Posts Tagged ‘personal injury’

Dallas Car Wreck Closes Highway for a Day

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

Late last week a Dallas car wreck closed the west bound lanes of highway I-20. It happened at the Highway 110 bridge that passes over I-20 when three car wrecks — yes, three — occurred.

The first Dallas car wreck happened when an 18-wheeler rolled over, which wound up blocking both west bound lanes. Seeing the situation ahead, another 18-wheeler locked up his brakes, jack-knifed, hit several cars, hit the bridge and caught fire. Two other cars wound up catching fire as well. The third car wreck was minor, with two cars involved.

Though it sounds like a horrific Dallas car wreck, no fatalities occurred and just one victim had to be taken to the hospital. No doubt, the victims of this Dallas car wreck were giving thanks the next day over Thanksgiving dinner.

But not all Dallas car wreck victims are so lucky. Tremendous damage can result from car wrecks, especially those that wind up being trucking accidents. Passenger vehicles are typically no match for these huge trucks. Wrongful death can result, or painful personal injuries and emotional trauma. There’s also the amount of time a victim must miss from work to recover from his or her injuries.

If you’ve been the victim of a Dallas car wreck or know someone who has been, it’s ideal to get help from an experienced Dallas car wreck lawyer as soon as possible. A good Dallas car wreck lawyer will have the knowledge and expertise to fight for the compensation you deserve after your accident.

Board Certified Dallas Trial Lawyer

Monday, September 15th, 2008

Steven C. Laird is a board certified Dallas trial lawyer. Certified in personal injury trial law and civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Laird has achieved national certification in civil trial law from The National Board of Trial Advocacy. Steve is among the less than 1% of Texas Attorneys who have earned triple board certification.

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization is an organization authorized by the Supreme Court of Texas to certify attorneys in 20 specific areas of law, and to certify legal assistants in six specific areas of law. Board certification by TBLS helps insure that citizens of Texas receive the highest quality legal services available.

Board Certification Process: Application And Examination

In Texas, a board certified trial lawyer must have completed at least 60 hours of continuing education in that field. After completing the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) approved courses, the attorney must apply for certification, providing references and proof that all of the standards for certification and rules and regulations for the specialty area have been met. After application, the TBLS specialty area Advisory Commission reviews the application and votes on the applicant. Only after approval by the Commission can the applicant take the examinations.

Exams are administered once a year, and cover knowledge, skills and subject matter for the specialty certification. After passing the examination, a Certificate of Special Competence is given to the applicant.

Board Certified Trial Lawyer Requirements

In Texas, a board certified trial lawyer must have been licensed to practice law for at least 5 years. The attorney must have devoted a required percentage of their practice to a board certified specialty for a minimum of 3 years. The attorney must attend continuing education seminars on a regular basis, and keep their legal training up to date. The lawyer must also pass a six hour written exam, and be evaluated by other lawyers and judges. In addition, a board certified trial lawyer must have handled various aspects (including jury trials) of cases including vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, or defective products which cause either physical or mental personal injury.

Listings Of Board Certified Trial Lawyers

In Texas, you can be sure your attorney is a board certified trial lawyer by going to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization website and doing a search on the TBLS Online Attorney Directory.

Contact a Board Certified Dallas Trial Lawyer

You can contact the board certified Dallas trial lawyer Steven C. Laird and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Wednesday, September 10th, 2008

In Dallas, Proposition 12, an amendment to the Texas Constitution, is legislation that limits medical malpractice damages, putting a “cap” or upper limit on the amount of damages that can be awarded in a medical malpractice case. These damage caps are unfortunate, but you shouldn’t give up on your medical malpractice case. If you’ve been the victim of careless or negligent medical care, we encourage you to seek justice and recompense for your costs, pain and suffering by hiring a Dallas medical malpractice lawyer.

Medical malpractice law covers an assortment of injustices, including these common problems:

* Nursing malpractice
* Misdiagnosis of your injury or ailment
* Vision problems caused by Lasik injury
* Health problems or injury caused by pharmacy errors

Medical Malpractice In a Nutshell

Ask any medical malpractice lawyer, and he or she will tell you that medical malpractice occurs when medical care – or the lack of medical care – causes injury to a patient. There’s a medical protocol or standard operating procedure for medical care that doctors, nurses and physician’s assistants are supposed to follow. When someone fails to follow it, and the patient incurs a personal injury as a result, the hospital or clinic has committed medical malpractice. If you’ve been harmed by medical negligence, you need an experienced Dallas medical malpractice lawyer who knows the medical protocols and can assist you in determining how to seek justice for your medical malpractice case.

Nursing Malpractice

If a nurse neglects the usual requirements for care of the nursing profession, he or she has committed nursing malpractice. Nursing is increasingly important in modern medical care, as doctors’ time has become more and more constrained. Nurses are now asked to provide diagnosis, treatment and examination, making their actions even more critical to care – and more likely to cause nursing malpractice. Do you suspect that you’ve been subjected to nursing malpractice? You should get in touch with a Dallas medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can.

Lasik Malpractice

In the last few years, a novel new area of medical malpractice law has appeared on the scene: Lasik malpractice. The two main kinds of Lasik operations are microkeratome and excimer laser. Both kinds of Lasik procedure can cause permanent Lasik injury if badly performed. The Lasik medical malpractice usually occurs when the equipment fails because of malfunction or inadequate maintenance, or if the Lasik surgeon errs. No matter the cause, a victim of Lasik injury can file a medical malpractice suit against his or her Lasik surgeon.

Pharmacy Errors

Pharmaceuticals are an important part of health care, but if they’re misprescribed, prescription drugs can cause personal injury or, at worst, wrongful death. Pharmacy errors can happen through miscommunication, negligence or bad pharmacy practices. As with medical malpractice, pharmacy error is a serious violation of professional standards and is grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. One wrong pill can kill a patient… and according to medical malpractice statistics, one out of every 250 prescriptions written by doctors is a mistake that could result in personal injury or wrongful death.

Finding the Right Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Medical malpractice is a growing problem. Statistics about medical malpractice indicate that some 100,000 patients become wrongful death victims annually due to medical malpractice. Proposition 12 only reduces the consequences for hospitals and doctors when medical malpractice happens. Without medical malpractice lawsuits, health care professionals would have much less incentive to provide all patients, even those with little insurance, with the optimal medical care.

If you’re reading this, you or someone you care about has been a victim of personal injury due to medical malpractice. If so, you should contact a Dallas medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can. Waiting only decreases the chances of winning your medical malpractice lawsuit.

The law offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C. have experience with cases like medical malpractice, negligence, and personal injury. Attorney Steven C. Laird is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury trial law. Contact him today for a free medical malpractice case evaluation today.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact Dallas medical malpractice lawyer Steven C. Laird and submit a request for a free review of your case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Dallas Car Wreck Lawyer

Monday, September 8th, 2008

As we unfortunately know, Dallas car wrecks devastate lives every day. Each year in the U.S., 3 million people are seriously wounded by car wrecks. You actually have a better chance of dying in a car wreck (1 in 6,000) than you do when skydiving (1 in 100,000). If a Dallas car wreck has wreaked havoc with your life, you should seek out an established, experienced Dallas car wreck lawyer who can aggressively pursue the case’s resolution and bring you and your loved ones the financial compensation you deserve. Get in touch with the Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C. today for a free case evaluation.

Personal Injuries From Dallas Car Wrecks

Loss of wages, insurance company headaches, painful personal injury, emotional strain and car repair bills all can result from a Dallas car wreck. You can be buried under a mountain of fresh medical bills that you may be unprepared to pay. Worst of all, you may have lost a loved one to wrongful death in a Dallas car wreck. Such a loss resonates through your entire life, making it hard to cope with daily existence, much less fight a difficult car wreck lawsuit.

After a car wreck, you should immediately visit a doctor or medical professional for medical assistance and documentation. Not only will they help you spot potentially deadly injuries that you may not feel, they will keep official records of your condition so your Dallas car wreck lawyer can seek proper compensation for your pain and suffering. You should also snap a few photos of your car wreck injuries so your car wreck lawyer can use them for evidence during your case.

Dallas Car Wrecks and Police Reports

If you were seriously hurt in your Dallas car wreck, chances are that you weren’t able to tell the police a lot about what happened to cause the car wreck. Instead, you probably left the scene of the car wreck in an ambulance.

Now that you’ve had some time to recover from your personal injury, make sure to contact the Dallas police with an accurate account of the car wreck. It’s important that they have a prompt testimony from you of your side of the events that led up to the car wreck.

Strengthening Your Dallas Car Wreck Case

Believe it or not, there are a lot of other things you can do to add strength to your Dallas car wreck case. Firstly, go out to the car wreck scene and take some pictures, even though the cars and broken glass have been removed. (If you’ve been smart enough to keep a disposable camera in your car for this reason, you can take some photos right after the car wreck.)

Secondly, immediately after your Dallas car wreck, get the contact information for any eyewitnesses who might be around. Write down what they saw of the car wreck.

The Best Dallas Car Wreck Lawyer For You

You need an experienced, hard-working Dallas car wreck lawyer if you want to be sure of winning your car wreck case and getting compensated for your medical bills, lost wages and personal injury.

The Dallas car wreck lawyers at The Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C. have won multiple legal awards for their work on behalf of car wreck victims and other personal injury plaintiffs. Our lawyers are courtroom-savvy, knowledgeable and understanding of your situation and the emotional and fiscal difficulty caused by car wrecks. In addition, Dallas car wreck lawyer Steven C. Laird is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law.
Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

You can contact the Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, and submit a request for a free review of your car wreck case. Please fill out our short attorney contact form.

Dallas Construction Accident Lawyer

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Dallas Construction Accident Lawyer Steven C. Laird

Dallas construction accidents – along with construction accidents all over the world – are a modern terror.

A Dallas construction accident can happen any day of the week. If your job is to move tons of concrete and steel, one careless mistake can easily result in personal injury or wrongful death. And if someone incurs a construction accident injury, sorting it out involves multiple insurance companies, tight million-dollar production schedules, workers compensation, issues of fault and job security. If you’ve been involved in a construction accident, you should get in touch with the skilled and knowledgeable Dallas construction accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C. for a free construction accident case evaluation.

Dallas Construction Accident By The Numbers

There are more than 7 million construction workers in the U.S., and unfortunately some of them are involved in construction accidents. Construction workers are vulnerable to high-altitude falls, dangerous chemicals and falling building materials. Annual wrongful deaths on construction sites number over a thousand, and as a result, construction is one of the most deadly professions in the country.

Dallas Construction Accidents Dangers

Construction is a tough job. Unlike most jobs, construction workers have to adapt to totally new conditions every time the task or the project changes. Construction dangers include wind, extreme temperatures, ice, snow, extreme heights, crane accidents, and electrical, chemical, mechanical and hydraulic hazards. 26% of construction accident fatalities are caused by falls – the majority of construction accident deaths.

Why Are Construction Accident Cases So Complicated?

The efforts of Dallas construction accident lawyers to attain justice in construction accident cases are often slowed by safety regulations, corporate and insurance company involvement and workers compensation rules. New laws covering construction accident cases and workers compensation put a maximum on the amount of damages that construction companies are required to pay to injured construction accident victims. At the same time, construction accident law relieves construction accident victims of the need to prove negligence. Still, the new rules mean that construction accident victims who have been struck by personal injury or even wrongful death can end up footing some of the costs of their construction accident – despite the fact that the construction company was entirely to blame.

Injured Dallas construction accident victims aren’t entirely left out in the cold, though. Sometimes a third party may be financially responsible for part of the construction accident. Also, if the construction company did not follow the safety rules mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a savvy Dallas construction accident lawyer can win more compensation from them for personal injuries or wrongful deaths caused by their carelessness.

Contacting The Right Dallas Construction Accident Lawyer

Because of the complexities of workers compensation law (which vary from state to state) and federal construction accident regulations, it’s critical that you seek out a top Dallas construction accident lawyer to represent you in court.

At the Dallas Law Office of Steven C. Laird, P.C., you will encounter attorneys with a comprehensive understanding of worker compensation laws and federal construction regulations. For over two decades, Dallas construction accident lawyer Steven C. Laird has advanced the cases of construction accident and other personal injury victims. Contact him and his expert staff today for a free construction accident case evaluation.

The Dallas Personal Injury Story

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

Dallas personal injury lawyers Steven C. Laird and John M. Cummings often get asked about the story behind personal injury law.

Personal injury lawyers are the attorneys who help you seek and obtain compensation for losses and pain caused by the carelessness or neglect of another person. Dallas personal injury lawyers practice personal injury law, of course; it’s also known as “tort law,” and it’s a form of non-criminal (civil) law meant to keep you, your possessions, your savings and your reputation from harm. As you might guess, personal injury law comes into play when you’ve been hurt physically, emotionally or financially, or when your things or personal or professional reputation have been damaged.

Damages in Personal Injury Law

In personal injury cases, damages can take on several forms. The most common in a personal injury case is medical bills. You shouldn’t have to pay for the medical bills for personal injuries that resulted from someone else’s negligence.

If you had to miss work due to your personal injury, damages also include the pay you would’ve earned if you’d been able to work. Other damages include compensation for suffering and physical pain that resulted from your personal injury. If your personal injury was caused by malicious behavior, you may be able to claim “punitive damages” – monetary compensation meant to punish the offender for deliberately unlawful actions. Experienced personal injury lawyers can accurately compare your case to other historical cases to obtain full damages for your personal injury in an irrefutable way.

You should also know that the Texas legislature has unfortunately instituted caps on damages resulting from personal injury. This puts an artificial upper limit on the full and just compensation you could receive for a personal injury case. A good Dallas personal injury lawyer is fully aware of the complexities of the damage caps and can guide you ably through the process of filing your case.

What To Do If You’ve Suffered A Personal Injury

If you’ve been hurt by the carelessless or malicious actions of another person, you should take a few steps to defend your rights and record the facts about the incident.

Your first course of action should be to make sure your physical personal injury, if any, is fully tended to. Not only is this prudent, but it also creates a medical record of your personal injury while the evidence is still fresh. You should also journal everything you recall from the incident or accident – the sooner the better. Accuracy and prompt recording will strengthen your personal injury case when you go to court.

Lastly, make sure to keep anything that might help persuade a jury or judge about the severity of your personal injury case. Torn clothing, photos from the scene, notes from the offending party and pictures of your personal injury can help your Dallas personal injury lawyer fight for your rights.

Selecting the Right Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer

There are several categories of personal injury cases, the most common being wrongful death, negligence, medical malpractice, and accident or employment related personal injury cases. When seeking a Dallas personal injury lawyer, keep an eye out for a personal injury lawyer with a track record of personal injury litigation. Ask friends and lawyers you know for advice. Also, the local Bar Association may have advice on finding experienced Dallas personal injury lawyers.

At The Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C., we are accomplished personal injury lawyers with experience in cases like negligence, defective products, and wrongful death. And we have lawyers certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury trial law. Contact us today for your free personal injury case evaluation.

Contact Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Contact Dallas personal injury lawyer Steven C. Laird, and submit a request for a free case review.

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Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorneys - Copyright © 2008, Laird & Cummings, P.C., All Rights Reserved.

Principal Office 1824 8th Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76110, (817) 531-3000 Phone, (817) 923-2228 Fax

Steven C. Laird Is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Law Office Is Located in Fort Worth, TX

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