Rhode Island drivers may be interested in one innovation in highway construction that can lead to a reduction in highway fatalities. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration is recommending that states develop new standards for using this technology in all of their new highway paving projects.
Sternum fractures in car accidents
People in Rhode Island are involved in major automobile accidents every year. A victim who suffers a blunt force trauma to his or her chest in such a crash runs the risk of a sternum fracture.
Defenses to driver liability after a Rhode Island car crash
After a car accident, it may be logical to assume that one driver was at fault for the crash. However, there are some cases where more than one driver might have contributed to the accident. A lawyer can use contributory or comparative negligence defenses in court to help their client reduce the amount of damages potentially owed.
Compensation for Diminished Value of Your Vehicle
So many past clients have struggled with the issue of proper compensation for their motor vehicles after an accident. A young client came in last year after an accident. She was injured and her recently purchased Volvo had sustained disabling damage. I advocated on her behalf at no cost to have the liability company repair her vehicle at the body shop of her choice. However, there was no legal recourse for her to obtain compensation for the diminished value of her vehicle due to the accident. While she loved her vehicle, when she decided to sell it the Volvo would inevitably have lost value due to the fact it was involved in an accident through no fault of her own. Now as a result of Sikorskj v. Amica Mutual Insurance Company, an intelligent personal injury lawyer such as myself, has further recourse for clients' in this situation. This case decided that a Rhode Island plaintiff is entitled to arbitration of a claim that the accident resulted in the value of the vehicle being diminished.
Understanding the impact of impaired driving on US roads
Newport drivers may be interested in some statistics regarding driving safety concerns due to impaired drivers. These issues, according to the government, lead to one person being killed on the roads every 51 minutes.
Shoulder injuries in car accidents
Most people will be involved in a motor vehicle accident at some point in their lives. Car accidents cause physical and emotional injury. They disrupt work, personal lives and can result in lost wages. Types of physical injuries suffered can range from muscle sprain and tearing, typically called soft tissue injuries, to more serious injuries such as dislocations, fractures and even death. Drivers and passengers can and do suffer shoulder injuries upon impact.
Common errors that cause crashes involving large trucks
Car crashes are one of the major causes of death in Rhode Island and throughout the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Many of these car accidents involved large trucks. For instance, in 2012, 104,000 people were injured, and 3,921 were killed in motor-vehicle accidents involving large trucks. Because of the large size of a tractor-trailer or other large trucks, the truck drivers often suffer fewer injuries and deaths than the occupants of passenger vehicles when accidents occur.
Driving while impaired
Every day, the roads of Rhode Island are made less safe by impaired drivers. Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs has been repeatedly proven to significantly endanger the safety of other motorists. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 30 people die every day on U.S. roads as the result of impaired driving. The costs associated with these vehicle accidents are a staggering $59 billion each year.
Mild brain injuries caused by car accidents
If a Rhode Island driver becomes involved in a car accident, there is a chance that the person could suffer a mild brain injury. However, the term "mild" only refers to the initial physical injury that the brain suffers; the wide range of symptoms and challenges that someone who suffered a mild brain injury can range from temporary dizziness to permanent changes in mood and behavior.
Legal remedies for car accident victims in Rhode Island
Thousands of Rhode Island residents are killed or suffer serious injuries each year in road traffic accidents. While some of these accidents may be unavoidable, many others are caused by distracted, impaired or reckless drivers. If you have been injured in a traffic accident caused by the negligent actions of another, you may have civil remedies available to you.
