CFZ Law

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing a three-phase plan to improve bus safety and ensure that bus operators and drivers are acting responsibly. According to a Feb. 19 statement issued by the agency, beginning in April the Department of Transportation will target high-risk bus carriers with the help of specially trained safety investigators, law enforcement officers and safety advocates. The agency in its statement also says that it will undertake national risk assessment and outreach programs, assess safety management controls at bus companies, revise investigator training requirements and expand public outreach efforts.

The FMCSA stated that over the past seven years, motor coach inspections have nearly tripled from 12,991 in 2005 to 33,684 in 2012. In 2012, the inspections resulted in 880 motor coach drivers and 1,831 buses being placed out of service. In just one day in May 2012, the FMCSA shut down 26 bus companies, which represented three major rings of unsafe operators who “routinely ignored safety rules, cut corners and neglected passenger safety,” the federal agency declared. The FMCSA has referred to the bus crashes that occurred in California and Oregon recently as having prompted their current efforts .

In addition to stepping up inspections, the FMCSA has released the SaferBus app, which is available for the Android operating system. According to the statement, this app will allow bus passengers to review a company’s safety record before buying a ticket or while waiting to board a bus. The department is working to improve the app to make it available across a variety of platforms, the report said.

It is encouraging that the FMCSA is starting to pay attention to stepping up bus safety inspections, said New York personal injury lawyer Kenneth A. Wilhelm. “This comes after two fatal bus crashes in California and Oregon in which many people were injured and several died. Hopefully, these inspections will prove effective and prevent these tragic bus crashes from occurring.”

Bus accident victims have legal rights, Wilhelm said. “Whether you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a bus accident, it is important that you obtain more information about preserving your rights. The actions you take immediately after the incident can determine the amount of compensation you may receive.”

About the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm

The Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm is a personal injury litigation firm with an unwavering dedication to its clients. With more than 41 years of experience, our firm strives to obtain the best compensation for those who have been injured or those who have lost a loved one due to an accident or by someone else’s negligence. We handle cases dealing with personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, workers’ compensation, dental malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, rape, paralysis, comas, seizures, false arrest, lead poisoning, trips and slips and falls, elevator accidents, construction accidents, Erb’s palsy, cerebral palsy, brain damage, blindness, hearing loss, dog bite cases, fire and smoke inhalation accidents, bicycle accidents, falls from windows or scaffolds, and many other types of accidents and injuries.

Please contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.

Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. is pleased to announce that shareholder Todd A. Julian has been selected to join the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

The IADC membership is comprised of the worlds leading corporate and insurance lawyers. IADC members handle cases in all jurisdictions and have been involved in many precedent setting decisions and appeals.

ABOTA is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. ABOTA works to uphold the jury system by educating the American public about the history and value of the right to a jury trial.

Julians practice primarily concentrates on personal injury and insurance defense litigation in state, federal and numerous tribal courts in the Southwestern United States. He is certified specialist in Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization. Julian has also been recognized among Arizonas Finest Lawyers, Southwest Super Lawyers and is an AV

The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, “We fear most US Navy Veterans who are diagnosed with mesothelioma never get anywhere close to the kinds of financial compensation they could have, or should have, because they did not have the very best mesothelioma law firms in their corner. We are talking about potentially hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars in financial compensation for mesothelioma, and the mesothelioma law firms we recommend frequently get these kinds of results. We also fear because some US Navy Veterans want nothing to do with law firms, they never receive any compensation at all, and we think that is wrong. They were shortchanged. US Navy Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, and their family members should be concerned about financial compensation for this rare form of cancer that is related to asbestos exposure, and we do not offer the name of just one mesothelioma law firm, it is always two, or three, and they really are among the absolute best mesothelioma law firms in the nation. No other group offers this vital service.” For more information US Navy Veterans, or their family members are urged to contact the Mesothelioma Victims Center anytime at 866-714-6466.

The States With The Most US Navy Veterans:

• California
• New York
• Texas
• Florida
• Virginia
• Washington
• Ohio
• Illinois
• Massachusetts
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Arizona
• Hawaii
• Idaho

The Mesothelioma Victims Center’s free services are available to US citizens. According to the US Centers for Disease Control about one third of all individuals who are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year are US Navy Veterans. Aside from US Navy Veterans, other high risk groups for mesothelioma cancer include shipyard, power plant, or oil refinery workers, plumbers, chemical manufacturing facility workers, electricians, county, or city municipal water district workers, miners, demolition construction contractors, railroad workers, or auto brake technicians. Victims of mesothelioma, or their family members are encouraged to contact the Mesothelioma Victims Center any time at 866-714-6466, for what really is a remarkable unsurpassed free service. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.com

Many people believe they can text and drive safely despite statistics suggesting otherwise. To make the experience of texting while driving more realistic, New York State Police set up a texting while driving simulator at the Rochester International Auto Show. New York auto accident lawyer David Perecman supports all efforts to educate drivers about the dangers of texting while driving.

Texting while driving, or other multitasking, has been compared to drunken driving. People think they can do it, but they are fooling themselves, said Perecman.

According to WHEC (3.2.13), the realistic game demonstrated how easy it is to get distracted on the road. Participants sat in the simulator and drove through a neighborhood with real-life driving scenarios, including red lights, pedestrians crossing roads, and cars changing lanes. Drivers had to try to text and drive while successfully navigating the distractions.

A number of drivers need this kind of dose of reality before they actually believe the warnings not to text and drive are meant for them. Learning in a simulator is a lot better than learning on the road, said Perecman.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to crash. Besides risking an accident, anyone caught texting and driving in New York State will be fined and may also get points on their license.

The bottom line is, dont text and drive, said Perecman. A person could be killed or severely injured in the few seconds you take your eyes off the road. No message is worth it. If you have to text while driving, pull over.

The auto accident attorneys at The Perecman Firm in New York have helped many people obtain the compensation they deserve following auto accidents in New York. Contact The Perecman Firm at 212-977-7033.

About David Perecman and The Perecman Firm, PLLC:

For the past 30 years, the New York personal injury, medical malpractice, construction accident, and auto accident lawyers at The Perecman Firm, PLLC have handled all types of cases of vehicular accidents in New York. David Perecman, founder of the Firm, has been recognized for his achievements as an Honoree in the National Law Journal’s Hall of Fame, in New York Magazine’s “The Best Lawyers in America” and The New York Times Magazine “New York Super Lawyers, Metro Edition” for the years 2007-2010. The prestigious U.S. News & World Report ranks The Perecman Firm among the top 20 personal injury firms in New York City for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.

The Firm has recovered millions of dollars for its clients. Among the more recent victories, Mr. Perecman won a $ 15 million verdict** for a construction accident (Index 112370/03) Supreme Court, New York County, a $ 5.35 million dollar verdict*** for an automobile accident (Index 2749/04) Supreme Court, Kings County, and a $ 40 million dollar structured settlement for medical malpractice (Index 2146/03)****Supreme Court, Kings County.

The Perecman Firm serves Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester, Upstate NY, Morris County, and Rockland County.