Tag: accident
Proximate Cause: Personal Injury Claim Causation Requirement
In a famous case, a commuter runs for a train that’s just started rolling. The man sprints across the platform. A conductor on the train reaches out, pulling the man. Another railroad employee on the platform pushes him onto the train. A wrapped package falls out of the man’s hands onto […]
MITIGATION OF DAMAGES IN PERSONAL INJURY
No one expects a person seriously injured in an accident to run a marathon or to bench press 500 pounds soon after the injury. At the same time, the legal concept of mitigation of damages requires those injured to make reasonable best efforts to get back on their feet. […]
PREMISES LIABILITY LAW AND INJURIES
Premises liability cases address the legal duty of property owners. Many scenarios fall under premises liability. A store customer opens a cooling unit to reach for an item and a heavy door slams into her head. A shopping cart speeds along the floor, striking a customer. A homeowner, legally burning […]
Minor Settlements: Why is Court Approval Required?
Minor settlements, personal injury settlements for those under the age of minority, often need court approval before funds are released. Here’s the problem: minors lack legal capacity to make binding decisions. Minors in most cases can’t sign enforceable contracts. So, an insurance release cannot bind a minor. This contradicts the basic […]
Life Expectancy Tables In Personal Injury Cases
Life expectancy tables provide key information in evaluating some personal injury cases. The tables give a statistical perspective, a number, telling us how long any given human being can be expected to live. One of the most often overlooked elements of a personal injury case calculates long term potential damages […]
Cell Phones and Accidents: Is Legal Cell Phone Use Negligence?
Motor vehicle accidents happen more often than not due to driver inattention. Jabbering on the cell phone, texting, eating, drinking, turning to communicate with passengers, daydreaming and many other distractions reduce driver attention. Unfortunate but true, tragedies like this are not uncommon. More people are using phones every day as […]
SNOW AND ICE PERSONAL INJURY CASES
Snow and ice cases, where injuries are claimed for a slip and fall, present unique issues. A slip and fall on slippery snow or ice can cause serious injuries. But, the happening of an accident and injuries does not automatically entitle the injured person to a recovery. Fault must be established on […]
Independent Medical Examination in Personal Injury: the “IME”
Independent Medical Examination is anything but independent. The exams, also called an “IME” are also not medical examinations in the sense of a physician performing an unbiased examination seeking clinical findings for the purpose of healing. IMEs are set up by insurance companies solely for insurance company purposes. So, the correct […]
AUTO INSURANCE IN MASSACH– USETTS
Car accidents cause trauma. Those injured wonder why they suffer again when they try to figure out auto insurance. PIP Massachusetts law includes ‘no-fault’ auto insurance. This means that under the ‘PIP’ or Personal Injury Protection coverage of your own insurance policy, regardless of fault, your insurance pays up to $8K of your medical bills. There are […]