Month: November 2013

Don’t Panic! Vehicle Recalls and Your Personal Injury Claim

Vehicle Recall | Huntsville, AL Auto Accident Injury Attorney | Martinson & Beason, P.C.If you own a Toyota, you have probably received more than one recall notice in the last several years. It is likely that you learned about the recalls by means of the media, as these recall notices have been consistently broadcast in print and on television ever since Toyota was sued for accidents associated with uncontrolled acceleration. Toyota is far from the only auto manufacturer dealing with a high-profile recall. Luxury carmaker BMW was recently in the news for recalling over one hundred thousand sedans to address faulty rear lights. Unlike the Toyota acceleration cases, however, BMW initiated the recall prior to any reported injuries or accidents. So what happens if you, as a consumer, fail to bring in your car for required maintenance and then experience an accident and injury?

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Should It Be Legal to Eat Roadkill?

Roadkill Laws | Huntsville, AL Attorney | Martinson & Beason, P.C.Driving down the road at night, with the rain picking up, it’s becoming more and more difficult to see. As your visibility lessens, you see something dart in your peripheral vision, a streak of gray in the darkness. You slam on your breaks, but it’s too late. The front of your pick-up collides with the front end of something, shaking your vehicle. After recovering from the initial shock, you get out of your truck, fearful of the damage. You find a deer, a young buck, actually, dead in front of you bumper. There is damage to the front of your car, but it is only superficial, and you are able to drive the truck home. Deciding what to do next may prove more difficult than you anticipated.

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Outdoor Ice Skating Returns in Huntsville

Huntsville, Alabama Ice Skating | Martinson & Beason, P.C. First opened last year, the popular outdoor skating rink by the Huntsville Museum of Art returns this November! Outdoor ice skating has quickly become a favorite winter activity for many Huntsville residents. Though initially skeptical (an outdoor ice rink in Alabama—really?), the community soon came to the ice in droves. The rink, located in downtown Huntsville behind the Huntsville Museum of Art, measures fifty by seventy feet—ample room for skaters to glide across the ice. The rink offers admission for ten dollars and skate rentals for three dollars. All of the proceeds go toward supporting the Huntsville Museum of Art.

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Stray Livestock and Personal Injury

Stray Livestock Accident | Huntsville, AL Personal Injury Attorney | Martinson & Beason, P.C.A sixty-year-old Missouri man perished after striking a dead cow lying in the road. Missouri Troopers say the man was ejected from his vehicle after swerving off the road. In rural areas, farm animals can occasionally stray from the owner’s land. Does that mean that the owner of the cow in the incident above bears the ultimate responsibility for the man’s death? Yes, the owner is ultimately the person responsible for any resulting personal injury—or even wrongful death—occurring from stray livestock. The problem, however, is locating the owner and proving ownership. In addition, some states (like Texas) have animal right-of-way laws. Proving whether the stray animal was struck first or the animal caused a collision can also create a hurdle to recovering in a personal injury claim.

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Estate Planning Critical for Single Parents

Single parents | Estate Planning Attorneys | Huntsville, AL Martinson & Beason, P.C.Estate planning is important for everyone—young and old, wealthy and not, singles and families. But there is one category for which estate planning is particularly vital: single parents. As a single parent, you have an even greater need for estate planning. What will your children do after you’re gone if you don’t have a plan for them in place? Who will take care of them? Who will provide for them?

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Motorcycle vs. SUV – No Clear Winner in Personal Injury Case

Motorcycle And SUV Accident | Huntsville, AL Attorney | Martinson & Beason, P.C.If you ride a motorcycle for fun or for practical reasons, you are aware of the danger presented on most American highways—drivers who are not looking out for motorcycles being primary among them. For many motorcycle enthusiasts, one way to combat the issue of visibility and general roadway awareness as to the presence of bikes is to travel in groups. Some motorcycle groups travel together for pleasure as much as for safety reasons. In the past, seeing groups of motorcycles would carry with it connotations of criminal activity (because of the Hell’s Angels and fictionalized accounts on television shows like Sons of Anarchy). But as modern riders and motorcycle marketers embraced the luxury of having the ability to travel solo (or with a single rider) and flaunted the ability to invest tens of thousands in a premium motorcycle—such as a Harley Davidson, for example—being part of a gang of motorcycles is akin to an expensive hobby.

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