Wayne County Personal Injury Law Blog

President Trump has proposed Social Security disability reform

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. posted in Social Security Disability on Thursday, December 26, 2019.

President Donald Trump recently proposed a Social Security reform bill. Many individuals who plan to apply for or who already receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) may lose their monthly payments if this new legislation goes into effect.

Right now, individuals must go through a rigorous vetting process to see if they qualify to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The frequency with which a recipient is reassessed varies depending on how profound their disability is thought to be.

How do people typically get injured in parking lots?

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. posted in personal injury on Monday, December 16, 2019.

There's generally a lot of action that's going on in parking lots any time of the year; however, they become even busier during the holiday season as consumers run in and out of stores trying to get everything done in advance of parties and other festive occasions. Data compiled by the National Safety Council (NSC) shows that there are a few leading causes for why individuals get hurt in parking lots during this time of the year.

Federal government data shows that at least 9% of all pedestrian fatalities that occur in parking lots happen because an individual is struck by a motorist while they're backing up their vehicle.

Know the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. on Friday, November 29, 2019.

Unfortunately, car accidents often result in injury. But sometimes, your injuries might not be apparent to you from the outside.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are common types of injuries that can occur after a car accident. A TBI happens after a sudden jolt or blow to your head, an all-too frequent occurrence in car crashes. The most recent statistics show that over 380,000 car accident injuries are TBI-related.

What you should do if you're injured at work in North Carolina

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. posted in Workers' Compensation on Tuesday, November 26, 2019.

Most workers who are injured in Goldsboro or elsewhere in North Carolina work for businesses and corporations that employ more than a handful of employees. Owners of almost every business of any size are required to maintain workers' compensation insurance to remain in compliance with state law. Employees who are injured or become ill on the job are afforded certain rights including receiving reasonable and essential medical care.

North Carolina law mandates that employees must notify their employers of their on-the-job injury within at least 30 days of it having occurred. Employers must readily provide their workers with any essential medical care that they need right away after being notified that an injuring accident having occurred. Employees are required to see the doctor of their employer's or their insurer's choosing.

What workers are most vulnerable to getting hurt on the job?

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. posted in Workers' Compensation on Thursday, November 14, 2019.

Data published by the National Safety Council (NSC) captures how a new employee is injured every seven seconds here in North Carolina and the rest of the country. This means that 510 workers are hurt each hour or 12,600 of them are injured each day. Around 4,600,000 individuals are hurt on the job each year. Certain workers perform specific tasks that are more vulnerable to getting hurt than others.

The occupations with the highest injury rates include production and manufacturing, community service workers such as police and firefighters and manufacturing ones. Individuals who work in the shipping or transportation roles or repair, maintenance and installation ones are also at significantly higher risk of getting hurt on the job than others.

Underride crashes can be life-threatening

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Wednesday, October 30, 2019.

One of perhaps the most catastrophic types of tractor-trailer accidents that can occur is an underride accident. It's the type of crash that involves a motorist's car getting stuck under the side or rear portion of a truck's trailer. While many trucks currently come equipped with side and rear bars to prevent these types of crashes from occurring, there are still many tractor-trailers that don't have them. A motorist who collides with a truck is at risk of suffering serious injuries.

A side underride type of accident often occurs at an intersection, perhaps when either a passenger car operator or a trucker runs a red light. A motorist's car can get stuck quite far under a trailer if it's traveling at a high rate of speed.

Is North Carolina�s Governor�s Highway Safety Program working?

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. on Saturday, October 26, 2019.

North Carolina decision-makers are committed to improving traffic safety. It is one of many states with communities engaged in the Vision Zero initiative, a nationwide movement to end all traffic fatalities and severe injuries. The Governor’s Highway Safety Program, an annual plan to improve roads and reduce incidents, is a major part of North Carolina’s efforts to make the roads safer for you and your family.

North Carolina traffic safety statistics

How are truck crashes different from passenger car crashes?

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

In the media, they often make a clear distinction between car and truck crashes. They do so because there's quite a disparity between the sizes of the two vehicles. Tractor-trailers can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Most automobiles weigh only 3,000 pounds. Size is only one factor that impacts the severity of a motorist's injuries if they're involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler.

Truck drivers are different from your average motorists riding down the road. In addition to a standard driver's license, they also have a commercial one. The training that they must complete to qualify for the latter is rigorous.

Factors that may result in your disability benefits being denied

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. posted in Social Security Disability on Friday, October 4, 2019.

Many disabled individuals count on the Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits that they receive to help them pay for their essentials such as housing, utilities and food. Many recipients of these funds thus wouldn't want to do anything that would impact their eligibility for these benefits. A change in a recipient's disabling condition or their return to the workforce may cause SSD or SSI payments to be reduced or denied though.

One common reason that the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies SSD or SSI payments is because an individual ceases to classified as disabled by them.

Tips to stay safe as a pedestrian

On behalf of Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. on Wednesday, October 2, 2019.

In most urban areas, congested traffic is common, and if you aren’t paying close attention, can be dangerous for pedestrians. In rural areas, danger exists as well. Anywhere there’s a distracted driver, a dim-lit or congested area, danger is present to pedestrians.

The question is, what can you do to protect yourself and limit your chances of being hit?