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Toyota Notifies Customers of Airbag Recall Due to ‘Shrapnel’ Threat

June 29, 2014 By

In April 2103 Toyota had to recall vehicles due to a manufacturing defective airbags. The airbag was manufactured by Japanese firm Takata, and the bag inflation device was too strong causing any passenger to be bombarded with what Toyota described as “shrapnel”.

Following that recall, Toyota thought that was the end of the matter but they have now discovered the Takata may not have provided them with the correct information as to which units might be defective, so they now find themselves in the position of having to recall 766,300 cars and trucks to ensure that all of them have airbags which operate correctly.

Toyota has reassured customers that they have no knowledge of anyone being injured due to the problem and say that they will be recalling the same vehicles as they did last year- saying they are simply re-notifying the owners.

Recall

If you have been injured in a serious vehicle accident involving a defective automobile, or an automobile with defective parts, and would like to best possible attorney team to work on your case, please immediately call Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP –(888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: auto recalls

How to Choose the Safest Vehicle for Teens and New Drivers

June 22, 2014 By

It has long been known that newer drivers are often the most susceptible to becoming involved in serious or deadly automobile accidents. Some of the reasons for this are that newer drivers have far less experience handling automobiles, responding to road conditions, and may find themselves presented with situations that they simply do not know how to handle. Because most new drivers are usually teenage drivers, their first cars usually are given to them by their parents. However, the practice of giving teenage drivers the old family car has given way to a more modern practice which sees the teen get a new car.

An increasing number of families are deciding to buy teenage drivers newer cars, while the parents continue to drive the older cars. The reason for this is that newer cars generally have better safety features and better handling than older cars. Such advantages could mean the difference between life and death for a teen driver should they find themselves confronted by unusual road conditions or involved in a serious automobile accident.

In the following video you will is see several tips which you may use to help decide which kind of automobile is best for your teen driver to drive.

If you have been injured in a serious vehicle accident involving a teen driver or new driver  in Connecticut, and would like to best possible attorney team to work on your case, please immediately call Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP –(888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: East Haven Auto Accident

American Teens Can’t (or Won’t) Stop Texting While Driving

June 15, 2014 By

According to the most recent biannual government study overseen by the Centers for Disease Control, American teenagers are texting while driving more than ever before. The study, which looks at worrisome behavior among teens, was first conducted in 1991 and has been conducted every two years ever since. While it was found that other dangerous or reckless behaviors such as weapons and drug use has decreased in recent years, texting and sending emails while driving is conversely on the rise.

Interestingly, teens are actually wearing seat belts and bike helmets more frequently than ever before which is somewhat ironic considering that they are texting behind the wheel in greater and greater numbers. This most recent study looked at 13,000 United States high school students and conducted the behavioral survey on a voluntary basis, required parental permission, and ensured anonymous responses.

The study found that fully 41 percent of teens surveyed had texted or emailed while driving during the previous month, with the lowest percentage (32%) being found in Massachusetts and the highest number (61%) being found in South Dakota. The figures couldn’t be compared to the previous study conducted in 2011, however, because according to the CDC, the questions contained in the latest survey were different.

If you have been injured in a serious vehicle accident involving a distracted driver  in East Haven or another part of Connecticut, and would like to best possible attorney team to work on your case, please immediately call Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP –(888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: Distracted Driver

Modern Science Makes Accident Reconstruction More Reliable

June 8, 2014 By

Today’s professionals have an increasing number of technological means for determining exactly what happened in an accident. Using a wide variety of forensic techniques, these professionals are able to corroborate or debunk witness testimony. One of the most promising areas of investigation, which lends itself to the verification of the details of how an accident transpired, is biomechanics.

Biomechanical engineers study the way biologic solids and fluids react to various internal and external forces over time and with respect to specific spatial orientations. They are able to study what kinds of effects certain stresses on the human body produce, and then use this information to compare the facts of a case to witness testimony. For example, biomechanical mechanical engineers would be able to view a particular kind of bone fracture and compare it to the description of events given by witnesses, and better determine the truthfulness of the witness accounts.

When assisting a client with a lawsuit, professional and competent attorneys may make use of biomechanical engineers and other expert witnesses in order to help paint the picture of exactly what happened during a particular accident. In order to get the very best presentation of your case.

If you have been injured in a serious vehicle accident in East Haven or another part of Connecticut, and would like to best possible attorney team to work on your case, please immediately call Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP –(888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: East Haven Auto Accident

Staying Safe While Driving in Rainy Conditions in East Haven -video-

June 1, 2014 By

All drivers know the uncertainty which comes with driving in wet and rainy conditions. Not only does the rain obscure road conditions and what is happening outside of the car, the rain itself presents various hazards resulting from the way it affects the roads. One of the hazards presented by rainy and wet conditions is hydroplaning. This occurs when a car skims across the top of a body of water, such as a puddle, causing the driver to lose at least partial control of his or her vehicle.

Though practically all East Haven area drivers have experienced the hydroplaning phenomenon, relatively few have ever studied exactly what to do in order to best maneuver such a situation safely. Here we present a video on how to handle driving in wet conditions and what to do if your car hydroplanes:

One of the keys to driving in rainy conditions is to treat the situation seriously and pay close attention to the road and drivers around you. Remember, the rain does not just affect your ability to safely control your vehicle, but also affects other drivers’ abilities to safely control their vehicles as well. For this reason it is generally wise to simply avoid driving in heavy downpours altogether. However, in case you do find yourself driving in rainy conditions, the suggestions found in the video above should help you have the best chance of doing so safely.

If you have been injured in a serious vehicle accident in East Haven or another part of Connecticut, please immediately call Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP –(888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: East Haven Driver Safety

East Haven Man Suffers 3rd Degree Burns and Crashes into Gas Station Pump

May 25, 2014 By

An accident over the weekend has resulted in one victim suffering severe burns over much of his body.

According to witnesses a man, driving a Mitsubishi which was apparently on fire, drove into a Hess gas station on Frontage Road, running into a gas pump. Reportedly the man was on fire when he exited the car. The flames were later extinguished, and the man was transported to a local hospital with severe, third degree burns over much of his body.

Police and firefighters are still investigating the cause of the initial fire. East Haven Fire Chief Doug Jackson says that the man suffered critical injuries, and that the fire department is still attempting to “put it all together”. Police are also interviewing witnesses in an attempt to gain more information about the accident.

The identity of the man has not been released.

As this story illustrates, there are often unexpected developments which can appear at any time on East Haven roads. We want to wish the best to this driver and hope that he is able to make a significant recovery from these horrendous injuries.

Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP –(888) 244-5480 – We are here to help

Filed Under: East Haven Auto Accident

Tutorial for East Haven Residents – How to Install a Car Seat -video-

May 16, 2014 By

Have you ever been in a car with an infant and the decision was made to carry the infant as opposed to putting the infant in a car seat? There are many reasons people across the country choose to carry infants, including the fact that car seats can be rather large and bulky, and the notion that infants are easier to feed and change when not strapped down in a car seat. Another reason East Haven area residents may choose to carry an infant while riding in an automobile is because they simply do not know how to properly install and use a car seat.

Here we present a video on the proper installation of a car seat:

It is almost never a good idea to travel with an infant on your lap. Sure, it may be more convenient to do so. But doing that which is right is not always convenient, and doing that which is convenient is not always safe. We encourage East Haven residents to always use car seats when traveling with infants, for the safety of those who are the most vulnerable among us.

If  you or someone you know were injured in an automobile accident, the attorneys at Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us now at (888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: East Haven Driver Safety

4 Injured in East Haven as Car Collides with School Bus

May 8, 2014 By

3 East Haven students and one adult were injured recently in an incident in which their school bus collided with another vehicle.

While traveling northbound on I-91 near Exit 23, three sixth-graders from Joseph Melillo Middle School and one staff member were injured in an accident involving their school bus and a car. According to the driver of the vehicle, East Haven resident Tara Downes, she was driving in the middle lane of the highway at about 9:30 am when a tractor trailer, which was driving to her left, suddenly moved into her lane, pushing her into the school bus which was in the right lane at the time. She says that as a result of the accident her car became pinned between the bus and the tractor trailer.

This injured students and the staff member were on a field trip, going to the Connecticut Science Center at the time of the accident. They were all taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The remaining students were boarded onto another bus and returned back to school. The field trip was rescheduled.

If  you or someone you know were injured in an automobile accident, the attorneys at Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us now at (888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: East Haven Auto Accident

GM Issues Second Recall – Faces Though Legal Road Ahead

April 29, 2014 By

In recent weeks General Motors has come under fire for failing to recall cars which were known by the company to be defective.  The defect affected the ignition switches of the certain GM manufactured automobiles, and has resulted in about 2.6 million General Motors vehicles being recalled to date.  Now a second recall is also being issued by the company for an unrelated problem.

In late March General Motors recalled approximately 1.3 million vehicles in the United States, including 2004 – 2007 Saturn Ions, as a result of a power steering issue affecting the automobiles.  Much like the previous recall, which was meant to fix an issue General Motors knew about since 2004, the Saturn Ion defect was also identified as early as 2004.  According to documentation released by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, an investigation in 2011 showed that there had been almost 5,000 registered complaints relating to the power steering issues, and 30,000 warranty claims.

The fall out resulting from the disclosures and recalls is hurting General Motors financially.  The company recently announced that its profits had fallen by 85% the wake of the debacle, and the situation is far from over.  General Motors still faces numerous lawsuits from the families of the 12 people who died as a result of the defects, legal action by those who suffered injuries, and also government sanctions.

If  you or someone you know were injured in an automobile accident involving a defective vehicle, the attorneys at Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us now at (888) 244-5480. We are here to help

Filed Under: auto recalls

The Risks of Motorcycle Riding

April 22, 2014 By

Riding a motorcycle, for many Americans, is as American as apple pie.  While some countries’ residents use motorcycles as a primary form of transportation, in the United States motorcycles are generally considered luxury, sport, or leisure vehicles.  But, despite the popularity of riding motorcycles among Americans, these vehicles tend to nevertheless present unique challenges and dangers to their riders.  Consider the following statistics:

  • From 2000 to 2007 the number of motorcycle deaths leapt from 2,897 to 5,154.  This represented an incredible 78% increase in just seven years.
  • Motorcycle deaths accounted for 13% of all traffic accident related deaths in 2007.  However, motorcycles accounted for just 3% of all registered vehicles in that year.
  • In 2007 78% of motorcycle collisions, in which the motorcycle collided with another vehicle, involved the motorcycle being struck from the front.  Only 5% of these collisions involved the motorcycle being struck from the rear.
  • One out of four fatal motorcycle crashes involved a motorcycle striking a fixed object such as a traffic sign or guard rail.
  • Wearing a motorcycle helmet has been proven to save at least one out of three lives in accidents which would have been fatal if a helmet had not been worn.
  • Between 2002 and 2007 the rate of motorcycle helmet use decreased by some 13%.

These statistics may be shocking, but motorcycle riders often have an idea as to the risks involved with this form of transportation.  We would like to recommend that all East Haven motorcycle riders always take to the roads with caution and always wear adequate head protection.

 

Hastings, Cohan, and Walsh, LLP – (888) 244-5480 – We are here to help

Filed Under: East Haven motorcycle Tagged With:
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