Who’s to Blame for Accidents Caused by Poorly Maintained Roads?

 Image Source: http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/aremac/aremac0906/aremac090600024/5116083-pothole-filled-with-water-on-a-street.jpg

In the United States, tens and thousands of accidents happen on the road for a number of reasons. Some are caused by distracted drivers, others by DUI drivers, and other factors like road and weather conditions among others. Over the years, driver error has been the main reason as to why road accidents happen in the US. This however does not change the fact that the condition of the road is also one big contributor as to why such accidents happen.

The roads in California and everywhere else in the United States are mostly in good condition. Because of the state and federal governments’ agencies, main thoroughfares across the country are kept in the best possible condition. On the other hand, there are also some roads that get damaged. While some are poorly maintained, there are others that just get broken due to a lot of reasons.

Last week, the management of the Golden State (5) Freeway closed sections of the road for emergency repair jobs on the thoroughfare. This is after motorists have called the agency, asking for a quick solution to repair the potholes immediately. According to reports, around 13 drivers got some of their cars’ tires burst after they passed by the 5 South at Indiana Street in East Los Angeles area where the potholes are. Some situations turned out so bad that the vehicles of those who got their tires blown had to be towed off the freeway.

Drivers of the said vehicles have also shown fears that their vehicles’ underpinnings might have been damaged due to the potholes but were also thankful that none of them got hurt in the accident. Things like these may get you completely surprised. At times you will be able to steer your vehicle away from these nuisances. However there are times that you will not have enough time to react in time, leaving you with no choice but to run over potholes like these.

When these things cause huge repair bills for your car or hospital bills for those injured, a
personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles believes that one can sue the freeway management for failure to put up the appropriate warning signs or promptly repairing that portion of the freeway that nearly caused an accident for the 13 vehicles that got flat tires due to the pothole. If you believe that any incident close to this has been caused by one person’s or agency’s negligence, you can file a personal injury claim against them. This could help you seek damages to pay for your treatment, cover the earnings that you might have missed because of your temporary disability, among others.

Do You Have Sitting Disability? If Yes, You Can Qualify for Social Security Benefits

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201103/r738199_6012638.JPG

Sitting is considered a basic work activity. Most jobs require a person to sit down to be able to perform work. However, it could be difficult for him or her to maintain it because of a disability. In fact, any medical condition that drastically creates an impact on the person’s ability to maintain a sitting position even for a short period is called a “sitting disability.”

Incidentally, if you are a worker and you cannot do the requirements of your work because you can’t sit down for long stretches, then you may be qualified for Social Security benefits. To become eligible for benefits, your disability must prevent you from doing substantial work for at least a year.

You may either be qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). However, your impairment should also either meet or equal one of the medical conditions mentioned in the Listing of Impairments. If it does, then your claim will be automatically approved.

While sitting disabilities don’t usually meet or equal a disability listing, you may still be qualified for disability benefits if you have enough medical proof that would support your claim that your condition significantly impacts your capability to do work activities.

In this regard, you must obtain your treating physician’s opinion by having him or her prepare a residual functional capacity (RFC) classification for your disability and its relation to your work-related activities.

If your RFC is classified as sedentary, you’re still able to perform your former job, therefore denying your claim. However, you can still be qualified for benefits even if you are still capable of performing a sedentary job. One way is to show that you have other impairments as a result of your inability to sit down for longer periods of time, such as having depression or anxiety.

Looking at it, winning a sitting disability claim can be really hard on your part. However, seeking the expertise of any of the Los Angeles Social Security disability lawyers in your area would really help increase your chances of an approval.

Suffering Fractures in a Car Accident: Implications in Both Health and Law

Image Source: http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6033/6224781061_353bd111da_z.jpg

Getting your car totaled in a collision on a roadway in California is a difficult situation you don’t want to get involved into. Aside from dealing with the repair costs you need to cover for your damaged vehicle and determining the liability of the accident, you’ll also have to deal with injuries, especially if you suffered one.

In any personal injury accident such as a motor vehicle collision, injuries to the skeletal system are quite common. When the accident is either a minor fender bender or a major, more severe one, resulting bone fractures may also be either mild or serious. As it is, bone fractures resulting from a car accident are said to be traumatic in nature. A forceful outside force damages the structure of the affected bone in the human body.

Moreover, fractures can either be categorized as open or closed. It is an open fracture when a part of the bone structure snaps and punctures outward of the skin tissue. On the other hand, a closed fracture happens when the fracture took place inside the muscle tissue. Symptoms involve swelling, bruising, and, pain to the injured part of the body.

In car accidents, bone fractures may occur when the driver or the passenger is not restrained with a seat belt. The traumatic impact of the crash makes it possible for the person to experience bone injuries, especially on the chest area and the head. Pedestrians are much more susceptible to fractures in the lower extremities.

Meanwhile, if you suffered a bone fracture as a result of a car accident, you may actually be entitled to compensation in the form of damages. As long as you establish a personal injury claim proving that the liable party is responsible not only for the accident but for your injuries, you may be able to receive compensation that will be used to cover for your extensive medical treatment.

Before anything else, it is important that you first consult with a Los Angeles car accident lawyer. Through the experience and expertise of the attorney, you may have the opportunity to obtain the justice you deserve, as well as the rightful amount of compensation that will help you to recover from your fractures and other injuries.

NHTSA Announces “SaferCar” iOS App

Image Source:  http://hothardware.com/newsimages/Item15004/ios-chevy-app.jpg

In an effort to utilize mobile technology in promoting safety in both buying and driving vehicles, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced in its press release last Thursday a free iOS app that contains real-time information on vehicle safety from the SaferCar.gov website of the agency.

Called the SaferCar app, it is the mobile version of the NHTSA website in which iPhone and iPod Touch users can access valuable information related to vehicle safety that will help them not only become informed consumers but also help them make decisions. Basically, the features of the app are the following:

• 5-star safety rankings. For those who are planning to purchase a car or any other vehicle, they can use the app to look at how different car models and makes are likely to crash through crash test ratings.
• Recall updates and complaint submissions. Through the app, users can register their vehicles for the latest NHTSA notifications and updates with regard to their vehicles’ safety issues. Also, the app also allows them to file a safety complaint easily.
• Child seat installation help. This feature allows users to obtain assistance on how to properly install car seats and boosters by locating them to the nearest child seat inspection station.General news and updates. The app provides consumers information-filled news from the NHTSA, as well as push notifications on recalls and about the users’ vehicles.

While the SaferCar app is only available in iTunes Store, the same app is currently being developed to cater for those using Android-based devices and will soon be available in Google Play. The said launch of the free mobile app is just one of the NHTSA’s initiatives to provide consumers easy access to information about vehicle safety.

Coincidentally, along with the launch of the app was the NHTSA’s release of the Application Programming Interface or API. It is a new way to provide safety data through the creation of a more accessible data for analysis and integration into web and mobile apps.

Meanwhile, every Los Angeles car accident lawyer believes that promoting vehicle safety can be realized with the use of alternative means, including the use of mobile technology.

Your Role in Preventing Road Accidents

Image Source: http://www.driversedguru.com/wp-content/gallery/beth-images/major-car-accident-with-assistance.jpg

WorkplaceAlcohol as a catalyst for relaxation
Whenever you are stressed and want to have a good time, it is always nice to have a drink or two. When people get drunk, people tend to do stupid things that can be a lot of fun. Whenever you go and search for videos of drunken people, you can’t help but laugh at how silly some of them end up in such instances. Most of the time though, after one withdraw from the effects of alcohol, people find out just how stupid and silly they have become while they were in the influence of alcohol.

When one gobbles up a bottle too many
Drunk people can be funny, but drunk drivers are not and will never be funny. Drunk driving in fact is one serious problem that the various government agencies are currently facing. According to various reports made by various agencies all across the country, drunk driving or driving under the influence (DUI) is one of the leading causes of accidents. Of hundreds of thousands of injuries caused by car crashes all over the country, tens of thousands of it are caused by a drunk driver that failed to react properly to a certain situation. Add up their tendency to violate traffic rules and what we have is a very nasty situation that could lead to more injuries, even death.

When accidents happen
In the event that a DUI driver causes an accident, the victims can seek damages that such accidents have caused them. By contacting and seeking the help of Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, one can pursue a personal injury claim against the drunk driver. However, we should not be contented with these remedies if we really want to put a stop to these accidents from happening.

What the government is doing to help drive down DUI incidence
That is why the government through the Department of Transportation, specifically the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been actively campaigning against driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. They have come up with programs that aim to educate people of the serious, life-threatening effects of drunk driving. For its part, various law enforcement agencies like the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has been conducting operations like flagging down of suspected DUI drivers, conducting sobriety check points, and apprehension of drunk drivers. These measures help trim down the instances of drunk driving

The government needs your help
The various programs and measures that the government has been taking would be in vain if people won’t participate. Ultimately drivers should be responsible enough to say no to driving if they have been drinking. Better yet, one should say no to an alcoholic drink, no matter how little alcohol that drink contains, if he or she plans to be behind the wheel of an automobile. Just like any other program by the government, the citizen’s participation will play a huge role in its success and failure. You have the power to choose between the two. Would you rather wake up to a huge responsibility for your negligence or would you want to be responsible enough and avoid all the hassles that come with drunk driving? You pick your poison.