From our Arizona State Bar: Most of us have heard the phrase “personal injury,” but many people may not be sure exactly what it means. Common examples of personal injury negligence claims include car accidents, slip and fall claims (also called “premises liability” cases), products liability and professional malpractice cases.  Injuries that occur at work are generally referred to as “industrial” claims and are governed by worker’s compensation laws. Who will pay for my medical

A multistate lawsuit filed Thursday says 2002-10 Ford Motor vehicles contain a “design defect” in the electronic control of the gas pedals, making them susceptible to sudden, unintended acceleration. The lawsuit filed on behalf of Ford owners in 14 states is seeking class-action status and goes into great detail about the alleged defect in the models named in the lawsuit that don’t have brake override technology. That technology stops the car if both the brake

Have your been injured by a defective vehicle or tire?  Any manufacturer selling in the United States has a duty to warn consumers about any unsafe product, and under certain circumstances, has a duty to recall a dangerous product.  U.S. governmental agencies have revised their regulations to require reporting of more safety issues, in order to better protect consumers. For vehicles, new criteria for the ratings system include side pole testing, using different sized test dummies and collecting more crash

Been chased by a phantom or know someone who has?  Another driver can cause you to have an accident even if there is no contact between your vehicles. Drivers engaging in reckless driving, such as weaving in and out of lanes or crossing the center line, can force you to perform an evasive maneuver and, in turn, cause your vehicle to roll over or collide with another car, a freeway median, or some other object.

 A Tucson man died yesterday afternoon from injuries he sustained when he was struck while walking in a crosswalk on Monday.  He was 21. http://tucsonvelo.com/news/tucson-man-dies-after-being-struck-by-car-first-pedestrian-death-in-2013/15194 Unfortunately, studies have shown that pedestrians are NOT necessarily safer in a crosswalk.   According to a Tucson Police Department release, 21 year old Oscar Rodriguez was hit in a crosswalk at Valencia and Country Club Roads at 10 a.m., Monday.  We do not have all of the details on this

As this Memorial Day weekend approaches, we are reminded of our freedoms, and of the fallen heroes that have given us cause to celebrate. This is also a weekend following graduations. It is definitely a time to commemorate our accomplishments. But precautions should be made before going out to celebrate. According to the 2010 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Arizona is ranked #9 in the country for total traffic deaths related to DUIs (with 1

As the streetcar construction continues, so do the closing of intersections. For the week of May 21, 2012, several roadways will be closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic. Pedestrian access will remain open at all times, and cyclists are reminded that they must walk their bikes while using the sidewalks. Over the Memorial Day weekend, repairs and replacement of a sewer line that extends across Broadway between Church and Stone Avenues will begin, which will

A part of University Boulevard was closed on May 1, 2012, and is expected to remain closed for the next four months for streetcar construction. The affected areas are west of Euclid Avenue to Bean Avenue, including the intersections of University and Bean Avenue and Second. Jacobus and First Avenues will remain open to through traffic only. This closure adds to ongoing closures on Fourth Avenue from Sixth Street to University and on Congress Street

The ‘no texting while driving’ ordinance went into effect in Tucson on April 1, 2012, but we have seen people continuing to text while driving on a daily basis. Studies have shown that text messaging on cell phones and other hand-held devices are comparable to driving while drunk. AAA recently conducted a test to determine just how distracted people can be.

Each year, approximately 11,000 new spinal cord injuries occur, resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia. Spinal cord injuries are most commonly caused by: motor vehicle crashes (37%), violence (28%), falls (21%), sports-related (6%), other (8%). Advances in science and technology are making it a little easier for victims of spinal cord injuries to be more independent. A professor at a Swiss university recently unveiled a robot that can be controlled by the brainwaves of a paraplegic