Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

Far too often, as Phoenix personal injury attorneys, we see wounded, even permanently impaired, Arizona construction workers who never avail themselves of their rights under the personal injury system. Many construction site accidents are caused by other subcontractors or workers at the jobsite who fail to follow OSHA standards and other laws related to workplace safety. Disregarding acceptable standards of caution in a construction trade, and causing injury to someone else, often opens the floodgates for claims to be made in addition to workers' compensation. This happens without forfeiting any available rights pertaining to the workers' compensation claim. Personal injury claims are made in addition to, not instead of, the workers' compensation claim.

It is important not to allow the type of construction accident that has occurred to get in the way of a proper analysis. There is no restriction that dictates which types of construction accident allow personal injury claims to be brought. That’s why it’s vital to find a skilled attorney to review a claim and see if more compensation can be sought outside of workers' compensation.

Continue reading "Peoria Construction Accident Attorney Can Help Injury Victims" »

Causes for construction accidents vary and are dependent on the type of job. Dangers include falling objects, working with live electricity, explosive chemicals, equipment failures, and injuries relating to slips and falls. These tend to be the most common type of construction related injuries.

The causes of accidents can be attributed to negligence on the part of general contractors, sub-contractors, vendors, and employees. Such are the extreme dangers that exist on almost every job site throughout the country, which can often lead to construction accidents that then can cause life-threatening conditions. Accidents on construction sites may require reconstructive surgery or amputation, or even result in serious brain injury. Some other incidents may leave construction workers with lifelong conditions that disfigure their bodies and negatively impact their ability to work or even pay for their own care.

Though workers’ compensation may cover a lot of the injuries associated with construction accidents, the monetary value of many workers’ compensation claims are not enough to provide for all the damages that are associated with meeting the workers’ fiscal responsibilities associated with the accident.

Continue reading "Understanding Various Causes of Accidents on Construction Sites" »

Unfortunately, construction sites can be very dangerous places. Even for those who try to be careful and follow all of the safety requirements under OSHA, they can suffer injuries as a result of the negligence of others. Far too many people are injured due to falls that occur on jobsites in Arizona. Many times, these falls would have been prevented had other subcontractors on the scene been more aware of following fall protection standards under OSHA guidelines.

However, there are many personal injury lawyers that do not handle construction accident injury cases or do not have any experience in finding the right experts to pursue them. For those who have been seriously injured in a construction site accident and need answers, it is best to find the top construction accident lawyer in Arizona that you can seek out. Many times, people injured in construction accidents have the right to not only a workers' compensation claim for the construction accident but also have the right to make an injury claim as an added for of compensation that will not hurt the workers' comp claim.

Continue reading "Finding a Construction Accident Lawyer in Arizona" »

The right to punitive damages is among the most misunderstood concepts in Arizona law. As Arizona personal injury lawyers, we want to illuminate the confusion between compensatory and punitive damages.

Compensatory damages simply allow reimbursement for a loss. The purpose of compensatory, or general, damages is to make the injury victim whole. What is often called pain and suffering-- or the loss of enjoyment of life-- is a part of compensatory damages.

When we represent those injured in car accidents in Arizona, one big priority is full repayment of the medical expenses incurred. Claimants who lose time from work due to injury in an auto accident in Phoenix need to recover lost wages-- including overtime pay-- to survive even if they’ve been partially reimbursed by Phoenix workers' compensation claims. Even when hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages are lost because the victim will never work again, these aspects are all covered by compensatory damages.

Continue reading "Compensatory Damages vs. Punitive Damages: An Introduction" »

In a construction accident in Arizona, a photograph may be the difference between prevailing over a devastating injury and facing financial ruin.

Construction accident claims in Arizona aren’t simple. Many hurt in construction accidents seek reimbursement only from workers’ compensation. In plenty of cases, workers’ compensation in Arizona is the only possible recovery. However, workers hurt in construction trades are able and entitled to bring a claim against a third party who negligently caused the injury. Most Arizona construction workers don’t know they may have the right to bring this claim. Since they don’t know their rights, they fail to get photo evidence at the job site.

Construction sites change quickly and evidence can be destroyed or altered within moments. It’s vital to inform anybody who has suffered a jobsite injury that photographs of the site must be taken immediately.

Continue reading "Photos Crucial to Jobsite Accident Claims" »

Too many Arizona construction workers suffer serious injuries without seeking aid from the best Arizona construction accident attorney because they don’t know their rights. All too often, those seriously hurt on the job look only to workers' compensation as the most direct remedy after on-the-job injuries.

However, workers' compensation does not pay full wages. Workers' compensation provides no money for the loss of enjoyment of life, pain, and other general damages available in a personal injury situation.

Though not every worksite injury merits a personal injury lawsuit, anyone impaired in an accident should take immediate steps to contact a lawyer who is aware of exceptions to the rule limiting compensation to workers' compensation claims only. And bringing a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent party does not prevent a workers' compensation claim-- many clients have utilized our expertise in construction accident law in Arizona to make sure they get compensation beyond workmen's comp payments.

For instance, on February 10, 2009 it was reported in an article that a 61 year old worker at a Tucson construction site was electrocuted while he was setting a pole near power lines. Whether this worker can bring a claim outside of workers' compensation is unknown, but we strongly encourage this worker and anyone else injured in Arizona construction accidents to seek out a Phoenix construction accident attorney to do a full analysis to indicate whether or not more money is available under the law to help them through such a terrible and tragic event.

We usually imagine gunshot wounds or fights with dangerous assailants when we hear of officers killed in the line of duty. But often our police officers die at the hands of negligent drivers on our roads. According to one account, of 132 officers killed in our country in 2008, no less than 59 were killed in automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, and train accidents combined. In Arizona four patrolmen tragically lost their lives in 2008.

No feeling equals the heartache and sadness of families who lose a police officer. And many police officers are the primary income to their families.

Too often, officers’ families believe they have no right to bring claims outside of workers’ compensation in Arizona. These families lose the opportunity to receive compensation for the children of fallen officers.

Continue reading "Negligent Drivers Kill Four Arizona Police Officers in 2008 " »

Is there a formula for determining how much can be won from an insurance company after injury in an auto accident? Are you wondering if you can simply multiply the medical bills by two or three and then make the claim? Or is there some kind of a schedule for compensation after automobile accidents in Arizona personal injury cases? The answer is: No.

Therefore, though I am a certified specialist in Arizona wrongful death litigation, I question reports that provide a “compensation calculator.” While I cannot speak as to how every system works, I find it unreasonable to think that a formula exists for injury claim payments.

In workers’ compensation cases, payment schedules exist. But workers’ compensation in Arizona involves a different set of rules. According to Arizona personal injury law, the value of a claim is the fair and reasonable compensation owed to the person who was injured and is to be decided by a jury or settled based on what a jury would do.

Obviously, physical injury is a key component. Many crucial factors affect the value of an individual case for the matter to be determined by a compensation calculator. Much depends on the county where the accident occurred. It takes a skilled Phoenix personal injury lawyer to know a case’s value in a particular county. A Pima County jury may not award the same amount as a Maricopa County jury for a certain accident or injury.

When and where the accident happened, who was involved, what evidence exists and many other factors add up to the value of a case. Don’t leave your fate in the hands of a compensation calculator. Call Breyer Law Offices, P.C., today for a free evaluation of your case.

In the aftermath of a construction accident when a loved one has been injured or killed, the last thing on families’ mind is contacting an experienced Tuscon construction accident lawyer. However, in such cases, the hours and days following the accident are crucially important as the victim’s family may be pressured to sign documentation that they do not fully understand. These documents often limit their options for compensation from those responsible for the accident. In many cases, construction accidents occur due to lax safety measures. If you or a family member is injured or killed in a construction site accident, contact the Arizona personal injury law firm of Breyer Law Offices P.C.

A 45-year-old worker at a road construction site was killed recently after he was hit by a pivoting crane. Law enforcement officials investigating the accident say that the man was part of a work crew building an overpass over a set of railroad tracks when a crane lifting a load of concrete pivoted and hit the man. The crane accident took place around 10 in the morning and the worker died of his injuries after being taken to the hospital, according to this article.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation and what caused the crane to pivot while lifting a load is not yet known. Construction workers in Arizona and other states face similar risks on the job every day. If you or a family member has been hurt or killed on the job at a construction site in Arizona, call the Arizona construction site attorneys at Breyer Law Offices P.C. for a free consultation at 602.978.6400. The experienced construction injury lawyers may be able to determine if there is a claim for personal injury as a result of the unfortunate incident.

When we think about brave police officers being killed in the line of duty, we usually think about gunshot wounds or fights with dangerous assailants. However, far too often our police officers are killed because of negligent drivers on our roadways. According to one report, 132 officers were killed in our country in 2008. Of that, no less than 59 police officers were killed in automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, being hit by vehicles, and train accidents combined. In Arizona, according to reports, 4 police officers tragically lost their lives in 2008.

There is nothing that can replace the heartache and sadness to those families who have lost a police officer in the line of duty. To make matters worse, many police officers are the primary income to their families. Obviously, a police officer and mother/father are much more than just “bread winners.”

Continue reading "4 Arizona Police Officers Died in 2008 from Negligent Drivers" »

Is there a formula for determining how much somebody can get from an insurance company after they were hurt in an auto accident in Arizona? Can somebody take their medical bills and multiply them by two or three and then make the claim and expect that to be paid in Arizona? Is there some sort of schedule for injuries and compensation after automobile accidents in Arizona personal injury cases? The answer is no.

Therefore, while I do not know law in every state in the country and I am only a certified specialist in Arizona injury wrongful death litigation, I question some reports that I have found that provide a “compensation calculator.” While I cannot speak intelligently as to how every system in the world works, I will say that I find it unreasonable to believe that there is any set formula for how injury claims are paid.

In workers’ compensation cases there are schedules for how much can be paid out as a result of a certain injury. But workers’ compensation in Arizona is a totally different set of laws and rules on personal injury claims. The reality is that according to Arizona personal injury law, the value of a claim is the fair and reasonable compensation owed to the person who was injured. That is ultimately decided by a jury.

Continue reading "Compensation Calculator and Formulas Are Not Enough to Determine a Claim" »