Austin TX bike sharing program could increase risk of bicycle accidents
Posted: August 22, 2013 | Author: Lawyer | Filed under: Car Accident Lawyers | Tags: austin tx family law | Comments Off on Austin TX bike sharing program could increase risk of bicycle accidentsBicycle riding has become increasingly popular in recent years as a means of dealing with high traffic in urban areas and as an alternative to cars as gas prices have gone up and concerns about pollution have persisted. Many cities are adopting bicycle sharing programs in order to make biking easier. Recently, YNN Austin announced that the city of Austin, Texas will be moving forward with a bicycle sharing program.
Source: http://www.belolaw.com/posts/focus-on-bike-safety-essential-as-austin-moves-forward-with-bike-sharing-programs/
Our Austin family lawyers know that a bike sharing program could encourage more people to take up riding and could increase the number of bicyclists on the roads. In New York City, a bike-sharing program led to riders traveling more than 1.5 million miles in just the first month of the program. While it is great that bike sharing can increase convenience and making riding a more popular option, more bicyclists on the road also means a greater chance of bike accidents happening. As a result, cyclists and drivers need to be aware of the risks of crashes and need to take safety precautions to prevent accidents.
Austin Moving Forward with Bike Sharing Plan
The new bike-sharing program approved by the Austin City Council will result in hundreds of bicycles being made available for public use around town. An agreement has been entered into with B-Cycle to purchase an estimated $2 million worth of bicycles, kiosks and computer software to manage the new sharing program.
The program will allow riders to have an annual or monthly membership or to rent a bike on a daily basis. Estimates indicate that there will be about 10 different stations around town where bicyclists can rent and return bikes. The program will start with 100 bicycles and will continue to expand. By the spring of 2014, the next phase of the project will result in a total of 40 kiosk locations and 400 available bicycles.
Bike Safety is Key injuries and deaths have resulted in family Divorce See: Divorce Attorney Austin Tx
Cyclists are excited about the new bike-sharing program, but it is important that both bike riders and drivers do everything possible to avoid the risk of bike accidents with more riders on the road.
For drivers, this means:
Checking for bike riders and yielding the right-of-way as required.
Refraining from dangerous behaviors such as speeding, drunk or drowsy driving, and driving while distracted. All of these behaviors could lead to an accident with a bike rider.
Leaving enough space between yourself and cyclists. Aggressive driving causes accidents.
For bicycle riders, safety efforts can include:
Wearing bright colors to be seen more easily and using reflective material when riding after dark.
Obeying lane markings and all rules of the road.
Riding in bicycle lanes whenever possible and always riding with traffic.
Communicating with drivers by using hand signals and ensuring that you make eye contact so drivers can see you on the roads.
Phoenix Personal Injury Attorney Jeffery J. Hernandez Is On Your Side
Posted: August 21, 2013 | Author: Lawyer | Filed under: Car Accident Lawyers | Tags: accident lawyer | Comments Off on Phoenix Personal Injury Attorney Jeffery J. Hernandez Is On Your SidePersonal Injury Lawyer Based in Scottsdale, Serving Phoenix and the Entire State of Arizona
Clients value us for our experience, dedication, integrity and 20 years of successfully fighting personal injury and business litigation cases. Our sole purpose is to help our clients recover from their injuries, whether from car accidents, boating accidents, medical negligence, premises liability injuries or professional misconduct, such as breach of contract in a business deal.
We know how hard it is to struggle with legal issues while you’re also trying to recover physically, emotionally and/or financially from injuries or hardship. We prepare every case meticulously, answering all your questions along the way so that you know you’re in good hands. We strive to do what’s right for those who have been wronged, and if we become your law firm, you can count on us to fight hard to help you and your family get back on your feet.
A Relentless Phoenix Trucking Accident Lawyer Who Takes On Trucking Companies
Not only does personal injury attorney Jeffery J. Hernandez fight diligently for the rights of Phoenix, Arizona trucking crash injury victims. He also offers a wealth of insight into how trucking wreck insurance claims adjusters work. Before he became an Arizona personal injury attorney, he was an insurance adjuster. That experience is part of the reason he decided to become an accident injury lawyer. After seeing so many good people being mistreated by intimidating insurance adjusters, trying to pressure injury victims to accept unfair, “low-ball” settlements, he wanted to be able to help all victims get the compensation they deserve.
You can count on Attorney Hernandez to negotiate with truck insurance company adjusters so you receive a fair trucking crash settlement. Here are just a few types of cases we handle:
Fatigued trucking drivers
DUI trucking accidents
Texting trucker jackknife crash
Delivery trucking accidents
Trucking company negligence
Distracted truck driver accidents
Overturned big rig
18-wheeler accidents
Jeffery J. Hernandez is the determined, reliable Phoenix, Arizona trucking accident lawyer you want in your corner, and he will work diligently for your justice. Call him at (480) 624-2765 or contact us online today for a free, confidential, personalized consultation. Don’t let a negligent trucker get away with it-let us pursue justice for you!
Waco Tx fertilizer plant explosion Legal actions Anticipated News 25
Posted: May 1, 2013 | Author: Lawyer | Filed under: Car Accident Lawyers | Tags: Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion | Comments Off on Waco Tx fertilizer plant explosion Legal actions Anticipated News 25Why a fertilizer plant explosion lawsuit may be necessary
West Texas fertilizer plant explosion lawyers are providing free consultations for people affected by this traumatic event. Personal injury attorneys in Texas are reviewing potential Texas fertilizer plant explosion lawsuits.
The West Fertilizer Co. had a spotty regulatory history. The company paid nearly $8,000 to at least two regulatory agencies for safety and transportation violations, according to the Los Angeles Times:
A federal inspector found three violations at the fertilizer plant that included transporting anhydrous ammonia without a security plan and carrying it in tanks that were improperly labeled. This resulted in fine handed down by the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in 2011.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fined the fertilizer company $2,300 in 2006 for not having a risk management program in place, according to the Los Angeles Times.
West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion lawyers who will fight for your compensation
A shocking and devastating Waco Texas fertilizer plant explosion in the town of West resulted in at least 14 deaths and hundreds of injuries. While an investigation is underway, violations and incomplete disclosure by the West Fertilizer Co. are raising questions about whether the fertilizer plant operators may be liable for injuries, wrongful death and property damage.
The fertilizer plant exploded on April 17 in the small farming community about 20 miles north of Waco, creating a mushroom cloud and flames that filled the sky. Shortly before the blast, firefighters who were battling a blaze at the West Fertilizer Co. began evacuating people from the immediate area.
In addition to the fatalities and injuries, the explosion leveled a four-to-five block area around the plant. Between 50 and 75 homes, a middle school and a nursing home were destroyed. Some nursing home residents were trapped in the rubble.
Government gridlock can have a deep effect on Massachusetts workers
Posted: April 19, 2013 | Author: Lawyer | Filed under: Car Accident Lawyers | Tags: workers compensation Massachusetts | Leave a comment »In Massachusetts, there are many laws in place intended to protect workers. Some of those laws exist at the state level and others exist at the federal level. Many of the laws are enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 
Unfortunately, Massachusetts workers could find themselves facing greater risk of work injuries in upcoming months. This is because of the impact of something called the “sequester.” Our Providence, RI work injury lawyers know that any work accident can have a devastating impact on a person’s earning potential, health and life. We urge all workers to be aware of the new potential risks that they may face.
The Sequester and MA Work Injuries
The “sequester” is a term that refers to $85 billion in cuts to the federal budget that went into effect on March 1, 2013. The cuts were arbitrary cuts to both domestic programs and to the military. They were never intended to actually go into effect, but instead were part of a game of political brinksmanship that America lost.
The cuts were put into place and set to trigger automatically if Democrats and Republicans were unable to agree on a deal to cut spending. They were intended to be so onerous that neither side would let them go into effect. However, the parties could not agree and the sequester cuts were triggered. Now, workers in Falls River, MA and throughout the state of Massachusetts could pay the price.
Departments have used the cuts as an excuse to make voters as miserable as possible, and everything from TSA agents and air traffic control towers to funding cuts at the National Weather Service have already been announced.
The sequester cuts may affect workplace safety because:
- Federal employers may need to furlough employees, both in military positions and in civilian positions. Furloughed employees means that workplaces may be left shorthanded, which increases the chances of workers getting hurt. This is especially true if workers are trying to fill in for their furloughed coworkers and do jobs they normally don’t.
- OSHA inspectors are being furloughed, and fewer workplace inspections will occur. According to the National Safety Council, the number of inspections may decrease dramatically and as many as 1,200 possibly dangerous worksites will go without being inspected. Without proper oversight, employers lose incentive to follow safety rules and workers on dangerous worksites don’t get relief from OSHA inspectors that could improve their conditions.
- Employers who are hurt by the economic implications of sequester may try to reduce their budgets by becoming more lax in obeying safety rules. Sequester is expected to result in slower economic growth so even employers not affiliated with the federal government may be forced to cut back. Some employers could chose to do this in a way that hurts their workers.
