Month: March 2018

Finding The Right Personal Injury LawyerFinding The Right Personal Injury Lawyer

March 23, 2018

Do all lawyers that advertise that they handle personal injury cases actually do so? The answer is no. So, as a consumer, what should you be looking for when you are about to hire a personal injury lawyer. For instance, is it appropriate for you to ask a lawyer about his or her:

past settlements
past verdicts
trial experience
appellate experience
Sure is. All lawyers who actually handle and try personal injury cases readily keep this information available. Most, including our firm, post some of this kind of information on their websites. Attorneys can verify their results without violating client confidentially.

If you’ve been involved in a serious personal injury case, you are more than likely going to need assistance and guidance from an experienced personal injury lawyer. If you’ve suffered for instance, a serious neck or back injury, a disc herniation, head injury, or a broken bone you are undoubtedly going to have to deal with unpaid medical bills and wage loss.

Of course, all trial lawyers who actually try cases have lost cases. I certainly have not won all of my cases. Nor has every case that I’ve taken to trial resulted in the jury agreeing with me and my client about the value of the case. (And because each case is different, past settlements or verdicts do not guarantee similar results in your case). The value of any particular personal injury case is determined by a slew of criteria, including:

seriousness of the injuries
permanency of the injuries
duration of disability
amount of unpaid medical bills
degree of fault of the parties
location were suit will be filed and where the case will be tried
An experienced personal injury and trial lawyer will take all of these considerations and others into account in determining both the reasonable value of your case and trial strategy. This is the type of person that you need in your corner when combating the opposing insurance company. Don’t be shy about questioning your prospective lawyer before hiring him.

You Can’t Multitask, So Just Stop Driving!You Can’t Multitask, So Just Stop Driving!

March 19, 2018

Why can’t that driver next to me stop texting while driving?

According to a recent University of Kansas research study, texting is like any addiction. The study was done by Paul Atchley, Ph.D. , an associate professor of Cognitive Psychology at the University of Kansas. Texting is a social behavior, and that desire to stay connected is extremely powerful because it taps directly into your brain’s reward system. You want that next hit, and that “bing” on your smartphone provides that next hit of social acceptance.

As of the present date, 34 states have banned texting while driving. But legislating the issue does not necessarily solve the problem. Therefore, as a motorist, it’s a good idea to learn to protect yourself on the highway. Other multicasting motorists give signals. Texting or otherwise distracted drivers generally:

drive more slowly compared to other drivers
tend to drift in and out of their lanes.
tend to miss off ramps and on ramps until the last minute.

Stuart A. Carpey Helps to “End Distracted Driving”Stuart A. Carpey Helps to “End Distracted Driving”

March 1, 2018

For years, Stuart A. Carpey has been an active member of Teens Against Distracted Driving (TADD), a program which aims to educate teens on the dangers of multitasking at the wheel. Now, in addition to these efforts, Stuart is teaming up with End Distracted Driving (EndDD.org) to do even more in the fight against accidents caused by inattention.

EndDD.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the number of auto accidents caused by driver distraction. The organization was founded in 2009 and has been expanding ever since, enlisting skilled speakers to spread the word about their cause. Stuart A. Carpey is now one of those speakers.

If you know of any group, community organization, or school which you feel could benefit from a presentation on the subject of distracted driving, please contact Stuart at [email protected]. He speaks on the subject free of charge. His presentations are compelling and important for teens and adults alike.

You may be aware that the largest culprit for this growing danger is the use of cell phones–particularly texting–at the wheel of a car. But there are more ways to become distracted than just using your cell phone. Here are the three major forms of driver distraction:

Visual Distraction — Occurs when you take your eyes off the road.
Manual Distraction — Occurs when you take your hands off the wheel.
Cognitive Distraction — Occurs when you are taking your mind off of driving.

Cell phone use distracts drivers in all three of these ways, which is why it has become the primary focus in anti-distraction campaigns led by organizations like TADD and EndDD. But you should keep in mind that any activity which causes a driver to be visually, manually, or cognitively distracted is a serious danger to everyone on the road. These distractions can include applying makeup, reading a map, changing radio stations, holding a pet while driving, and even eating.

If you feel that distracted driving is an issue which requires attention, ask Stuart A. Carpey to come and speak at your school, office, or other organization. Remember: The best way to fight the spread of accidents caused by distracted driving is through increased awareness.