Motorcycle Safety Gear

Transcript:

Cindy Speaker: If you are a motorcycle enthusiast it is important that you’d be aware of proper safety gear.  My guest today is Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney, Peter Steinberg at Steinberg and Spencer.  And he’s going to tell us about some of the gear that he recommends.  So Peter thanks for being with us today.

Peter Steinberg: You’re very welcome Cindy.

Cindy Speaker: Well Peter why don’t you start off by telling us what you suggest in terms of motorcycle safety gear?

Peter Steinberg: Well there’s three or four thing.  First of all, the full face helmet Cindy, that’s the most important thing.  A good heavy duty, probably a leather jacket would be great and also some really sturdy boots to protect your feet and ankles and of course a very, very good pair of gloves because typically when you are struck on a motorcycle you’re going to go down and the first thing you’re trying to do just instinctively is put your hands down and you can really get some serious road rash injuries that are extremely painful.

Cindy Speaker: I bet.  Well Peter as you know I’m in Philadelphia, your in California, but let me ask you this, what do you see out there in terms of riding apparel.  My guess is there are a lot of people out there in shorts and flip-flops.

Peter Steinberg: Well you don’t see it that often Cindy but I have seen flip-flops, I’ve seen people riding without helmets and even though that’s the law here in California and I’ve seen people riding in shorts too, and it doesn’t happened that often because the public is getting educated as to the severity of motorcycle accidents.  But I’m sure everybody has seen it all.  And since it’s well known that motorcycles are frequently not seen by other automobiles, the odds of being in a motorcycle accident at some point in the driver’s or rider’s life are fairly high, so you really want to defensively protect yourself with great clothing and helmets etcetera.

Cindy Speaker: Well Peter I know that you’ve handled motorcycle and cases in the Los Angeles area, if someone has specific questions relevant to an accident how they can reach you?

Peter Steinberg: Well Cindy, you’re right.  We’ve been handling motorcycle accidents for about 30 years and it’s really simple to reach us.  We have two ways.  One would be our toll free number 1800-350-8888, again 1800-350-8888 and the other way is through our website where we can be reached 24/7 its www.steinbergspencer.com, again www.steinbergspencer.com.  Very simple to reach us and we are incredibly responsive to motorcycle accidents victims.

Cindy Speaker: Very good.  Peter thank you for your time today.

Peter Steinberg: You’re welcome Cindy, pleasure to be here.

Cindy Speaker: This is Cindy Speaker from Main Street Law.

Two Iowa Farms Under Investigation Regarding Salmonella Outbreak

Millions of eggs have been recalled because at least some, have been, somehow, contaminated. In about 1,500 cases, these eggs have caused salmonella poisoning.

The eggs come from two Iowa  farms by the names of Wright County Egg, and Hillandale. The owner of Wright County Egg, Austin DeCoster has paid many millions of dollars, that money going towards federal fines. The fines, interestingly enough, were issued because of health, safety, immigration, and environmental violations.

The problems that may have caused the contamination seem to be related to bugs, rodents, wild birds, and other infestations, as well as holes in some of the walls.

Thankfully, no deaths have been reported; however, the illnesses could be life-threatening. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or, CDC, say that this has been the biggest eruption of salmonella since the 1970s. The CDC also says that for each case reported, there could be 30 more cases unreported.

Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer for an Accident Claim?

We are taught in nearly every school in the world to care for our medical and personal health, but often our legal and financial health is overlooked. No one teaches us to consult with a legal advocate when we are injured or wronged, which seems to be a grave disservice to us.

The reasons for using a personal injury lawyer are to protect your lifestyle and your financial health, as well as your family and your future. While many of us do not consider seeking out an attorney immediately upon injury, it’s quite often the best time to accomplish it in order to assure a full and complete recovery from our injuries-both personal and financial.

When Should I Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer?

When you have been injured in an accident, chances are good that the only thing on your mind is feeling better. You are concentrating on healing from the injuries that you have sustained.  Pain has a tendency to cloud our thinking and to make real consideration of what took place and how to recover from it something you’re not actually thinking about.

In many cases this recovery is paramount in your mind, with all other considerations being secondary.

The cost of being out of work, as well as being ill and requiring medical treatment can be exorbitant. You will quite likely also be concerned about spending anything further.  For this reason alone, you may be hesitant to hire a personal injury lawyer.

For many of us, it follows that we probably won’t consult with a personal injury lawyer until much later-if we do at all. This can be a serious mistake on our part.

The time that immediately follows the personal injury is a time when we are not concentrating on what has taken place, but only our own pain.

Realistically this is a time when we need to consider not just the present, but also the future that you may face. Many people neglect to realize that the injuries that you sustain, even if you consider them to be minor, can affect your entire life.

Immediately following an injury is when the best evidence may be gleaned and the most important statements may be taken. Comments from those who have witnessed what took place are more likely to be pertinent and honest when the incident is fresh in their mind.

Waiting to consult with an attorney may not be in your best interests. Personal injury lawyers can tell you what your rights may be, as well as to advise you on the steps you should be taking. They may also help you to procure the evidence you need should legal action be necessary to protect your interests.

Doesn’t it Cost a Lot to Get a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis which means that they only get paid if your recover compensation.  They then recover a percentage of the award that you are given. If you think that handling the situation yourself is in your best interests, you should probably reconsider.

The defendant, especially if it is a company or corporation, such as an insurance company, will definitely have legal representation working on their behalf. These attorneys know the law and know well how to manipulate it to their own advantage. You need an advocate who can accomplish the same thing for you.  The reality is that you can’t do the job as well as your personal injury attorney.

We try to cut corners in many cases, and to save a few dollars on the cost of an attorney. The end result is that we may in fact attain an award that is far less than we might otherwise have achieved.

Personal injury lawyers are specialists. They have spent years in the study of injury law and how the legal system works to award, or to deny the monetary compensation to the victims of an accident.

What if I Already Have a “Family” Lawyer?

Putting in a call to your family attorney, or your legal aid society is not going to achieve the same expert results that you will achieve if you contact a personal injury lawyer to attend to your needs. In much the same way as you would not contact a chiropractor to remove your tonsils; you need to seek out a specialist to help you to achieve the best and most fair award that you can receive for the injuries that you have suffered.

When you are injured, seek out a personal injury lawyer. They will be best able to help you to protect your interests as well as your future.

Road Trip Safety

Video Transcript:
Cindy Speaker: Planning for a road trip is usually a lot of fun. But unfortunately, many of us overlooked some very important preparations in that planning process. My guess today is South Carolina Personal Injury Attorney, George Sink of George Sink Injury Lawyers. And he’s going to talk with us about some of the often overlooked considerations. So George, welcome.

George Sink: Thank you for having me, Cindy.

Cindy Speaker: Well, George, we’re in the last month this summer and many families are planning that last vacation before the kids go back to school. So talk with us about some of the things that you recommend they consider when planning their trip to ensure it will be happy and a safe one.

George Sink: Well, it helps to know the route, the area, any dangerous problems that maybe out there. Even the weather, for example, and we have apps on cellphones now that can look at routes and spot traffic congestions. So things like that are very helpful. A matter of fact, I have that kind of app on the iPhone. You can check out those sort of weather or those traffic problems ahead of time. So it pays to look ahead and know where you’re going and anticipate the problems ahead of time.

Cindy Speaker: Well, George, what kind of vehicle maintenance would be most important to check before a long trip?

George Sink: Well, oil change, make sure your oil has been changed regularly, and tires are might bugaboo. When I was a student, I have a blow out at least a tire a week because we got the cheap ones. You can’t really tell—I can’t tell you how difficult it is to be stranded out some place and the tire blows out. So, make sure some qualified person looks at the tires, look for the pressure. It’s usually different in the front and the back tires, if there’s crack, or other things. So, take a look at those tires. That’s a big deal.

Cindy Speaker: All important. But for me, my cellphone is my most important safety equipment. I don’t know about you but I’m not going to get out of the car and try to change the tire. I’m going to pull out my cellphone and call out triple A. But what if you’re traveling to a state where cellphone use while driving is prohibited and you’re stopped while talking to your cellphone? Are you likely to be ticketed based on the cellphone laws of that state or are you only required to follow the cellphone laws of your home state, which could be different?

George Sink: It’s the same as if you committed a murder in that state. You’d be liable under the laws of that state. So, luckily, cellphone use is not prohibited in any state as such. But they do in nine states prohibit you from putting a cellphone to your ear in driving. You can’t do that in nine states. And about 30 others, they prohibit destructed driving. But what will get you home and what gets you around that is a little device that everybody has. You can put—you’ll put it in your ear,a nd by doing this, you can talk to people hands free.

For example, I was in California recently and they have that law. All you have to do is put it on a hands free device and you can use a cellphone in that state. But you have to know that and you should know you’re destructed laws too, because in some states, they are prohibiting texting while you’re driving, which is really not a good idea under any circumstances.

Cindy Speaker: Before we sign off here. If someone wants to reach you with specific questions, how can they do that?

George Sink: Call me hands free at 1-800-849-SINK, that’s toll free or you can get us on the internet at www.sinklaw.com

Cindy Speaker: Very good. Thank you, George.

George Sink: Thank you, Cindy.

Cindy Speaker: This is Cindy Speaker for State Law TV.

Teen Driver Safety Guide

Video Transcript:
Cindy Speaker: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in the United States, killing close to 6,000 every year. Teen death is the result of automobile accidents, exceed homicides and suicides. In Los Angeles, California, the law firm of Steinberg and Spencer is working hard to mitigate this frightening and escalating trend. The firm has recently published a three-guide for parents on Keeping Your Teen Drivers Safe.
Peter Steinberg, owner of the firm is our guest today and he is going to talk with us about this topic and this parent-teen driving contract and how he hopes it will empower parents to tackle these tough issues. So Peter, thank you for being with us today.

Peter Steinberg: Thank you Cindy, it’s always nice to be here.

Cindy Speaker: Well Peter, where do we dig in here to address this topic of teen driving as it relates to safety issues?

Peter Steinberg: Well Cindy, there’s some really good news here and that is that reportedly, 89% of teen say that their parents have the biggest influence on how they drive. So, that gives us as parents an opportunity to seek to educate ourselves as to how to educate and instruct our kids in regards to driver’s safety.

The fact is that the cause of most accidents can be attributed to plain old simple bad decisions and if we can help our teens to make good decisions instead of bad ones, we can prevent many accidents and save a lot of lives.

So right now, car crashes are the number one killer of teens in the United States and unfortunately, 11 teens die every day as a result of fatal injuries that occurred in an auto accident.

Cindy Speaker: Wow. Well Peter, where do we start?

Peter Steinberg: You know Cindy; I think the starting point today is our cellphones. Here are some facts that you’ll find in our teen driving safety guide:

Talking on a cellphone while driving slows a young driver’s reaction time to that of a 70-year old driver, and more than half of all teens report making and receiving phone calls while driving. I actually think that figure is probably a lot higher. But anyway, texting these days is a factor in 200,000 automobile crashes last year, and over a third of those were caused by a teen driver.

Cindy Speaker: These are really alarming statistics. So Peter, how do we talk to our teens about driver’s safety? How do we convince these young people that they’re not invincible and then help them grasp the way of the responsibility that goes along with driving a motor vehicle?

Peter Steinberg: Well Cindy, the best defense is to talk to your teenage driver—to really seriously talk to them.

Cindy Speaker: Well, can you give us some guidelines?

Peter Steinberg: Okay. Here are a few things. First of all, it’s really important to talk to your teenage driver in a really meaningful tone. The conversation is not lighthearted or comedy and it’s not disciplinary talk either. It needs to be very serious and it’d be helpful to give your teens some visual cues or visual aides. So it’s in our opinion, helpful to have a brochure on some safe driving tips or ideas.

We also have a summer newsletter with some information that could be used and that’s pretty relevant and we can also reference current events or celebrity car accident and not about parental experience that occurred 20 years ago, kind of in the “horse and buggy” era. I also think it’s very important to encourage your teenagers to ask questions. If you don’t have the answers, get them. And people are always welcome to call our office and if we could be of help, we’d be happy to do that.

Cindy Speaker: And Peter you said you have a free guide to offer, now what is in that?

Peter Steinberg: Well Cindy, in our guide you’ll find some of the statistics that I’ve just gone over and there’s a section that tells you how to talk to your teen. What do you say and what do you tell them? And the guide gives you plenty of specific guidelines to do that.

00:05:10

We also have a section that talks about what we call the danger zones of teen driving. For instance, one of the biggest danger zones is that teens are inexperienced and it’s important to know what these zones are so that you can educate your teenagers and advocate what to do.

Another topic we have is the GDL law, this refers to Graduated Driver Licensing and it let’s new drivers get on road experience while driving gradually and under lowered risk conditions. Many parents we talked to don’t even know about this law and it’s in place to help you train your teen to be a good driver. So the final section of our guide is a contract that we have devised that encourages you to have your teens sign as a pledge to abide by the guidelines that the two of you agree on.

Cindy Speaker: You know, that’s a great idea Peter, and what’s included in this contract?

Peter Steinberg: Well Cindy, the format is bullet points to identify what their teenager will do and what he or she will not do. And then we have some ground rules covering items such as curfew time, passengers, weather conditions, how far they can travel, and we spell that out for the first four months of their driving, then the next four or five months, and then the remaining few months in a year. And there’s also a section that allows the parent to write a short narrative of the agreed upon consequences that will result if the contract is broken. And then both parties sign the contract and date the contract.

Cindy Speaker: Peter this sounds like a fantastic tool to help turn our teens into safer drivers. How can someone get that guide?

Peter Steinberg: Cindy, they can go to our website at www.steinbergspencer.com and you’ll see a link. Just put your name in it and email address and we’ll get that right out to you.

Cindy Speaker: Great, and if they want to reach you by phone, how can they do that Peter?

Peter Steinberg: They can call us nearly 24/7 at 1-800-350-8888.

Cindy Speaker: Peter this has been very valuable. Thank you so much for writing this guide and making it freely available to the public and thanks for being with me today.

Peter Steinberg: You’re quite welcome Cindy.

Cindy Speaker: This is Cindy Speaker for State Law TV.

Frequent Flyers Hurt Ambulance Companies

Needless to say, our country’s ambulances and hospitals are very important. It is common sense to call an ambulance if you have severe chest pain, or have trouble breathing. The ambulance would need to get there to help you as quickly as possible. 

However, “frequent flyers” are people that actually call the ambulance if they have the flu, or even just a cold, and the ambulance/ER would have to help them. That will keep the ambulance/ER from helping the people that really do need it. 

At the ER or in the ambulance, trained medical technicians help patients and then worry about payment later. Frequent flyers will get help and then not pay for it. Some people even do this five times per week. And one man did it three times in one day. Obviously, this is a very serious matter.

Some people will do this because they want drugs. Some people even call because they need transportation! Some people do this because they are LONELY and want companionship, and the frequent flyers can cost the ambulance companies a great deal of money. One of the problems is that the law prohibits the ambulance companies from denying service.

Frequent flyers can call the ambulance and get a free ride to the hospital; they can socialize, and have free food. Then they can be checked out because they are well, but they still were able to eat, mingle, and get away from their house.

Two men from ambulance companies in DeWitt, NY said that frequent flyers that just want free transportation can get it by calling 911 and claiming that they really need help. Of course, the ambulance shows up and takes them to the hospital, and when the frequent flyers arrive, they can refuse help and head to where they were really trying to go in the first place.

For frequent flyers that get treatment which they use for drugs, they will be billed, but never pay. Some ambulance companies reportedly lose as much as $5,000 per month because of the frequent flyers.

Vincent Stevenson, a paramedic in DeWitt says, “The laws need to be changed.”

For more information, go to http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/frequent_fliers_abuse_ambulanc.html

Staying Safe on the Road

Our guest blogger is Lauren and she is a 6th grader with a passion for writing. She is already a published author and I have asked her to use her wonderful talent to explore some law related topics for our StateLawTV family. Welcome Lauren!

Safety on the road is a very important thing, and it is definitely NOT something to be taken lightly. Many people are taken away instantly from their families whether it’s their fault or the fault of other careless drivers. To stay safe yourself, and to keep others safe, follow these tips:

DON’Ts

• DON’t drink and drive
• DON’T text while driving
• DON’T eat while driving
• DON’T turn around in your seat and talk to kids even if they’re screaming. Deal with it when you get home
• DON’T try to impress the other people in the car by driving with your knees, swerving, or dancing to music
• DON’T take your hands off of the wheel
• DON’T take your eyes off of the road
• DON’T blast the music in your car. 
• DON’T try to splash through huge mud puddles or water puddles. You could lose focus or even run into a truck or car.
• DON’T ignore your car. When it makes odd sounds, see what’s wrong with it. Don’t let it keep doing it.
• DON’T speed. It’s against the law and will eventually come back and slap you. 
• DON’T take time to put on makeup during stoplight breaks.

DOs

• DO pay attention to the road 
• DO watch for stop signs 
• DO watch for kids 
• DO pull over to the side of the road when you hear ambulance, police, or fire truck sirens. 
• DO wear your seatbelt . . . and wear it correctly.

Follow these tips, stay alert, and be careful on the road. Your life and the lives of others is not a joke. So when you are driving, think about these tips, and think about your children. What if their lives were instantly ended? Whether it was their fault, or somebody else’s fault, you’d be heartbroken. Well, you could be the cause of the death of someone’s greatest joy if you are careless. Be careful.

Safety on the Internet

Our guest blogger is Lauren and she is a 6th grader with a passion for writing. She is already a published author and I have asked her to use her wonderful talent to explore some law related topics for our StateLawTV family. Welcome Lauren!

One awful truth about the world is that there are people out there sneakily trying to steal information from kids through the internet. Such as: address, email, and phone numbers. http://www.safekids.com is a great web site to check out if you are concerned about your kid’s safety.

Also, Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization that reviews games, movies, TV shows, and even books to help you parents keep your children safe.

However, parents, kids want to have freedom. They want to be able to feel like they are in charge, and they want to do what they like when they like. So, you ask:

How can I keep my kids safe and still let them be happy and privileged? To which I reply: Hear me out, and by the end of this article, you’ll know how to keep your adorable and without a doubt valuable children happy and safe. :

• INSTALL – It is a good idea to install a content filter on your computer and have your kids use that computer
• DISCIPLINE – Tell your kids that they will not be allowed on the computer for a long time if they give any info away on the computer like your address, your email, your phone number, your age, or your last name.
• LOVE – make sure you show them love. Don’t discipline them all the time. That will beat them down and they will not listen to you at all . . . even when it’s really important.
• PHONE – Let your kids know that they are only allowed to call friends and family unless they ask and you approve. Also, don’t allow them to answer the phone without your permission.
• TALK – talk to your kids every day, telling them how much you love them. This way, they will know that you only want what’s best for them when it comes to the computer.
• CHECK – check your computer’s history. You can tell what sites they have been on. If they were on any forbidden sites, go and talk to them about it gently, and make sure they understand that although they may not agree, you will not tolerate that behavior as a parent. It is just too big a risk.

Here are some other good web sites to check out:

www.komputers4kids.com/Protection.html
www.kidpower.org 
www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety2.htm 
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html

Distracted Driving with Peter Steinberg

Video Transcript:

Cindy Speaker: We are all hearing a great deal about distracted driving and the danger of it. But what is distracted driving?  That’s our topic on this episode of Main Street Law.  My guest today is attorney Peter Steinberg of the Los Angeles law firm of Steinberg & Spencer.

Peter, how you doing today?

Peter Steinberg: I’m doing great, Cindy.  Thank you for your asking.  How are you?

Cindy Speaker: I’m pretty good.  I want to talk about this topic, distracted driving is getting in a lot of attention, but what exactly is it?

Peter Steinberg: Well, distracted driving is any driving while your mind, eyes or hands are doing something else.  It’s basically any activity that takes your eyes and concentration away from the road.  And that can be cell phones, it can be eating, it can be applying make-up, brushing your hair or even reaching down to grab a piece a paper off the sit or off the floor.  All of these things raise the risk of a crash by basically taking the driver’s attention away from the road.

Cindy Speaker: Why is distracted driving getting so much attention right now?

Peter Steinberg: Well, there is a lot of studies that are coming out now that are showing that distracted driving is a serious threat, and distracted driving raises the risk of a crash, injuries and even death.

Cindy Speaker: Let’s talk a little bit about statistics. How many accidents are caused by distracted driving?

Peter Steinberg: Well, there was a federal study that found that distractions contributed to 22% of all crashes and near crashes, and there is police data which shows that 16% of fatal crashes and 21% of injury crashes involve distractions.

Cindy Speaker: Well, that’s unbelievable.  Now, do you routinely check cell phone records in auto accident cases?  Is that part of your process?

Peter Steinberg: We do it when we need to do it and it is becoming more and more a part of our practice.

Cindy Speaker: And do you find that there are times when there were issues with cell phone driving.

Peter Steinberg: Oh absolutely, and as I said it’s becoming more and more prevalent, so we’re checking that more and more often.

Cindy Speaker: And what effect, if any, does that have on the outcome of the case?

Peter Steinberg: Well, it can greatly aid our clients’ cases when we find that the other party is talking on the cell phone.

Cindy Speaker: Well, that makes sense.  Now, why aren’t safety groups focused primarily on cell phone use?  Because there is really a lot of different areas where we find distracted driving.

Peter Steinberg Well, cell phone use is so front and center and part of cell phone use is texting, and I think texting is even far more distracting than talking and not only that, but both texting and talking on the cell phones is growing tremendously.

Cindy Speaker: Is it legal to drive while using a cell phone in the State of California?

Peter Steinberg In California, it’s legal to drive while using a cell phone provided that you’re on a hands free device.

Cindy Speaker: Okay.

Peter Steinberg: It is not legal to drive if you’re holding it up to your ear.

Cindy Speaker: All right.  Now, do you have any statistics on that nationwide, are most states go into that kind of a law?

Peter Steinberg: Absolutely, Cindy.

Cindy Speaker: Well, Peter, thank you so much for joining me today.

Peter Steinberg: Cindy, it’s been a pleasure being here.  Thank you for having me.

Cindy Speaker: This Cindy Speaker reporting from Main Street Law.

Virtual Strip Searches

The thwarted bombing of a plane leaving from Amsterdam on Christmas and heading to Detroit raises a whole new series of questions as to how to elevate our standards of airport security. Most likely that ongoing discussion will include addressing the issue of privacy. A New York Times article quoted Arnold Barnett, a Professor of Management Science at the M.I.T. Sloan School of Management. He recalled the afermath of the shoe-bomber attack on a Paris-Miami flight and how after that happened, it became the norm to remove our shoes at airport security checks. An editorial cartoon included a caption that said “good thing he didn’t have the explosives in his underwear.” Unfortunately, during the most recent attempted bombing, the suspect had part of the explosive device sewn into his underwear.

So, what measures do we implement to combat this? One of the discussions may be the use of technology that in effect, performs virtual strip searches on passengers as they go through security. If that happens there will undoubtedly be those who will fight the measures because of privacy issues. And then we there will be battles over which takes precedent, privacy or safety.

In the New York Times article that I read, I especially appreciated the commentary from Richard Bloom, Director of Terrorism, Intelligence and Security Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Vice Chairman of the Aviation Security and Emergency Management Task Force of the Transportation Safety Board. He said “there is no single security hole” but that “the biggest hole is how we think about airline security.” He goes on to speak of 4 layers of airline security. You can read the entire article here:

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/whats-missing-in-airport-security/