All-terrain vehicles, also known as ATVs, can be a fun way to explore Arizona’s rugged wilderness. As with any activity that involves high speeds and heavy machinery, ATVs can be quite dangerous. Approximately 700 people are killed and 135,000 are injured every year in the United States due to ATV accidents. Sadly, a third of those injured or killed are children under the age of 16.

If you own an ATV or plan on using one this summer, it is important to take safety precautions. Here are a few tips on how to prevent ATV-related injuries and fatalities:

• Always wear a helmet and the appropriate protective gear. Most ATV injuries and fatalities are due to head trauma, so wearing a helmet that is approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation while riding an ATV decreases your chances of a serious injury. Wearing long sleeves, pants and boots can also help prevent scrapes, cuts and bruises.
• Supervise all riders under the age of 16. Riders under the age of 16 are less likely to have the cognitive skills and judgment needed to ride an ATV on their own. Carefully supervise anyone 15 and under to avoid an accident.
• Don’t ride with a passenger. ATVs are typically only designed to carry one person. Passengers can make it more difficult to control the vehicle on challenging terrain.
• Get the right training. Sign up for a course in ATV safety that can train you in how to better handle your ATV. Understanding these basics can significantly reduce your risk of injury or death
• Don’t speed. Riding an ATV too fast increases your risk of collision and makes it more difficult to handle.
• Never operate an ATV while under the influence. As with any vehicle, the odds of a potentially life-threatening accident increase significantly if you have drugs or alcohol in your system.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an ATV accident that is someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to compensation under the law. The personal injury attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience can evaluate your case and help guide you through the correct actions to take. For a free initial legal consultation, call us today at 480-833-8800.

If you have been in a car accident, you will most likely need to file an insurance claim in order to recover expenses resulting from the accident. Depending on the severity of the accident and the circumstances surrounding it, the claims process can range from simple to complicated.

For example, a claim for an accident in which there was little damage and no medical expenses should be fairly straightforward. However, a more complicated case where the fault is unclear, or your insurance policy doesn’t offer enough coverage, it may take considerably longer to come to an agreeable settlement. In any case, but especially the latter, an experienced auto accident attorney can help advise you on the best course of action to ensure the maximum settlement.

Typically, an insurance adjuster will need to investigate your claim to determine the company’s liability. If the claim is to cover medical bills, the adjuster will send a medical authorization form for the release of your medical records.

Once the investigation is over, you will receive a settlement offer from the adjuster. This will tell you the amount the insurance company is willing to pay on your claim. Usually, this offer is on the low side. Keep in mind that if the initial offer is unacceptable, there is typically room for negotiation, especially if you have an attorney. If you know for sure what your accident claim is worth, you can preempt the settlement offer with your own settlement proposal. Your auto accident attorney can help you draft an effective demand letter.

If you feel that your insurance claim was unfairly denied, you can take the insurance company to court in order to get compensation. Keep in mind that if this is the case, you must act quickly, as there are statute of limitations for acting on most personal injury claims.

If you have been involved in an accident and find yourself filing or negotiation an auto insurance claim, choose a lawyer who will fight for you. Call the attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience for a free initial consultation today at 480-833-8800.

While traveling Arizona roads this summer, you will likely encounter a number a semi-trucks. This can be especially frustrating on the two lane highways leading out of the city. Because of their size, sharing the roads with semi-trucks takes special consideration. Not paying attention to the road or the semis driving near you could lead to a severe or even fatal truck accident. To stay safe and comfortably share the road with semi-trucks, follow these safety tips:

• Give trucks extra room for merging and changing lanes. If you see that a truck has its turn signal on, be sure to give it plenty of room to move into your lane.
• Never cut off trucks. Trying to fit in tight sports in front of other vehicles can be very tough for a big semi-truck. These trucks can’t brake quickly, so cutting them off can be extremely hazardous. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t see both of the truck’s headlights in your rearview mirror, don’t make the lane change.
• Don’t linger in a truck’s blind spots. When coming up next to a truck on the road, it is best to pass quickly and safely. Staying in a truck’s blind spot for too long puts you at a greater risk of a serious accident.
• Watch for trucks making wide right turns. Semi-trucks need much more room to make right turns than regular sized vehicles. If you see a truck that is about to make a right turn, be sure to give them plenty of room, and don’t try to squeeze in between the truck and the curb.
• When encountering a truck, leave sufficient room for braking, turning and swaying. Keep a safe distance in case the truck load begins to sway.

If you have been injured in a semi-truck, you will need the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer. At Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience, we have the experience to help you get the full compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-833-8800.

Gestational diabetes is a complication that can occur during a pregnancy due to high blood sugar levels. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes usually have no signs of diabetes before or after pregnancy. The diabetes typically either begins or is first diagnosed during the pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes can deliver a perfectly healthy baby, but need to be closely monitored to ensure their blood sugar levels stay within the normal range during their pregnancy.

If your doctor has diagnosed you with gestational diabetes, he will likely need to perform regular fetal monitoring tests to check on the health and size of the baby. A doctor will also likely recommend a healthy diet and exercise to help lower glucose levels, and may even prescribe diabetes medication or insulin if necessary.

One of the concerns about gestational diabetes is the likelihood that a larger baby will be delivered, which can be dangerous to both mother and child. Delivering a larger baby naturally often will require the use of forceps or a vacuum device that can cause serious injuries to the baby’s brain. Additionally, there is an increased risk of the baby dying at birth as a result of gestational diabetes.

It is important to note that just because a woman has blood sugar issues or glucose intolerance does not mean that she will develop gestational diabetes. Many women experience gestational diabetes due to hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. If a doctor has determined that a woman has gestational diabetes, it is important for her to seek the appropriate medical attention, as it puts her child at risk for heart and brain damage, as well as miscarriage.

If your child has sustained a birth injury due to a doctor not checking for or providing appropriate treatment for gestational diabetes, call the medical malpractice attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience today to set up a free initial consultation.

While swimming pools in Arizona tend to stay open year round, they typically get the most use during the sweltering summer months. Swimming can be a great way to keep cool down and stay refreshed on those triple-digit temperature days. However, if proper safety precautions aren’t taken, pools can result in very serious injuries and even deaths. This is especially the case for young children and inexperienced swimmers. In Arizona, drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of five.

To keep your pool safe this summer, follow these tips:

• Before jumping or diving into a pool, make sure the area is clear and the pool is deep enough. Diving and jumping in shallow water is responsible for thousands of injuries and deaths in the United States every year.
• Put a fence around your pool that is at least five feet high and non-scalable. The latch for the fence should be high enough that it is out of the reach of small children.
• Always supervise children when near pools. Even if your child is not in the water, make sure to have at least one adult watching in case of an accident. Drowning can take place in as little as a few inches of water and within only a few minutes, so it is important that someone always be watching.
• Don’t rely too heavily on floatation devices. Even the best floatation devises cannot adequately protect inexperienced swimmers from drowning.
• Do not run near pools. Pool decks can be slippery, making it an easy place for slip and falls to happen.
• Always keep a first aid kit, rescue equipment and emergency contacts at hand.

In some cases, negligence on the part of the pool owner, including inadequate supervision, can lead to serious legal consequences. If you or a loved one has been injured in a swimming pool accident, call the personal injury attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience at 480-833-8800.

Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ can be a great way to connect with friends and relatives. However, as these sites become more popular and widespread, your activity on them can become more open to scrutiny in the event of a lawsuit or personal injury case. Insurance adjusters, attorneys and others regularly scour social media profiles of parties involved in lawsuits in an attempt to find fraud, exaggeration, conflicting statements and additional evidence that can be used against personal injury victims. Sharing the wrong kind of information on these sites can be more than just embarrassing; they can sometimes cost you thousands of dollars.

If you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit, follow these tips in order to protect yourself:

-          Keep all of your social media profiles private. Adjust the settings to make sure your profiles can only be viewed by those you trust.

-          Check your network of friends to ensure that you aren’t connected with any strangers. In some cases, people accept friend requests from people they don’t know or know only vaguely. Be safe and delete anyone in your friend’s list that you don’t recognize.

-          Don’t share any details about your injuries or the case on your social media networks.

Sharing the wrong information on your social media networks can potentially sabotage the outcome of your case. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help to advise you on what to do to make sure that your lawsuit has a satisfactory outcome.

For legal advice in the greater Phoenix area, let the personal injury law team at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience help you. For a free initial consultation, call us today at 480-833-8800.

With spring upon us and Phoenix Valley temperatures rising, many consider this the perfect time for bike riding. However, bicycle accidents can lead to some pretty serious injuries and even fatalities. In 2010, there were nearly 2,000 auto accidents involving bicyclists in Arizona. Of those accidents, 82 percent of the bicyclists were injured and 19 people were killed.

Just because bikes are small doesn’t mean they can’t result in substantial damages. The following a few examples of some major expenses that can result from a bike accident:

• Lost Wages: If you are seriously injured in a bicycle accident, it may result in a loss of wages either temporarily or permanently. In either case, you may be entitled to lost wages.
• Medical: Bike accidents can cause a wide variety of injuries, such as broken bones, disfigurements, head injuries and spinal cord injuries.
• Property Damage: A badly damaged bike could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, or even more if your bike is your sole mode of transportation.
• Pain and Suffering: Serious injuries can often lead to a great deal or emotional stress, including depression, post-traumatic stress, aches and pains, or chronic pain.

Depending on the specifics of your accident, you may be entitled to one or more of the above expenses. In order to find out what kind of compensation you deserve, it is important that you seek the help of an experienced bicycle accident attorney who can work closely with you to understand your case.

If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience for a free consultation. Call us today at 480-833-8800 for more information.

Every year more than 10,000 people die in alcohol-related car accidents in the United States. In fact, one-in-three people will be involved in an alcohol-related accident at least once in their lifetime. Yet, according to a study done by AAA, drowsy driving, or operating a vehicle while tired, can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence.

The study conducted by AAA showed several startling facts about drowsy driving, including:

• 57 percent of accidents due to drowsy driving are  caused when the driver drifts into other lanes or off the road
• 41 percent of drivers say they have fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, and 10 percent say they have fallen asleep at the wheel within the last year
• 16.5 percent of all fatal crashes involve drowsy driving
• Those between the ages of 16 and 24 are twice as likely to be involved in a drowsy driving accident as drivers between the ages of 40 and 59
• Men are more likely to drive drowsy than women

Part of the reason that drowsy driving is just as unsafe as drunk driving is because they come along with the same impairments. Similar to drunk driving, driving while tired affects reaction time, vision and judgment. Even if you do not fall asleep at the wheel, driving drowsy can greatly affect the quality of your driving.

Like drunk driving, drowsy driving is completely preventable. If you are experiencing any of the telltale symptoms of drowsiness, such as trouble keeping your eyes open, inability to keep your head up, or drifting between lanes or off the road, be sure to pull off the road until you are well rested and more alert.

Drowsy driving can lead to all of the same consequences as drunk driving, such as extensive property damage, lost time from work and even death. If you have been involved in an accident with a drowsy driver, contact the auto accident attorneys as Skousen, Gulbrandsen and Patience today for a free legal consultation.

Disclaimer: The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.

Approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs ever year in the United States. Though fatalities are typically rare, many cases of dog bite injury, including broken bones, lacerations, disfigurements and nerve damage do occur. Typically, the two groups of people who are most at risk of dog bites are children and the elderly.

Although not all dog bites are preventable, there are several things you can do or avoid doing to minimize the risk of a serious injury. Here is a list of dos and don’ts for dog bite prevention:

DO

• Make sure that your pet is spayed or neutered to reduce aggressiveness
• Know the classic body language signs of aggression in dogs, such as ears up and forward, baring teeth, growling, barking, fur on its back stand straight up, and lunging forward
• Ensure that any dog in your household has been properly trained and socialized
• Try to put items between you and the dog, such as jackets, purses or bags
• Stand very still and be quiet if you are approaching a dog that is unfamiliar with you
• If a dog is attacking you, roll into a ball and remain motionless

DON’T

• Leave infants or children unattended with dogs
• Pet a dog without letting it snuff your closed hand first
• Look a dog directly in the eyes
• Play aggressively with dogs
• Disturb a dog while it is sleeping or eating
• Chase a dog
• Scream at a dog

If you have been attacked by a dog, be sure to immediately wash and sanitize the wounded area and seek appropriate medical supervision. As soon as you have been seen by a medical professional, the next step you should take is to call a personal injury attorney who can help you understand your rights and receive any compensation you may be entitled to. For a free initial consultation, call personal injury attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience at 480-833-8800.

While everyone knows that wearing a seat belt dramatically reduces the risk of a serious injury in the event of a car accident, recent studies show that the level of protection a seat belt offers may be different for men and women. According to a study by the American Journal of Public Health, women who wear seat belts are 47 percent more likely to be injured in a car accident than men who wear seat belts.

This report suggests that the reason for this has to do with the one-size-fits-all design of auto safety systems. Because most women tend to be shorter and lighter than men, they will receive a different level of protection from seat belts, air bags, and other safety measures than men would. The study also shows that there tends to be a difference in driving posture among men and women that can affect the likelihood of a serious injury in the event of a car accident.

However, many car makers have made certain advancements with safety features that deploy at different speeds and with different levels of force depending on the seat position and severity of impact. Women driving older vehicles should be aware that they are at a greater risk of injury.

If you’ve suffered a serious injury as a result of a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation by law. The auto accident attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience can help assess your case and determine how to go about getting you the best settlement possible. For a free initial consultation, call us today at 480-833-8800.

Disclaimer: The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.