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Defective Product Watch in Birmingham: Trampolines & Home Risks

Sep 26, 2012 - Birmingham by

A new warning has been issued about the risks of child injury involving backyard trampolines. On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported nearly 100,000 children a year are injured on these trampolines. “Pediatricians need to actively discourage recreational trampoline use,” said Michele LaBotz, MD, FAAP, co-author of the report. “Families need to know that many injuries occur on the mat itself, and current data do not appear to demonstrate that netting or padding significantly decrease the risk of injury.” Birmingham personal injury attorneys understand children are most at risk for injury by dangerous or defective products. Each year, the Consumer Products Safety Commission recalls more than 100 defective products marketed to children — including clothing, toys, cribs, strollers and highchairs.

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Small Plane Crashes an Autumn Risk in Alabama

Sep 25, 2012 - Personal Injury by

A rash of small plane accidents in Alabama has authorities concerned as we enter the autumn flying season. General aviation enthusiasts like to say flying is as safe as driving. While that might be true for flying commercial, it’s patently false when it comes to general aviation. Small plane flight is comparable in risk to riding a motorcycle. That is to say, quite dangerous. In fact, the Airplane Pilot and Owner’s Association (AOPA) reports more than 1,200 general aviation accidents occur annually. In 2009, the FAA reports 475 of the nation’s 535 aviation fatalities occurred in the private aviation sector. Sixty-eight fatal Alabama plane crashes were reported from 2007-2009. A small plane crash killed two people Monday in Cullman County. The accident happened off Cullman County Road 174 near Smith Lake when a Mooney aircraft out of Destin, Florida crashed after the pilot radioed a report of difficult weather conditions and issued a Mayday call. An accident on Saturday involving a seaplane claimed the life of a man on Weiss Lake in Cherokee County. Two others were also killed on Saturday when their World War II era plane crashed in Madison County at the Moontown Grass Field Fly-in.

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Root for the Home Team Responsibly – Reduce Risks of Drunk Driving Accidents in Alabama

Sep 14, 2012 - Drunk Driving Accidents by

As Yahoo! Sports reports, nothing less than an undefeated season and a national championship will do for the Crimson Tide. However, it’s unlikely that fans of the Auburn or the Troy Trojans will be outdone when it comes to weekend tailgate parties and cheering their teams to victory. CBS Sports reports Troy’s winning percentage at home has topped 80 percent since 2007. Injury attorneys in Tuscaloosa and throughout Alabama encourage you to celebrate responsibly. The beginning of the college and pro football seasons typically results in an increase in the number of serious and fatal drunk driving accidents. And, with the trio of year-end holidays just around the corner, it’s an important time to renew your commitment to celebrating responsibly — and that includes finding a sober ride home.

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Underride Truck Accidents a Risk in Rear-End Collisions

Sep 13, 2012 - Truck Accidents by

Rear-ending a tractor-trailer continues to be one of the leading ways that motorists are injured or killed in accidents with large commercial trucks. Alabama trucking accident attorneys know that underride guards fail in far too many cases, often because they are poorly or improperly designed. When a car travels underneath a commercial trailer, fatal injuries often result. The government has done little to protect motorists, despite the growing body of evidence surrounding failing underride guards on large commercial trailers. Consumer Reports cites a comprehensive study released last year by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which found even underride guards that meet federal safety standards often fail — even in a low-speed accident. This remains a critical safety issue because 7 of every 10 people killed in accidents with large trucks are riding in passenger vehicles. The IIHS estimates that underride accidents claim approximately 400 lives each year and result in more than 5,000 serious injuries. Undderide crashes occur when the bar at the rear of a trailer fails during an accident, allowing a vehicle to travel beneath the trailer. Even modern vehicles, built to withstand significant frontal impact, are not designed for passenger safety in the event of an underride accident.

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Sleep Apnea a Frequent Risk Factor for Alabama Trucking Accidents

Sep 7, 2012 - Truck Accidents by

Sleepy truckers and big rigs weighing 80,000 pounds are a deadly combination. “Sleep apnea is a major contributor to daytime drowsiness,” the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states. “A condition that could prove deadly for commercial truck drivers and everyone sharing the road with them.” The Sleep Disorders Center of Alabama reports more than 100,000 accidents a year are caused by a fatigued driver. More than half of such accidents involve a driver under the age of 25. Aside from young drivers, those at highest risk include shift workers, commercial drivers and business travelers. Being awake for 18 hours has the same impact on a driver’s skills as being legally drunk with a blood-alcohol level of .08

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Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. v. Thomas: Car Accidents on the Job in Alabama

Sep 5, 2012 - Personal Injury by

Many of us drive for work. In fact, transportation accidents are the leading cause of fatal job accidents in this country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Transportation accidents were responsible for 1,795 of the nation’s 4,551 workplace deaths in 2010, accounting for one-third of all deaths on the job. In such cases, an injury lawyer in Tuscaloosa should have significant experience in handling work place injury cases, as well as personal injury claims and car accidents. And, if you drive for work, you should know how important it is to carefully review your insurance policies and to understand the coverage available in the event of an accident. In Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. v. Thomas, The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Eastern Division certified two questions of first impression to the Alabama Supreme Court: 1) Whether Nationwide could enforce a coverage exclusion clause in a car insurance policy for transporting people or delivering newspapers as part of the insured’s job. 2) Whether the exclusion applied after the last paper was delivered but while employee was still driving as part of the job.

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Tuscaloosa School Bus Safety an Important Back-to-School Lesson

Aug 31, 2012 - Bus Accidents by

Schools are back in session across Alabama this week — and that means a return of big yellow school buses to a road near you. Tuscaloosa school bus accidents are often the result of impatient motorists. A large number of accidents are also pedestrian accidents that occur near a bus stop or in residential areas where students are walking to meet the bus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there were more than 363,000 fatal school-transportation accidents in the last decade. Alabama’s School Bus Stop Law was updated in 2006. The law requires a vehicle overtaking a bus from either direction to stop when the bus is stopped to pick up or drop off children. Drivers on a divided highway need not stop when traveling in the opposite direction. A first offense is punishable by a $400 fine. A second violation can result in a driver’s license suspension and 100 hours of community service.

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Distracted Truckers: State and Federal Regulations Aim to Avoid Accidents

Aug 29, 2012 - Truck Accidents by

Alabama’s law against texting while driving took effect this month. However, many motorists are unaware that for several years, interstate commercial drivers have already been banned from texting while driving under federal law. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation passed a rule forbidding commercial truck and bus drivers from text messaging behind the wheel. “Our regulations will help prevent unsafe activity within the cab, and we want to make it crystal clear that texting is one of those unsafe activities these regulations prohibit,” Administrator Anne Ferro said at the time. Researchers at Virginia Tech found truck drivers who text message put themselves at 23 times greater risk for an accident or near-accident. This year, USDOT outlawed all hand-held phone use by drivers with a measure that took effect Jan. 3. Drivers face a fine of up to $2,750 and may face suspension of their commercial driver’s license for subsequent offenses. Commercial trucking and busing companies face a maximum penalty of $11,000. Some 4 million drivers nationwide are subject to the federal ban.

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Alabama Work Accidents, Workers’ Compensation & Third-Party Liability

Aug 24, 2012 - Workers' Compensation/Work Injury by

Our Tuscaloosa workers’ compensation lawyers are often ask by people injured on the job about the avenues for collecting compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. Sometimes, a victim wishes to sue an employer or former employer, which is generally not possible. Others believe workers’ compensation is the only avenue of recovery available, which is also incorrect. Workers’ compensation insurance is carried by your employer and is designed to compensate those who become injured on the job, regardless of fault. In what’s known as the “compensation bargain,” your coverage under workers’ compensation laws means you forfeit your right to sue for the tort of negligence. However, that does not mean that workers’ compensation is an injured employee’s only avenue of compensation. A third-party liability claim may be filed against a party other than the victim’s employer in cases where negligence led to an accident.

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Trucking Accidents Caused by Drivers Under the Influence in Alabama

Aug 23, 2012 - Truck Accidents by

Fleet Owner recently reported only 2 percent of trucking accidents are caused by drunk drivers. And it’s true. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows only 2 percent of truckers involved in fatal accidents have a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of .08, compared to 23 percent for passenger cars, 22 percent for light trucks and 28 percent for motorcycles. However, our Tuscaloosa trucking accident attorneys understand statistics in this case can be misleading for several reasons. First and foremost, you don’t have to have a BAC level of .08 to be considered drunk behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle. Many states have laws that consider a truck driver drunk with a BAC level as low as .02 or .04. In Alabama, the law is .04, half the legal limit of .08 for other motorists.

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Hear What Our Clients Have To Say

"ast year when my husband was injured in a car accident, I contacted Dell Cross. Immediately he and his wonderful staff went to work gathering all the information necessary to settle our claim. He explained every process, kept us informed and handled everything from the insurance companies down to the smallest bill. He made himself available to us anytime day or night, answering our questions and dealing with our concerns"
Posted By: Alice Kirkland

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