Auto Accidents and other Motorized Vehicle Accidents

Each year thousands of people are seriously injured in car accidents or those involving public transportation, which could include taxis, trains, buses, elevators and escalators.

We have years of experience handling all types of motorized vehicle accidents and understand what is required legally to bring forth a claim for a car accident. The dynamics of an accident and the medical care required for catastrophic injuries that can result from an accident can be complex; such as injuries to the spinal column, quadriplegia and brain injuries.

If you’ve been injured in any kind of accident involving any kind of motorized vehicle, including bus, motorcycle or train, you may have the right to be compensated by the negligent driver and his insurance company.

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.

Construction Accidents

The construction industry is known for its high rate of injuries and fatalities of workers. In 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the construction industry had more fatalities than any other sector. That’s partly due to the enormous range of dangerous working situations and types of equipment, but is even more attributable to failures in the safety training, supervision and lack of safety equipment on many job sites.

While safety on construction sites is the responsibility of building owners, contractors and other employees of the construction companies, it’s not unusual for lapses and errors to occur that result in accidents. When employees don’t have the training nor the necessary equipment to do the job, when equipment is not properly maintained, or when security procedures aren’t implemented, accidents and injuries dramatically rise.

Some accidents are minor and easily resolved, but others have consequences that last a lifetime. Regardless of how serious the injury—if negligence played a part— then victims have the right to compensation.

Common accidents that occur on construction sites include:

• Falls from poorly secured ladders
• Falls from heights such as beams, scaffolds and roofs
• OSHA violations and failure to provide proper safety gear such as harnesses, gloves or safety glasses
• Contractor/subcontractor accidents onsite
• Accidents from excavation equipment or other heavy equipment, especially in the case of failure to implement safety protocols
• Injuries and deaths due to defective machinery and tools
• Electrocution and burns due to faulty electrical installation
• Injury or dismemberment due to site operator fault

If you have been injured at work or on a construction site, call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.

Slip and Fall Accidents

People are often surprised at how even a minor slip and fall can leave serious injuries, and often the extent of the injuries isn’t immediately recognized right after the accident.

The fact is that business owners have a responsibility to maintain a safe environment on their property. Slips or trips and falls can occur, for example, at an entrance covered with ice, an uneven or broken sidewalk, or on a floor or stairway covered with liquid or trash, or in any of these situations:

• Defective Sidewalk
• Broken, Neglected or Otherwise Dangerous Stairs
• Foreign Substances in Your Path
• Snowy and/or Icy Sidewalk
• Inadequate or Absent Lighting
• Lack of Handrail
• Ceiling Collapses
• Elevator Accidents

If you have been injured due to a slip and fall– we’ll help you identify and record the important details that will help with your claim. Call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.

Dog Bites

Dog bite laws vary greatly from state to state, but in many states landlords can also sometimes be held liable for injuries caused by their tenants’ dogs. But isn’t “every dog entitled to one bite?” In a word, no. That saying is an imprecise paraphrase of old English laws under which dog owners generally would not be held accountable for their pet’s “first bite” unless the owner knew or should have known that the dog had a propensity to bite.

After the first bite, the owner would be deemed to have been put on notice and could be held liable for any subsequent incidents. Even under that rule, which may still be in effect in some states, a dog may not actually have to bite someone for the owner to be put on notice that it is likely to bite someone. A dog’s habit of snarling and lunging at passersby, for example, might be enough to alert the

owner of the dog’s dangerous nature. A dog bite claim can develop into a complex case. If you have been injured due to a dog bite, call Cheryl Inzunza Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.

Accidents at Schools, Parks & Playgrounds

You expect your children to be safe at school property or at city parks and playgrounds. But sometimes, equipment is not properly maintained, or caregivers and teachers are careless and accidents can happen.

Cases involving accidents at public and private schools, parks and playgrounds can include:

• Inadequate supervision of students in a school
• Dangerous conditions of the playground surface
• Dangerous playground equipment

Arizona law requires that park or playground operators provide reasonably safe conditions for the public. With time limits in place to file a claim, time is of the essence when an accident like this takes place.

Defective Products

A product is defective when it doesn’t offer the same safety as other similar products in the same category. Frequently, defective products are also dangerous because of their inability to satisfy the manufacturer’s claims or recommended use. Dangerous products have caused thousands of deaths and millions of injuries, according to the U.S. Department of Consumer Product Safety.

In the last few years some of the defective products that have been recalled due to deaths and serious injuries include automobiles, toys and children’s products, household appliances and household building supplies. When products such as these fail due to defective design or manufacture, they can cause catastrophic injuries such as paraplegia, head injuries, loss of a limb or even death.

The liability for these hazards can apply to the manufacturer, distributor, seller or other roles in the chain of distribution for the defective product, or even a combination of them all.

If you have been injured due to a defective or dangerous product, call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible. We will prove the defect, assist you in all aspects of healing from your injury and will investigate the relationship between the two.

Medical Malpractice

Injuries as a result of medical negligence (also known as Medical Malpractice) might occur when a healthcare professional, doctor, nurse, or attendant, acts carelessly and/or negligently when they treat you. It's important to remember that medical malpractice has not occurred if you are merely unsatisfied with your treatment or the outcome.

Medical malpractice must be the result of injuries caused due to the errors or negligence of doctors and hospitals such as, during childbirth or surgery, or even a delay in diagnosis. Sadly, these types of incidents occur relatively frequently – just pick up any newspaper on any given day, and you are very likely to read about another medical mess that leaves you wondering, “how could this happen?”

Our primary interest is in the health and well-being of our clients, and to that end we are committed to getting medical expenses covered, economic and other losses fully compensated and additional medical attention secured. We also feel strongly that the legal system in general helps make for a safer medical environment for everyone.

If you have been injured due to medical negligence, call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.

Wrongful Death

An individual who dies due to the fault or negligence of another is the innocent victim of a “wrongful death.” For the family that remains, there is no greater or more painful loss.

Wrongful deaths occur in all kinds of circumstances. For example, the situation could be the result of medical negligence, a motor vehicle accident, injuries on a jobsite, or the result of exposure to toxic chemicals – any situation where negligence or carelessness creates the occasion for accidents or fatal injury.

If you lose a loved one due to a wrongful death, you and your family may have the right to obtain compensation – not only the monetary losses such as medical costs and the loss of future earnings, but also the very personal concerns, such as loss of companionship and pain and suffering.

If you have been injured due to wrongful death, call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.

Police Misconduct and Civil Rights Violations

The people who serve our communities as police officers, prison officials and other law enforcement agents have the responsibility to respect the rights of citizens. Sometimes however, some abuse their authority by physically and emotionally harming the citizens they are supposed to protect. Fortunately, there are laws in place to compensate those who’ve been injured as a result of police misconduct.

We have experience helping the victims of:

• Assault and Battery
• Excessive force
• Libel and Slander
• Inappropriate Sexual Contact
• Lack of Adequate Security Measures

Your recovery can include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering-both physical as well as emotional. If you believe you may have been the victim of police misconduct, please contact our firm for assistance and advice.

Whether we are aware of it or not, our actions are often influenced by our own biases prejudices. Though the majority of police and other law enforcement officers work to protect citizens, there are some instances where police officers infringe upon the rights of individuals in the process of arrest or in other situations.

Civil Rights Violations include any of the following:

• False imprisonment
• False arrest
• Sexual harassment/misconduct
• Discrimination based upon, age, race, religion

If you have been injured due to police misconduct, call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.

Lead Poisoning

Lead is a strong poison that can be found in many places such as paint in older buildings and in schools, though it can be present on virtually any painted surface. When a child inhales lead dust or ingests lead paint chips, part of the metal can stay in their body causing serious health problems known as lead poisoning.

Even small amounts of exposure to or doses of lead can cause serious injuries. Lead can lead to health problems over time even if there are no obvious symptoms.

Lead is much more dangerous to children than it is to adults, primarily because it can affect the developing brain and nerves. Unfortunately, the smaller the child, the more likely they are to ingest the dust or eat the paint chips, and the more harm that can result from lead.

If you believe someone in your family has been injured due to lead poisoning or any other environmental contaminant, call Cheryl Blum at 520-795-4900 or complete the form as soon as possible.