Munley Law Blog

Is there a recall on your car? Check to be sure.

Is your car or truck safe to drive? Are you sure?

Many people who are hurt or killed by an automotive defect weren’t aware that their vehicle was under recall. Checking to see if your vehicle has been recalled is easy, it often costs nothing to have the defect fixed, and doing so can save your life and the lives of your loved ones.

The Takata airbag recall, the most extensive in U.S. automotive history, is of particular concern due to a large number of vehicles affected and the severity of the injuries caused by the defect. The Takata airbags in question have inflators made with ammonium nitrate, a propellant that can become unstable and cause the inflator to rupture, sending metal shards into the cabin. Ten people (nine in the U.S.) have been killed and more than 100 have been injured this way. […]

New Rules Give Patients Better Access to Medical Records

A recent article in the New York Times explains new guidelines issued this month that aim to give patients easier access to their own medical information.  In our view, this is an extremely important development, because having access to medical information allows people to take control of their own healthcare, and to find and fix potentially dangerous errors in their records.  After a car accident that results in injuries, or an illness requiring hospitalization, it is important that people be informed about their care.

As the article notes, patients have long had the right to view their own medical records, but they frequently face obstacles that prevent them from exercising that right.

“Jump Through Hoops”

One of the most frequent complaints received by the Department of Health and Human Services is the difficulty patients experience in obtaining copies of their medical records. […]

If you slip and fall on ice, who is responsible?

If you slip and fall on ice, the property owner or business responsible for clearing ice and snow may be held responsible if you are injured after they failed to clear the hazard in a reasonable amount of time. How can you know for sure? The best thing to do is to simply consult an expert – call a personal injury lawyer who will listen to the details of your situation, answer your questions, and explain your legal options.

Should you choose to pursue legal action, the team of slip and fall attorneys at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys will not only investigate the case on your behalf, but we will not collect any fee from you unless we win your case.

In the meantime, there are some important things to keep in mind in case of a slip and fall. […]

Your Winter Car Care Checklist

Winter can be rough on drivers. Winter weather can create hazardous driving conditions, and the cold can wreak havoc on your vehicle, even making it dangerous to drive. Fortunately, there are some measures you can take to keep your car running and prevent a winter weather accident. This is your winter car care checklist:

1. Your Battery

When the temperature dips below freezing, it can take twice as much power to start your car than in warmer weather. If your battery is more than three years old, or if you notice your engine is slow to start, consider replacing your battery. If you’re not sure of the condition your battery is in, make a trip to a local mechanic or auto parts store and have it tested. Breaking down on the side of the road or being stranded because of a dead battery in the winter is not only extremely unpleasant, […]

Poorly maintained fields increase concussion risk

When it comes to concussions, does it matter what type of field the athletes are playing on?

Head injuries and life-threatening conditions such as CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in athletes, especially football players, have been getting lots of (long overdue) attention in recent years. In an effort to help protect players,  we’ve seen sports leagues, coaches, trainers, medical professionals, and equipment manufacturers work to make the games safer — a better helmet design, teaching safer tackling techniques, greater enforcement of game rules, and earlier detection of head injury to avoid repeated blows. Little attention has been paid to the actual playing surface, even though 1 in 5 concussions involve a head-to-surface collision.

A recent study by the Concussion Legacy Foundation urges athletic organizations and groundskeepers to treat the field with the same care as they would any other piece of valuable equipment or safety technology, […]