Joey’s Law Cracks Down on Hit-and-Runs in Arizona

Post By admin in  personal injury 

It was nearly two years ago when 18 year-old Joey Romero was walking home from work and run over by a car that had jumped the curb. Instead of stopping and assisting, the heavily medicated young woman driving the vehicle fled the scene leaving the injured teenager to fend for himself.

Days later the Centennial High School student was pronounced dead.

Joey’s death was naturally very tough on his father Jesse Romero especially after learning the driver who killed his youngest son was looking at only a one to two year prison sentence.

That is when Jesse decided to do something about it and Joey’s Law was born.

Earlier this year, SB 1163 “Joey’s Law” was signed and enacted into state law by Arizona legislatures. The new law creates tougher punishments for drivers who commit hit-and-runs.

Before if a driver was convicted of a hit-and-run, they faced a possible 3 year suspension of their license if someone was seriously injured in the incident and a 5 year suspension if someone was killed. Not to mention the period of suspension could begin during time served in prison.

With Joey’s Law, convicted drivers now face an automatic 5 year suspension of their license if someone is seriously injured and 10 years if someone is killed. Furthermore the periods of suspension only begin after the driver serves their prison term.

While nothing can ever bring back the memory of a loved one, Jesse Romero’s hard work and effort is a great example of channeling sorrow into a positive venture that could help others not have to endure the same pain and loss he suffered.

If you or someone you know is injured in a hit-and-run or any type of accident contact a personal injury lawyer immediately.

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Celebrated Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever dies on Tuesday Evening

Post By admin in  Uncategorized 

Arizonians are mourning the loss of one of their finest- Sherrif Larry Dever passed away in a single vehicle car accident on Tuesday evening. The crash occurred sometime in the evening near the White Horse Lake area near Williams in Coconino County, about 3.5 hours North of Phoenix, AZ. Dever was in the area for a hunting trip  with his sons and was on the road because he wanted to check up on the boys who had gone elk hunting. His state appointed Chevy pickup truck rolled over on a remote road and came to rest on its wheels. Those who knew him remembered him as, “a true leader among lawmen — committed to the law, his community, and his state” and a, ” man of integrity who always wanted to do the right thing”.

Larry became well known around his community for the cowboy boots and hats that became his trademarks, but he was also remembered for his authenticity, sincerity and devotion to his work and unwavering values. He was a border sheriff for the state of Arizona, but was viewed as a national leader in bringing to light border security issues. He had worked with Senator John McCain on a 10 point border security plan to improve the border’s safety and campaigned on Capital Hill and various news networks to push for stronger border checkpoints and control.

It is not known at this time what caused Dever to lose control of his truck. Dever is survived by his wife Nancy and six sons.

If you or someone you love was involved in a serious car accident, contact a Arizona accident attorney to discuss your legal options. An attorney will be able to help you recover from your losses, both future and present.

 

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The Hartford Insurance Bad Faith Practices

Post By admin in  insurance 

Hartford Insurance Bad FaithThe Hartford Insurance company, a member of The Hartford Group, is notorious for its bad faith claims around the country. Virtually all of the Hartford subsidiaries have faced legal action in some form for bad faith practices against clients, ranging from denial of claims, refusal to honor policies, unlawfully raising policy premiums and a variety of bad faith practices. The Hartford Insurance company is routinely rated in the top three worse insurers in the country for bad faith claims, regularly hitting number one on the list. Have you been a victim of the Hartford Insurance bad faith?

Common Bad Faith Practices
– Delayed Payment
– Unreasonably Long Claims Process
– Stalling payment for legitimate claims
– “Lost” Claim Forms
– Retroactively changing policies
– Falsely claiming that the policyholder isn’t injured or disabled
– Underpayment of benefits
– Discontinuing payment of benefits unlawfully

Bad Faith Legal Action Against Hartford Insurance Around the Country
Bad faith legal actions have been pursued against Hartford Insurance around the country for unethical and illegal business practices against policy holders. Litigants around the country have won millions of dollars in court gases against the Hartford Insurance for everything from unlawfully controlling auto repairs to denying disability and personal injury claims. The Hartford Insurance group has lost multiple verdicts for violations in life insurance, property insurance and personal injury insurance.

Consumer Advocacy Groups Advise Against Hartford Insurance
As a result of the numerous violations against its clients, the Hartford Insurance regularly tops the list of bad faith insurers published by consumer advocacy groups. The Hartford Group and its subsidiaries routinely place first, second or third in the nation’s worse insurance companies as a result of its bad faith practices. The FBIC has advised consumers against purchasing a policy through any Hartford Insurance subsidiary, and the AARP has become involved in some litigation as a result of its role in recommending the Hartford Insurance.

If your insurance claim has been denied or unreasonably delayed, or The Hartford has retroactively cancelled your insurance after you have filed a claim, contact a skilled insurance bad faith attorney to defend you. An attorney can negotiate with The Hartford to help resolved your problem. Don’t become another victim of The Hartford Insurance bad faith practices. Consider changing your policy if you’re currently insured through the Hartford Insurance. If you’ve had a claim denied or slow-paid by the Hartford Group, retain legal counsel to pursue your case; don’t walk away and let this notorious insurer win. Policyholders have the right to prompt payment of benefits outlined in their insurance policy.

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Accident Victims File For Long Term Disability Benefits

Post By admin in  insurance 

Accidents and Long Term Disability BenefitsThe process of applying for long term disability benefits is difficult and complicated, and can be especially stressful if you are injured or disabled. When bills pile up and you are unable to work, attempting to navigate through disability insurance can be taxing. Fortunately, when you work with a trusted LTD attorney, receiving the compensation that you deserve can go from seemingly impossible to being quite simple.

Long term disability can be especially complex because through such programs you are required to demonstrate your specific injuries and disabilities as well as why they prevent you from working, through what may seem like endless paperwork. First, you will need to consult with a physician. It is important to be sure that you and your doctor are on the same page, and that you have an accurate medical record that is consistent with your timeline and symptoms. When applying for LTD be sure to use full disclosure with your doctor, as it will be important later that every detail of your symptoms and their severity has been recorded. After your work is done an LTD attorney can help ease your troubles by collecting all documents, including medical records, employment records and doctors’ recommendations so that you don’t have to.

Once all information has been obtained, your LTD attorney can explain to you what it all means. Your attorney can walk you through your documents and the application process, which can consist of confusing wording and hard-to-answer questions that may be crucial to your situation.

As mentioned previously, the LTD claims process can be difficult to navigate. Often times, people file insurance claims without the help of an attorney, and suffer from the unethical insurance bad faith practices. Fortunately, there are steps to avoid being a victim of vague and confusing insurance claims.

  • Keep detailed notes of your interactions
  • Maintain a record of phone calls, e-mails and letters
  • Compile all of your medical records and doctors’ notes
  • Be sure to understand your coverage policy
  • Keep them informed of changes to your condition
  • Remember that you have the right to independent medical care
  • Stand up for your rights – do not be intimidated into dropping your claim
  • Note that it’s possible to file an initial claim, but it’s much easier with a lawyer
  • Hire an attorney if you have had your claim denied

Though it is possible to apply for long term disability benefits on your own, you will maximize your results and ease stresses by hiring a skilled LTD attorney to guide you through the complex and  time-consuming process. If you have been injured, or have become disabled and are unable to pay bills and other expenses, learn more about your legal options using a long term disability legal resource provided by Burke, Harvey & Frankowski, LLC. They leverage more than 50 years of combined litigation experience fighting the insurance companies to honor the policies and benefits outlined in policyholders’ contracts.

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Dealing with the Insurance Company After an Accident

Post By admin in  insurance, personal injury, video 

Whether you’re at fault or the victim in an accident, dealing with an insurance company requires a certain finesse. A few key strategies and tips can help you cope with insurance company tactics and ensure you don’t harm your case. Make sure you know what to do – and what not to do – before you talk to an insurance company about an accident.

 

Never admit fault.

First and foremost, it’s important to remember when you’re dealing with an insurance company to never admit fault. Even if you think you might have contributed to an accident, don’t talk about it until you see a police report and talk to your attorney. A police report could reveal that you were mistaken about fault, but if you admit fault in the beginning, it becomes much more difficult to get insurers to pay.
If your accident was investigated by Arizona Highway Patrol, you may request a report here.

 

Avoid providing a written statement.

Many insurers will ask you to provide a written statement about an accident. Avoid providing a statement until you’ve consulted with an attorney, and make sure the attorney reviews and approves your statement. If you provide a written statement without first getting legal advice, you could write something that could potentially hurt your case.

 

Don’t lie about injuries.

It may be tempting to exaggerate or minimize injuries when you have an accident. Don’t. If you have injuries, get them treated and don’t try to minimize them. Alternately, if you’re not injured, don’t try to pretend that you are; insurers will find out and you’ll just hurt your own case.

 

Remember that the insurance company doesn’t want to pay.

Insurers are in business to make money. If they pay out on every insurance claim, they wouldn’t make money. Therefore, insurers don’t want to pay. Keep this in mind when you’re dealing with an insurer. You must prove that the insurer has to pay, and establish how much the insurer should pay, before you’ll see anything near what your case is worth.

 

Refer the insurer to your lawyer.

The safest way to deal with an insurance company after an accident is to refer the insurer to your lawyer. Once you retain legal counsel, an insurer is required to talk to the attorney – not you. This can help you avoid saying the wrong thing, and can make sure you don’t hurt your case.

Here is a Video from Phoenix personal injury lawfirm Wattel & York discussing how to handle insurance companies.

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