Category: Personal Injury

What Are “No Contact” Motorcycle Accidents?

As a motorcyclist, you must be aware of your driving as well as the other motorists. Many drivers are not aware of how to drive safely around motorcycles. This could cause a motorcyclist to lay down their bike or veer off the road to prevent a collision. In doing so, the motorcyclist may sustain injuries. A no contact motorcycle accident is defined by when a motorcyclist swerves or lays down their bike to avoid a collision with another vehicle.

Example of a “No Contact” Motorcycle Accident

These types of accidents are usually caused by motorists who are distracted or who do not take the time to look around before safely exiting, merging, or changing lanes.

Here is an example of a “no contact” motorcycle accident. A car and motorcycle are traveling down the same road in separate lanes. The car speeds up and abruptly cuts off the motorcycle without using a turn signal. The motorcyclist has to swerve and crashes to avoid a collision with the car. In this scenario, it may be likely that the driver of the car will be found negligent for the crash. The driver of the car should have used a turn signal when changing lanes. The court will determine if the driver was negligent by examining all the actions taken by each driver in connection to the accident.

Questions About a Motorcycle Accident?

These types of accidents can be complicated to determine which driver was negligent. If you’ve had a motorcycle accident due to another driver’s negligence, you should contact an attorney. Contact the Denver motorcycle accident injury lawyers at Lampert & Walsh, LLC. Call 720-489-5848 or fill out the online form today.

Here’s How Colorado Is Helping Keep Pedestrians Safe

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), there were 93 pedestrian fatalities in 2017. This was an 11 percent increase in pedestrian accidents from the previous year. Most incidents involving pedestrians and vehicles do not happen at intersections. As the state population grows, the number of motorists has increased. These motorists are creating increased traffic congestion and in turn, more people are walking instead of driving.

CDOT maintains that distracted driving continues to cause pedestrian accidents. Drivers who are looking down at their phones or changing the radio can be unaware of nearby pedestrians. CDOT has implemented a program that features “Fred Estrian,” the crosswalk signal come to life, to help inform the citizens of Colorado about pedestrian safety awareness. The campaign features radio spots, billboards and social media ads across the state.

Seven Important Pedestrian Safety Tips

Although CDOT’s program may help to improve safety, there are other precautions you can take to reduce your chances of being involved a pedestrian accident. The following are some tips to help ensure your safety when crossing the street:

1. Use crosswalks at intersections with the proper signage rather than jay-walking.
2. Before crossing, stop to check the flow of traffic by looking both ways.
3. Be aware of vehicles turning as you cross the street. Many vehicles can turn right without a green light.
4. Be aware of traffic. Press the crosswalk button and adhere to the crosswalk signals as they alert you when it’s safe to cross the street.
5. Store your phone in your pocket and keep your head up as you cross the street.
6. Continue to check traffic as you are crossing the street.
7. Wear light colors and walk where there are street lights at night.

Questions About a Pedestrian Accident?

If you have been involved in pedestrian accident with a vehicle, you should contact the Colorado personal injury lawyers at Lampert & Walsh, LLC. Call us at 720-489-5848 or fill out the online form to set up a free consultation today.

Boating Accidents Happen More Frequently During the Summer

With the weather heating up, many people are relaxing in nature at local lakes, ponds, and creeks. Summer is the perfect time for bringing your boat out onto the water. But what many people don’t know is that boating accidents are more common than they would think. The United States Coast Guard reported over 4,000 boating related accidents occured in 2015. And with the number growing, the US Coast Guard is teaming up with Operation Dry Water, an organization that promotes drinking and boating safety, to help protect people during boating accidents. Many wildlife organizations across the country are pledging to help keep swimmers and boaters safe during the summer months.

Common Boating Accidents

There are different types of boating accidents during the summer. Common types include:

• Hitting another boat
• Hitting another boat’s wake
• Slip and fall injuries while on the boat
• Capsizing
• Bow riding- riding on the back of the boat

Common Causes of Boating Accidents

It’s important to practice boating safety when you are on or near a boating vessel. The common boating accidents are usually due to one of the following:

 

• Reckless driving. Excessive speed, splashing other boats, and reckless behavior with other watercrafts are ways to increase the chances of a boating accident.

• Hazardous waters. Many boats can capsize or hit a high wave and cause the occupants of a boat to slip, fall, and be injured. Waterways congested with other boaters could cause you to hit their wakes as you travel behind them. This is especially hazardous during major holidays when there are many boaters out and about.

• Alcohol. Many people consume alcohol while on recreational watercrafts. If you’re operating a boat, it’s the same as with a motor vehicle, drinking and operating a boat is considered very dangerous to you, your passengers, and any swimmers nearby.

 

Questions About Boating Accidents?

If you’ve been in a boating accident and want to know who would be liable, you may want to call an experienced lawyer to assist you in getting the compensation you deserve. The trusted Denver boating accident lawyers at Lampert & Walsh, LLC have been successfully fighting for the rights of injury victims and their families in Colorado for decades. Call us today to set up a consultation to discuss your situation.

Is Dockless Transportation Safe? Why Denver Is Pulling Electric Scooters From the Streets

The new craze hitting the streets and sidewalks of Denver is dockless transportation. Transportation equipment companies are providing bicycles and scooters to consumers to rent for across city transit. Companies, like Lime and Bird, have scooters all over major cities including Denver. Though these companies are providing easier ways to commute in large cities and reducing motor vehicle traffic, they may not be safest ways to commute.

Denver’s Department of Transportation and Denver Public Works have instructed dockless transportation companies to remove all equipment from sidewalks and streets. The request from DDOT was in an effort to create safer ways to access dockless transportation while leaving sidewalks and streets unobstructed. Some companies have complied but for those who have not, Denver Public Works has removed them from the street and fined companies upwards of $150 for each scooter.

Denver Public Works released a statement to the public to remind individuals of safety while riding dockless transportation. City rules and ordinances dictate that those riding scooters are not to ride them in traffic, nor in bike lanes, city parks, and other landmarks. Denver Public Works stresses that riders to practice riding in a controlled manner while on sidewalks and to yield to pedestrians.

Questions About a Personal Injury?

The Mobility Action Plan is an initiative to help create safe sidewalks and streets for the people of Denver. Pedestrians have commented on how scooter riders are zooming down sidewalks, using bikes lanes, and generally being unsafe as they travel. This behavior could potentially cause injury.

If you’ve been injured in a transit accident, you may need a lawyer to help you recover compensation. Contact the Colorado personal injury lawyers at Lampert & Walsh, LLC for legal assistance. Call 720-489-5848 for a consultation.

We Are Now in the “100 Deadliest Days of Driving” for Teenagers

More than 2,000 teenagers die in car accidents each year. Another 200,000 plus are treated in emergency rooms. These are sobering statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collects data on fatalities and injuries. Each year between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the number of teenage driving deaths increase. AAA and the National Safety Council (NSC) call this period the “100 deadliest days of driving” for teenagers. Between 2012 and 2017, almost 2,000 people died in traffic accidents involving teenage drivers.

There are a couple of reasons why teenage driving accidents increase during the summer months. Teenagers are generally not in school during the summer, meaning they have more time to use their vehicles for recreational activities. In addition, teenagers are more likely to drive with other teenage passengers. According to Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute, teenagers 15 to 17 years old may be eight times more likely to die in car crashes when they are driving with two or more teenage passengers. Teenagers are also killed each summer in accidents caused by texting and driving.

How to Protect Your Teenager During the 100 Deadliest Days

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA) has recommendations for parents who want to protect their teenage drivers during the summer.

1. Create a “safe driving contract”. The first thing parents can do is to create a safe driving contract. According to AAA, this contract can stipulate rules for safe driving and punishments for breaking these rules.
2. Limit passengers. Passengers increase the risk of an accident for your teenager. You can place limits on the number of passengers your teenager can have while driving. Depending on your state, these limitations may already be codified into law.
3. Set an example. You can also lead by example. Teach your teenager safe driving habits while they are in the car with you. For instance, you could put your mobile phone out of reach to avoid the temptation of texting behind the wheel.

Contact Our Denver Car Accident Attorneys for More Information

You should speak with an attorney if a car accident causes harm to you or a loved one. The Denver car accident attorneys at Lampert & Walsh, LLC can help you determine possible options for recovering compensation. For future updates on driving safety tips and news, follow our law firm on Facebook and Twitter.

Common Causes of Pharmacy Errors

We depend on our local pharmacies to provide us with prescription drugs that cure our ailments. By using a pharmacy, you have access to medications that can treat chronic pain, the flu, a headache or dangerous infections. However, there are thousands of cases each year where pharmacy patients do not receive the correct prescriptions to treat their health conditions.

Pharmacy errors can lead to life-altering injuries or death. For instance, there was a case in 2016 where a Loveland boy died after a pharmacist gave him 1,000 times the recommended dose of Clonidine. In this case, the pharmacist incorrectly mixed the drug.

Prescription drug errors can occur for various reasons. The possible causes of medication errors include:

1. Providing the wrong drug. Pharmacists may confuse different types of medications. This type of error may occur if medications have similar names. Poor communication between pharmacies and other health care providers can also lead to this error.
2. Providing the wrong dosage. Like in the example described above, pharmacists may provide the wrong dosages of medications. This type of error can lead to an overdose. Patients may also not reap the rewards of their prescribed treatments if they are not given an adequate amount of their medications.
3. Providing the wrong formulation. Drugs may come in liquid, tablet or extended release formulations. Patients can suffer serious harm if they are given the wrong formulation of a drug.
4. Failure to prevent drug interactions. Certain drugs cannot be taken together. Pharmacists may dispense prescription drugs that can lead to harmful interactions. For instance, taking an SSRI (antidepressant) with an MAOI inhibitor (another type of antidepressant) can lead to serotonin syndrome.

Questions About Medication Error Compensation? Contact Our Denver Personal Injury Lawyers

Our blog only discusses pharmacy dispensing errors. There are also medication errors that can occur while receiving treatment in a hospital. For instance, a nurse could incorrectly administer a drug. This type of error can also lead to poor outcomes. Future blogs may touch on this subject in more detail.

Pharmacies may be liable for medication errors. If a pharmacy error harmed you or a loved one, then we encourage you to speak to one of our attorneys during a free consultation. The Colorado medical malpractice attorneys at Lampert & Walsh, LLC could help you determine whether it would be possible to recover compensation.

Deadly Drains, Bacteria and Other Common Swimming Pool Dangers

Summer has finally arrived. Warm weather will bring millions of people to public and private swimming pools. While swimming is a classic summer pastime, it is also a cause of injuries and deaths. Drownings, infections, falls and electrocutions happen each year. To prevent a swimming pool injury or death this summer, beware of the following hazards while enjoying swimming pools and spas:

1. Dangerous pathogens. Swimming pools may contain dangerous microbes, especially if they are unsanitary. Pathogens such as coli, rotavirus and Salmonella can infect swimmers. Although very rare, unsanitary swimming pools may also contain the “brain-eating amoeba” (Naegleria fowleri).
2. Electrical hazards. Poor maintenance practices and defects can cause electrocutions. Underwater lights, filters, pumps and other equipment can deliver deadly electric shocks. Plugged in electronic devices can also cause electric shocks when they come into contact with water.
3. Slippery surfaces. The areas around swimming pools can become slippery. Wet surfaces may lead to slip and fall accidents. These accidents are more likely to result in death or serious injury when they occur on elevated surfaces.
4. Poor lighting or inadequate signage. Some swimming pools have poor lighting, which might conceal shallow water. Swimmers could dive into the pool without realizing the water is shallow. Diving accidents are a cause of spinal cord injuries.
5. Noncompliant drains. Some pool drains can eviscerate or drown swimmers. Last month, a pool drain’s suction power drowned a young South Carolina boy. Pool drains should be compliant with The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, a law created to prevent deaths caused by pool drains.

We have only scratched the surface on this topic. There are other reasons why swimming pools lead to accidents each year. For instance, poor supervision is a cause of accidental drownings involving young children. Future blogs may go into more detail on these hazards.

Who Is Liable for a Swimming Pool Injury or Death?

Liability for a swimming pool injury or death depends on the circumstances. Property owners, businesses, pool maintenance companies and product manufacturers are examples of parties who might be liable. It may be possible to recover compensation in cases where these parties are liable.

If you or a loved one suffered harm at a public or private swimming pool, then we encourage you to speak to one of our attorneys. The Denver premises liability attorneys at Lampert & Walsh, LLC could help you determine whether it would be possible to recover compensation for your injury or loss.

Are Fatal Hit and Run Crashes Increasing?

Hit and run crashes are responsible for roughly 2,000 deaths in the US each year. These are crashes where motorists hit others with their vehicles and leave the scene. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA) recently released a report that suggests hit and run crashes are increasing.

According to AAA, these accidents are increasing by roughly 7 percent each year. There are other important facts about the increase in hit and run accidents in the U.S.:

• During 2016, there were 2,049 fatal hit and run crashes. Between 2009 and 2016, hit and runs increased by 62 percent.
• There are several possible reasons why hit and run collisions are increasing. Safety advocates blame distracted driving, more vehicles on the road and an increase in cyclists. There is speculation that some drivers may be too distracted by their mobile phones to realize when they have hit cyclists or pedestrians.
• Cyclists and pedestrians account for roughly 65 percent of hit and run deaths. Hit and run crashes account for almost 20 percent of fatal pedestrian and bicycle accidents.
• An average of roughly 682,000 hit and run collisions occur each year.

Hit and run drivers kill or injure Colorado motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists each year. Last month, a hit and run driver fatally struck a motorcyclist at I-25 and I-70 in Denver. When police apprehended the driver, they determined he was under the influence of methamphetamine. Another hit and run crash in Boulder injured multiple cyclists. The driver is facing multiple criminal charges.

What to Do After a Hit and Run Accident

It is important to seek medical attention immediately after an accident. If you are able, then you should quickly write down anything you can remember about the vehicle and other details. You may also be able to recover these details from witnesses. Police can use this information to apprehend the hit and run driver.

You should also speak with an attorney if you or a loved one suffered harm in a hit and run crash. An attorney can help you determine options for recovering compensation if you suffered an injury or loss. The Denver personal injury attorneys at Lampert & Walsh, LLC offer free consultations. To schedule a consultation, call 720-489-5848 or use our online case review form.

Can I Sue My Employer for a Construction Accident?

Construction accidents often result in serious injuries or death. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) statistics show there were 991 deaths in the construction industry during 2016. In many cases, you cannot file a workplace accident lawsuit against your employer. Surviving family members may also not have this option. You or your family would rely on workers’ compensation benefits. However, there are cases where a claim could be filed against a third party.

Third parties are individuals or businesses who are not your employer. For instance, a third party could be the manufacturer of construction equipment at your worksite. Subcontractors working for other companies could also be an example of a third party. If one of these parties caused your or a loved one’s workplace accident, then you may be able to file a claim for damages.

Third-party claims have advantages over workers’ compensation benefits. With workers’ compensation, you may recover benefits that pay for medical expenses associated with your injury. Unlike workers’ compensation benefits, you can recover pain and suffering damages with a third-party claim. As a result, you may receive much more compensation than you could have obtained with workers’ compensation benefits alone.

Can I File a Third-Party Claim?

Construction sites generally have multiple companies working alongside each other. In addition, construction workers use machinery made by third-party companies. Depending on the circumstances, it could be possible to hold these other parties accountable for a workplace injury or death.

Unfortunately, many people are unaware that third-party claims exist. If you or a loved one were injured in a construction accident, then you should speak with one of the Colorado construction accident attorneys at Lampert & Walsh, LLC to determine your eligibility for filing a third-party claim. Our Denver personal injury law firm offers free consultations.

You can learn more about our experience with work accident cases by continuing to explore our website.

Can I Be Injured at an Amusement Park?

Warm weather draws millions of people in the US to theme parks and fairs each year. However, you could also suffer injuries at these establishments. The CPSC estimates that emergency rooms treated 30,000 amusement park injuries in 2016. Rides only causes a fraction of these injuries.

Several recent amusement park accidents have captured the national spotlight. In 2016, a 10-year-old boy was decapitated on the “world’s tallest waterslide” at a Schlitterbahn in Kansas City. Recent court documents show the park’s management hired a team without the technical skills necessary to safely build the slide. Two individuals responsible for constructing the slide are facing manslaughter charges.

Another accident occurred at a Six Flags in New York last year. In this case, a 14-year-old girl fell 25-feet from a ride. Several other people on the ground caught her, possibly saving her life.

What Causes Amusement Park Injuries?

There are several reasons why an amusement park might be liable for a ride-related accident. Amusement parks could be liable if they did not perform proper maintenance on rides or if their staff members improperly operated rides. The manufacturer of a ride could also be liable for injuries or deaths.

There are also accidents at amusement parks that do not involve rides. Slip and fall accidents can injure park patrons. In addition, amusement parks may have areas that are dangerous to patrons because they contain moving parts or are under construction. Accidents can happen if these areas are not clearly marked.

Many amusement parks require you to sign liability waivers. Amusement parks may use these legal documents to protect themselves if there are injuries and deaths at their establishments. However, there are still cases where you could successfully bring a claim against the park or other parties. You should still speak to an attorney even if you have signed one of these waivers.

The Colorado premises liability lawyers at Lampert & Walsh, LLC could help you determine whether it is possible to recover compensation for an amusement park injury. You can contact us at no cost for a free consultation.