Drive to survive: How to avoid “road-rage” car accidents

Why does vacation time turn some folks into zombie-like drivers?

Vacation is supposed to be stress-free and happy, right?

If you live along a beach  or vacation traffic route like me, you know exactly what I mean.

You almost feel like these zombie drivers pack and hit the road with a killer-instinct for anyone who might be on their road.  Maybe they add some extra “juice” to their coffee?

For many years, our beach route highway was only one lane each direction with double yellow lines most of the way.  In the summer,  we cringed when we approach a curve or slight hill. You never knew if you will encounter someone zooming head-on in your lane  at 65 to 70 mph.  It made for a white-knuckled drive!

Thankfully they’re widening our highway bit by bit.  Who knows how many lives have been lost over the years especially during peak traffic season!  The locals blame the big city drivers from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. for the hair-raising drive to the beach.

The locals are right! These big city drivers have earned their reputation, too! Baltimore and D.C.  rank 8th and 10th as the top ten cities with the worst road-rage drivers according to http://www.monkeymeter.com

It’s no wonder handmade signs sometimes appear along our stretch of highway, “Go HOME! The beach is closed.”

While the St. Louis area is happily known for its courteous drivers,  distracted or careless driving can still easily spark a road-rage induced car accident.  You’ve all seen that speeding driver weaving in and out of traffic.

Or, a driver cuts you off,  and you narrowly avoid an accident!  You can’t help but notice they’re on their cell. Grrr!  See what I mean?  The blood pressure rises just thinking about it!

Those most likely to display road rage are between the ages of 18 and 39. That might include your vulnerable, newly-minted teen driver!

Need help starting that conversation? Tell your teen how not become a zombie driver.

Here are some common sense tips for surviving  zombie drivers:

  • Stay on “high-alert” for zombie drivers.  Don’t zone out.  You need to keep at least four of your senses in action. Hands on the steering wheel! Eyes on the road and mirrors! Ears tuned in for revving engines or other signs of trouble!   Your nose, well, if you drive an older car, this comes in handy for sniffing out trouble with your own vehicle.
  • Take a chill-pill. That’s right. If someone cuts you off, take a deep breath and let it go. Being tail-gated? Go ahead and get out of the left lane already!  Swerving car? Just try to stay out of their way.  I’ve seen my grandfather kindly pull off to the shoulder numerous times to let faster moving traffic go past him. That’s right, parents! It’s up to us to show our teens how to respond to road rage.
  • Decide if the driver needs police intervention.  Once we noticed a semi- truck repeatedly swerving into the lane beside him. Knowing that truck drivers often face crazy deadlines, we wondered if he was sleepy. After watching him carefully from a distance for a few miles, we decided to call the police. It was for his own safety as well the safety of others.
  • Never pull over to speak to an angry driver!  Don’t pull over unless you caused an auto accident! Even so, take precautions to protect yourself from an irate driver. Call 911 yourself.  Then call your car accident attorney as soon as possible.  http://steimel-law.com/personal-injury-motorvehicle.html

We’re human. Accidents happen even when we try to avoid being that zombie driver!

If you’ve been involved in a car crash,  you need the help of an experienced auto accident lawyer.  The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC knows that being involved in an auto accident is a very stressful time for you!

They care about your rights and helping you get the full accident compensation that you need.  Call today for a free initial consultation. (636)244-3737

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

 

Caught shoplifting in Missouri? { 3 reasons you need a criminal defense attorney’s help}

You’re not sure what possessed you at that moment!

In the blink of an eye, you tried on those new workboots you thought you needed at your favorite department store.  You even looked around and thought no one saw you.  Tucking your old shoes under the rack, you just decided to leave with the new boots on your feet.

What you didn’t notice was the store’s security surveillance cameras.  Before you could even get to the front of the store, there was a hand on your elbow and a voice in your ear. “Sir, you need to come with me.”

Your heart sank when turned around and saw store’s assistant manager standing at your side. Fortunately you decided  it was better to go quietly than to make a big fuss.

At least your petty crime  wasn’t plastered on social media or front page news. No one else saw you slink back to the store’s office  to wait for the police to arrive.

You’d never dealt with the law before.  However, it wasn’t the officer-on-call’s first trip to that store on that day.   Both the store’s manager and the officer who arrived were tired of having to deal with petty theft.  So they decided enough was enough!

Even though you tried to explain your situation — out of work for three months, and really needing these workboots for the new job — neither party was in the mood to deal.  They were ready to throw those boots straight at your dumb head!

While the story above is purely fiction, you may find yourself in these same “boots”.  Even if you’re a first-time shoplifting offender, you’re going to need a good criminal defense attorney. 

Here are 3 reasons you should really listen up:

1.) In the state of Missouri,  if you receive the maximum penalty for petty theft/shoplifting (under $500), you could lose a year of your life to jail-time. Add a $1000 fine to that pile of misery!

Ever wondered what goes on inside the four walls of a prison?  If you’re at all like me, you like the comforts of your own home, your own bed, and most especially your own choice of food.  I’m preeetty sure I’d get sick of prison food in no time flat.

What’s a year of your life worth to you? Your job? Your annual income? Your reputation? Gone!  No workboots on earth are worth that price. Without a job, how are you going to pay off that fine?

2.) In addition, shops can sue for restitution and damages.

You could receive a “civil demand letter”. In addition to the fines imposed by the court, you would have to pay an additional amount to the store you stole from, above and beyond the price of the item you stole.

3.) If you are a first-time offender, your criminal defense lawyer can work aggressively to get a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS).

What SIS means for you is no permanent criminal record for shoplifting. If theft is on your record, it can hinder you from getting a job, renting an apartment, or even getting federal loans.   However, you do have to stay “squeaky clean” and complete your probation period.

Don’t face petty theft charges in court alone!

Not only could you end up with a criminal record and a fine, you could lose months of your life in jail.

If you or a loved one is facing shoplifting or petty theft charges , you  need a meticulous, agressive criminal defense attorney defending you in court. 

Call The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC today for a free initial consultation. (636)244-3737

http://steimel-law.com/criminal-defense.html

 

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

Construction worker accidents in the FATAL FOUR due to missing work safety equipment!

Injured on the job due to a construction accident?

When you shoot the breeze with a good buddy who works construction, it’s not long before the accident stories begin to surface.

In fact,  a certain family member of mine is legendary for surviving a fall off of a steep, two-story roof.   He was self-employed, working alone, and the house was rather isolated.  Fortunately someone drove by and saw him lying on the ground.

His injuries were not covered by any workers’ compensation.  He lost weeks of work. He spent many pain-filled days.  Recovery was a long, slow process.

The most troubling part was that his injuries were largely preventable.  All he needed was about $150 worth of safety equipment (safety harness, rope, and roof anchors).  Thankfully, he recovered!

Shockingly, according to OSHA, the number one standard that is commonly violated in the construction industry is fall protection!

https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html

We can only take a stab at the reasons. Maybe companies are trying to save money.  None of us want to think they just don’t care!

Or, maybe, like the seatbelt laws, workers just don’t like to  comply and wear the equipment.  Inconvenient? Uncomfortable?

NO survival story bragging rights is worth a slip-and-fall accident! Your life may be forever changed in a terrible way.

Here are some more cold, hard facts for you to chew on.

  • The construction industry accounts for one in five fatal work accidents.
  • OSHA lists construction falls as number one of the “FATAL FOUR”.
  • Falls account for 38.8% of deaths by construction accidents.

These figures do not include the life-changing injuries that often occur in a slip-and-fall accident.

What if you suffer a spinal cord injury? Have you ever imagined your life in a wheelchair? I’ve seen what it’s like — up close and personal.

You need someone to dress, shower, and groom you.

You need someone to get you out of bed every morning and put you to bed each night. If you’re fortunate to have the use of your hands, you can operate your own wheelchair.

You probably need someone to drive you everywhere you need to go.

Someone else must cook and clean for you.

You may suffer extreme pain every single day of your life.

While you can certainly triumph over these circumstances, it’s a life no one picks out on purpose!

Good safety practices on the job ought to be part of living the Golden Rule. 

We’ve come a long ways from the Industrial Revolution era when factory owners put children’s lives at risk daily in terrible, unsafe working conditions.

Sadly,  some  construction companies still do not use or enforce the use of simple, standard safety equipment!

Providing and enforcing the use of safety equipment on the job is in your company’s best interest in the long run.

  • Saves a company’s good reputation.
  • Avoids lawsuits and workers’ compensation pay-outs.
  • Builds a positive company culture.
  • Helps prevent expensive worker turnover.

You should not be afraid to speak up if your construction company does not provide safety equipment needed to prevent or catch you during a slip-and-fall accident.

If you or a loved one is suffering from a construction accident due to a lack of safety equipment, you need to call an experienced slip-and-fall lawyer today. The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC will give you a free, initial consultation. http://steimel-law.com/workers-comp.html

Call Attorney Steimel today at (636)244-3737.

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

Summer fun in the sun? How to avoid needing a personal injury lawyer for your backyard

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School’s out! Sun’s up, fun’s up! Shoo those kids out to the backyard already.

My kid has already been cherry-picking. She can’t wait to take her first outdoor swim of the season, too. ( We have a kind neighbor in town.) If only I had a way to get her out in the yard every single sunny day!

Like myself, more parents are  trying to think of ways to get our children outdoors on a regular basis even when their friends are on vacation!

One idea that bounced through my mind was this: a trampoline would be a great investment in fun, sun, and solitary exercise!

Saying this on personal injury lawyer’s website, I must mention that trampoline injuries are certainly a safety issue.

https://greatoutdoorsfamily.com/2017/04/13/are-trampolines-dangerous/

The short answer in the article above is YES. Trampolines are dangerous. So is riding bikes. Gymnastics, swimming, baseball, soccer — you name it — kids get injured doing these activities on a regular basis.

However, letting your child’s mind and body veg in front of a screen all day is a equally dangerous.

In fact,  pediatricians in the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend no more than 2 hours of screen time daily.

Tragically, even our youngest children are becoming more and more sedentary!

According to an article on http://healthychildren.org by Kelsey Sisti, M.D., FAAP,  one in five kindergarteners are carrying excess weight.  To be fair, diet and exercise are not the only factors in childhood obesity, but they certainly do contribute.

We need to unplug our kids!

I’m preaching to myself here. It’s on my active radar to find ways to keep us moving. I write from home.  When I need to focus,  it’s easy to plug my child in to buy myself some white space.

Setting up an enticing backyard play area can be key to promoting a healthy lifestyle.

This could include a pool of any size, play equipment, soccer goals, and, yes, a trampoline!  Can you tell I’m a bit hooked on the idea?

Pools and trampolines are kid-magnets. Buy either one, and you could end up with a flock of neighborhood kids in your backyard!

What if your neighbor’s child breaks a bone on your trampoline?  Even worse, imagine a back or neck injury that lasts a lifetime.

You can be sure someone will have to pay those medical bills.

What about some common sense tips to protect you from being sued because of your backyard trampoline?

  • Research which trampoline models have good safety ratings and features. Again, the article and website linked above will provide you with some good research. Having a protective netting around the trampoline seems to be key to preventing the worst sorts of head and neck injuries.
  • Set up your trampoline in a gated and locked back yard, if at all possible.  Just like you don’t want your neighbor kids sneaking in to use a pool, the same applies to the trampoline.
  • Put “No trespassing” signs up on your fenced back yard.  This may offer you some legal protection. See your personal injury lawyer for details.
  • Establish safety rules for the trampoline. Write them down. Make your kids memorize and spout them back to you. (accompanied by the usual sighs and eyerolls, to be sure.)
  • Talk to any parents whose children might be invited to use the trampoline and give them your list of safety rules
  • Call both your homeowner’s insurance company and a personal injury lawyerhttp://steimel-law.com/personal-injury-premisesliability.html  Find out what you would be liable for in your state and county!
  • IF you allow friends or neighbors to use your trampoline, this is time for adult supervision. You need to make sure your safety rules are being followed.

The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC want to help you avoid being sued for a slip-and-fall accident on your property.  If you should need legal help, please call for a free initial consultation. (636)244-3737

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.