West Palm Beach Injury Lawyer Blog

For years now, car manufacturers have sent cautions to their customers, signaling the potential hazards of aging tires. Worn-out, substandard tires on the highway can lad to West Palm Beach automobile accidents, just as sure as rush hour or drinking and driving. These companies have become increasingly insistent with their message, so much so that at least one - the Ford Motor Company - is seeking federal intervention to require an age limit (six years) on tires. The determination of this message seems to underscore the serious nature of the issue, and perhaps if motorists become more conscious of keeping fresh, reliable tires on the road, lives can be saved.

Obviously, such discussion raises an important, practical question: how exactly do you figure out the age of your tires? Certainly, considering this from a legal perspective, as a West Palm Beach car accident attorney would, it is in your best interest to know the age of the tires on your car. Thankfully, recent manufacturing changes have made this easier than it used to be. Up until last year, figuring the age required either a car lift or a belly-crawl, flashlight in hand, to get a glimpse of the inside wall of your tires. The precious information printed here - the “DOT number,” a type of serial number - is now regularly printed on the outside of tires, where it is more easily accessible.

Whatever the location, it is the last three or four figures at the very end of the DOT number that are important for figuring out the date of manufacture and thereby the age of your tires. Those tires produced after January 1, 2000 will have four numbers; those earlier than this will have three. The first two digits signal the week of the tire’s production, while the last digit (or two) represents the year. As an example: “036″ means that the tire was produced in the third week, 1996. For those tires manufactured after 01/01/00, the year is indicated with two digits: “4604″ shows a manufacture date in the 46th week of 2004.

Safety experts insist that every motorist should check the age of his/her tires. Any older than six years should be replaced immediately. Mileage is not a factor, only age. Consumers and West Palm Beach auto accident lawyers alike are recognizing that following this rule leas to the best and safest tire performance.

If you or a loved one is in need of legal assistance, call The Law Offices of Casey D. Shomo at (561-659-6366) or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for most drivers across the nation: time to test the heater and defroster, to put on the snow tires, to stock up on antifreeze, ice scrapers, and plenty of caution for navigating winter roads. Soon enough the ease of rolling across open roads with the windows down will be a cherished memory. Statistics show that the winter months are prone to a different breed of accident. Suddenly simply pulling to a stop behind another vehicle at a stoplight can cause a fender bender, under the right conditions. Loss of control, poor visibility, terrible road conditions, and failing engines can all contribute to the hazards of being on the road. The phenomena of winter auto accidents translates into a specific personal injury law practice for those auto accident lawyers serving motorists in winter weather communities. These attorneys wrestle with issues of fault when factoring in such issues as icy roads.

Thankfully, West Palm Beach auto accidents Read the rest of this entry »

Personal injury law is far and away the most common type of civil legal action. It is through personal injury or “tort” laws that one private citizen can seek justice for damages sustained due to the action or inaction of another. The injured/wronged person, who brings the lawsuit, is the plaintiff; the accused is the defendant. In a finding for the plaintiff, compensation for injuries, costs, and other wrongs are referred to as “damages.”

The permutations of personal injury cases are endless, but Read the rest of this entry »