Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

There are many issues that come into play when discussing truck traffic in the Arizona area, and chief among those issues are the safety concerns presented to other vehicles near a truck. When a standard passenger car and a semi-truck hauling a trailer are compared, the differences in size, weight, and force between the vehicles are stunning and enough to make any driver realize that there could be problems if the two vehicles collided. Yet truck accidents happen every day and many of them involve smaller vehicles, making the threat of a crash a reality to thousands of people every year. The reasons behind a truck accident can be similar to those that cause collisions among cars but the results of a truck crash are usually more extreme, more likely to cause injuries, and more likely to cause death to those involved, making truck accidents a priority when it comes to understanding traffic issues and safety in Phoenix.

Rideshare programs are cropping up in nearly every major city in the country, and even many minor cities are seeing an influx in these transit options. Most work on a similar concept – an individual who wishes to get from Point A to Point B by vehicle can contact a rideshare entity, request a ride, and be met with a vehicle to transport them within a short period of time. Most companies that provide rideshares are appealing to today’s tech-savvy commuter by creating responsive apps, text-capable requests, and email options to obtain a ride anywhere that they service. Rideshares have become a popular alternative to taxis because they often face less stringent legal requirements to operate than taxi cabs, a fact that may let rideshares charge cheaper fares to their customers than taxis. But potential clients should understand that the reduced regulation of these vehicles may mean that their safety is at risk if they end up the victims of a car accident.

Everyone who drives a car, truck, or van uses the same roads in the country and therefore everyone must follow all laws that govern driving. Failing to do so may place others at an unreasonably high risk for being involved in a car accident, an event that often causes harm in the form of personal injuries, damage to property, or even death among those who are involved. Traffic rules vary among the states but there are many constants among them. One such universal law tends to be the requirement that those who are involved in collisions remain at the scene of the crash until cleared by local authorities. Failing to stay at the scene is often called a hit-and-run and in most jurisdictions, it is a crime.

Teenage drivers have long been linked with an increased risk of being involved in a car accident, and when a collision does take place, it is likely that those teens will be injured. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 292,000 teenagers between ages 16 and 19 were treated in emergency rooms for injuries stemming from collisions in 2011 alone. Further, approximately 2,650 teens in that age group lost their lives due to traffic accidents. If you are the parent of a teenager, you may be aware of these facts already. If your teen is getting ready to drive, you may have even taken steps to ensure they receive a proper driver’s education, obtain the necessary behind-the-wheel experience, and you may have even set ground rules for your teens regarding their conduct in a vehicle. But if you are not a parent or do not have teenagers in your home, are teen car accidents something that you should worry about?

Most accident victims have plenty of questions following a car crash, and many have no idea where to turn to find answers. Some will contact a personal injury attorney in the Phoenix area and of those who do, many will have the same concerns and the same worries. Who is responsible for their damages? How will they pay their bills while they are unable to work? Will they be able to receive all the medical treatment they need? Among the most common questions that we receive is from victims who want to know how they can maximize the value of their cases. When serious injuries are involved, this can be a significant issue as insurance companies often are unwilling to pay on full value. Victims should know that insurance companies are in the business of making money, which means they must take in more money than they pay out in claims. For this reason, an insurance company will attempt to settle a claim for as little as possible, and in that attempt, often will offer much less than a claim is worth.

Safety continues to improve across the country every year as technological advances ease the hazards previously posed to the public. One area where things keep getting better is in the transportation arena. When compared to data from 30-40 years ago, traffic accidents and traffic-related fatalities have declined substantially even as the overall population in the nation has increased significantly. There are complicated answers as to why this has happened but experts tend to agree that it is a combination of advanced safety features in cars, cars that are designed to protect passengers on impact instead of keeping their form, and educational campaigns related to safety issues. But as traffic accidents continue to head in a positive direction, an area for continued concern remains the number of bicycle collisions that take place. Most of these, and the most concerning segment of these, involve an impact between a vehicle and a bicycle and take place on or near a public roadway.

At some point in their lives, the majority of Americans will seek medical treatment in a hospital or an emergency room. Whether it is for unexpected treatment following an accident, a scheduled surgery, or the birth of a child, a hospital can change someone’s life forever. In an ideal situation, those who seek help would be met with superior care and will leave the hospital in a healthy state. But at other times, problems arise either during a hospital stay or after a patient leaves that can turn threatening or even tragic in a moment. if you are a hospital patient, be aware that the most common reason for readmission after a hospital discharge continues to be infections at surgical sites. In fact, a 2012 study revealed that 26 percent of all readmission were related to infections, by far the largest complication that was measured in that study.

Bicycle use across the nation continues to increase each year, but despite this increase in ridership, the use of bicycle helmets remains low. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than half of all cyclists wear helmets when they ride, a statistic that holds true among both adults and children. Bicycle accidents take place every day in this nation and leave hundreds injured as a result. In fact, in 2010, approximately 800 cyclists lost their lives in accidents and another 515,000 people were injured so significantly that they required treatment in a hospital or other emergency setting. Of those who were hurt, approximately half were under the age of 20 and the other half were ages 21 and over, reflecting the fact that people of all ages ride bicycles and can be injured in bicycle collisions.

Car accidents can have a wide range of results from mere inconveniences to the people involved to tragic, devastating injuries that may last a lifetime. It can become confusing when victims of car accidents are unsure whether they are hurt or whether they are just stunned from a crash as adrenaline and anxiety can mask the physical symptoms of injuries with ease, at least for a short time. For victims involved in car collisions, the injuries they sustain may not be clear from the outset of the crash and it may leave them wondering whether they are in need of help. Some injuries are widely understood by victims and can be recognized as a medical issue by those without medical training. A good example of this type of injury is a fractured or broken bone which commonly occurs in a car accident. Often, a broken bone can be detected visually if it is either a displaced or open fracture, meaning that the bone no longer is in alignment or that it has broken through the skin. But other types of injuries cannot be detected by an average person without the assistance of medical testing, and one of the most prevalent of those injuries following a collision is a closed head injury.

How do you choose to get around the Valley? Do you hop in your car when you want to go to work or run errands? Maybe you utilize one of the many buses or even the light rail in Phoenix. Perhaps you prefer to walk or ride your bicycle – as long as the weather permits. Some people who live in the Phoenix area like to travel by taxi cab and others find it convenient to use the services of a taxi on at least an occasional basis. Fortunately for those individuals, taxis are plentiful in the Valley of the Sun with numerous companies and associations servicing the area. And with the continual advancement of technology, now cabs can be hailed on a street corner, by calling the number of a cab company, through a text message, or even through an app in some instances, meaning that a taxi cab is only moments away.