04 June

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Trucking crashes can cause severe injuries

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law When drivers in New York share the road with large trucks, they may be concerned about the consequences of a collision involving one of these massive vehicles. When a fatal crash takes place involving both a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck, the fatality is a person in the passenger car up to 97 percent of the time. Even when everyone survives the crash, the injuries and property damage suffered can be significant. This is especially true when trucks of such size and mass are involved. Some of the most catastrophic injuries that can be caused...

29 May

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Large truck crashes increase in 2016

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Truck Accidents

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law The number of fatal crashes involving large trucks increased by 3 percent from 2015 to 2016 according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Vehicles, people or objects encroaching into a truck's lane were contributing factors to 76 percent of those accidents. These accidents were most likely to happen on rural areas of New York and other parts of the country. Specifically, 61 percent of accidents involving large trucks took place in rural areas while another 15 percent took place on interstate highways in rural locations. One reason why the number of fatal truck accidents...

21 May

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May is Global Youth Traffic Safety Month

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Car Accidents

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law May is Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, which is designed to help young drivers in New York and elsewhere get ready for summer driving season. It also aims to help parents successfully coach teen drivers as they gain experience on the road. The weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day are a prime driving season for many U.S. drivers. This is because school is out, the weather is warm and people want to enjoy graduations, barbecues and family road trips. However, elevated traffic volumes and large numbers of teen drivers can lead...

15 May

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Liver injuries may increase risk of death in an accident

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Car Accidents, Injuries

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law New York drivers and passengers are encouraged to wear their seat belts at all times even if their vehicles have air bags. This is because individuals who wear one can reduce the odds of experiencing a severe liver injury in an accident by 21 percent. In a study of 51,202 car accident cases, 15 percent of patients had a severe liver injury. Of those patients, 15 percent died as opposed to just 8 percent who had a minor or moderate liver injury. Liver injuries were either defined as low-grade or severe for purposes of the...

14 May

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Construction accidents come from a variety of situations

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Construction Workers', Truck Accidents

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law Every industry has hazards of its own. Construction is no exception. There are some specific things at the work site that pose risks to workers. It is imperative for the companies who employ these workers to ensure that these risks are minimized. Safety is a priority for these companies. While they must make sure to provide specific equipment and training, the laws in New York clearly place liability for accidents on the employers. Here are some point to remember about construction site hazards and injuries in this state: Scaffolds, ladders and heights Falls are the biggest danger for...

09 May

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Wearable devices may not make texting and driving safer

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Car Accidents

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law Under New York state law, it is illegal to use a handheld device to text or make phone calls. Drivers can get around this law by using hands-free devices to chat while their vehicle is moving. However, a study from researchers at The University of Texas found that using a wearable may not be any safer than using a traditional smartphone while driving. A group of 20 participants were asked to complete a driving simulation while using either a smartphone or a Google Glass to answer and send texts. Ultimately, researchers found that the participants...

03 May

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Phone use while driving continues to be a problem

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Car Accidents, Injuries

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law When it comes to driving safety, northeastern states such as New York have the worst overall scores compared to the rest of the nation. This is attributable to the prevalence of speeding and hard braking, according to driving safety app Everdrive. However, distracted driving from phone use is a bigger problem in the southern part of the U.S. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that distracted drivers were responsible for 3,477 deaths along with 391,000 injuries in 2015. To get a better handle on how pervasive phone distractions are to today's drivers, Everdrive gathered data from...

26 April

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Dog bite claims rise among homeowners

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Premises Liability

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law Dog owners in New York should be aware of the dangers that their pet can pose to themselves, their family and others. Dog bite claims made up one-third of all homeowner liability insurance claims in 2017, with an average pay-out of just above $37,000. The American Veterinary Medical Association states that every year in the U.S., there are approximately 4.5 million reports of dog bites. One out of every five dog bites result in emergency room visits. The most frequent victims are postal workers and children. The former reported 6,244 dog bite incidents in 2017. Though...

16 April

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Report identifies daydreaming as major road safety hazard

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Car Accidents

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law Road safety experts often blame New York distracted driving accidents on the popularity of cellphones and other mobile electronic equipment. However, a study released by Erie Insurance to coincide with Distracted Driving Awareness Month suggests that daydreaming may actually be an even greater hazard for road users. Researchers studied accidents in the United States that claimed 172,000 lives over the last five years, and they determined that 61 percent of the distracted driving crashes involved a motorist who was lost in thought. While accidents caused by distracted drivers accounted for one in 10 of all road deaths...

10 April

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Autonomous vehicle makers questioned over forced arbitration

Posted by orincohenlaw

in Accidents, Car Accidents

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law posted in Car Accidents on Tuesday, April 10, 2018. Lawmakers including New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have asked companies involved in the development of autonomous vehicle technology to clarify their positions on forced arbitration agreements. Questions have been asked about the safety of self-driving cars in the wake of an accident in Arizona involving an autonomous Uber SUV that claimed the life of a pedestrian. Media reports suggest that Uber's terms of service would prevent individuals injured in such a crash from pursuing civil lawsuits. Manufacturers favor arbitration clauses because they avoid costly litigation and prevent plaintiffs from filing class...

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