Welcome to the Blog of The Glassman Law Firm, P.C., St. Louis Personal Injury Attorneys

We blog about relevant issues in personal injury law, discuss the misconceptions surrounding personal injury law and some of the most popular cases in the news, inform on the legal and political landscape of tort reform and insurance company lobbying, and provide readers with helpful personal injury information and resources. Please visit www.glassmanlegal.com for more information.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Distracted Drivers Cause Major Collisions

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:

Texting, using a cell phone or smartphone, eating and drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading, including maps, using a navigation system, watching a video adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player.

But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.

The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses. On this page, you'll find facts and statistics that are powerfully persuasive. If you don't already think distracted driving is a safety problem, please take a moment to learn more. And, as with everything on Distraction.gov, please share these facts with others. Together, we can help save lives.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The Perils Of Driving While Texting

We all know the dangers of drinking and driving. Every year, innocent lives are claimed on our roadways as a result of such negligence. However, negligence on the road isn't limited to alcohol abuse. A more common distraction to a motorist is driving while texting.  Driving while texting is a relatively new phenomenon that has proven to be fatal. But it should be regarded as serious an offense as drinking and driving is.

Not convinced? Let's take a look at some sobering facts about driving while texting (specifically among teens who text the most).

-Driving a vehicle while texting is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

-The federal agency reports that sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent -- when traveling at 55 mph -- of driving the length of an entire football field while blindfolded.

-Also according to the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration, Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes among ALL drivers. For teens, it causes 11 percent of fatal crashes, and of those, 21 percent involved cellphones.

-The proportion of alcohol-related traffic crash deaths has dropped 52% since 1982 as a result of awareness, vigilance and statistical analysis. As a result, alcohol-related deaths are now at historic lows, but the proportion of traffic accident fatalities that are NOT alcohol-related has sky-rocketed 78% during the same time.

What is the solution?

The solution is to address the reality through awareness the same way MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) were able to do. Now, there is an organization called Students Against Texting and Driving that is raising awareness among their peers as well as their parents. But more can still be done. While texting and driving is an unfortunate bi-product of the technological boom, technology could also help remedy the crisis it caused. For parents, there are apps that allow them to monitor and even disable phone use when the car is in operation. It would behoove any parent with a teen who has a cell phone and a license to look into.

For those who have had the unfortunate experience of being involved in an accident with a motorist who was texting while driving, then we want to hear your story. Our expert attorneys are abreast of the ever evolving laws concerning negligence behind the wheel, be it the result of alcohol intoxication or distraction by technology. Either circumstance is dire and should be addressed with vigorous legal counsel. We are here for you. Give us a call today.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Eyes On The Road

Distracted drivers can cause traumatic accidents on our nations roads simply by sending a text. Yes, we've been discussing texting and driving for some time now. We shouldn't stop until the message is clear. The dangers of texting and driving aren't a myth.

Each year, teen drivers get behind the wheel. Before the technological boom, talking on the phone and driving were teenagers favorite pastimes. But since then, those pastimes have combined and yielded deadly results.

The importance of telling your children about the dangers of driving and texting/talking are as important as telling them not to drink and drive. It starts with leading a good example. Mom and Dad can't talk or text either. It's proven that it's just as distracting for them. Consider as bad as driving the kids to school with a cocktail in your hand... It's that bad.

Spread awareness. Let others know (politely) of the dangers of texting while driving. If you see it, report it. It's that serious.


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

We Are Here To Help.

The Glassman Law Firm is here to fight for you. We will take on the smallest to largest of corporations to ensure that reparations are made for pain and suffering you incurred at the irresponsible hands of another.

As a motorist, a few things are expected of you. Insurance, registration and proof of ownership (title). These are minimal things to ask of our citizens yet many will forgo the requirements for reasons they believe to be justified.

Unfortunately, when these motorists take the road, they are subject to being involved in-- or causing a car accident. The statistics reveal they are far more likely to cause a wreck than a properly insured driver. Which leads to why they probably don't have insurance in the first place.

What recourse do you have if you are involved with an uninsured or underinsured motorist? Will your insurance company foot the bill?
We at at The Glassman Law Firm, P.C., will fight aggressively on your behalf to see to it that you aren't stuck with a bill incurred by an irresponsible motorist.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a motor accident with a passenger and or commercial vehicle and the other party was uninsured/underinsured--give us a call. Time is paramount. We are here for you.

Monday, June 23, 2014

A Hit-And-Run Driver Is An Uninsured Motorist

In the State of Missouri, ALL automobile owners are required to carry proof of liability insurance coverage. This, however, isn't always the case.

The Uninsured Motorist Who Flees:

The reality is many people don't adhere to this law. They get behind the wheel and occupy the same roads as those who have purchased the legal minimum. The inevitable is bound to happen...they cause an accident. You're the victim. They flee the scene, usually because they have no insurance, do not have a license, or are driving under the influence. What recourse do you have against a driver when you can’t find out if he is insured or even identify him? What if your insurance company refuses to accept this type of uninsured motorist claim or compensate you for all damages, including your pain and suffering?

This is a quandary many face in the event of a hit-and-run. They see it as an instance of random bad luck and there is no way to recover for their injuries in this kind of crash.

This is NOT true. That's when a closer look at your very own insurance policy will shed some light. That is when a call to the Glassman Law Firm, can relieve your worry and stress.

A Few Hard Facts...

FACT: When you bring an uninsured claim against your own insurance company, it CAN'T legally cancel your policy or raise your premium.

FACT: A hit-and-run accident is NOT categorized as a “chargeable loss" to your policy. Simply put, it's not your fault. You cannot be punished by rate increases or cancellation.

FACT: A hit-and-run can be a (non-contact) accident.

For example, a negligent motorist causes you to swerve because they were checking their email while driving. He was heading straight at you in the wrong lane, causing you to run off the road into an embankment. The emailing driver flees. You've experienced a non-contact hit-and-run. This is also considered an uninsured motorist claim and you are entitled to recover all losses caused by your injuries, lost pay, medical costs, and pain and suffering from your own insurance company.

What Should You Do?

If you or someone you know has been hit by an uninsured motorist, it is critical that you seek the expertise of The Glassman Law Firm, P.C. Our understanding of the complex and often ambiguously written insurance policies is of infinite value to anyone who has been involved in an accident caused by an irresponsible, uninsured motorist. We will help you recover every benefit and cost that your company is obligated to pay you for uninsured motorist damages.

We will fight vigorously to seek full monetary compensation for all of your pain and suffering, loss of work, medical bills and permanent injuries. Again, if it wasn't your fault, why should you have to suffer these personal and financial losses?

Friday, May 9, 2014

Truck Accidents May Take Years To Resolve.

Unlike passenger vehicle accidents, truck accidents can take years to resolve. That's why it is important to establish a relationship with a competent law firm that will continue fighting for you until it wins all the money you are entitled to recover to help ease your pain and suffering.

The Glassman Law Firm is experienced in dealing with shrewd corporations who will try to suppress and bury the average individual in an avalanche of legal paper in order to delay and obstruct your right to recover damages for your severe injuries. Our masterful attorneys use innovation and diligent investigative methods to ensure you aren't buried in litigation by a trucking company's legal team.

We will fight for you to expose:

-Intoxicated truck drivers;

-Truck drivers with impaired health;

-Untrained/unlicensed truck drivers;

-Unsafe truck equipment;

-Improper maintenance;

-Unsafe/poorly loaded trucks; and

-FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) violations, log book fabrications, and log book violations.

These are just a few of the factors that trucking companies will make extensive efforts to cover up and/or pass the blame to another party. Any party...perhaps you.

In many cases, trucking companies and the corporations that hire them have an investigator of their own on the scene—sometimes arriving before first responders. It really gives you an idea of the lengths to which they are willing to go to protect their own interests and damage yours.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident with a semi-truck, big-rig, commercial vehicle, or 18-wheeler, give us a call today. Time is of the essence. Truck companies are working right now to bury your case. Call us so we can uncover the truth.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Large Trucking Companies Only Have Their Driver’s Best Interests At Heart

Semi truck accidents are among the most disastrous motor vehicle accidents. Injuries from semi-trucks are often very serious because of the size and weight of the truck. Truck accidents can result in catastrophic injury, permanent disability or even death, causing a ripple effect of pain and suffering.

Drivers of large trucks and other vehicles involved in truck crashes are ten times more likely to be the cause of the crash than other factors, such as weather, road conditions and vehicle performance. The most commonly associated factors were driver related, such as illegal drug/alcohol use, traveling too fast for conditions, unfamiliarity with the roadway, inadequate surveillance, fatigue, improper equipment, and feeling under pressure from their employer as well as others on the road.

Because semi trucks are usually owned by large companies, often a sophisticated team of insurance adjusters or lawyers will quickly begin working on building a case against you —even if the accident was not your fault. Don't talk to these folks.Their interest is in protecting the trucking companies and truck drivers who hire them.

If you or someone you love has been injured or even killed in a Missouri semi truck accident and the accident was not your fault, you have certain rights to recover money for injuries, property damage, missed work, medical bills, pain and suffering and disability. But truck companies or their insurance adjusters or attorneys may try to get you to waive (give up) those rights.

Don’t say another word. Call us today for a competent attorney who understands semi truck laws in Missouri and will fight for you. Time is paramount. Contact us today.