The post The impact of rear-end collisions appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>Rear-end collisions may happen for several reasons, and distracted driving ranks high on the list. A driver texting while approaching an intersection might crash into another vehicle. Intoxicated drivers could suffer from similar attention lapses and cause car accidents.
The weather might factor into a crash if icy or slick Pennsylvania roads make braking difficult. With that said, the weather might not be the primary cause for a driver being unable to stop. If the driver was speeding, then negligence likely played a part in the crash.
Damage to a vehicle might not reflect the only loss. What if a rear-ended car knocks over someone’s mailbox? The property owner may then have a negligence claim against the at-fault driver. Accident victims might suffer physical harm in addition to property loss.
Even a slight bump from a rear-end collision could leave a victim with whiplash and resulting medical bills. Rear-end collisions might cause far worse injuries, including damage to the spine or brain. Internal injuries are possible, and the severity remains unknown until a doctor performs a thorough examination.
Lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of affection and other negative outcomes may derive from a rear-end collision. Victims might find it necessary to pursue litigation or an insurance settlement to recover losses.
An attorney may review the evidence related to a rear-end collision and then provide accident victims with counsel about reasonable compensation. The attorney may handle settlement negotiations for a client as well.
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]]>The post Are there unique safety steps for e-bike owners? appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>Since an e-bike might hit speeds far greater than a typical bicycle, wearing a helmet is crucial, as is wearing padding that may offer additional protection when falling off the bike. Bicyclists may need to do more than worry about their safety, though. Keeping an eye out for pedestrians, vehicles, and other bicyclists may cut down on mishaps.
Braking distance might be different on an e-bike than what is the case with a typical 10-speed. The motor allows an e-bike to travel at impressively high rates of speed, which leaves the bike with less time to come to a stop. Maintaining a safer braking distance may avoid collisions, although it is incumbent that everyone follows safe practices. A vehicle or e-bike that weaves in and out of lanes undermines safety, even with decent braking distance. Injuries caused by negligent operation of a car or bike may result in a personal injury lawsuit.
Safety comes in many forms, and keeping a proper battery charge might help the self-preservation cause. When the bike’s battery runs out of power, the bicyclist must rely on pedaling exclusively. Someone traveling up steep hills may find the lack of power assistance troubling. Anyone unable to operate an e-bike without the motor’s support may end up stranded.
Bicycling at night brings other worries. Hopefully, the e-bike has the necessary lights to remain visible. A lack of lights and reflectors could raise accident risks tremendously.
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]]>The post Safety for pedestrians and cyclists on college campuses appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>While many people might think that most pedestrian accidents involving college students on or near campus involve jaywalking, researchers at the University of Arkansas found that only 25% of the students struck by cars on its campus were located outside of crosswalks. Johns Hopkins University also found that some of the pedestrian accidents on its campus were caused by poor synchronization of the walk signals and traffic lights.
To protect students from suffering personal injuries in pedestrian accidents, universities should consider doing the following things:
College students should also exercise caution when they bike or walk around and near campus. They should always cross the streets at marked crosswalks and watch for oncoming vehicles before they enter them. They should also avoid crossing streets in the midblock and make eye contact with motorists before they begin crossing the street. At night, cyclists and pedestrians should wear bright clothing to enhance their visibility to drivers. Cyclists should have headlights and taillights mounted on their bicycles and include reflectors on the sides and backs.
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]]>The post Debunking common motorcycle safety myths appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>There are a lot of safety myths that involve motorcycle helmets. One of the most common myths is that a helmet will obstruct your vision and your hearing, so you won’t be able to perceive danger as well as if you weren’t wearing one.
This myth is false because helmets actually do the opposite, they can improve your hearing and your vision. By having a visor, your eyes will get protected from debris and wind, so you will be easier for you to see in front of you. Motorcycle helmets also reduce the amount of noise caused by the wind, so your hearing will be more precise.
Another myth that involves helmets is that your helmet will only make accidents worse. This myth believes that the increased weight on your head caused by the helmet will result in a higher likelihood of receiving neck injury in a motor vehicle accident. This also isn’t true, because statistics show that wearing a helmet actually reduces the likelihood of receiving a neck injury.
Another common myth is that if you get a motorcycle with extremely loud pipes, it will increase your levels of safety because the loud noises will alert other people on the road of your location. Due to the fact that a motorcycle’s exhaust pipes are at the back of the bike, cars in front of you likely won’t hear you, so it won’t increase your safety. Instead of getting really loud exhaust pipes, wearing bright colors is a better way to increase your safety on the road because they make it easier to spot you.
Motorcycles are less safe than cars, so you need to take extra precautions to ensure your safety. It’s important that you research claims made about motorcycle safety, so you don’t believe something that may end up hurting you instead of helping you.
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]]>The post Settlement reached in 2017 Penn State hazing death appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>On Feb. 2, 2017, people participated in a pledge bid acceptance party at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house. The pledges who accepted their invitations to join the fraternity were forced to participate in an array of different drinking games. This activity violated a variety of university rules, including those against hazing.
As a result of severe intoxication, the decedent fell down a flight of steps and sustained what would prove to be fatal injuries. According to the lawsuits, the members of the fraternity failed to obtain appropriate medical care and treatment for the seriously injured young man for 11 hours. He died two days later in a local hospital.
The parents of the deceased fraternity pledge make a number of claims in the wrongful death pleadings:
In the aftermath of the deadly fraternity hazing event, the Beta Theta Pi chapter at Penn State was closed by the national organization. The university itself also revoked recognition of the organization following its own lengthy internal investigation.
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]]>The post Drowsy driving statistics and warning signs appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>In 2017 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 91,000 car accidents caused by drowsy driving. Out of these 91,000 accidents, there were 50,000 injuries and 795 deaths reported. There’s no denying the fact that drowsy driving is indeed dangerous to everybody on the roadway.
One study took a look at the level of impairment that drowsy driving can have on the body. To help put this into perspective, researchers compared drowsy driving to drunk driving. It was discovered that drowsy drivers lacking 18 straight hours of sleep have similar impairment levels to people with a blood-alcohol content of 0.50. When the driver approaches 20 hours without sleep, their impairment level goes up to 0.08. After 24 hours of being awake, a driver’s impairment level is equal to having a blood-alcohol content of 0.10.
It’s not uncommon for people to be tired from time to time. However, it’s important to pay close attention to when you hit the point of being drowsy as it can affect your ability to drive safely on the roadway. Some common symptoms that a drowsy driver will have include frequent yawning, heavy eyelids, daydreaming and poor recall of the last few miles. Drowsy drivers may engage in hitting the rumble strips, tailgating and even missing road signs and exits.
Getting behind the wheel while drowsy can be extremely dangerous. It’s crucial for a person to assess their driving abilities and pay close attention to any symptoms of drowsiness in order to avoid causing a motor vehicle accident.
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]]>The post Understanding how attractive nuisances can cost you money appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>One of the most common causes of premises liability is an attractive nuisance, which is anything on a particular property that attracts the attention of children and exposes them to potential harm. Due to the broad spectrum of this definition, many different property features may fall into this category. Some of the most common include playsets, treehouses, fountains, pools, and even trampolines. All of these property features can attract the attention of children passing by and potentially cause them harm.
Most people are aware of the fact that they’re not liable for any injuries that happen to trespassers on their property. However, children are not considered trespassers underneath the law. Due to the Attractive Nuisance Doctrine, an exception is made for children as they are not considered mentally capable of understanding the dangers involved with various property features.
When it comes to children and attractive nuisances, each state has its own definition of a child. In most states, this law will apply to children under the age of 12 years old. However, each situation is going to be a little bit different depending on what the nuisance was and the individual child that was involved.
As a property owner, it’s important to realize that you could be held liable for any injuries to children who enter your property. It’s a good idea to assess your property for any attractive nuisances and put up safety features to prevent any injuries from happening when you’re not there. If you’re not sure what property features fall into the category of an attractive nuisance, it’s advisable to speak to an attorney to discover which ones are.
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]]>The post Are virtual meets raising the risk of being in an accident? appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>As many Americans switched to virtual working environments throughout 2020, some workers experienced their first online meetings. What may have seemed an odd experience to start out with became second nature for most people. However, this added screen time is making it difficult for workers to walk away from the computer and focus while behind the wheel.
In a survey of 1,819 adults, 54% reported a decrease in their ability to concentrate on the roadway after attending virtual conferences. This lack of concentration falls into the distracted driving category, which is responsible for 10% of all car accidents throughout the country each year.
Switching from in-person meetings to virtual meetups has provided the opportunity for many workers to multi-task. Whether it’s feeding the baby or folding a load of laundry while listening to a meeting, workers are multi-tasking more than they’re used to. This has led to a stark increase in multi-tasking while behind the wheel as well.
Many drivers are simply putting their driving responsibility on autopilot while they focus on other tasks, like thinking about their finances or making phone calls. While autopilot driving can work for a little while, the reduction in attention on the roadway can make it harder for drivers to react to unexpected obstacles.
As more employees participate in remote working, it’s inadvertently changing the way that they drive. More drivers are attempting to multi-task behind the wheel, and many are finding it hard just to concentrate on the task of driving. Awareness of these struggles needs to be spread to the general population to help reduce the effects that virtual conferences are having on drivers.
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]]>The post Distracted driver awareness appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>The American Automobile Association identifies April as the month for its Distracted Drivers Awareness campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to call attention to the fact that texting and driving can be as dangerous as drinking and driving.
A study conducted by AAA showed that even hands-free phone use while driving increases the risk of accidents. This risk comes from the “hangover effect” the mind can experience for as long as 27 seconds after ending a call.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving began raising awareness for drunk driving dangers in 1980. MADD efforts are a large part of the reason drinking and driving are socially unacceptable. The group’s efforts have also contributed to a decrease in accidents and fatalities caused by drunk drivers. Individuals and organizations concerned with road safety hope that raising awareness for distracted driving will bear the same fruits as MADD’s efforts.
Distracted driving decreases the reaction time a driver has to respond to things that happen on the road in front of them. A driver paying attention to a text message for five seconds at 55 MPH will travel the length of a football field without seeing the road. This “blind driving” causes as many as 25% of motor vehicle accidents causing injures and death in America.
Information provided by a national survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highlights the need for increased awareness of this problem. Twenty percent of drivers 18 to 20 years old said texting and driving did not cause additional car accident risks. This number increased to 30% for drivers aged 21 to 34.
There is no way to ignore the fact that some risk of an accident exists each time a person gets into a car. Individuals harmed by a motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent driver may benefit from talking to an attorney.
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]]>The post What happens if you hit an animal with your vehicle? appeared first on arjalaw.
]]>Car accidents can happen with wild animals and house pets. As a driver, you don’t have any legal obligation to report hitting a wild animal. However, if you hit someone’s pet like a dog, then it’s important that you take steps to report the incident.
You’ll want to start by checking the health of the animal and, if necessary, move it off of the road if it can’t do so on its own. You should contact the police or an animal hospital in the event that the animal is severely injured. It’s always advisable to check the animal’s collar to determine who the owner is and the veterinarian. You should be contacting these individuals to let them know of the incident.
When you hit a pet with your vehicle, there are various costs that are incurred. The most common are the physical damage to your car and the veterinarian’s bill for the injured animal. Depending on who is deemed at fault for the accident and the limits of your insurance company, these fees may or may not be covered by your insurance.
Typically, it’s the dog owner’s responsibility to pay for any veterinary care for the animal. This is because it’s the dog owner’s responsibility to keep the animal from running into traffic. When it comes to the repairs for your vehicle, comprehensive car insurance will likely cover it. If you do not have comprehensive coverage, the dog owner’s homeowners insurance policy may pick up the claim.
While you never want to think about hitting someone’s pet, it does happen sometimes. By being prepared ahead of time, you can better work through the claims process. If you have any questions about dealing with insurance companies, it’s always advisable to contact an attorney.
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