Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents

A contract with my new teen driver.

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:17:05 GMT

When your sixteen year old start to drive, it opens up all kinds of new worlds! Each of us has a different perspective on what it means for our teenager to start driving but at the same time we are all in agreement – we want them to be safe. I did what I do best to make sure my teenager is safe…I drew up a contract. A contract that shares my concern with my sixteen year old and puts my teenager in the safest and best position possible as a new driver.

Here is the ‘Safe Driving Contract’ you can use as a resource with your new teenage driver. Pass it around and make sure any teenager takes the safest route home.

Other resources for teen drivers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

'Technology feeds' about drivers and driver studies

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:24:44 GMT

Here are some good videos on drivers and driver studies.

Safety belt fetes 50 years

Drivers get virtual "guardian angel"

Crash test warning

Marijuana makes for bad drivers

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

How Damaging Can Social Networks Be?

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:15:43 GMT

Today it’s not so much about what we say but when and how we say it. People who are posting on social networks need to realize it has repercussions across all aspects of their life. They can’t just post a personal message without a business colleague finding it and reading it. They can’t go out and party it up for the weekend without a friend posting pictures online and who wants to see that! Here are 5 ways to keep your online persona clean, honest and undamaging (as best possible).

1. Consider your medium. It might sound simple but don’t mix business with pleasure. Don’t post personal information on your business sites and try to keep your personal postings private.
2. Control your friends. Be careful who you let into your ‘friends’ circle in on your personal and business networks. Avoid guilt by association and be ready to reject or remove friends to preserve your image.
3. Monitor your state. Don’t post when you have been drinking, don’t post when you are angry. Always give yourself time to come down before you let the world know something you shouldn’t.
4. Be true to yourself. Always be who you are online. Fakes, when found out, will be driven out of the village never to be heard from again.
5. Know your tools. There are ways to track when your photos or postings are being use. Use those tools so you can be sure your information isn’t showing up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Don’t miss this interview with the Legal Broadcast Network about an attorney’s client posting damaging info on his Facebook and MySpace pages that cost him at least $20,000! It really does pay to keep your social networking, well, undamaged.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

What influences whiplash recovery?

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:12:13 GMT

Whiplash is the most common traffic injury and has a lot of side effects and long lasting syptoms. A study by the Arthritis Care & Research Center author states "The results agree with our previous analysis in a cohort of patients compensated under a no-fault insurance scheme and support the hypothesis that the prognosis of whiplash injuries is influenced by the type and intensity of care received within the first month after injury,"

Over the years, evidence has grown that suggests the type and intensity of treatment received shortly after the injury can have long-lasting effects on the results of the care. All the more reason to seek immediate attention and justice for whiplash clients.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Texas Drivers, Meet Big Brother and Big Insurance

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:13:51 GMT

Rarely drive your car?

Rarely drive your car at night, during rush hour, or in major cities?

Do you always accelerate and deccelerate smoothly?

Do you live in a state that would guarantee a discount for providing your insurance company information about your driving habits?

Have no privacy concerns about your personal driving habits?

You must not live in Texas.

Progressive Insurance has recently introduced a technologically advanced method to record driving statistics called MyRate. This device is a chip that is placed inside the car and records driving information and, after a couple months, the information is sent to Progressive. This device may lead to discounted insurance rates, but many across Texas view the technology as unnecessarily intrusive.

MyRate tracks several different driving variables including what time of day the car is being driven, how far it travels, and how smoothly the driver starts and stops. This data is used by Progressive to determine the liability involved to insure the driver.

In most cases, MyRate claims to lower insurance costs for safe drivers who tend to not drive many miles or at night. Drivers who drive fast, too many miles, at night, or repeatedly step on the brakes might not receive a discount - but see an increase in insurance costs!

Progressive provides plenty of evidence pointing to discounted insurance rates - yet this data comes from states where insurance companies are required to provide these discounts in exchange for driving data.

The information tracked by MyRate might be used in a different manner. This device might be used to help distinguish how accidents are caused and who is to blame. As stated above, this system tracks how smoothly a driver starts and stops. In most accidents, drivers slam on their brakes as they react to a possibly collision. Sudden braking will appear on the MyRate and will raise cause for concern. Speed is also a variable tracked by MyRate, another variable in car accidents.

This new technology may allow Progressive to bully consumers and policyholders into unfairly low car accident settlements using MyRate data as evidence. Drivers locked in a dispute regarding whether one was speeding, hit the brakes, time of day, length of trip, miles driven that day can now use the MyRate as evidence to deny various claims.

Stephen McKay, a products manager at Progressive, states that information gathered by the MyRate chip cannot be used in an accident investigation without the driver's permission. At-fault drivers who are involved in a legal case with another driver might not want these statistics released to the jury.

Yet how many consumers unknowingly provide ammunition to the insurance company? The privacy policy for the use of the device leaves this little tidbit out.

Deeia Beck, public counsel for the state Office of Public Insurance Counsel, does not believe at-fault drivers will be allowed to keep these driving statistics - some might be forced into giving this data to a judge. "They may not use it against their own insured," she said. "But let's say you're a Progressive customer, you're the at-fault driver, and these records are available. I'm sorry, but the opposing attorney is going to subpoena records, and it's not necessarily a done deal whether that's going to be admissible."

Ready to hand over all your driving information?

We're not either.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

What Are Rollover Roof Crush Accidents?

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:40:12 GMT

Rollover roof crush accidents

Roof crush accidents caused by rollover of a car, minivan, truck, or SUV can be life-threatening situations, and they cause injury or death to thousands of Americans every year. The blame for these accidents can often be laid at the feet of automobile manufacturers who, due to overlooked design flaws, subject drivers to catastrophic danger in the utilization of their vehicles. When affected victims attempt to handle their cases after such an accident, they typically find themselves confronted with the estimable might of an automobile manufacturer's legal department, and buried in paperwork, delays, procedural difficulties, and unkept promises.

When the cause of a rollover roof crush accident is poor roof strength integrity or a roof pillar failure, the roof can cave in dramatically and cause spinal cord injuries, head injuries, paralysis, and death. Typically what happens is that a vertebrae will suffer a “bursting fracture” which causes that vertebrae to lose its surrounding space in the spinal column which can lead to loss of use of one or more limbs, death. The danger of roof collapse due to insufficiently-designed vehicle roofs is particularly common in larger SUVs, trucks, and vans. This is because despite federal government regulations which subject many vehicles to stringent roof-strength tests, these regulations do not apply to vehicles over 6,000 pounds in weight. The outcome of this limitation on regulation leaves a situation whereby many operators of larger vehicles face catastrophic injuries in the event of a rollover accident.

Nevertheless in many cases these wrecks are merely the outcome of careless driving, such as swerving or over-correcting when steering. In these cases the driver's insurance company may be the responsible party in providing compensation for lost wages, medical bills, rental cars, pain and suffering, and diminished quality of life issues.

In either case the victim has a real incentive to get help with discovering their legal rights, properly handling their claim paperwork, and negotiating with the insurance company or manufacturer. This is why it is essential for the victim to secure the services of a competent, experienced attorney. Your attorney will be the person who can explain the laws governing your state, help you to avoid costly mistakes, and pursue your claim through a trial or to a settlement.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Dallas Auto accident lawyer: 1 Woman Dies in a Car Crash in Texarkana

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:30:13 GMT

A crash in the early morning on US 59 south of Texarkana at the Sulpher River Bridge has left one person dead. Janette Lawson, from Atlanta, was transported to Wadley Regional Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

According to Texas DPS, there was a two-car auto accident that occurred as both drivers were heading north on US 59. Lawson was driving across the Sulpher River Bridge when her car slid on a patch of ice, spun around and ended up on US 59.

The driver of the truck, Bryan Fisher, also from Atlanta, Texas slipped on the same patch of ice, slid out of control and spun around, slamming into the driver side door of Lawson's car. Fisher did not sustain any injuries.

Auto accidents like this happen much more often during the winter season. Freezing rain, snow and ice all create hazardous conditions. Extra precautions must be taken when driving under these conditions. For more information about auto accidents and what you should do if you find yourself involved in one, click here

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

On The Subject Of Whiplash Injuries

Jeff Rasansky — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:37:58 GMT

By far the most common type of injury I see in auto accident cases is the typical "whiplash" injury. The term refers to the sudden acceleration and deceleration of the neck and back following traumatic insult. In the case of auto accidents, it most often occurs in a rear-end accidents, but I also see them occur with some regularity in head-on and T-bone accidents as well.

The whiplash injury is probably the most difficult and risky case to pursue in court. Often times the imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT, etc.) will be "normal." The only "evidence" of injury is the person's own subjective complaints, and perhaps the "soft" examination findings of the treating physicians. Many times the only physician will be a chiropractor or massage therapist. Insurance companies vigorously fight these cases because they know juries are very skeptical about awarding large amounts of money for an injury that can't be seen. Many times juries will look at the "whiplash" injury case as a waste of time and taxpayer's expense. Jurors can resent an injured plaintiff from bringing a "whiplash" case to trial because often they consider this a minor and insignificant injury. But I know this is simply not true.

Sometimes an experienced personal injury attorney can help uncover evidence that may help prove the existence of a "whiplash" injury. Sometimes there may be some evidence of injury, like disc pathology, i.e., disc protrusions or bulges, which can be correlated with the person's subjective complaints. When the term disc pathology is used, it means that one or more discs in the cervical or lumbar spine may have been damaged as a result of the "whiplash" injury itself. In these cases, it is extremely important for the lawyer to have a ready arsenal of illustrations showing anatomy and injury mechanism to help explain to the jury how serious these injuries can be.

I have taken many "whiplash" injury cases to trial. The best way an attorney can get good or great results in the typical "whiplash" case is to simply try these cases over and over. By doing so, I've found which arguments and presentations work the best. I've learned how to effectively communicate these injuries to juries so they completely understand how the injury can occur, and how painful and debilitating they can really be on someone's life.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

On The Subject of Whiplash Claims

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:01:40 GMT

Whiplash claims are some of the most common that are made following a road accident. Drivers and passengers can find themselves missing days at work and much needed wages through being incapacitated in an accident that is not their fault.

In situations such as this, it is a person's right to make a compensation claim. Not only will it help the sufferer through a difficult time, but the knowledge that irresponsible driving could lead to a compensation payout acts as a deterrent to dangerous driving on our roads.

Whiplash is a soft tissue injury which occurs in the neck, usually after the head has been jolted forwards causing a sudden extension of the neck muscles. Neck pain sustained as a result of whiplash may be present immediately after an accident, or can begin a few days afterwards.

The most common whiplash compensation claims are made for neck injuries sustained as a result of a road accident. Although your body is restrained by a seatbelt during a crash, your head isn't. The "whiplash" effect is a sudden and unexpected movement to your neck, which occurs on impact with another vehicle. Other causes of whiplash include strong blows to the head or through long term repetitive damage to the neck. Some people make a quick recovery but for others the pain and restricted movement caused by whiplash, can be long lasting.

Symptoms of whiplash include headaches, pain in the neck, shoulders and arms and dizziness. In severe cases, symptoms can include memory loss, problems concentrating, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and depression. It is always advisable to visit your doctor if you feel you may have suffered a whiplash-associated injury so that they can recommend the best treatment for you.

Due to the unpredictable nature of recovery from whiplash injury it is very important to get independent legal advice to see if you're eligible to make a whiplash claim. National Accident Helpline can put a victim of whiplash in touch with a specialist injury lawyer who will arrange an independent medical diagnosis of your injuries and likely recovery. Whiplash claims can then be properly valued and fair compensation can be assessed.

Some insurers may be quick to contact claimants directly to make an early offer to settle whiplash claims. But make sure you insist on getting independent legal advice before agreeing to any settlement. A compensation claim can help insure that fair and appropriate compensation is received. It is important that anyone making a claim feels comfortable with the process - they should make sure that they work with an attorney that understands what they are doing and can help to keep the process stress free.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Dallas Car Crash Attorney: Grimes County Wreck Kills Two Texas Tech Students

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:16:22 GMT

A car crash in Grimes County killed two Texas Tech University students and sent two others to a hospital with critical injuries. Jeffrey Michael Inns and Kyle Drew Anderson of Montgomery, were killed when their car collided with a pickup, according to Texas DPS officials.

The 2008 Subaru was headed westbound on 105 around 3 miles from Plantersville, when it veered into the eastbound lane. They collided with a 2006 Dodge Ram and were pronounced dead at the scene. Texas Tech students Marissa Whitworth and Chelsea Wiseman of Austin were taken by Life Flight helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital where their current condition was not available.

According to DPS officials, Inns was wearing a safety belt, while the other three were not. The driver of the Subera was taken to Conroe Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. DPS officials said that Baigrie was wearing a seat belt at the time. According to DPS officials, the only person injured in the truck was Garrison Kirsch, a five year old from Montgomery. He was later treated for bruises at the medical center.

The students were heading back to Lubbock after camping on Saturday night at the Texas Renaissance Festival near Plantersville, according to Anderson's mother. Anderson graduated from Montgomery High School in 2007 and was an international economics major. He was planning on attending law school after graduation.

Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky