The Importance of Witnesses in a Court Case

Posted by jmr on Nov 30, 2017 in Uncategorized | 0 comments As an experienced personal injury lawyer Memphis, TN trusts, the number one piece of evidence that helps me settle or win a client’s case is credible independent eyewitness testimony.  You might not think that is hard to come by, but it is. In most cases, there are no available independent witnesses. Why? As a general matter, most people who witness an accident or an occurrence do not want to get involved.  Or, they are simply too busy to stop and help, or to otherwise offer assistance. Think about your daily life. You are busy. You are always in a hurry to get to one place or another. Maybe you are running late for work one morning and you see an accident. Would you stop and wait for the police or at least stop to give your name and contact information to the people involved in the accident? Most people simply drive on by and continue about their daily lives. Sometimes even when witnesses are listed on a police incident report, they do not want to be involved. I can’t count the number of times I have tried to reach out to witnesses by telephone or letter without success. I have found that some people just don’t want to talk to lawyers. This is where you can significantly help your lawyer advance your case.  If you are involved in an accident or incident and you think you may need to submit a claim or file a lawsuit one day, talk to the people around who saw it.  Ask them questions. Tell them you need their help. Not to “win” your case, but to tell the truth and give an account as to what happened. Not all court cases involve accidents. Sometimes a conversation or transaction or series of events can have a huge impact on a case, but if no one can testify to the events, it is as if it never happened.  If you give your lawyer a list of “witnesses” that you think can help with your case, realize that those people will naturally respond better to you– the person they know and have had contact with. You can help your lawyer by letting your witnesses know that your attorney will be reaching out to them to discuss what happened, and asking them to cooperate.  Another way you can help with gathering witness testimony and information is to...
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The Danger of Driving at High Speeds

Posted by jmr on Nov 30, 2017 in Uncategorized | 0 comments At one point in time, there was a maximum speed limit throughout the country. In 1995, this was changed, resulting in a steady increase in speed limits across the country. In some areas the difference in speed limits have increased by more than 30 miles per hour. This has caused car accidents to occur with a higher frequency and to be far more serious than in years prior. There are a few ways that driving at a higher speed can contribute to a car accident, most of which involves the inability to be able to respond in a timely manner. Shorter Stopping Distance You will need to be able to give yourself more time to stop when driving at a high speed. When stopping a vehicle, it can take a significant amount of time to slow down. Driving at a higher speed can cause you to be closer to other cars on the road. Be sure to leave yourself plenty of room between other vehicles on the road in the event that you must stop quickly. Cars can pile up on top of each other when they are not able to stop in time. For example, when a car is driving 80 miles per hour there should be a distance of 21 car lengths in order to avoid hitting them when trying to stop. Higher Force Can Be Fatal When someone is driving at a higher speed, the force of the impact if in an accident will increase significantly. If car were to make contact with another vehicle, the strength of the impact could be severely detrimental. If driving too fast, the safeguards installed in the vehicle may not function properly. While systems such as seat belts and airbags help to keep people safe, when they are not functioning properly, people in the vehicle could suffer from more severe injuries, even death. Less Time to React In the event that someone is on the road, such as an animal or a vehicle, there is less time to react if driving at a higher speed. It can take time to respond in a crisis. When something gets in your way, you will have to respond in a split second. When driving faster, the amount of time you may have to react will be drastically reduced. Regardless of how diligent you may be, the higher the speed you drive, the more...
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Severe Burns

Posted by jmr on Nov 30, 2017 in Uncategorized | 0 comments One of the most serious and painful injuries a person can suffer from are severe burns. Considering severe burns can affect your physical appearance and your amount of sun exposure. Severe burns can damage several layers of the skin and possibly cause tissue damage beneath the layers of your skin. Because severe burns are treated in a burn center, where patients are treated with blood transfusions, skin grafts and extra fluids which speeds up recovery time, also a victim with a severe case may have medical bills up to $1 million dollars.  Possible complications during treatment and recovery may add thousands of dollars to a medical bill. Severe burn victims are subjected to plastic surgery and skin grafts and they may have to live with the risk of infections, even after the time of the accident. Victims often have inoperable scarring that results in them having to limit their time in the sun. Victims also are at a higher rate for skin cancer, opening the door to sometimes countless procedures and treatments for an ailment for which they may not be at fault. For example, if you are shopping in a store and you are exposed to any hazardous material that subsequently causes you harm, please seek medical attention and think about what’s next once you are seen by a doctor. Industrial plant explosions, construction site accidents, and other dangerous premises where explosions or fires occurred account for the numerous cases where  serious burns occur. The worst of these injuries can require extensive reconstructive surgery. An electrocution accident can result in severe burns and permanent nerve damage. Burn injuries arising from explosions and fires can result in expensive medical bills, missed time from work and lengthy, painful recovery times. What can make these dangerous, painful injuries so hard to deal with is that the majority of burn injuries are caused by the negligence of others. Common causes are: ■ Defective and malfunctioning machinery ■ Unsafe workplace conditions ■ Failure to store chemicals property ■ OSHA violations ■ Failure to train staff properly in handling of flammable materials ■ Defective ovens, stoves or other commonly used home or camping devices If you or someone you know have recently been involved has experienced severe burns through not fault of their own, you may need to speak with an attorney.  Attorneys, like a personal injury lawyer Atlanta GA can count on, are...
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