| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Tire Related Accidents

There is a Lot Riding on Your Tires – Fort Lauderdale Accident Lawyer

Fort Lauderdale Accident LawyerWhen we look at our cars today we are amazed at all the technology! GPS, music coming in through wi-fi and satellite, back-up cameras, airbags, and now cars that drive themselves. Definitely not you father’s ’57 Chevy.

Sometimes when people get comfortable cruising along in a large comfortable car or SUV they forget there are physical forces involved and one is called inertia. It controls the way your car moves, and you need to respect it.

Inertia: a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force.

As your car travels it wants to keep going the way it’s going, and when you turn the wheel it’s the tires that need to “grip” the road and effect a change in direction or you’re not going to turn. Tires that are worn or improperly inflated won’t be able to alter the direction of your car and on a wet road for example, you’ll go where you don’t want to go.

From a University of Southern California Engineering website: Most drivers do not know that the most important parts of any car are its tires. The tires have an enormous influence on the safety and performance of an automobile.

The National Transportation Safety Board says over 19,000 people are injured every year in crashes caused by faulty, worn, or improperly inflated tires. When tires cause accidents for these reasons the fault usually rests with the owner of the car, but there are many times when the tire itself has a defect or there was an error in installation and then it’s a different situation.

Fort Lauderdale Accident LawyerThe most common reasons for tire-related accidents not related to owner negligence are:

  1. Tread belt separations – most common in steel-belted radial tires, this occurs when the steel outer belt edge is has a defect and progresses to the center of the tire. In SUVs and other van-style vehicles this can cause rollover accidents.
  2. Installation errors – including improper lubrication, improper positioning and over inflation.
  3. Belt to belt separation – this can occur when moisture is introduced during the manufacturing of a tire.

If you are in an accident and there is a possibility a faulty tire contributed to the incident, you should contact a qualified accident attorney immediately. The tire itself may be evidence and should be preserved. There may have been a recall involving your tire and that would need to be looked into. Many other factors are involved in any accident where a structural or design defect may be involved and you should protect yourself by consulting with an attorney.

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been helping people injured in car, truck, and motorcycle accidents for over 20 years, including many serious accidents caused by tire issues. Please contact us if you have questions about any accident, and we’ll be happy to get you answers. Our phone number is 954-356-0006 and we answer and/or monitor incoming calls and messages 7 days a week.

 

 

 

 

| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | South Florida Accident Attorney, Uncategorized

Choosing a South Florida Auto Accident Lawyer

A hypothetical situation: You’re driving to Publix on a sunny Saturday morning and you’re stopped at a red light. Suddenly you’re hit from South Florida Accident Attorneybehind and your car is pushed forward! “What the heck was that?” you say as you look in your rear view mirror. There’s someone back there waving at you and they motion to pull over into a parking lot. So you move your car off the road and get out to look at your rear bumper as the other driver apologizes profusely. There’s only minor damage, but you’re a little shook up and confused about what to do. Most people have a tendency to want to be nice and so if the other driver urges you to write down his insurance company information and says “it’s minor, let’s not make a big issue about it,” you may be tempted to let it go. That might be a bad decision and here is why:

A couple days later you wake up in the morning and feel like your neck was judo chopped and you can barely get out of bed. What happened? It is quite possibly a delayed onset of whiplash, caused by an abrupt backward and/or forward jerking motion of the head, often as a result of a car accident. It is not unusual at all to feel fine for 24-48 hours after the actual trauma and then feel severe pain.

Some symptoms of whiplash:

  • Neck pain and stiffness.
  • Headaches.
  • Pain in the shoulder or between the shoulder blades.
  • Low back pain.
  • Pain or numbness in the arm and/or hand.
  • Dizziness.
  • Difficulty concentrating or remembering.
  • Irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue.

Continuing with our hypothetical situation, you call the insurance company provided by the driver who hit you and they never heard of him. Strange, you think, he seemed like such a nice guy!

We’re going to go back to some issues we write about often because they’re important. When you are involved in an accident here are some dos and don’ts:

  • Do try to have a police report filled on scene, especially if you are certain the other driver is at fault.
  • Do not admit any guilt or even speak to others involved in the accident except to render aid.
  • Do take pictures of damage, insurance papers, license plates, the surroundings, traffic signs or anything that might be relevant to proving your point of view about what happened.
  • Do try to get the names and contact information for any witnesses who might help prove your side of the story about the accident.
  • Do not post anything on social media about the accident.
  • Do call a personal injury lawyer who specializes in accidents. Even if you think you are fine, you may have hidden injuries and the time to be screened for them is right away.

How do you choose an attorney?

  • Experience: Hiring one with experience in handling similar cases like yours.
  • Focus: Find one who is focused on your case and not juggling multiple cases at once.
  • Reputation: Reputation of the attorney in negotiating with insurance companies can play a major key in the amount of damages you receive.
  • Personality: Choose an attorney that you can get along with and also trust through the process.

There is never any obligation when you reach out to us at Lazarus and Lazarus to ask questions. Making the right decision about who will look out for your rights when you are injured in an accident is extremely important and we want you to take your time and make the choice that’s right for you. Call us at 954-356-0006 any time for a completely confidential consultation.

 

 

Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Uncategorized

Carrying a Firearm in Your Car – Fort Lauderdale Auto Accident Attorneys

This article contains information about where to find details about Florida’s firearms laws and is not intended to be legal advice.

The issue of firearms owned and carried by private citizens is being debated in Florida from the panhandle to the Keys, and we hope something is done to make living in Florida safer for everyone. Because we deal with safety on Florida’s roadways we are sometimes asked about the legality of carrying weapons in a vehicle, and we find there is a lot of uncertainty about what is and is not permitted.

Florida is one state that permits people to carry a concealed weapon and it is Florida Statute 790.06  “License to carry concealed weapon or firearm” that covers that permitting. The Chapter that covers everything you could ever want to know about firearms in Florida is Chapter 790: Weapons and Firearms – and it’s a very, very long and complicated set of definitions, descriptions, laws, and penalties. If you’re going to be a firearm owner in Florida and you want to remain on the right side of the law we suggest you become very familiar with this chapter. A nationwide survey of firearms instructors found that many of them do not understand the firearm laws in their own state. As of 2017 there have been 16.3 million concealed weapon permits issued in the United States.

Click here to read Chapter 790, Florida Statutes.

Most people don’t know that in Florida, carrying pepper spray in more than a specified volume (2 oz.) of chemical requires a CCW (carrying a concealed weapon) permit, whereas anyone may legally carry a smaller, “self-defense chemical spray” device hidden on their person without a CCW permit.

Regarding carrying a weapon in your vehicle, this is a question commonly asked, but rarely able to be answered. You may keep, with or without a license, a firearm in your “private conveyance”, otherwise known as a vehicle if the firearm or other weapon is securely encased or is otherwise not readily accessible for immediate use,” and as you can imagine the terms “securely encased” and “readily accessible” are subject to interpretation.

We do know that carrying a weapon in a vehicle sometimes leads to road rage incidents escalating to very dangerous levels, as in these two recent Florida situations:

Police: Florida man pointed 2 guns during road rage incident.

Gun-wielding, drunk 76-year-old driver arrested after road rage incident, deputies say.

We don’t give legal advice on our website, we just want Florida drivers to exercise good judgement and common sense when it comes to carrying weapons. Read and understand the law, because ignorance of the law is not an acceptable defense. Never mix weapons or driving with alcohol or drugs.

We work with victims of serious car crashes every day and our goal is to see that every client receives the maximum compensation for their injuries and damages as permitted by law. If you have been involved in an accident, please feel free to call us at 954-356-0006 if you have any questions about how to proceed. We will be happy to set up a confidential consultation and discuss your options.

 

 

Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys, Uncategorized

Never Multitask While Driving – Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys

Fort Lauderdale Accident AttorneysWhere did the term multitask originate? Humans have been doing many things at the same time for centuries, but it was just called “doing many things at the same time.” Like many words, terms, and phrases we use today, multitasking originated when computers became a normal part of life. Many believe it was the invention of Windows by Microsoft that enabled us to do many things at the same time on a single computer. After Windows we could talk on the phone, watch TV, eat a Hot Pocket, and do 5 things on the computer at the same time. Multitask.

Today we have no choice but to multitask. In order to keep a job with most companies multitasking is skill requirement number one, and at home we cook, text, read email and talk to Alexa while we load the dishwasher.

It all seems quite normal until you hear this, from Psychology Today Magazine: “Multitasking compromises our visual awareness, divides our attention, distracts us, reduces our job satisfaction, stunts our memory, impairs cognitive function, and sabotages our performance. With that being said, do you really want to multitask in the car? While you’re driving?

Several studies show that if you talk on the phone while driving, even hands-free, you are 4 times more likely to be involved in an accident. If you text while driving you are twenty times more likely to be in an accident.

Fort Lauderdale Accident AttorneysFlorida has not yet enacted strict laws about texting and driving like many other states, so while you may not be heavily fined like you would in New York (up to $450.00) you do have the potential of injuring yourself or your fiends and family by multitasking in the car. We urge everyone to turn off the ringer and put their phones away while driving. There is nothing that is so important to risk an accident, please deal with calls and messages later, after you arrive at your destination.

Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys

As Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys, we have seen victims of very serious accidents try to deal with serious injuries caused because of someone multitasking while they drive. If you have been involved in an accident please feel free to give us a call at 954-356-0006 and we’ll answer your questions about how to deal with your situation.