Arizona Personal Injury Law Blog

From 2000 to 2009, the number of bike commuters has increased by 64-percent in America. Whether people are turning to bikes in an effort to help the environment, save on gas, or just get some exercise - this upward trend doesn't seem to be slowing. In fact, at any given time there are more than 57 million cyclists on the road across the nation. While in many aspects this is a positive thing, the need for bike education in order to prevent accidents is vital.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, two-percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths are bicyclists with a majority of deaths due to serious head injuries. In 2011, a total of 675 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles, up 10-percent from 2010. The worst thing about these deaths is many of them could have been avoided by following a few simple steps listed below and making them part of your everyday routine: 

1.) Follow the law. Whether it's staying in the bike lane, driving with traffic, or wearing a helmet, state and city laws exist to protect you. Make sure you read up on the laws in your area so you can stay as safe as possible on the road.

2.) Be Visible. Be sure to wear bright colored clothing while you bike. Avoid dark colors, even in the daylight. The brighter, the better. This goes for lights or reflectors on your bike, as well. Make sure you equip your bike so that you're noticeable.

3.) Be on the defense. Don't assume that just because you are riding in the bike lane, wearing bright clothing, and have reflectors, that you are safe. Sometimes drivers are not paying attention or they just don't see you. This means you always need to be aware. Look both ways before crossing an intersection, make sure cars turning left and right know that your there, and always be ready to stop if needed.

4.) Be friendly. Road rage doesn't work while driving and it definitely doesn't work while riding a bike. If a driver makes a mistake, cuts you off, or whatever it may be, stay calm and brush it off. Just like a car, taking your eyes off the road or hands off the handlebar while riding a bike can be very dangerous.

5.) Avoid high traffic areas. The more cars there are in an area, the higher the chances of getting in an accident. If you can avoid it, stick to small trails and neighborhoods, rather than big roads.

6.) Wear a helmet. Based on the above statistics, this is probably the most important tip to remember. About 90-percent of bikers killed in a road accident in the past decade were not wearing helmets. And, despite this high statistic, only 20 to 25-percent of bikers wear helmets. Wearing a helmet is not just for kids. It can save your life in case of an accident. Bike deaths has decreased in every category except men 20 and older. Regardless of your age or how you think you look, please wear a helmet. Adults are at risk for serious head injury and death just as much as children.

With bicycling a very popular activity in Arizona, bikers are at-risk year round. If you know someone who rides a bicycle in Phoenix, share this blog with them. Let them know the steps they should be taking before it's too late.

If you or someone you know has been in a bike accident, contact our expert Scottsdale personal injury attorneys. Recovering from a collision can be life-changing. We can help. Give Knapp & Roberts a call today.

A 35-year-old group home caregiver is facing aggravated assault charges after she kicked and pushed a 69-year-old mentally handicap resident. Another group home worker took the resident to the hospital after she noticed a change in behavior and bruises on her body. A later report showed that the abusive group home caregiver, Kaskashelia Moore, allegedly pushed the resident, causing her to fall down in the hallway. She then proceeded to kick the defenseless resident in the back, side, and in the throat. Moore is behind bars tonight and is due in court later this month.

Even with that caregiver behind bars, stories like this are frightening. Abuse really can happen to anyone. It is estimated that one million senior citizens are abused every year in the United States, most of them unable to fight back and many of them unable to communicate that the abuse took place. In the above scenario, the 69-year-old group home resident's abuse was found by another caretaker who took action and sought proper help for her injuries. This is not always the case. Often times reporting abuse and neglect is left up to the families of the developmentally disabled group home residents. If you suspect your loved one has been abused in a group home, here are 6 steps to take in reporting it:

1.) Contact the DDD (if applicable). If your loved one is in a setting paid for by the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), submit a report containing all the information and details you know. Once a report is made, the DDD is required to look into the claims. We at Knapp & Roberts also recommend speaking with a DDD staff member and filing a written report. From there, it is best to file a report with the statewide DDD office, too. Once the DDD looks in to your report, you are entitled to a copy of their response with the action they will be taking against the service provider (group home).

2.) Contact the police (if applicable). If your loved one has endured abuse that has physically harmed them, make a report with the police. Arizona's general laws protect all people against abuse and neglect. Special laws also protect people with developmental disabilities.

3.) Contact APS (if applicable). If your loved one is an adult, call Adult Protective Services. APS is a state agency that protects adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. They will look into any reports being made and can be reached for free by phone to make a report. Just call 1-877-SOS-ADULT.

4.) Contact CPS (if applicable). If your loved one is a child, call Child Protective Services. CPS is a state agency aimed at protecting children from abuse and neglect. They will look into any reports and can be reached for free by phone to make a report at 1-888-SOS-CHILD.

5.) Contact the DDD Human Rights Committee (HRC). HRCs are groups of local people who are not part of the DDD. They protect the rights of people with DD who get help from the DDD. Each DDD district has its own HRC. Anyone can make a report about neglect, abuse, or another rights problem to the HRC. If the HRC is not the best group to handle the report, they will tell you who to contact.

6.) Contact Knapp & Roberts. If you believe your loved one has been injured due to negligent care in a group home, contact our experienced group home abuse and neglect attorneys in Arizona. We offer a free initial consultation where we will investigate your case and advise you on your legal rights.

At Knapp & Roberts, we take abuse and neglect cases very seriously. We understand that you trusted another person or company to care for your loved one - and that trust was destroyed. We want to help give your loved one with special needs the voice they deserve. Give us a call today to schedule a free initial consultation at 480-991-7677 or toll free at 800-541-4477. You can also contact us online by filling out this form.

Story of abused group home resident found here.

A 1-year-old in Mesa is in critical condition after nearly drowning in his family's backyard swimming pool. The boy is said to have crawled through a doggy door and fell in the swimming pool. His aunt, who was babysitting him, said she accidentally fell asleep for 20 to 30 minutes and when she woke up, she found him floating face down in the pool. Tragically, this scenario is far too common this time of year. We at Knapp & Roberts warn parents all year round to beware of any safety holes in your home, a doggy door being one of them. It's said often, but it can't be said enough: even taking your eyes off your child for a second is too long.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the U.S., with 10 people losing their lives to unintentional drowning every day. Of those, two are children aged 14 or younger. Why is this statistic so high? Researchers believe it's due to lack of swimming ability, lack of barriers, lack of close supervision, and location - to name a few. The good news is, most of these things can easily be prevented. Here are 5 tips to help you and your family stay safe in the water:

-Supervise when in or around water. Designate a responsible adult to watch young children around the pool. If there's an occasion, such as a BBQ, don't assume that someone else is watching. Designate one or two people to be in charge of watching the kids. If one of them needs a break, tag team and take turns. Regardless, at least one person needs to be responsible for watching the children swimming. That person should always be within touching distance of the children and should never be distracted or multitasking by reading, playing cards, or even talking on the phone.

-Learn to swim. This tip can be a scary one, but teaching your child how to swim is the best thing you can do in case of emergency. Now, there should still be an adult in charge of watching children, but giving your child the tools to be comfortable in the water and know what to do if they fall in can be lifesaving. I recently came across this video online. It is terrifying to watch, but is a great example of real-life accidents that can happen to anyone. ISR, or Infant Swim Rescue, is a valley company that teaches 6-month-old to 12-month-old infants to roll onto their backs, float, and call for help if they find themselves in the water - all while fully-clothed and wearing shoes. Toddlers and young children are taught how to swim, roll onto their backs, float, rest, and roll over to swim to safety. Again, this is not meant to replace adult supervision, it is only meant to act as a safety precaution in case your child ever found themselves in the water without someone nearby.

-Learn CPR. There are several businesses all around the valley that offer free CPR classes. You can find a list of reputable places in Maricopa County here.

-Install barriers in your home. Have child safety locks on your doors, lock any doggy doors, install an alarm whenever a door is opened, have a locked fence around your pool. Have as many obstacles in place as possible so that a child cannot reach a pool.

-Remove anything that may entice a child to go near the pool. When you're not using the pool, clear the pool and deck of any toys, floating devices, balls, etc... so that a child does not see something they want and try to go after it.

Most children ages 1 to 4 drown in home swimming pools, but that's not the only place your child is at risk. Last week, a 5-year-old in Watertown, New York drowned in the Black River while fishing. A 4-year-old in Antioch, California nearly drowned in a fitness center pool last weekend. No matter where you are or what you're doing, it's important to remember that unintentional drowning can happen to anyone, anywhere. It's the steps you take when around water and leading up to it that makes all the difference.

Knapp & Roberts expert personal injury and wrongful death lawyers in Arizona have seen far too many drowning cases in their nearly 25 years of litigating. Knapp & Roberts does their best to educate and provide resources to Arizonans so you can prevent this horrific accident from happening to your family. However, sometimes responsibility is left in the hands of someone else: a daycare, school, group home, swim instructor, etc... If you trusted your child in the hands of someone else and your child suffered injury, give us a call. That injury is life-changing, and can sometimes require significant care or medical assistance over a lifetime. We understand the seriousness of the situation and will do everything we can to handle your case with the care and attention you deserve. Call 800-541-4477 or 480-991-7677 for a free initial consultation today.

There are 320 million wireless subscribers in the U.S. Every month 184.3 billion text messages are sent. Every day about 100 million people drive. And last year, 6,000 people died from distracted driving. That's 6,000 families who lost their loved one to something so trivial, it's heartbreaking. I recently came across the story of Alex Brown, a beautiful young woman who lost her life far too early at the age of 17. Alex was on her way to school and texting while driving, an attempt to multitask that is far too common among teens and adults these days. She lost control of her vehicle causing her truck to roll. Alex didn't make it.

Looking at how many text messages are sent on a daily basis and how many wireless customers there are in the U.S., 6,000 people may not seem like a lot. In fact, me telling you that statistic may not mean anything to you...until it's someone you know or someone you can relate to. Alex was her parents' first-born child. She was a daughter, a big sister, a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin, and a friend. Alex may have "only" been one of 6,000 people, but to her friends and family, all it took was one. In a matter of seconds, the statistic could have been "1" and it still would have changed their lives forever. That's because all it takes is one person. All it takes is one time and one moment for everything to change. That's why we at Knapp & Roberts do everything we can to join the crusade to end distracted driving. We don't care if the statistic is 1 or 1 million, 1 time is too many.

Following the death of their beloved daughter, Jeanne and Johnny Mac Brown decided to dedicate their lives to sharing the story of Alex. They started the R.A.B. Foundation: Remembering Alex Brown. On their website, rabfoundation.org you and everyone you know can take a pledge and agree to stop distracted driving. Your pledge may not seem like a lot, but as we found out with Alex, one person can make all the difference.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, contact our Arizona auto accident attorneys. We specialize in distracted driving cases and will handle your case with the care and attention you deserve. Call us at 480-991-7677 today and schedule your free initial consultation or fill out our Do I Have a Case form online today.