Saturday, August 29, 2015

Is it wrong to sue your neighbor?

You're Injured, Now What?
An update to keep you informed on personal injury situations.

If you are injured in a slip and fall at the grocery store, your immediate response is to file a report on your injuries and seek either compensation or action to prevent further incidents. If the store does not comply with your requests, the obvious next step is to acquire legal representation and sue for compensation. This is pretty common practice and nobody bats an eye at the idea of suing a major corporation or grocery chain. Yet, if you were to stumble over a cracked step while at your neighbor’s house and break your arm, your first response would be embarrassment and then eventually your “neighborly spirit” would guide you in the direction of absorbing the entire fault for the accident. Isn’t it odd how water on the floor of a grocery store is so different than decaying cement at a neighbor’s? Both are property management issues and can cause devastating injuries. Both could have been prevented with proper care. So why is it that we feel so guilty and overall awkward when we ask our neighbors to take responsibility for their negligence? Well, simply put, it’s because it’s easy to put yourself in your neighbor’s shoes and implement the “Golden Rule”, treat others how you wish to be treated. This is a rule that has quelled many a schoolyard squabble; however, in the adult world we have to realize that this rule works both ways. Shouldn’t your neighbor have been trying equally as hard to compensate you for your injuries as you were to take the blame for their lack of property maintenance? In today’s society we have determined that the neighborly thing to do is to turn the other cheek. Well once you’ve scraped your cheek on your neighbor’s pavement a time or two, it might be time to change your position on what’s neighborly. Personally, I think a good neighbor would prevent injuries on their property with proper maintenance and repair. Granted some accidents are unforeseeable, but even those are covered in most homeowner insurance policies. Suing your neighbor isn’t even really suing your neighbor! Most of the time your injuries are covered by their insurance and they won’t have to pay a dime out of pocket. By taking legal action, you are not only getting the compensation you deserve, but are also preventing any other unsuspecting visitor from falling victim to a perilous step. So stop worrying about saving face at the neighborhood block party and hold your neighbors accountable for their mistakes.     

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Why do I need Medical Payments Coverage if I already have liability and health insurance?

You're Injured, Now What?
An update to keep you informed on personal injury situations.

Medical Payments coverage is not for everybody. If you feel comfortable with the amount of coverage that your personal health insurance provides then you may not feel the need to invest in medical payments coverage. But if you’re like me and enjoy the security of knowing that you have a secondary insurance policy to take care of your pesky left over medical bills, then Medical Payments Coverage (Med Pay) is the way to go. Med Pay is especially beneficial to those of us who have minimal health coverage, whether it be employer provided or a personal policy. Med Pay can even help pay for accident related expenses such as funeral expenses, injuries sustained by passengers, or even dental care as a result of a car accident. Personally, my favorite part of Med Pay is that it can cover injuries you sustain as a pedestrian or bicyclist after a car hits you. Obviously I don’t relish the idea of being hit by a car, but at least I’d be covered if I was! Just today I driving past a group of bicyclists and thinking about how dangerously (and annoyingly) close to by lane they were; I bet they had Med Pay. So, in conclusion, Med Pay is a great way to protect yourself and your family from the unforeseen happenings of life. Whether it’s minimal health insurance or absurd hospital bills, Med Pay’s got you covered. Remember sometimes life gives you lemons, and you have to make lemonade. Sometimes you get hit by a car, and you’ll really wish you had Med Pay.