Reverence is often shown for the deceased, with ceremonies and tributes and such, depending on cultural practices. However, equal attention often needs to be given to the friends and family of the deceased, as they struggle to move on after losing someone they loved dearly.

When a wrongful death occurs, this pain can be felt even more acutely. Guilt, regret, and a lack of closure can haunt those that were close to the victim. According to Merriam Webster, wrongful death is defined as a death caused by the negligent, willful, or wrongful act, neglect, omission, or default of another. These can be caused by accidents, such as car accidents, or negligence in facilities such as nursing homes. While finding the right wrongful death lawyer is an important step to help seek justice for your loved one, below are other important ways to help loved one’s cope.  

Bond with Family And Friends

Isolation is all too common amongst those dealing with grief. Deviation from the normal can be difficult, and those affected can retreat into themselves, cutting off interactions with even the closest of friends. This, however, is detrimental to their mental health and only slows the grieving process.

Regular association with loved ones and friends, especially those who also had a close relationship with the deceased, can ease feelings of loneliness. This can also help close family members begin to establish new routines and traditions. During holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays, memories and emotions can be overwhelming, so additional support should be sought after and offered around these occasions.

Consider Grief Counseling or Therapy

Grief counseling is becoming an increasingly popular option for those beginning or struggling to work through their grieving periods. Between funeral arrangements, finding a wrongful death attorney, and legal matters, stress can become a roadblock to moving past the event.

Counseling and therapy can help loved ones deal with the stress that comes with these arrangements as well as feelings of regret, guilt, or depression. Discussing emotions that often cannot be shared with others can help the grieving person process and deal with those emotions more effectively. Therapists, psychiatrists, and counselors will also know how to help the affected parties implement healthy grieving habits and offer suggestions to ‘walk’ a person through the stages of grief.  

Honor Your Loved One’s Memory

While repression may be the first inclination of a grieving party, it’s not the healthiest option. Burying memories, items, and emotions related to the person you loved will only lengthen the grieving process and increase the pain of loss. Acknowledge the life that was lived and celebrate it.

Funerals, wakes, and viewings are traditional in some countries, but those are not the only ways to honor the memory of a loved one. Putting pictures in plain sight, commemorating special days such as anniversaries, and even speaking about the loved one to others honors their memory and gives value to their life. It will put emphasis on fond memories and help the bereaved become accustomed to remembering and discussing the past.

Seek Legal Advice 

                The wrongful death of a loved one is a painful experience. While no sum of money or court ruling will be able to regain that life that was lost, a wrongful death case can give solace and a sense of closure. A favorable ruling will give friends and family the ending that may be a crucial step to moving on. In Pueblo, Colorado, Alhasoon, Glidden & Glidden is a leading law firm in delivering justice for wrongful death victims and their families. Contact us today for a personalized consultation about your case.

What To Do After A Motorcycle Accident In Denver

Motorcycle accidents are likely to cause devastating injuries as well as substantial financial losses. Having little to protect them, motorcyclists are vulnerable when struck by other vehicles. Drivers of cars, SUVs, and trucks have some protection with their vehicles and this can save lives in the event of an accident. When you’re a victim of a motorcycle accident, it can be overwhelming to take care of all of the details, even if you know what to do. Keep the following tips in mind to (hopefully) avoid accidents with other vehicles in the first place and to preserve evidence and protect your rights if you ever are involved in a motorcycle accident.

Avoiding a Motorcycle Accident

Obviously, there are limited things you can control on the road and other drivers aren’t one of them. You can do your best to steer (pun intended) clear of accidents while riding a motorcycle by staying prepared and avoiding unnecessary risks while on the road. Here’s some tips to help you stay safe:

• Never ride your motorcycle without safety gear. A colorful helmet or jacket will not only increase your visibility, it will help you stay safe when it matters.
• Always stay vigilant and keep an eye out for threats to your safety on the road. Especially watch for drivers who fail to see you. Keep an eye on other driver’s heads movements, mirrors, and tires to try to anticipate sudden moves.
• Be aware of blind spots and avoid them whenever possible.
• Vary your speed as keeping with the flow of traffic renders you essentially invisible
• Watch out for drivers making left hand turns. These motorists frequently turn in front of motorcyclists, so watch their hands, head, and front wheel and be ready to slow down or take action to avoid an accident.

Do regular inspections on your motorcycle before you ride. Here’s what to check:

• Tires and Wheels: Check your tire pressure, tread, spokes and brakes.
• Controls: Check all levers, cables, hoses, and throttles
• Lights and Electrical: Check your brake lights, taillights, headlights, lenses, reflectors, battery, and wiring. Take note of any fraying, pinching, or corrosion. If you see any, it’s not safe to ride
• Oil and Fluids: Check all fluid levels and look for any leaks
• Chassis: Check your suspension, chains, belts, fasteners, steering head, and swingarm bearings.
• Kickstand: Check your motorcycle’s sidestand and centerstand for proper operation. Take note of any bends or other damage.

While this stands as a great pre-ride inspection, it wouldn’t hurt to do it after a ride so that you can take notice of any issues and make repairs before your next ride on your bike.

What To Do After a Motorcycle Accident

Call 911 First. Then Exchange Information.

Legally, all people involved in an accident where there are injuries are required to remain at the scene of the accident until emergency personnel arrive on scene. Following a motorcycle accident, check yourself and others for injuries and call 911. Administer CPR or first aid to victims with serious injuries if necessary. If you are physically able to do so, take photos of the scene, the other vehicle, the motorcycle and any traffic control devices involved. Exchange insurance information with the other people involved and write down the make and model of the cars involved in the accident. If there are witnesses who saw what happened, ask for their names and contact information as well.

Talk To The Police

When the police arrive on scene, tell them what happened and give them a statement. Do not admit blame in any way for the accident. If the officer asks if you’ve suffered injuries, do not tell them that you’re uninjured. It’s not uncommon to have injuries surface that you don’t immediately notice but are quite serious. Internal bleeding may not be immediately apparent but could be gravely serious. Tell the officer that you want to get a medical examination to check for injuries. Ask the officer to write a report and then secure a copy once you’re able to do so.

Seek Medical Attention

Victims of a motorcycle accident should seek medical attention as soon as possible after the wreck. You need the medical paper trail to document any injuries, plus, it’s a good idea to check for any internal injuries that aren’t immediately apparent. Waiting to be checked out is a mistake; your insurance company could deny the claim if you wait. Showing a close proximity in time between the accident and any injuries uncovered will help you prove that your injuries were caused by the accident and not something else.

When Insurance Adjusters Call

For the majority of cases, insurance adjusters will contact victims of motorcycle accidents relatively soon after the crash happened. Adjusters are experts at seeming as if they are truly concerned about the victims’ well-being. It’s important to understand that insurance adjusters are not there for you, they work on behalf of their employers. Their job is to save their employers as much money as possible by reducing the amounts that companies may be forced to pay victims of a motorcycle accident.

A common approach by adjusters is to ask for a recorded statement from victims. Never submit a statement with an insurance adjuster or any other insurance company representative. Tell them instead that you want to consult with a motorcycle accident attorney before you give them any kind of statement.

Another approach that insurance companies use is to ask victims to sign blanket authorizations when they’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident. Never sign a blanket authorization. The purpose behind this document is to provide the insurance company access to your entire medical record. They will use this opportunity to dig through your medical history to place the blame for your injuries on a different event or to dispute the extent of the injuries from the accident.

In conclusion, if you are lost and wondering what to do after you’ve suffered an accident, it’s best to seek out an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. This is especially true if you’ve suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision; getting help from an experienced attorney is critical to helping you build your case. If you have a reliable lawyer on your side, you’ll be able to focus on healing from your injuries while your personal injury attorney advocates for you. Experienced attorneys will have the requisite legal knowledge for the Denver area to build a strong case that proves liability, allowing your lawyer to negotiate a settlement for you that is much higher than you would have received on your own.

If you’ve fallen victim to a motorcycle accident and have injuries as a result, contact the offices of AGG Law to schedule a free initial consultation to explore your options. Our experienced lawyers can help guide you and advise on the best course of action to obtain the maximum compensation you deserve on your claim.

If you drive in Denver or Colorado Springs, Colorado, you already know that winter weather can quickly turn the roads into an ice rink. In fact, 17 percent of all auto accidents are winter driving accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

While you can’t control how other motorists drive, there are plenty of things you can do to keep yourself as safe as possible on the roads. When the snow starts falling, follow these tips to ensure you get through the winter without experiencing an auto accident.

Be Prepared

Winter weather can sneak up on you. In Denver, it can be sunny and pleasant one day and icy and bitterly cold the next.

This is why it’s important to winterize your vehicle well before cold weather arrives. It’s a good idea to get your vehicle checked over by a mechanic, who can inspect the tires and engine, as well as top off your vehicle’s fluids. You should also replace your car’s wiper blades.

If you do a lot of rural or off-road driving, you may want to switch to snow tires. Good tires can help you avoid a serious car accident.

It’s also a good idea to test your vehicle’s battery and replace it if needed.

Check the Weather Forecast Before You Drive

Before you leave for your destination, take a look at the weather forecast. This way, you can alter your route if needed. You should also give yourself extra time if the weather looks bad.

Remove Snow from Your Vehicle

Just about everyone has had the experience of driving down the highway and spotting a car covered in snow. Perhaps you’ve even driven behind someone whose car is shedding snow, flinging ice missiles all over the road — and your windshield.  

When motorists neglect to clear their vehicles of ice and snow, they create a hazard for everyone on the road. When a driver can’t see due to a build-up of snow or ice on their vehicle, they risk being involved in a serious crash like a rear-end collision, side impact crash, or T-bone accident.

If you have the misfortune of being involved in a side impact accident or T-bone accident, it’s important to contact AGG Law Firm your Denver & Colorado Springs, Colorado car accident lawyers who can help you sort out the details of the car accident.

Slow Your Speed

Excessive speed makes it more difficult to stop. In icy or snowy weather, slick roads can send a car hurtling into another vehicle, creating a serious rear impact accident. By slowing down, you can decrease the risk of being involved in a car accident.

Increase Following Distance

Avoid following cars in front of you too closely. When ice builds up on the roads, it typically takes a car longer to come to a complete stop. If you’re following the car in front of you too closely, you could cause a rear-end collision.

If you’ve been involved in a rear-end impact accident, get in touch with AGG Law Firm your Colorado & Colorado Springs, Colorado car accident lawyers. We regularly handle rear-end impact accidents.  

The six-second rule: A good rule of thumb is to pinpoint an object on the side of the road, such as a road sign. As the vehicle in front of you passes it, start counting. There should be a minimum of six seconds between the time the vehicle ahead of you passes the sign and your vehicle passes the sign.

Don’t Make Abrupt Motions

Avoid jerking your wheel around or passing other vehicles with short, abrupt motions as you drive. Any sudden movement with your car’s tires can send you into a skid, resulting in a car accident.

Instead, take your time when you drive, and use slow, gradual movements if you need to pass someone.

Learn How to Recover from Sliding and Skidding

It’s human instinct to jerk a steering wheel in the opposite direction when your car starts sliding or skidding.

However, the best way to get out of a skid or slide is to turn your wheel into the direction of the slide or skid. If you begin sliding or skidding, you should also avoid slamming on the brakes. Instead, tap them gently as you turn into the direction of the slide or skid.

Don’t Get Distracted

It can be tempting to check your text or email when you’re stuck in slow-moving snowy traffic. However, even a moment’s distraction can lead to a side impact crash, SUV rollover, or T-bone accident. Serious distractions behind the wheel can even lead to a catastrophic head-on collision.

It’s quite common for people in snowy climates to drive trucks and SUVs. Unfortunately, these large vehicles can cause serious physical injuries in an auto accident.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident involving an SUV, contact Alhasoon, Glidden & Glidden your auto accident attorneys in Denver or Colorado Springs, Colorado. We have extensive experience handling SUV rollover accidents, head-on collisions, and other serious SUV collisions.

Always Signal When You Turn

Just because you’re moving slowly in icy or snowy weather doesn’t mean you can skip using your turn signal. In low visibility, using your turn signal helps other drivers know where you intend to move.

Avoid Using Cruise Control

Cruise control can be a convenience, but it can also increase your risk of an accident in winter weather.

In winter weather, you want as much control over your vehicle as possible. Skip the cruise control so you can stay safer behind the wheel.

Contact AGG Law Firm your Denver & Colorado Springs, Colorado Car Accident Lawyers 

No matter how carefully you drive, auto accidents can still happen. If you’ve been involved in any kind of winter weather car accident, our experienced Denver & Colorado Springs, car accident lawyers can help.

Don’t wait call the experienced car accident attorneys at Alhasoon, Glidden & Glidden to see how we can help you with your case.      

Hopefully you’ll never be involved in a rideshare car accident. But, with services like Lyft and Uber widening their footprint exponentially, the chances that a car accident might involve someone driving for one of the rideshare companies is increasing. So, it’s wise to understand the vagaries of this kind of accident should you, or a loved one, ever need to navigate them.

Are Uber & Lyft Causing More Car Accidents?

According to a new study from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, yes. But not because they’re more dangerous than any other cars on the road. When ridesharing options arrive on the scene in an area, an increase of 2-3 percent in motor vehicle fatalities and fatal accidents can be expected. The study, entitled “The Cost of Convenience: Ridesharing and Traffic Fatalities,” reports that this increase is not only for vehicle occupants, but also for pedestrians.

Why would Uber and Lyft increase the number of car accidents in a given area? For two reasons, according to the study. First, the arrival of Lyft and Uber businesses means that some vehicles–those that are participating in the rideshare services–are on the road more. People who might previously have walked, taken public transportation, or simply waited longer for a taxi, now have the option of summoning a new car onto the road. Thus, there is additional congestion in the area, and more congestion brings more accidents. The second piece is that the introduction of ridesharing in a particular area also seems to bring with it new car registrations, meaning more vehicles that will be adding to that congestion. It’s possible that those who previously did not require a vehicle–or a second vehicle for their family–buy and register a car in order to participate in the new business opportunity that is now available in their community. What the study does not claim is that rideshare operators are inherently more likely to cause accidents or injuries than other drivers.

Car Accidents are on the Rise

So, when Lyft and Uber come to town, you can expect more car accidents and injuries to occur. That’s terrible news at face value, especially when combined with the fact that road fatalities in the U.S. have been rising for years. In 2015, in fact, road fatalities jumped by 7.2 percent–the largest increase in 50 years.

If you are hit by an Uber or Lyft driver, legal publishers NOLO remind you that some of the same rules that apply to other accidents apply to this one. Two big things need to be determined: who was at fault for the accident, and how badly the person hurt was injured. If the person who was at fault was operating a rideshare at the time, then that’s the person who any claim should be filed against. Before determinations of fault take place, however, there are a number of things that should be done right away.

What to Do After an Uber or Lyft Car Accident:

1. Seek medical treatment – If you’re injured in any car accident urgent care should be your first thought. Depending on the severity of the accident, a trip to the emergency room may be warranted. But whether you head to the E.R., the closest urgent care center, or to your primary care physician, get checked out by a medical expert as soon as you are able. The injuries of everyone involved should be both evaluated and documented by a medical professional as soon after the incident as possible.
2. Gather everyone’s contact information –This first step is the same as it would be after any accident. Get the names, contact information, and insurance details of every party who was involved. If anyone other than those involved in the accident saw it occur, gather their contact information, as well. They could be valuable witnesses.
3. Photograph the scene. That includes the vehicles–their placement and their condition–as well as anything else that may be important in describing or validating the scene later on.
4. Call the police before you leave the scene of the accident – In a car accident where a rideshare driver is not involved, you might decide not to call the police if only minor property damage occurred, NOLO notes. In the case of a rideshare car accident, however, they recommend calling the police regardless of the extent of the damage. This will automatically generate a police report, and that will mean that all the official details of the incident will have been independently verified.
5. Know that you’re probably covered – There may be some legal trickiness surrounding whose insurance gets tapped first–the rideshare company’s or the driver’s personal insurance. But the good news is that rideshare drivers are likely carrying insurance. Both Lyft and Uber require their operators to carry their own up-to-date insurance which meets or exceeds state requirements. Additionally, both Lyft and Uber have now begun carrying liability car insurance coverage for their drivers. When it comes time to determine whose coverage applies, it will come down to whether the operator was actually working at the time. If the driver was not logged into the rideshare app at the time of the accident, the company’s insurance would not apply.
6. Talk to an auto accident lawyer – Some of the legal details surrounding car accidents that involve Uber or Lyft are straightforward. But not all of them are. And, since both services are still relatively new, some of the legal aspects of car accidents surrounding a rideshare driver have yet to be fully worked out. NOLO suggests, since courts are still handing down rulings regarding rideshare car accidents, that you call a car accident attorney for counsel.
7. Understand your rights as a passenger – If you’re the passenger inside a rideshare, rather than the driver of another car, know that any injuries you suffer may well be covered by the rideshare company’s insurance. A car accident lawyer can help you to understand your rights and manage communication between you and the parties involved.

Work with Alhasoon, Glidden & Glidden. If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Denver, or Colorado Springs, Colorado, a car accident lawyer at AGG Law Firm is available to discuss your injuries with you and determine the best path forward.

The average driver of a passenger vehicle encounters big rig trucks, 18-wheelers, buses and other massive commercial vehicles every day during their commute, as the drivers of these huge vehicles must share the road with us. We are all responsible for a standard of care to one another to ensure safety. Truck drivers are required to go through training and certification to standardize practices when it comes to the rules of the road. However, problems occur when these rules are ignored, overlooked, or forgotten and that’s when a truck accident occurs.

In Colorado, our experience is that driver negligence is the single most common reason for truck accidents on the road. When you’re a victim of a crash with a semi-truck, bus, or other large commercial vehicle, the next steps are vital. While you’re receiving full medical attention for your injuries from the truck accident, you should also be simultaneously pursuing legal action against a trucking company and its insurers.

The goal for our truck accident clients in Pueblo and other Colorado communities is to obtain the very best settlement for damages attained during the accident. Here are the essential next steps for what you need to do after a truck accident:

Stay at The Crash Site

Remain at the scene until both the police and emergency medical crews have arrived. Try to leave the vehicle in the position where it came to rest after the crash, this will preserve any evidence of what caused the wreck, along with the damages and any injuries from the truck accident. This is not always possible, so place a priority on safety.

Call 911 For Help

These large truck collisions typically result in severe injury due to the sheer size of the truck involved in the accident. Safety is your top priority after a truck accident in Pueblo. If you can, call emergency services immediately by dialing 911. The police can help gather eyewitness accounts while creating a crash report.

Take Photos, Capture Video, Record Audio

The immediate crash scene provides the strongest opportunity to capture the evidence you will need later to prove you were harmed due to negligence.  If your injuries permit, take photos of the damage to any vehicle involved, the intersections or significant landmarks, take note of skid marks and any other details that tell the story of the accident.

Having a fresh record of the facts and what happened can be critical- details tend to change or can be forgotten with the passage of time. Remember, truck accident lawsuits can take months or longer to reach a conclusion. Keep these safe for your own records and make backups.

Exchange Information with Other Drivers

You will absolutely need this information later, so if possible, gather the following information from other drivers involved:

Name

Phone Number

Driver’s License Number

License Plate Number

Insurance Carrier/Name of Agent

Insurance Policy Number

Don’t Make Statements About the Crash

Insurance companies make it a goal to settle early and for as little as money as possible. Do not make statements about the crash without speaking to a truck accident lawyer first. A witness could have seen the other driver texting, a stop light may have been malfunctioning. Even if you have a sense of responsibility for the accident, take some time, get a lawyer, and ask the appropriate questions.

Have Your Case Evaluated By A Truck Accident Lawyer

It’s important to have an experienced advocate on your side. Someone who understands how to fight big insurance companies that pour massive amounts of money into protecting truck drivers. You do not have to go at it alone, contact Alhasoon, Glidden & Glidden today!