Rhode Island Personal Injury Attorney

The Rhode Island Personal Injury Lawyers at the law firm of Slepkow, Slepkow & Associates, Inc. are committed to ensuring aggressive representation concerning personal injury, Auto / Car Accidents, Truck,  Slip and Fall claims and Motorcycle Accidents, in Rhode Island (RI) and Massachusetts (MA). We help clients get the top dollar settlement that they deserve. We help clients in Massachusetts (MA) and Rhode Island personal injury, negligence and vehicular collision causes of action. SS&A was established in 1932 and is a widely known and respected law firms in Rhode Island. A Rhode Island personal injury attorney at our firm will help you get the settlement you deserve even if the motorist at fault for the accident is an uninsured motorist.

Please contact East Providence Personal Injury Lawyer, David Slepkow

We do everything in our power to help you get the best settlement possible to compensate you for your injuries. A Rhode Island personal injury attorney or Providence car accident lawyer, not a paralegal, will guide you through the Personal Injury and RI car accident settlement process and a potential lawsuit, if necessary. We offer contingent fee arrangements. This means that there is no Fee unless we are successful in obtaining a legal settlement or judgment for you. A Rhode Island personal injury lawyer at Slepkowlaw will advance out of pocket expenses, medical expert fees, medical record fees, deposition costs in all negligence and injury causes of action and are reimbursed when you obtain your settlement or prevail after a full negligence trial on the merits.

Types of injury claims:

• automobile and Motor vehicle accident (car / auto crash)
•  RI motorcycle accident / bike accidents
• Van, Bus, SUV collisions, Rhode Island personal injury attorney
• dog bite and animal attack injuries
• slip and fall, trip and fall
• accidental deaths / drunk driving / RI texting while driving / distracted driving collision
• hit and run / drunk driving accidents / drugged driving causes of action
• property damage claims
• pain and suffering, permanent injury, partial disability, disability
• lost wages, loss of earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life
• bicycle accidents- RI bicycle accident lawyer
• whiplash injury/ herniated disk / traumatic Head Injury / back and neck injury/ leg and arm injury
• Traumatic Brain injury (tbi), Head injury
• premises liability / construction accident / negligent security
• serious injury
• Defective products. Visit website
• Dangerous and defctive drugs more info here
• truck /  Trucking / semi Truck / Big Rig / 18 Wheeler and Tractor Trailer accidents
• atv  and utv accidents
• motor vehicle accident claims
• swimming pool accidents
• under insured motorist claims / uninsured motorist accidents (hit and run)
• serious injuries | RI personal injury attorney, RI Injury lawyer
• wrongful death / fatal / deadly accidents
• reckless driving accidents/ drunk driving collisions / speeding | Rhode Island personal injury attorney
• Distracted driving motor vehicle crash, texting while driving vehicular wrecks
• SSI/ SSDI, Social Security Disability (we refer ssi and ssdi claims to Social Security Disability lawyers in RI)
• Workers compensation and work related employment injuries (All workers comp cases are referred to to Rhode Island workers compensation attorneys)
• wrong way head on accidents, rear end car or truck accidents, illegal u-turn, speeding, lane violation, gps use while driving
• Rhode Island personal injury attorney
• Hernia mesh lawyer / individual lawsuits

• ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Hernia Mesh individual lawsuits: Information

Rhode Island Personal Injury Attorney, David Slepkow, has authored numerous in depth and informative RI Law articles.

Please email us with your personal injury questions and inquiries and a Rhode Island car accident lawyer  or a  Rhode Island personal injury attorney will respond as soon as possible. The email will go directly to one of the lawyers at our firm.

Evening Appointments with a Rhode Island personal injury lawyer are available, home and hospital visits, limited weekend appointments available. In the event that you need legal representation in workers compensation for work related injuries or social security disability (ssi/ ssdi) then we will refer you to a top RI workers compensation lawyer or  top RI SSDI attorney. A Rhode Island personal injury attorney will help you get the compensation you are entitled to.

Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions answered by a Rhode Island personal injury attorney

Article by  a Rhode Island personal injury lawyer at Slepkow, Slepkow & Associates, Inc., 401-437-1100, Contact Slepkow, Slepkow & Associates.

1. If I am injured in a rear end or other type of automobile accident / car crash, what do I do?
2. How do I determine how much compensation I am entitled to as a result of a rear end, t-bone collision or other type of motor vehicle auto crash when another negligent motorist is at fault?
3. Does Rhode Island and Providence Plantations have a statute of limitations for personal injury, motorcycle accident, pedestrian mishap  and car wreck cases?
4. What if I am injured in a Providence, Warwick or Cranston crash and the other party is at fault but has no insurance and is an uninsured motorist?
5. How do I  get compensated fairly  if I am hit by a hit and run, drunk driving  or reckless driving criminal motorist?
6.  If I am injured by an uninsured motorist, will I be compensated?

 

1) If I am injured in a car accident in Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, what do I do after the automobile collision?

Make sure you stop at the scene of the Providence car accident and notify the local police department immediately about the wreck. If possible, please get all of the information about the other parties involved in the crash, including their name, address, telephone number and insurance information.

If possible take pictures and videos of the scene of the auto wreck. Make sure you receive proper medical treatment for your injuries with a medical provider as soon as possible. If you wait too long to visit the emergency room, primary care doctor or chiropractor then the insurance company will try to discredit you, claiming that your injury was not caused by this motor vehicle collision.

At the time of the mishap, please get the names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses to the car crash. If you have a camera or a cell phone with a camera, please take pictures of your automobile as well as the other van, SUV, truck or Motor Vehicle. Don’t forget to take videos and pictures of the scene of the car wreck. If you have any bruises or physical conditions that are noticeable, please take pictures of the physical condition as soon as possible. Please do not give any statement to the insurance adjuster until you have had the opportunity to speak with an attorney. Please call Rhode Island Car Accident Lawyer / Rhode Island personal injury attorney, David Slepkow. at 401-437-1100.

2) How do I determine how much money I am entitled to as a result of the  RI Pedestrian, bicycle or premises liability accident?

In order to determine the value of the Rhode Island Personal Injury case, the Providence slip and fall attorneys or Rhode island personal injury attorney must look at a combination of factors including pain and suffering, lost wages, permanency of the injury, any scarring or disfigurement, loss of consortium, medical bills, periods of disability, etc. Determining the value of a negligence cause of action is an art rather than a science. The amount of the medical bills incurred  by the injured victim will be one important factor in determining the value of a tort claim.

In the event of a fatal motorcycle / bus crash  or  fatality in a  RI tractor trailer accident, the executor of the estate of the deceased person would need to file a wrongful death case in Providence Superior Court or the applicable county seeking damages for the beneficiaries of the estate on account of the deadly crash.Only the executor or administrator of the estate of the person killed in an auto or motor vehicle collision can seek compensation on behalf of the statutory beneficiaries as a result of the fatal motorcycle accident.

3) Does Rhode Island and Providence Plantations have a statute of limitations for personal injury and premises liability cases?

There is a three year statute of limitations to file a lawsuit for most negligence and slip and fall causes of action in Rhode Island (RI). If you do not file a lawsuit within three years from the date of the accident, you will be forever barred from filing a claim as a result of the accident. In the event that the claim is for personal injuries against a city or a town, there are very strict notice requirements. Please consult with a personal injury attorney in Rhode Island concerning how to comply with those notice requirements.

This statute of limitations does not only apply to garden variety car accidents but also applies to RI wrongful death claims and  semi trucking accidents as well as motorcycle collisions.

4) What if I am injured and the other party is at fault but has no insurance?

You have the legal right to file a claim against the person or corporation whose negligence caused your injury. However, in many cases the negligent party does not have the assets or funds to be able to pay your damages. So long as you have uninsured or under-insured motorist protection, you will be able to file a claim against your own insurance company for uninsured or under-insured claims.

5) How do I recover damages using a Rhode Island personal injury attorney if I am hit by a drunk driving, hit and run motorist?

If the hit and run driver cannot be found or has no insurance you may have an uninsured motorist claim. If you have uninsured motorist protection with your own insurance carrier, you may be entitled to make a claim against your own insurance carrier. If the drunk driver does not have enough insurance coverage to pay the damages, lost wages, pain and suffering and =medical bills that you incurred

6) What are the different types of premises Liability Claims besides your standard Slip and Fall Claim?

There are thousands of different types of premises liability claims in Rhode Island including Bouncer Assaults, Negligent Security, Elevator and Escalator Accidents, Construction Accidents, falls on stairs or in stairwells, electrical fires, landlord tenant accidents, porch collapse, dog bites, swimming pool accidents etc. It is important that you retain one of the best premises liability attorneys or Rhode island personal injury attorney if you are injured in an accident.

7) Does SS&A represent clients in workers compensation and social security disability (ssi / ssdi) cases?

No. but if you were injured in a work/ employment related accident we would be happy to refer you to a Top RI Workers Compensation Attorney. Likewise, if you are disabled and unable to work as a result, we will refer you to one of the best Social Security Disability lawyers in RI. (Social Security disability includes both federal SSI and SSDI claims.)

Information concerning stiffness, low back pain, dizziness, shoulder pain, headaches, neck pain concerning the diagnosis and treatment of whiplash injuries from auto accidents and rear end collisions from accidents.

RI Car Accident Information provided by a Rhode Island personal injury attorney

Car accidents are among the most frequent types of motor vehicle accidents causing personal injuries in Rhode Island. Personal injury law, also called tort law or negligence causes of action, cover any injury suffered by anyone as a result of a trucking accident, auto crash, slip and fall, motorcycle collision, or other mishap caused by another person’s negligent actions or inactions. If you were seriously injured in a motor veicle wreck in RI then contact a RI personal injury lawyer or a RI personal injury attorney.

A large percent of motor vehicle accidents result from a motorist’s failure to obey motor vehicle codes, ordinances and laws. In some instances, the accident and resulting injuries is related to product liability. Negligence on the part of manufacturers is oftentimes the cause of car accident injuries.

To help solve these problems, your RI Personal Injury Attorney will ensure that those injured in car accidents will be able to obtain the services of qualified health care professionals. In addition, a good providence car accident lawyer will fight to help you get compensated financially for lost wages or income if your lost wages or income is as a result of the car wreck.

The best RI Auto Accident Attorneys will fight the insurance company to help assure you receive just compensation for your suffering and pain.

Many brand-new cars, trucks, SUVs and other vehicles can, unfortunately, potentially pose dangerous risks as soon as they are driven off showroom floors. Faulty design has resulted in a disproportionate number of deaths from so-called rollover car accidents. This type of accidents can kill drivers and occupants of vehicles which were designed with faulty roofs. When a vehicle flips or rolls over, the roof may not be able to sustain the weight of the vehicle and instantaneously kill or severely injure the occupants. Someone dies in one third of all rollover accidents, according to recent studies. If the mototist who was at fault for the accident is an uninsured motorist, the victims’ problems are compounded

Other cases of manufacturer negligence that can cause severe injury or death that otherwise would not occur in car accidents are: defective and exploding gas tanks, defective seat belts that fail to function properly and poorly manufactured tires, among many others. Very specialized knowledge is needed to successfully represent clients in such cases.

Below you will find some of the most common moving violations that result in car collisions, wrongful death (fatal RI Accidents), trucking accidents or pedestrian accidents in RI

Speeding:

Many motor vehicle accidents are caused by the person at fault speeding. In some instances a person could be speeding even though they are technically not above the speeding limit. This is sometimes called conditions requiring reduced speeds and is enumerated in RI Law 31-14-1 (§ 31-14-1 “Reasonable and prudent speeds. – No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. In every event, speed shall be so controlled as may be necessary to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle, or other conveyance on or entering the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to use due care. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.”)

Texting and Driving AKA ‘Distracted Driving’:

Distracted driving is a major cause of automobile accidents in RI. Distracted driving has always been in existence since the first motor vehicle and even in the days of travel on horses. Back in the old days, typical distracted driving accidents were caused by mental distraction, eating and driving, conversations with passengers, children in the auto, listening to the radio etc. In the last 10-15 years there has been a huge increase in distracted driving in Rhode Island as a result of electronic devices especially devices that have text (sms) messages.

Illegal u turn accidents | Rhode Island personal injury attorney

Motorists illegally maneuvering u-turns causes a small percent of the automobile mishaps in RI.

“§ 31-16-4 Places where U-turns prohibited. – No vehicle shall be turned so as to proceed in the opposite direction upon any curve or upon the approach to, or near the crest of a grade, where the vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within five hundred feet (500′). Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.” http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE31/31-16/31-16-4.HTM

Running a red light or stop sign accidents:

Some motorists intentionally do not stop at red lights or stop signs. Other motorists are acting carelessly, recklessly or otherwise distracted causing them to negligently not stop at a stop sign hitting another vehicle.

“§ 31-13-4 Obedience to devices. – The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device applicable to him or her placed in accordance with the provisions of chapters 12 – 27 of this title…” http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE31/31-13/31-13-4.HTM

Auto – pedestrian accidents:

Motorists must be particularly careful to avoid pedestrians in the street, sidewalk , garage or parking lot. If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, contact a RI pedestrian accident Lawyer

§ 31-13-6 Meaning of traffic control signals http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE31/31-13/31-13-6.HTM

“…(ii) Pedestrians facing a circular green signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian signal or other traffic control device are permitted to proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked associated crosswalk. The pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles lawfully within the intersection or so close as to create an immediate hazard at the time that the green signal is first displayed…”

 

Texting While Driving Vehicle Accident Statistics

Five seconds is the least amount of time a driver’s eyes are off the road when sending or reading the text. If traveling 55 miles an hour, the amount of distance the driver covers with their eyes off the road is as long as a football field. Within that distance, anything can happen, including being involved in a serious accident with injuries or death.

While smart phone technology has changed the lives of us for the better, it can often cause more harm than good for drivers on the nation’s roads, city streets and highways. This is because during sunlight hours, more than 650,000 motorists in the United States attempt to use their phone to make a call or send a text while operating a vehicle.

The number of driving distractions caused by cell phones tends to be increasing at an alarming rate. Because of that, it is essential to understand the statistics and facts to make better decisions while driving.

Common Texting Accident Statistics | Rhode Island personal injury attorney

Drivers receiving and sending text messages must use three specific levels of responsiveness including their manual, visual and cognitive attention. This includes taking the manual step of interacting with the phone, visual attention to watch the screen and cognitive abilities to write or read the text. Visual distractions take the eyes off the road, manual distractions take the hands away from the wheel and cognitive distractions take the driver’s mind away from driving.

The following common cell phone statistics are from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), National Safety Council (NSC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others. The statistics include:

• In 2012, more than 3300 individuals lost their lives through distracted-related vehicle accidents.
• Twenty five percent of all vehicle accidents nationwide occur because a motorist is texting while driving.
• Using cell phones while operating a vehicle causes more than 1.5 million vehicle accidents every year.
• Approximately 325,000 injuries each year are the direct result of texting while driving.
• Texting while operating a vehicle is potentially six times more dangerous than driving drunk.
• On average, 11 teenagers lose their lives each day because a motorist was texting while driving.
• More than one out of every five teenage motorists involved in an accident with fatalities were distracted because of their mobile phone.
• Teenage drivers with an additional passenger in the vehicle are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident, and five times as likely with more than one passenger in the car.
• One out of every four teens respond to one text message or more every time they get behind the wheel.

Talking or texting on the phone are the two leading distractions that cause a majority of vehicle accidents in the US. Younger drivers are the most susceptible to texting while driving and have the least amount of experience, especially motorists 19 years old and younger. Nearly one in five high school students in the U.S. with a driver’s license claim they have sent or received text messages and emails while operating a vehicle.

Hiring a Rhode island personal Injury Attorney or a RI car accident lawyer

If you have suffered injuries, harm or property damage in a motor vehicle accident and believe that texting or smart phone use was a factor, it is essential to hire a East Providence personal injury attorney who specializes in accident cases. Your RI Negligence lawyer can ensure that your rights are protected while the evidence is collected and the collision is investigated.

Successful texting while driving vehicle accident attorneys in Rhode Island have access to useful resources that are necessary to build a solid case for compensation. Personal injury law firms  as well as a Rhode Island personal injury attorney in Providence usually accept these types of cases on a contingency basis, so there is no need to pay any retainer or upfront fee. It is essential to file a claim or lawsuit for recompense before the expiration of the statute of limitations.

“Annual United States Road Crash Statistics

• Over 37,000 people die in road crashes each year
• An additional 2.35 million are injured or disabled
• Over 1,600 children under 15 years of age die each year
• Nearly 8,000 people are killed in crashes involving drivers ages 16-20
• Road crashes cost the U.S. $230.6 billion per year, or an average of $820 per person
• Road crashes are the single greatest annual cause of death of healthy U.S. citizens traveling abroad” Association for Safe International Road Travel ASIRThttp://asirt.org/initiatives/informing-road-users/road-safety-facts/road-crash-statistics

http://www.distraction.gov/
http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/distracted-driving-problem-of-cell-phone-distracted-driving.aspx
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsDistractedDriving/
http://www.distraction.gov/stats-research-laws/facts-and-statistics.html

Legal Notice per Rules of Professional Responsibility: The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers and attorneys in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer / attorney as an expert or specialist in any field of practice. While this firm maintains joint responsibility, most cases of this type are referred to other attorneys for principle responsibility.

We refer all of the following personal injury and workers compensation claims to the best personal injury lawyers in Rhode Island: workers compensation (workers comp), medical malpractice, surgical malpractice as well as RI product liability claims (defective products).