When you are injured in a car wreck, the pain that you feel is likely going to persist for a while. Because of this, as well as the way the injuries affect your abilities, you might be unable to work. This puts you and your family members who count on you for support in a rough spot. You might find it hard to pay the bills, including the medical copays and bills that you have to cover to get the care you need.

We know that you might not have a sufficient amount in savings to cover all of this. We are here to help you seek compensation from the driver who struck you. This can help you to recover the money so that you aren’t the person who has to deal with the financial damage from the crash. Your claim for compensation sends a message to the other driver that they should pay close attention to what they are doing when they are operating a vehicle.

When you seek compensation, you need to think about all the ways that the wreck has impacted your finances. You might have already been receiving bills in the mail, but you need to think about the ones that you haven’t gotten yet. Sometimes, injuries will require long-term care. All of these bills need to be covered by the compensation.

Some victims aren’t sure how to determine the future costs of their injuries. We are here to handle that and other legal aspects of your case. We want you to be able to focus your energy on healing and enjoying your life again.

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You’re well aware that another driver could cause an accident at any moment. You could be seriously injured. It doesn’t matter if you do everything right and follow all of the traffic laws and don’t make any mistakes. You could still get hurt because of someone else’s negligence.

But which drivers pose the highest risk? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are three main high-risk groups:

• Young drivers who are newly licensed. The first few months after a driver passes the tests and gets out on the road are the most dangerous. For instance, when you look at how many fatal wrecks there are per mile, those who are 16 and 17 years old cause twice as many as those who are 18 and 19 years old. Even just a few years of driving experience make a big difference.
• Teens who have passengers and friends in the car. The CDC notes that having more passengers leads to a higher crash risk, which goes up with every person you add into the equation. As much as teens enjoy driving around with their friends, it puts everyone at risk when they do it.
• Male drivers. Women simply get in fewer accidents. Reports show that male teen drivers crash twice as often as female teen drivers. While all teens face higher risks, it is clear that young men are the most dangerous of all.

So, what do you do if you get into a car accident with a negligent, high-risk driver? You need to look into all of your legal rights to compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills and much more.

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Being a pizza delivery driver for Domino’s or Papa John’s might not be the pinnacle of your career aspirations. However, many people find that working food delivery jobs allows them adequate time to pursue a college education. It’s also a good choice for a moonlighting job because pizza delivery drivers can often choose the hours they are available to work.

But what happens if you get injured while on the job, e.g., you get T-boned at an intersection while delivering pizzas here in Wilmington? Are you entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits while you recuperate from your injuries?

It depends on your employment status

Most pizza delivery drivers are considered to be employees of the company for which they drive. This is especially true for large corporations like the two referenced above. As such, your accident and subsequent injuries should be covered under the auspices of the company’s workers’ comp. policy.

However, restaurant delivery service companies like DoorDash, Waitr, and Grubhub typically considered their drivers to be independent contractors who are not covered by workers’ compensation benefits.

Right to pursue claim affected by insurance status?

There may also be some other avenues of financial recovery that are available to you after getting into a wreck delivering pizza. Your status as a delivery person for a pizza chain could potentially affect the viability of an insurance claim depending upon whether you were forthcoming about your job with your auto insurance provider.

The reason for this is that auto insurance for a vehicle that is used for work purposes, i.e., to haul supplies, product or people, is usually quite a bit more expensive than a basic liability policy that covers non-employment driving. If you failed to notify your auto insurance carrier that you were using your vehicle to deliver pizzas or for other job-related duties and get into an accident, your claim could potentially be denied for this omission.

Preserving your right to benefits

If you get injured while out making a delivery for your employer, it’s vital that you do all that you can to preserve your right to seek financial and other compensation. This includes notifying your employer as soon as is practical after getting into an accident. Failing to timely notify your supervisor of your accident and injuries could limit your ability to seek benefits through workers’ comp after a collision.

At David & Associates, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, we don’t want you to feel vulnerable during an already challenging situation. As such, we work hard to help you through the process to pursue the maximum compensation available to you.

Our Wilmington workers’ compensation attorneys have built a strong reputation representing the injured in our community. When you need someone on your side, trust that we’ve got your best interests in mind every step of the way. Let us give you a voice against negligent parties and large corporations.

Call our firm at 910-251-8088 today to speak with a skilled legal professional in a free consultation.

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Motorcycle riders need to know that other drivers on the road are watching for them. The problem is that some drivers might assume that nobody is going to ride a motorcycle when the weather is cooler. Unfortunately, this false belief might lead to bikers being injured or killed.

For the bikers who are facing risks on the road, taking every step they can to remain safe must be a priority. When they are struck by a vehicle, they can face devastating injuries. These might be fatal, but they can also lead to lifelong changes in the motorcyclist’s life if they do survive.

The road to recovery after a motorcycle wreck depends on the type of injury the person suffered. More serious injuries like those involving the brain and spinal cord can take a long time to heal — and sometimes might not heal at all. They might have to learn how to live with the injury.

Another aspect of these wrecks is that the victim will have to deal with financial challenges because of the crash. This can come from the expensive medical care they might need or the loss of income if they are off work while they heal.

Victims of motorcycle crashes might choose to seek compensation for the financial damages of the wreck. This can help to reduce their out-of-pocket expenses so that the burden falls on the driver who was being negligent. We are here to help you move through the process, but don’t wait to get started since you do have specific limits on how long you have to get the case filed.

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Road construction workers place their safety in the hands of drivers daily. Because these workers have such dangerous jobs already, they don’t need anything to make their time at work any more difficult. It is imperative that drivers and construction companies do what they can to reduce the risks.

There are several things that might help. All of them revolve around proper training and taking the road conditions into account.

Train employees

Employees, even those who come from other road construction companies, should have to go through a safety orientation. This gives the company a chance to ensure that they know the safety protocol of the company. It is also a good idea to have continuing education programs to help reinforce the standards. This might not be a good option for days when the weather isn’t appropriate for regular activities.

Provide proper safety equipment

Safety equipment is a must at construction sites. There are a few common types to consider. Workers should wear brightly colored vests that make it easy for motorists to see them. It can also assist other workers, especially those who are operating heavy machinery, to see them while they are working.

Hardhats are a good safety tool for construction workers in some cases. They are especially important for those who are working on the ground around cranes and other machines. Steel toe boots are also a good idea.

Placing barriers between the workers and the moving traffic is important, but it might not be feasible in all cases. Things like water-filled barriers, concrete barriers, and guard rails are examples of what might be helpful to prevent cars from slamming into workers.

Place signage to alert motorists

Well in advance of the worksite, motorists need to know that there are people working ahead. Placing proper signage ahead of where employees are on the road is imperative. These might be the orange signs, but it can also include digital signs.

Have a plan for injuries

There is going to come a time when a construction worker will suffer an injury. There should be a plan in place for when this does happen. Ideally, someone at the site will be trained in first aid and there will be at least a basic kit to care for employees as well as possible until emergency help arrives if needed.

Workers who suffer serious injuries can turn to workers’ compensation for medical care benefits. When you can’t come back to work right away, you may qualify for temporary disability benefits as well.

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People who are in a vehicle that is struck by a semi truck are likely to have significant physical injuries and severe mental trauma. In all of these cases, the victims who decide to seek compensation for their injuries from the liable party (or parties) can benefit from a thorough legal approach, like ours, to their personal injury claim.

For example, it’s important to take the investigation slowly and carefully in order to identify what went wrong and exactly how the accident occurred.

Some big rig crashes happen because a trucker is too fatigued or distracted to drive safely. This is atrocious because these are preventable crashes. There are federal regulations that cover these matters and provide guidelines that truckers and trucking companies are expected to follow. The chance of an accident occurring is reduced considerably when the trucker follows those regulations.

When an investigation reveals non-compliance with those regulations, it can lend credibility to any case you hope to make that the trucker shouldn’t have been behind the wheel and is at fault for the accident. Approaching a case in a methodical manner and picking apart each potential element like this that needs to be presented to the insurance company or jury is the best way to bolster your negotiations.

We are here to review the facts of your case and help you figure out your options. Our goal is always to help you get the compensation you deserve as you recover from your injuries and losses. We can handle the job whether that is best done through a trial in court or through a settlement agreement made with the defendants in the case.

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If you are involved in a slow speed, rear-end crash, you might think that you walked away unscathed. Unfortunately, this might not be the case. Sometimes, you will suffer an injury that you won’t recognize until the next day or even a few days later. One such injury is whiplash.

Contrary to what you might see on television, whiplash can be a very serious injury. Some people think that it isn’t because the soft tissue is what’s damaged. If it is left untreated, you might find that the symptoms don’t abate. They might get worse, which could be activity-limiting.

Some of the signs of whiplash that you should watch for if you have been in a car wreck include:

• Loss of range of motion in the neck
• Pain in the shoulders or arms
• Headache near the base of the skull
• Increased neck pain with movement
• Stiffness and pain in the neck
• Arm numbness or tingling
• Dizziness
• Fatigue

In the past, immobilization was one of the most common treatments. This isn’t the case now. Limited immobilization might be necessary, but treatments now will usually include physical therapy to help you regain the use of your neck.

It is sometimes possible that people with this injury might need medication to help control pain and inflammation. Other options include using heat or ice and allowing your neck to rest. Some people will need muscle relaxers or injections into the neck. Work with your doctor to find something that works for you.

If the car wreck was the other driver’s fault, you might choose to seek compensation for the incident. A personal injury lawsuit is can help you work toward that goal.

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You might think that just because you work in an office that you aren’t at risk for suffering injuries. Unfortunately, even people who are employed in this setting can still have accidents that can lead to serious problems. Utilizing proper safety techniques can help you to remain safe while you work.

One way that employers can do this is to understand some of the common accident and injury types that these workers face. Developing a comprehensive plan can benefit everyone involved.

Falls are sometimes disabling

Office workers who fall are 2 to 2.5 times more likely to end up with a debilitating injury than a non-office worker. Keeping the floors clear can help prevent these injuries. Any wet areas should be cleaned immediately or clearly marked. Everything on the floor, including rugs and cords, must be properly secured to prevent tripping. Workers shouldn’t use anything other than a step stool or ladder to climb on when they need to reach something high up.

Objects, even stationary ones, can cause injury

Running into objects, such as desks or chairs, can lead to serious injuries. Slamming your finger in a drawer or cabinet, accidents involving machines and equipment in the office, and dropping items on your feet can all lead to injuries. Using everything in the proper manner, following instructions and paying attention to where you are walking can facilitate safety.

Lifting can be dangerous

While you might not have to lift heavy objects, you should still remain cautious when you lift anything. This includes things like stacks of files or a box of supplies. Never lift with your back. Use your legs instead. Don’t twist when you are carrying something even moderately heavy. If you have to pick up a heavy item, get help.

The duty of keeping workers safe falls on the employer. They must ensure that you have the tools, equipment, and protocol in place to help you avoid accidents. If something happens and you are hurt at work, make sure to seek medical care. Not only can this help you get the treatment process started, but it also ties the injury to the work-related situation.

Workers’ compensation coverage will help to pay the medical care costs and possibly replacement wages for missed work. Certain conditions apply and there may be other benefits of the program. Understanding the application, decision, and appeal processes is important if you are dealing with a claim.

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Car wrecks lead to a significant number of injuries that must be addressed quickly. The issue with failing to address injuries is that they can continue to worsen until they cause significant problems with your life. One injury that falls under this category is whiplash, which is complicated for a host of reasons.

The problematic factor of whiplash is that you might not realize that you were injured right away. More than likely, you aren’t going to know that anything is wrong with your neck at the scene. The next morning, you might feel a bit sore, but you may think that is normal after a wreck. As time goes on over the next few days, you may begin to realize that the symptoms aren’t going away.

Some of the signs of whiplash include:

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Stiffness or pain in the neck
• Difficulties balancing
• Trouble with your memory
• Back or shoulder pain
• Concentration issues

You should seek out medical care if you have any of these symptoms. There is a good chance that you will need some form of treatment to address the problem. While immobilization was once commonplace with this type of injury, there is now some belief that getting started with range-of-motion exercises sooner rather than later can benefit the victims.

Most people who have whiplash recover within three months. Some more serious cases might result in symptoms lasting a year or longer. During the recovery time, you might not be able to work as much as normal, possibly not at all. Seeking compensation might help to relieve some of the financial pressure victims feel.

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Suffering from an injury at work is something that nobody wants to deal with, especially when you are going to have to miss work while you heal. This makes life very difficult because you are having to deal with not having an income at a time when you will have some medical bills and other expenses that you usually don’t have.

On top of this, your family members will probably suffer because you aren’t able to do what you usually do. This can put pressure on them, but they will know that this isn’t your fault. We know this is problematic and might make life miserable for people who are accustomed to working.

When you have a work-related injury, you need to seek out workers’ compensation coverage. At a minimum, this should cover the cost of necessary medical care for the injury you suffered. If you can’t return to work right away, you might qualify for partial wage replacement benefits. This might not give you everything that you would have if you were working, but it might be enough to cover the basics and take some of the stress off you.

There are specific guidelines for coverage under workers’ compensation. When you receive any correspondence regarding your case, you need to review it carefully. If you don’t agree with it, you need to review how to appeal the decision. This comes with specific procedures and very strict time limits. Make sure that you understand these. We can help you if you need to appeal the decisions that are made in your case.

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