Driver License on Your Mobile Phone??

DRIVERS LICENSE ON YOUR PHONE?

Delaware and Iowa have launched pilot programs to try using digital licenses instead of the traditional plastic drivers license cards that we all use to verify our driver’s status, age and identity.

As airline boarding passes, business loyalty cards and Apple Pay all are applications on the smartphone, a digital license would likely be its own mobile app. Also, car insurance companies now offer digital versions of auto insurance cards.

In theory, the cop that pulls you over might alert you via phone, and you can use your fingerprint to allow your info to be accessed remotely. That's when you see the ticket you received and you can even pay the citation on the app.

In practice, however, there are sure to be problems. From a technical standpoint, it us unknown how secure such a system might remain. Further, each state has its own computer systems in po0lice cars and their DMV, all of which may not be compatible.

A more troubling issue is if you are requested to hand your smartphone to a police officer. If the phone is that accessible, the police may be able to see things that the fourth amendment against unreasonable search and seizure would require a warrant to see. (The US Supreme Court has ruled that cell phones are protected from warrantless searches.) What happens if a notification pops up jokingly asking if you are “ready to go hide the body?”

One real advantage would be the instant update to change your address without a dreaded trip to the “take a number” soul-crushing long lines at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Kids these days have no idea why something as simple as updating an address requires a physical trip to a “brick and mortar” location. So, as with many new technologies, the enormous generation gap looms.

Younger drivers will be likely to embrace this technology and say it’s about time. Those of us well over 40 are likely to be more cautious and suspicious.

The way things are headed, the car will soon be diving the human, rather than the other way around.  I am definitely not ready for that!

If you enjoy these articles, let your Editor know. Thank you.

Settlements with Insurance Take Time

These cases, off the top of my head, is why I do not accept early offers:


Initial Offer:                       ---> Final result

Offer  $1,000 plus medical bills           ---> Settled for $27,500

Offer $20,000                --->  Settled $85,000

Offer  $0.00           ---->  Verdict $200,000

Offer $400            ----> Settled $44,000

Offer $20,000          ----> Mediated to $200,000

Offer $100,000      ----> Resolved at $850,000

While each case is different and prior results do not guarantee any future results, you will never convince me that the first offer is the best or that attorneys don't make a difference  


www.PeelLawFirm.com

DEATH PROOFING CARS?

DEATH-PROOF CARS?

The Swedish engineers at Volvo now claim that their formerly “boxy-but-safe” automobiles will soon be death proof!

By 2020, they claim, no one will again suffer a fatality or even be seriously injured one of their new Volvo vehicles!

Fatality-free vehicles are not unprecedented. In fact, some already exist, and they're not just Volvos. According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are nine (9) vehicle models in which no one in the United States has died in at least four years.

Much of that is safety related technology like seat belts, air bags and antilock brakes.  A martial artist will tell you, no one is hurt in a fight that is avoided. Likewise, crash avoidance is the order of the day.

Most of the technology that's required for autonomous driving is already available from Volvo and other carmakers. These are newer technologies that they promise will, essentially, make it “crash-proof.”

Pedestrian and large animal protections: Night vision cameras alert the driver to the drunk in the road, or the suicidal deer. In some models, the car will apply the brakes if you do not.

Adaptive Cruise: Adaptive cruise control is basically distance-sensing radar that allows you to program a speed that is then safely maintained by the car itself. The system does not allow you to run up on the vehicle ahead of you. There are some systems that work the same way even without the cruise engaged.

Lane Departure: The car with this system can see lane lines and road edges. Your seat vibrates to warn you to correct before you run off the road. Newer models actually steer back independently. (This feature frightens me a bit).

Autonomous Cars: Many makers, including Volvo, have announced fully autonomous cars will be in showrooms by 2020. These can be summoned by a phone to come to you and pick you up. No driver will be needed.

Those born today may the last generation to experience the following:

1.              Getting a driver license.

2.              Driving a stick shift.

3.              Riding a bus to school driven by a person.

4.              Traffic deaths killing several of their friends before age 25.

5.              Having a wreck.

6.              Getting a ticket.

That machines are here to stay. Soon, they will be here to pick you up.

SECRETS ALONG THE ROAD: Hiding in Plain Sight

BREAKAWAY DEVICES: Hiding in Plain Sight

Signs located along roads and highways are actually designed to fail! This is not some rampant misuse of government funds, or a massive failure of quality control. They are truly supposed to fail, to help keep all of us safer. As an injury lawyer, I see the results of this purposeful engineering in preventing catastrophic injuries in crashes.
In the past, roadside signposts were often giant metal beams sunk in concrete, to make them permanent. Unfortunately, errant cars were sometimes knocked into them with devastating results. It was not unusual to have a car partially split in half as the speeding vehicle was sliced itself on the sturdy signpost like a knife through butter.
Along with improvements in the cars, such as the addition of air bags, breakaway steering columns and crumple zones, highway safety has come a long way.  Breakaway signposts are now standard and required by law in most cases. All sign supports within the clear zone of highways signed at speeds of 50 mph or greater were required to be mounted on breakaway supports or be shielded with a barrier by January 1, 2013, per the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
These work by giving way, usually kicking out like a broken table leg and often allowing the striking vehicle to pass before the sign collapses.
Safe placement, of course, depends on the structure of the sign, the sign height, the type of vehicle impacting the sign, and the breakaway nature of the sign support when it is impacted.
Previously, signs only gave one or two ways. Newer, crashworthy omni-directional bases are designed to meet safety standards regardless of which direction they are struck. They are required when installing signs and other breakaway hardware near roads with two-way traffic and will likely save more lives.
So today, take a look at that sign on the interstate. The base will have a breakaway point. This secret, hidden in plain sight, might save your life one day.  Drive Safely.

AVOID A CRASH!!

AVOIDING A CAR ACCIDENT

As a Christian injury attorney, I see the aftermath of tragic car crashes every week. There are a few common accidents that you can either avoid or mitigate if you know what to do.
Avoid Overcorrection:  We all have heard and felt that sudden rumbling of our wheels running off onto the gravel shoulder. The steering wheel jerks to the right, and what is our instinct? Jerk back to the left with all our might!  This is called “overcorrection.”  Especially with younger drivers, the panicked jerking back to the left will often cause the car to turn sideways and roll or flip, sometimes with roof-crushing results. The fix? Ride it out, and gently ease back onto the pavement. We have been driving on gravel roads for 100 years, so two wheels on it for a few seconds is no need to panic.
Blowout Reaction: The “Boom” and instability of a blowout at speed induces panic in all of us. Remember though, that control of the car is best achieved through steering and not emergency braking.  Like the overcorrection issue before, quick braking or turning can easily cause a fatal rollover. Ride it out to the shoulder as best you can.
Avoid Hydroplaning: When you steer, but nothing happens, you might be on black ice, or hydroplaning. When the water on the road lifts off your steering tires and you lose contact with the pavement it is called “hydroplaning.”  Just ease off the gas and it should let the wheels grip again. If you feel unsure in the rain, consider a tire brand made for better rain disbursement.
Mechanical failures: If your car continues to accelerate uncontrollably, get the car out of gear. In a manual, simply press the clutch to the floor and brake. If you are in an automatic transmission, shift into Neutral (“N”) and brake.  Your engine may be noisy, but your car is easier to replace than you are. Once stopped, you can shut the car off, and shift back into Park.  If you lose brakes, follow the above steps to get the car out of gear, and trying pumping the brakes all you can as you come to a stop.
Sometimes, such as with a high speed brake failure, a car jacking situation or a head on drunk driver in your lane, you may even have to crash on purpose!
Hopefully, this information will never be needed in your home, but if you are teaching kids to drive, please simulate these emergency situations in a safe place. When panic sets in, you only have time for one reaction, so let’s make it the safest one.
Every twelve minutes, someone in our country perishes in a car crash. I help people with the results of accidents caused by others, but maybe this advice will save at least one life.

LAWYER'S RESEARCH STUMBLES ONTO LITTLE KNOWN NAME ORGINS

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

As an injury lawyer, legal research is common. However, even many non-legal issues, like genealogy (family trees and origins), fascinate me. The origin of how many of us got our last names is quite interesting. Many American names descended to us from ancestors in the “Old World” of Europe. Even in the Bible one can see the need for them:  Saul, “of Tarsus;” Mary “Magdalene” (from Magdala); James and John, “Sons of Zebedee;” and Matthew, “The Tax Collector.”
The Norman conquest of England in 1066 brought last names into more common usage throughout Europe. There are several sources of names. See if you know someone with each type:

“TOPONYMIC:” BASED ON PLACES OR FEATURES:
A last name often derived from where a person was from, lived or where he owned land.
Ackerman (from “acre”), Atwood (“at the wood”), Banks, Beaumont (French for “beautiful hill”), Beck or Brooks (“stream”), Bolton (“house settlement”), Bridges, Bush, Camp, Douglas (“dark river”), Dunlap/Dunlop (a muddy hill), Fields, Ford (“river crossing”), Forest, Garfield (“triangle field”), Glenwood, Gordon (“spacious fort”), Greenwood, Grove, Hamilton (“crooked hill”), Hartford, Hill, Knolls, Lake, Lane, Lee (“clearing”), Milton, (“mill town”), Moore (from moor “open area”), Norton (“north town”), Perry (“where pears grow”), Ramsey (“garlic island”), Riley (“rye-clearing”), Stone, Stroud (“overgrown thicket”), Timberlake, Underhill, Whitfield and Wood.

OCCUPATIONAL:
Many last names are obviously from jobs like a Smith, but some might surprise you:
Archer, Baker, Barker (“tanner”), Bailey (“porter”), Brewer, Butcher, Carpenter or Joiner (“wood-worker”), Carter (“transport cart”), Carver, Conner (“inspector”), Cooper (“barrel maker”), Cook, Dexter or Dye (“cloth dyer”), Farmer, Faulkner or Fowler (“falconer”), Ferrari (“metal worker”), Fisher, Fletcher (“arrow maker”), Foster (“forester”), Gardener, Glover, Hunter, Judge, Knight, Leach (“doctor”- often used leaches), Mason, Miller, Page, Parker (“park keeper”), Potter, Reeves (“sheriff”), Sawyer (“wood-cutter”), Shoemaker, Smith, Stewart or Ward (“guard”), Tanner or Gerber (“tans hides”), Taylor or Snider (“tailor”), Thatcher, Tucker (“folds clothes”), Turner (“turned wooden legs with a lathe”), Tyler (“tiled floors”), Weaver or Webb (“weaver”), and Wright or Wainwright (“wagon wheel maker”).

ANCESTORS AND NICKNAMES:
Adamson, Davidson (“the son of David”), Dawson, Dickson, Evans, Fitzgerald (“Fitz” is “of”) Harris, Harrison, Henderson, Hobson, Jackson, Jones (Welsh for John), Madison, MacDonald, Marriott (“from Mary”), Nicholson, O’Malley (“O’” is “of”), Richardson, Robinson, Rogers, Simpson, Stephenson, Thompson, Watson, Williamson and Wilson. Nicknames or descriptions include: Little, Strong, Black, Young, White, Strong or Swift.

The best has to be Falwell, or Fallowell.  Yes, someone, long, long ago, “Fell in the well!”

NEED AN UMBRELLA?


Even if it’s not raining, you may need an umbrella. “Umbrella insurance,” that is. As an injury attorney who sees terrible accidents and tragedies every single week, I commend to you the idea of umbrella insurance.

Umbrella insurance is basically additional liability insurance. It is designed to help protect you and yours from major claims or lawsuits. Having $1,000,000.00 to pay out if you cause a huge loss protects your assets.

This unique kind of insurance provides additional liability coverage above the limits of your homeowners, auto, boat, ATV, and farm insurance policies. It affords more liability coverage on any rental units you may own. It kicks in when the liability limits on these other policies has been exhausted. Umbrella coverage also covers the odder claims that may be excluded by other liability policies including: false arrest, libel and slander.
Examples might include:

• Injuries to other parties due to a serious car accident where you are at fault, like rear-ending a full school bus.
• You show a gun to a guest and it goes off, causing them to lose their foot.
• Injuries sustained by a guest in your home due to a fall in that hole your son dug.
• Harm caused to the postal worker as a result of your dog attacking him.
• Damage claims incurred when your pet rips a friend's priceless oriental rug to shreds.
• Injuries sustained by a neighbor's child who fell off your trampoline.
• A child is found dead in your swimming pool.
• Someone trips over a crack in the sidewalk of your rental property and sues you for damages.

The odd cases of slander (an injurious spoken statement that is false) or libel (the same, only in written form) are indeed rare, but not unheard of.

Let's say you rear-end that school bus. The cost of the injuries you cause to others is $500,000. Let's further say that the Bodily Injury limit on your auto insurance is a generous $300,000. Your auto policy will cover $300,000 of the injuries. Your assets are in jeopardy for the rest. But your umbrella policy will cover the amount above the limit set in your auto policy, up to the limit you choose for your umbrella policy (usually $1,000,000.00).

Umbrella insurance is not that expensive. However, be aware that it requires a higher minimum bodily injury limit (usually $250,000-300,000) on your auto policy to qualify for an umbrella policy.

How Long do I have to Sue in Tennessee?

If you or a loved one are in a car accident in Tennessee, as an adult you have only has one (1) year to sue to avoid your injury or death case from being barred due to the Tennessee statute of limitations.

As a Christian injury lawyer in Tennessee, I am often saddened to hear that an auto insurance company has not warned a victim of an accident about this fact.

Whether you are in a truck accident on I-40 in Memphis, or on I-55, on Highway 51, be aware that, even if your recovery front he crash takes longer than a year, you still have to sue on time.

This rule has exceptions, the most common being minority.  That is, the fact that a child is under eighteen (18) years of age can toll the statute.

There is no tolling of the statute because you are treating with doctors.  Nor will it matter that you have been talking to the insurance company.

Car wrecks, falls, and other injuries turn your world upside down. But, if you do not act quickly enough, you can can get hurt twice.

See my Website for more information.

How to tell if a Head Injury is Serious?

HEAD INJURIES IN ACCIDENTS CAN HIDE SYMPTOMS

As an injury lawyer who handles serious injuries from motorcycle, car and truck accidents, and on the job injuries, I see traumatic brain injuries as being the most difficult for doctors to notice or to properly diagnose.

The problem is that the symptoms may appear anywhere from immediately after the impact to days, or even weeks, later!

Initially, we often see “LOC +” listed in the emergency room medical records. That stands for “loss of consciousness – positive.” To the rest of us, it means you were knocked out. 

Sometimes, however, it might be negative. You and I refer to that as “getting your bell rung.” It is important to know that getting knocked out momentarily is difficult to diagnose after the shock of an accident.

But, is NOT required to be struck unconscious, to be truly brain-injured. If you are caring for someone after such an injury, do not ignore that gut instinct the Lord gave us all. 

Any of these important signs can be symptoms of traumatic brain injury:

Headaches; blurred vision; ringing in the ears, taste or smell changes.

Nausea or vomiting.

Fatigue or drowsiness.

Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much.

Feeling dazed, confused or disoriented with or without dizziness or loss of balance.

Sensitivity to light or sound.

Memory or concentration problems.

Mood changes or mood swings – “He’s just different since the accident.”

Feeling depressed or anxious.

If you, a child or a friend has received a blow to the head, and has ANY (not all, but any) signs or symptoms, see a neurologist right away.

And, do not settle an injury case if there are symptoms like these, until you are fully checked out by a competent specialist and some time has passed.  In Tennessee, there is one year to sue under the Tennessee Statute of Limitations, so take your time, seek experienced legal counsel, and seek quality medical advice.

See www.PeelLawFirm.com for more information  

LAWYER'S TIPS FOR WINTER DRIVING

TIPS FOR WINTER DRIVING

We all know it is best simply not to drive at all during the deadly combination of precipitation and freezing cold temperatures.  But sometimes, there is little choice.  Medical emergencies still occur. Babies still need to be born. Schools sometimes dismiss in the middle of the day. Or, perish the thought, you might be out of that winter-time-necessity: milk and bread.

Here are a few tips that might make your next winter excursion a bit better, and maybe even safer:

Try to park under a garage or carport in winter.  This allows your windshield, side and rear glass to all to be ice-free, allowing you to see well.  If you do not have a covered area, you can try this: Turn off your car with your wipers pointed up.  Then tuck a large trash bag or pizza boxes underneath your wipers.  When you need to leave, the glass underneath should be clear. This allows you to see well without as much scraping.

Speaking of scraping, a can of spray-on de-icer is often handy.  Anything with alcohol with melt ice.  Warm up your car with the defrost set on high. Do not forget the rear defrost, if so equipped. If you must scrape, wear gloves. In an emergency, a credit card will clear the glass. Clear your headlights of snow, too.

If you must drive in the snow, there is usually one lane that is clearer.  Stay in it. Many winter accidents occur with a lane change.  Leave twice the distance you think you need to stop.  Do not follow closely.  There is no reason to do so.  And keep your speed down. Slippery ice and snow is not the surface you wish to lose control on.

Also, consider pre-packing a winter automotive emergency bag might contain: A first-aid kit, duct tape, jumper cables, de-icer, an ice scraper, gloves, blankets, a spare coat, hat, kitty litter (for traction if stuck), flashlight and batteries, pen and paper, knife, spare charger for your cell phone, a way to make a fire or flares, bottled water and snacks.  If you are more adventurous, extra gas, a shovel and a chainsaw are very handy.

If you wreck or get stuck, you have to make the decision whether to stay with your car or to walk. If you are on a well-traveled road, just stay in the car and use the heater occasionally. If you are backed up with your tailpipe in the snow, you must dig it out or you risk death by carbon monoxide poisoning! If you do choose to walk, leave a note with your phone number, plans, time you left and direction of travel.

Be careful out there.