• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Martinson & Beason, P.C.

Header Right

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Attorneys
    • Douglas C. Martinson, II
    • A. Mac Martinson
    • Morris H. Lilienthal
    • Caleb W. Ballew
    • Monica E. Jayroe
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Motorcycle Accidents
      • Dangerous Drugs & Devices
      • Wrongful Death
    • Car Accidents
    • Probate & Estate Planning
    • Family Law
    • Corporate Law
    • Criminal Law
    • Real Estate Law
    • Whistleblower Retaliation
    • More Practice Areas
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • FAQs
    • Guides
      • Car Accident Guide
      • Personal Injury Guide
      • Dangerous Drugs and Medical Devices Guide
    • Testimonials
    • Verdicts & Settlements
    • News Room
    • Newsletters
    • Recursos Por Accidentes
  • Contact
EMAIL TEXT CALL

Automobile Accidents

Pedestrian Fatalities Continue To Climb

March 2, 2018 by Morris Lilienthal

Martinson & Beason

In 2017, roughly 6,000 pedestrians died in automobile crashes, a figure that is up about 9% from the two previous years, according to a recent article in USA Today. A primary reason for the upswing in these fatalities is attributable to distractions, both inside and outside of the vehicle. Experts quoted in the article link the proliferation of technology, such as touch screens and smartphones, with increased distracted walking and driving, which in turn results in more pedestrian crashes and deaths.

Alabama is one of 46 states to have a direct law prohibiting texting while driving, but do lawmakers need to consider a prohibition on texting while walking? According to the article, distracted pedestrians are just as much to blame for the crashes as drivers are. The small city of Montclair, California passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of a cell phone or headphones while crossing the street. Honolulu, Hawaii has a similar ordinance in place for pedestrians as well. You can find a lot of other useful and interesting information on distracted pedestrians from our previous blog piece, here and general information on pedestrian accidents.

[Read more…] about Pedestrian Fatalities Continue To Climb

Filed Under: Alabama, Automobile Accidents, Blog, Car Accident

Heavy Fines in Store for Uninsured Alabama Drivers

November 3, 2017 by Morris Lilienthal

Uninsured motorists in Alabama will be subject to steep fines for failing to carry the minimum mandatory liability insurance starting Wednesday, November 1st. The new law is intended to drive down the prevalence of uninsured motorists on the road. According to the Insurance Institute, Alabama has the sixth-highest rate of uninsured motorists with 18.4% of Alabama drivers being uninsured. That rate means there are over six-hundred thousand Alabama drivers without auto insurance.Heavy FinesAlabama has required auto liability insurance for years but enforcement has remained a lingering problem. Uninsured drivers raise insurance premiums for everyone and can wreak financial ruin in an accident.

Under the new law, an uninsured motorist will face a fine of $200 for the first offense, $300 for a second offense, and $400 for the third and subsequent offenses. If you don’t pay the fine, your license will be suspended for ninety days, and will then be subject to reinstatement fees. Policy-makers believe the new law will increase the rate of insured motorists, which will lower insurance premiums for everyone in the state.

In Alabama, every motorist is required to have, at a minimum, 25/50/25 coverage – $25,000 for death/injury to one person, $50,000 for death/injury to multiple people, and $25,000 for property damage. While these figures may seem sufficient on their face, it’s important to remember that medical bills stemming from an accident often easily exceed $100,000.

So what happens if you are injured in a car accident caused by an uninsured motorist? You likely are covered by your own auto policy. Under Alabama law, every insurance policy sold must include uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist coverage. This is protection when the at-fault driver has no insurance or an insufficient amount of insurance. Claiming under your UM/UIM policy will not effect your premiums.

While the minimum UM/UIM coverage is often enough to cover small wrecks with few injuries, it is not enough when injuries are severe. UM/UIM coverage is surprisingly affordable. To fully protect yourself and your loved ones, the Insurance Information Institute recommends purchasing $100,000 in UM/UIM per person.
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, it’s important to review your rights as soon as possible with an experienced personal injury attorney. If the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured, you may a legal remedy in UM/UIM coverage. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Filed Under: Automobile Accidents

A Warning to Company Drivers – Many Companies Waive Uninsured Motorist Coverage for their Employees

April 21, 2017 by Morris Lilienthal

What happens if you’re in an accident while on the job?

Driving a company car, truck or van is a daily occurrence for many employees. As someone who drives as a part of their job, you’re at an increased risk to be involved in a motor vehicle accident simply by the fact you’re on the road a lot. So, what happens if you’re in a car accident while on the job?

If you’re involved in an automobile accident while on the job you have 2 types of legal claims available to you. The first is a workers’ compensation claim. In a nutshell, if you’re injured on the job workers comp is responsible for paying all your accident-related medical expenses. Moreover, they will also be obligated to pay you a portion of your average weekly wage while you’re out of work.

The second type of claim is a claim against the at-fault driver of the car accident, which is often known as a 3rd party case. Further, if the at-fault driver does not have any insurance coverage or if your injuries and damages in the wreck exceed the insurance policy limits of the at-fault driver you can make also make a claim for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.

[Read more…] about A Warning to Company Drivers – Many Companies Waive Uninsured Motorist Coverage for their Employees

Filed Under: Automobile Accidents, Blog, Car Accident

Liability in Self-Driving Car Accidents

August 20, 2016 by Morris Lilienthal

Tesla CarWhile self-driving and autonomous cars loaded with crash avoidance features seem to be the way of the future, there will inevitably be bumps along the road. Recently, a man in Florida was killed while using the autopilot feature on his Tesla automobile. The Tesla smashed into a truck turning left in front of it after it failed to anticipate the truck’s movements. The family of the deceased accident victim is now suing Tesla. According to Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk, the car failed to break due to the high ground clearance of the truck and a white reflection from the truck, which the car may have anticipated as an overhead road sign.

It’s important to point out, however, that Tesla drivers using autopilot are required to keep their hands on the wheel and be ready to retake control of the vehicle at any time. The autopilot feature is not (yet) capable of allowing drivers to completely tune out, Tesla reminds us. Read Tesla’s statement here. [Read more…] about Liability in Self-Driving Car Accidents

Filed Under: Automobile Accidents, Blog, Car Accident

Who pays if you’re injured in an Uber accident?

August 2, 2016 by Morris Lilienthal

While the Uber app is turned on, the company’s insurance policy will cover an Uber driver and pay for any subsequent injuries you might experience. However, while the Uber app is off, the company is not liable for any injury, and the driver’s individual insurance company will have to cover any damages.

Uber Insurance

Here is a quick breakdown of Uber’s insurance policy as of July 2016.

  • Liability Coverage—An Uber driver’s liability to riders and third parties is covered from the moment the driver turns on the app, accepts a trip, and finishes the ride. Uber’s policy has up to $1 million of liability coverage.
  • Coverage for Physical Damage —If an Uber vehicle is physically damaged during a trip, the company’s insurance policy will cover the damage up to the vehicle’s cash value after payment of a $1,000 deductible.
  • Uninsured and Underinsured Injury—If another motorist causes an accident with an Uber vehicle and that motorist doesn’t have adequate insurance, Uber will provide up to $1 million of bodily injury coverage to all occupants of the rideshare vehicle.
  • Coverage between Rides—While a driver is driving around awaiting his or her next trip, Uber’s policy can cover up to $25,000 for property damage, up to $50,000 for bodily injury, and $100,000 for the total accident in the event that the driver doesn’t have adequate coverage.
  • Commercially Licensed Drivers—Drivers for UberBLACK, UberTAXI, and UberSUV are covered by their own commercial insurance policies.

As they specify on their site, each state has a slightly different policy due to differences in local laws. Click here to see Uber’s policy for each state.
[Read more…] about Who pays if you’re injured in an Uber accident?

Filed Under: Automobile Accidents, Blog, Car Accident

Out of State Car Accidents – What Law Applies

July 15, 2016 by Morris Lilienthal

Alabama Car AccidentWhen traveling out of state, even the safest driver faces the possibility of an unexpected car accident. Driving on unfamiliar roads in an unfamiliar city heightens the risk for an accident. Of course, with any accident, contact 911 immediately, take pictures of the accident scene and any damage to the vehicles, write down the names and numbers of any other involved parties or witnesses, and contact your insurance company. Visit our page on the steps to take after a car accident here. In most cases, your insurance policy should cover out of state car accidents.

Each state has different laws on car accident claims which could significantly impact you’re claim and damages. Because the statute of limitations places a ticking clock on your ability to file a claim, and because statute of limitations varies from state to state, it is important to contact an experience personal injury attorney as soon as possible after the wreck. [Read more…] about Out of State Car Accidents – What Law Applies

Filed Under: Alabama, Automobile Accidents, Blog

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 9
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Contact Us Anytime - 24/7

800-255-6534

TALK WITH A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

115 Northside Square | Huntsville, Alabama 35801

Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | © by Martinson & Beason, P.C. All rights reserved.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Attorneys
    • Douglas C. Martinson, II
    • A. Mac Martinson
    • Morris H. Lilienthal
    • Caleb W. Ballew
    • Monica E. Jayroe
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Motorcycle Accidents
      • Dangerous Drugs & Devices
      • Wrongful Death
    • Car Accidents
    • Probate & Estate Planning
    • Family Law
    • Corporate Law
    • Criminal Law
    • Real Estate Law
    • Whistleblower Retaliation
    • More Practice Areas
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • FAQs
    • Guides
      • Car Accident Guide
      • Personal Injury Guide
      • Dangerous Drugs and Medical Devices Guide
    • Testimonials
    • Verdicts & Settlements
    • News Room
    • Newsletters
    • Recursos Por Accidentes
  • Contact