Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

After a Car Accident: Dos and Don’ts

July 6, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

What do you do if you have been in a car crash and injured? Living in Sacramento, CA, we hear about accidents and injuries everyday. But do we really know the dos and don’ts if placed in the situation ourselves? Do we really consider all the factors involved and how to best handle the situation?

I found an article on findlaw.com that gives a good overview of what to do and not to do after an accident. Take a look at it, print it out, and keep it handy just in case. It’s always useful to keep information like this in mind in the case of an accident.

The Dos

Slip and Fall Conditions – Sacramento Injury Lawyer Discussion

July 5, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

As a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer, I know that there are numerous conditions that must be met in proving fault in a slip and fall case. Many people are injured each year when they slip or trip and fall. But how many of these accidents are valid slip and fall cases?

One of the first requirements that must be met is that the injured person fell on someone else property because of a dangerous situation and were injured because of the owner’s lack of action to amend the situation. There are three ways to show this:

1. The owner of the property caused the dangerous condition.

Three Siblings in Sacramento Car Crash

July 5, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

I read an article today about three siblings who were in a car crash in Sacramento, CA. It is distressing to read an article where you know that certain precautions could have possibly saved the lives of those who were killed. Every day at our offices, I witness the pain and grief associated with these types of accidents.

The three siblings were driving in an old Mustang near Elkhorn and 28th street when their car lost control and crashed into an SUV. The crash killed two of the siblings, 18 and 15 years old, and the youngest sibling, 14 years old, is in critical condition. There is no information on either if the other two teens also got injured or dead, or their respective identities and those of the victims.

The article in the paper states that the Mustang did not have functional airbags and that the children were also not wearing their seatbelts. I can’t stress enough how important these two necessities are. There are too many car accidents in Sacramento, much less the country, to be driving without protection. These two safety measures could have saved these youngsters lives. Please remember that and share it with your beloved ones. We need to play a role in all of this too.

Longer Recovery Time with Traumatic Brain Injury

July 5, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

An interesting story in the news brought me back to the days of Terri Shiavo and the legal battle her family went through in the court of law. After a car crash, a man named Jesse Ramirez was left in a coma, being supported by tubes and machines. After a week, the doctors informed Jesse’s family that he would not recover from the state he was in. A not so subtle indication that the family should consider switching the machines off, ending Jesses’ life?

The battle began when Jesse’s wife, after receiving advice from the medical team, decided Jesse should be taken off of life support. Other members of Jesse’s family did not agree and made a legal appeal to the court in which they won. Feeding and water tubes were reconnected and some several weeks of hard work by the medical team later, seemingly miraculously, Jesse regained consciousness to the point that he is now able to interact with visitors. He does not speak but he gives clear non-verbal signs that represent yes and no, if he is asked a question.

I find this story so incredible because it shows how traumatic injuries often have a longer recovery time than normal. We should be careful not dismiss a case, or a human being for that matter, within such a short frame of time. I continuously argue that the symptoms of brain injury are individual to every case. And as a lawyer, I see this type of situation as the one described in the article a little too often.

Motorcycle Dangers in California

July 1, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

I don’t think I can’t tell you enough how dangerous I think motorcycles are. Each time and every time I see one driving down the Sacramento freeway, I am just waiting for a horrible accident to happen. I can’t help it. Before you start thinking I am being overzealous please hear me through the end.

I was reading an article today on the media that confirmed this dread in me regarding motorcycles. In Irvine, Ca, a man on a motorcycle was changing lanes when his handlebar hit a tractor-trailer next to him. A small bump was all it took. His motorcycle swiftly swerved into and bounced off of a Mercedes-Benz, sending him back toward the tractor-trailer, which then ran over the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Trust me, I know how much fun it would be to have the air in your hair, the freedom of the ride, the roar of the engine beneath your legs, but stories like this will always prevent me from riding a motorcycle. I witness the grief these types of accidents bring to families on a daily basis, at our law offices.

Brain Injury Treatment – Hope in Sacramento

July 1, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

Brain injuries have affected many lives in the Sacramento region and throughout California through traumatic accidents. At the Law Offices of Moseley Collins we know the implications and suffering of those who experience such a tragedy. We follow them closely. In continuing my explanation of what a brain injury is, I would like to discuss some treatment options to you.

Brain injury treatment…

In general, most people who experience a brain injury will need to undergo some rehabilitation to regain some of the functions lost from their accident. Many people will need to learn how to do the most basic of skills, such as talking and walking. Time frames for recovery will differ according to individual cases.

Spinal Cord Injuries — About

June 29, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

Spinal Cord Injuries can be a devastating result of an accident. In our Personal Injury Law Firm in Sacramento, CA, we have experienced many cases in which the person injured suffered this loss. I believe it is important to give a brief overview of the injury, especially for those who have suffered it personally or know someone that has. Please know that if you or someone you love has suffered from spinal cord injury in an accident, you can always call us at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins. We are here to help.

What is Spinal Cord Injury?

Spinal cord injury, also know as myelopathy, occurs when the spinal cord is damaged by either a trauma (such as the ones caused by an automobile accident) or disease. The result of the damage is a loss of sensation and/or movement. Extreme cases can even lead to paralysis.

Brain Injury Symptoms

June 28, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

If you or a loved one have been injured in a serious accident, please be aware of any brain injury symptoms. As I said in my previous blog, brain injury can occur from a direct hit (such as a head hitting a windshield in a car crash) to a non-impact injury (such as a severe whiplash). Because of the wide variety of accidents resulting in this type of injury, there are often times when a brain injury may go unnoticed. It is of dire importance that if you believe you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, that you get help immediately. A swift diagnosis is very important in these cases.

The symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of brain injury are often found in a person’s cognitive ability and changes in their personality.

Safer Cars For our Sacramento Freeways

June 28, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

Many car accidents happen each day right here in Sacramento. Turn on the news or radio and you will see a dozen of stories from the day’s events and the resulting injuries and traumas coming from them. I know the amount of stories we hear at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins can get somewhat frightening and startling. It’s something we deal with on a daily basis.

So, what is it that we can do to prevent it? Well, although we may not be able to prevent car accidents completely, there are things we can do to help minimize injury and damage if one was to occur. One of these is the kind of car you drive and how safe it is on the road. It’s an important aspect many people may neglect due to financial or other factors, so we think it’s important to raise some awareness on the subject

We often hear about statistics and numbers on how safe or approved a car is… do you want to see it for yourself? Consumer reports came out with a video documenting how different cars fare up to a crash test. It shows the test in slow motion as well, letting the viewer see how their car would hold up in a front and side impact crash. Some of these aren’t meant for the faint of heart, but you should take a look for yourself.

A Bright Side on Personal Injury in Sacramento, CA

June 27, 2007 | by Moseley Collins

In our Personal Injury Law Firm in Sacramento, I often find myself inundated with stories of accidents, injustices, and pain. The bright side of this work comes however, when our injured clients are able to move on with their lives into the direction of new dreams, hopes and futures.

As I was reading through the web today, I came across an article that reflected this feeling and I have decided to step aside from the car accidents and brain injuries for a moment to share with you a woman who has overcome her own personal injury.

The woman’s name is Michelle Shackelford and she is from our own Sacramento area. Michelle had a career as a CHP motorcycle officer for many years, following a dream she always had held growing up. One day, however, her life as she had known it suddenly changed. The news article explained that while attending a police duty on the offramp of Madison Avenue, Michelle was hit by a reckless driver. Michelle wound up critically injured after being launched from her motorcycle and then, subsequently, hit by her own rolling bike.