Big Decisions by Chrysler Could Benefit You
A big move has been made in the world of product liability. According to RTT News, Chrysler announced that they would be taking responsibility for any product liability claims made before its emergence from bankruptcy protection in June of this year. According to John Bozzella, a senior vice president for the company, this new policy was made in an effort to assure Chrysler drivers that they stand behind the quality of their vehicles, despite their current financial troubles.
The original agreement involved Chrysler only taking responsibility for cars sold after they emerged from bankruptcy protection. They are now saying that Chrysler can still be considered liable for defects from any of their cars, if the accident occurred after they emerged from bankruptcy protection.
Wow. This is similar to GM’s decision to take on the liability of all of their vehicles after emerging from bankruptcy. What does this mean for you? Since these companies are taking the liability, there is fair compensation available—and to fight for. It is very important to contact an experienced attorney if you have been in an accident with a Chrysler or General Motors vehicle (And, it doesn’t hurt to contact one who is well-versed in bankruptcy too.)
Why Shouldn’t You Sign Anything After An Accident?
One of the most common mistakes I see every day is the inability for accident victims to truly understand what the insurance adjuster is trying to do. When you’ve been in an accident, keep in mind that the adjuster works for the insurance company. As sincere or sympathetic as they may seem, the adjuster is not there to help you. They want to gather the right evidence to minimize the money they must pay you.
One way that they do this is by getting access to your past records. An adjuster will give you a release that he or she asks you to sign so they can look at your medical records from the accident. If you sign the release, you are allowing the adjuster to not only access your medical files, but in most cases, any file from your past – medical, employment and driving records just to name a few.
It is therefore important not to sign anything before speaking with an experienced personal injury lawyer. In addition, whether you hire a lawyer to help you or not, be completely truthful about your past injuries and prior accidents. The insurance adjuster has access to all of this information and if you are dishonest, it can destroy your case.
Want to avoid this mistake and more? Contact an experienced personal injury attorney that knows these common traps and can help you navigate your way through the legal system and fight your battles for you.
What Is the Role of the Insurance Adjuster?
After you get into an accident, you are contacted by an agent from the insurance company. His job is to gather the facts and evidence from you, other witnesses, police reports, and hospital records to report back to his employer. The facts and evidence that he gathers are used to negotiate how much money you can receive when you turn in your claim for damages and injuries.
His job is to make the lowest offer possible.
I’m sure this comes as no shock. The insurance company wants to pay you as little as possible and the adjuster, as the company’s agent, gathers the knowledge to do so. Business is just business, after all.
Accident Outside Oakville High School Leaves Motorcyclist Injured
A young man driving a motorcycle collided with a turning pick-up truck in Oakville on Tuesday evening. The motorcyclist has been reported as driving irresponsibly—speeding and passing on the shoulder. The truck was making a legal turn. No one in the pickup was injured but the man on the motorcycle was taken to the hospital. His condition is serious but stable.
My thoughts go out to the man on the motorcycle and his family. I wish him a speedy recovery.
Motorcycles are particularly dangerous. Their small structure makes it easier for drivers to dart in and out of traffic and their lack of protection makes them prone to cause serious injuries.
In this case, the police are determining whether charges are to be filed against the man on the motorcycle. It will be critical for both drivers to understand their rights in this situation. The motorcyclist clearly was breaking the law, which will be a vital fact in the truck driver’s case with the insurance company.
The driver would be well-advised to speak with an attorney who has experience in motorcycle accidents. This is a perfect example of a case that an insurance company would try and settle before it goes to trial. That may not be in the best interest of the truck driver and his ability to get the compensation he deserves.
Why is it important to speak with a lawyer after your accident?
Many things run through your mind after an accident. Am I or one of my passengers hurt? Is my vehicle damaged? Who should I call?
But there are many things that may be important to your situation that you are not thinking of.
• What should I say to the insurance adjuster?
• What will it cost me to miss days from work?
• Should I sign a medical lien?
• Should I be writing this information down?
You are not always thinking about the mistakes you could be making that could cause serious damage to your chances of getting a fair insurance settlement—and rightly so. You should always take care of yourself and your family’s needs first. Unfortunately, that may not be enough to get a fair settlement from the insurance company.
You also may damage your case by trying to interpret laws on your own. Insurance adjusters and their companies rely on your inability to understand the legal options. They usually try and settle a claim before it even goes to court. Is that really what is best for you and your family?
You may not always need an attorney for an accident, but at least knowing your rights is a vital step in recovering the time and money that you’ve lost after an accident. Your best bet would be to get a free consultation with an office that can determine whether your case requires serious legal counsel. Even if you don’t need a lawyer, do you really want to take the chance of not knowing?
O’Fallon Girl Killed in Car Accident
An O’Fallon girl of just 16, Elise Sunderhuse, died in a car crash yesterday. Elise was a passenger; the car was driven by Courtney Miener, also 16. Courtney had overcorrected after deviating from Highway DD. She then hit a subdivision sign. Elise was dead at the scene but Courtney remains in good condition at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
My thoughts go out to both families. The Sunderhuse family—along with Courtney, must be devastated. The highways West of St. Louis, including DD and Highway P, are dangerous and the idea of new drivers being on them makes me nervous. I am always sure to tell my own young drivers, Tyler and Devyn, to be careful going down highways with dangerous paths or ones they are not familiar with.
As a personal injury attorney who specializes in traffic fatalities, I know how important these next few days will be for the Sunderhuse and Miener families. The statements that they make to the insurance adjuster will be vital in their ability to get fair compensation. An insurance adjuster tries to settle a claim for as little as possible. He will surely attempt to do so in this case.
The families would be well-advised to speak with a serious injury attorney who knows how to negotiate with the insurance companies. That would probably be their best chance at having the compensation they need.
Norm Stewart’s Granddaughter Killed in Auto Accident in Columbia
The granddaughter of legendary basketball coach Norm Stewart died in a car accident on Saturday in Columbia, Missouri. Around 3 a.m., Jennifer Stewart crashed into a tree at, what appears to be, a high speed. The vehicle caught file and Jennifer was dead when police arrived on the scene. According to police, Jennifer was not wearing a seat belt.
My thoughts go out to Jennifer’s family during this painful time. Jennifer was only 29 years old. Tragedies involving young people strike a certain chord in the hearts of parents everywhere. Since the crash did not involve any other drivers, it will be important for Jennifer’s family to look elsewhere for fault.
Until the final police reports come back, the cause of the accident cannot be properly identified but there are some other factors surrounding her situation. Jennifer was driving an older Jeep, which could be reason to suspect a deficiency with her vehicle. She was also driving a curve at the time of the crash which lends itself to many theories on the physical conditions of the scene.
Whatever the cause may be, it will be vital for Jennifer’s family to find it and get the proper justice for this tragedy. They would be well-advised to contact a personal injury attorney who specializes in traffic fatalities.
Texting Ban Goes Into Effect for Young Missouri Drivers
One month ago today, I wrote an article on the new texting while driving ban in Missouri. I also included the news in my newsletter. The law went into effect on Friday and it seems to not been met with much opposition. That is not to say there aren’t questions on where this law will take us—but mostly everyone can acknowledge that it is a dangerous habit.
More staggering statistics have been released in support of the law. According to an article from the Independence Examiner, a study showed that 80% of all traffic crashes involve some form of distraction to the driver. There is no doubt that texting is a distraction, considering the 5-10 seconds that is usually required when reading or sending a text.
Missouri is the 23rd state in the country to make a move against texting. And the ban carries real consequences—a fine of up to $200 and possible points on your license due to its status as a moving violation.
Perhaps the more staggering number is the amount of Google results I got this morning for “Texting While Driving Accidents in Missouri.” Page after page of results has news stories about accidents interlaced with news on the new law. As a serious injury attorney, I have paid particular attention to the damages texting while driving can cause.
If you have been the victim of an accident with a driver who was texting, there is now more solid ground for your defense. Because this is now a legal violation, it changes the nature of your case and the likelihood that you will receive fair compensation. If you have been in an accident, it is vital that you contact an auto accident attorney immediately.
Accident on Blanchette Bridge May Be Result of Drunk Driving
Early Wednesday evening, it was reported that a 22 year old driver, who was suspected of drinking and drug possession, hit a man working on the Blanchette Bridge. The man was working on contract for the state Department of Transportation. After hitting the man, the young driver crashed into a truck that was also doing work on the site.
Drunk driving never ends well. It is inherently dangerous and it is unfortunate that this man has possibly become the victim of a drunk driver. If the driver had indeed been drinking, he or she could be facing several consequences.
There may be criminal charges for the drinking. The accident also must have occurred in a construction zone, which should have caught the attention of the driver immediately. There are other possibilities for tickets, whether the driver had been drinking or not, that all surround the same idea: the driver failed to keep a proper look out.
This idea has been a theme through the last couple posts—and it’s no coincidence. Drivers are distracted by their cell phones, billboards, screaming children, other drivers, etc. It only takes a second with your eyes off the road to be the next story on the Post-Dispatch crime report. And the driver may have been drinking along with all those distractions? Whew. That isn’t a chance I would take.
Since this case has so many facets, it will be hard to understand which documentation is important to keep track of and which mistakes could permanently damage his case. The injured worker would be well-advised to contact an attorney who is experienced in injuries on the job and traffic accidents in order to get the proper compensation for his trauma and injuries.
Multi-Car Accident on Highway 55 Results in Fire and Highway Shut Down
According to an article on KPLR, there was an accident involving a tractor-trailer 4 other vehicles on Highway 55 near downtown St. Louis. Elizabeth Warren of Collinsville was a passenger in the car that was struck by the tractor-trailer from behind. Warren was killed in the accident and the driver remains in critical condition.
A Chevrolet Cobalt was caught in the accident leaving the driver in serious condition. A Grand Prix was also caught in the accident and the two women inside are stable. The crash also caused a fire, causing Interstate 55 to be shut down for several hours.
An accident that caused the death and injuries of so many strikes a chord with St. Louisans everywhere. This accident was a real tragedy and my thoughts are with the families of the victims.
I think of the hardship that has fallen on these families and hope that they can get the compensation they deserve. The mounting medical bills and expenses for these families will only be harder if they cannot negotiate with the insurance companies.
Proving who is at fault for this accident will be of particular importance. If the tractor-trailer driver had been negligent or distracted, he is violating his duty to keep a proper look out. As the investigators and accident reconstruction teams gather evidence, the families of these victims should keep careful track of injuries and expenses in order to make the proper claim.
The families would be well advised to speak with an attorney with experience in multi-vehicle accidents and traffic fatalities. That may be the only way for the families to negotiate with the insurance companies skillfully and get the compensation they need to survive these hard times.
