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.

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.

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.

The force of a serious car accident can be enough to injure any fully grown adult, but can be especially dangerous to small children. Air bags and seat belts are only designed to protect adult-sized drivers and passengers, so in order to have the proper protection, children must have a car seat, booster seat or other restraint according to their size.

To ensure the safety of your child, make sure to choose the right car seat for your child’s height and weight. Here are some simple guidelines on proper car seat safety to keep in mind:

• Newborn to 1-year – Choose a rear-facing car seat.
• 1-year to 3-years – You should use a rear-facing car seat until your child reaches the maximum height/weight allowed by the manufacturer, then switch to a front-facing car seat with a harness.
• 4-years to 7-years – When the child outgrows the height/weight allowed by the front-facing car seat with harness, switch to a booster seat.
• 8-years to 12-years – Use a booster seat until your child can fit a seat belt properly. The lap belt should fit snugly against the waist and the shoulder belt should lie across the chest and shoulder.

Additionally, children under the age of 13 should always ride in the backseat. A child under the age of 13 riding in the front passenger seat is significantly more at risk of going through the windshield in a high-speed crash.

In the state of Arizona, children under the age of five are required by law to ride in a car seat. Any driver who violates this law faces a fine. This fine can typically be waived if the driver subsequently buys a proper restraint.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, contact the personal injury attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience. Call us for a free initial consultation at 480-833-8800.

“Distracted driving” is a practice that has been around since the invention of the automobile, but with the proliferation of electronic technology and the desire to be connected at all times, it is more dangerous now than ever. Drivers today have a wide range of devices that can potentially take their attention away from the road, including cell phones, smartphones, GPS navigation units, MP3 players and in-car DVD players. Devices like these have caused many drivers to take unacceptable risks with their own lives and the lives of others.

One of the most commonly criticized forms of distracted driving is texting while driving. Studies have shown texting while driving to be even more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. A study from 2009 shows that 16% of auto accident fatalities resulted from distracted driving, adding up to well over 5,000 deaths across the United States. In 2011, a study estimated distracted driving was responsible for up to 30% of recent car crashes. With statistics like these, it is easy to see why distracted driving due to technology is becoming more and more of a concern.

What is the best way to avoid distracted driving? Here are some tips:

• Don’t make or take phone calls while driving. Even if you can keep your eyes on the road, studies show that being involved in a conversation can distract your brain from the task at hand. This is true even with hands-free mobile devices.
• Do not read or send any text messages while driving. If you feel like you need help breaking yourself of this habit, consider installing an anti-texting app in your family’s phones. This can disable your phone’s ability to send or receive texts when it senses that you’re in a moving vehicle.
• Make the decision to refrain from all types of distracted driving, including eating or drinking while driving. If necessary, make a pact with your family and friends, or purposely put electronic devices out of reach while driving to avoid temptation.
• Support awareness campaigns that are against distracted driving, and let your state and local city leaders know you support bills banning texting while driving.

If you or a loved one has been involved or injured in an auto accident involving distracted driving, it is in your best interest to hire an experienced car accident attorney. At Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience we will work to protect your rights and get you the compensation you deserve. For a free consultation contact us today at 480-833-8800.

Over $600 million in funds has gone out to municipalities around the United States since 2005 to help communities create new, safer routes to school, in the hopes of significantly reducing student injury and both before school and after school hours. Measures taken by the city as part of the program included new traffic lights, pedestrian signals, and speed bumps, which were placed strategically around New York City schools. In more rural environments cities and towns could also use the funds to create new pathways or sidewalks to help keep students out of the roadway altogether.

New York took these measures around 124 schools where they found injury rates to be the highest, and according to Yahoo News, a new study targeted 30 schools which had completed these projects by early 2009. The study itself found pretty amazing results – between 2001 and 2010, it tracked a 44 percent drop in the number of school aged pedestrians who were injured during the studies before-and-after school timeframe. This nearly halved the total injuries from 8 injuries per 10,000 students to only 4.4 per 10,000.

Though it did not receive as much of the SRTS money as New York, they have to date funded 150 projects totaling over $17 million throughout Arizona. No professional studies have been completed to the same extent as NYC, but anecdotal evidence from school websites, as well as saferoutestoschool.org indicates that while the programs don’t completely eliminate possible injury, they do appear to be working, and working well.

A good example of this locally is Griffith Elementary School in Maricopa County, who used their funding in conjunction with the Maricopa County Public Health Office to create an SRTS program called “Walk and Rollers.” Griffith has a student population of about 650 students, more than half of whom live within a quarter mile of the school. The main goal of Griffith’s program was to increase the amount of children who were able to walk safely to school.

The school had an “International Walk to School Day,” to kick off the program, which was heavily attended, and effective parts of the program included a “walking bus” where responsible parents would meet the children at their homes and chaperone them on the short walk to school. Approximately 50 students consistently walked with the Walking School Bus every morning, and new students tried it out regularly. So far, this program, and others like it are still going strong, and growing as more volunteers see their success.

If you or a loved one is hurt in an accident while walking to or from school or work, it is imperative that you have an experienced attorney on your side to help you get the compensation you deserve. For a free initial consultation, call Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience 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.

Whether you find yourself stranded on the road after running out of gas or a blown tire, or if you get into a serious car accident, having a few essential items on hand can make a big difference. That’s why it’s so important to have a well-stocked roadside emergency kit in your car at all times. What types of items should be in your emergency kit? Here are a few of the basics:

• First-aid kit, equipped with large and small bandages, sterile gauze and antiseptic towelettes
• Emergency flares
• Jumper cables
• Cable ties
• Duct tape or electrical tape
• Tire gauge
• Jack
• Lug wrench
• Gloves
• Multi-function knife
• Blankets
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Rain poncho
• Pliers or wire cutters

If this list seems overwhelming, keep in mind that many pre-packaged emergency kits with most or all of these items can be found either online or in many sporting goods stores. In addition to typical roadside emergency kit items, you may want to keep your car stocked with some of these other helpful items:

• Water
• Non-perishable food
• Change of clothes
• Spare cash and change
• Cell phone charger
• Pain relievers
• Windshield scraper

While having many of these items in your car can help you get out of most tough situations you could encounter on the road, if you get into serious trouble, like an auto accident, it’s important to have the right people on your side. The car accident attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience have over 50 years of experience handling auto accident cases. For a free initial consultation, call us today at 480-833-8800.

Myth #1: If the accident was not your fault, you will be compensated for your injuries.

Whether or not you will be compensated depends on whether the at-fault driver or the owner of the at-fault vehicle has sufficient liability insurance. It also depends on whether you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.

Myth #2: If it was only a minor accident, you can probably get a fair settlement without an attorney.

Trying to negotiate a fair settlement without the aid of a car accident attorney means taking a big risk on your part. Especially since the other driver’s insurance company will be represented by an experienced lawyer, or even team of lawyers, who will aggressively try to protect their client’s financial interests. Without an experienced attorney on your side, your rights won’t be fully protected.

Myth #3: If you didn’t cause the accident, you don’t need to do anything.

Even if the accident wasn’t your fault, you still need to take action to protect your rights. It’s important that you still check for injuries, take notes, keep records, call the police, your insurance company, and consult an auto accident attorney.

Myth #4: A fast settlement is always the best option.

By signing off on a fast settlement, you give up your most important rights. You may regret this especially if delayed symptoms of a serious medical condition related to the accident show up later. This is a very common occurrence with auto accident injuries.

Whether you’ve been involved in a car accident that was the fault of you or another driver, you need the services of an experienced Arizona car accident attorney. The law firm of Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience offers free, no-obligation initial consultations for car accident victims. Call today to schedule yours at 480-833-8800.

Choosing the right motorcycle riding gear can make all the difference in the event of a motorcycle accident. While it can’t completely prevent such an occurrence, it can mean the difference between walking away unscathed and leaving in an ambulance. Making smart choices about the type of protective gear you wear while riding is an investment that is well worth it in the long run. Here are a few tips on the type of essential gear you should wear while riding:

• Helmets – Protect your head

While it isn’t legally required that you wear a helmet while riding in the state of Arizona, it is one of the most important pieces of safety gear that you can wear. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, a rider without a helmet is 40 percent more likely to suffer a fatal head injury.

• Boots – Get off on the right foot

When you’re riding, your feet help keep you balanced while also taking a beating from the elements while you’re moving. To stay safe and comfortable, consider a pair of high-quality motorcycle boots, with a stiff sole that provides plenty of traction when you stop. Boots with reinforced material in critical areas can also protect you from leg, ankle and foot injuries in the event of a crash.

• Gloves – Get a grip

Like boots, gloves offer your hands comfort and protection from the elements while riding. They can also help protect your hands if you’re involved in an accident. Since it is second nature to extend your hands when you fall, it is important to have gloves that protect your whole hand, including fingers, palms and wrists.

• Material – The right kind can save your life

Leather isn’t just a biker fashion statement. It’s also popular because it doesn’t “grab” like other materials do – meaning you’re more likely to slide than tumble in the event of an accident. Consider a leather jacket that has an additional layer of protection underneath, such as memory foam, or hard armor padding.

Even if you’re just making a quick run to the store, it’s important not to take a shortcut with your protective gear. Heavy leather riding gear may seem like a burden, but it can prevent serious injuries and even save your life.

If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident, trust your case to the experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience. 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.