Posted on May 20, 2022 in Car Accidents

According to statistics collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a car accident occurs in the United States every 60 seconds. This comes out to more than five million accidents every year.

Almost two million victims are injured in these crashes, many of them seriously. Tragically, there are many victims who do not even realize they have been injured following a crash because of delayed symptoms. By the time they realize there is a problem, it can be extremely dangerous – even fatal.

Delaying medical help not only puts your health in jeopardy but can also have a negative impact on any lawsuit you bring forward against the at-fault driver. Their insurance company could use that delay in diagnosis as a way to get out of paying you the financial compensation you deserve. Our car accident attorneys have dealt with many insurance companies who have attempted to accuse the victim that they are not really injured or that they were really injured somewhere else, after the accident occurred.

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 Posted on May 05, 2022 in Business Law

These days, the job market can be highly competitive, with an abundance of experienced, highly qualified candidates all vying for the same position. Employers have the right to be specific in what they want in an employee, and to cast a wide net before choosing the person they think would be best suited for the job. At the same time, basing marketing practices and hiring decisions on applicant characteristics, such as age, race, or gender, or refusing jobs to otherwise qualified candidates due to their physical attributes or disabilities are examples of job discrimination that can land a company in legal hot water.  

Discrimination is prohibited not only for current employees, but also in the procedures and practices employers use in filling positions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) advises that the following are five areas in which discrimination often occurs. If you think your experience falls under one of these areas, contact an experienced employment attorney for legal assistance.

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 Posted on April 27, 2022 in Personal Injury

National statistics reveal that there has been a significant increase each year in the number of pedestrian accidents that occur across the country. There has also been a rise in the number of pedestrian fatalities, as well. In 2020, more than 6,500 victims were killed in pedestrian accidents, an increase of almost 5 percent from the year before. What makes these numbers even more concerning is that the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was down by more than 13 percent from the year before due to the pandemic.

Although everyone is at risk of being a pedestrian accident victim, multiple studies have found that there are certain factors that cause that risk to spike. Knowing what those factors are can help you to protect yourself from being a victim. The following are the most common factors.

Age

Both older adults and children are most at risk of being hit by a vehicle. Tragically, one in five children younger than 14 years of age who were killed in auto accidents was a pedestrian. And for the past five years, 20 percent of pedestrian accident victims who were killed were 65 years of age or older.

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 Posted on April 15, 2022 in Estate Planning

No matter what your financial situation is, you have an estate. Your estate is made up of everything you own. Many people think this only includes real estate, bank accounts, retirement accounts, stocks, etc., and therefore, if they do not have these types of assets, they do not have an estate.

However, an estate also includes your furniture, personal possessions, vehicle, and even your digital property, such as music and photographs. The bottom line is that no matter how modest your estate is, you should still have an estate plan in place to specify what should be done with these items when you die. The following are some of the components you may choose for your estate plan.

Last Will and Testament

Wills can still be a useful tool in estate planning. If you have young children, you are able to name the party or parties you wish to be your children’s legal guardian. A will allows you to address how you want personal belongings, collections, furniture, digital assets, and other property to be divided among your heirs, as well as which relatives you do not want to receive anything.

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 Posted on March 29, 2022 in Car Accidents

Statistics show that the majority of drivers will be involved in at least three car accidents during their “driving lifetime.” All too often, a safe and courteous driver finds themselves the victim of someone else’s negligence on the road. Car accident victims can suffer any number of personal injuries and property damage, and Connecticut law says they deserve to be compensated for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

There are many reasons why drivers are negligent behind the wheel. Some of the most commonly cited causes for vehicle accidents include the following.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of vehicle accidents in this country. While it is illegal to text and drive, many people still do it anyway and end up causing car accidents, leaving victims with serious and fatal injuries.

But fiddling with a cellphone is not the only way that a driver could be distracted while behind the wheel. Drivers could be distracted by others in the vehicle with them (i.e., children talking, talking passengers, dog barking, etc.), eating or drinking while driving, or searching for items that are on the floor, in the glovebox, or are in a purse or backpack.

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 Posted on March 15, 2022 in Personal Injury

The unexpected loss of a loved one can have catastrophic financial effects on a family. When that loss is the result of the negligent or reckless act of another person, the victim’s family can file a wrongful death claim to pursue financial compensation for their emotional and financial losses. In general, the survivors that are allowed to file a wrongful death claim are the victim’s spouse and children, parents, siblings, or the representative of the victim’s estate.

Wrongful Death Claims

There are multiple types of incidents or accidents which could cause the death of a victim and result in the family filing a wrongful death claim against the party or parties whose actions or behavior caused the accident that killed the victim. Some of the more common types of accident include:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Medical error or malpractice
• Premises liability accidents

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 Posted on February 23, 2022 in Business Law

Contracts are an essential part of conducting business. In fact, every business, from a small sole proprietorship to a large Fortune 500 company that operates nationwide, enters into contracts whenever a customer buys goods or services. Business contracts can cover nearly every aspect of business and can include employment contracts, nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), buy-sell agreements, and purchase orders, just to name a few.

Contracts are legally binding agreements that establish certain rights and responsibilities for and upon the parties to the agreement. They often contain dense legal language that can be difficult for a person without legal training to comprehend. For this reason, it is important for anyone engaging in any type of business to have their contracts reviewed by an experienced business lawyer.

Language Clarification

One of the most common causes of significant and costly contract disputes are ambiguous terms. It may come as a surprise to people who are not attorneys, but commonly used words that one would assume are not subject to interpretation can become the focus of protracted litigation that could cost thousands of dollars in legal fees. By having a skilled lawyer review a contract prior to signing it and clarifying any ambiguous terms, business owners can avoid these kinds of issues before they arise.

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 Posted on February 03, 2022 in Car Accidents

By law, when a crash or collision occurs involving a motor vehicle, all drivers are required to pull over immediately at the crash site, notify law enforcement, and exchange information with other drivers. Unfortunately, there are some drivers who flee the scene. If you have been injured in a hit and run accident, you may think that there will be no way to pursue damages for losses you have, however, there are steps you can take to help hold the driver accountable. 

Hit and Run Accidents

According to the national statistics, there are almost 750,000 hit and run accidents that occur every year in the United States. This averages out to a hit and run accident every 43 seconds, and the number keeps increasing each year. These accidents are responsible for the deaths of over 2,000 victims, as well as leaving thousands of more victims injured.

These accidents also cause serious property damages and injuries for thousands of other motorists, whether in parking lots and on residential streets, or on state roads and highways. Traffic safety experts speculate that illegal activity on the part of the at fault driver may be part of the reason why they leave the scene. This includes:

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 Posted on January 28, 2022 in Estate Planning

A key part of the estate planning process involves making decisions about a person’s end-of-life care. This can be especially important for people who are elderly, although addressing medical decisions may be beneficial at any age. Advance medical directives will allow a person to decide what types of medical care they do or do not want to receive in different situations, and they can ensure that their wishes will be followed if they encounter health issues that make it impossible to make their preferences known. Residents of New York will need to understand how the state’s laws address these issues, and they can take steps to prepare for the future and avoid uncertainty for themselves and their loved ones.

Advanced Directives in New York

A person can address their medical care by naming a person who can make medical decisions on their behalf and creating documents that detail their decisions about treatment. A Health Care Proxy will allow a person to appoint a Health Care Agent who will be authorized to make decisions for them if they cannot make decisions on their own. These decisions may include whether life-sustaining treatment such as nutrition or hydration will be provided and whether the person should be resuscitated if their heart stops beating. A Health Care Proxy can detail a person’s wishes in these matters, but if these wishes are not specified, the agent may make decisions based on what they believe would be in the person’s best interests.

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 Posted on January 17, 2022 in Car Accidents

A motor vehicle collision can injure drivers and passengers in a variety of ways. Whether a person is involved in a relatively minor impact or a high-speed collision, their body will be subject to strong physical forces that can result in significant harm. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that car accident victims can suffer. By understanding the ways that these injuries may affect them in both the short term and long term, victims can make sure they will be able to receive compensation that fully addresses their damages.

Effects of Whiplash Injuries

Whiplash occurs when a person’s head is suddenly forced backward, forward, or to the side. This may occur in a rear-end collision, and a sudden impact from behind may cause a person’s head to snap backward, and it may then snap forward after bouncing off their seat’s headrest. A T-bone or side-impact collision may cause a person’s head to snap sideways. This sudden motion can place a great deal of pressure on the vertebrae in the neck, potentially resulting in spinal cord injuries. The soft tissues in the neck and shoulders may also be damaged, and a person may experience pinched nerves affecting the neck, shoulders, arms, and upper body.

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