Be careful what you say when an insurance adjuster contacts you shortly after an accident. The initial communication may set the tone for the settlement negotiations and even determine your settlement. Ideally, this first talk should be a fact-finding one with the real negotiations to come later. Below are some practical tips on how to talk with the adjuster for the first time after an accident.
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Car manufacturers are using software to control more and more car functions. While most of the inventions work great, some increase the risk of accidents in certain situations. A basic understanding of these systems can help you pursue damages if you suffer an accident related to software failure.
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You should get the best medical care after an auto accident. For one, your medical care’s quality may determine your recovery’s speed. Secondly, your medical care can also affect your auto accident claim. Below are a few tips to help you get the best care possible.
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Car accidents can be incredibly scary, especially if injuries and property damage are involved. Accidents can also be confusing. In the heat of the moment, you might forget everything you have been told over the years about what to do when you are involved in an accident.
This guide is meant to help you understand the important steps involved after you are in a car accident. Forgetting even one of these steps could make the process of dealing with the aftermath slightly harder.
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Even taxi services that use experienced drivers and state-of-the-art technology can get involved in accidents, some of which may result in personal injuries. If you have suffered a painful injury that prevents you from earning a living or enjoying life, you may have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible parties.
Since any kind of automotive personal injury case can include numerous complexities, you’ll need to understand how these cases work, from the assembly of relevant facts to the assignment of liability. Have a look at the answers to these frequently asked questions on taxi-related personal injuries.
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Immediately after you are injured in a motor vehicle collision, the insurance adjusters, insurance investigators, and insurance defense attorneys begin to work on limiting how much money their insurance company will have to pay you – the victim. Even though you were not at fault in the collision, the other driver’s insurance company may immediately send investigators to take photographs of the collision scene and the damages to both vehicles.
Next, the insurance adjustor (i.e., the individual from the insurance company who will decide how much money, if any, to pay to you) will begin preparing your case. It is their job to reduce the amount of money that their employer (the insurance company) will pay you. They often will immediately contact you in order to get a tape-recorded statement on the phone in order to minimize your reward. They will also offer you a small amount of money within 24-48 hours after a collision and will attempt to get you to sign a release waiving all future legal rights. The reason they do this is that most collision victims do not begin to feel the real pain until 48 hours after a collision.
Current prohibitions:
• School bus operators may not use cell phones while driving.
• In Phoenix, drivers are prohibited from text messaging.
• The ordinance prohibits the use of personal digital assistants to send or receive a written message while operating a motor vehicle.
• Personal digital assistants refer to a wireless electronic communication device that provides for data communication other than by voice.
• This ordinance does not apply to law enforcement and safety personnel, drivers of authorized emergency vehicles, holders of commercial driver licenses while driving within the scope of their employment; public transit personnel; a person who is reporting reckless or negligent behavior; a person who believes they are in physical danger and is the only adult in the motor vehicle; communicating to the following regarding an emergency situation:
• An emergency response operator
• A hospital, physician’s office or health care provider
• A provider of ambulance services
• A provider of firefighter services
• A law enforcement agency
Possession of Dangerous Drugs for Sale: The term “dangerous drug” is defined under A.R.S. § 13-3401(6), and includes essentially all street drugs other than marijuana. Possession of dangerous drugs for sale is a more serious offense than possession of dangerous drugs for personal use. A prosecutor will attempt to prove that the drugs were possessed for sale by using evidence such as the quantity of drugs, the way the drugs were packaged, the presence of scales or ledgers, or other relevant evidence.
A conviction for possession of drugs for sale is a class 2 felony and will result in a fine of three times the value of the drugs, or $1000, whichever is greater. If the drug involved is not methamphetamine, and the total amount of drugs is less than the “statutory threshold,” probation may be available for a first offense
. See Statutory Threshold, below. If probation is granted, the defendant will be required to complete 360 hours of community service, and there is a possibility of up to one year in county jail.
If the amount of drugs is equal to or greater than the statutory threshold, probation is not available. In that case, if the drug involved is not methamphetamine, the sentence range for a first-offense conviction is generally 4 to 10 years in prison, although in exceptional circumstances, the sentence may be as short as 3 years or as long as 12.5 years in prison.
Offenses involving methamphetamine have separate, stricter sentencing guidelines. A first-offense conviction for possession of methamphetamine for sale will result in a sentence of 5 to 15 years in prison, and probation is not available, even if the amount of drugs is less than the statutory threshold.
In all cases, if a defendant has any prior felony convictions, a conviction for possession of dangerous drugs for sale can result in vastly increased punishment.
