Accident!
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The Pakistani replies, "I agree with you completely this must be a sign from Allah." The Indian continues, "And look at this. Here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label didn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune." Then he hands the bottle to the Pakistani.
The Pakistani says "Even though alcohol is banned by Islam but it looks like Allah wanted us to drink." He takes a few big swigs, and hands the bottle back to the Indian.
The Indian takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap on, and hands it back to the Pakistani. The Pakistani asks, "Aren't you having any?" The Indian replies, "No... I think I'll wait for the police!
Accident
You never know when it will happen, but, you know it will! So, keep your wits about you and you will be able to avoid the accident when fate turns on you, A railing accidentally collapses at a college football game, spilling fans onto the sidelinesAn accident is a specific, identifiable, unexpected, unusual and unintended external event which occurs in a particular time and place, without apparent cause but with marked effects. It implies a generally negative probabilistic outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its occurrence.Narrowly defined, the designation may refer only to the event, while not including the circumstances (facts surrounding) or results of the event; i.e., accident is constrained to an immediate incident, the occurrence of which results in an unplanned outcome. In common use, however, accident may include the entire interacting circumstantial framework (chance, pre-existing, or uncontrolled dynamically developing conditions; commonplace actions; random time and place; participants; etc.) leading up to, including, and resulting from, the accident's immediate occurrence. Experts in the field of injury prevention avoid use of the term "accident" because they look at these incidents from the perspective of epidemiology - predictable and preventable.
Accidents of particularly common types (auto, fire, etc.) are investigated to identify how to avoid them in the future. This is sometimes called root cause analysis, but does not generally apply to accidents that cannot be deterministically predicted. For example, a root cause of an uncommon and purely random accident may never be identified, and thus future similar accidents remain "accidental."
Physical examples include, e.g., unintended collisions or falls, being injured by touching something sharp, hot, or electrical, or ingesting poison. Non-physical examples are, e.g, unintentionally revealing a secret or otherwise saying something incorrectly, forgetting an appointment, etc.
The informal term "freak accident" typically refers to an unfortunate and improbable event that seems exceedingly unlikely to happen by chance. In extreme contexts, the term may also imply doubt, ambiguity or suspicion about an accident event's cause.
Colloquially considered negative, 'happy' accidents with positive results are also possible.
Motorcycle accidents
Throughout the accident and exposure data there are special observations which relate to accident and injury causation and characteristics of the motorcycle accidents studied. These findings are summarized as follows:1. Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved collision with another vehicle, which was most often a passenger automobile.
2. Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway or some fixed object in the environment.
3. Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle accidents, and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control was lost due to a puncture flat.
4. In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
5. Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident cause in 2% of the accidents; animal involvement was 1% of the accidents.
6. In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.
7. The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.
8. Deliberate hostile action by a motorist against a motorcycle rider is a rare accident cause. The most frequent accident configuration is the motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left turn in front of the oncoming motorcycle.
10. Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident, with the other vehicle violating the motorcycle right-of-way, and often violating traffic controls.
11. Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.
12. Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin.
13. The view of the motorcycle or the other vehicle involved in the accident is limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles in almost half of the multiple vehicle accidents.
14. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.
15. Fuel system leaks and spills were present in 62% of the motorcycle accidents in the post-crash phase. This represents an undue hazard for fire.
16. The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.
17. The typical motorcycle pre-crash lines-of-sight to the traffic hazard portray no contribution of the limits of peripheral vision; more than three-fourths of all accident hazards are within 45deg of either side of straight ahead.
18. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is most critical for the frontal surfaces of the motorcycle and rider.
19. Vehicle defects related to accident causation are rare and likely to be due to deficient or defective maintenance.
20. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly overrepresented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30 and 50 are significantly underrepresented. Although the majority of the accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident data.
22. Craftsmen, laborers, and students comprise most of the accident-involved motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and craftsmen are underrepresented and laborers, students and unemployed are overrepresented in the accidents.
23. Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and accidents are overrepresented in the accident data.
24. The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends. Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents.
25. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.
26. Lack of attention to the driving task is a common factor for the motorcyclist in an accident.
27. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.
28. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel, and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.
29. The typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist just less than 2 seconds to complete all collision avoidance action.
30. Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not overrepresented in the accident area.
31. The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with the motorcycle are not distinguished from other accident populations except that the ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are overrepresented. Also, these drivers are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.
32. Large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents but they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in accidents.
33. Any effect of motorcycle color on accident involvement is not determinable from these data, but is expected to be insignificant because the frontal surfaces are most often presented to the other vehicle involved in the collision.
34. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are underrepresented in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to conspicuity and the association with more experienced and trained riders.
35. Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.
36. Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the semi-chopper or cafe racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.
37. The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle accidents-98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.
38. Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot, lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.
39. Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction of injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the thigh-upper leg, knee, and lower leg.
40. The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in preventing or reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but rarely severe injuries.
41. Groin injuries were sustained by the motorcyclist in at least 13% of the accidents, which typified by multiple vehicle collision in frontal impact at higher than average speed.
42. Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size.
43. Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved motorcycle riders used no eye protection, and it is likely that the wind on the unprotected eyes contributed in impairment of vision which delayed hazard detection.
44. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
45. Voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle riders was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders on hot days and short trips.
46. The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to the chest and head.
47. The use of the safety helmet is the single critical factor in the prevention of reduction of head injury; the safety helmet which complies with FMVSS 218 is a significantly effective injury countermeasure.
48. Safety helmet use caused no attenuation of critical traffic sounds, no limitation of precrash visual field, and no fatigue or loss of attention; no element of accident causation was related to helmet use.
49. FMVSS 218 provides a high level of protection in traffic accidents, and needs modification only to increase coverage at the back of the head and demonstrate impact protection of the front of full facial coverage helmets, and insure all adult sizes for traffic use are covered by the standard.
50. Helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and neck injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.
51. The increased coverage of the full facial coverage helmet increases protection, and significantly reduces face injuries.
52. There is no liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet; helmeted riders had less neck injuries than unhelmeted riders. Only four minor injuries were attributable to helmet use, and in each case the helmet prevented possible critical or fatal head injury.
53. Sixty percent of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear helmets because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply had no expectation of accident involvement.
54. Valid motorcycle exposure data can be obtained only from collection at the traffic site. Motor vehicle or driver license data presents information which is completely unrelated to actual use.
55. Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents had insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.
Accident at work
An accident at work is defined as an external, sudden, unexpected, unintended, and violent event, during the execution of work or arising out of it, which causes damage to the health of or loss of the life of the employee (the insured).For qualification as an accident at work to apply, there must be a causal relationship (direct or indirect relationship of cause and effect) between the violent event and the work. Only if the accident is due to "wilful misrepresentation" on the part of the employer or the employer's appointed representative is the employer under an obligation to compensate the victim. Under U.S. law, injured workers are often compensated according to the type of injury, rather than permitting them to sue the employer for the actual damages.
There is a significant proportion of work accidents occurring in the merchant marine.
Accident attorneys
If you or someone you know was hurt or injured in any type of accident, whether it be a auto accident, truck or trucking accident, boat, plane or train accident, this site can help you find an accident lawyer and potential compensation from an accident. This accident compensation can help you regain lost money from hospital bills and other expenses from the accident. Use our free accident review form to contact an accident attorney in your state today.Wrongful death from an accident happens across the US at an alarming rate, and it’s best to seek out an aggressive lawyer to help in the matter. No matter what state you live in we can help.
Millions of people are injured and thousands killed in car accidents across the United States each year. These unforeseen tragedies occur within a split second and often carry consequences that can last a lifetime. Car accidents weigh heavily on victims and taxpayers alike. Auto accidents are reportedly responsible for over 120,000 deaths since 2003. Americans spent over $719.2 million in collision-related expenses last year alone.
New data from the National Safety Council reported that there has been a 9 percent drop in car accident vehicle deaths through May 2008 compared to the first 5 months of 2007.
Speculation is that today's higher gas prices have put a crimp in peoples overall trips and amount of car use. Further data shows that a drop of 18 percent in March, and a 14 percent drop in April.
Drunk driving rates decline for 2008
Chuck Hurley, chief executive of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said gas prices have helped curb drunken driving, too.National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that there were 42,642 car accident fatalities in 2006.
A professional and experienced car accident attorney is the most valuable person to seek after being involved in an automotive accident. Regardless of your injury type, specialized attorneys are available to aid you during this difficult time. From head and brain injuries to back and neck injuries, death and varying degrees of paralysis, there are trained lawyers to help you seek financial restitution. Additionally, no injury is considered too small to take action against such as broken bones, concussions, and other car accident related injuries. There is great value in your physical health and personal security, and no one has the right to take that away from you.
Although automotive manufacturers continue to claim that their cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles are becoming safer every year, even the best safety precautions are rendered worthless in the wrong situation. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the general public.
Car accident claims
Your neck hurts, you can't work, your life is in turmoil...and there's an insurance adjuster on the phone, trying to get you to agree to the tiny amount they want to pay you!What do you do? Where can you turn for help? How can you get fairly compensated for your injuries without turning over a third, or more, of your car accident settlement to a lawyer?
Retired insurance executive Dan Baldyga shows you how to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your car accident insurance claim. "Here's a place to get some answers amidst all the chaos."
You should know what auto insurance companies look for and what they will agree to pay because he was the one who directed the car accident settlements!
The site contains a wealth of valuable, free information. For even more information order Dan's latest book, Auto Accident Personal Injury Insurance Claim (How To Evaluate and Settle Your Claim).
Car accident lawyer
The days of hiring a local personal injury attorney to represent you against national insurance companies for your car accident are over.It has become the classic David vs. Goliath story. The small unknown local lawyer does not stand a chance against the corporate insurance bohemoths.
He or she has no reputation, no meaningful track record and therefore no leverage,.contrary to what their television commercial, yellow page ad or even website says.
Car accident compensation
The best way to determine how much your injury claim is worth when you are injured in a car accident is to look at how an insurance company would value your claim. An insurance carrier will first look to the types and amounts of damages suffered and then to percentage of fault. Types of Damages You May RecoverThe types of damages an insurance company will typically pay for include the following:
Medical Expenses: This includes medical expenses incurred to treat an injury, such as doctor’s visits; hospital expenses; emergency room expenses; fees for chiropractic care; physical therapy; and any type of medical devices that may be needed for your recovery, such as neck braces or crutches. These expenses are recoverable if they result from your injury. The cost of a medical examination done for the purposes of litigation is generally not recoverable. If you are able to guesstimate how much your overall medical treatment will cost, you and your attorney may well be able to ballpark how much your entire claim is worth. Medical expenses are typically used as a benchmark for determining the reasonableness of damage awards.
Future Medical Expenses: These are recoverable if the injured party can show that he or she is likely to need continued medical care as a result of the accident or injury. This amount may be determined by the advice and opinions of your doctors and/or other medical specialists seen for treatment.
Pain and Suffering: Pain and suffering damages may be granted for physical pain resulting from an accident or injury. A jury will look to the nature of the injury, the severity of the pain, and how long the plaintiff is likely to be in pain to determine the damage amount to be awarded.
Mental Anguish: Recovery for any type of mental or emotional distress suffered as a result of an accident or injury. This could include apprehension, fright, anxiety, nervousness, worry, loss of dignity, humiliation, grief, shock, and/or embarrassment. If the injured party has been disfigured by the accident/incident, mental suffering is recoverable for this type of emotional injury.
Lost Wages: You may recover the amount of money you would have earned between the time of the injury to the time of a judgment or settlement had you not been injured. If you were unemployed at the time of injury, you may still recover lost wages if you can effectively show what you could have earned during that same period.
Loss of Earning Capacity: You may recover damages for lost earning capacity if you can show that your ability to earn money in the future has been impaired. Past earnings will be used to determine an appropriate damage award, but a jury will likely focus on what might have been earned had the accident or injury not occurred.
Loss of Consortium: This relates to the loss of the benefits of married life when one spouse is injured. The uninjured spouse makes the claim and only has a chance of recovering if the injured spouse succeeds in recovering damages. Sometimes, however, the injured makes the claim as well. Married life benefits, the loss of which recovery is based, include companionship, affection, comfort, solace, help, and sexual relations. When determining the value of the loss, a jury will look to the stability of the marriage, the couple’s individual life expectancies, how much care and companionship were given to the uninjured spouse, and the degree to which the above-mentioned benefits were lost.
Property Damage: Recovery for the value of property that was damaged.
Amount of Damages You May Recover
An insurance company typically looks first to how much money has been spent and/or lost by the injured person when determining recovery. You may expect to recover any money spent or lost as a result of your injury. There are damages, however, that are harder to place a dollar value on. This includes pain and suffering or mental anguish. An insurance company may use a formula to ascertain what an appropriate damage amount might be for these types of claims.The formula might work like this: First, the insurance company’s adjuster adds up the total amount of medical expenses relating to the injury. These damages are referred to as “medical special damages,” or “specials.” This base amount is then used to calculate the “general damages,” such as damages for pain and suffering, emotional damages, or other non-monetary losses.
Next, if the injuries are relatively minor, the adjuster will at most double the amount of special damages. If the injuries are more serious or painful, the adjuster may multiply specials by up to 5. In extreme cases, the adjuster may even multiply by up to 10.
After the adjuster adds on damages for lost income, an amount from which to begin negotiations is then ready to present.
How Fault Affects Your Recovery
Beyond the damages suffered, the degree of fault is probably the most important factor in determining how much you may finally recover for your injury. In most cases, both you and the insurance company will know (by the circumstances surrounding the accident) the level of fault for both parties. Was the other party completely at fault? Mostly at fault? Or only a little at fault? An adjuster will reduce your recovery amount by your percentage of comparative fault. If you were only 10% at fault, your damages total will be reduced by 10%. Your recovery will not be reduced by any amount if the accident was clearly someone else’s fault.
