Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

Phoenix accident attorneys know how jarring a car collision can be and understand the confusion that arises in its aftermath as you decide what to do next. A new app for the iPad and iPhone released by AAA attempts to alleviate this confusion by guiding the user through a post-crash process that includes properly documenting the crash itself and requesting roadside assistance if necessary, ABC news is reporting. According to the AAA press release, the app provides is one-touch calling to police and emergency services if they are needed. It then guides you through a step by step process of gathering the relevant crash information you need to submit an insurance claim and document the incident for any potential litigation that may arise. This process includes taking photos of the crash site and any damages, documenting the parties, vehicles, and witness involved in the crash, and storing the information in an easily accessible file on your phone. The app can also hold all the details of your insurance policy and the contact information of your insurance provider. This allows you to collect all the crash data and send it to your insurance company directly from your phone. Our experience as Arizona auto accident lawyers has taught us that while the moments after a car crash can be chaotic, it could be helpful to document the incident if at all possible. A well-documented car accident could make it easier for attorneys to later help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries and alleviate some of the stress of the post-crash process. The new app is available to download for free on either your mobile phone or desktop through the iTunes store. For more information on the app you can visit www.aaa.com/mobile. This is the fourth free iPhone app offered […]

The Memorial Day holiday marked the beginning of accident season for children, according to CBS news. They report that, according to the medical director at Maricopa Medical Center, there is a 10 to 15% increase in child injury cases over the summer. The director said that the hospital sometimes sees severe head injuries where children end up having operations with a neurosurgeons. Unfortunately, he said they also see child fatalities. ATV accidents are one of the types of injury cases they handle. Hospital physicians treated 14 kids ages 14 and under for injuries sustained in ATV crashes in 2010 alone. The article went on to interview an ATV accident victim. The child had borrowed a neighbor’s ATV without permission. She went for a ride without a helmet, lost control and flipped over. She sustained two fractures in her jaw and also had more than 30 stitches to repair a laceration on the side of her head. Nine months later she still has scars, and she regrets not wearing a helmet. The Arizona Department of Public Safety reminds us that one way to reduce injuries to children would be to buckle up your kids in the car. Statistically, every hour someone loses their life in the United States because they didn’t wear a seat belt. DPS states that Parents who don’t use a seat belt are sending the wrong message to children. Research shows that when a motorist fails to buckle up, children riding in that vehicle will also be unbelted 70% of the time. If your child has been hurt in an Arizona accident, contact an injury attorney at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 602-819-5191 to speak to a lawyer now.

GMAC Insurance recently released the results of a nationwide survey which seemed to illustrate the need for drivers to brush up on the rules of the road, according to Yahoo news. The study shows that over twenty percent of U.S. motorists would not pass a drivers test if they had to take one now. This percentage is actually better when compared to 2010, when 76.2% of drivers would fail a test, as compared to 77.9% in 2011. In 2010, 30 million drivers in the United States were unfit to be on the road. These survey results arguably show that many American drivers have unsafe habits, which could lead to a greater number of Arizona car crashes. Here are some of the survey results: 75% of the drivers surveyed were unaware of safe following distances. 85% of those surveyed were unaware of the appropriate actions to make when coming to a yellow light. Motorists in the Northeast had the lowest scores on the test, while those in the Midwest scored highest. Older drivers surveyed did the best. The oldest group tested was ages 60-65, and they tested at 80.3% Washington D.C. scored lowest of all major cities. Wyoming receive the best results of all states, where drivers surveyed had a 95% pass rate. The GMAC insurance survey is done annually. Over 5000 motorists from 50 states and the District of Columbia took the 20 question test. As a Phoenix auto accident attorney, I can tell you that rules of the road violations often lead to innocent people being injured. Car crashes often occur due to motorists either not knowing the rules of the road or failing to obey rules of the road. In my experience, some of the most common rule violations that lead to accidents are as follows: 1. Following […]

A rules of the road violation has resulted in an Arizona motorcycle vs. car crash that caused the death of a motorcyclist and injuries to another, according to azcentral.com. The collision occurred on the west side of Phoenix on May 27th around 11 PM in the area of 79th Ave. and Thomas road. A 35-year-old female motorist driving a Chevy Impala was making a left turn out of the Desert Sky Mall and failed to yield to a motorcyclist headed eastbound on Thomas Road who had the right-of-way. A second motorcycle rider, a 45-year-old male, who was also moving eastbound had to swerve to the left to avoid the accident. When he made this maneuver his motorcycle collided with a median. The biker died in the crash. The name of the victim has not been released, according to ABC news. The Impala driver was not injured. Phoenix police officers responded to the scene of the accident and determined that drugs or alcohol did not play a role in the deadly crash. In my experience as a Phoenix accident lawyer, too often motorists pay attention to other cars but fail to keep a proper sufficient lookout for motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Unfortunately, these types of accidents are very dangerous and even low-speed collisions can result in critical injuries.

A freight train vs. SUV crash that occurred 85 miles southwest of Phoenix has claimed the lives of two border patrol agents as they were trying to capture a group of suspected illegal immigrants, according to Fox News. The collision occurred on May 12 in a rural area near Interstate 8 and the town of Gila Bend. The agents were reportedly positioning themselves North of some other agents when their SUV entered a railroad crossing and was struck by a Union Pacific train. The train was moving westbound out of Phoenix at 62 mph when the accident occurred. The SUV was pushed approximately 1/2 mile down the tracks. The railroad crossing where the accident occurred is reportedly marked, but it does not have railroad crossing arms. There has also been six previous accidents (including one fatality) at that railroad crossing going back to 1984. The crossing is privately owned. Click here to read the story as reported by USA Today and the Los Angeles Times.

An Arizona car crash that occurred Tuesday in the northern part of Phoenix has caused injuries to seven people, ABC news is reporting. The collision involved three vehicles and occurred around 10 AM near Cave Creek Road and Sweetwater Avenue. A representative of the Phoenix Fire Department stated it appeared that two vehicles collided, and then a third car struck the first two vehicles. Video taken from an ABC news helicopter showed a white vehicle on the roadway with heavy damage to its front and back end. Rescue personnel could be seen prying open a door on the vehicle. There were five people in one of the cars, and one person in each of the two other vehicles. The injuries sustained were reportedly non-life-threatening. AZCentral.com is reporting that five people had to be pulled from the car and taken by ambulance to an area hospital. They further state that the crash was caused when a car rear-ended an SUV, and then a pickup truck rear-ended the car, pinning the car between the two vehicles. While it is not been reported if an Arizona injury lawyer is involved, typically in a case like this the injured parties in the rear-ended vehicle will have a good negligence claim against the driver of the car that hit them, and his or her insurance carrier. Further, passengers in any vehicle involved should have a good claim as well. Click here to read the story at CBS news.

A person sustained significant injuries in an Arizona auto accident last Saturday night on Interstate 17, ABC news is reporting. The collision involved multiple vehicles and led to the interstate’s southbound lanes being shut down for a period of time. The incident occurred around 8 PM between Glendale Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix. All lanes off traffic except for the HOV lane were blocked and vehicles were re-routed off the interstate a short time later. The person seriously hurt was ejected from one of the vehicles involved. The injured motorist was taken to an area hospital by ambulance for medical attention. It is not known if any others were injured in the crash. DPS is handling the investigation, and the cause of the accident has not been reported.

A deadly Arizona bike accident has resulted in the death of a Colorado resident, according to KJ CT8.com. The bike rider was fatally struck in a hit-and-run crash in Avondale, AZ on May 16. The exact facts as to how the accident occurred were not reported. After the collision, an accident witness followed the motorist and notified police of their location. Avondale police tried to pull the driver over a short time later, but he then crossed over the center line and drove up onto a sidewalk. Officers finally stopped the 37-year-old driver by blocking him in with their squad cars. He still refused to cooperate until police released a K-9 on him, and only then did he cooperate. The defendant was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and aggravated assault of a police officer. It was not reported if the motorist was impaired. The article did not state whether a civil lawsuit has been filed or if a Phoenix bicycle accident attorney is involved in the case.

A rollover SUV accident in Tucson has claimed the lives of two Phoenix residents, according to KVOA.com. The single car crash occurred on Sunday, May 15 on Interstate 19 around 10 miles south of the city. Arizona Department of Public Safety officials are stating that just after 1 PM the driver of a Ford Explorer lost control, drove onto a median and rolled over. Two passengers, a 53-year-old man a 62-year-old woman died in the accident. The 25-year-old driver and a 51-year-old passenger were also injured, but it was not reported if they were hospitalized. All of the occupants in the vehicle were from Phoenix. DPS officials also stated that everyone was wearing their seatbelts and that the investigation is ongoing. It has not been reported if an Arizona personal injury lawyer is involved in the case.

An Arizona pedestrian collision involving a mother and child is been caught on videotape and posted on the ABC news website (click on the ABC link to view accident). Luckily, no one was seriously injured. The tape shows a mother pushing a child in a stroller within a marked crosswalk. As traffic starts to move the pedestrians are still crossing, and a large SUV hits and drags the mother and child. Somehow they only suffered a few scrapes, and when you watch the video it’s hard to believe they were not seriously injured. Initially investigating Phoenix police officers ticketed the SUV driver for failure to yield, but later reportedly withdrew the citation after reviewing the video,stating that the driver’s vision was blocked by a recreational vehicle in the left turn lane. When and where the Phoenix SUV vs. pedestrian accident occurred was not reported.