Car Accident Lawyers in Florida Are Very Knowledgeable
December 21, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
Injuries incurred in a car accident are considered to be personal injuries. A personal injury lawyer should be contacted to assess the proper type of lawsuit, when seeking compensation.
Here is the way it works in the US when someone is hurt in a vehicle crash - the injured driver is able to file a personal injury lawsuit against several people, depending on the nature of the accident. For instance, if the accident was caused by a mechanical fault of the vehicle, the person may choose to sue the vehicle’s manufacturer.
If the crash is the result of another person’s negligence, then a lawsuit may be filed against that person or persons. If both parties are negligent in causing the accident, the courts will also apportion liability accordingly for any damage awards.
To ensure the proper case is launched, it should be taken to a highly qualified personal injury attorney such as Tony Francis of the Francis Law Firm in Orlando, Florida. Francis is known for his ability to get justice for his clients.
Francis is able to grasp the intricacies of the litigation process quickly and competently, and handle all the myriad of details required to launch a case like this. “We obtain eyewitness statements, check filed police reports, and discuss with the client things they should not do – for instance, not to take the first insurance settlement offered,” outlined Francis.
In most instances, both drivers in a car accident have insurance and the guilty parties insurance should cover the claims made. If they do not, it is strongly advised to consult with a personal injury accident attorney like Tony Francis. Francis is able to negotiate those tough cases to make sure his clients get what they deserve for their pain and suffering.
Francis is noted for planning his cases with his clients’ injuries in mind and will explore various alternatives and discuss them thoroughly with his clients prior to launching a lawsuit. He will not take a case that he doesn’t think will be successful.
To learn more, visit http://www.francislawgroup.com.
Adviatech Corp., PR for FrancisLawGroup.com
9280 Bay Plaza Blvd Suite 706
Tampa, FL 33619
1.813.600.3017
Spinal Cord Injuries Are Personal Injuries
December 21, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
Another form of personal injury is a spinal cord injury that is often the result of vehicle crashes, but may be the result of a diving accident or a slip and fall. When the injured party is seriously hurt due to the carelessness of another or due to a faulty product, a lawsuit may be initiated to recover damages from the person or responsible product manufacturer.
The bottom line in cases such as this, is the responsible person is bound by law to pay the injured person compensation, so long as they are found legally responsible for the accident by a court of law.
Spinal cord injury cases often have an element in them that may allow a personal injury attorney to seek punitive damages. Tony Francis of the Francis Law Firm in Orlando, Florida, has taken many cases like this to court and been successful in winning compensation for his clients.
Punitive damages have the direct intent of penalizing offenders and making an example of them for others to learn that their negligence or carelessness is not acceptable. In other words, they are being made an example of what not to do for others. “We’ve dealt with a lot of spinal cord injuries during our time in Orlando, and we understand the pain and suffering our clients are facing for the long-term,” said Francis.
Personal injuries are not just spinal cord injuries, but may also encompass cruise injuries, nursing home abuse, slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, construction site accidents, and food contamination. Anything that directly harms a person physically, mentally and emotionally is considered to be a personal injury – meaning an injury directly to the person as whole.
In instances where a person is faced with long-term suffering as the result of injuries sustained in an accident, consult with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney such as Tony Francis of the Francis Law Firm in Orlando, Florida. When time is of the essence, Francis gets the job done with precision.
To learn more, visit http://www.francislawgroup.com.
Adviatech Corp., PR for FrancisLawGroup.com
9280 Bay Plaza Blvd Suite 706
Tampa, FL 33619
1.813.600.3017
It Isn’t Just a Slip and Fall
December 21, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
Slipping and falling isn’t just that – a slip and fall – it is also classified as a personal injury, particularly if you have sustained some type of cut, bruise, fracture, concussion or sprain, or strain injury.
The range of personal injuries that can happen to you when you slip and fall is fairly broad and will vary from a serious concussion (that may cause traumatic brain injury) to a seriously bruised backside (and pride). However, no matter what type of personal injury you sustain, it isn’t a laughing matter.
Personal injuries, in fact, are injuries in which you may be able to sue another person for their negligence in causing the accident that injured you. Keep in mind it’s not just the injuries that you may sue for, but also the suffering and mental stress. Look at it this way - serious bruises, fractured ribs, head injuries, spinal cord injuries or bone fractures may take years to heal. This isn’t something that will heal overnight.
Slip and fall injuries may also mean a person (if seriously hurt) may be unable to report to work, may lose wages, have medical bills piling up, and isn’t able to support their family. This amounts to a significant loss in the usual way of life for the injured person and they are entitled to some compensation for these losses if the slip and fall was the result of another’s negligence.
Add it up - mental stress, severe injuries, depression, no money, no ability to interact with the family or other loved ones, and the possibility of a long-term recovery. This is not encouraging news for the victim who slipped and fell. It’s no wonder that many victims seek to file a slip and fall personal injury lawsuit.
A personal injury lawsuit has the ability to recover damages for an injured party so long as this is done with the help of a fully qualified and highly experienced personal injury attorney. They know how to claim for medical expenses, physical injuries, and a compromised lifestyle. They know how to lay a case out for the courts to award damages based on the circumstances of your particular case.
The process is not really all that simple, as the legal guidelines are complex and if one rule is missed, the whole deck of cards could come tumbling down. This is why a good attorney will go over your case with you time and time again, to ensure they have all the necessary details to meet the legal requirements to launch a personal injury lawsuit.
When in doubt that your slip and fall case with personal injuries has merit, consult with a competent attorney who will assess your case for free. Once they have an idea of what is involved, they are able to tell you if you have a solid case or not.
Tony Francis is an Orlando personal injury lawyer. His practice specializes in being an Orlando accident lawyer helping innocent victims get compensation for their losses. To learn more, visit Francislawgroup.com.
Orlando injury lawyer, orlando personal injury lawyer, orlando accident lawyer, orlando injury attorney
School Bus Safety – The Endless Debate
December 21, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
Everyday when you put your kids on the school bus, you worry about their safety; and that worry never stops, even as they are older. You worry about peer group pressure, if they’ll like their teachers, and if the bus on which they are riding will be involved in an accident.
Statistics show what many see as an alarming trend — school bus accidents seem to be on the rise. For instance, one set of statistics (taken from Pediatrics magazine) actually cites figures that show in the last three years or so, more than 50,000 children have been injured in non-fatal crashes. That would certainly scare any parent.
It’s even more frightening if you consider there are over 23 million children (both youngsters and older teens) whose only mode of transport to school is the big yellow bus. Sure some parents drive their kids to school, but the majority of families these days rely on school bus transportation.
This is interesting, and also the core of a major safety debate all across the United States. Florida, New Jersey and New York are the only states that have seat belts for the children on school buses. The controversy, of course, is whether or not the addition of seat belts make riding a school bus (and therefore the children) safer. Some say it could cause more harm than good.
What IS clear in this debate is that the Department of Transportation needs to re-examine school bus safety standards. Re-fitting a school bus with seat belts costs approximately $4,000, a small amount if it means saving lives. However, the argument is that if you have 30 buses to outfit, then the school district’s budget will take a hit.
When you stop to think about that argument, you come to the conclusion that money seems to be more important than the lives of our future generation. This is not acceptable. What person in their right mind would think twice about making a vehicle safer for their little ones?
Sure, most kids don’t like seat belts or want to wear them, but in this day and age it is more common that children hear “Put your seat belt on,” beginning when they’re toddlers. This is teaching through example –- the do as I say and do as I do parenting rule. Of course, this isn’t just up to the parents to strongly encourage kids to wear seat belts. Schools have a role in taking on this type of responsibility as well.
The major question is not whether the buses have seat belts, but rather how buses themselves need to be re-designed so they are not top heavy, thus they don’t roll as easily in a crash. That’s food for thought.
Tony Francis is an Orlando personal injury lawyer. His practice specializes in being an Orlando accident lawyer helping innocent victims get compensation for their losses. To learn more, visit Francislawgroup.com.
Orlando injury lawyer, orlando personal injury lawyer, orlando accident lawyer, orlando injury attorney
Driving While Suspended in Florida Is Major Trouble
December 1, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
Driving while suspended in Florida is not a bright thing to do, not to mention the fact the driver could be charged with a felony. It is not worth getting a criminal record over.
Knowing the law when it comes to driving while suspended in the state of Florida will keep many a motorist out of hot water. It is not worth the fines or the record that may follow a driver throughout their life. Losing a vehicle to the impound lot, if stopped, isn’t a whole lot of fun either.
Driving while suspended is a moving violation and the first violation will net the offender a second-degree misdemeanor. A second offense results in a first-degree felony and if the driver gets nabbed a third time, it is written up as a third degree felony.
While it may not be obvious on the face of things, it is crucial to hire a qualified attorney such as Tony Francis of the Francis Law Firm in Orlando, to assist in handling the inevitable court case that usually arises out of situations like this.
Pleading innocence won’t work if there is a prior record of similar offenses. A suspension for failure to pay a traffic fine or for a financial responsibility violation does not count. These may be the only two exceptions according to the law, but consulting with a law firm like the Francis Law Firm will lay out other options that may be available.
Habitual offenders who continue to drive while suspended are guilty of a third degree felony. This also applies to anyone who drives while suspended and causes the death of another.
If a person is driving a commercial vehicle while suspended, the first offense is a first degree felony and any other offense after that is a third degree felony.
Getting stopped by the police may result in having the vehicle being impounded immediately. The impound will be ordered if the person driving the vehicle is driving while suspended, has been suspended since a prior conviction for a suspended license, if the person is a habitual offender (the exception may be a one-time suspension for not maintaining security) and if the driver of the vehicle is the registered owner or co-owner.
Of course getting a vehicle out of impound isn’t the least expensive thing a driver has to do when it comes to owning up for driving while suspended. The fines increase incrementally according to the number of times a driver is convicted. At this point, consulting a lawyer like Tony Francis at the Francis Law Firm in Orlando, Florida, would be the best investment of time and money to deal with offenses of this nature.
To learn more, visit http://www.francislawgroup.com.
Adviatech Corp., PR for FrancisLawGroup.com
9280 Bay Plaza Blvd Suite 706
Tampa, FL 33619
1.813.600.3017
Traumatic Brain Injury Research Just Got a Big Boost in Florida
December 1, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
Orlando Health will soon receive a $2.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health specifically for traumatic brain injury. The future holds promise for those suffering from brain injuries thanks to this substantial grant.
Orlando traumatic brain injury attorney Tony Francis of the Francis Law Firm realizes that this grant is a significant step forward in research for this area. The lead researcher is at the Orlando Regional Medical Center and hopes to start her painstaking work soon.
Statistics show that about 2 million Americans suffer some form of traumatic brain injury yearly, and approximately 90% of those individuals will suffer from mild or moderate brain injury. This is not easy to diagnose.
The hope is to create a blood test to help physicians assess biomarkers in the blood. Biomarkers enter the bloodstream during a brain injury and the research team believes they are able to develop a test that not only shows brain trauma but the seriousness of it as well. This would be a major breakthrough in treatment options for patients.
Tony Francis of the Francis Law Firm knows how badly research in this issue is needed. His office sees cases like this on a regular basis and they are complex and difficult to take to trial. It is estimated that close to 90,000 people wind up living with permanent disabilities, and many need assistance to handle the tasks of daily living.
The long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury affects the damages that may be awarded to plaintiffs. No one knows better than Francis how this type of a breakthrough would help clients fighting to live normal lives. In particular, the broader range of treatment options would be invaluable.
Over 5 million people in the U.S. are living with brain injury disabilites and nearly 50,000 succumb each year to their injuries. Those statistics are frightening and research is most welcomed in this area. It is tough to live with the consequences of a brain injury that range from divorce to substance abuse and from depression to unemployment.
In all cases of traumatic brain injury, which is usually the result of someone else’s negligence, the victim needs to seek legal counsel immediately. Do not sign away rights for anything until speaking with a fully qualified traumatic brain injury lawyer. The long-term expenses for this type of personal injury may be catastrophic and a good lawyer will assist in fighting for a just award.
To learn more, visit http://www.francislawgroup.com.
Adviatech Corp., PR for FrancisLawGroup.com
9280 Bay Plaza Blvd Suite 706
Tampa, FL 33619
1.813.600.3017
After the Car Accident
December 1, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
Life after a car accident is usually not a lot of fun. A little prevention goes a long way toward avoiding accidents in the first place. Of course, we hope that everyone would practice these safe-driving tips, but unfortunately not all people do or will.
More traffic on the roads is inevitable with our increasing population. Things aren’t as they once were decades ago when the most traffic you saw on the road was a horse and buggy and perhaps a Model T. No, the 21st century has brought with it more people, more cars, super serious power for those cars and higher levels of road rage.
Road rage leads to accidents and accidents lead to injuries or fatalities. If you are unable to avoid an accident, then make sure you know your rights. Know them before you get into a mess, not afterwards, and don’t talk to anyone after an accident until you speak to a Florida accident attorney. This is the only way to ensure proper compensation after the accident.
What about before the accident? What can be done to reduce crashes? The number one cause of most accidents is a moment of bad judgment by the driver. They break road rules and disobey traffic laws, run yellow lights, tailgate, speed when they shouldn’t and don’t yield the right of way to oncoming traffic.
Cause number two is road conditions combined with unsafe driving; and cause three won’t surprise you at all – blabbing on a cell phone. Sure there are other factors that cause traffic accidents such as DWI of alcohol or a drug, not paying attention, just plain ignorance of the traffic laws or being a new driver with zero for experience.
The cell phone issue may be on its way to being resolved. California and New York have banned cell phone usage unless the driver uses a headset. This, of course, doesn’t address the issue of concentration.
Another solution has been developed in Canada, a small sensor that is embedded in the cell phone that detects when it is moving as fast as a car. The speed/motion shuts the phone down totally and the driver is unable to use the phone while driving.
The sensor sends a signal to the cell phone provider who then holds all calls. The caller is told the person they wish to talk to is driving, and to call back later. There is an option to send an emergency message immediately.
The bottom line here is that people don’t seem to comprehend that driving is not a right, but a privilege; and that it needs to be respected. The task of trying to educate people not to be negligent is far too overwhelming to be undertaken in a manner that hits home to the vast majority of American drivers.
We will only make a difference by being sure that we obey the rules of the road, drive safely, drive with respect and drive with caution to avoid accidents. This isn’t to say you may not be involved in one anyway, as you can’t control the other driver’s habits. Changing the way we drive, one driver at a time, is the only way to tackle the enormity of this problem.
Tony Francis is an Orlando personal injury lawyer. His practice specializes in being an Orlando accident lawyer helping innocent victims get compensation for their losses. To learn more, visit Francislawgroup.com.
Orlando injury lawyer, orlando personal injury lawyer, orlando accident lawyer, orlando injury attorney
Traffic Accidents Are Personal Injuries
December 1, 2008 by christy · Leave a Comment
The most dramatic definition of a personal injury comes in the form of a traffic accident that causes major injuries. There are thousands of these personal injury lawsuits dealt with yearly in U.S. courts.
There are a variety of ways an injured driver may try to collect damages for an accident, not the least of which is filing suit against a car maker (if mechanical faults were the reason for the crash) or file suit against the party the driver thinks is responsible for the accident.
Thinking someone is responsible for an accident and proving that are two different things, and it is crucial you have an experienced auto accident attorney to handle your case. It’s one thing to be able to say you represent injured drivers, but another thing to actually lay claim to being fully qualified and certified to handle civil trial law in Florida.
This area of the law is exceedingly complex and not all of the attorneys in Florida have the vast grasp of the entire litigation process required for auto accidents. Don’t make the mistake of hiring a lawyer who is not intimately familiar with the court process to ensure justice is handed out to injured drivers.
While you may think that the only thing to be concerned about in a car crash is the personal injuries, there is also the issue of property damage claims. The other corollary issues your lawyer deals with are eyewitness accounts of the accident, police reports, accident reconstruction reports, pictures and insurance and medical details.
Insured motorists usually have the benefit of their insurance company picking up the tab for a car accident. However, there are many issues that tend to fall through the cracks. It’s generally accepted that the question of personal injury and property damages raises its head at some point during this process.
Since it’s virtually inevitable that you will land in court if you have been in an auto accident, make sure you get to court with a competent auto accident attorney. Your attorney won’t just slap together a case that might fly. S/he will spend the time considering all the possible alternatives to find the best solution for you.
Things to consider for settlement in court may be a claim for loss of income due to the accident, rehab costs, medical bills, disability claims and medical diagnosis/prognosis for the future.
While you may think hiring a lawyer to represent you in court after your auto crash is expensive, it would cost you even more if you did not have a lawyer on your side. Most auto accident attorneys operate on a contingency basis, meaning if they do not win your case, you do not pay for their services. This state of affairs tends to give you sharper and more driven legal representation.
Tony Francis is an Orlando personal injury lawyer. His practice specializes in being an Orlando accident lawyer helping innocent victims get compensation for their losses. To learn more, visit Francislawgroup.com.
Orlando injury lawyer, orlando personal injury lawyer, orlando accident lawyer, orlando injury attorney