New Jersey and Pennsylvania Accident, Traffic, and Legal News

We are all aware of the dangers of car accidents but what about pedestrian accidents? A personal injury lawyer in Chicago will tell you that each year pedestrians are dying after being injured in traffic accidents that could have been avoided.

Pedestrians are most commonly injured because they are hit by a car. This happens most frequently when a driver does not yield when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk or drives too fast in a residential area with little traffic. Another dangerous situation for pedestrians is parking lots. Drivers backing out of parking spaces often don’t see pedestrians behind them.

The injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident can vary from a broken bone or head injury to death in the most severe cases. Those with the highest risk of being involved in a pedestrian accident include young children, elderly people and any driver or pedestrian who is under the influence of alcohol.

As a pedestrian, you do not want to have to contact a personal injury lawyer in Chicago. You want to avoid an accident at all costs. There are things you can do when walking that will help protect you:

1. Only cross the street in a well marked crosswalk.

2. Make sure drivers have a red light before you cross.

3. Make eye contact with drivers before you cross. This ensures they see you.

4. If you are walking at night make sure your clothing is reflective or bright. Carrying a flashlight is another good way to be seen.

5. Stay alert, walking under the influence can be very dangerous and it puts you at risk.

6. Beware of drivers who may be turning right at a red light as you are crossing.

7. Always walk on a sidewalk. If this is impossible, walk against traffic.

8. Do not assume you are safe when walking on a quiet residential road.

9. Never allow children to play in any road.

10. Never assume that drivers are paying attention to you. Protect yourself by staying alert and being cautious.

It was reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that every 8 minutes a pedestrian is injured in an accident in the United States. And every 113 minutes someone dies as a result of a pedestrian accident.

Anyone who drives or operates a motor vehicle has the responsibility to watch for pedestrians and yield to them in crosswalks. Unfortunately in some cases a driver may be distracted by a cell phone or trying to do other things while driving and not see a pedestrian. When you are walking you should never assume that the drivers around you have two hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident it is important to contact an Illinois pedestrian injury accident lawyer right away. They are well versed in your legal rights and can help you obtain the compensation you deserve to help cover your medical bills and lost wages etc.

This guest post was provided by Abels & Annes. Personal injury lawyers in Chicago who will fight for your rights after an injury. Receiving the compensation you deserve can help you recover and put the accident or injury behind you.

Drunk driving is severely punished in Texas. Drivers can end up paying $1,000 per year to have their license reinstated, in some cases. Jail time is a given after a certain amount of offenses. The problem with these laws is that they really do nothing for the people that drunks hurt or kill when they get behind the wheel. If a sense of justice being done is all you need, then it may be enough to see the drunk driver in jail. If you have expenses due to the driver injuring you, however, satisfaction may mean that you have to file a lawsuit.

Criminal Laws and Drunk Driving Victims

The criminal laws that drunks are subjected to are designed to punish them and, of course, to discourage people from driving under the influence. Beyond that, they really don’t do anything for anyone. The drunk driver may have a hard time of it because of going to jail and suffering the other penalties, but the victims that are injured by the drunk drivers oftentimes end up suffering much worse fates without even having done anything to deserve it. This is where filing lawsuits comes into play.

Drunk drivers need to be held responsible for what they do. When they injure someone, they need to know that they cannot just walk away from it as if nothing happened. To that end, a Dallas car accident attorney may be able to represent you and win you compensation. There are no guarantees that you will win your case, of course, but you have a much better chance of winning if you work with a good attorney.

Some of the things that people sue for include:

• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Destroyed property
• Medical bills
• Wrongful death

An attorney will help you to put a figure together that’s realistic. Good attorneys will use past cases and their own experience to come up with a figure that is likely to win and that will cover you for the suffering you’ve endured; physical, financial and emotional.

You’ll find plenty of car accident articles about how much death and destruction drunk drivers cause. If you’ve been a victim of one, you should act soon. Contacting an attorney is the first step. If you’re ready to file a lawsuit after speaking with one, the attorney will take care of all the research and will help you to prepare for your case.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey threatened foot patrol for officers who carelessly wreck cruisers at Friday budget hearings. The Commissioner believes too many patrol vehicles are currently sidelined due to car accidents. Ramsey estimated that the department added 50 new police vehicles this year and has plans to add at least that many more next year in 2013, according to News Works.

“Some of these officers need to be on foot if they can’t drive a car,” Ramsey told Councilwoman Marian Tasco. He went on to detail concerns of the injury risks to drivers and passengers of other vehicles involved in collisions with police vehicles. Crashes also lengthen response times to emergencies and may directly affect the outcome of crisis situations.

Officers in Philadelphia may not be solely to blame for traffic accidents involving their vehicles. Traffic congestion coupled with driver confusion regarding right-of-way for emergency vehicles may also be contributing factors. Pennsylvania Vehicle Code 3325 states that drivers have a duty to yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles, including police cruisers, which make audible/visual signals indicating an emergency, is in progress. In plain English, drivers must move their vehicles as far to the right-hand curb as is safely possible to allow an emergency vehicle with its lights or sirens on to pass.

Two people sustained injuries in late March when a police cruiser responding to a shooting collided with their SUV.

Car accidents involving police cruisers or other emergency vehicles can be tricky in terms of liability. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in accident with an emergency vehicle, you may be entitled to damages, if the emergency vehicle didn’t have it lights/sirens on. Contact an experienced Philadelphia accident lawyer to navigate this complicated legal issue and review your rights to compensation. Failing to hire a knowledgeable attorney can hurt your chances to receive full compensation to pay your accident-related medical bills and replace your lost wages from working.

Photo Credit: Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Authorities charged Paterson, New Jersey resident Jason Askew Friday with a bevy of criminal charges relating to a March hit-and-run accident that left two dead. Charges – in addition to those relating specifically to the accident fatalities – include leaving an accident scene, hindering police apprehension and tampering with evidence. Askew is currently in jail in lieu of $250,000 bail. It’s not clear whether he’s made a plea in connection with the charges or retained an attorney, according to “The Wall Street Journal”.

The accident occurred when two pedestrians, 29-year-old Jasleidy Bemjumea of Passaic and a 36-year-old Brooklyn man, were crossing a highway at a traffic light. A sliver sedan, allegedly driven by Askew, struck and killed the pair in the early morning hours of March 17.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families, especially surviving children who’ll have the hard task of growing up without a parent.

In 2011, 28 people died as the result of 27 traffic accidents in Passaic County. Of those killed, five died in accidents in Clifton. As of April 2012, eight accidents have resulted in the deaths of nine people in the county with four of those deaths occurring in Clifton. All those accidents have taken place between the hours of 4 a.m. and 9 a.m., according to the New Jersey State Police.

A hit-and-run accident leaves more questions than answers. Without witnesses to render immediate help, those injured may wait longer for medical treatment, which could increase the severity of bodily damage and make recovery times longer. If you or someone you love has suffered injuries as the result of a hit-and-run accident, you may be entitled to compensation. A team of tenacious New Jersey personal injury attorneys can work on your behalf to win you full compensation for your medical costs, wages lost due to your injuries and additional payment for your pain and suffering.

Photo Credit: Malcolm Carter

15-passenger vans are not like other passenger vans, as they are not only larger but also have a higher rollover risk. This increased rollover risk increases your chances of involvement in a serious or even fatal Missouri auto accident.

When you read that 15-passenger vans are one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road, do their most common uses come to mind? These vehicles are most commonly used by schools, day cares, boy scouts, churches, and hotels. Do you want a vehicle that has been deemed “dangerous” carting your kids around town? Probably not, but there are some things you can do to increase the safety of these vehicles.

Safety Precautions to Follow

While 15-passenger vans are not necessarily inherently dangerous vehicles, they can be dangerous if they aren’t operated safely. If you or someone you love is considering driving or riding in a 15-passenger van, you need to make sure the following are followed:

• Driver – The experience and training of the driver of a 15-passenger van is essential in the safe operation of 15-passenger vans. These vehicles should only be operated by a trained driver, preferably with a commercial driver’s license.
• Tires – Most fatal rollovers of 15-passenger vans involve tire failures. Check tire pressure and tread each time you drive. Also, avoid using spares when replacing worn tires, as they may have aged and may be more dangerous, even if they look new.
• Occupants – There should never be more than 15 people in a 15-passenger van. Occupants should also always remember to buckle their seatbelts at all times.
• 
  Speed – The speed of a 15-passenger vehicle should never exceed the posted speed limit and should always be adjusted to the conditions. These vehicles take longer to stop and do not respond well to abrupt maneuvers, so always watch out for situations in which you may be forced to move or stop quickly.
• Size - A 15-passenger van is substantially longer, wider and taller than a car, and requires much more room to maneuver. Pay careful attention to overhead clearances as well as room around the vehicle.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Missouri car crash because of a driver’s negligence, you need to protect your rights to compensation. Contact a St. Louis accident attorney today to ensure you receive nothing less than what you deserve.

Six cases of food poisoning have been reported in New Jersey and the Center for Disease Control and health officials have interviewed 51 people across the nation sick who have been sickened by a strain of the Salmonella Bareilly bacteria. It is not clear if a specific defective product or food item caused this outbreak According to a WebMD news report, the sushi is suspected but not confirmed as the source of a Salmonella Bareilly poisoning outbreak that has so far sickened 93 people in 19 states and District of Columbia. No fatalities have been reported, but 10 people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started on January 28, 2012.

Cases have been reported in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Of the 51 people interviewed by health officials, 35 reported eating “sushi, sashimi, or similar foods” in the week before they became ill. However, the outbreak has not yet been traced to any specific food item or ingredient. It’s clear whether the fish, the rice, the seasoning, some other ingredient, or even some other kind of food is the source of contamination. It could take two to four weeks from the time a person falls ill until the illness is reported. This means people who have been sickened in the outbreak since March 4 may not yet have filed a report.

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A New Jersey worker was killed in a construction accident after a crane collapsed at a work site in New York. According to a news report in The Asbury Park Press, the fatal construction accident occurred on April 3, 2012 at a Metropolitan Transportation Authority worksite. MTA announced it has stopped all construction work at its sites until they can be inspected. The safety of construction cranes has been a point of contention after nine people were killed in similar accidents in New York in 2008. The owner of one of the cranes from a fatal accident in 2008 is facing manslaughter charges.

My heartfelt sympathies go out to the friends and family of the worker killed in this tragic accident. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined a Pittsburgh area candy factory $84,150 for workplace safety violations allegedly found after a worker suffered major head injuries when a machine started accidentally. According to an Associated Press news report, officials say that the worker was injured on October 13, 2011, when a molding machine started up even as the worker was setting it up. Federal inspectors say the machine was not properly locked to prevent an accidental startup. The worker sustained serious accident injuries including a deep gash in the head and nerve damage to the neck and face.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured worker and his family. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

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A Dover Woods resident was struck and killed while walking across Route 9 in Toms River on Monday, March 19^th.  At 11 p.m. 56-year-old Edward Braden was walking across Route 9 when he was struck by a 2006 Ford Pickup driven by 64-year-old Michael Fennessey.  Braden was transported to the Kimball Medical Center, but was pronounced dead due to the injuries he sustained in the New Jersey pedestrian accident.

According to a report released by WalkingInfo.org, “though the number of pedestrian fatalities fell from 5,585 in 1995 to 4,280 in 2010, there were an estimated 70,000 reported pedestrian injuries in 2010.”  The same report also states that “pedestrian injuries have been on a downward trend, with 70,000 reported injuries in 2009 representing a decrease of 14,000 reported injuries since 1995. However, we know from research into hospital records that only a fraction of pedestrian crashes that cause injury are ever recorded by the police.”

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, injury lawyers in NJ can provide you with more information regarding your rights as a victim.  Depending on the details of your specific case, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, rehabilitation costs, or other damages suffered as a result of the pedestrian accident.

Photo Credit:  Highway Traffic Supply

An 18-year-old woman was seriously injured in a dog attack after police say she was bitten more than 20 times by her pit bull. According to a news report in The Star-Ledger, the dog bite incident occurred on April 2, 2012 on Fernwood Avenue in Elizabeth. Officials say the woman was in her bedroom when the “dog went crazy” and started attacking her. She fought her way outside and got someone to call the authorities.

A police detective who was working nearby responded and found the dog attacking the victim in the front yard. When the animal turned on him, the detective fired two shots. The dog died. Officials say the pit bull was a rescue that it was abused by a previous owner. The victim was taken to a hospital and told police she had no feeling in her right arm and could not move one of her fingers.

My heart goes out to this dog bite victim for what she is going through at this time. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

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