Frankfort Kentucky Personal Injury Blog

Dog bites drop in 2018 but risks grow among young children

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Animal Bites on Friday, April 19, 2019.

There is good news and bad news concerning the frequency of dog bite claims in this country. These injury claims dropped by nine percent last year according to some research. However, the number of emergency room visits for children under the age of one suffering from animal bites rose significantly.

The number of dog bite claims fell by 6.6 percent between 2017 and 2018. Payments totaled $675 million in 2018, which was a seven percent drop, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. Dog bites and other dog-related injuries comprised almost one-third of all homeowner liability claims paid out last year. The average cost per claim rose by 5.3 percent. The average cost paid out for dog bite claims climbed from $37,051 in 2017 to $39,017 in 2018.

Surface roads may not be as safe as you probably think they are

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. on Saturday, April 13, 2019.

There are many myths and misconceptions about what actually keeps you safe on the road. People may accidentally spread misinformation about what practices are safest and best. For example, many people associate interstates and highways with elevated danger. While there is no question that driving at higher speeds increases your risk of an accident and the potential severity of any crash you do experience, statistically, surface roads can be as dangerous as interstates.

In fact, according to the Federal Highway Administration, roughly half of all collisions occur at intersections. In other words, they occur on surface roads, not on freeways and highways, which tend to have fewer intersecting roads. Understanding what causes these crashes can help you stay safe on surface roads and at intersections.

Common types of medical malpractice

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

Doctors are not exempt from mistakes or negligence. At times, medical malpractice may even lead to the death of a patient. Certain forms of malpractice are prevalent and may underly a wrongful death lawsuit.

Surgical errors can be life-altering or even fatal. Although a patient signed a release form before the procedure, doctors and hospitals may be held liable, especially if something unexpected happened.

Medications may be a dangerous Rx for driving

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

Motorists usually blame alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs for impaired driving. However, prescription or over-the-counter drugs that are routinely used can also increase the risks of car accidents.

Prescription drugs were the most common drug found in drivers involved in deadly car accidents. These drugs were involved in 46.5 percent of fatal accidents. Benzodiazepines prescribed for anxiety or sleep disorders and opiates prescribed for the relief of pain are the two most common prescriptions found in drivers involved in accidents. Certain antidepressants can multiply the odds of a car crash by 41 percent.

Impaired truck driver blamed for Virginia train crash

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

One of the most serious consequences of a truck accident is the harm caused by the large size difference between the truck and the other vehicle. However, truck accidents are not limited to these situations. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that an impaired trash truck driver was likely responsible for a deadly crash with an Amtrak train last year.

On Jan. 31, 2018, a chartered Amtrak train comprised of six passenger cars and two café cars left Union Station in Washington D.C. carrying dozens of Republican House members, many of their family members and the Speaker of the House to a retreat. Near Crozet, Virginia, the train rounded a bend that may have hidden the trash truck from view. Railroad-crossing barriers dropped into place on a crossing three seconds before impact, warning lights flashed, and the train engineer sounded its horn 1,000 feet before the crossing. However, the truck driver drove around the lowered gate arm because he thought he had time to get over the tracks. The truck remained stopped on the tracks for reasons unknown to the NTSB.

What is medical malpractice?

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

Medical care can eliminate or mitigate illness. However, medical malpractice can cause serious harm or even lead to death. Kentucky law provides for wrongful death lawsuits to seek compensation for a fatal medical error.

Malpractice is when a heath care professional or facility failed to provide appropriate treatment, did not take an appropriate action or gave care to a patient that fell below the reasonable standard of care. There are between 15,000 and 19,000 medical malpractice lawsuits against physicians in this country each year, according to Medical Malpractice Center.

Keyless ignition fatalities lead to action

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

The push-button ignition starter is a recent and popular innovation that allows motorists to keep their key-fobs in their pockets. However, this innovation has proven fatal in dozens of cases where people died from carbon monoxide inhalation after they forgot to push the starter button off. While this may be grounds for a wrongful death action, a bill was also introduced in the U.S. Senate addressing this danger.

Keyless ignitions are now standard equipment in more than half of the 17 million new vehicles sold each year in this country. Many times, drivers park their cars in a garage attached to their home and do not remember to turn off the starter. The carbon monoxide then seeps into their home through an air duct and suffocates the people inside.

Avoid crashes on Interstate 75 with these tips

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Anyone who hs driven on I-75 knows that it can be a hassle. Drivers don't often obey the speed limit, and it's a rarity to see someone use their blinkers. Combined with heavy traffic and distractions, there's no wonder that this highway has so many collisions.

When they do take place, the crashes back up traffic for miles. Stop-and-go traffic results, which tends to lead to further collisions. As someone who has to get through backed up traffic, the best thing you can do is know how to stay safe despite the bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions.

Opioids driving highway dangers

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 8, 2019.

The opioid epidemic has been alarming and devastating to communities in this nation. The harm of prescription opioids has reached the country's highways and played a growing role in fatal car accidents, according to researchers.

The number of fatal car accidents involving drivers impaired by opioids has tripled during the last 25 years. This finding was based upon an examination of over 18,000 car accidents involving at least two vehicles in this country from 2013 to 2016.

What are a landlord's safety responsibilities?

On behalf of Michael Hawkins of Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. posted in Premises Liability on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

Apartment tenants pay rent for more than a roof over their head. Among their duties to maintain a habitable residence, landlords must provide a safe place to live or face a premises liability lawsuit when a tenant is injured.

Tenants have the right to fill secure in their dwellings. All doors and windows must be properly secured and equipped with working locks and must be in good repair. At a minimum, a deadbolt lock should be installed on all front doors.

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