These days, we hear more and more about efforts to change our civil justice system. The changes are being pushed mostly by big corporations and insurance companies. Consumer groups are not seeking such changes. And for good reason, since the changes will make it harder for injury victims to get fairly compensated for their injuries and losses. Many of the proposed changes deal with product liability. Businesses want to limit claims for injuries caused by defective products and make it harder … [Read more...]

According to the government, about 50% of marriages end in divorce. If you are married or plan to marry, this means there is a high chance of a divorce someday. Everyone should know the basics. Here are answers to some of the most often asked questions about divorce. Q. How does divorce differ from separation? A. A divorce is a court order ending the marriage. Separation means a couple is still married but lives apart. This is often a first step to a divorce, but sometimes the couple gets back … [Read more...]

Every year, about 2,000 children under age 15 are killed in car accidents and 200,000 more are hurt. Many of these tragedies can be avoided, as they are caused by not driving children properly. There are different ways children are driven in a dangerous manner, including putting them in the wrong safety restraint or not putting them in a restraint at all. Here are tips to make sure that when you drive children, they are properly restrained and are as safe as possible. Use the right child car … [Read more...]

Q. I was in an accident and intend to make a claim. How soon should I see a lawyer? A. Accident victims should get legal help as soon as possible. One reason for this is there are time limits for making claims. If you wait too long and the deadline passes, you won’t be able to make your claim — which means you will have lost the chance to obtain money you otherwise might have received. Another reason why it’s vital to get legal help quickly is that delay can hurt your case. As time passes, … [Read more...]

Driving can be hard enough even when you concentrate fully on the road. But driving while using a cell phone can be distracting and even dangerous. Cell phones may be convenient, but if not used right, drivers with phones put themselves at risk as well as others. There has been a tremendous increase in the number of people using cell phones while driving in recent years. According to government statistics, at any given time over 1,000,000 vehicles on the road are being driven by someone using a … [Read more...]

Every year, tens of thousands of children under the age of five are hurt or killed by hazards in the home. Furniture and other items in your home that seem harmless can indeed be dangerous or even deadly to children. Here are some of the top home safety hazards to young children, and ways to prevent many injuries. Unsafe cribs   More babies -- about 40 to 50 each year -- die in cribs than with any other piece of nursery equipment. Children can strangle when their bodies slip between crib … [Read more...]

You're driving along on the freeway when suddenly you hit the brakes and nothing happens. There's probably no situation for a driver more scary and dangerous than this, but fortunately, there are steps you can take to come to a safe stop and reduce your chances of being in an accident. They include: • Don't panic. Panic will only cause you to not think clearly, so try to remain calm. • Move your car out of the flow of traffic. Do this by moving your car to the right shoulder. If you are near … [Read more...]

Each year over 40,000 people die and millions more are hurt in car accidents. There are easy ways, however, to help avoid accidents and reduce your injuries if you are in one. Here are tips. Always wear your seat belt Seat belts save thousands of lives each year and are your best protection in a crash. They are designed so that the strongest areas of your body -- your hip, shoulder and chest bones -- absorb more of the forces in a crash. They also keep you in place so you are less likely to hit … [Read more...]

Many people who have been in a car, slip and fall or other kind of accident think that if they make a claim to recover compensation for their injuries and losses, the procedure will involve many court hearings and they will have to go to court. As such, one of the first things most people who have been in an accident want to know is whether their personal injury claim will be settled, or whether there will be a lawsuit. Though no one can know with certainty what will happen in a specific … [Read more...]

If you are in an auto accident, what you say right after it can affect the amount of compensation you receive. This is because anything you say at the accident scene or elsewhere can be used against you later and could lower the value of your claim. To help make sure you don't say anything that could hurt your case, right after an auto accident: • Don't say the accident caused you no injuries. Immediately after an accident, many people try to brush it off, saying things like "It's okay, I'm not … [Read more...]