Wills for Firefighters

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

A lot of firefighters contemplated on their own mortality as one of their colleague, Manny Rivera, who sustained fatal injuries in battling last winter blaze, died at 42 years old.

According to John Panacek, Trenton Fire Department battalion chief, “Most firefighters don’t have wills in order.  They may not anticipate dying in their 30s or 40s but in our job, it could happen tomorrow.”  Because of this concern, Panacek tapped Wills for Heroes program, which is a national initiative offering firefighters with free estate planning assistance.  This also includes police officers and other people considered as first responders.

For Mercer County, the Young Lawyers Division of New Jersey Bar Association agreed to host a particular event that would be open to these first responders having an estate below $750,000.  This will be held at Hamilton Capital Health on Sept. 26.

Panacek added, “Estate planning has been something that plenty of firefighters are putting off.  Manny’s untimely death has been a real eye-opener.”  Rivera rescued a man on Feb.9 from a fire at Washington Street.  He collapsed at the scene and remained in a coma (seven week) until finally succumbing to death.

According to the website of Wills for Heroes, there were 400 police and firefighters who died in 9/11 terrorist attacks but a lot of them have no wills or estate documents.

Tags: estate, Fire Department, firefighters, Hamilton, injuries, John Panacek, lawyers, Manny Rivera, Mercer County, New Jersey Bar Association, police, Trenton, Wills, Wills for Heroes
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Qualifying Expert Witnesses in a Personal Injury Case

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Doctors or any other specialized medical professionals testifying in behalf of the defendant or plaintiff are called expert witnesses. Most state laws require that both the defendant and plaintiff appoint their own expert witnesses to testify in a case.

Expert witnesses play a very critical role to prove that the injuries of the victim were caused by the defendant’s negligence or actions. This is especially true in personal injury cases, particularly in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

The burden of proof falls on the plaintiff in these types of cases. This means that you have to show satisfactory evidence that the wrongful conduct or negligence of the defendant directly resulted in the injuries you sustained. Therefore, the testimony of an expert witness is vital and necessary.
For example, the doctor who treated your injuries needs to testify in court to relay the details of treatment, as well as the medical costs involved.

If you want to pursue a claim for personal injury, it’s essential for you to seek the advice of experienced injury attorneys. They can maximize your interests and protect your legal rights. In addition, they can advise you on the quality of expert witnesses you can use for your case.

Tags: defendant, expert witnesses, injuries, Injury, injury attorneys, negligence, plaintiff
Posted in Injury, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury | No Comments »

Accident-Prone SUVs

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

When buying a car, people oftentimes consider only its exterior qualities. They fail to check its vulnerability and safety features in case of car accidents.

For example, many people are attracted to purchase Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in the market today due to its elegant and sturdy look. However, a study has shown a different result. People inside SUVs are three times more likely to suffer injury or meet death compared to occupants of other vehicles.

Injury-related deaths due to SUV roll-overs have brought too much distress and pain to many families. Negligent parties have also paid big bulks of money for settlement or compensation. Therefore, be very careful when you’re choosing a vehicle to buy and take caution in driving them.

Actually, all vehicles are at risk of roll-overs. This happens when the driver losses control of the vehicle due to a turn miscalculation or wrong break application. The study also shows that vehicles built closer to the ground (lower-built) are safer than others. In the case of SUVs, they are built with higher gravity center from the ground. That’s why it’s more likely to roll-over compared to others.

Here are some injuries that result from roll-over accidents:

• *Neck Injury – seatbelts can cause pressure and strain to the neck area muscles.
• *Head and Brain Injury – sudden impact in the head area might cause severe headaches or even memory problems.
• *Spinal Cord Injury – any slight damage to the spinal cord may cause temporary or permanent paralysis.

Tags: head and brain injury, injuries, Injury, neck injury, spinal cord injury, SUVs
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Different Types of Spinal Injury

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

The most common injuries associated with body trauma arise from slip and fall, car, or truck accidents. And among the back, neck, and spine injuries, the spinal discs are more at risk. The spinal column, where these discs are located, extends from the brain, runs through the back of the neck, and down to the lower back. Therefore, it’s divided into three areas:

• *Cervical – the neck part
• *Thoracic – the mid-back part
• *Lumbar – the lower back part

Also, there are many descriptive terms used for the disc injuries and pain. Some of them are:

• *Herniated Disc – a bulge has opened up in the disc and its gel-like substance came out. This injury will affect how you perform your everyday tasks. It will bring severe pain in all you do.
• *Ruptured Disc – all the gelatinous portion of the disc is forced through the weakened part. If you have this, you would always experience back pain.
• *Slipped Disc – when your discs spit or rupture. This can also cause pain in the surrounding area.

If you are now suffering from any of these injuries due to an accident where someone is at fault, you can find injury lawyers and ask help from them. They can help compensate you for physical, psychological, and emotional problems associated with these injuries.

Tags: cervical, herniated disc, injuries, injury lawyers, lumbar, ruptured disc, slipped disc, thoracic
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Chimpanzee Attacker’s Owner may Freeze Assets

Monday, May 4th, 2009

Attorneys in a Stamford lawsuit are getting close to reaching an agreement on freezing some or all of the assets of Sandra Herold.

Herold owns a chimpanzee that attacked Charla Nash last February. According to reports, Herold is Nash’s employer and friend. On Feb. 16, the chimpanzee escaped and Herold called Nash for help to get the pet back in the house. After the attack, the police shot and killed Travis (pet’s name).

The injuries suffered by Nash are terrible. According to the doctors, she lost her nose, lips, and hands. And in addition to her brain injury, she is also blind because of the attack. Right now, she’s slowly making improvement at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

In March, Nash’s attorneys already moved in to prevent Herold from getting rid or selling her $50 million assets in case damages are awarded later in the lawsuit. At the next scheduled hearing, the attorneys will already present a possible agreement, to be approved by the court.

Michael Nash, the twin brother of the victim, was appointed the conservator in Probate Court. According to Nash’s attorney, Charles Willinger, “Damages awarded in this suit would go to the care of her daughter (17-year-old) as well as her recurring medical expenses.”

Tags: attorney, attorneys, brain injury, Charla Nash, Charles Willinger, Cleveland Clinic, injuries, Injury, Michael Nash, Probate Court, Sandra Herold
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Accident Injuries: Decide whether to Go to Court or Not

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

Some claims for accident injuries will be settled before going to court. However, a few will definitely proceed to litigation and trial.

Unless you are advised by your attorney, settling out of court will always be in your best interest. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that you are represented well.

It would be helpful to research your attorney’s past experience before hiring them. Have they taken many injury claims to trial? Or maybe their track record is filled with settling cases before going to court? Some accident attorneys have reputations of being good and tough – this might deter your opponents from the desire to take the case to trial.

Of course, litigation can be tiring and stressful. Aside from the costs associated with it, the preparation for the case will never be taken lightly. Then during the hearing, you will be required to face the lawyer of your opponent who has questions specifically designed to confuse you or trigger some negative emotions.

It’s true that there are some cases where you really need to go to trial in order to get your claim. An example of this includes a dispute on whether the injuries you sustained were really caused by the accident. So if you can find a good accident attorney, he or she has the responsibility to prepare you and inform you of the scenarios you’ll expect in court hearings.

Tags: accident attorneys, court, dispute, injuries, litigation, trial
Posted in Legal Claims | No Comments »