Archive for February, 2013

Winter Time Accidents Snowmobile Accidents Contribute to Injury, Death, Lawsuits

Snowmobile Accidents Lead to Injury, Death, Lawsuits

Maybe it’s because snowmobiles are also known as recreational vehicles. Whatever the reason, lots of snowmobile operators do not take their responsibilities seriously after they mount their sleds to go for a ride, leading very often to serious injuries, fatalities and accident lawsuits in Maine courts over their reckless behavior.

Experienced accident lawyers say they see many parallels between snowmobile accidents on the state’s 13,000 miles of signed trails and highway crashes involving automobiles, trucks, motorcycles and various other vehicles.

Perhaps the most common factors with all motor vehicle accident lawsuits is a driver’s unreasonable rate of speed. Just as with some motorcyclists, many Maine snowmobile drivers feel they have to feed their “need for speed” See : accident lawyer – the experience of the wind whipping over their bodies. Nonetheless, the circumstances of riding a snowmobile – speeding along a slippery surface of snow or ice with limited braking ability – make it necessary to use extreme care. The failure to use common sense and exercise defensive driving skills can change a routine ride on the trails into a high-speed trip to a court date with a Maine snowmobile accident attorney.

Similarly, Maine snowmobile accident lawsuits often follow crashes involving a drunk driver whose wreckless behavior is the cause of life-changing injuries or fatalities. The blood-alcohol limit of a snowmobile driver, like other motorists, is .08. Within the carefree arena of snowmobiling, numerous people are members of clubs that organize group trips with rest stops at local bars. A drink or two at each stop impairs judgment and slows the reaction time of even experienced snowmobile operators. Operating in a group with riders who drink also poses dangers, including increasing the probability of crashing with another impaired driver and raising the chances of injuries as a result of being caught up in mimicking their high-speed, careless behavior.

One more danger cited by Maine accident lawyers is that consuming alcohol accelerates a lowering of body temperature. In addition to the frigid outdoor environment, the operator runs the possible risk of hypothermia, which also impairs a driver’s judgment.

Poor judgment extends beyond driving behavior, Maine snowmobile accident attorneys note. Every winter, lives are lost and snowmobile accident lawsuits are filed when operators foolishly ignore the hazards of traveling across ice. The thickness and strength of ice may range widely on rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Snow often creates a blanket that prevents the formation of thick, strong ice. Even a well-worn trail across water can give the false impression of safety if previous travelers have weakened the ice.

A Maine snowmobile accident lawyer knows that responsible operators can have the ability to protect themselves, their passengers and innocent bystanders by adhering to a few simple rules. Safety equipment, including a helmet with a visor or a set of protective goggles, as well as layers of water-repellent clothing, is vital. So is carrying a first-aid kid which includes a flashlight, knife, compass, map and waterproof matches.

And never, Maine attorneys say, travel alone. Absolutely nothing is more dangerous to the life and safety of a snowmobiler than being injured without fellow riders available to provide or seek medical assistance.

When someone has been injured or lost somebody because of a snowmobile driver who ignores practical sense when operating a 500-pound machine, they ought to contact a Maine snowmobile accident lawyer who possesses expertise in protecting their legal rights and pursuing fair financial compensation.

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Mike Slocumb Videos Car Accident Lawyers Serving Chicago, il, Washington Dc, Alabama and Atlanta

Injured in a crossing the street? Please call for a free consultation: 1-800-WIN-WIN-1 To learn more about pedestrian car accidents:

Car Accident Attorneys Chicago, il

Video Transcript:
If you who have been a pedestrian and you have been hit by a car, you understand that the injuries can be devastating. Typically if a pedestrian is involved in a vehicle accident they don’t walk away from the scene. If you or a loved one has been hit by a car call the Mike Slocumb Law Firm we’ll give you a free consultation and we’ll explain your rights as a pedestrian.

We had a case just this past year that we handled with a pedestrian who was walking in the roadway. He was hit by an SUV and the insurance company predictably said “well, your client was walking in the road so he can’t recover because he was at fault for the accident.” We disagreed, we filed a lawsuit against the driver, we took the case to a jury and we won the case.

Why did we win the case? We won the case because we proved that the driver that hit our client had over twenty seconds after she first saw him to apply the breaks and she never applied the breaks. So even though he was in the road, she had the last opportunity to avoid the accident and she took no evasive action. The Jury agreed with us, we won the case and our client received the compensation he needed for the injuries that devastated his life.

In a pedestrian case just because you may not have had the walk signal, just because you may have been in the roadway, doesn’t mean that a recovery cannot be made. If a driver of an automobile has the last chance to avoid a collision with you, they must avoid the collision and if they don’t avoid the collision, they are responsible for your injuries. Regardless of what you were doing.

Mike Slocumb
http://www.youtube.com/user/MikeSlocumbLawFirm

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Oil Workers Take Retirement Maritime Workers’ Jobs, Overseas Protection Concerns Arise

A recent story on National Public Radio spotlighted the issue, saying that thousands of oil industry workers are nearing retirement age, leaving significant gaps in maritime worker ranks, both in terms of numbers and oil industry experience. The article identifies the origins of the situation as going back to the 1980s oil busts when crude prices dropped by more than half, forcing companies to let go of workers en masse. Many did not refill those positions as the industry regained momentum and now there is a chasm in the oil industry workforce as older maritime workers retire.

Springfield MO personal injury lawyer in Springfield MO If you or a
loved one has been injured from the negligence or reckless behavior of another party, you don’t have to face the insurance companies on your own. Call Tolbert, Beadle & Musgrave toll-free at
(800) 487-8546 today. Serving families in Springfield, Columbia, Jefferson City, Joplin and throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri & Oklahoma with aggressive representation in cases like:


Maritime injury lawyers believe the issue of offshore platform worker safety should be top priority as the oil industry replenishes its ranks. Incoming oil rig workers need to take extreme caution and heed all offshore safety training in order to avoid suffering a maritime injury in an offshore rig accident.

Proper training for all maritime jobs involves industry specific safety procedures and equipment, in order to protect offshore and maritime workers from drilling accident injuries and production platform injuries.

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