Cleveland Legal Issues Blog

What can you do to make your home pool safer?

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in premises liability on Friday, August 9, 2019.

The warm summer weather in Ohio draws many families to the cooling waters of a swimming pool. Having a pool on your residential property can be fun and convenient. However, it also represents a significant responsibility to take steps to keep everyone safe in the vicinity of your pool. This includes your family, your guests and children in your neighborhood.

The American Red Cross recognizes the potential dangers of home swimming pools. It has put together a list of steps you can take to improve your home pool safety.

What are the financial impacts of a crash?

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

Ohio residents will likely suffer financial losses if involved in a crash. Unfortunately, these losses live long after the damages of a collision. At Klein & Carney, Co., we help individuals understand the long-lasting financial consequences of a devastating accident and why legal help is a good idea.
The short-term financial costs of a crash are typically the first concern when considering the financial implications. Costs may include repairing damages done to the car, medical expenses, and ambulance fees.
However, more severe crashes often raise overall expenses for a victim. Someone involved in a severe accident may be forced to get a new vehicle while incurring high medical bills and unpaid time off work.

Can a car crash blind you?

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

As an Ohio driver, you know you face the risk of becoming involved in an auto accident every time you get behind the wheel. After all, it is a well known fact that far too many drivers nowadays choose to drive while distracted by talking or texting on their cellphones. You probably encounter these drivers every day.

While you recognize your risk at some almost unconscious level, however, you likely seldom think about the catastrophic consequences you could face as the result of an auto accident. For instance, do you realize that you could be permanently blinded?

What dangers does the summer heat bring?

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in premises liability on Monday, July 22, 2019.

Ohio residents like you know that temperatures can climb to excessive heights during the summer months. But did you know that high temperatures can inadvertently increase your chance of tripping or slipping on paved ground? Today, we at Klein & Carney CO., L.P.A., will discuss exactly how summer heat can contribute to injury via slip and fall incidents.

The first way that heat impacts your chance of slipping is related to water. When it's hot out, you may want to go to pools, lakes, or beaches in order to cool down. While playing in the water is fun, it also presents many risks. It's all too easy for you to slip on a wet deck and fall into a pool, potentially drowning. Wild water like lakes and oceans pose an even greater danger because the water isn't controlled. If the safety measures in place aren't strong enough, you can easily end up under the water.

Understanding your workers' compensation claim

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. on Tuesday, July 16, 2019.

A work accident can change your life in an instant. One moment you may be doing your job, and the next you may be dealing with pain and injuries, and you may not be sure what to do next. Most Ohio workers have the right to pursue benefits through a workers' compensation claim, and it can be helpful to learn more about what to expect from that process.

The intent of workers' compensation insurance is to provide support to injured workers. Generally, employees are eligible to file a claim if they suffer injuries while in their workplace or while fulfilling their job-related duties. If you get sick because of your job or are hurt because of a work accident, you may be able to claim support that will help you address medical bills, lost wages and other needs.

Drivers continue to post selfies, despite warnings

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Monday, June 24, 2019.

Most drivers in America are aware of the dangers involved in using a cellphone while behind the wheel. Yet, many continue to engage in this risky behavior despite warnings of its deadly effects. In 2017, more than 3,100 people were killed in accidents involving distracted drivers and thousands more were injured. If using a hand-held cellphone is not hazardous enough, a surprising number of people take selfies while driving then continue to post them on social media sites. All of this causes three types of distractions: visual, manual and cognitive.

To take a selfie, drivers must take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road to pose for the perfect pic. Furthermore, drivers take their focus off the road in order to concentrate on the task at hand. Once a pic is taken, drivers may upload their pic onto a social media platform and update their status. The fact that this occurs while a person is driving may seem crazy. Unfortunately, people who do this put their lives and the lives of others at risk.

Understanding the dangers of potholes

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in wrongful death on Friday, June 7, 2019.

After the end of a harsh winter, you may expect to encounter some road damage. Freezing temperatures and snow tires can wreak havoc on pavement, resulting in cracks and even large potholes on city streets and highways. At the law office of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A., we know that poor road conditions can also threaten the safety of Ohio residents.

Exactly how dangerous are potholes, you may wonder? They may be an eyesore, and it can be annoying to drive over a hole in the street, but you might not have considered potholes to be a risk to your safety. However, as Forbes explains, potholes can be risky in numerous ways. Driving over a particularly large and deep pothole can cause significant damage to your car, which may result in a later accident if, for example, the pothole damage weakens a tire or ruins your alignment. You may also experience immediate danger if running over a pothole or attempting to avoid it causes you to lose control of your vehicle.

Getting fair compensation after a car crash can take time

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. on Friday, May 24, 2019.

Suffering injuries in a car accident can do a real number on a person and his or her family. Depending on the severity of the car crash, the losses one might experience may be minor, or they may be on the extreme end. If you or a family member have suffered injuries in an automobile collision, you probably think that insurance will take care of you. The truth is, that may not be the case.

What people need to remember is, auto insurance providers are businesses. Their goal is to keep their investors happy. If you or a loved one suffered injury in a car accident in Ohio or elsewhere, know that the initial settlement offer provided by an insurance carrier is likely to be on the low side. Why? Their goal is to get you to walk away with as little as possible.

Cuyahoga County fatalities involving alcohol and speed

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, May 3, 2019.

If you are like most people in Ohio, you are concerned about safety on the roads. The health and future of you and your family is literally on the line every time you ride in a vehicle, walk on a sidewalk or ride a bike. You may choose to drive safely and follow all of the laws but the fact of the matter is that other drivers have the unfortunate ability to choose the opposite path. There continue to be many selfish people who do not want to obey posted speed limits or hand over their keys when they have been drinking.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speed was a contributing factor in 199 of the state's 1,132 vehicular fatalities in 2016 and another 157 out of 1,179 deaths in 2017. Drunk drivers were involved in accidents that killed 330 people in 2016 and another 333 people in 2017. In 2017, speed was a factor in 13% of all deaths and alcohol was a factor in 28% of the deaths.

Top causes of car accidents

On behalf of Klein & Carney Co., L.P.A. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Tuesday, April 23, 2019.

Driving on the road in Ohio presents a variety of risks and chances of getting in a crash. It is important to be aware of common causes of accidents so you can avoid high-risk situations and practice better defensive driving techniques.

According to the CDC, distracted driving is one of the main causes of accidents on the road. Examples of distractions include fiddling with the radio, putting an address into the GPS, reaching in the back to get something, eating, putting on makeup and cell phone use. Although talking on the phone is distracting, texting is the worst because it takes your hands off the wheel, your mind off driving and your eyes off the road.