Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys |

Summer Road Trips: Have You Checked Your Auto Insurance?

What would you think is the most dangerous month to drive? What day of the week? You may think that winter months are dangerousFort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys because of snow and ice and that Monday mornings would be dangerous because of commuters. Both are wrong.

The most dangerous month, it turns out, is August, and Saturday the most dangerous day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Summer is when driving goes way up, and Saturdays are when many people who get to work using public transportation decide to gas up the family car and head for the beach or Home Depot.

We are going to focus on summer road trips because this is when there is the potential for unusual circumstances to come into play. You’re going to be far from home so if anything happens you’ll want to make sure you have enough insurance coverage to handle any problems.

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| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys

Florida Click It or Ticket in May – Please Wear Your Seat Belt

florida car accident attorneysTry to imagine the frustration felt by Florida Highway Patrol troopers and highway safety officials when you consider they have been fighting to reduce the number of fatalities on Florida roads, and after making progress for a time, the numbers turn and suddenly get worse. That’s what has happened the past three years, and despite the depressing news police all around Florida are ready to kick off the annual “click it or ticket” campaign in hopes people will buckle up. It’s inconceivable that some people are still forgetting to buckle their seat belts, but apparently they are:

Of the 35,092 people killed in car crashes in the United States last year, 9,874 were not wearing a seat belt, according to the National Highway Safety Administration. That’s 28% and it’s far too high.

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| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Uncategorized

Prima Facie in Professional Negligence Cases

professional negligenceIf you are involved in the highly contentious discourse that is politics these days, no doubt you have heard people use the phrase “that’s unconstitutional” and then move forward with their argument. The problem is that often the person hasn’t actually read the constitution, nor do they understand it. They have not established support for their point. Similarly, legal arguments sometimes should be supported by facts.

Latin for “at first sight,” Prima facie may be used as an adjective meaning “sufficient to establish a fact or raise a presumption unless disproved or rebutted;” e.g., prima facie evidence. A prima facie case is the establishment of a legally required rebuttable presumption.

If you wanted a court to accept up front that all concrete is hard, it wouldn’t be difficult to do that. But someone may counter that cement in a bag or wet cement is not hard, so you would have to clarify your position. “All gasoline flames are hot” would likely pass any challenge and be considered acceptable as “prima facie,” unless there is something I missed in my study of thermodynamics.

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| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Motorcycle Accident Attorney

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

There are days, weeks, and months for everything, but let’s discuss a month that we can all work together to make a difference. May isflorida motorcycle accident attorney motorcycle safety awareness month, and with Florida leading the nation in motorcycle crash fatalities. we need to pay attention and learn about this tragic loss of life.

Here are some numbers that we should all be concerned about:

Florida        2014 fatalities: 450     2015 fatalities: 550      Increase: 22%

When you consider that California suffered fewer fatal motorcycle accidents than Florida (489) in 2015, and their population (39 million) is almost double that of Florida (20 million)….we have a real problem here in the Sunshine State. What can we do about it?

If you are a motorcyclist, we hope you will pledge to refresh your knowledge of safety tips. Take a motorcycle safety course and please see a couple of our posts on causes of crashes and how to avoid them below. Please never drink and drive your motorcycle, and wear safety equipment.

As an automobile driver, please understand that many accidents are caused quite simply by not looking. When you pull out into the roadway please pause and look carefully. Obviously a motorcycle isn’t as large as a truck so take time to look twice. Many accidents are also caused by distracted drivers and incapacitated drivers. Don’t text and drive and never drink and drive. If you’re tired, take a nap. Call Uber. Save a life.

Almost everyone I know has experienced the loss of a loved one in a motorcycle accident. Let’s make this a month when we make a change to save lives, and not just in May but the whole year.

florida motorcycle accident attorneyFlorida Motorcycle Accident Attorney

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus is committed to education about safety on the road. We deal the victims of serious accidents on a daily basis and we see the tragic consequences. If you have been involved in any serious motor vehicle accident you deserve the finest legal advice and representation available. We will work hard to protect your rights and make sure you receive the maximum compensation allowed by law for your injuries and damages. Please call us at 954-356-0006.

 

How to Avoid the Most Common Motorcycle Accidents

More Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents and Tips to Avoid Them

 

 

| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Florida Accident Attorney

“Sorry, It’s My Fault” – Don’t Say That! Florida Accident Attorney

Florida Accident AttorneyYou’re a nice person, I can tell. And you’re polite. When you bump into someone in the store because you’re looking at your phone (you don’t do that in the car) you say “Sorry, my fault.” I do that too!

But. It’s not a good idea to do that after an accident. Even if it was your fault. We have discussed what to do immediately after an accident but we didn’t cover this and it recently came up in another case.

When you have an accident you first priority is safety and medical attention, if necessary. Don’t admit fault because that may come back at you later. Plus, you may think it’s your fault, but it’s really not. Often things are not as they first seem to be, which is why we investigate accidents.

Here’s a checklist of things to do and not do right after an accident:

  1. If anyone is injured call 911 immediately. And help as much as you can.
  2. If it’s a minor accident and you are going to work it with the other driver make sure you get all the information: insurance card, tag number, and take pictures.
  3. If you believe the police should be called, call them.
  4. If you are not injured get the names of witnesses who may have seen the accident. Once again, try to take pictures if you are able.
  5. Note the condition of the other driver and try to write down notes about everything you observe.
  6. If the police respond, cooperate but don’t offer information or make small-talk. Answer questions.
  7. Call your insurance company.
  8. Sometimes insurance adjusters will respond to the scene. Same as above, just answer questions and don’t offer your opinion or any chit-chat. Just because it’s your insurance company doesn’t mean they are anxious to pay you a lot of money.
  9. Don’t give a recorded statement to your insurance company. Tell them that can wait until later.
  10. Do not sign a general medical release. That’s another thing that can wait until later.
  11. Once you are finished with all on-scene responsibilities, call an experienced accident attorney. There will get guidance on what to do next.
  12. Finally, don’t post anything on social media! If there is any dispute or legal action, that has proved to be very bad in many other cases. It’s best to remain silent and speak only with your attorney.

florida accident attorneyFlorida Accident Attorney

The attorneys at Lazarus and Lazarus have been helping victims of car accidents for over 20 years, so we are well aware of the pitfalls of not keeping on course with the above list. We want the truth to come out and for our clients to get the best representation possible to receive the maximum help for their damages and injuries.

We invite you to examine our record, our qualifications, and our reviews online. Then we hope you call us if you are involved in any accident. Call us at 954-356-0006.

| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | South Florida Car Accident Attorney |

Don’t Gamble on the Road – South Florida Car Accident Lawyer

south florida car accident lawyerPlaying the odds means taking a risk. If you open a box of standard playing cards and remove the jokers, there will be 52 cards. If your goal is to pull out the 4 of diamonds and you randomly pull out a card, your odds of picking that card are 1 in 52. There’s really nothing you can do to change those odds, they are what they are.

What are the odds you will be involved in a car accident, and can you do anything about those odds?

According to Forbes Magazine, statistics from the Insurance Institute predict the average driver will file a report about a collision every 17.9 years. Now, I know people who have had several accidents in one year! Are they incredibly unlucky? Probably not, the word might be careless.

Causes of Crashes

Some of the top causes for auto accidents are:

Faulty Equipment – This includes bald tires, worn brakes, inoperable wipers, broken tail and headlights.

Solution: Have your car inspected often. When you have your oil changed, ask the technician to check the car for safety issues. If he will will charge a little extra for a thorough check-up, please pay it. The peace-of-mind and your safety are worth it.

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| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Uncategorized

Does “Hands-Free” Really Help Keep Drivers Safe? South Florida Accident Attorneys

Each day in the United States, over 8 people are killed and 1,161 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. Distractedsouth florida accident attorneys driving is driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. Distracted driving can increase the chance of a motor vehicle crash.

What’s the solution? Most people go with “handsfree” alternatives, but it’s not clear if they actually work.

Famous TV debunkers Adam and Jamie from “Mythbusters” conducted several tests to see if drivers could focus and perform a driving test better using hands-free versus hand-held cell phone use. First they drove real cars on a real obstacle course and the results were basically the same for both techniques. No real advantage for hands-free.

Then they moved the tests into a more scientific arena, a computerized driving simulator. The results: the same, no advantage for hands-free. Apparently any cell phone use is a distraction and counter-productive to safe driving.

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Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorney
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys, Uncategorized

What are the Duties of an Auto Accident Attorney?

Accidents happen to everyone, it’s just a matter of when. Everyone hopes it’s not serious and that no one is injured, but the statistics say it will happen eventually. That being said, do you know what to do when you’re in an accident? We have covered what to do immediately after the accident, such as cooperate with the authorities, but don’t admit fault, and don’t post on social media. Take photographs if possible.

Fort Lauderdale Auto Accident Attorney

Fort Lauderdale Accident AttorneyThen seek the advice of a good auto accident attorney, and look for references and reviews to select a good one. Then, after you have decided on a lawyer, what then? What should you expect from your attorney? Obviously you want to be communicated with regularly. What else?

How about a list of the duties and responsibilities a good auto accident attorney should know his responsibilities based on the circumstances of the case, but a basic outline is:

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cruise ship accident attorney
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENTS

Cruise Ships are Getting Smart, Hiring Lifeguards – Fort Lauderdale Cruise Ship Accident Attorney

fort lauderdale cruise ship accident attorneyBased in the Fort Lauderdale area we decided many years ago to provide assistance to people who have had harmful incidents with cruise ships and cruise lines. It is an interesting and challenging area of law for several reasons, including the reality that often incidents occur outside the jurisdiction of U.S. laws.

One of the most perplexing areas of concern for us over the years has been the accidents, injuries, and deaths that occur in and around swimming pools on board cruise ships. Cruise lines have traditionally opted to not provide lifeguards to patrol the pools, and pointed to statistics they believe back-up their decision. They have compared the number of accidents on ships to the number of land-based pools and decided that because, according to their numbers are fewer, there was no need for lifeguards. It has always been bewildering to us how they could reach that conclusion because even one preventable accident is too many.

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Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorneys

A Bottom Five Ranking: Florida Distracted Driving

A new study released to coincide with Distracted Driving Awareness Month (April) says that Florida ranks poorly when it comes to focusingfort lauderdale accident attorneys on the road. Florida drivers are among the most dangerous menaces on the road, ranking second-worst in the nation for being distracted while behind the wheel, according to a study of driving habits.

After a steady decline in fatal accidents nationwide, there has been a slow increase over the past 6 years and many experts believe it is due to distracted driving, mainly texting while driving.

The states with the best record for complying with phone-and-drive laws were:

1. Vermont
2. Minnesota
3. Oregon
4. New Hampshire
5. Connecticut

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