Syracuse Personal Injury Law Blog

How foggy mornings can be dangerous for drivers

Published on: October 15, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

If you haven’t noticed all the pumpkins sprouting up, the Halloween costume displays in retail stores and the football games on during the weekend, fall is here. This means that the days are definitely getting shorter.

In a prior post, we highlighted the danger that drivers have of seeing pedestrians, particularly children, in the mornings where darkness could conceal them. However, there are weather conditions that could create dangerous situations for drivers and pedestrians alike. This post will discuss how fog can lead to accidents.

On a basic level, fog is created when cool air merges with the soil that is still relatively warm, which creates a haze that obscures the view of the road ahead. Depending on how thick the fog may be, drivers may only be able to see a few hundred feet ahead or just a few feet ahead.

What to expect when consulting an attorney

Published on: October 14, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

Surviving an accident is only one step in your recovery. There may be medical procedures you have to go through, rehabilitation that takes place and even repairs that may need to be done. Before all of this takes place, it may be necessary to consult an experienced personal injury attorney for advice and direction on how their claim can be addressed.

Before evaluating attorneys to handle your case, there a number of things to do in preparing for an initial meeting. This post will highlight a few.

Basic personal details – To begin with, an attorney will want to know some basic details about you, including your employment status, what injuries you have suffered, whether you have missed time from work and whether your insurer has become involved.

What problems can arise in a doctor-patient relationship?

Published on: October 8, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

All patients hope they will have a good relationship with their physician. Unfortunately, problems can sometimes come up in a doctor-patient relationship.

Recently, a Consumer Reports article pointed out some of the more common doctor-patient relationship problems that can arise. Here are the problems the article highlighted:

A doctor ignoring patient input in their decision making.
Disorganization at a doctor’s office.
A doctor withholding relevant information.
A doctor giving off the impression of not respecting a patient.
Poor communication between a doctor and patient.
A doctor discouraging second opinions.

Problems with a doctor-patient relationship can be very damaging. They can seriously erode the relationship between a patient and their doctor, which can have major negative implications. It could lead to a patient not fully trusting a doctor and their recommendations. It could also result in a doctor not being as engaged in a patient’s care as they should be. A doctor not being properly engaged in a patient’s care could increase the chances of mistakes occurring in connection to the care. Thus, doctor-patient relationship problems could have serious patient safety ramifications.

What to do to avoid accidents with deer

Published on: October 7, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

How costly and dangerous can an accident with a deer be? Consider this: according to an American Family Insurance report, the insurance provider paid more than 32,000 claims for deer collision accidents in 2010, which resulted in more than $85 million in payments. As fall begins, deer migration is an important hazard for drivers to look out for especially at sunrise and sunset; which are common times for deer to cross roads. This is especially true in November, as the risk of deer accidents occurring are three times as higher compared to other months.

So what should a driver do avoid or reduce the severity of a deer accident? This post will highlight a few tips.

Pay attention to deer crossing signs – Drivers should know that these signs warn drivers that deer may be cutting in front of them. While deer may not cross at the exact point where the sign lays, deer could cross down the road.

What to expect when consulting a personal injury attorney

Published on: October 7, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

Surviving an accident is only one step in your recovery. There may be medical procedures you have to go through, rehabilitation that takes place and even repairs that may need to be done. Before all of this takes place, it may be necessary to consult an experienced personal injury attorney for advice and direction on how their claim can be addressed.

Before evaluating attorneys to handle your case, there a number of things to expect in an initial meeting. This post will highlight a few.

Basic personal details – To begin with, an attorney will want to know some basic details about you, including your employment status, what injuries you have suffered, whether you have missed time from work and whether your insurer has become involved.

Debunking myths about trucking safety

Published on: October 6, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

In a number of our posts, we have highlighted the dangers that semi-truck pose to the driving public. Indeed, truck drivers are specially trained to handle the largest vehicles on the road, but there are a number of myths that are prevalent that could lead to truck accidents. Through this post, we will highlight these myths and the truths that dispel them.

Myth: Truck drivers don’t need seatbelts – The truth is that truck drivers, like drivers and passengers in cars, need to wear their seatbelts. Even though a truck driver is not likely to be crushed when involved in an accident, he or she still runs the risk of being thrown from the vehicle. Because of this, truckers must wear their seatbelts.

Myth: Truck drivers are capable of driving fast in bad weather – The truth is that excessive speed increases the risk of an accident in ideal weather conditions, and that risk increases when road conditions deteriorate. So when roads are wet or packed with snow or ice, truckers must reduce their speed just like everyone else.

Was a defective humidifier to blame in a house fire?

Published on: October 5, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

A dehumidifier was reportedly responsible for causing a house fire in the town of Marcellus on Thursday evening. According to a Syracuse.com report, firefighters from several departments responded just before midnight to put out the fire. Because of such a quick response, the small fire that was found in the basement was quickly put out before it could spread to the rest of the house.

Fortunately, the fire was isolated and eliminated quickly so that no other rooms in the structure were affected. Authorities believe that the dehumidifier was the sole cause of the fire. It is unknown as of this writing whether authorities believe that the device was defective or whether it was operating unattended.

If it was the former, the maker of the dehumidifier could be held liable for the damage to the home. Essentially, manufacturers have a duty to use reasonable care when building a product and making it available for sale. The product should perform according to its expected use without putting its owner in danger. Moreover, if a product is deemed to be defective, the manufacturer should take affirmative steps to warn consumers by issuing a recall.

Why checking blind spots is important

Published on: October 5, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

When young drivers first learn about operating a car, they may not understand the importance of checking their blind spot. After all, it may be a foreign concept because they may not be used to looking over all of the areas before making a lane change. However, even some of the most experienced drivers may forget to look over their shoulder every once in a while.

But if a blind spot is missed, it could spell disaster.

So when driving a different car for the first time (such as a rental car) or when shopping for a new car, it is essential to complete the following steps to get your bearings.

The top excuses for road rage.

Published on: October 3, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

While the summer driving season may be over, the occasional frustrations that come with driving will stay throughout the fall, and likely into the winter. Because of this, the threat of road rage and the potential for accidents will be something that drivers will have to deal with as long as they are behind the wheel.

We generally know that road rage is the wrong response to frustrations caused by other drivers’ behaviors. However, it is amazing how many excuses that drivers give for engaging in such behavior. This post will highlight a few of the top 10 excuses.

He (or she) was driving too slow – Rage over being stuck behind a slow driver can certainly tick a person off.

Recall: fire alarms may fail to alert consumers

Published on: October 3, 2015 | By Jeff DeFrancisco

We hear about many types of product recalls throughout the year, from toys to various household appliances to motor vehicles. The basic point of a product recall is to make sure that the unsafe product does not hurt consumers.

A recent recall is definitely alarming because the product is actually made to keep individuals safe. In this case, it is not that the product itself could hurt a consumer, but the concern actually has to do with the product malfunctioning and therefore failing to alert individuals of danger.

Nearly 400,000 heat-activated fire alarms made by Sure Signal Products have been recalled. The alarms can apparently fail to alert those who use it due to a defective fuse. This defect was apparently revealed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Four different brands and models are being recalled; all are either chrome or white in color. These fire alarms were made between Jan. 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015.