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.

If you or a loved one has ever been the victim of a violent crime, then you know the important of seeing the person or persons who committed the crime suffer the consequences of their actions. Even if the perpetrator of the violent crime is given a lengthy sentence, the victim often has practical needs that are not addressed completely by the criminal justice system.

Those needs may include help with large medical bills from treatment of injuries inflicted by your attacker, and loss of income due to missed work, as well. If the violent crime resulted in the death of a family member, you may be entitled to any financial help that your deceased loved one would have contributed, as well as compensation for your expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Fortunately, an experienced personal injury attorney may be able to help you receive the compensation you deserve. In the event of a death due to a violent crime, an attorney may even be able to help you file a wrongful death lawsuit against the assailant. How is this possible? In the state of Arizona, civil law and criminal law are completely separate from each other. This means that the person responsible for the violent crime may be charged with the criminal act they committed, and also charged separately for the loss and suffering they caused.

While it is true that perpetrators of crimes often have little in the way of income or assets with which to pay compensation, victims should still consult an attorney to explore the possibilities of recovering damages they’ve suffered. The skilled attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience can help you navigate your personal injury or wrongful death case and help you get the compensation you deserve. For a free consultation, call us today at 480-833-8800.

One of the most unfortunate aspects of neck injuries is that damage to one area of your neck often means damage to other parts of your body. That’s because all of the bones, joints, soft tissue and nerves are all connected, working together to hold your head up and allowing it to move. Many of the most common types of neck injuries can lead to pain in other areas of your body, making recovery a complicated process.

Some of the most common types of neck injuries include:

Whiplash

Whiplash occurs when the head is thrown into hyperextension, and then quickly swung forward. This happens most often due to car accidents, but it can also happen during a sports injury or slip and fall accident. Whiplash can cause damage to joints or discs, and even lead to irritated nerve roots or spinal cord damage. Symptoms of whiplash can be delayed after an injury, so it is important to seek medical attention immediately after an accident.

Herniated Disc

A herniated disc typically occurs as a result of sudden, forceful or repeated stress. What happens is the soft substance within the disc is pushed out. When that soft substance touches the nerve root, symptoms such as extreme pain, weakness, numbness and tingling in the arms can occur. Often, surgery may be needed to fully recover from a herniated disc injury.

Neck Sprain

A sprain involves injury to the ligaments in the neck. Ligaments are the strong bands of connective tissue that hold everything together. Neck strains are typically caused by falls or sudden twists that overload or stretch the joint. Symptoms of a neck strain include pain, swelling and reduced flexibility.

Spinal Cord Injury

An injury to the spinal cord occurs when a fracture or dislocation of the neck causes damage to the spinal cord. This type of injury is especially dangerous as a person may die or need a respirator to live if the damage occurs at the 3^rd vertebra or above in the neck. Those with spinal cord injuries often endure a lifetime of pain and may even have a certain level of paralysis.

With all neck injuries, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, as the full extent of your injury is not always immediately noticeable. It is also crucial to stabilize your neck until you can be seen by a doctor. If you or someone you love has been the victim of a car accident or slip and fall that has resulted in a neck injury, call the legal experts at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience today at 480-833-8800 for a free consultation.

The beginning of next month will usher in stricter child restraint laws for Arizona. Starting August 2nd, children under age 8 or 4’9” will be required to use booster seats in addition to seat belts while riding in vehicles. Current Arizona law requires children to be in a car or booster seat until age 5.

Safety advocates have been calling for years for Arizona to bolster its child restraint laws. According to medical experts, adult seat belts don’t offer children adequate protection in the event of a crash. Seat belts that hit higher on the abdomen rather than at the hip can cause spinal injuries in a collision.

Using a booster seat can reduce a child’s fatality risk in an auto accident by 71 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In fact, all children between the ages of 5 and 8 who died in auto crashes in 2010 were not properly restrained.

The fine for not complying with the new law is $50. However, the fee will be waived if a booster seat is purchased before the court date. Approved booster seats typically cost about $20 at most retailers.

Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience is dedicated to protecting the rights of the injured. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident or due to someone else’s negligence, please call us at or visit us online at http://www.sgplaw.com/contactus.php to schedule your free initial consultation.

One of the most common misconceptions about whiplash is that it is not a legitimate injury that causes real suffering for the victim. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck, also known as a neck sprain or neck strain, which is most commonly the result of being rear-ended in an automobile accident. Even while wearing your seat belt, the impact from being rear-ended forces your neck and spine to quickly whip forward and back.

Whiplash may include injury to intervertebral joints, nerve roots, muscles, discs and ligaments, and may result in a variety of symptoms that range from mild to debilitating, including:

• Neck pain
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Shoulder or back pain
• Burning or prickling sensations
• Memory loss
• Concentration impairment
• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Sleep disturbances
• Depression

If you’re suffering from whiplash due to an auto accident, it is critical for you to take the right steps to avoid further injury and to get the compensation you deserve. Symptoms of whiplash don’t always show up immediately after the impact. Sometimes it can take hours or even days before the full effect of the injury is felt. If left untreated, whiplash can lead to more serious and permanent injury. For this reason, it is important that you visit a medical specialist to get an accurate diagnosis and specific treatment after the accident has occurred.

If you or someone you know has suffered whiplash due to an auto accident, contact the personal injury lawyers at Skousen, Gulbrandsen and Patience today at www.sgplaw.com. Our accident attorneys will fight for you to get the compensation to which you are entitled under Arizona law.

During the summer in Arizona, swimming pools are practically mandatory for keeping cool and refreshed. However, if the right safety precautions aren’t taken, pools can result in very serious injuries and fatalities, particularly for inexperienced swimmers and young children. In fact, drowning is the leading cause of death in Phoenix for children under the age of five. Keep your pool safe by following these tips:

Always supervise children 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 within a few minutes, so it’s important to stay vigilant.

Don’t substitute flotation devices for proper supervision. Even the best floatation devices cannot adequately protect inexperienced swimmers from drowning.

Don’t run near pools. Pool decks can be slippery, so be extra cautious when walking near pools to avoid slips and falls.

Look before you leap. Diving and jumping into too-shallow water results in thousands of injuries and death in the U.S. each year. Before jumping or diving, make sure the area is clear and the pool is deep enough.

Keep a first aid kit, rescue equipment and emergency contacts handy. In case of an emergency, make sure supplies and important phone numbers are easily accessible.

Fence your pool. In Phoenix, all homeowners are required to completely fence their pools, spas and hot tubs to prevent drownings. According to the law, homeowners must enclose their pools with a non-scalable (at least five feet high) fence with a self-latching gate (the latch must be out of the reach of small children).

Negligence on the part of the pool owner, including improper supervision, can lead to very serious consequences. If you or a loved one has been injured in a swimming pool accident in the Phoenix area, the personal injury attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience can make sure you receive the compensation to which you are entitled. Please call us toll-free at (800) 501-2782 or visit www.sgplaw.com for more information.

Medical mistakes, including misdiagnoses, surgical errors or incorrect medications, can cost patients their health, not to mention their lives. According to the Institute of Medicine, as many as 98,000 Americans die every year due to preventable medical errors. Medical malpractice lawsuits, a form of personal injury lawsuits, are designed to protect victims of errors made by doctors, hospitals, clinics, pharmacists and other medical figures. However, a recent Arizona court ruling may make it more challenging for medical malpractice and wrongful death plaintiffs to prove wrongdoing on the part of the state’s medical community.

The medical malpractice lawsuit in question was on the behalf of Judy Benkendorf, an Arizona woman who developed blood clots in her lung following a 2003 surgical procedure to remove her cancerous left kidney. She was prescribed medication by doctors to help reduce blood clots, but she died two years later as a result of a massive brain hemorrhage.

Allen Benkendorf, Judy’s husband, filed a medical malpractice suit against the clinic who treated her, claiming that her death was the result of their negligent monitoring and adjusting of her blood clot medication. However, he was unsuccessful in blocking the testimony of Dr. Kurt Schroeder, the defense’s medical expert who testified that Judy’s death could have been attributed to a number of other factors, including her age, hypertension and possibility of stroke. The jury ruled in the clinic’s favor. Allen filed an appeal on the grounds that defendants must present alternate causes of injury that are probable, not just possible. His claim was struck down by the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Judge Michael Brown, writing on behalf of a unanimous three-judge panel, said plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits must prove that their injury was, beyond a shadow of doubt, caused by an act or omission on the behalf of the defendant. Defendants in medical malpractice suits, however, only have to prove that something else could have caused the injury.

However, Brown said that this ruling does not give medical malpractice defendants license to assert that anything else could have caused the injury without providing evidence that validates that claim. Also, plaintiffs still have the opportunity to cross-examine the defense’s witnesses and present evidence that negates their testimonies.

The long-term implications of this ruling, including how much of an advantage this gives doctors and hospitals, are yet to be determined. However, it does emphasize the value of having an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side in medical malpractice cases.

The personal injury attorneys of Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience offer more than 50 years of experience fighting for the rights of injured patients. If you’re considering bringing a medical malpractice or wrongful death lawsuit, please contact us for a free initial consultation.

Bicycles are a fun and cost-effective way to get around, and Arizona’s year-round balmy weather allows for plenty of opportunities for riding. However, bicycle accidents do happen, sometimes to leading to very serious injuries or even fatalities. Car crashes, dangerous road conditions, bicycle defects – all can lead to more than a few scrapes and bruises. In 2010 in Arizona alone, there were nearly 2,000 auto accidents involving bicyclists. Of those accidents, 82 percent of bicyclists involved were injured, and 19 people were killed.

Just because they’re small doesn’t mean accidents involving bicycles can’t result in big damages. Here are a few examples of major expenses that can be incurred in bike accidents:

• Medical – Bike accidents can cause a wide variety of serious injuries, from broken bones and disfigurements to head and spinal cord injuries.
• Property Damages – A busted bike could cost you hundreds or even thousands, and that price tag could be even bigger if your bike is your only mode of transportation.
• Lost Wages – If a serious injury prevents you from working, whether temporarily or permanently, you may be entitled to any lost wages.
• Pain and Suffering – Especially if the bike accident causes injuries, it can lead to a great deal of emotional stress. You could be recompensed for any depression, post-traumatic stress or aches and pains resulting from the accident.

Depending on the nature of the accident, you may be entitled to one or more of the above expenses. A bicycle accident attorney can work with you to determine which expenses could be accident-related, which could be included in your settlement.

Although it’s not possible to prevent every bike accident, bicyclists can take the following safety measures to help minimize the risk of injuries:

• Always wear a helmet. A properly fitting helmet can help prevent life-threatening head and spinal cord injuries. In Arizona, all riders under the age of 18 are required by law to wear a helmet at all times.
• Ride with traffic. Biking on the right side of the street with the flow of traffic is much safer than riding against traffic.
• Obey traffic signals and laws. Just as you would in a car, stop at stop signs and traffic lights and abide by lane markings.
• Exercise caution when crossing roads and intersections. The majority of bike accidents occur when bicyclists crossing roads or intersections. Look both ways when crossing streets and ride defensively in cases of unexpected road hazards and motorists errors.
• Don’t use sidewalks. In Arizona, the only bicycles legally permitted on sidewalks are police and postal bicycles.
• Wear light- and/or bright-colored clothing. It’s important to maximize your visibility on the road by wearing easy-to-see clothing, especially when riding at night.
• For night riding, use headlights and rear defectors. Arizona laws require bicyclists riding at night to have headlights visible from at least 500 feet and rear deflectors visible from at least 50 feet. Also recommended is a red tail light visible from at least 500 feet.

Use the proper safety equipment, obey traffic laws and ride cautiously, and you’ll be able to avoid most accidents and, in turn, injuries.

If you’ve been injured in a bike accident, you’ll need an experienced bicycle lawyer to champion your legal rights and get you the restitution to which you are entitled. The personal injury attorneys at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience have been practicing law in Arizona for more than 50 years and can offer the legal help you need. Call us today at (480) 833-8800 for more information.

Head injuries, including injuries to the skull, scalp and brain, are among the most serious injuries. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control, injuries related to head trauma constitute a third of all fatal injuries. On average, 1.7 million people experience head injuries from auto accidents, slips or falls, sports injuries or other causes every year in the U.S. Of those 1.7 million people, 52,000 die, 275,000 are hospitalized and many others visit the emergency room. Even if a head injury isn’t fatal, it can lead to life-threatening consequences, including brain damage and paralysis.

Head injuries can take many forms, including concussions, contusions and skull fractures, and can be indicated by a variety of symptoms, including:

• Severe headache
• Numbness
• Dizziness or loss of vision
• Drowsiness
• Weakness in your arms and legs
• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Vomiting or nausea
• Difficulties remembering recent events or personal information
• Large pupils
• Slurred speech
• Blurred vision
• Loss of appetite
• Bleeding from the ears or nose
• Convulsions

These symptoms may appear immediately or within hours or days following the injury and can worsen significantly if not given the proper medical attention. Following an injury, it’s important to seek help at the first warning signs, if for no other reason to rule out a more grave condition.

Serious head injuries can lead to big medical bills, lost wages and emotional stress. If you’ve experienced a head injury, you’ll need the help of a skilled personal injury attorney to help you recover expenses and get compensated for your suffering. The personal injury lawyers at Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience have over 50 years of experience successfully fighting for injured clients. To find out more about how they can fight for you, call (480) 833-8800 to schedule a personal injury 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.

Anyone who’s ever been in an auto accident can tell you that the crash scene can be one of chaos. Though accidents involving serious injuries and major damage can be difficult for anyone to process and handle, even a non-injury collision with minimal damage can be jarring in the moments following the crash. For many motorists under such pressure, it’s difficult to remember exactly what to do and whom to contact. Thankfully, a personal injury law firm recently released Car Accident Sidekick, a free iPhone app packed with tools and resources intended to help beleaguered accident victims at the scene of an accident.

Car Accident Sidekick offers a wealth of handy features that simplify dealing with the immediate aftermath of a crash. With this app, you can:

• Go through a step-by-step accident checklist
• Store emergency contacts, such as the names and numbers of local towing and cab services
• Call 911 with one click
• Keep accident information about insurance, injuries and damage photos in one place
• Find your exact location on a map
• Locate an auto accident attorney

The app even comes equipped with a voice recorder and flashlight to make accident note taking easier. Having access to all these convenient features within one app can save you valuable time and energy while trying to manage after a collision.

Following the accident, one of the first things you should do is get in touch with a personal injury lawyer who can help you assess your situation and advise you on the best way to proceed. Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience is a trusted Mesa personal injury law firm with more than 50 years of experience handling auto accident and other injury cases. For a free legal consultation, please contact us.