seat.

Meanwhile, a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer always tell drivers to exercise safety at all times, especially when they carry children as passengers inside their vehicles. Aside from making sure that they drive with ease, the attorney also reminds them to avoid the abovementioned mistakes, ensuring that their children are secured in their appropriate child safety devices so that they may prevent any injuries.

The Dangers of Drunk Driving that You Cannot Ignore

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Every year, hundreds of thousands of road accidents are recorded. With these accidents, hundreds of thousands of people get injured, thousands die, and millions of the lives of people are challenged because of these unfortunate incidents. That is why, the government, through the Department of Transportation is making a campaign to help lessen the instances of these accidents. Through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the government is coming up with ways on how to minimize if not completely avoid these accidents from happening. That is why the NHTSA has been coming up with campaigns, left and right, to help curb the number of accidents, if not to completely prevent them from happening.

Safety in Numbers
One of the programs that the NHTSA started is its “Safety in Numbers” awareness campaign series. This campaign is centered in providing numbers from various statistics to help remind drivers of their role in keeping all of the country’s roads safer. In its recent installment, the campaign focused on the dangers brought about by drunk driving. Over the years, impaired driving has caused thousands of accidents that left thousands dead, and some others injured.

The dangers of impaired driving
According to the latest installment of the Safety in Numbers campaign by the NHTSA, the agency revealed that 9,878 people died because of drunk driving in 2011. This accounts for 31 percent of all the motor vehicle crash deaths. These numbers show that while the overall number of deaths recorded because of motor vehicle accidents have steadily declined over the years, the number of deaths because of drunk driving has been growing lately.

Other more interesting figures reveal that:

• 1,612 of the people who died in impaired driving accidents were passengers whose drivers have BACs of .08 or more; additionally, 91 of those who died were child passengers
• 1,049 of those who died were occupants of the other vehicles
• 710 pedestrians or bicyclists died after they got involved in a crash

A car accident attorney in Los Angeles says that these alarming numbers are the best proof that drunk and impaired driving should once and for all be stopped. That is why this Los Angeles lawyer called on all road users to keep safety in mind to prevent these to help lessen, if not to completely prevent these accidents from happening again.

Car Crash Disaster: Chase Leads To Fiery Crash

 

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Some people really think that they can run away from the law. Some people can be bold enough to take risks and think that they can actually outrun the country’s law enforcers. Police chases are something that is very common in the United States. In fact, all over the world, television shows featuring crazy police chases with fugitives. However, with the federal and state governments’ advanced equipment, engaging the law enforcers and running away from them is nearly impossible.

So you think you can run?

This is what precisely ran into the mind of a man in Hesperia, California. A carjacking suspect engaged the local police in a chase that ended fatally. According to reports, the San Bernardino sheriff’s deputies have been trying to pull a man over with suspicion of the vehicle being carjacked from its owners. However, the man refused to pull over and instead sped. The deputies then ran after the suspect along the southbound lanes of the 215 freeway. The suspect lost control of the car before it got engulfed in a flame. This caused the life of the suspect. No other injuries were recorded in relation to the chase though.

The dangers of police chases

As much as possible, law enforcement agencies have been trying their best to avoid police chases. For one, these chases can get really dangerous as it can endanger the lives of people around. In every car chase, authorities understand the great danger that the public is exposed to. With these criminals showing no fear of whatever it is that might happen to them, innocent people plying by the roads and even some in their homes gets subjected to a great deal of danger. That is why officers would want to end car chases the soonest that they could. Good thing that nobody got hurt in the recent police chase. According to a car accident attorney in Los Angeles, a lot of these chases leave innocent people hurt.

That is why people who drive on the roads should also be vigilant while driving and do everything they can to avoid these instances of car chases to stay unharmed. Otherwise, the victim may end up getting confused as to who they will be filing charges against to claim for the property damaged and physical injuries they sustain. As a Los Angeles lawyer explains, such kind of accidents brought by car chases are quite trickier to handle.

Important Qualities to Look for in a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, the first thing you should do is to seek immediate medical treatment. After you have been treated for your injuries, the next thing to do is to recover damages. As it is, filing a personal injury claim is a step towards receiving monetary compensation from the liable party; however, doing so may pose certain hassles.

Since you’ve just recuperated from your injuries, you may have a hard time understanding what you really need. Of course, you won’t be able to create your personal injury claim. You need someone to help you on that, and that role lies on the hands and minds of a personal injury lawyer.

What you should look for when choosing a personal injury lawyer

The role of the personal injury lawyer is to guide the client throughout the duration of the latter’s case. Whether it is a car accident, slip and fall, wrongful death, product liability, or dog bite case, the lawyer has the expertise to carry out legal measures to meet the primary objective, and that is to compensate the injured client with the right amount of monetary compensation.

Meanwhile, if you wish to have an attorney by your side, here are the things that you should consider when looking for the right legal representative:

•    He or she must have won many personal injury cases before. You know that your chosen lawyer is the right one if he or she has prior experience winning personal injury cases. Your chances of winning your case would increase if he or she has already taken up a case that is similar to yours.

•    He or she has the reputation of resolving cases soundly. You know you have chosen the best lawyer if he or she has the reputation of comprehensively taking clients’ cases and quickly resolving them. Plus, if he or she is well-regarded among legal circles in your area, then you know that your claim for compensation in a personal injury accident will favor you.

•    He or she is objective. You know you have chosen the right lawyer for your case if he or she genuinely cares for his or her clients. The lawyer is not one to quickly resolve a case just to receive a fee and move on to another client. Instead, he or she must be willing to spend time and effort to enable him or her to reach a settlement going to your favor.

Accordingly, if you’re from California and you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, there’s no other legal representative to retain but a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles from Personal Injury Defenders. Aside from having the qualities mentioned above, he or she works on a contingency-fee basis, which means that if the lawyer wins your case, he or she will be paid a percentage coming from the amount awarded to you after the settlement. Otherwise, your attorney won’t get any compensation.

Get Your Damaged Car Fixed By Filing A Car Accident Insurance Claim

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Your car is your handy tool that can get you to different places. Over the years, it has been more than just a mere means to travel. Somehow, it has become a part of your life, your family. That is why when someone causes damage on your beloved ride, you’d do anything to make sure that it is mended at the soonest possible time. But it is not every day that you have money to spare to get your car fixed as soon as possible. That is why when your car gets involved in an accident, make sure to file a claim from your insurance company. Here are some of the ways on how you can file your claims.

Get the insurance details of the vehicles involved. This is very critical especially if it is the accident is the fault of the other party. This will be beneficial as you wouldn’t need to pay for a deductible.

• Document the accident by taking images of the crash site. This will help with your claims. This will help you with your insurance claims at it will be a great piece of evidence against the other party.
• Give your claims representative a call the soonest possible time. These guys are the ones that help you with your claims. He or she will conduct the necessary investigation to help expedite the processing of your claims so your car gets fixed as soon as possible.
• Ask for the help of a Los Angeles car accident lawyer. These professionals know how to go around the system of car insurance companies. So before you file a complaint, make sure that you ask for their advice to help you get the most of your insurance claim.
• Wait for the compensation check to arrive. This is the most painful time of the processing of your claims. After the insurance company checks on your application and evaluated the results of the claim that you submitted, they will then send you a check that you can use to pay for the expenses to have your car repaired.

Getting your car broken for reasons caused by one’s negligence is really a pain in the neck. You should not worry though for your car insurance can have that covered and repaired. All that you need is file a compelling claim to have your vehicle repaired as soon as possible.

Answers to Common Questions About Personal Injury, Revealed

 You probably know that there are legal remedies that you can turn to if you have suffered a personal injury due to the actions or negligence of an individual. The thing is, you still probably have questions about personal injury, the laws governing it, and how you can file for such claims. Here are the common questions asked about it and the answers that could help you get your claims filed the right way.

“How do I know if I can file a personal injury claim?”

If the injuries that you sustained were caused by one’s negligence or carelessness, you can file a claim to get damages from the ones responsible for you getting hurt. In such case, a Los Angeles personal injury attorney can help assess your injuries, pain and suffering and will peg the amount of damages that you can ask for.

“What am I entitled to receive if I file a personal injury claim?”

A personal injury claim gives you the right to seek for damages that will help you recover from your injuries. More than that, you are entitled to pursue “special damages” that includes past and future wages or income that have and will be lost because of your injuries. This also includes the expenses you will incur as a result of the injury. Also, you can ask for “general damages” that will be used as payment for your pain, suffering, disfigurement, and inconvenience.

“Will the person that caused my injuries receive punishment?”I

The thing with personal injury claims is that it is a civil action, not a criminal one. Defendants in such cases won’t be jailed, or will be made to pay criminal fines as punishment. Instead, the defendant will be made to pay “punitive damages”. This is a way to punish the defendant that behaved recklessly or have intentionally done things that are against public interest.

“Will my medical bills be paid for after filing this?”

It will be included however, depending on the settlement or litigation of the case, the availability of funds to pay for such bills can vary. Rest assured though, these are included and are actually a major component of the damages you are to receive.

These are just some of the questions that are usually asked by those who want to file a personal injury claims. However, you might have questions that were not included in this. That is why this is the best time to ask for the help of a Los Angeles lawyer that can and will answer such questions. That is why everyone who has been a victim of such injuries must go and seek the best legal help that they can find. This will help them get justice for the pain and suffering that they have been made to go through because of this incident.

A Look at the Recent Million-dollar Car Crashes

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Let’s face it; owning a car, especially if it is bought out of your hard work and perseverance, is basically an investment in itself. While it could be a hassle to encounter traffic on your way to work, the fact that you drive something that you can use for your daily trips is what it’s all about. You got to own something that you can use on a daily or weekly basis.

Getting your car wrecked

But then, the only disadvantage of driving your car is the possibility of getting it wrecked. As we all know, there are a lot of motorists out there on the road who are reckless, aggressive, and negligent with their driving.

While you believe that you’re a safe driver yourself (not drinking while driving, following traffic rules, etc.), the chances of encountering these kinds of motorists will surely get you to into a world of trouble. If you do, it’s always a sad situation to be involved in, as you’ll have to deal with your finances, particularly the insurance and the needed repairs for your vehicle.

Similarly, it is definitely even sadder if the accident involved an exotic car. Such vehicles value to up to five- to six-digit figures, and having to repair a wrecked one would surely make its owner cringe.

Million-dollar crashes

However, such occurrences of exotic cars getting totaled in crashes are not uncommon today. In fact, there are those kinds of crashes that are very rare that you’ll surely expect that the total costs of damages result in millions of dollars.

Here are some of the recent million-dollar crashes:

• Mr. Bean’s McLaren F1. Rowan Atkinson has that tremendous passion for cars, and owns high-end, exotic ones. He hates keeping them in his garage, and uses them whenever he wanted to use them. But then, he had this own history of crashing his exotic cars, including his McLaren F1 in which he did twice. His latest was on August 2011. After a year’s worth of calculation, the final damages to the vehicle amounted to a whopping £900,000 (about $1.4 million), making it the highest repair bill on a car in all of the U.K.
• Fourteen-car wreck in Japan. This accident is one of the worst and most expensive, not because of the casualties (thankfully no one died), but with the number of exotic vehicles involved in this crash that happened roughly 2 years ago. Imagine this: eight Ferraris and a Lamborghini were involved in it. The total amount of damages: around $3.8 million.
• Ferrari 250 GTO. It was last year when this accident, dubbed as the “most expensive car crash ever,” happened. The car involved is very rare that only 36 units were manufactured in the 1960’s! Called the Picasso of the motoring world, the crash to the blue-and-yellow-painted GTO amounted to an astonishing $30 million.

While these three accidents are just few of the many other instances where exotic cars amounting to millions of dollars were involved, every Los Angeles car accident lawyer and other legal experts believe that all motorists should learn from them.

Even if you own a vehicle that is not within the level of being exotic, you still have to value it. You must make sure that you employ safety when driving so as to avoid serious injuries or dealing with the repair costs.

The Perils of Distracted Driving in the Realm of Law Enforcement

Blasting sirens, breakneck speeds, and aggressive pursuits: these are what we typically describe a perfectly normal police response. Whether they are responding to an accident on the road or chasing down a culprit who had just stolen a car or has done some law violation, the pursuits we see on TV news footage and even in real life are just the regular duties of the elements of most law enforcement agencies.

However, officers who engage in emergency responses and police pursuits on a regular basis, while exercising professionalism in the line of duty, are often beset with the possibility of encountering accidents.

As it is, driving while on pursuit of a criminal on a heated chase often involves multitasking on the part of the officer. Looking at it, police officers often engage in distracted driving practices, which we all know is one of the primary factors as to why accidental injuries and deaths happen.

Distracted driving explained

Basically, distracted driving, among normal motorists, is more than just using the cell phone to text or call while driving.  Activities that are usually done simultaneously with driving are often diverse. They include fidgeting on the car stereo, eating and drinking, talking to a companion inside the vehicle, and picking up a loose change on the floor of the vehicle, among others.

In the United States, distracted driving is one of the lingering problems in the realm of traffic safety. In fact, in 2011, some 3,331 people were killed in car crashes involving a distracted driver. The figure was a 1.9 percent increase from the previous year, which stood at 3,267. Conversely, related injuries decreased by 7 percent in 2011, from about 416,000 in 2010 to around 387,000.

Multitasking during police responses and pursuits

Police officers, for one, often engage in multitasking activities while driving, and that is a part of their job. However, such duties would often take away the officer’s attention away from his or her driving. From complex ones such as entering queries into the mobile data terminal or MDT, to as simple as talking to a fellow officer on the police radio, multitasking while on the line of duty can be dangerous.

In fact, many officers have died in accidents while performing pursuits and emergency responses. Interestingly, in 2009, statistics showed that they often involve those who already had vast experience in law enforcement, particularly 35-year-old officers who had served 9 years in the police force.

Efforts to curb distracted driving in law enforcement

Despite most law enforcement being exempted from laws that prohibit distracted driving, there are states whose agencies have applied such legislation to its police force who exclusively deal with emergency responses and pursuits. One of them is the State of Washington. In Florida, it mandated hands-free voice communication to its troopers, despite the state’s lack of such statute.

Meanwhile, every Los Angeles car accident lawyer informs that there are no relevant laws yet with regard to distracted driving in California’s law enforcement. While there are existing laws in the state with regard to the use of mobile phones while driving for motorists, California authorities might as well pursue a similar statute for the benefit of those who respond to emergencies and pursuits.

New Statistics Show Common Types of Car Accidents

For most motorists, getting involved in a car accident is really something to worry about. Aside from the resulting damage and repair costs that car owners may have to shoulder later on, there are other factors that motorists should not be overlooked. For the most part, accidents on the road are not only caused by driver error, but also road hazards including animals crossing the road, potholes, and the like.

While a two-vehicle collision remains to be the most common form of road accident, it accounted for less than half of the incidents reported by people looking for insurance. This is according to a study made by CarInsurance.com, which is a website that provides auto insurance data and shopping tools.

The survey in which the study was based on covered around 42,000 online auto insurance quotes that were given from September of 2011 to February 5 of this year. Said auto insurance quotes were from drivers who reported incidents of car collisions in the last five years, all of which were single-vehicle policies for collision, comprehensive, and liability coverage.

According to CarInsurance.com, over a third of all incidents involved vehicles hitting a parked car, sustaining damaged due to inclement weather conditions or road debris, vandalism, or unsuspectingly hitting an animal crossing the road. As such, insurance rates differ depending on the type of accident a driver gets involved in.  For instance, between a driver hitting a runaway deer or a tree, both may incur similar damage but the latter may increase one’s insurance rate.

Meanwhile, here is a list of percentages for every reason why vehicles included in the report was damaged (rounded off):

• Struck another vehicle – 23 percent
• A vehicle struck the driver – 22 percent
• Single-car accident (e.g. rollovers) – 8 percent
• Act of nature (e.g. weather condition) – 6 percent
• Struck parked car or a tree – 5 percent
• Insurance holder’s parked car struck – 5 percent
• Debris (e.g. hitting a pothole) – 3 percent

Road accidents can be troublesome, especially if those involved have to deal with insurance and repairs. It is even more worrisome if they have to deal with injuries because of these unfortunate events. But then, they are entitled to personal injury damages, especially if the accident is caused by the other party’s negligence. For such occurrences, injured parties may have to consult with the best car accident attorney in Los Angeles for them to be entitled compensation.

Following Traffic Laws Do Save Lives

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Traffic laws are made and implemented for a reason. Without rules and regulations, orderliness cannot be achieved. There would be no discipline and the roads will be in total chaos. That is why to put order and discipline with the road users, both houses of congress came up with all of these traffic laws that you know of now.

Stubborn drivers

However, despite the implementation of the many traffic laws of the land, there are still a lot of people that disregard these laws and choose to disobey the same. These people don’t realize the impact that their actions or the lack of it could mean. For example, not too long ago in Santa Clara County in California, one motorist driving a Chevy Impala went against the flow of traffic on the ramp of the Oregon Expressway and Alma Street intersection. On the very same ramp, a female Palo Alto officer was on board her patrol car that collided with the counter-flowing vehicle. The female police officer was brought to the nearest hospital where she was treated for the minor injuries that she got from the crash. The male driver of the Impala was luckily not hurt in the incident.

The price lawbreakers have to pay

A driver liable to an accident, according to the same traffic rules will be made to pay for the consequences of his or her action. According to a Los Angeles vehicle accident lawyer, one will be dealt with the corresponding corrective action depending on how grave a driver’s infractions are. Consequence for the violation of these laws ranges from varying amounts of fines, cancellation and revocation of one’s license, even jail time. That is why if you do not want to be dealt with these penalties, be sure to always follow the many traffic laws that the state implements.

How traffic laws can save lives on the road

A Los Angeles attorney believes that by helping inculcate discipline in the minds of motorists, these traffic laws play a significantly huge role in helping cultivate a culture of safety on the road. The general motoring public, (well, except those people bold enough to violate these laws) exercise safe driving habits that prevent accidents from happening with these laws in place. Without accidents there would be no properties damages, no injuries, and no live lost.

How to Become a “Roll” Model and Avoid Bicycle Accidents in Los Angeles

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Biking is a good hobby as it provides you with lots of benefits. First, it gives you the capability to go around different places. Biking gives you the mobility at less expense since you won’t have to spend money on fuel, which also makes this hobby environment-friendly. It also lets you go on places less traveled where cars just can’t be driven. Biking also promotes fitness as it helps you exercise different muscle groups, improves your reflexes and cardiovascular system functions.

Responsibility in biking

However, biking is not just all fun. For one, bikers should be responsible enough, not just in ensuring the safety of one’s self but also of the people around them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been encouraging all users of public roads, not just motorists but bicyclists as well, to respect each other. Mutual respect among all road users helps promote a safe transportation environment. Bikers, like all road users, have rights and responsibilities. That is why the NHTSA has been promoting biking safety through continuous research, education, and enforcement of bicyclists’ and motorists’ behavior. This way, safety on the road can be enhanced while lessening instances of biking injuries and fatalities in the country.

How can you be a “Roll Model”

The NHTSA came up with a campaign on how one can be a “Roll” model on the road. This program helps promote biking responsibility, fostering a safer environment on the road. In the campaign, the NHTSA asks every biker to exercise the following:

• Focused riding and driving. Always remain focused and never give in to distractions.
• Prepared riding and driving. Make it a point to do the necessary preparations before going and riding your bike. Always be ready for unexpected things.
• Putting Safety First. In anything that people do, one must make sure that safety is prioritized above everything. Wear a bike helmet whenever you go on a ride.
• Be a law-abiding citizen. Following traffic laws is critical in ensuring the safety, not just for you but for everybody on the road.
• Share the road. Roads are not specifically made for bikes. A Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney reminds that roads are for vehicles, motorcyclists, and pedestrians too. Sharing the road by showing respect to others will help prevent accidents from happening.

A Los Angeles lawyer believes that bicyclists’ rights deserve to be observed as well. But he reminds all bikers that one best way to be able to earn the respect of other road users is by following the rules given above and showing respect to others as well. Such good attitude will make others respect you more and your rights as well. Being a “Roll” model may be hard, but it is not at all impossible to do; for exerting extra effort and trying to go the extra mile will do you good.

What to Do Before and While Driving Your Vehicle on a Summer Road Trip

Planning on a summer getaway trip with your family, friends or colleagues? If so, then preparation and planning should be on the top of your list. As you might already know, highway crashes are on the rise, especially during this time of the year where roads are almost always filled with vehicles. Whether you’re going to the beach, to the campsite near the mountains, or go fishing by the lake, it really helps if you plan ahead. Doing so is much easier than dealing with breakdowns along the way, or worse, a highway crash. 

Before you put your family, friends, or colleagues inside your vehicle, let alone drive it, have your car, SUV, pickup, or RV serviced by a licensed mechanic. It is much better if you do it regularly at any time of the year. If, however, you are not aware of the service history of the vehicle you plan to drive, schedule a preventive maintenance check-up with your mechanic weeks before your scheduled trip.

Make sure that your tires are well-inflated so that you can avoid tire blowups or failure while traveling along the heat-soaked roadway. To prevent your engine from overheating, check carefully your vehicle’s coolant level to make sure it is enough to sustain long hours of driving. More importantly, make sure that your vehicle lights, from headlights, brake lights, turn signals, to your emergency flashers, are all in good working condition.

Before the day of your summer getaway, ensure that you have obtained enough rest, especially if you are the driver of the vehicle. That way, you will not only stay focused on the road ahead of you, but you will also avoid experiencing fatigue. It is much better if one of your family members, friends, or colleagues can also drive the vehicle. You may share your driving duties with him or her along the way; just don’t forget to bring along with them their driver’s license!

Moreover, to avoid experiencing a fender-bender along the road, you must avoid exercising certain bad driver behaviors. One such behavior is distracted driving. As much as possible, drivers must avoid anything that can pull their attention away from their driving. To put it simply, don’t use your mobile phone, eat, drink, or use in-vehicle gadgets while you’re behind the wheel.

Another behavior that you and your passengers need to avoid is the failure to use seatbelts. Before the trip, everyone aboard the vehicle, including you, must agree to wear the seatbelt, especially when they are riding or driving the vehicle. Doing so is the best defense against a highway crash caused by a drunk driver.

By making the necessary preparations before the trip and avoiding risky behaviors behind the wheel, reaching your preferred summer destination will be hassle-free. Expert litigators, including a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, are all wishing all motorists and their families, friends, and colleagues a safe and fun-filled summer.

Summer Safety on the Road: What You Need to Be Aware Of Before Driving Out This Season

 

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Today is the summer season, and it is expected that there will be a massive influx of vehicles going in and out of cities to get to various summer destinations. As it is, this time of the year is the perfect opportunity for a lot of people to go out on road trips to enjoy the great outdoors. However, motorists should be aware of a lot of things before and during trips in order for them to avoid certain inconveniences.

So if you are planning on a road trip going to picnics, beaches, and other destinations with your family and friends, it is important that your whole summer experience should hinge on the concept of safety. Here are some things that you need to be aware of before driving out:

•    Be prepared before and during the trip.

Preparation is always a key component in order to make sure that safety is at the forefront of driving your vehicle. Days before the road trip, you must make sure that your car has undergone maintenance. If your car performs well and every vital part of it is in tiptop condition, then you are good to go. It also helps if you prepared an emergency roadside kit before the trip in case your car breaks down in the middle of the trip.

Moreover, it is important that during the trip, you and your passengers are well-restrained with seatbelts. If you have children with you, they should be seated at the back, with a booster seat if they are of certain age. They must not also be left unattended; heat stroke is a leading cause of death among children, increasing during the summer time. More importantly, you must always follow traffic rules, as well as look out for passing motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians crossing the road.

•    Watch out for car thieves.

It is during the summer months—July and August—where vehicle thefts are on the rise. In fact, in every 44 seconds, a motor vehicle is stolen in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Additionally, mistakes on the part of drivers make up more than 40 percent of car theft incidents. Certain mistakes include leaving valuables inside the vehicle, failing to lock up all the vehicle windows and doors, and not parking in well-lit areas during the night.

•    Check your vehicle’s tires.

Driving your motor vehicle at highway speeds on hot summer weather may result in tire failure, especially if one or all of your tires are under-inflated. According to the NHTSA, around 11,000 crashes happen every year because of tire failure. To avoid this, it is important that you follow the recommended tire pressure on the front- and back-end of your vehicle, especially before you drive your vehicle on the day of your trip.

Incidentally, expert lawyers, particularly a car accident attorney in los angeles, advise all motorists to be physically and mentally prepared for road trips. Being on the right state of mind, along with the needed preparation, would help make this summer’s experience enjoyable, memorable, and free from hassles.

New Federal Regulations to Reduce Truck Driver Fatigue, Accidents

A collision between a big-rig and a smaller passenger vehicle would only mean two things; injuries or instant death. Despite the fact that such accidents only account for around 10 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in the United States, most of the recorded deaths in truck mishaps often happen not on truck drivers, but on passenger vehicle occupants.

One of the reasons why truck accidents happen is because of truck driver fatigue. Because driving trucks entails long drives and weekly completion of working hours, most drivers often experience chronic fatigue, therefore increasing their chances of getting involved in crashes. Previous safety regulations imposed by the federal government on trucking companies does not also help, which is why such devastating accidents continue to happen.

Fortunately, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), implemented a new set of federal regulations that would not only reduce the chances of truck drivers to experience fatigue, but also improve the overall safety of motorists.

Fully implemented on the first day of July this year, the said safety regulations were first announced by the FMCSA in December of 2011. According to the DOT division’s press release, it estimated that the safety regulations would save around 20 lives, as well as prevent more or less 1,400 crashes and 560 injuries annually.

Since the FMCSA’s announcement, trucking companies were given 18 months to adopt the changes in the hours-of-service rules for truck drivers. In the new set of rules, truck drivers would now only have to work for an average of 70 hours a week, instead of the previous 82 hours per week.

Also, once they’ve reached the said average maximum hours of driving within a week, they can resume their duties on the next workweek if they rest for 34 consecutive hours, including at least two nights when their body clock demands sleep the most, which is from1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Finally, truck drivers are now required to take a 30-minute break during the first eight hours of a shift. Retained from the previous hours-of-service rules is the 11-hour-per-day driving limit within a 14-hour work day.

Meanwhile, legal experts, including a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, are satisfied with the new changes with regard to the working hours of truck drivers. They believe that this development would lessen incidents of truck collisions, as well as lower the number of injuries and or deaths because of these mishaps.

Car Accidents in Los Angeles, California: Common Causes and What You Need to Do

Auto accidents in Los Angeles are nothing uncommon. Given the fact that this progressive California metropolis is teeming with public and private vehicles, particularly cars, as well as being home to some of the busiest thoroughfares in the United States, it is no surprise that the city is not only known for its traffic jams but also for its incidents of vehicle accidents.

These accidents either result in serious injuries or in tragic deaths. In fact, over 50,000 individuals sustained bodily injuries from such mishaps across Los Angeles County every year. Also, in 2008, a total of 667 car accident-induced deaths were recorded. Around 80,000 car accidents resulted in damages to property.

With these figures, it is easy to point out that motorists, no matter they are driving in Los Angeles or elsewhere in the U.S., are highly at risk of getting involved in either a devastating or fatal car crashes.

Common causes

Auto accidents often happen because of various factors. Some of them are often attributed to the carelessness of other motorists. Tort laws in California, as well as in the whole country, allows victims of such mishaps to file personal injury cases against liable parties who/that negligently caused them injuries and other damages in order for them to be awarded monetary compensation.

As a motorist living in Los Angeles, it is imperative that you are aware of the common causes of vehicle accidents that are attributed to negligence. Here are some of them:

• Failure to drive within the roadway’s speed limit. Since most roadways in Los Angeles are wide, it is easy for speed freaks to step on their car’s accelerators. Because of this, many of the accidents recorded in L.A. are caused by speeding drivers who go over the speed limit, especially in school zones and pedestrian crossings. Speeding drivers are the ones who cause collisions with other motor vehicles and private property, as well as pedestrian accidents.
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol. We all know that drinking and driving do not make a perfect pair since alcohol greatly impairs a driver’s capability to make sound decisions while operating a vehicle. This leaves him or her highly vulnerable to driving errors that could result in serious or fatal injuries.
• Driving while distracted. Los Angeles motorists who got involved in accidents are found to have been using their cell phones to text or call someone while driving, as well as eat or drink while behind the wheel. Such forms of driving distractions often result in serious, if not fatal collisions.

Seeking legal assistance for your personal injury claim

If in case you have been involved in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you must consider hiring an expert Los Angeles Auto Accident Attorney who can aggressively pursue your interest. Your chosen legal representative will help you collect valuable evidence in order to establish the fault of the liable party, which would also determine the amount of compensation that may be entitled to you to cover your injuries and other damages.

Barn Frame Collapses, Hurting 4 Workers

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Barns are rather easy to make. The design of the structure is quite simple and so building it is less complicated than erecting a building. In College Station though, the construction or a barn frame in an equestrian complex went bad that caused 3 workers to be critically injured.

The frame falls
According to reports, the accident happened in the A&M University equestrian complex, a property that’s a mile away from the main campus. According to fire fighters, police and emergency medical personnel that responded to the accident, twisted metal beams could be seen at the site. They have immediately transported to hospitals for treatment. The emergency workers for a while halted the rescue operations for they fear that the beams left standing could collapse. They first stabilized the structure before proceeding with the search and rescue operations.

What caused the fall?
According to the authorities, they are still trying to find out the real cause of the accident. The officials are talking to the Gamma Construction Company, the contractor of the said structure to shed light about the real cause of the accident. The National Weather Service then divulged that temperatures were in the mid 80s under a cloudy sky and wind gusts of just a little over 10 mph. Up to this very moment, the is still yet to release an official statement about what happened.

Call for safer working conditions for construction workers
A Los Angeles construction accident lawyer believes that measures to ensure the safety of all these construction employees should be put in place in order to stop accidents such as these. According to him, though barns are rather easier to create than tall skyscrapers, contractors and its workers should still exercise practices that enhance the safety of all its workers in all of its projects’ sites. Also, workers should follow safety precautions and wear safety equipment at all times to help lower the risk, if not completely avoid such accidents from happening again.

That is why if you are someone who works in a construction company, you should do your share in promoting safe working conditions by following safety guidelines and promoting it to your peers. Report anything unusual to your supervisors. Should authorities from their respective construction firms fail to act swiftly about the incident, you can submit a report to your local government office or consult a Los Angeles attorney to help you press charges against the construction company. The construction industry is already dangerous as it is. Failing to follow workplace safety requirements can make the situation worse and cause these deadly accidents to happen. That is why everybody should do their share and help promote safety in these construction sites.

Bicycle Accidents: Statistics and Safety Tips on How to Avoid Them

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Bicyclists are considered part of the road, and that they must share the road with other motorists. Since this is so, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as the latter, especially when it comes to following traffic rules. But then, while bicyclists are able to pass through designated bike lanes, they often have to drive alongside larger vehicles.

For the most part, bicycles are just miniscule compared to larger vehicles. Establishing presence on the road is very important, especially for cyclists; without that, an accident involving a car and a bike may possibly occur. Such mishaps often result in injuries and even death, and a common reason for it is distracted driving, particularly on the part of the motorist.

Related statistics on bicycle accidents

Basically, bicycle accident fatalities only account for just about 2 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths. In fact, a total of 675 bicyclists were killed in 2011, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

It is also alarming to know that the said figure was a 10 percent increase from the previous year. Overall, though, bicycle deaths have decreased by 33 percent since 1975, the year the NHTSA first compiled statistical data on motor vehicle accident injuries and deaths.

Safety tips on how to avoid a possible bicycle accident

Meanwhile, if you occasionally ride a bike, either for leisure or for school or work, then you should consider these safety tips so that you can avoid becoming a statistic:

•    Take full control of your bike. Before taking your bike for a ride, it must first be properly-adjusted so that you can fully control it while traveling down the road. Since it is very necessary that you control your bike especially when traveling with other vehicles, you must never attempt to do so while you under the influence.

•     Always wear your helmet. Majority of the injuries and deaths in bicycle accidents involve head trauma, which is why it is very important for you to wear a helmet. It is said that using your helmet reduces the risk of a head injury by about 85 percent. While most bicycle helmet laws in 21 states and Washington, D.C. only apply to young drivers, it is necessary that riders of all ages must wear them.

•    Establish road presence. Drivers are not very much aware of whether or not there are bicycles moving past on either side of their vehicles. This is another reason why car-bicycle collisions happen. To avoid this, it is important for you, the bicyclist, to let your presence known to other motorist through making hand signals and driving on the direction of traffic. When driving at night, you must be able to wear any reflective clothing, as well as lights and reflectors installed on your bike.

What to do in case of an accident

However, if you ever get involved in an accident with a motorist, then it could be grounds for filing a personal injury claim, especially if you believe there was negligence. In this regard, you must not only seek medical attention if you have any minor or major injuries, but should also consider retaining the legal services of a Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney.

Accidents Involving Big-rigs: Related Statistics and Why They Happen

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Major injuries and even instant death can happen between a collision involving a smaller vehicle and a big-rig. In such an accident, casualties and fatalities mostly happen among occupants of passenger vehicles, as smaller vehicles are vulnerable to collisions with large trucks. As it is, a large vehicle that often weighs 20 to 30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance can ram through smaller vehicles in most crashes.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,373 people were killed in large truck accidents, accounting for 10 percent of all the motor vehicle crash deaths during that year (32,367). Of the 3,373 people who died in large truck accidents in 2011, about 66 percent of them (2,241) were passenger vehicle occupants, while nearly 16 percent of them (553) were occupants of large trucks. The remaining 16 percent (525) were the unfortunate motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians combined.

Moreover, the number of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes between a passenger vehicle and a large truck were 1,889. About 98 percent of them were passenger vehicle occupants (1,842), whereas the remaining 2 percent (47) were large truck occupants.

Meanwhile, a common factor as to why these horrific crashes happen is on the truck’s capability to stop. While cars are able to stop right away after motorists step on the brakes, trucks take much time to do so, particularly loaded tractor-trailers that take a long time to do so. They cover much of the road more if inclement weather conditions (e.g. wet, slippery roads), or poorly-maintained brakes are taken into account.

Another common factor for such an occurrence is fatigue, especially on the part of the truck drivers. While federal hours-of-service regulations allow truck drivers to drive up to 11 hours on a typical work day (77 hours for a seven-day period), many trucking companies have been found to violate these rules in which the drivers work more hours than they are supposed to.

Incidentally, a truck accident victim may seek damages for the injuries he or she incurred, especially if the incident was caused by negligence. Apart from the driver of the truck involved, the trucking company may also be one of the defendants in his or her case. In order to determine which liable party can be sued, and how much he or she is entitled to receive as compensation for the damages, he or she must immediately consult with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.

Heading Out on Road Trip This Summer? Here’s an NHTSA Safety Advisory

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Summer is the time of the year where a lot of people go out on road trips to enjoy the great outdoors. As such, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a safety advisory last month urging motorists to take necessary precautions to make sure that their vehicles are in their best driving conditions. The traffic safety agency has also reminded motorists to be extra careful when behind the wheel to avoid endangering the lives of not only their passengers but also others.

Here are some of the safety precautions that the NHTSA highlighted in its press release dated June 4, 2013:

• Motorists must do regular maintenance before taking their vehicles to long trips. Tune-ups, oil changes, battery checks, and tire rotations help avoid any breakdowns that might happen in the middle of trips. A maintenance check-up for the vehicle would suffice if it has not been serviced in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations, or that the driver is not aware of the vehicle’s service history.
• Car lights, from headlights, brake lights, turn signals, to emergency lights, must be in good, working condition.
• Before embarking on a road trip, motorists must make sure that they bring with them their emergency roadside kit, especially if an unfortunate breakdown happens. Things to include in the kit are a fully-charged cell phone, first aid kit, drinking water, medicines, and any lighting device such as a flashlight and flares, among others.

Meanwhile, here are some of the reminders from the NHTSA that drivers and passengers must keep in mind:

• Use the seatbelt. Do not drink and drive. Avoid getting distracted.
• Motorists with children must have the latter seated at the back. Younger children must likewise be restrained safely with a booster seat, still at the back of the vehicle. Also, children must not be left unattended; that way, injuries and deaths due to heat stroke are prevented.
• Always watch out for crossing pedestrians, as well as passing bicyclists and motorcyclists. They often go in large numbers, especially since it is the summer season, so it is imperative for motorists to be extra careful when dealing with them on the road.

Incidentally, expert lawyers such as a car accident lawyer in Los Angeles also advise motorists to be physically and mentally prepared for road trips. Fatigue is one factor as to why road accidents during the summer season happen, which is why it is important to be at the best state of mind before going on a long drive.

Living the Motorcycle Lifestyle

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In this world where comfort is the primary concern of people, you can’t help but be puzzled with people who tag along their bikes and cruisers to go around town. Riding your motorcycle when the sun is scorching hot can get uncomfortable, plus being exposed to the element while riding is not a pleasant experience for everybody.

What makes motorcycle riding click?

You have probably seen a lot of Americans riding their trusty Harley-Davidsons or their big bikes. A lot of people have bikes and take them on leisurely rides at times. So why do people love riding a lot? Here are some of the reasons why motorcycle riding is a good proposition for some:

• Motorcycle riding offers such a thrilling experience. The feeling of being subjected to the elements makes the experience of traveling more exciting.
• Bikes are more fuel efficient. With gas prices soaring lately, you’d want to save every penny that you can and motorcycles could really help you with that.
• With motorcycles, finding a parking space is not a very difficult task. So if you’re the type who don’t want to waste time looking for a place to park your vehicle, riding a motorcycle is a great option.
• Motorcycle riding promotes brotherhood and camaraderie. One thing with motorbikes is that riders usually travel in groups. More than the interest for bikes, these groups foster good relationships with other riders.
• Personalization. It is easy and much more affordable to personalize motorbikes. That is why more and more riders are making their bikes their own.
• In this time of global warming and other environmental issues, the low emissions from motorcycles make it a good alternative for motor vehicles
• Great performance and easy operation. Most motorcycles can give you the same quarter mile time as a muscle car for just a fraction of the price, it is easier to operate too
• A cool adventure. Motorcycle riding is cool and being able to go to places is such a great adventure thrill seekers will surely enjoy.

However, when riding a motorcycle, one should also take the necessary precautions to avoid getting involved in accidents. Every year, thousands of people die as a result of motorcycle accidents. A Los Angeles motorcycle lawyer says that there are various motorcycle groups that help promote not just the lifestyle but riding safety as well. These groups help riders know their bikes and the dangers that come with using it. A Los Angeles attorney strongly encourages people to be a part of these organizations or at least make it a point to study their bikes to help them fully understand how it is to use bikes and how one can be safe while using them. This way, accidents can be avoided and injuries, as well as deaths can be avoided.

Giving Meaning to A Life Lost

Accidents happen because of a lot of reasons. Most of it though happens because of the negligence of one of the parties involved in the accident. However, there are times when external factors that cause these accidents to happen. For example, there are road that are poorly maintained that have blind spots and sharp curves without the proper warning signs for motorists. Such negligence by the government agencies concerned can cause accidents that cause damage to property, injuries, and even death.

Out of sight, out of mind
Laws on the road are put in place to maintain order and safety on the road. However, not everybody’s aware of what these laws are. As one adage says, “out of sight, out of mind”; there should be reminders to help people keep themselves aware of these laws. A group of Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyers believe that roads should be equipped with the appropriate signs to help the motorists better follow these laws. However, despite the continuous efforts of the government to put up signs everywhere, there are still some roads that don’t have proper signage.

Another life wasted to some’s negligence
One local U.S. Marine, Lance Corporal Jesse Wilkes, 27, was riding his motorcycle eastbound on Devonshire. The marine serviceman who was able to dodge death during his tours in Afghanistan, ironically lost his life in a deadly crash when a driver on board a Honda Civic made a sudden left-hand turn onto Winnetka Avenue, cuts right in front of him. Due to the dangerous maneuver of the Civic, Wilkes was unable to avoid the car, crashed on the car and skidded. The decorated marine died on impact.

Importance of street signs to motorcycle riders
Motorcycle riders need more time than its four wheel counterparts to be able to react and avoid road hazards. The absence of turn-arrows in intersections is one of the reasons why accidents happen on the roads. That is why Wilkes’ family called for the installation of street signs that will warn riders and drivers to take precautions in intersections to help avoid accidents from further happening.

What can you do as an ordinary citizen?
While the government is trying its best in making sure that the roads are safe and the proper signages are installed at the right places, they wouldn’t be able to cover everything at once. As a concerned citizen, you can inform various agencies of those particular places that you think the government should focus on. This way, the government can better cover all the bases to ensure the safety of everyone on the roads.

Hit-and-run, Literally

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Accidents are supposed to be gory, and life threatening. As you see on TV news, lots of people get injured and even dead because of such accidents. Over the years, tens of thousands of accidents have been recorded. These have caused simple to grave injuries to some, and death to others. Time and again, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has come up with many programs that are made to promote road safety and prevent such instances of from happening.

Bad case of a hit-and-run
However, there is one reported car crash incident that will make all the other seem normal. An unnamed pedestrian was walking along the road when the Mazda 626 car, driven by a 49-year-old James John Onak. The very strong impact of the crash had caused one le fog the victims to be left on the road where he was struck. What’s more gruesome is that the body of the victim remained in the car’s windshield and the passenger seat.

Ending car accidents is everybody’s job
The government for its part has been doing everything that they can to help ensure that accidents are prevented. That is why the Department of Transportation and the NHTSA has made a plea to millions of American drivers and car owners to help ensure that accidents like these won’t happen again. The authorities pointed out, that car owners should always follow the many traffic laws implemented across the country. Also drivers must make sure that they keep their vehicles in top shape by doing the necessary repairs and preventive maintenance jobs in it to keep it safe to drive. Finally, a driver should exercise defensive and safe driving all the time.

What should victims of car accidents do?
Just like what happened to the victim of the car accident mentioned earlier, thousands of people get hurt, injured, and die because of these accidents. In such cases victims of the families left behind by the victims can file for personal injury and wrongful death claims against the drivers of the vehicle that caused the accident. A Los Angeles auto accident attorney says that victims must prepare and file the necessary complaint to the proper courts.

A Los Angeles lawyer believes that stopping hit-and-run incidents is everybody’s responsibility. From the driver behind the wheel of the car, to the law enforcers, and even simple pedestrians; everybody who’s using or have used roads should work together and do their share to achieve road safety. Through this, he believes that justice can be served for the victims of injuries and deaths brought about by hit-and-runs.

Road Rules in California That Out-of-State Folks Must Master

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Planning on a trip to anywhere in California? Before you do so, it is imperative that you recognize and be aware of the state’s road rules and driving laws. Most of them fairly make sense, as these rules are for the benefit of California and non-California motorists. Not following any one of them may result in you receiving a ticket from a traffic officer. Also, if you failed to follow any of the road rules in the state, it could result in an accident that may injure you.

Here are some of the California road rules that you need to keep in mind, especially if you are from outside the state:

• If you are planning to travel to California on a motorcycle, you must always wear your helmet while on the road. Also, if you are traveling along a freeway, you are allowed to split lanes, as long as you do it in a safe and prudent manner.
• If you are driving a sedan, SUV, or any vehicle with passengers, all of them, including you, must wear seat belts. If you have children, have them seated at the back seat of the vehicle with approved child-restraint holders.
• You may pass or “overtake” the vehicle in front of you on the inside, as long as you do so safely and in a properly-marked lane. This must only be done on highways and freeways with multiple lanes.
• When encountering pedestrians along the way, always stop whenever they are about to cross the street. You must stop right away as they enter either a marked or unmarked crosswalk, as pedestrians in California have the so-called right-of-way.
• Riding a bicycle must be done on designated lanes that are marked by a continuous thick white line on the right-hand side of the road. Beware, however, when you ride your bicycle on lanes with vehicles parked on the side; drivers or passengers are not always aware of approaching bicycles and carelessly open the car doors to get out.
• If you are from outside California and you just started working here, it is best that you register your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles in the state. You may also get a California driver’s license so that you can legally drive here.
• You must file an accident report with the DMV within 10 days of the accident in case you get involved in an accident which resulted in an injury or death, or resulted in more than $750.00 in total damages.

More importantly, if ever you get injured and you believe the other party involved caused the accident, you must immediately seek medical attention. After which, you must contact any of the top personal injury lawyers in California to help you determine the amount of damages you may receive from the liable party.

Avoiding the Five Most Common Gym Injuries

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Working out in a gym is very important to keep you healthy and fit. This helps you develop the strength and stamina that you need for all of your daily activities. With proper exercise, you don’t only tone your body and shed the pounds you will also look and feel better. There are some people though who take exercise quite seriously that they’d want to tone their body and build muscles. But did you know that you can get injured for pushing yourself too hard when working out?

A study conducted by the University of Arkansas reveals that there has been a 35 percent increase of injuries from people hitting the gym to get fit. One Los Angeles lawyer highlights the result of the study where it mentioned parts of your body that you are most likely to injure. He also encourages everyone to follow these simple tips that can help you prevent these injuries.

• Foot and ankle. Your feet and ankle carries your whole body’s weight when you are up on your feet. When exercising, you tend to push your body’s limits. During these times, you are most likely to get injured and your foot and ankle injuries are the most common ones that you’ll get. To prevent this, you should get a good running shoe that doesn’t have a high heel. You can also try using a walking, cross training or tennis shoe.
• Knees. Very few people know that your knees get extensive amounts of stress whenever you do your daily activities. When you don’t use the muscles on your hips, then you suddenly decided to do a strenuous activity, you knee might end up getting injured. You can do lunges to help stabilize and strengthen your knee. Lunging forwards and backwards could help improve your knee’s condition
• Lower Back. If you have been working out your back quite hard, chances are your back muscles might end up getting hurt. Stretching before and after you do strenuous physical exercise can help prevent those from happening.
• Shoulder. Especially for those having carpal tunnel syndrome, working out (specifically doing chest, shoulder presses, and push-ups) can cause injuries on your shoulders. To avoid this, you may need to externally rotate your arms to help balance your shoulders. Try rowing with cables. This would be a good exercise to combat shoulder injuries and pain.
• Neck. In cases where there is a lack of movement on your upper back, your lower back and neck are most likely to suffer a great deal of stress. You can prevent this though by giving enough support on your lower back and neck when you do bench presses. You must also avoid putting more stress on your neck by avoiding exercises that will make you raise your arms over your head. You can also straighten your mid and upper back by doing reverse shrugs. Grab and pull down the bar in front of your for three to four inches.

Working out should be making you feel better. That is why you should be careful when doing exercises to prevent causing more stress on these body parts of yours. More than the exercises itself, there are times when poorly maintained equipment can cause you bad injuries. A Los Angeles personal injury attorney strongly urges individuals who have been victims of such injury-causing equipment. So make sure that you only work out in gyms with the best equipment available. Because putting your safety on the line is a risk that you should never, ever take.

Having Power in the Wrong Hands

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The Nissan GT-R has been one of the most celebrated supercars of this generation. It has been hailed as Japan’s only true supercar, a four-seat saloon car that beats other supercars that are twice its value. Despite its affordable pricing, the car packed advanced technologies that made it one of the most tuner-friendly cars the world has seen.

Skyline GT-R
The Skyline GT-R has been setting record lap times around various race tracks across the globe. In the world of motorsports, this car is a certified classic, beating almost every car that is pitted against it in touring car competitions across the globe. It even received a full 140 kg weight penalty and even banned in some events because no other car could beat it.

The new GT-R
During the development, Nissan used the Porsche 911 Turbo as its benchmark. After more than 5 years of dedicated work, the new R35 GT-R was made. Unlike the previous Skyline GT-R, his sports car definitely looks the part. With a new aggressive styling, Nissan has put in a lot of electronic and technological systems in the car. These made the GT-R one of the most fun, “un-crashable” cars that one can find given its many driving aids.

Top Gear UK appearance
This car was featured on the very popular motoring program, Top Gear UK. In its first appearance in the program, the program show hosts had a race across Japan. Jeremy Clarkson rode a GT-R and the other hosts Richard Hammond and James May used Japan’s very fast and efficient public transport system. In the course of the race, the Clarkson got first in the Buddha of Road Safety. The first version of the GT-R lapped Top Gear’s circuit at 1.19.7, Making it faster than a number of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Mercedes-Benzes, and Porsches. The second time it went around the famed track, it clocked in a 1.17.8 lap, that is faster than exotic supercars like the Pagani Zonda and the Bugatti Veyron. This have made the GT-R the most

Supercar in the wrong hands
Despite experts saying that the GT-R is hard to crash as it is very easy to drive, several GT-R owners have manage to ruin the car in fatal car crashes. Richard Gutierrez, an actor from the Philippines crashed his GT-R in 2009 after allegedly falling asleep behind the wheel of one. Also just recently, an improperly driven GT-R got airborne, lost control, and crashed. While powerful cars like the GT-R are fun to drive, having the wrong driver get behind its wheel is like a catastrophe waiting to happen. According to a Los Angeles Auto Accident Attorney, most accidents happen because of the lack of skills by these cars’ drivers and the lack of discipline when driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received thousands of reports of car crashes across America. That is why a Los Angeles lawyer reminds the driver of such special cars to take special care when driving a sports car. This way, you can enjoy the great performance of these special cars without putting your life and others’ in jeopardy.