Personal Injury Law Blogs

What Does FDA Approval Mean For You?

(U. S. Personal Injury Claims law and generally) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a government agency that was designed to protect consumers from dangerous foods, medications and medical devices. The FDA has established many different testing and product standards that businesses must comply with to sell their products in the United States.

The most common thing that the FDA is known for is the approval of new medications and medical treatments. The FDA requires extensive testing periods and clinical trials before it will allow a new medication or device to become available on the market. It is thought that this extensive testing period would protect the consumers. But this is not always the case.

Recalls and Relabeling

Sometimes, despite the extensive testing that was thought to have taken place before a medical product is available on the market, it is released and causes harm to many people. When this occurs, the FDA usually first requires the pharmaceutical company to re-label their product and post new warnings, unless the injuries are so severe that it requires immediate recall. If a product has been forced to be re-labeled, he FDA will begin an investigation to determine if there are other issues wrong with the product and if it needs to be removed from the market.

One of the more recent recalls has been the Stryker Hip Replacement Device. This device, intended to replace damaged hip joints, has been found to release metal shavings into the bloodstream, collapse under pressure, and even cause damage to surrounding tissue and muscle. If you have had a hip replacement and want to learn more, search for information about the Stryker hip recall online.

A labeling change was recently required by the makers of Januvia. This medication is used for the treatment of Type II diabetes. It was discovered that Januvia increases the risk of pancreatitis in patients that use the medication. The manufacturers were required by the FDA to place a black label warning on their medication stating this risk.

Other labeling issues usually occur in the food division of the FDA. The FDA will review products that are for sale and determine if the list of ingredients are complete. In many cases, if soy, nuts, whey, or milk are in the product but not on the label, the FDA will issue a recall of all available products and require the manufacturer to disclose their findings on the label.

What Does This All Mean To You?

The FDA is in place to make sure that consumers are protected from dangerous products. In most cases, they do their job very well. The FDA is very swift bout removing dangerous products from the market and demanding very high standards on product labeling and instructions.

However, sometimes they may not realize that a product is not exactly what it says or what the testing reveals. Several pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers have been sued by the FDA itself for falsifying tests and providing fraudulent clinical studies.

If you are injured by one of these dangerous medications or failed medical devices, you should see compensation for your injuries. For more information about the Stryker hip recall speak to your medical provider. Speak to a personal injury attorney about your case. By standing up to these manufacturers, you may help protect others from the same type of injury.

Golf Course Accidents: Who’s Liable For Injuries On The Link?

While some individuals may view golf as a boring game, these are usually the people who haven’t actually hit the links and given it a chance. The sport is a favorite of everyone from stay-at-home dads who enjoy weekly Putt-Putt sessions to corporate millionaires who like to get away from the office every so often. Though the game is usually played as a way to relax and enjoy oneself, individuals have actually been injured while on the greens. This makes it imperative for golfers, the world over, to understand potential accidents and liability.

Accidents On The Greens

Many people find it hard to imagine how an accident can happen on the golf course, but if one were to really think about it, it’s surprising that these incidents don’t happen more often. There are literally hard golf balls flying in various directions, from often long distances away. Golfers even know to yell “fore” to alert others that a ball is flying through the air. Unfortunately, this warning is sometimes not enough and an unsuspecting golfer can catch a fast moving ball right in the head.

While the potential to get hit by flying golf balls does exist, many individuals actually suffer slip-and-fall accidents while on the links. These accidents, which can easily happen while on vacation as well, can lead to broken bones and even spinal cord injuries. One law firm, who residents feel have the best personal injury lawyer in Columbia SC, expresses,”Although most of us think of vacation as a break from work or studies for relaxation, travel, or recreation, the reality of it is that it does not provide us any exemption from injury.”

On courses that offer golf carts, a simple judgment error on upcoming terrain or a mechanical problem with the machine can lead to rollovers which can cause potentially serious injuries or death.

Who’s At Fault?

The question of who is at fault for an accident on the links can have a variety of answers. These answers often vary by state, and they can even vary within a state depending on what property the course is located on.   In instances where mechanical failures lead to an accident on a golf cart, it’s often the case that those who run the property will be at fault. If another golfer acts in some negligent way and causes an accident, however, the injured party can have their attorney file a claim against that individual.

One of the main contributors to accidents on the greens is poor grounds keeping. This can lead to various sorts of accidents, and in the majority of these cases, proper investigative techniques can show that the property owner was at fault due to the lack of premises care. Of course, it’s not always the case that the owners of the golf course will be at fault.

Accident Contributors

Everyone has experienced accidents in their lives, and if most individuals were honest with themselves, the majority of accidents were likely their own fault. This can also happen while out on the greens. A golfer who hurts himself while overreacting to a missed putt, for instance, will likely be unable to secure any compensation to help cover their medical bills.

Many individuals see having a few drinks on the links as an integral part of golfing. This, of course, can lead to accidents as well. Even in cases where some form of negligence on the part of the property owner leads to an accident, it’s possible, due to comparative negligence laws, that a person won’t recover as much compensation as they would’ve had the accident occurred while they were sober. Those injured in golf cart accidents while drinking and driving, however, likely can’t recover damages and may even face driving under the influence charges.

Golfing is actually one of the safest sports that a person can engage in. There’s no roughhousing and the potential for disputes is so minimal that, other than in major tournaments, officials are rarely used. When accidents do occur on the greens, however, they can be just as harmful as any other type of sporting injury. This is why every golfer should recognize the danger of being on the links while trying their hardest to avoid injuries. When this fails, however, it’s best to speak with a personal injury attorney.

Nadine Swayne gained a great deal of information by searching best personal injury lawyer in Columbia SC online, which led to the inspiration for this article. If you are a victim of an unfortunate accident while playing the greens, understand that liability is also covered on the links to get you fair compensation.

Winning Maximum Compensation in a Wrongful Death Suit

No one wakes up in the morning expecting to be involved in an accident before the day is out. Unfortunately, due to the negligence of others, many people are incorrect in this assumption. Around 40,000 people are killed every year in car accidents alone, and when combined with other unintentional accidental deaths, over 120,000 people die yearly.

When another person’s negligence causes this type of accident, it’s possible for the victim’s family members to bring forth a wrongful death case; but it’s essential that they understand what is necessary to win.

What must be Proven

According to an estate planning attorney, about any type of civil case can be difficult, but there are a variety of things that must be proven in a wrongful death suit for a victim’s family to be successful. The surviving family must show, for instance, that the other party’s actions were at least in part the cause of the victim’s death; it must be shown that the defendant’s negligent actions led to the tragedy. If a loved one recently has passed away, then you may need to contact a estate planning attorney or a will attorney and a cremation service to get the funeral planned right away. 

In addition, it must be proven that the victim’s death had a negative effect on surviving family members, and fortunately, this isn’t usually a difficult burden to prove. Lastly, it must be shown that the victim’s death resulted in financial damages. Since a funeral will be necessary and the victim will no longer be able to earn wages for the family, this is also often not a difficult burden to prove. Retaining an experienced wrongful death attorney, like Williams Law Association, P.A., is essential when legally filing such a claim.

Winning the Case

Winning a wrongful death suit is contingent on the victim’s family’s ability to prove the aforementioned factors. Luckily, the burden of proof in this type of case is only a preponderance of evidence. This means that if the jury believes that it’s more likely than not that the defendant’s negligence led to the victim’s death, the burden of proof has been met.

The best way to understand this complex proceeding is to hear an example. A person who dies after a car accident caused by another driver’s failure to stop at a traffic light, for instance, will have died due to the other driver’s negligence. The running of the traffic light was a negligent action, and sadly, it directly led to the victim’s death. The victim may have been a source of income for the family, so these damages can easily be recovered. It’s important to note, however, that damages related to mental anguish and lost companionship can also sometimes be recovered.

Ensuring Maximum Compensation

Knowing the aforementioned elements of a wrongful death suit can go a long way, but for a claimant to receive maximum compensation, they should focus on a few specific things. It’s first important to get all police and medical records related to the incident. This will show the driver’s negligence and the fact that the injuries sustained due to that negligence were a direct cause of the victim’s death.

The best way for a person to help ensure maximum compensation, however, is to hire a wrongful death lawyer. These legal professionals are adept at gathering the appropriate evidence necessary to fully meet the burden of proof in wrongful death suits. In addition, it’s likely that a lawyer can help secure a fair settlement without having to go through the hardship of a trial. This is because insurance companies are far more likely to offer a fair settlement if they know they’re up against a trained legal mind.

There’s not a thing in this world that can take the place of a lost loved one, and this heartbreaking reality is often made even more disheartening when survivors realize that they lost their loved one due to another person’s negligence. Family members who are in this situation, can search Williams Law Association, P.A. online, to find out what steps to take next and how to file a claim.

Car salvage firm heavily fined after worker suffers serious burns

A car salvage firm in Wigan has been heavily fined and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution after a worker was seriously injured in a fire at work.

Mr Lee Roberts, 33, worked for Douglas Valley Breakers Ltd as a car mechanic until the accident at work on 22 July 2010. Mr Roberts was walking into a pit to remove fuel from a van when a spark ignited fumes in the pit, causing an explosion. CCTV footage then showed Mr Roberts rushing from the pit, his clothes aflame. He was rushed to hospital and sustained sever burns to his hands, legs and nose in the fire. He has been unable to work since.

The Health and Safety Executive were subsequently informed of the accident and sought to investigate. Their investigation found the following health and safety breaches by the firm:

  • A failure to implement a safe system of work, with workers climbing up the outside of storage racks and riding on the forks of a forklift truck to reach items high on racks
  • A failure to provide proper equipment for work to be undertaken safely, including a failure to provide suitable fire detectors and alarms, and a failure to provide adequate fire safety training

The investigation also found that workers should never have been allowed to drain fuel into inspection pits and that there should have been no sources of ignition nearby.

The criminal case came before the Preston Crown Court on 31 October 2013. Douglas Valley Breakers Limited pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002, one breach of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and two breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. As a result the company was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £25,000 towards the costs of the prosecution.

Neither Douglas Valley Breakers Limited nor their criminal defence solicitors appear to have commented after the judgment.

HSE Inspector David Myrtle stated after the hearing: “Douglas Valley Breakers was guilty of several serious safety breaches. It failed to properly consider the risks its employees faced while removing fuel from vehicles, or to do anything about them. It was therefore almost inevitable that a worker would be badly burned in a fire. The company had the right equipment to do the job properly but instead it allowed workers to stand in a pit surrounded by fuel vapours where just one spark from electric equipment could start a fire.”

Chris Hadrill, a solicitor at Redmans, commented on the case: “Employers have an obligation to implement a safe system of work for their employees and this is arguably especially so when there is a risk of fire. The business in this case failed completely to take the necessary steps to avoid injury to Mr Roberts and was heavily fined for doing so. However, Mr Roberts has paid the real price in this case.”

Redmans Solicitors are employment solicitors in Putney and can help you claim personal injury if you’ve been injured at work.

The Oldest Prisons in the U.S.

The prison system in the United States dates back more than 230 years and is as old as the country itself. The system was created based on the English penal code and has many characteristics resembling the English system. The number of prisons in the United States grew from a handful of debtor prisons in early times to the more than 4,500 facilities in operation today. The current prison population in the U.S., according to U.S. Department of Justice data, is 1.6 million (2011). The State of Louisiana has the most prisoners per 100,000 people (1,619) while the State of Maine houses the fewest inmates per capita of any state (151 prisoners per 100,000 people).

The oldest prisons in the country that are still in operation today are the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York, and the San Quentin State Prison located in Marin County, California. Read on for a short history of each facility.

Sing Sing Correctional Facility (1826)  

The Sing Sing Penitentiary is located just outside New York City on the Hudson River. The prison has been in continual use as a correctional facility for 187 years. The facility is a maximum security, male only correctional institution designed to house approximately 1,700 people, although the current population at Sing Sing is around 2,200 prisoners.

The facility first opened in 1826 as a replacement for the older Newgate Prison, built in 1797 in New York City. Initial inmates held at Sing Sing were those convicted of felonies, as well as mentally incompetent persons and individuals adjudicated as being insane. By 1848, insane and mentally incompetent prisoners were transferred to a new state mental hospital located in Utica, New York. Women were first housed at Sing Sing in the Mount Pleasant Female Prison opened in 1839 and were subsequently transferred to county facilities and finally to a new women’s prison built in Auburn, New York in 1893.

San Quentin State Prison (1852)  

The oldest prison in the State of California is the maximum security men’s facility located in the unincorporated town of San Quentin, California. The prison was opened in July 1852 and currently serves as the only death row facility in the state. San Quentin houses 3,955 male prisoners in a facility only designed to hold 3,082, as of January 2013. The 734 inmates that currently live on death row constitute the largest male death row population in the world. The most famous inmate to have been executed at San Quentin is possibly Stanley Tookie Williams, founder of the L.A. Crips street gang.

Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth (1875)  

The Disciplinary Barracks are located on the oldest military installation west of the Mississippi River. The barracks are the only maximum security military prison and this is the oldest prison in the federal correctional system. The facility houses 440 male inmates convicted of military crimes. Of the housed prisoners at Fort Leavenworth (known as “The Castle”), six are currently on death row, including former Army Major Nidal Hasan, who was found guilty of the shootings at the base at Fort Hood, Texas that left 13 dead. Another notable prisoner being held at Leavenworth is Chelsea (nee Bradley) Manning, a former Army private and intelligence analyst who was convicted of providing classified documents to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Byline

Jason Belmont is a freelance writer based in Issaquah, Washington who focuses on law & society. Those who find themselves in trouble and in need of assistance in Texas should consider going with OK Bail Bonds, located in Houston, Texas.

Crash Teams to the Rescue! Accident Reconstruction

Fall Festival AccidentAn October Church Fall Festival turned deadly when a sixth grade teacher allegedly lost control of her vehicle due to a possible pedal malfunction, killing a 15 year girl and critically injuring her younger sister.  The driver, Roseanne Piccirilli, cannot be formally charged until the findings of the “freak accident” are revealed.  In minor car accidents, when all parties involved are able to give an account of the accident, police officers typically do not need more information before filing a report.  However, in more complex vehicle accidents where drivers, passengers, and pedestrians have been severely injured or killed, police, and even lawyers, need more information for the case.  According to a Wisconsin Auto Accident Attorney, a successful auto accident claim relies on resources from investigators, doctors, numerous experts and a knowledgeable team specializing in accident reconstruction.  While the “he said, she said” story, along with eye witness accounts, will often set a lawsuit in motion, more quantitative data is needed in order for accident victims to receive a fair compensation for financial and physical suffering related to the accident.

If in the Event of an Accident…

According to the National Safety Council, 1 in 11 drivers will be involved in a car accident each year.  While car accidents range from a small fender bender to a distracted driver to a fatal “unexplained” crash, drivers should be well equipped with the knowledge of what to do if he or she is involved in or witnesses an accident.  Many accidents require legal assistance and any information, regarding the crash, is invaluable to investigators and lawyers.  If you were in involved in an accident, would you know what to do?  Here are the “basics”, if you are ever involved in an accident, as it is pertinent to any police report or accident claim.

  • When you are involved in an accident, be sure to STOP your vehicle if you are able and it’s safe and legal.
  • Depending on where you live, you may be able to move your car out of harm’s way.  In some states, however, your case will be more or less tossed aside if you move your car out of the way, as you have technically altered valuable evidence.
  •   Call the police and emergency services if you or anyone else is injured.  Even the smallest of injuries may need attending to.
  • Gather any information you can.  Get the names of all parties involved in the accident, including witnesses.  Draw a quick sketch or note of your account of what happened or the placement of the vehicles involved in the accident.  Time can be your worst enemy when it comes to recounting important details of your accident.  Even if you think you have a flawless memory, you may be surprised how the details can change and fade.

In a perfect world, you will never be involved in an accident and if you are, collecting data is your “worst case scenario”, but often times, many drivers, passengers, and pedestrians never have the chance to share their account of what happened.  Police reports are unfinished, families hire attorneys to seek justice, and a crash remains a mystery until more detailed information comes along.  This critical time is when crash teams, specializing in accident reconstruction, come to the rescue.

Accident Reconstruction: Solving the mystery and tragedy of an Automobile Accident.

In the complex, heartbreaking case involving driver, Roseanne Piccirilli and the young victims, the police and family rely on the scientific findings from an accident reconstruction team.  An accident reconstruction team looks at every detail of the accident and before a “reconstructionist” can join an invaluable team, he/she must have at least 10 weeks of rigorous training specializing in all kinds of accidents including motorcycles to larger vehicles. A Reconstructionist walks through the crash scene numerous times, performing tests that rely heavily on math, engineering, computer science and physics.

While an eye witness, the injured victim, or Piccirilli, herself, has their own account of what happened during the crash, a reconstruction team has an unbiased opinion based on science, alone.  In this particular case, where the gas pedal may be at fault, the crash team may consider the height of the driver, the placement of the floor mat, the age of the driver, the health of the driver, and the mechanics of the vehicle; as all can be related in a pedal misapplication crash.

Crash teams have helped solve the mysterious accident behind Hollywood icon James Dean’s death to the unfortunate everyday automobile accident.  A reconstruction team will also examine specific details of the accident to aid the police, lawyers, and families looking for answers.  A crash team investigates and performs:

  • Impact speeds
  • Point of Impact Placement and the Magnitude of the Impact
  •  Time Distance Analysis
  •  Seatbelt Usage
  • Air Bag Deployment
  • Analysis of Reports already Taken or Filed

While it may take weeks to months to gather and analyze data from the scene of an automobile accident, the information that a reconstruction team gathers is invaluable for a pending lawsuit and a grieving family.

If you are ever unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident, would you rather rely on the eye witness account of a pedestrian on the sidewalk or the scientific and thorough training of an accident reconstruction team?

An Overview of Bail Skipping

Failure to appear (FTA) is a term used for defendants who are released on bail and fail to appear at their scheduled court hearing. Statistics on the frequency of FTA vary, depending on the source, and the accuracy of those statistics is also a source of debate. But FTA is not just a legal issue, as bail skipping has financial and economic ramifications as well.

Bail bondsman and FTA

In cases where a defendant is granted bail, a 24 hour bail bonds agency may get involved if the defendant cannot come up with the money. The agency charges the defendant a fee, which is a percentage of the total amount of the bail. The bail bondsman then presents the court with a surety bond, which protects the recipient against losses if the contract cannot be fulfilled. If the defendant jumps bail, the bail bond agency is allowed six months to return the defendant back to the court, or reimburse the court for the full amount of the bail. The surety bond is often backed by insurance companies. Apex Bail Bonds in Rockingham County, NC always makes sure their defendant shows up to court and pays the bail.

Frequency of FTA

Defendants fail to attend their hearing in about five to ten percent of cases — comprising roughly 10,000 incidents per year — although New Jersey reports that 20 percent of defendants ditched their court date. This discrepancy in statistics illustrates the complexity of this issue. The New Jersey statistic has been challenged based on the fact that New Jersey criminal courts are slow in disposing their heavy case load. Additionally, there has been an uptick in the prosecution of drug cases as a result of new drug legislation. The courts have had to deal with a growing influx of addicts, who are by nature erratic in their behavior. Another factor is that in New Jersey, the determination of whether a case will go to trial or not is a very long process, and studies reveal that FTA increases with lengthier disposition times. It is also crucial that you get a legal specialist that is in your area, as they are going to have a much better knowledge of that area. We recently worked with a professional criminal defense attorney in Jersey City and they had a great knowledge of that area, so just shows how important that is.

Who is Granted Bail?

Though five out of six defendants are offered bail, it is estimated that 50,000 inmates remain in U.S. jails due to their inability to pay bail, even though they have yet to be tried. Most of the defendants who were granted bail were accused of fraud. Charges of rape, motor vehicle theft, robbery, or burglary were less likely to be offered release.

Who is jumping Bail?

Demographically, Hispanics or blacks with past arrests were the highest risk of FTA. For all ethnics groups, 61% of those who were released on bail had a prior arrest. Of that 61%, 27% had jumped bail in the past, 30% were previously convicted of a felony, and one in four defendants were released on bail, even though they had other criminal cases pending.

An Economic Issue

FTA is an economic problem for the nation’s local governments; some estimates suggest that FTA costs local governments $10 million per year. In the past five years, the amount due to local governments for FTA has increased as a result of changes in the business model of bail bond companies. These companies have started providing bonds to higher-risk defendants, including defendants with prior histories of FTA. This increase in FTA has caused some insurance companies to go bankrupt.

Examples of affected local governments include Los Angeles, which is due $25 million, and New Jersey, which is owed $39 million. Local governments have also been forced to allocate resources towards locating these defendants, as bond companies have started using bail bond software to streamline the process of providing bail bond services.

Byline

Justin Hartford is a freelance writer who specializes in legal topics such as personal injury law, criminal defense, affordable bail bonds, criminal sentencing, history of prison facilities, legal history and other areas.

The Worst Premier League Injuries in Recent Years

Premier League soccer is considered the apex of footballing talent with plenty of fans hoping to get the best seats at online sports ticket sites like the Football Ticket Pad. Fans ranging from old veterans down to starry-eyed kids all have aspirations of playing on a Premier League pitch. The skillful plays and graceful athleticism of the Premier League athletes justify the moniker coined by Stuart Hall: “The Beautiful Game.” However, there have also been a fair amount of ugly plays as well. Though many critics of the sport like to point out the frequency of simulation (or faking an injury, in less sophisticated terms) as a mark against the game, there have certainly been a significant number of legitimate injuries. The following is a list of some of the worst injuries in the history of the Premier League.

Heat-Seeking Elbow

Tottenham Hotspur Gary Mabbutt was locked in a heated challenge with Wimbledon’s John Fashanu in a match in 1993. Fashanu’s elbow smashed into the left eye of Mabbutt, which almost cost Gary his eye and his career. The results of the errant elbow were a damaged eye socket and three different breaks and four fractures in the cheekbone. In fact, a metal plate had to be inserted under the skin to stabilize the structure of his face.

The Many Broken Legs

In 2004, after only 19 games with Liverpool, Djibril Cisse suffered a terrible leg injury against Jay McEveley of the Blackburn Rovers. Cisse’s boot got stuck in the turf, while his calf bone was kicked (unintentionally) in the other direction by McEveley. It was obvious that the leg was broken as it slouched like it had no bone at all immediately after impact. On the bright side Cisse came back a little under a year later, much sooner than anyone expected.

In a 2008 match between Arsenal and Birmingham, Martin Taylor slid in for a tackle against Arsenal’s Eduardo da Silva. Under the impact Eduardo’s left fibula was broken and his ankle was dislocated. One particular photo taken just as boot struck the knee shows Eduardo’s bone tearing through his sock. Some reports even asserted that had the tackle been slightly harder it may have taken da Silva’s foot clean off.

In a twist of bad luck, roughly two years later tragedy struck Arsenal again in the person of Aaron Ramsey. After a tackle from Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross, Ramsey was in tears as he rolled around on the grass. As a result of the tackle, Ramsey’s leg was actually dangling freely from his body. Like the incident with da Silva, many players avoided the scene for fear of vomiting.

Last is the injury considered by some sources to be the most horrific in the history of the Premier League. David Busst from Coventry had only been a professional for five years. He was becoming a regular player for the team, and was thus picked to play in the game against Manchester United in April 1996. Two minutes into the match, as the ball swung in from a header off a corner kick, opposing players Dennis Irwin and Brian McClair lunged at the ball to clear it. In the process of attempting a shot on goal, Busst’s leg suffered severe damage with both lower leg bones (tibia and fibula) sustaining extensive fractures.

The Manchester United goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, who was reputed to be one of the toughest players in the league, immediately covered his eyes in the aftermath. According to some reports, Schmeichel even threw up on the pitch and needed counseling. To add to the pain, players and fans then had to watch blood get cleaned off the pitch for twelve minutes as the game was stopped.

Byline

In addition to Premier League injuries, Roger Bolton covers sports history, sports news, sports attire and accessories, and so forth; for more info on sports clothing visit Lupo Sports.

Constructing a compensation claim

Guest post regarding how to construct a compensation claim. 

Sometimes, planning is of the essence. Putting in the necessary time and effort before a particular event or important occasion more often than not pays off. As your teacher no doubt told you before you ever started an essay or an exam, always make a plan.

Unfortunately, even the best prepared amongst us cannot legislate for everything. Every now and then, something comes up which catches you completely unawares.

This could be a good thing. Your boss might give you an unexpected pay rise, your favourite film might be on just as you collapse on the sofa, or what the weather man predicted would be a gloomy, wet Sunday turns out to be filled with glorious sunshine.

But sometimes, bad things can happen too. Bad things like personal injury.

Who to ask for help?

If your injury was down to negligence, a reckless driver or any other act of an individual or organisation, you might want to think about making a compensation claim. Reputable firms like The Co-operative Legal Services can help you with this.

Click here to find out a little more about launching a compensation claim for a personal injury with them.

A quick phone call will put you in touch with dedicated legal advisors who can help you to understand your position and whether you would be correct to pursue a claim. These people know the tricks of the trade and have a solid comprehension of the law, so speaking to them is always a good starting point.

Who to claim against?

If you feel that you were the subject of medical or clinical negligence, there is a specific avenue for you to investigate. Claims of this nature can be made against a variety of medical providers, including the NHS, dentists, cosmetic surgeons, GPs and private hospitals, so don’t feel that your case cannot be taken on.

Who to pay?

A dedicated team of specialist medical and clinical negligence solicitors are available to those making claims and their knowledge of the industry is second to none. All legal fees are covered and in the vast majority of cases, the claimant keeps every penny of any compensation.

You don’t have to accept every piece of misfortune as inevitability. If someone or something was at fault, challenge them. Stand up and submit your claim for compensation using legal services to help you construct it professionally.

The Most Accident-Prone Vehicles in America

According to data from the United States Census Bureau, there were 10.8 million motor vehicle accidents in the United States in 2009.  This number is 6 percent higher than the total number of accidents recorded in 2008 but lower than the amount of vehicle collisions during the years 2000 (13.4 million) and 1990 (11.5 million).

If you’ve had an accident or injury in America as a result of someone’s negligence, see our top injury attorneys page here, which now includes our guides to the Best Personal Injury Lawyers Las Vegas, Nevada, Injury Lawyers in New Orleans, Louisiana, and for those in Colorado, this guide to some of the top Personal Injury Attorneys in Denver 

There were 338,000 motor vehicle related deaths occurring within 30 days of an accident in 2009. These include both collision and non-collision accidents involving drivers, passengers, other vehicles, pedestrians, and fixed objects. Texas leads the country in traffic related fatalities from accidents with 30,000 deaths, while the District of Columbia had the fewest at 290.

The types of vehicles that were most likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident, according to Census data, are passenger vehicles, utility trucks, and pickup trucks. Specific data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the following five vehicles as the most prone to accidents: Chevrolet Sonic, Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima, and Kia Soul. Each of these vehicles were selected based on their IIHS insurance loss ratings.

Chevrolet Sonic 

According to IIHS ratings for the 2010-2012 model years, the Chevrolet Sonic receives ratings in excess of 100 (worse than average) in insurance loss arising from personal injury, medical payments, and bodily injury to drivers, passengers and others. The Sonic’s ratings of 134 for personal injury and 172 for medical payments makes the vehicle substantially worse than average when compared to other cars. Its ratings for collision and property damage are at or worse than average, making the vehicle one of the most dangerous cars on the road.

Chevrolet Cruze 

Like the Sonic, the 2010-2012 Cruze has worse than average insurance loss ratings, including property damage (107), personal injury (121), medical payment (128), and bodily injury loss (124). It is also considered a marginal to poor safety risk by the IIHS in its crash test ratings.

Toyota Camry 

The Toyota Camry comes with a 157 collision rating, a mark much worse than average, and an unusually poor score for a vehicle made by Toyota. The vehicle’s personal injury and medical payment loss ratings also come in substantially worse than average, at 133 and 141 respectively.

Nissan Maxima 

The Nissan Maxima received insurance loss ratings that were worse than average as compared to similar vehicles of its class (at 145 and 147 respectively). Collision, property damage, and bodily injury ratings were poor as well.

Kia Soul 

The insurance loss ratings for the Kia Soul were 134 for medical payment loss. For personal injury and bodily injury, the numbers are 115 and 105, both worse than average.

The Chevy Sonic and Cruze were deemed among the most accident prone cars among vehicles in the small four-door car category. The Nissan Maxima and Toyota Camry received some of the worst high safety concern and insurance loss ratings among midsize four-door cars. The Kia Soul is deemed by the IIHS as one of the most accident-prone small minivans on the market.

Byline

Vinny Cunningham writes on car dealerships, car mechanics, car repair, the auto industry, car dealership software and other related subjects.