New York Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Late September George Clooney was involved in a motorcycle accident when a motorist hit his cycle. He was treated for a hairline rib fracture and road rash at Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, New Jersey. Sarah Larson, who was riding on the motorcycle with Clooney, suffered a broken foot. Clooney and Larson were released shortly after being treated.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports motorcycle fatalities are actually on the rise with an almost 10% increase between 2003 and 2007. These accidents cause serious injuries and often lead to loss of life. Each year, more than 2,200 people are killed and more than 55,000 are injured in motorcycle accidents. The reports are alarming that nearly 80% of motorcycle accidents result in death (compared to 20% of motor vehicle accidents).

Often the driver of the car that hits or fails to yield the right of way to a biker says, "I didn't even see him coming." That’s why motorcyclists must drive very alert and defensively. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation in 2007 has listed these:

5 Tips For Riding Safely

1. Be aware of blind spots on cars and trucks.
2. Flash your brake lights when slowing or stopping
3. Wear a helmet and leather or other thick protective clothing.
4. Give yourself space and time to respond to other motorists
5. Give other motorists space and time to respond to you.

Now we don’t know from newspaper reports whether Clooney or his rider were wearing helmets. The use of helmet (or other eye protection, leathers, gloves, or sturdy boots) is important if you ever are in an accident--and your head and bones hit the concrete. Helmeted riders are less susceptible to neck injuries than riders who don't wear helmets.

Continue reading " New York Injury Lawyer Shares Important Advice about Personal Injury in Vehicle Accidents " »

Most New York City drivers think or have the perception that bigger is better–and thus the SUV (sports utility vehicles) are better because they stand taller than regular cars. And better equates to “safer” in a lot of drivers’ minds.

Here’s the sobering fact–and sadly New York City is No. 1 in SUV accidents as can be seen in the following ranking.

10 Deadliest Cities: Total Traffic Fatalities in a Single Year
(Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2005)

1. New York
6. Dallas
2. Los Angeles
7. Jacksonville
3. Houston
8. San Antonio
4. Chicago
9. Detroit
5. Phoenix
10. San Diego

It is NOT true that SUVs are safer. They have a tendency to roll over, which results in more serious accidents and thus higher rate of personal injury. And this happens with almost every make and model.

Rollovers account for 51% of all deaths in standard sport utility vehicles, 36% of deaths in pickup trucks, and 19% of deaths in standard cars. The rollover is an extremely severe automobile accident and an increasingly common one with the growing popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs). In 2002, the number of people killed in rollover accidents involving SUVs rose 14 percent.

Continue reading " New York City SUV Accident Statistics Highest in Nation.You need a Top Injury Lawyer in New York To Protect Your Rights " »

Hardball isn’t a very fun game if you suffer any personal injury in the New York City area–and your insurance company isn’t reacting like you expected.

You pay your insurance premiums faithfully for your vehicle–and have an expectation that when you have an accident, they will cover the bill–that they will take care of you, a valued customer.

This is not always what happens! And it all about MONEY! Sadly, after an accident, some people have been talked into signing too early, while others were made to say the wrong thing on the phone. The insurance company is all about minimizing their liability to pay out as often as they can. Those we hope to be able to trust, like the insurance adjuster, may be just the person we need to distrust most.

Relative to personal injury claims, many insurers have taken a tough stance on paying so-called “soft tissue” claims–those claims where the injury doesn’t show up on X-rays such as whiplash.

Continue reading " New York Personal Injury Claims Face Hardball Tactics from NY Insurance Companies " »