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Cold weather travel and safety includes protection against frostbite and hypothermia. People often jump into their vehicles without bundling up because they are just running to the store or will only be out for a few minutes. However, no one plans on having their car break down or being stranded in freezing temperatures. Nor do they plan on having another car crash into them. It may take time for emergency vehicles to arrive at an accident scene. And, in freezing weather, frostbite and hypothermia can set in faster than you might think.
According to the National Safety Council, frostbite occurs from exposure to extreme cold. It affects the layers of skin, making extremities turn numb. It has the greatest effect on the fingers, toes, ears, nose, cheeks and chin. When only reaching surface layers, frostbite is not as serious. However, frostbite that reaches deep can make tissue die, turning it black. In the worst cases, it may result in amputation or death.
When an individual’s body temperature drops lower than 95 degrees, extreme shivering results. This is the first sign of hypothermia. However, later stages affect bodily functions. Symptoms include drowsiness, exhaustion, shallow breathing, irregular heartbeat and loss of coordination. It can result in unconsciousness and death.
What should you wear in winter weather?
What you should carry in your car in cold weather?
(Reference: Firestone Complete Auto Care)
If you believe another driver was at fault for a winter car accident that resulted in serious injury, speak with an attorney. Our attorneys at Sackstein, Sackstein & Lee, LLP have decades of experience handling accident cases.
Hit and run accidents are on the rise across the nation and in New York City.
According to cars.com, hit and run accidents nationwide increased by 60 percent between 2009 and 2016. Citylimits.org reports that "New York City has suffered from a hit-and-run epidemic for years, and the NYPD is struggling to keep up."
Unfortunately, this fact increases people’s chances of being a victim of a hit and run accident. In a hit and run accident, the party at fault has fled from the accident scene.
The following are important actions to take whenever possible:
If your injury is serious or vehicle damages are extensive, you should consult with an attorney. An experienced attorney can advise the best course of action.
During the first week of December in 2017, a multiple injuries accident in Lower Manhattan occurred when a driver lost control of his Lincoln Continental.
According to New York CBS Local, the Lincoln crashed into a Ford Explorer at Broadway and Liberty Street. The SUV then struck a woman on a bicycle. However, the driver of the Lincoln just kept going and drove for a block, running into three pedestrians and finally crashing into a third vehicle and a bicycle rack. The impact was so forceful that it pulled the bicycle rack out of the concrete, a witness explained.
Responders at the accident scene immobilized the female bicyclist with a neck brace and carried her off on a stretcher. Other accident victims were taken to nearby hospitals and fortunately none had life-threatening injuries.
The police at first believed the incident was a road rage accident but upon questioning the driver, they discovered he complained of chest pains. They determined that medical factors were involved, and no criminal charges were brought against him.
Despite the fact that no criminal charges were filed and although the driver experienced a medical trauma, he would still be liable for serious injuries he caused to vehicles, pedestrians and the bicyclist. As long as the three pedestrians and bicyclist were not in violation of traffic laws, one could assume they would have grounds to bring against the motorist’s insurance company.
Based on New York law, when a personal injury victim experiences a serious injury caused by another driver and the economic loss exceeds $50,000 or the injury falls into one of the categories defined as “serious injury,” the victim has the legal right to pursue compensation. Article 51 of the Insurance Law defines what constitutes a serious injury.
At Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP we offer a free initial consultation to discuss your accident and the prospects of pursuing a case.
Truck driver liability for blind spots is often a factor in truck accidents. Blind spots are areas where drivers cannot see other vehicles or pedestrians, also called the “no zone.” Just as cars have blind spots, so do trucks, and especially semi-trucks or 18-wheelers, which have blind spots that are extensive on all sides of their vehicles.
Truck drivers sit high in the cabs of their vehicles, and in certain situations this position enhances visibility. However, when other vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles or pedestrians are close to the truck, such proximity diminishes the truck driver’s ability to see them. This is especially true when they are a good deal lower than the truck.
Truck blind spots include:
Truck drivers must take reasonable precautions when they change lanes, make turns or slow down. They must check for other cars or people who could be in their way. Failure to do so is negligent, and when accidents resulting in damages occur as a result of their breach of duty, injured parties can hold them liable.
Often the trucking company is liable for a driver’s actions when the driver is on duty and driving for the company. When companies hire truck drivers that have driving records of drunk or reckless driving, they are at risk for being held responsible for accident damages.
If you have suffered serious injury, find out about your rights to sue for damages. Consult with our attorneys at Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP and discuss your potential case during a free initial consultation.