Children

Based on the CDC research in 2008 one in every five children who were involved in a traffic accident were pedestrians.
One of the reasons is that children are not as noticeable as adults are; they don’t move as fast; and they do not exercise many safety rules such as looking both ways before crossing a street.
The CDC research also shows that the reason for children’s failure to use proper safety measures while walking is “walking” itself. Today, car traveling (next to the bus) is the most common mode of transportation to school.

Therefore, when a child does walk they are often unfamiliar with the ways in which to cross a street safely or use appropriate caution when traffic is present.

Adults 65 and older:

Adults over 65 tend to walk at a steady pace, and therefore are not able to react as quickly when a dangerous situation arises. This is why it is essential to plan your travels with the least crossings.
Have a planned route and be aware of your surroundings.

Read more….

Walking tips

1. Of course, look left, right, and left again before crossing.
2. Before crossing, make sure to look the closest driver in the eyes (this will let you know if the driver is paying attention and is aware of your crossing).
3. Always walk on the sidewalk. Every chance you get make sure to walk in the opposite direction of traffic closest to you.
4. Parents: never let your child under ten cross the street alone.
5. Make your presence known. Wear colorful shirts, try to pay attention to the traffic, and look at the driver closest to you before crossing. And don’t fool around in a crosswalk.

Involved In a Pedestrian Accident?

Accidents involving a motor vehicle striking a pedestrian can occur under a myriad of circumstances – in a crosswalk, not in a crosswalk, at a traffic light, at a stop or yield sign, in a parking lot, in driveway exits, or on private property. The injuries can often be severe and life changing.

If you do happen to get into a pedestrian accident please CALL 911 ASAP and…

• Exchange information with the driver.
• Call (888) 551.1070 and we will take care of the rest!

We are a Personal Injury Law Firm so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you happen to get into any personal injury situation! 1-888-551-1070

1. Train before you get your License
   • Make sure to take riding courses that are approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
   • Make sure you read as many training guides as possible!
   • Practice, Practice, Practice!
2. Get your license.
   • Getting your license ensures you are qualified to ride safely on the road. You want as many people analyzing your riding as possible. When riding a motorcycle, driver safety techniques are ten times more important than when driving a car because there is nothing protecting you from the concrete if you happen to get into an accident.
3. Motorcycle Selection
   • When getting your first motorcycle, no matter what your body size, you need to have the smallest bike possible. Heavy bikes are difficult to maneuver — especially for a beginner.

Motorcycle Statistics

• Motorcycle deaths increased by 78% from 2000 to 2007.
• Motorcycles only represent 3% of all registered vehicles but accounted for 13% of fatalities in 2007.
• The fatality rate for a motorcyclist and their passenger is 5.5 times higher than car occupants.
• 50% of all fatal motorcycle crashes involved collisions with another type of motor vehicle. Of those 78% were struck from the front and only 5% struck from the rear.
• The NHSTA estimates that helmets saved 1,784 motorcyclist from death in 2007 and if all motorcyclist had worn helmets, an additional 800 more lives could have been saved.

Read more…

Motorcycle Safety

• Remember you don’t drive a motorcycle, you ride! It isn’t as simple as turning your steering wheel. The whole concept of riding is to be apart of the bike with your whole body.
• Be on notice! Most motorcycle accidents happen because people driving automobiles do not notice motorcycle riders. Make sure to wear as much brightly colored gear with all the bells and whistles as possible. Let your presence on the road be known.
• Be up-to-date with your bike’s maintenance. With a car you can go as much as 50,000 miles before changing your oil, but with a motorcycle the chain must be tended to every 500 miles. Keeping your bike in good running condition could be the difference between life and death.
• Where is a good place to ride in bad weather? NO WHERE. If there is rain, snow, or fog leave your bike in the garage. The risks are too high.

If You Have Been Injured In A Motorcycle Accident, You Must:

• Take a deep breath and stay calm
• Check yourself for any injuries or discomfort and, if necessary, summon medical assistance immediately
• Call the police
• Do not make any statements or sign anything unless requested to do so by the police or our office
• Get the information of all parties involved, including names and addresses, license plate numbers, driver’s license information, and witness names and phone numbers
• Take as many photographs as possible of the scene
• Call our office at 1-888-551-1070

We are a Personal Injury Law Firm so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you happen to get into any personal injury situation!
1-888-551-1070

CHP Officer Exposes Catsouras Family Tragedy

On the night October 31st, 2006 in Orange County, California a young girl named Nikki Catsouras was going 100 mph in her father’s Porsche 911 Carrera and crashed into concrete toll booth killing her instantly.

We can only imagine how devastated the family felt experiencing such a tragedy. To make matters worse, they were soon receiving anonymous emails with pictures of Nikki’s body taken by the CHP Officers at the scene. These photos spread to over 1,600 sites, in 50 countries.

Shocked and hurt, the family pressed charges claiming the officer at the crime scene was liable for the release of the photos of their now daughter.

The Family sued the CHP, but a local judge dismissed the case. However, on Feb 1st 2010 the Califonia Court of Appeal reversed the judge’s dismissal. Ending a 4½-year court battle that rewrote state law, on January 27th 2012 the case was settled with the family receiving $2.375 million. The settlement was announced by the CHP.
Read more..

Things to Know Before Your Teen Gets Behind The Wheel:

Many of you have teens who are almost driving age. Before giving them the keys are you sure you’ve given them simple yet important driving instructions, like these:

• Reducing your speed when there is bad weather.
• Increasing the distance between you and the car in front of you.
• Keeping your eyes on the road, meaning less time on the phone and cd player.
• Lowering the volume of the music, which could distract you from whats going on around you.
• Giving your self enough time to travel, that way there is no need to rush and therefore reason to speed!

We advise parents that you let your teen drive with you in the car at least once a month. This could give you a sense of what kind of driver your teen is, what habits have they picked up, and which one of those habits can be fatal to them in the future. In Nikki’s case her parents were not home when she took her dad’s car keys. So being actively involved with your teen can sometimes be the difference between life and death.

We are a Personal Injury Law Firm so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you happen to get into any personal injury situation! 1-888-551-1070

The Facts:

One day, a women by the name of Rebecca Howell was in a serioustraffic accident with a truck owned by Hamilton Meats & Provisions, Inc. This collision caused her major injuries totalling $189,978.63 that the Hamilton company was liable to pay. However, Hamilton argued that due to Rebecca’s health insurance she only had to pay $130,286.90, and that the company should only be liable for that amount — and nothing more.
But that raised the question: Which amount was the company was liable for?

Verdict: The Court Sides with Hamilton.

The verdict favored Hamilton Meats & Provisions, Inc. This means that a plaintiff who DOESN’T have health insurance is actually better off than one who does. Moreover in future cases this will also be true for anyone paying health insurance who does get injured. The compensation given to an uninsured plaintiff will be more than an insured plaintiff receives.

Join the Conversation

Whats your opinion? Do you agree with the verdict? Have any question? Join the Conversation on our Facebook page!

• About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.
• The rate of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes is more than 3 times as high at night as during the day (60 percent vs. 18 percent).
• Among those killed or injured in these crashes, nearly 1,000 deaths and 24,000 injuries included cell phone use as the major distraction.
• When asked whether driving feels safer, less safe, or about the same as it did five years ago, more than 1 in 3 drivers say driving feels less safe today.
• Every minute, one person is injured from an alcohol-related crash.
• An average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before first arrest.

Teen Driving Statistics

Is your teen distracted on the road?

• Beer is the drink of choice in most cases of heavy drinking, binge drinking, drunk driving and underage drinking.
• 52% of U.S. drivers ages 18-29 reported texting while driving at least once in the last 30 days, and more than a quarter report
  texting “regularly” while driving.
• Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash.
• Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens, taking about 3,000 young lives every year.
• Teen alcohol use kills about 6,000 people each year, more than all illegal drug deaths combined.
• Leading experts agree that parents who get involved with their teen’s driving can help prevent a tragic crash.

Tips To Consider

1. To those drivers under 25 years old: Act wiser when it comes to drinking and driving because you could become a deadly statistic.
2. Parents: Try to spend at least 35 hours practicing your teen’s driving skills over a 6 month period before they’re on
   the road alone.
3. To those drivers over 25: Be as cautious a driver as you were when you first started (and hopefully smarter).
   No matter how long you’ve been driving, an accident can happen to anyone!
4. Parents and teens: Think twice before answering a text while driving. Accidents happen in mere seconds, so think twice before
   you pick up the phone.
5. Having quick reactions won’t always prevent you from having an accident. Spotting and responding to problems ahead of
   time will. Drive safely wisely.

6 Important things to do after an accident:

Before we begin, you should always have a cell phone, a pen and paper (for taking notes), and a disposable camera (to take photos) in your car at all times.

1. Photograph and Document the Accident.

   If possible, use your camera to document the damage to all vehicles involved in the accident. Write down the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all witnesses. Most especially, write down the names, addresses, telephone numbers, DRIVER’S LICENSE numbers and car license plates of those involved in the accident. MAKE SURE you see the other driver’s auto insurance certificate. Write down his or her auto insurance policy number, and the name of the company that insures them.

2. Seek Medical Attention

   If you are in pain or are having any physical difficulties whatsoever at the time of the accident or at any time thereafter, go to a hospital emergency room or see a doctor immediately.

3. Do not discuss

   your case or accident with anyone other than your insurance representative and attorney.

4. Do not give a statement to anyone from an insurance company other than your own.

   If someone from an insurance company contacts you, it is essential that you obtain the name of the person and their telephone number. Tell the person that your attorney will call them and stop talking to them immediately.

5. Assemble any documents

   relating to your case, such as medical bills, doctor’s instructions, prescriptions, etc.

6. Call The Law Offices of Majid Hashemi at (888) 551-1070.

Interesting Fact…

One thing you might not know after getting into a serious accident: “An accident must also be reported to the DMV within ten days when someone is killed, injured, or property damage exceeds $750.”…read more
 

1. Bodily Injury Liability

   This coverage applies to injuries that you, the designated driver or policyholder, cause to someone else. You and family members listed on the policy are also covered when driving someone else’s car with their permission.

   It’s very important to have enough liability insurance, because if you are involved in a serious accident, you may be sued for a large sum of money. Definitely consider buying more than the state-required minimum to protect assets such as your home and savings.

2. Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

   This coverage pays for the treatment of injuries to the driver and passengers of the policyholder’s car. At its broadest, PIP can cover medical payments, lost wages and the cost of replacing services normally performed by someone injured in an auto accident. It may also cover funeral costs.

3. Property Damage Liability

   This coverage pays for damage you (or someone driving the car with your permission) may cause to someone else’s property. Usually, this means damage to someone else’s car, but it also includes damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings or other structures your car hit.

4. Collision

   This coverage pays for damage to your car resulting from a collision with another car, object or as a result of flipping over. It also covers damage caused by potholes. Collision coverage is generally sold with a deductible of $250 to $1,000—the higher your deductible, the lower your premium. Even if you are at fault for the accident, your collision coverage will reimburse you for the costs of repairing your car, minus the deductible. If you’re not at fault, your insurance company may try to recover the amount they paid you from the other driver’s insurance company. If they are successful, you’ll also be reimbursed for the deductible.

5. Comprehensive

   This coverage reimburses you for loss due to theft or damage caused by something other than a collision with another car or object, such as fire, falling objects, missiles, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, flood, vandalism, riot, or contact with animals such as birds or deer.

   Comprehensive insurance is usually sold with a $100 to $300 deductible, though you may want to opt for a higher deductible as a way of lowering your premium.

   Comprehensive insurance will also reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered. Some companies offer glass coverage with or without a deductible.

6. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

   This coverage will reimburse you, a member of your family, or a designated driver if one of you is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.

   Underinsured motorist coverage comes into play when an at-fault driver has insufficient insurance to pay for your total loss. This coverage will also protect you if you are hit as a pedestrian.