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Automobile Accidents
- About six million auto accidents
occur each year resulting in forty thousand deaths. Alcohol is involved
in forty percent of the deaths resulting from auto accidents, and
speeding is involved in twenty-nine percent of the deaths resulting
from auto accidents. These auto accidents often result when motor
vehicle operators speed, make improper left turns, fail to stop
at red lights or stop signs, drive on the wrong side of the street,
drink and drive, or travel into the rear-end of another vehicle.
18-Wheeler Accidents - According to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, in the year 2000, around 457,000
large trucks were involved in collisions throughout the United States.
These trucks had a gross vehicle weight rating over ten thousand
pounds, with over four thousand of these accidents involving big-rigs
resulting in death. Large truck accidents were responsible for one
out of every eight highway deaths in 2000.
Drunk Driving Accidents
- Every thirty minutes someone dies because of a drunken
driver. In 1996, there were over forty thousand motor vehicle fatalities.
Of this number, approximately forty percent were alcohol related.
These drunk driving accidents often result when motor vehicle operators
speed, make improper left turns, fail to stop at red lights or stop
signs, drive on the wrong side of the street or travel into the
rear-end of another vehicle.
Motorcycle Accidents
- In
the year 2000, almost 2,900 motorcycle riders were killed, and 58,000
were injured in accidents throughout the United States. Of the 2,900
fatalities, thirty-eight percent of motorcycle operators were speeding.
The alcohol-related accidents involving motorcycles were fifty percent
higher than accidents involving passenger cars.
Boating Accidents
- In
1997, there were over 300,000 registered boats in Louisiana that
traveled over the 4,000,000 acres of lakes, the 40,000 miles of
rivers and the 7,000 miles of Louisiana coastline. There were 146
boating accidents, resulting in 37 deaths. Many of these accidents
were alcohol related.
Offshore and Maritime Accidents
- Many personal injuries are the result of offshore and
maritime accidents or collisions. Some examples of injuries that
result from offshore accidents are cervical and lumbar sprains,
herniated and ruptured discs, fractures, knee injuries, brain damage,
and paralysis. Victims of offshore accidents may recover for pain
and suffering, medical expenses, property damage, lost wages and
loss of earning capacity.
Railroad Accidents
- Every
ninety minutes, there is a train wreck in the United States. There
are about 3,000 railroad accidents in the United states each year
and approximately 1,000 deaths result from these train wrecks.
Chemical / Toxic Exposure Accidents
- Toxic accidents may result from exposure to asbestos,
cosmetic products, tobacco, hazardous waste, radiation, pharmaceutical
products, as well as many other products. In Louisiana, during the
years 1993-2000, fifty companies reported thirty-two chemical accidents.
The types of accidents included toxic gas releases, fires, explosions
and liquid spills or evaporation.
Medical / Hospital / Nursing
Home Malpractice - The National Academy of Sciences reports
that around 98,000 Americans die from medical errors per year. An
individual may have a medical malpractice action if the doctor or
other healthcare provider gave the patient the wrong medicine or
the wrong dosage, failed to diagnose a medical condition, made the
wrong diagnosis, failed to get informed consent, made errors during
surgery, left items inside the patient after surgery, or committed
nursing home abuse.
Defective Drugs
- The
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the responsibility to monitor
new drugs before they are placed on the market for use by the general
public. Although these drugs have been tested before they are marketed,
sometimes the drugs have negative side effects once taken by consumers.
In cases where the drug causes many consumers to become ill, there
may be a drug recall. Many illnesses result from consumption
of defective drugs. Some defective drugs are Baycol, Meridia,Vioxx,
PPA and Ephedra.
Premise Liability
- Each
day many people enter the property of others. The owners of such
property are responsible for maintaining it in a safe manner. Sometimes,
however, accidents occur on the property of others either at their
place of business or at their home. If the accident was caused by
the negligence of the owner, then an individual may have a premise
liability claim.
Wrongful Death
- Wrongful
deaths are an unfortunate part of everyday life. Wrongful death
suits may result from automobile accidents, 18-wheeler accidents,
drunk driving accidents , motorcycle accidents, boating accidents,
offshore and maritime accidents, railroad accidents, chemical exposure,
medical malpractice, defective drugs, or other forms of negligence.
Class Action Mass Tort
- Class
action lawsuits may be instituted when a large group of individuals
have suffered a similar injury or loss. Class actions provide individuals
with an opportunity to sue collectively for a claim they may consider
too expensive to litigate individually. Class actions are an efficiency
mechanism for the courts. A class action lawsuit eliminates the
time spent on litigating thousands of individual cases having the
same claim and similar injury. |
