As a Jacksonville school bus accident attorney I continue to see students hurt on school buses. I was curious to see just how many students are getting injured. New national data show school bus-related accidents send 17,000 U.S. children to emergency rooms each year, more than double the number in previous estimates that only included crashes.
Nearly one-fourth of the accidents occur when children are boarding or leaving school buses, while crashes account for 42 percent, the new research shows.
Slips and falls on buses, getting jostled when buses stop or turn suddenly, and injuries from roughhousing are among other ways kids get hurt on school buses, the data found. It is my opinion that many of these injuries could be prevented if seat belt usage was made mandatory. If one of your children has been injured on a school but please call the Jacksonville school bus accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Henry Gare at (904) 387-6101.
Posted in Automobile Accidents, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
As a Jacksonville TMJ attorney I have represented several clients who have TMJ as a result of a car accident. The following is a question I am asked when a client initially calls my office:
I would like to know if you have ever heard of anyone having TMJ like symptoms after a bad car accident? I never in my life had these problems until my auto accident. I did not hit my head on anything. I was in so much pain after the accident that I was unable to eat anything for three days. Now, four months later it’s getting worse and worse. I can’t stand the pain. I will be seeing a dentist soon, but I want to be sure that he is going to be treating me correctly. Any suggestions?
Answer: Yes. It is possible that your TMJ problems were caused by trauma from your auto accident. You point out that your face did not come into contact with a hard surface; however, injury to deep tissue of any body part can result from any high velocity impact. Soft tissue injuries often remain undetected during the E.R. visit because matters of immediate treatment need, superficial tissues and bone, get all attention. I always advise clients to follow up with their dentist to determine what next steps he considers appropriate.
If you are a loved one has suffered TMJ injury as a result of a car crash please call the Jacksonville TMJ attorneys at the Law Offices of Henry E. Gare at (904) 387-6101.
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As a Jacksonville slip and fall attorney I am often asked by clients: How do I know if I have a case against the owner.
Liability
To be legally responsible for the injuries you suffered from slipping or tripping and falling on someone else’s property, one of the following must be true:
The owner of the premises or an employee must have caused the spill, worn or torn spot, or other slippery or dangerous surface or item to be underfoot.
The owner of the premises or an employee must have known of the dangerous surface but done nothing about it.
The owner of the premises or an employee should have known of the dangerous surface because a “reasonable” person taking care of the property would have discovered and removed or repaired it.
The third situation is the most common, but is also less clear-cut than the first two because of those pesky words “should have known.” Liability in these cases is often decided by common sense. Judges and juries determine whether the owner or occupier of property was careful by deciding if the steps the owner or occupier took to keep the property safe were reasonable.
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As a Jacksonville automobile accident attorney I have represented many injured people who have been hurt because another driver was texting This morning the Department of Transportation announced — finally — that the operators of trucks and buses on U.S. roadways will no longer be able to text while they should be watching the road.
Transportation ecretary Ray LaHood is quoted in this Reuters story:
“We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe,” LaHood said. “This is an important safety step and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving.”
Failure to obey will come with a hefty cost, too: as high as $2,750.
Those penalties — and even jail time — are more than justified by the danger these drivers are creating; danger to their passengers, other drivers, and themselves. We at the Law Offices of Henry Gare applaud the D.O.T. for their decision.
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As a Jacksonville car accident attorney I am asked the following question all the time: I had a car accident, now what?
Try to stay calm. Panic can make others panic and the situation worse. There needs to be a calm person to determine the extent of damage and to determine if there are any injuries that need immediate medical attention.
File a Car Accident Report with the Police
Even in a minor accident it is important to make sure there is a legal accident report. Do not leave the scene until the police file a full report.
Discuss the Car Accident Only with the Police
With everyone all shook up it can be hard not to talk about what just happened, but that can also lead to you not thinking clearly and accurately about what happened. It is important to limit your discussion of the accident and not to admit any fault or liability. You should talk about the accident with the police and your insurance agent only.
Get the Facts
This is the part most people know to do, but often forget to after the accident for one reason or another. It is important to get names, address, and phone numbers of everyone involved in the accident. A description of the car and license plate number can also be helpful, but make sure you also get their insurance company and the vehicle identification number of their car. Don’t just assume the license plate number will do because most insurance companies only record the type of car and the vehicle identification number, not the license plate number.
Call you Insurance Agent
Call your agent or insurance company’s 800-number immediately, even at the scene with the police if possible. Sometimes the police officer can give your insurance company more accurate information rather than information you may not be recording properly because you are upset by the accident. This can save you a lot of time later waiting for your claim to be processed.
Posted in Automobile Accidents | 3 Comments »
