Monthly Archives: August 2021

How To Prepare For A Meeting With The Car Accident Attorney

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The aftermath of car accidents is always inconvenient. It can even be traumatic. You have to deal with repair bills, medical bills, car rentals, and so much more. All of these will put a huge financial strain on your finances. You take time off from work because of injuries and the legal proceedings that you need to deal with due to stress. 

Legal representation might be needed in the future since you have to file a lawsuit through attorneys like https://www.rhllaw.com/. The car accident lawyer will be very important for you. But it is not just up to them. What you do will help them to help you. This is exactly why you need to know the following about how to prepare for your meeting with your current or potential car accident attorney. 

Bring These With You

The one thing you should always remember is that you can never have too many documents about the accident and what happened after when you discuss the case with the attorney. This is simply because the more details you can offer, the higher the possibility that your claim will be successful! Your attorney will create a better defense. 

Some of the most important things you have to bring with you to this vital meeting are:

  • All police reports. 
  • Photos taken at the scene. This should include the car, other cars, the entire area, and all visible injuries. 
  • The insurance and drivers’ license information for the other people involved. 
  • Your own insurance information, like policy details. 
  • The claim that you filed with the insurance company. 
  • Medical reports. 
  • Medical bills. 
  • Contact information and witness statements. 
  • Car repair reports. 
  • Car repair bills. 
  • Written records of car accident details. 

Several details can be very important for the injury claim, like the speed you were traveling at, accident location, weather reports, the other vehicles involved, traffic lights, traffic signs, and so much more. Basically, during the meeting with the car accident attorney, you should always be completely honest and tell your lawyer absolutely everything you remember. 

Never omit anything since you think this might make you look as if you are guilty. This would not prevent other people involved in the accident to bring details up. You want the car accident attorney to always be ready. 

What Should You Expect?

The car accident attorney will always go through all your documents in order to ask for explanations. Never worry that you do not know what you should say. The attorney will guide the conversation and will ask several follow-up questions. Alternatively, you will receive instructions on how you could find some extra information that is capable of helping your case. The attorney discusses all important steps to take and drastically increases the possibility of obtaining a higher insurance settlement.

Just make sure that you are listened to at all times. If you feel that you are rushed and the attorney is not being honest with you, the best thing you can do is to look for someone else. You surely want the very best attorneys near you so your best interests are always represented. 

Posted in Car

3 Major Causes of Forklift Accidents and How to Avoid Them

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A forklift is important work equipment in warehouses and factories. They lessen the burden of moving heavy materials around. These useful machines, however, contribute greatly to workplace accidents. According to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), each year in the United States, nearly 100 workers are killed in forklift-related accidents, and about 20,000 workers sustain serious injuries. 20% of these accidents involve pedestrians, who also account for 36% of forklift-related deaths. Below are the 3 major causes of forklift accidents.

Poor Training

Poor training of both operators and pedestrians contribute greatly to forklift accidents. Operators should be properly trained by the company, ensuring they meet training requirements as mandated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Some of the best practices OSHA provided are:

  • No matter the travel condition, all trucks should move at a speed that won’t hinder them from braking safely. Forklifts respond slowly to brakes, therefore driving at a high speed can delay braking in time to avoid a collision.
  • Forklifts should carry loads slightly above the road surface. It can be driven that way to its destination. Also, no fork movements – raising and lowering – while driving. This is to help avoid tip over, which is common in forklift accidents.
  • The eyes of forklift operators should always be on their travel path, so they won’t surprisingly run into an obstacle.
  • Operators should always honk when they approach cross aisles, or any location with obstructed vision.

Poor Maintenance of Machine

A poorly maintained vehicle can’t function properly. Normally, forklifts are slow to stop because they only have brakes in front. If, for instance, a forklift develops faulty brakes, then halting it would take longer. That additional delay could cause an accident, hurting an innocent pedestrian. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)/American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have set maintenance and safety requirements. Find some of them below:

  • All parts of vehicles must undergo regular and meticulous inspections. This should ensure that they always operate under good working conditions.
  • For works being done on an elevated platform, the individual(s) on the platform should secure themselves with a body belt to protect them from fatal falls. Also, in the case where an item is being moved, the pulley being used should be properly secured before the job begins.

Unsafe Working Environment

Most avoidable accidents happen because employers fail to make their working environment safe for employees. Ensuring workers follow safe work practices and setting up an environment where these practices can be easily kept is the responsibility of the company. Even though the workers, too, bear responsibility for safety practices, company owners are mostly responsible for keeping their environment free from work hazards. Some best practices to ensure a workplace is in safe condition are:

  • Keep records of workplace injuries so they can be avoided in the future.
  • Put warning signs and mark out designated forklift zones with floor tape.
  • Provide proper training for operators and pedestrians.

If any work accident occurs due to the negligence of a company, and you get hurt in any way, Richard Harris auto accident attorneys can help you receive the injury compensation you deserve. It’s your right, so don’t hesitate to reach them.

Posted in Law

Hospital Safety And Personal Injury Cases

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Every single personal injury law firm heard countless stories about medical horrors that happened to their customers while having to stay inside a hospital. If we look at statistics, the situation is pretty grim. We now know that around 100,000 people die every single year due to hospital errors. Medical negligence is much more common than you might think right now. 

Even if you can obtain financial compensation for the medical errors you suffered from, it does not mean you want to be in that situation. This is why you should always think about prevention. Here are some great tips to help you do just that. 

Directly Speak With The Doctor

This is something you should never be afraid of. You are practically the customer of the doctor so it is your right to demand that you speak with the doctor and not a secretary or a nurse. This allows you to get the important medical information you need about your treatment right from the most qualified person. 

Ask Any Question You Have

When there is something that you do not understand or know about your case, you have to ask questions. You need to ask doctors, nurses, your family, and patients. No matter how large or small your question is, you have to ask it. This will give you the comfort you want and will guarantee that you always know exactly what happens. 

Have A Trusted Advocate With You At The Hospital

You can always get groggy because of medication or pain. This makes it difficult to talk to your nurses and physicians. The best thing you can do because of this is to have someone with you capable of speaking on your behalf. That person can make sure that all your needs are going to be met during your hospital stay. 

Double-Check Treatments And Medications Before You Accept Them

There are several situations in which you cannot understand something when you are in the hospital. For instance, you might not understand the handwriting of your doctor. If this is the case, the nurse or the pharmacist might also not be able to understand. This is why you absolutely need to always ask questions. Then, get your answers until you agree to anything or you do anything inside the hospital. 

Take Notes

When in a hospital, there are so many things you need to remember. For instance, you need to remember medications and conditions. You might even need to remember the names of doctors and nurses. This can be quite difficult to remember so why not take notes? Also, you could write down a list of possible questions you would ask the physician when you meet with him the next time. 

Always Be Polite

Last but not least, whenever you are in the hospital, it is really important that you are as polite as possible. Remember that hospital staff is often overworked and it is easy to understand why care is more compassionate when treating friendly and polite patients. There is no reason for you to be rude since everyone in the hospital only wants to help you, regardless of what you might feel in the heat of the moment. 

Get This Information After Car Accidents For A Successful Personal Injury Claim

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Being involved in car accidents is stressful, overwhelming, and jarring. This is especially true when you are injured. Even so, what you do following the accident is very important and can be the difference between being successful in the personal injury claim you will start and having the claim denied. 

According to Detroit truck accident lawyers Mike Morse, right after the car accident, you should focus on the following, whenever possible. 

Right After The Car Accident

Always remain calm and do what you can so you do not panic. The following quick steps are very important:

  • Check for injuries – Do so for you and if possible for the other motorists. 
  • Make sure you are safe – When the vehicle creates a safety problem for others, it can be moved. If not, at least turn off the engine and then turn on your hazard lights. 
  • Call 911 – This should be done as soon as you are safe. 

Exchanging Information

After you are safe and you called 911, try to exchange information with the other drivers. You will need to focus on the following:

  • Contact information
  • Names
  • License plate numbers
  • Driver’s license numbers
  • Insurance information
  • Details about accident location
  • Color, model, and make for the vehicles involved
  • Eye witness contact information

Take Photographs

Photo proof is very useful in personal injury claims. You can use your cell phone and always remember this for taking useful photographs after a car accident:

  • Try to take photos from various angles so that you capture details about what happened, like fluids on the road and physical damage. 
  • Try to take some photos that show the scale of what happened. 
  • Always take pictures from a distance and close-ups. 
  • Photograph all vehicle damage.
  • Photograph the injuries you or other people involved suffered. 

Go To The Doctor

Even if you think you were not injured, it is important to get checked out by a medical professional. This is because some conditions only show symptoms some time after the collision. 

It should also be known that going to the doctor is very important because you are going to then get medical records that support your personal injury claim. You will need copies of several medical records whenever injured. The medical records have information about all health care phases. This includes diagnosis, treatment, follow-up treatment, billing information, and medications. 

Make sure you gather these very important medical records, even if some have to be requested separately:

  • Hospital admission
  • Emergency room services like stitches, surgery, and X-rays
  • Emergency medical services
  • Ambulance ride records
  • Physical therapy records
  • Chiropractic treatment records
  • Prescription medications
  • Mental health professional treatment records

Document Lost Wages

Last but not least, you need to gather records that prove what income you lost. This includes copies of direct deposit reports, paycheck stubs, tips records, and all documents capable of showing how much work you missed together with wages lost. In the unwanted situation in which the injuries are really serious and you cannot get back to work, extra financial compensation is gained to cover future wages lost.