Idahoans enjoy some of the best outdoor activities in the country, and many residents lead very active lifestyles, so it’s not surprising that the bicycling community thrives in the Treasure Valley. The green belt offers students a chance to ride to school, and children of all ages can ride their bikes during the warmer months.
In 2012, Idaho police arrested more than 9,000 people for driving under the influence, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Report. That same year, drunk drivers killed 53 people and injured hundreds more. Police all over the state launched drunk-driving awareness campaigns, but it’s easy for their message to get lost in the statistics.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared April “Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” and state police all over the country are using this opportunity to crack down on drivers who are texting while driving. According to the Idaho State Journal, Idaho law-enforcement officers will be looking for distracted drivers as part of the NHTSA’s enforcement campaign.
Cars may be the most dangerous invention that man has ever made. The average U.S. car weighs in at 4,000 pounds, and there are more than 250 million of them on the road today. It’s no wonder that more than 29,000 people die each year in car accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Idaho State Journal reports that police blamed a recent car accident on distracted driving. According to the police report, 18-year-old Jennie Morrison was driving in her VW Bug when she lost control and drove off of the road. She overcorrected while trying to regain control of the vehicle and sped back across the road before hitting a guardrail.
Paramedics took her to a nearby medical center where doctors treated her for non-life threatening injuries. When asked what happened, she told police that she was trying to adjust her sock and took her eyes off the road for only a moment.
The story serves to remind us that any activity that takes your eyes or mind away from the task of driving can cause a serious accident. Overall, she is very lucky that she didn’t strike a pedestrian or another motorist.
If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver in Meridian, don’t hesitate to call our offices and schedule a free initial consultation to determine if pursuing a personal-injury lawsuit is worthwhile. You may be able to recover compensation that you can use to pay for any medical treatment that your injuries require. To schedule your consultation, call 208-376-5265.
Family Files Wrongful-Death Lawsuit After Single-Car Accident
It’s not often that a personal-injury lawsuit is filed over a single vehicle car accident. These cases almost always involve a vehicle design flaw or malfunction. The Idaho Business Review reports that the family of a nurse is suing her employer for literally working her to death.
They claim that the hospital was notorious for understaffing, making nurses work long hours in stressful conditions. According to the lawsuit, Beth Jasper was often required to work through her lunch breaks and was routinely called in on her days off.
Eventually, the long shifts became a source of stress, and she skipped meals to keep up at work. After a 12-hour shift, she told her coworkers that she was exhausted and hadn’t eaten that day. She started to drive home but ended up driving her car into a tree. Her family claims that she fell asleep at the wheel.
Jasper’s Family Is Suing The Hospital For Neglecting To Maintain A Safe Work Environment
The lawsuit cites the fact that the hospital administrators received multiple complaints about the strenuous work conditions but failed to solve the problem. The family claims that Jasper’s death could have been avoided, and it was her employer’s responsibility to monitor her working situation and make changes when necessary.
There are many cases that fall into gray areas of the law. If you are finding it difficult to decide whether or not you should file a lawsuit, call us. At the Law Offices of Johnson & Lundgreen, we offer free consultations for people in your situation. To schedule a time to speak with a Meridian personal-injury lawyer, call us at 208-376-5265.
Johnson and Lundgreen
2541 E Gala St, Ste. 210
Meridian, ID 83642
Phone:(208) 376-5256
7610 Southside Blvd
Nampa, ID 83686
Phone:(208) 466-4292
250 S. 5th St., Suite 300
Boise, ID 83702
Phone:(208) 376-5256
We work with people throughout the Treasure Valley on cases of personal injury: Automobile accidents, slips and falls, dog bites, etc. We take cases on a contingent fee basis meaning you pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
