7 Problems investigators reported with some services include:

• Running ads implying victims will get money if they’ve been involved in an accident when they’re really only talking about to “No-fault” benefits.
• Encouraging people involved in an accident to file meritless claims, even if they have not been injured.
• Using advertising to disguise direct solicitations.
• A patient calls a referral service number and is sent to a clinic. Although they did NOT request a lawyer, they are met at the clinic by a lawyer or a representative of a lawyer to be seen before they see the doctor.
• While filling out the paperwork at a clinic, the patient unknowingly signs a retainer for a law firm.
• At the clinic, patients are told they must see a lawyer first, provided by that referral service, before they will be treated by a doctor, even though they have not requested a lawyer.
• Some patients, unhappy with the treatment they are getting at the clinic, complain to the lawyer they got from the clinic, only to be told the lawyer can’t help them because they also represent the clinic.

These findings only underscore the need for people to consult with a lawyer they know and trust…not someone they find after calling some 1-800 referral service – frankly, this is like playing lawyer roulette.

We have resources on our website to help educate you about how to find the right lawyer for your case – and it doesn’t mean the one closest to you of the one with the biggest ad.

Start by reading, “How to Find the Right Lawyer for Your Florida Injury Case,” written by a paralegal with over 25 years of experience working for personal injury law firms.

• Traffic fatalities were down in 2010, but fatalities caused by truck crashes increased by nearly 9% to 3,675.
• Large trucks comprise only 3% of all registered vehicles on the road, but represent 11% of motor vehicle wrecks each
  year.
• In crashes involving a large truck and a passenger vehicle, 97 % of those killed are the occupants of the cars.

With figures like these, should Congress try to figure out ways to improve truck safety, and/or get some of those dangerous oversized rigs off the roads? Not only are our lawmakers not trying to pass safety regulations for these roadway hazards, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is considering legislation that will reverse years of highway safety laws pertaining to large trucks.

Since 1991, triple-rigged trailers have been banned. The trucking industry arranged for a huge turnout of its members to lobby Congress today on February 1. The trucking lobby wants Congress to raise maximum truck weights by more than eight tons and eliminate the 1991 restrictions that ban triple trailer trucks and other “longer combination vehicles” from our nation’s highways.

Polls show that 74 percent of Americans oppose allowing these vehicular monsters on our roads. If you agree, let our representatives in Washington know that the bill under consideration has little support among their constituents. Write, email, or call your representatives today.

Floridaaccident attorney Jim Dodson provides a complete resource of safety and accident prevention information on his personal injury firm
website, www.jimdodsonlaw.com as well as helpful resources for Florida consumers if the unexpected happens.

If you have an accident or injury related question and need an immediate answer, simply call 727-446-0840 to schedule a time to discuss what happened to you or your loved one. There is no charge or any obligation to hire a lawyer and the consultation is free.

This may not be too difficult if the person has experienced a close call or has been injured in an accident.  But in many cases, it is a highly sensitive matter and may represent a loss of independence that he or she is not ready to face.

The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) has put together a list of guidelines for talking with a loved one about making the decision to stop driving:

• Be respectful. For many seniors, driving is an integral part of independence. Many older adults have fond memories of getting a driver’s license. At the same time, don’t be intimidated or back down if you have a true concern.
• Give specific examples. It’s easier to tune out generalizations like “you just can’t drive safely anymore”.  Outline concerns that you have noticed, such as “you have a harder time turning your head than you used to,” or “you braked suddenly at stop signs three times the last time we drove,”
• Find strength in numbers. If more than one family member or close friend has noticed, it’s less likely to be taken as nagging. A loved one may also listen to a more impartial party, such as a doctor or driving specialist.
• Help find alternatives. The person may be so used to driving that they have never considered alternatives.  You  can offer concrete help, such as researching transportation options or offering rides when possible. If your family member is reluctant to ask for help, it can lead to isolation and depression.
• Understand the difficulty of the transition. Your loved one may experience a profound sense of loss having given up driving. Don’t dismiss their feelings but try to help with the transition as much as possible. If it is safe, try slowly transitioning the senior out of driving to give them time to adjust. For example, your loved one may begin the transition by no longer driving at night or on the freeways, or by using a shuttle service to specific appointments, such as the doctor’s. 

If All Else Fails. . .

In some cases, your best efforts may not be enough to convince the older driver that the time has come to stop driving. If you have tried everything, done the recommended evaluations, and appealed to the driver’s reason with an expression of your love and concern and
still have been unable to convince the person that this is essential for their  life and safety, you may have to resort to extreme measures. As difficult as this may be, you know you must stop the person from such risky behavior.

One thing you can do talk to the person’s doctor and enlist his or her assistance. You might consider making an anonymous report to your state’s department of Motor Vehicles, or contact the police in your area to call on the person to explain the legal implications of unsafe driving. In the most extreme cases, you may need to away the car keys, or even sell or disable the car.

Once your family member has voluntarily or forcefully given up driving, be there to offer support.  Offer to drive to shopping or errands, and help research alternative means of transportation.

For more information on driver safety, regardless of age, contact Jim Dodson, a Clearwater Personal Injury Attorney at 727.446.0840 to answer your questions.

The Reality: Women Get Fewer Tickets, Have Fewer Accidents

The truth is on the side of women. A study conducted by Quality Planning, a research firm that gathers information for insurance companies, showed that men are 3.4 times more likely than women to be ticketed for reckless driving and 3.1 times as likely to be ticketed for drunk driving. The study found women overall are less aggressive behind the wheel and more law-abiding, resulting in fewer accidents. Consequently, women pay lower insurance rates in most states—by as much as 20 percent.

Fatality Rates Lower for Women

Women are significantly less likely to die in traffic accidents than men. In 2009, nationwide, more than 11,900 male drivers died in automotive accidents, compared to slightly fewer than 4900 female drivers. That’s the equivalent of 2.5 deaths per 100 million miles traveled for men, as compared to 1.7 for women.

For teenage drivers the gender difference is even greater: 9.2 deaths per 100 million miles for boys ages 16 to 19 and 5.3 deaths for girls in that age range. The number of teenage female drivers involved in accidents caused by distracted driving seems to be on the rise, however, a survey co-sponsored by Liberty Mutual reports.

Jim Dodson Law Serves Accidents Victims

We represent Florida Personal Injury clients in: Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, Dunedin, Largo, Oldsmar, St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Pinellas Park, and Seminole, Belleair, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shores, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Clearwater Beach, Palm Harbor, Crystal Beach, Bradenton, Palmetto, Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Ellenton, Kenneth City, South Pasadena, St. Petersburg Beach, Tierra Verde, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Hudson, Bayonet Point, Holiday, Land O’Lakes, Odessa, Tampa, Temple Terrace, Sebring, Wesley Chapel, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Hillsborough County, Manatee County, and all other Florida Counties.

Have questions after a Florida car accident?

Not sure if you have a personal injury claim or if you even need a lawyer? Our website is a trusted resource of accident and injury information visited by thousands of injured people who are looking for answers before they hire a lawyer or talk to an insurance adjuster.

If you have an immediate need, call 727-446-0840 to schedule a time to speak to Jim directly.

It may surprise you to learn mistakes accident victims consistently make in dealing with their doctors. The insurance company would love for you not to hear this, and you probably won’t hear this advice anywhere else. Experienced St. Petersburg Accident Attorney Jim Dodson shares tips to help victims of any accident in Florida keep from making mistakes that could cost them money. If you have questions or concerns you would like to address with Attorney Dodson, email him confidentially at jim@jimdodsonlaw.com or for an opportunity to speak to him personally, simply call 727-446-0840. There is never a cost to discuss your case.