Auto Accident Injuries

Common Traffic Collision Injuries – South Florida Accident Lawyers

Many Injuries Are Hidden and Don’t Cause Pain Until Later

If you’re in an automobile, motorcycle, or truck accident there are many factors that will determine if you are injured, and how serious the injuries may be. Speed is obviously an important consideration but many serious injuries happen when the speed is relatively low. Safety devices like seat belts and airbags greatly reduce the chances of being injured, but they are not guaranteed to prevent all injuries.

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained in traffic crashes. If you’re in an accident and you feel like your neck or spine is “sore” please don’t just ignore it and figure it will go away later, because you might have whiplash, a very serious condition. The Mayo Clinic says:

“Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip. Whiplash most often occurs during a rear-end auto accident, but the injury can also result from a sports accident, physical abuse or other trauma. Common signs and symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, stiffness and headaches. Most people with whiplash get better within a few weeks by following a treatment plan that includes pain medication and exercise. However, some people have chronic neck pain and other long-lasting complications.”

We have seen whiplash victims experience serious pain for months and even years after the occurrence, and this is one of the reasons why an injury case should never be settled immediately without a thorough physical examination. Many people have medical expenses that are not covered when an insurance company attempts to settle for an inadequate lump sum. It’s best to get professional advice from an experienced personal injury attorney.

Concussions are also very common in automobile, truck, and motorcycle accidents. The long-lasting effects from traumatic brain injuriesTraffic Collision Injuries can be persistent serious headaches, dizziness, vision deficiencies, and even personality changes including the manifestation of violent tendencies, depression, and more. Concussions don’t always “get better with time” as some people believe. Always take the time to fully diagnose the severity of head injuries and be prepared for long-term medical care and medications.

Bone Fractures are usually diagnosed by x-rays or other medical imaging methods and are usually healed over time. Sometimes however, especially in older victims, the healing is very slow and there can be complications. Once again, rushing into a settlement without all the facts can be very costly in the future.

Tendon and Ligament Injuries are often hard to identify and diagnose and may not manifest as serious problems until well after an accident. Consulting with an attorney who understands these injuries is prudent because you will be guided to the best medical specialists to find or rule out these often debilitating injuries.

South Florida Accident Attorneys Lazarus and Lazarus

Protecting your rights is one of the primary jobs for a qualified personal injury attorney who thinks of things a victim may not. The Law Office of Lazarus and Lazarus is committed to checking for any and all injuries, including those that may be hidden. Our priority is to protect your rights and see that you heal physically, mentally, and financially. Please call us if you have questions at (954) 356-0006, we are here to help.

 

 

Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys

What State has the Highest Auto Insurance Rates? Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys

We love living in south Florida and so it doesn’t surprise us that Florida often ranks very high in many polls, studies, and surveys. For example, here are some areas where we are proud to be recognized according to U.S. News and World Report:

#7 Quality Education

#5 Economy

#3 Fiscal Stability

We also rank #3 in a dubious category, and that is highest auto insurance premiums.

What causes premiums to be high or low? According to Insure.com several affect auto insurance rates including population density (rural areas are low) and weather. Also, the number of uninsured drivers will impact premiums because drivers who follow the rules wind up paying for those who don’t. The Insurance Research Council estimates that 23% of Florida drivers do not have insurance which is the 5th highest rate in the nation.

Competition is also a factor in the cost of automobile insurance. States with a high number of insurance companies fight hard to get Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneyscustomers and they tend to lower prices. For example, Ohio and Virginia are both high-density states but they have large numbers of insurance carriers, so their rates are reasonable.

Here are the top ten states and their average annual auto insurance premiums:

1. Michigan: $2,239 average annual premium
2. Louisiana: $2,126
3. Florida: $2,050
4. Rhode Island: $1,852
5. Connecticut: $1,831
6. Washington, D.C.: $1,827
7. California: $1,731
8. Georgia: $1,668
9. Delaware: $1,646
10. Texas: $1,589

South Florida Automobile, Motorcycle, and Truck Accident Attorney

We recommend that drivers carry the best quality insurance they can afford. Do your homework and compare, but if you’re ever involved in a serious accident you’ll be grateful if you are fully covered.

Should you be involved in an accident and you don’t think your insurance company is performing as it should to help you, let us know. We deal with insurance companies on a daily basis and it’s a good idea to have an experienced attorney on your side. Call us at (954) 356-0006, we’re here to help.

 

 

 

South Florida Accident Attorneys

Be Aware of the 5 Most Common Auto Accident Causes and Avoid Them – Florida Accident Attorneys

Albert Einstein said “Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses avoid them.”

What did he mean by that? We know that if there is such thing as a good problem, it’s the one that never happens. And isn’t it true that you can’t avoid something bad if you don’t see it or know that it’s coming? That’s why we have headlights on our automobiles, and we focus on the road ahead.

Some people say “Oh well, accidents happen” and think there is nothing you can do about them. We believe accidents can often be avoided if you are aware of their potential. Let’s discuss how to be a genius:

What are the most common accidents?

  1. Read-end Collisions. How can these be avoided? You can avoid rear-ending someone if you focus on the road, do not allow yourself to  be distracted by your cell phone or other occupants, make sure your brakes are working properly, and leave a safe stopping distance between you and the car ahead. You can actually help to avoid someone crashing into you by making sure your brake lights work and by trying to leave an emergency exit route in case you see someone coming up fast behind you. When you stop at a light, don’t be 6 inches from the car ahead, so hopefully you can get out of the way.
  2. T-Bone or Cross-Traffic Accidents. These usually happen when someone runs a red light or stop sign. Just because you have a green light does not mean you should blindly enter an intersection. Move into an intersection with your peripheral vision engaged, checking for other vehicles left and right. Driving defensively means you never assume other drivers will obey traffic laws and that they can see you. They might be texting and driving, a big no-no.
  3. Clipping other cars while merging. Ease your way into moving traffic and try to do it at the same speed. Use your mirrors and your eyes by looking over your shoulder if you can. Never assume the other car will speed up or slow down. If you’re the one merging, the other drivers likely have the right-of-way.
  4. Low-speed Collisions. Parking lots are the scene of more accidents than any other place, and they can be dangerous, especially when a pedestrian is involved. Move slowly, don’t let your guard down, and don’t be distracted.
  5. Single Vehicle Collisions. These crashes are all-too-common, and often happen because the driver is distracted, texting, or intoxicated. Florida Accident AttorneysJust don’t do those things. There is time later to reply to a text or make a call. Never, ever, drink and drive.

Now that you are aware of over 80% of all accident causes, don’t you think you can give some serious thought to avoiding them? It is far better to avoid an accident than to deal with one after the fact. If you can’t avoid an accident, one of the most important decisions you will have to make is who to call for help in solving the resulting problems.

Florida Accident Attorneys

Choosing an attorney to help you deal with damages, injuries, legal issues, and more is crucial. You’ll want to select someone with years of experience and a proven track record helping victims get the help they need. We invite you to look at reviews from our clients over many years, who have kindly reported their experiences with our firm. We work very hard to see that you are compensated fairly for your pain and suffering as well as lost time from work and other damages. Call us at 954-356-0006 for a free consultation.

How to Determine if You Have a Well-Founded Personal Injury Case – South Florida Accident Attorneys

Many people who are not familiar with the way our legal system works think they can sue anyone for anything. In a broad sense, that is theoretically true because the 7th Amendment to the Constitution says you can, but in the real world it doesn’t make sense for an individual to pursue a case that has no chance of winning.

There are stories of frivolous lawsuits in the news from time to time and certainly no reasonable person wants to be involved in a court case that is not justified. But a real injury sustained in any type of accident should be evaluated medically and then the circumstances should be reviewed by an expert. Time is of the essence in these cases because critical evidence, people’s recollections, and other factors change over time.

The right to free speech, to a fast and fair trial when charged with a crime, the right to freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to freedom from cruel and unusual punishment are contained in the 1st, 6th, 4th, and 8th amendments and most people are familiar with them. The 7th amendment says “In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the rightSouth Florida Personal Injury Lawyer of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law” and this very important amendment allows individuals to sue when they believe they have been injured or harmed physically or financially.

Imagine sitting in your car at a red light, and a careless driver crashes into you from behind causing you to be injured. The driver gets a ticket, but then says, “too bad for you” and goes home. Without the 7th Amendment you might have some help from your insurance company but would have no recourse to pursue real justice including compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and time lost from work, or the ability to earn future wages.

The bottom line is, if you’re in an accident, you suffered damages to your vehicle or your property, you may have been injured, and you are experiencing a negative impact on your ability to carry out your normal routine, stop tossing everything around in your head and call a qualified attorney. We have seen too many situations where someone hesitates because they don’t understand the system and they fail to act.

South Florida Accident Attorneys – Personal Injury Cases

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has successfully represented hundreds of victims over the past 25 years, working hard to see that all their rights are preserved and defended. We will not stop until every effort is made to get our clients the maximum compensation for their injuries as permitted by law. We can be reached 7 days a week at 954-356-0006.

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Do you know how many constitutional amendments there are? It’s a good idea to be familiar with all your rights! Click here to read the Constitution, Articles and Amendments.