Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at LawFIGHTING FOR THE INJURED For Over 25 Years2024-03-05T08:43:27Zhttps://www.cjolaw.com/feed/atom/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/sites/1402045/2019/09/cropped-favicon-32x32.jpgby craigolsenhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=473042023-10-16T19:27:21Z2023-10-16T19:27:21Z
Consult with your attorney: Work closely with your personal injury attorney to understand the process, your rights, and the specific details of your case. If your attorney does not return your calls he may not be the attorney or law firm that is the best for you.
Review your case: Familiarize yourself with all the facts, evidence, and documents related to your personal injury claim. This includes medical records, accident reports, and any correspondence related to the case.
Anticipate questions: Discuss potential questions with your attorney, and practice your answers to ensure you can provide clear and consistent responses.
Understand the opposing side's case: Your attorney will help you understand the arguments and strategies the other party may use during the deposition.
Maintain composure: Stay calm and composed during the deposition. It's essential to answer questions truthfully and avoid unnecessary elaboration.
Dress appropriately: Dress in a professional and respectful manner to make a positive impression.
Arrive early: Be on time for the deposition to avoid unnecessary stress.
Provide necessary documents to your attorney: Provide copies of relevant documents and evidence to your attorney before the deposition, in case they are needed. Make sure your attorney has the information he needs to help you to be ready for your deposition.
Be concise: Answer questions directly and avoid volunteering extra information. If you don't know the answer to a question, it's okay to say so.
Listen carefully: Pay close attention to questions and ensure you understand them before responding.
Follow your attorney's guidance: Your attorney will be there to object to inappropriate questions and provide guidance throughout the deposition.
Take breaks if needed: If you require a break, don't hesitate to ask for one.
Review the deposition transcript: After the deposition, review the transcript with your attorney to correct any inaccuracies or clarify any answers.
Remember that at Craig J. Olsen PA your attorney has years of experience in representing injured clients and he will be your primary source of guidance throughout this process, so communication and cooperation are crucial for a successful deposition in a personal injury claim.]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=469122021-02-22T15:22:03Z2021-02-22T15:21:57ZYou likely climb and descend the stairs in your own home many times per day. You may also use the stairs in hotels, in school, in the store, in the mall or at work -- just to name a few locations. All told, stairs are so common that we tend not to think of the potential dangers at all.
Unfortunately, that mindset can catch up with you. You must be careful. The reality is that 1 million people suffer annual injuries due to falls on the stairs, per Reuters and the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Some of these injuries are minor. Some are fatal. Many fall in the middle, with the injured parties surviving the fall but ending up with surprisingly severe injuries that require medical treatment.
Looking for hazards around the stairs
A slip and fall accident on the stairs may be caused by a hazard that shouldn’t have existed in the first place. Examples include:
A ripped carpet at the top of the stairs in a hotel
A loose rug set at the top of the stairs in a rental unit
Slippery tiles on stairs in a store or business
A loose handrail on stairs in a factory or a warehouse
A stair tread 0that is just slightly higher or lower than those around it, creating a trip hazard
All it takes is the smallest unexpected issue to cause someone to slip or trip and fall. When that happens at the top of the stairs, the resulting fall could be extremely dangerous. If you’re one of the 1 million people who end up with injuries after such an incident this year, you need to know what legal options you have. ]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=469082021-02-10T22:45:46Z2021-02-10T22:45:41ZIt’s said that you never really appreciate something until it’s gone. That’s definitely true when it comes to the knees. This remarkable body part is integral in so many of our daily movements and activities that it is immediately noticed and missed when it no longer functions normally.
If you were recently in an accident with an at-fault driver, you may be suffering from serious knee injuries that can adversely affect your mobility now and also in the future. Read on to learn more about knee injuries after a collision.
Torn anterior cruciate ligament
It is very common to suffer a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a car wreck. This can happen when the knees slam into the unyielding dashboard upon impact. You might have even have heard or felt the “pop” when the ligament snapped. Not only are you in severe pain, but you also have lost stability in that knee joint. Without a surgical repair, even after the pain subsides, your leg may buckle underneath you as you walk, causing even more damage.
Posterior collateral ligament injury
You can also suffer from injuries to the posterior collateral ligament in your knee. This, too, can cause instability and buckling, as well as pain and swelling.
Understand your options after an accident with injury
If another motorist’s negligent actions behind the wheel caused you injuries and damages in an accident, you have the right to seek compensation for those losses. However, the clock starts ticking at the time of your injury and your case could proscribe if you fail to take timely action. So, don’t wait. A lawyer can make sure documents get filed and preserve your rights.]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=469052021-02-10T14:20:36Z2021-02-10T14:20:26ZConstruction zones are necessary as workers strive to keep the state’s roads in excellent condition. Unfortunately, they are also a bit of a hazard for drivers on roads that are only partially closed.
When construction zones pop up along the road, they can lead to serious accidents and injuries -- both for the workers and for the people who are traveling through those zones in their vehicles.
5 ways these accidents happen
Understanding how and why these accidents happen can help you to avoid them. With that in mind, let’s consider a few of the ways that these crashes take place:
Congestion causes traffic to slow and cars behind the traffic jam do not slow down in time
Drivers watch the vehicles and construction crews instead of the road
The lanes are narrowed, making driving more difficult
Aggressive drivers speed through the construction zone
Some of these issues are improving, while others are getting worse. For instance, the Federal Highway Administration has seen an increase in speed-related accidents in work zones.
Are you at risk of an injury?
Now, you can commit to safe driving in work zones at all times. You can understand the risks you face and how these accidents happen. But that does not mean you no longer have to deal with those risks. After all, if you stop in a traffic jam, someone else can still hit you from behind and there's very little you can do to avoid it. If you get injured, then you need to know what legal options you have to recover your losses. Speak to an attorney today about the steps you should take next.]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=469022021-01-28T06:06:36Z2021-01-28T06:06:31Zimproperly designed or maintained ramps can be a hazard.
Ramps that are too steep
A wheelchair ramp should have a minimum slope of 1:12 which means that if a ramp is to go up 1 foot it needs to be 12 feet long. If a ramp is too steep there is a risk of tipping backwards or cause serious falls.
Ramps without handrails
In most cases, a ramp that is over 6 feet in length must have handrails. A ramp can become slick and dangerous in the rain and without a handrail a user may not be able to catch themselves if they begin to fall.
Wooden ramp
Wood can rot over time causing a ramp to cave in. A wooden ramp can also be very slippery if it gets wet. A wooden ramp should also be coated in a slip-resistant paint so that it is less slippery for the user.
Legal remedies
If a person was injured on someone else’s property, they may want to speak with an attorney who specializes in premises liability. A bad fall can result in broken bones, a head injury, or other serious injury, which can lead to unexpected medical expenses.
An attorney can investigate what caused their client’s accident and help them understand what legal rights they are entitled to. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and other damages.
]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=468952021-01-26T00:57:54Z2021-01-26T00:57:49ZWhat is a wrong-site surgery?
Surgical procedures only work if the doctor operates on the correct part of the body. However, on any given day, a doctor may have several surgeries in a row. An orthopedic surgeon could schedule a left knee replacement on one patient followed by a right knee replacement on another. A simple error in the patient care chain could cause a mistake. Common wrong-site surgeries include:
The correct procedure on the wrong side of the body
The wrong procedure at the correct location
The correct procedure on the wrong patient
How common are wrong-site surgeries?
The good news is that wrong-site surgeries are relatively rare these days. Better patient tracking tools and surgeon checklists have reduced the frequency of this type of mistake in the operating room. However, there are still medical malpractice claims that stem from wrong-site errors.
Hospitals and wrong-site surgeries
Your hospital wants to prevent surgical mistakes as much as you do. A wrong-site error leads to insurance claims, malpractice lawsuits and a poor reputation for the institution. Preventative safeguards like marking the surgical site are in place to keep you protected.
Maintaining your personal safety
As a patient, you and your family members are important advocates for your safety. Before any medical procedure, talk to the doctor or staff members to confirm that the information in your file is correct. A few seconds to double-check the chart can save you from an unpleasant mistake.
Medical errors have long-term consequences. When patients suffer due to wrong-site surgeries, contacting a lawyer may help them understand their rights and available options.]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=468922021-01-18T07:08:17Z2021-01-18T07:08:13ZWrongful death claims
In Florida, when a person’s death was caused by the negligent or reckless acts or omissions of another party, pursuing a wrongful death claim may be an option for the deceased person’s surviving family members. Although pursuing such a claim may not necessarily help the family to “move on” quickly from the incident from an emotional standpoint, a wrongful death claim is intended to help the family recover financial compensation that can help lessen the impact of the monetary loss associated with the loved one’s death.
In most wrongful death cases, one of the main factors is proving what the deceased person would have earned in income over the course of a normal working career. This shows, in fairly exact figures, just how the surviving family members have been impacted by the death that was caused by the defendant’s acts or omissions.
Representation for a wrongful death claim
At our law firm, we understand the emotional turmoil and financial difficulties that families are going through in the aftermath of the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one in a tragic accident. We work to get our clients the compensation they deserve in wrongful death cases. For more information about how we attempt to help families in Florida with these types of matters, please visit the wrongful death overview section of our law firm’s website.
]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=468872021-01-13T16:57:40Z2021-01-13T16:57:35ZA leading cause of personal injury
What many parents do not realize is that medical misdiagnoses are actually rather common in the industry, and they are the leading basis for medical malpractice filings. Even though each case will be unique in some aspects, the truth is that most cases will fall into certain categories regarding material issues surrounding diagnostic errors.
Causes of misdiagnosis
Mechanical tools that doctors use in determining medical issues are typically very effective in revealing problems and measurements, but the evaluation of that information is often inaccurate. What appears as one disorder can mimic another, but further testing is not always definitive either. And with multiple testing situations, the possibility of a communication breakdown between medical treatment professionals can also occur. General causes for misdiagnosis can also include:
Failure to order proper testing
Lack of time with patients
Lack of knowledge in advanced diseases
Physician inexperience
Proving the harm
Just as in any other personal injury case, it is incumbent on the plaintiff and its attorney to prove the harm occurred due to the negligence of the respondent physician or treatment facility. Medical negligence cases can be filed against the facility as well as any attending physician, and an ineffective transfer of information or inaccurate reading of testing information can be central to that legal proof because it often leads to establishing a treatment regimen counter to the standard accepted procedure.]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=468842021-01-11T05:40:36Z2021-01-11T05:40:31Zcar accident. The insurance company may ask questions about what happened or what the extent of the victim’s injuries are.
Recorded statements can be used against an accident victim
This might all sound routine enough, but the problem is that a recorded statement can later be used to discredit a victim if she later expands or wants to amend her story.
In some cases, the statement itself may even be used as evidence in a later trial or deposition, both of which may be necessary if an insurance company is not willing to pay the compensation the victim requires.
Since most people are trying to tell the truth, giving a statement may not seem like a big deal. The problem is that usually the person asking the question is highly trained in accident investigations and is loyal to the insurance company.
The victim, on the other hand, probably has little to no experience in giving formal statements. They can easily make mistakes or answer a question in a way that diminishes the value of a valid claim.
If one’s own insurance company is asking for a statement, it is probably a good idea to be familiar with the policy’s language since many policies do include language requiring a customer to cooperate with a claim investigation.
A victim has no such relationship with the other driver insurance company.
Our firm’s recommended rule of thumb is not to give a recorded statement; instead, a victim should speak to a personal injury attorney first about his claim.
]]>On Behalf of Craig J. Olsen, P.A., Attorney at Lawhttps://www.cjolaw.com/?p=468792020-12-18T05:40:46Z2020-12-18T05:40:41ZThe temptation to settle a motor vehicle accident claim
After an accident, the financial pressures of a victim’s recovery can feel heavy and overwhelming. A victim and their family may face uncertainty over how they will cover the costs of the victim’s treatment. Depending on their circumstances and their ability to work after a crash, a victim may want to take a settlement as soon as it arrives in order to have money in hand to pay their immediate bills.
Not all settlements are enough
The problem with many settlements, though, is that they are just not enough to fully compensate victims for their losses. A settlement may cover the immediate and short-term costs that a victim and their family face, but it may be insufficient to cover long-term lost wages, ongoing medical costs, and rehabilitation expenses to get a victim back on their feet.
It can be beneficial to motor vehicle accident victims to seek the counsel of personal injury attorneys after their crashes. These professionals can help their clients review settlement offers and seek more just resolutions to their legal expectations and needs.
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