Big Leap, Author at Ahlander Injury Law

What You Should Do If You’ve Been Injured at a Business

May 18, 2022 by Big Leap

While it is unfortunate, many people can receive injuries while visiting a business. Most common injuries include trips or falls, but every type of injury should be taken seriously. If you’ve been injured at a business, you need to know what steps to follow.

Report the Incident

The very first thing you should do is report the incident to management. They need to have a record of any incidents that take place on their property. When reporting the incident, it’s helpful to have witnesses who can back up your story. Additionally, you can ask if there are any security cameras that may have captured your injury. Make sure you have plenty of evidence and be clear when reporting the incident. This incident report may be used later when discussing liability and compensation.

Determine if Any Safety Measures Were in Place

If there are hazards on the property, then the business owner should take measures to alert people to those hazards or reduce them. For example, in many grocery stores a “Wet Floor” sign will be put down to alert people to any spills. Once you’ve been injured, look around where the incident took place. First identify what caused your injury and then see if there were any measures in place to prevent it. Whether or not there were safety measures in place can help determine a business owner’s fault in your case. Again, it’s essential that you have evidence to back up your claims. You should take pictures of the area or have witnesses available.

Contact an Attorney

If your injury is serious or if the business is not willing to work with you, contacting an attorney is ideal. In any kind of injury case, many people are unsure of what their rights are and what actions they can take. Working with an attorney can lead to a better outcome for your case. They know how to navigate these issues and they know what steps to follow. Find an attorney who can help you end up with favorable results.

When you’re injured on the property of any kind of business, the business can be liable for the incident and compensation for your injuries. You have the right to seek compensation for any damages you have suffered. Finding the right help can allow you to walk away from the incident with a better outcome.

Were you recently injured while visiting a business? Click here to find an attorney to help with your case.

How to Stay Safe in the Workplace

May 4, 2022 by Big Leap

While it is largely your employer’s responsibility to keep you safe while at work, there are still steps you can take to ensure your own safety. Taking these measures can help you prevent accidents or injuries in order to keep you and your coworkers safe.

Keep Your Workspace Clean

No matter what type of job you have, you want to make sure your work area is clean. When it’s messy or things are disorganized, there’s a higher chance of accidents occurring. Keep your area organized. If everything has a designated place, it’s easier to keep things from becoming a mess or a problem. If you spill anything, clean it up immediately. Failing to clean up spills quickly leads to more slips and falls. Throughout the day, find ways to clear your workspace. You want to make sure you have a clear walkway and an organized area.

Report Any Hazards

Many accidents and injuries can occur simply because people aren’t aware of hazards. If you find any kind of hazard in your workplace, you need to report it immediately. When hazards are reported, they can be addressed in the proper fashion including putting up signs, sectioning off an area, or finding ways to remove the hazard. When you report hazards in the workplace, you make the area safe for you and all of your coworkers. To further ensure a safe work environment, encourage fellow employees to report any hazards they may find.

Participate in Safety Trainings

Your workplace should be providing you with safety trainings. Often, these occur when you are first hired, but they may also take place periodically throughout your employment. Trainings exist to inform employees of the hazards in the workplace, how to avoid or deal with them, and what protocols to follow to stay safe. Keep in mind that some protocols can change over time and there might be updates at each training. For your own safety, make sure you attend these trainings and pay attention to what is taught. This can better prepare you to handle any hazards you may face and you can reduce your risk of injury.

Staying safe at work is not always a guarantee. Your actions, and the actions of your employer, can make a major difference in whether or not accidents or injuries occur. Even when you do all you can, they may still take place and fortunately you are protected in the form of workers’ compensation.

Have you been injured on the job? Click here to contact an attorney who can help you understand your workers’ compensation and get the treatment you deserve.

Car Accidents Involving Teenage Drivers

April 20, 2022 by Big Leap

As a parent of a teen driver, your worst fear is likely that your child will get into an accident. You should be teaching your teen and taking measures to avoid this possibility. However, you also need to understand what to do and know if an accident involving your teen does occur.

Ensure Your Child’s Safety

Your main priority after an accident should be the safety of your child. Yes, you may first think about damage to the car, cost of the insurance, frustration with your child etc. but those should be secondary concerns. Once you hear your teen has been in a car accident, you should first assess whether or not they are ok. Ask about their injuries and make sure they are safe. Whether or not you are on the scene, you should keep in mind that your child is likely distressed. Do your best to take on as many responsibilities as possible including calling the police, filing a report, and talking with the other driver(s). In the moment, accidents are scary and while teens should learn what to do, you should save the teaching moment for afterward.

Understand How it Affects Your Insurance

After every accident, you should file a claim with your insurance company in order to cover any damages. However, accidents involving teenagers can have more of a far reaching impact on your insurance. Adding a teen to your insurance already raises your monthly premiums, but their actions can also further increase charges. The increase to your insurance premiums will depend on what happened. For example, drunk driving that results in an accident will increase your insurance much more than if your teen is in a fender bender. You should contact your insurance company after the accident to see how your insurance costs will personally be affected.

Make a Plan for the Future

Once you’ve dealt with police reports, insurance claims, injuries, and vehicle damage, you should sit down with your teen and have a conversation. In this conversation, you should discuss what they can do in the future to avoid accidents and what they should make sure they do next time they are in one. Focus on teaching them lessons rather than placing blame. In some accidents, it may be necessary to involve an attorney in order to work out insurance claims or other issues that come up with the other driver(s). Involve your teen in the process so they can continue to learn.

Accidents are scary for anyone who’s in them, but they are especially frightening when your teenager is involved. It’s important to know how you should handle these accidents both during and after the accident takes place.

If you’re concerned about the legal ramifications related to your teen’s car accident, you may need an attorney on your side. Click here to learn more about how Ahlander Injury Law can assist you.

What Happens if You’re in a Rideshare Car Accident

April 6, 2022 by Big Leap

Car accidents on their own are stressful and frightening. It can be difficult to sort out insurance claims and police reports, but you may be more confused if you’re involved in a rideshare accident. There are other factors at play here, so it’s worth it to learn a little more.

Why They’re Different

With a typical accident, you and the other driver or drivers will exchange insurance information and then you’ll each file a claim. However, in a rideshare accident it’s more complicated because there are technically more than two parties involved. When some works for a rideshare company, they are either covered by their own insurance or the insurance of the rideshare company they work for. The circumstance of the accident will determine which insurance company is involved and how this will affect you.

How You’re Covered

There are several different situations that could impact how you’re covered in a rideshare accident. Each situation will determine who will cover the costs of your injuries or damage to your vehicle. If the rideshare driver is not logged into the app and actively working for the rideshare company, then their personal insurance applies and it’s like any other accident. If they are actively working and logged into the app, then the rideshare company will cover claims of certain amounts. Companies like Uber and Lyft provide $1,000,000 policies, but the full amount is only applied if they have picked up a customer and the customer is in the car. The amount covered by the policy decreases if the driver is on the way to pick up a customer and it decreases further still if they are logged into the app but haven’t accepted a request yet.

Who is Liable

In any accident, it’s important to establish who is at fault and which driver is liable for the situation. To establish this, you must call the police so they can file a report and determine who is at fault. An individual is at fault if certain conditions are met. A driver is at fault if they violate certain responsibilities including driving safely and following all laws while driving. In some instances, working through insurance claims can be difficult. Having an attorney help you with your case can ensure you get the best possible outcome for you.

Rideshare accidents add a new level of concern since the driver is contracted by a larger company. These accidents can be more complex to navigate and you need to take time to understand how you will be affected.

Have you been in a rideshare accident? Click here to find an attorney who can assist on your case.

How to Recover From a Car Accident

March 23, 2022 by Big Leap

After a car accident, you will have a lot to navigate including sorting out insurance and getting your car repaired. If the accident was bad enough, you’ll also have injuries to take care of. It’s important that you dedicate some attention to recovering from these injuries.

Get Medical Attention

First and foremost, you need to seek medical attention for any injuries you sustain. After an accident, it can sometimes be difficult to know how you were affected and you might even feel fine. However, it’s a good idea to get medical attention in order to see if you have any injuries and to take care of them right away. You also need to seek immediate medical attention if you have obvious injuries. The best way to recover is to start taking care of your injuries as soon as possible. When you seek medical help, you can be told how to best take care of yourself in order to recover.

Rest and Follow Your Treatment Plan

When you’re injured, the best thing you can do is rest. If you get right back to work or to your daily activities, it can take even longer to heal and it may cause more pain. Taking time to rest can allow your body to slow down and heal much faster. As you rest, you also need to follow your treatment plan. This can include taking certain medications to help you recover. You might also receive physical therapy instructions and you need to make sure you do all exercises that are necessary. Your doctors give you a treatment plan for a reason. Following it will help you recover faster.

Get a Support System

Dealing with injuries on your own can make it much harder. You need to make sure you have a support system in place. Whether friends or family, your support system can help you with tasks you can’t do because of your injuries. They can also provide you with services like making you dinner or helping you clean. Your support system can also be there as an emotional support to help you through. Reach out to your loved ones, friends, neighbors, etc. in order to give yourself the support you need so you can recover from your accident.

Your injuries from a car accident can slow you down and even keep you from working. It’s best to find ways to recover quickly and painlessly. Find ways to make your recovery easier.

Contact Ahlander Injury Law if you are in need of legal counsel.