A Guide to Automobile Accidents Involving Uninsured Drivers in Arizona

It can happen to anyone: You're proceeding through an intersection when suddenly your car is hit by another vehicle, causing damage and injury to you and your vehicle. And if that's not bad enough, the driver of the other vehicle is uninsured. What should you do in such a situation? How will you receive compensation for the damage to your vehicle and the injury to your person?

A Guide to Choosing the Right Nursing Home

When it comes time to place an elderly parent in a nursing home, it is important that you conduct thorough research on what makes for a good elderly care environment. The difference between a reliable and pleasant nursing home and one that condones abuse and neglect is sometimes not as obvious as one would think. Therefore, it is vital that you do your homework on any nursing home in which you are considering placing your elderly parent before giving them over to its care.

Financial Abuse in Arizona Nursing Homes

Financial abuse in Arizona nursing homes is a common occurrence. Unauthorized bank account withdrawals, forged signatures on deeds or wills, unexplained purchases on a credit card statement -- these (among others) are signs of potential financial abuse. And more often than not your elderly loved one will fail to inform you of the abuse he or she is suffering because of fear or embarrassment. It is therefore vitally important that you familiarize yourself with the signs of the kind of financial abuse suffered by Arizona nursing home residents.

The Identification and Prevention of Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes

Nursing home abuse is an elderly or disabled person's worst nightmare. It can be a humiliating and disempowering experience. And if the abuse is physical, it can be life threatening. Since the elderly comprise over 13 percent of the population, elder abuse is an important concern. In fact, more residents have suffered some sort of nursing home abuse than is documented in official reports. Nationwide, almost half of all nursing home residents have experienced abuse, which can range from merely embarrassing to extremely fatal.

A Guide to Automobile Accidents Involving Uninsured Drivers in Washington State

If you've found yourself the victim of an automobile accident with an uninsured driver, you're not alone. Across the United States, if someone is injured or killed in an automobile accident, chances are one in seven that the driver at fault is uninsured. What's more, the Insurance Research Council reports that the estimated percentage of uninsured motorists has risen dramatically over the past decade. In 1999 12.7 percent of motorists were uninsured. In 2004 this figure jumped to 14.6 percent. Rising unemployment rates have only made the problem worse. The Insurance Research Council expects the figure of uninsured drivers to jump to a shocking 16 percent in 2010.

Financial Abuse in Washington Nursing Homes

Nursing home abuse takes different forms. Abuse can consist of such purely physical acts as striking, pinching, shaking and burning (among others), or it can manifest itself in a nursing home resident’s emotions, which makes it harder to identify. Behavior that expresses mental anguish, such as unexplained bouts of crying or flashes of anger, usually indicates that a nursing home resident has suffered emotional abuse.

Product Liability Washington

Are you a resident of Washington state who has purchased a consumer product only to have it fail to meet your expectations because it malfunctioned and caused you great pain and lasting injury? If you answered "yes," then it is important that you familiarize yourself with the consumer protection laws in the state of Washington.

A Guide to Automobile Accidents Involving Uninsured Drivers in California

Automobile accidents can happen to anyone. You're driving through an intersection when suddenly your car is hit by another vehicle, causing extensive damage to your car and bodily injury to yourself. But what happens if the motorist at fault is uninsured? How do you receive adequate compensation for the damage and injury caused by the accident?

Rowing Against the Tide Arizona Boating Accidents and You

Sailboats, motorboats, rafts, pontoons and catamarans all grace the Arizona’s many waterways and lakes. But boating is not just popular in Arizona; it’s also a favorite national pastime. In 2008 there were 12,692,892 boats registered in the United States. With so many boats afloat in American waters, the United States Coast Guard expects all watercraft operators to adhere to particular rules and regulations.

Product Liability in California Keeping Defects from Breaking You

All too often the usefulness or pleasure of an item you have purchased is ruined because that item is defective. Whether it is a bicycle, a blender or a band saw, a broken or malfunctioning consumer item can bring you tremendous pain and even permanent injury. Fortunately, if you find yourself a victim of a defective device, remedy awaits you. All that’s required is that you know the types of product liability under California law.

Should I Wait Before I Hire An Attorney For My Accident Claim

It’s a great question and one that a lot of people ask themselves when they have been in an accident.  After all, most people are aware of the fact that attorneys charge a portion of whatever their recovery might be.  So it is reasonable to ask, “Why should I share my recovery with a lawyer if I can settle the case myself?”  The truth is, there are some claims that can be settled without a lawyer.  For example, if you have a little car accident with minimal property damage and no personal injury, you probably don’t need a lawyer.

Automobile Accidents, Property Damage and Your Insurance Company

You’ve just been involved in a car accident: Your new Mercedes now has a dented fender and your brand new Bulgari watch was smashed when during the impact your wrist struck the steering wheel. You’ve suffered extensive property damage and now need to negotiate with your insurance company to ensure you receive fair compensation for your damaged property.

Dog Bites A Victims Guide to Dog Bite Law

Go outside on a warm summer’s day and you will inevitably see many people enjoying walks with their dogs; sleek greyhounds, energetic Doberman pinschers, fluffy toy poodles and panting pit bulls all parade through neighborhood parks and sidewalks with their owners. Pet owners claim their furry companions help lower their stress levels and contribute happiness to their lives. The statistics support these claims, demonstrating that pet ownership is extremely popular in the United States. Nearly six out of ten U.S. households include a pet. Indeed, industries catering to the burgeoning American pet population are on the rise, generating more than 9.3 billion dollars on pet food alone.

The Guide to the SlipandFall Law

You never expected it to happen: A perfectly ordinary Saturday trip to the grocery store ends in disaster. Right when you were about to grab a bunch of bananas in the produce section, you stepped in a puddle of water and slipped, landing painfully on your right hip. Now you are left with constant pain from an injury that resulted from something so routine and seemingly safe.

Boating Accident Law A Bridge over Troubled Waters

It’s hard to think of a more popular American pastime than boating. In 2008, there were 12,692,892 boats registered in the United States. Sailboats, pontoons, jet skis, motorboats and rowboats all grace America’s lakes and waterways during holidays and bouts of favorable weather. But boating requires a knowledge of federal and state rules and regulations, because boating poses distinct risks to those who neglect the laws of the water. Boating accidents can happen when you least expect them, turning a fun holiday outing to a favorite lake or bay into a tragedy.

Initiating a Personal Injury Claim The First Step Toward Recovery

Danger lurks in the workplace. A bit of frayed carpet, an irregular stair step, a loose handrail—each threatens to injure the hapless worker hustling to his work station. Maybe you yourself have been just such a victim.

The Plaintiffs Benefit of Propounding Non Uniform Interrogatories in a Motor Vehicle Accident Case

There are numerous modalities of discovery a party can utilize during the litigation process.  Depositions, Independent Medical Examinations and Requests for Admissions are just a few.  One of the most common methods of discovery is the Non-Uniform Interrogatory (NUI).  Typically one only thinks of NUI’s as being propounded by the defendant upon the plaintiff. However, NUI's can play a very important role in a plaintiff's case.

Litigation vs. Mediation vs. Arbitration

Many people want to know what litigation is, what the ramifications of litigation are and whether there are any alternatives to litigation. Generally, litigation is when one party sues, or files a lawsuit, against another party.  The filing of the lawsuit kicks off litigation and the parties are now involved in a lengthy battle that can be extremely expensive as well as emotionally draining.  Once in litigation, you are officially under the jurisdiction of the relevant court system.  This means your attorney will be working with opposing counsel, judges and their clerks.  The lengthiest and most challenging aspect of litigation, prior to trial, is discovery.  This is where both parties engage in fact finding to strengthen their case.  Discovery can be extremely expensive especially when a case is complex and involves multiple expert witnesses.  Finally, if the case has not settled, litigation ends in a trial.  Trials are held in front of judges, in the presence of a jury and the jury returns a verdict in favor of a party. 

Motorcycles The Risks

The purchase of a new motorcycle can be a joyful event. Driving a motorcycle is one of life's greatest pleasures: the wind in your hair as you tear down the road, the freedom of knowing you can ride wherever you want. Last year alone, close to ten thousand motorcycles were sold in the United States. Nine percent of the American population owns a motorcycle, with over four million motorcycles registered in the United States. Motorcycle safety then is a pressing concern.

Motorcycle Accidents California

Motorcycling is one of the nation’s most popular pastimes. Who can deny the joy gained from cruising down the open road on a Harley Davidson or a sportbike, the sights and the sounds of the great outdoors blurring past in stunning array? If statistics are any indication, not many people can deny the joy experienced in motorcycling. In 2009 close to ten thousand motorcycles were sold in the United States. Nine percent of the American population owns a motorcycle with over 4 million motorcycles registered in the United States.

Nursing Home Abuse The Victims and Perpetrators

It is a child's worst nightmare: After months of deliberation, you place your elderly mother or father in a nursing home, thinking they will be cared for in a stimulating and safe environment. Months later it turns out they were the victims of horrendous abuse during their stay at the home you so carefully selected. Unfortunately, elder abuse in nursing homes is not an uncommon occurrence. With the elderly comprising over 13 percent of the population, this is a pressing concern. Nationwide, almost half of all nursing home residents have experienced some sort of abuse, which can vary depending on the situation.

Nursing Home Abuse California

It is the stuff of nightmares: a strange bruise on the face of your elderly parent or signs of mental agitation and depression in your disabled spouse. The individual in either example relies on a nursing home for their care and both display the often subtle signs of nursing home abuse.

Product Liability Florida

Have you purchased a car recently in the state of Florida only to have it give you endless trouble? Has its defects interfered with your daily routine? Or maybe they've become downright dangerous, imperiling your life? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then it's time you familiarized yourself with product liability law.

Product Liability and Personal Injury Keeping Harm at Arms Length

Imagine you just purchased a new stationary bicycle, because you intend to make good your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and eat properly. Yet you find your plan rather abruptly put on hold, because when you used the bicycle for the first time, the seat broke off, causing you to fall off and break your wrist. This scenario offers an instructive illustration of how product liability and personal injury intersect: A product (such as the stationary bicycle in the present example) proves defective and causes injury to your person. Fortunately, you have legal recourse available to you. You can initiate legal action against the manufacturer of the defective product. But, before you do so, it is important that you understand the key components of product liability and personal injury.

Property Damage How to Avoid the Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune

Consider the following common scenario: You’re sitting at home on a quiet Sunday afternoon when suddenly a baseball comes crashing in through your dining room window. The window is destroyed, and your fine china is shattered to boot. If you have found yourself in this situation—or in a situation very much like it—odds are you have been the victim of property damage. Property damage claims are among the most common types filed. They are initiated when private or public property experiences destruction or damage either as the result of natural phenomena or the actions of someone who is not that property’s owner. Property damage falls into two categories: negligence, which includes oversight and human error; and intentional damage, which is usually, but not always, attributable to malicious intent. Property damage attributed to natural phenomena may be legally attributed to a person if that person’s neglect contributed to the property damage.

Ten Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is on the rise in the United States. We all hope that it will not happen to our loved ones, but sometimes evidence of it is so clear that it cannot be denied: a bruise on the cheek, a mysterious pressure mark on the thigh, episodes of mental distress and emotional upset. Unfortunately, such occurrences are common: half of all nursing home residents in the United States have experienced some kind of abuse. Injuries from the abuse sustained in a nursing home can range from mild to life threatening. With the elderly population comprising over 13 percent of the overall U.S. population, and disabled adults another 19 percent, nursing home abuse should concern everyone.

Product Liability Defects Dont Have To Break You

Have you ever purchased a bicycle, a watch or home appliance only to have it fail to meet your expectations, because it broke or malfunctioned, causing you great pain and lasting injury? If your answer to this question is “yes,” never fear; a remedy is at hand. All it requires is that you familiarize yourself with the types of property liability.

Truck Driver Negligence The Road to Compensation

62 million registered and approximately 6.4 unregistered vehicles cruise United States’ highways, making them busy places indeed. U. S. highways are also dangerous places: Approximately 44,000 people die on American highways each year.

Arizona Diminished Value

Diminished value occurs in Arizona when a vehicle is involved in an accident and, as a result, incurs physical damage, whether it is structural or cosmetic. Even if the vehicle is repaired, it is still worth less money than it was worth before the auto accident occurred. When selling or trading a vehicle, Arizona requires disclosure of all damage caused by prior accidents that the vehicle has been involved in. Thus, most customers would favor a vehicle with a clean record over a vehicle that has been involved in a prior accident. This means that individuals end up receiving less money for their vehicle than if their vehicle were not involved in an accident in the first place. 

Arizona Personal Injury Law

A personal injury occurs when an individual has suffered physical or psychological damage that is not of their own doing. Although the most common type of legal personal injury claims involve traffic accidents, other injuries resulting from tripping accidents, assaults, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and defective products accidents may also be legally pursued. If individuals can prove that their personal injury was a result of another party’s negligence, then they may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Arizona Products Liability

Products liability refers to the liability of any parties involved in the manufacturing and distribution of a product that causes damage. This means that the manufacturer of component parts, an assembling manufacturer, the wholesaler and/or the retail store owner could be held liable if the consumer sustains injuries as a result of using a product. Generally, there are three different types of product defects that are subject to liability in manufacturers and supplier...

California Property Damage

Property damage is any damage or destruction of public or private property caused by either a person who does not own the property or act of nature such as a fallen tree or an earthquake. Because property damage is such a broad term, examples of it can range from house damage to stolen personal items to wrecked vehicles. Although property damage is distinct from personal injury, individuals may still receive monetary compensation for losses by providing evidence, including replacement value, cost of repairs, loss in value, and loss of use until the property is repaired or replaced. In certain instances, property losses can be determined by considering sentimental value.

Florida Property Damage

Property damage is any damage or destruction of public or private property caused by either a person who does not own the property or a natural phenomena like a fallen tree or a hurricane. Because property damage is such a broad term, examples of it can range from house damage to stolen personal items to wrecked vehicles. Although property damage is distinct from personal injury, individuals may still receive monetary compensation for their loss by providing evidence including replacement value, cost of repairs, loss in value, loss of use until repaired or replaced or by subjective testimony in order to determine sentimental value. 

Personal Injury Law in California

A personal injury occurs when an individual has suffered physical or psychological damage that is not a result of his or her own actions. Although the most common type of legal personal injury claim involves traffic accidents, injuries resulting from tripping accidents, assault, wrongful death, medical malpractice, product defects and accidents while on vacation or holiday also may be legally pursued. If individuals can prove that they sustained personal injuries as a result of the negligence of another party, then they may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Personal Injury Law in Florida

A personal injury occurs when an individual has suffered physical or psychological damage that is not a result of his or her own actions. Although the most common type of legal personal injury claims involves traffic accidents, other accidents such as personal injuries resulting from tripping accidents, assault accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, product defect accidents, and holiday accidents may also be legally pursued. If individuals can prove that their sustained personal injury was a result of the negligence of another party, then they may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Property Damage in Arizona

Property damage can be considered to be any type of damage or destruction of public or private property caused by either an individual who does not own the property or a natural phenomena like a fallen tree or a flood. Because property damage is such a broad term, examples of it can range from house damage to stolen personal items to wrecked vehicles. Even though property damage is distinct from personal injury, individuals may still receive monetary compensation for their loss by providing adequate evidence. Examples of adequate evidence include any concrete indication of replacement value, cost of repairs, loss in values and/or loss of use until repaired or replaced. 

Washington Property Damage

Property damage is any damage or destruction of public or private property caused by either an individual who does not own the property or a natural phenomena like a fallen tree or a hurricane. However, because property damage is such a broad term, examples of it can range from house and/or land damage, stolen items, vandalism or wrecked autos. Even though property damage is distinct from personal injury, individuals may require both a personal injury and a property damage lawyer if they also incurred injuries

What is Diminished Value

Diminished value is a condition that applies to a vehicle that has been damaged, whether by accident, water or otherwise.  Such a condition exists where a properly repaired vehicle has a history of repair and such history alone diminishes the vehicle’s value after the repair.

Diminished value law 101

Diminished value occurs when a vehicle is involved in an auto accident and, as a result, incurs physical damage either structural, cosmetic or both. Even if the vehicle is repaired, it is still worth less money than it was worth before the auto accident occurred. Depending on particular state laws, individuals may be required to disclose any and all accidents that their vehicle has been involved in when selling it. Thus, most buyers would favor a vehicle with a clean record over a vehicle that has been involved in a prior accident, which means that individuals end up receiving less money for their vehicle than if their vehicle were not involved in an accident in the first place.

How to choose a diminished value attorney

Diminished value attorneys help clients obtain proper compensation for the diminished value of their wrecked vehicle. Generally, if a vehicle is in an accident and any incurred damages are repaired, the vehicle is still worth less money than it was before the accident occurred. Individuals may file a diminished value claim with the help of an attorney, given that multiple factors affect the diminished value of a vehicle, including the vehicle’s condition before the accident, the vehicle’s age, mileage, prior accidents, extent of damage, and marketplace demand. Below contains some key advice on how to choose a reputable diminished value attorney.

How to choose a personal injury attorney

Choosing an attorney, in general, is a difficult task considering that most attorneys claim to have impeccable backgrounds and references. Finding a personal injury attorney becomes increasingly challenging when an individual or their loved ones has been injured, given that they want to receive the fairest compensation possible. Below contains some key tips on how to choose a reputable personal injury attorney.

Personal injury law 101

Personal injury occurs when an individual injures their body, mind or incur emotion pain. Although legally the most common type of personal injury claims involve traffic accidents, individuals may also seek out claims for personal injury accidents sustained at both work and home, tripping accidents, assault accidents, wrongful death, product defect accidents, medical malpractice and even holiday accidents. If individuals can prove that their sustained personal injury was a result of the negligence of another party, then they may be entitled to monetary compensation. Most personal injuries fall under a legal term known as a tort.

What your insurance company does not want you to know about diminished value

It is fairly well known that most insurance companies are not particularly eager to pay out diminished value claims when a vehicle is involved in an accident. Therefore, most insurance companies attempt to make the diminished value claim process difficult and they also tend to pay a lesser amount than what the amount of a vehicle’s diminished value actually is worth. Below contains some facts about diminished value that insurance companies try to hide from individuals.

10 Steps to take if you have been injured in an auto accident

Thousands upon thousands of individuals are involved in both life threatening and minor auto accidents each year.  Because auto accidents can be extremely stressful and anxiety-provoking, many forget to take proper actions directly after being involved in an auto accident. Below contains ten recommended steps to take immediately following any auto accident.

Controlling the repair process profits insurance companies

It is an individual’s right to select a shop for repair following an accident.  One should not be pressured into allowing an insurance company to dictate where a vehicle is repaired.  Direct repair program contracted shops are to be avoided.  One should not trust an insurance adjuster when recommending a shop.  Do not let the insurance company profit at the risk of not having your vehicle repaired properly and safely.