Do your homework before purchasing your next car!

Though many people first look at the appearance and performance of a new vehicle, car safety is also an extremely important factor. There are many research companies that have comprehensive information including car safety features, crash test ratings, rollover test results, and more. You should also look into the used car you may be purchasing to determine if it has ever been in an accident and what type of safety rating it currently has at the time of purchase, not at the time of manufacturing as it may have had recalls, etc. Do your homework when purchasing any vehicle.

Ways to Avoid A Car Wreck #11

#11: Don't step on the brake when driving over a pothole.

Winter in Ohio is upon us and with this comes the inevitable potholes. Often, the natural reaction is to stomp on the brakes as you go over the pothole. The suggestion below is that this is probably not the right way to deal with a pothole.

Reason: Hitting the brake as the car goes over a pothole shifts the car's weight forward onto the front wheels. This increases the impact force and can damage the car's suspension and brakes. This can also alter wheel alignment.

Better: Brake before the pothole to slow down the car, then release the brake as you go over pothole and, if necessary, brake right after the pothole.

Source: www.motorwatch.com

Ways to Avoid A Car Wreck # 6

Columbus, Ohio. According to personal injury attorney, David A. Bressman, nearly 40,000 people die each year in car wrecks. Further, of the nearly 6 million car wrecks yearly, almost 50% involve an injury. The best way to avoid injury is drive safely and prudently. This, of course, is obvious but too few "experts" give any meaning to driving safely and prudently. The following series is designed to give you some practical pointers on HOW to do this.

#6: Use your brake lights to be more visible to those behind you. If there is a vehicle behind you when you need to slow down, tap your brake pedal very slightly a few seconds before braking, assuming there is time to do so safely. When stopped in traffic or at a light, tap your brake a few times as another vehicle approaches from behind. This is particularly helpful if the drivers behind you are looking into the sun.

Questions For the Adjuster That Simply Won't Get Answered # 4

Columbus, Ohio. Personal injury trial lawyer, David A. Bressman, has over 20 years of experience representing injury victims. Over that time period, he has come across many who have pretty basic, fairly easy questions that they would like the insurance adjuster to honestly answer. In his experience, most adjusters either refuse to answer or provide misleading information. He presents to you a series of questions, and likely insurance company responses.

"QUESTION 4: If I give you a recorded statement, can I then get a recorded statement from your own insured, i.e., the other driver?

ANSWER: No! This will never happen. It seems fair though doesn’t it? If you have to give a statement about the accident, then why can’t you also get a statement from the other driver? Yet, the insurance adjustor will never allow this for the same reasons you should never give a recorded statement to the insurance company. The adjuster wants to PIN YOU DOWN but, wisely for the insurance company, will never allows its at-fault driver to be similarly boxed in. The adjuster wants YOU to be put in a bad position, period.

Questions For the Adjuster That Simply Won't Get Answered #3

Columbus, Ohio. Personal injury trial lawyer, David A. Bressman, has over 20 years of experience representing injury victims. Over that time period, he has come across many who have pretty basic, fairly easy questions that they would like the insurance adjuster to honestly answer. In his experience, most adjusters either refuse to answer or provide misleading information. He presents to you a series of questions, and likely insurance company responses.

"QUESTION3: Why does the adjuster insist that I have to give a recorded statement when the adjuster can get information about the accident from the police report?

ANSWER: Because the insurance company will try to use your own statements against you! In most accidents a police report will be filed and the insurance company has easy access to this report (it just takes a written request and a small fee). So why is a recorded statement necessary? Most companies have written policies in place which require the adjuster to get
a recorded statement to see if there’s any information the accident victim might reveal which could be later used to either deny the claim or pay out less money when settlement occurs.

For instance, let's say that you are contacted by the adjuster the day after the accident. You have some aches and pains but, you think, nothing too serious.The adjuster puts you on tape agreeing that you have little or no injury but, lo and behold, you wake up the next day with excruciating neck and back pain. You are now in serious trouble since you have now gone "on record" as minimizing your own injury. In effect, you have now become your own worst enemy! These recorded statements are, mostly, done to pin you down to a point in time when you might not be aware of the full extent of your injuries. They are also, mostly, done without an attorney present to advise you on what are fair, and unfair, topics.

My usual approach to requests for these types of statements -- denied!

Questions For the Adjuster That Simply Won't Get Answered #1

Columbus, Ohio. Personal injury trial lawyer, David A. Bressman, has over 20 years of experience representing injury victims. Over that time period, he has come across many who have pretty basic, fairly easy questions that they would like the insurance adjuster to honestly answer. In his experience, most adjusters either refuse to answer or provide misleading information. He presents to you a series of questions, and likely insurance company responses.

If I use an attorney, I’m likely to recover more money in settlement than if I try to settle
the claim on my own?

ANSWER: Don’t be surprised if the adjustor says “no.” But why lie about this? Because a study by the Insurance Research Council (a nonprofit group funded by major insurance companies across the nation) and titled “Paying for Auto Injuries” found that the average total payout on claims that have an attorney is 4.8 times greater than those claims where the injured victim settled on his or her own.

This study showed that individuals who use an attorney receive 3.28 times more money after the attorney’s fee is paid. Most insurance claims adjustors are very aware of this study. So, if the insurance company wants to maximize profits it will train its claims representatives to go to
great efforts to dissuade people from hiring an attorney. Simply put, the insurance companies know that if you hire counsel you will likely get more money in settlement, even after deducting
the lawyer’s fee.

Common Insurance Company Arguments/Excuses #11

Columbus, Ohio. According to David A. Bressman, a personal injury lawyer who limits his practice exclusively those injured in car accidents, insurance companies use many standard arguments when trying to minimize payment to injury victims. Here is #11 in this ongoing series:

"Minimizing the Severity of the Collision"

• The property to damage to either, or both vehicles, was minimal.
• Your vehicle was equipped with shock-absorbing bumpers, headrests, seat belts, which made impact injuries impossible or improbable.
• No other persons involved in accident had injuries.
• The At-Fault Driver claims he was only going 5 mph or less.
• The damage repair estimate shows only $1,000 of damage to your vehicle. THIS IS WHY YOU MUST GET YOUR OWN ESTIMATE AND NOT RELY ON THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
• Your airbags never deployed so the forces had to be minor.
• The at-fault driver’s airbags never deployed so the forces had to be minor.

Daylight Saving Time Switch & Increased Number Of Pedestrian Collisions & Car Accidents

The staff at the BressmanLaw reminds you to set your clocks back 1 hour this weekend. Please use extreme caution as you adjust to the time change and earlier darkness. When the clocks move back, pedestrian collisions, crosswalk accidents and personal injury cases involving motor vehicles are more likely.

According to a CNN report, pedestrians walking at dusk are three times more likely to be struck by a car than before the clocks are moved back.

The highest risk for pedestrians occurs around 6 p.m. during November. This risk decreases each month until May [when the spring time change and longer days cause accidents to drop dramatically]. Reports show that it is not the actual dark that causes these pedestrian car accidents, it is the drivers' adjustments to the earlier darkness.

Drivers: Be on the lookout for pedestrians as you drive at dusk and after dark.

Pedestrians: Take extra care to make sure that drivers can see you.

Be safe!

Sincerely,

The Staff of BressmanLaw