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Motor Vehicle Accidents

First Steps after an Automobile Accident

An automobile accident can often be such a jarring experience that many people do not know what to do immediately after being involved in one. To best protect your rights and help you get the compensation and help you deserve, here is what you should do after being involved in an auto accident (see also car accident lawsuit in Johnson City for more information).

Call the Police

Even if your accident seems minor, you should always contact your local police department and ask them to respond to the scene. This will ensure that a complete and accurate report of the incident is made, and vital information such as witness statements are collected in a timely, appropriate manner.

See a Doctor

Even if you do not believe you have been seriously injured in an auto accident, be sure to see a doctor right away and have them examine any injuries you may have sustained. This will allow you to begin treatment immediately and provide an official record of the injuries that resulted from your accident. Additionally, if your claim goes to trial your doctor may be called on to testify on your behalf.

Consult an Auto Accident Attorney

If you plan to file a claim for compensation after an accident, do not delay in speaking with an auto accident attorney and beginning the process of filing a lawsuit. Every state has laws stating how long you have to file a claim making it important that you begin the process right away (for example, read about Kingston personal injury laws here). Speaking with an attorney right away will also help you to avoid making a mistake that may jeopardize your chances to seek compensation in the future.

While it is only natural to be shaken up after an accident and unsure of what to do, by following a few simple steps you can help to protect yourself and your rights. If you have any questions about the claims process after an auto accident, speak with a local accident attorney and arrange a consultation.

Brought to you by the Law Offices of Hawkins, Bingham & Miller. They can help you with your personal injury law suit in Johnson City and Kingsport, 1397 East Center Street, Kingsport, Tennessee 37664, Tel: 888.747.3952
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If you have a road traffic accident it may be the case that soon after your accident you will get a call from the other side’s insurance company offering to settle your claim there and then without you even consulting a solicitor or a doctor, this is known as Third Party Capture. They may tell you: 

If you go to a solicitor your claim will take longer to settle.
You may not get as much by way of damages that they are offering to send you that day.
The solicitor may take part of your damages to cover their costs.
If you make a claim your insurance premium may go up.

                                              THIS IS ALL RUBBISH, ABSOLUTE RUBBISH.

The reason why they want to settle your claim so quickly is so that they save money; their money. They are not doing if your benefit – why would they ?.

Their argument that your claim will be settled quicker: well, would you have your laser eye surgery done by someone who had studied and qualified to carry out the procedure or someone who said they could do it before lunchtime.

Anacedotal evidence has shown that this procedure can lead to injured parties recieving more damages if they instruct a solicitor to act for them.

No solicitor worth their salt would take a penny from your damages and should deal with your claim on a ‘no win-no fee’ basis.

Your insurance premiums will not be affected; you are claiming on their drivers insurance; not yours.

Remember:

Once you settle your claim, that is it you can’t go back for more so you want to make sure that your injuries have recovered or at least levelled out before you even think of settling your claim.

So:

If your injuries get worse but you accepted the other sides offer you can’t go back for more.

You may need time off work for treatment or recovery; if you have accepted the other side’s offer then you can’t go back for more.

To make sure that you get the damages you deserve speak to a solicitor and get qualified legal advice.

Mike Massen is a practising solicitor with Gartons Solicitors Leeds – 0113 2310766, mmassen@gartonsolicitors.co.uk www.gartonsolicitors.co.uk. Gartons provide quality legal service in the following areas: accident claims, employment disputes, buying and selling property, criminal injury claims, sexual abuse claims and licensing. If you have found this article of interest please feel free to forward to other sites etc however I would ask that you give full credit to Gartons Solicitors for such, thank you.
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We’ve all seen many commercials that talk about “personal injury” lawyers.  You might be wondering what, exactly is personal injury law?  Basically, personal injury, also known as “Tort” law, protects you in case of accident or negligence.  This includes emotional, as well as physical harm, but does not include property damage.  The most common of these cases are traffic accidents, but personal injury also covers things like medical accidents, work accidents, wrongful death, tripping accidents, etc.; any time someone else’s negligence causes injury to you. This can be a person, manufacturer, company, government, or any other entity.

An example of a personal injury case would be if a reckless driver hits you at an intersection.  A doctor administering the wrong dosage of a medicine, or neglecting to provide proper treatment is another. Manufacturers and designers can be held liable if they make a product that is overly dangerous with reasonable use. To make sure you have a solid personal injury case, you should always consult a qualified lawyer.

If you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit, you are the plaintiff, and the other side becomes the defendant.  Lawyers for both sides will then have the “discovery.” They’ll ask everyone involved questions (take depositions) gather pertinent facts, and exchange information on the case.  At the end of this process, there will either be a settlement, or the case will go to court.  The settlement means that the defendant agrees to compensate the plaintiff without going to trial, allowing them to not fully admit any wrongdoing, and avoiding the cost and time of a trial.  Essentially, you would be accepting compensation in return for dropping the case and not holding the defendant liable in the future.

If no settlement agreement can be reached, the case goes to trial. Personal injury cases are tried in civil court, not criminal court, since it is assumed there was no intent to injure. Any court case can take time, so be patient with scheduling, etc. At court, it will be decided who is responsible or “liable” for the accident or injury.

A decision in your favor results in the judge and/or jury “awarding” you money for “damages.”  This is to compensate you for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering (both physical and mental) and for any disfigurement or disability the injury caused.  The compensation can come in a lump sum or in a structured settlement that is paid over a set period of time. Jail time for the defendant is not an option; remember this is a civil, not criminal, matter.

Finding a good lawyer is important to your process. While your insurance company may provide you with a lawyer, you should always look for yourself.  Find out from friends, family, or research someone who has a good reputation and reasonable fees.  All lawyers have to pass their state bar exam, and while not required; they can complete a personal injury specialty certificate through the American Bar Association.

There are several ways for lawyers to take payment. Some are paid on a contingency basis, meaning they are paid only upon winning your case.  There are also hourly rates, flat fees, and retainers. Many law firms will talk with you about your case the first visit for no charge.

A physical or mental injury can cause numerous problems for you and your family.  If you are involved in a significant accident or feel you have been a victim of negligence, you should consult a lawyer to find out if you need to file a personal injury lawsuit. Please do not take this lightly, there are lots frivolous suits that only serve to increase fees and take up the precious time of our nation’s courts. But if you need help, there are many honest, reliable lawyers out there that will guide you through the process and get you the compensation you need.

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Best Practices” When Dealing with Insurance Companies

Insurance companies can often be difficult to deal with. Insurance companies have the tendency to disregard the amount of compensation demanded and form a smaller number of their own. With so much at stake it is important to hire a lawyer that will help you deal with the insurance companies, especially for personal injury litigation in San Jose. In order to effectively deal with insurance companies follow these simple steps:

• Absolutely hire an attorney
• Document all damage and expenses
• File a lawsuit if necessary

Following these steps accurately will benefit your case after an auto accident.

Hire an Attorney

Why is hiring an attorney so important? Hiring an attorney is the most important thing you can do. Your accident lawyer in San Jose will guide your case through all processes and deal with the insurance companies. It is a good idea to hire an attorney with past experience working with insurance companies. The more experience the better; experience will allow your attorney to be familiar with insurance company strategy.

Document Everything

Seeking medical help and auto repairs will help your case. When doctors and auto repair garages are visited all damages will be documented. This documented information will provide a basis for amount of compensation sought after and will hold up your claims in court.

Do Not be Afraid to File a Lawsuit

If a suitable amount of compensation cannot be arrived at through negotiation do not be afraid to file a lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit will benefit your case because another party will evaluate the situation and determine what needs to be done to correct the situation. Upon hiring an attorney a lawsuit may be filed immediately without prior negotiation. A lawsuit can be negotiated at any time and if a lawsuit is filed immediately it will prove the seriousness of your claim to the insurance company.

Always Seek Legal Guidance

An attorney will prove very beneficial to your auto accident claims. Your lawyer will manage your case and make sure the insurance company properly addresses your welfare. Representing yourself will be very difficult due to lack of legal knowledge and negotiating skills and experience. An auto accident lawyer will directly deal with the insurance companies and aggressively seek the compensation needed for your recovery.

This article was provided by The Mitchell Law Firm, an accident law firm in San Jose, 800-345-4LAW (4529).
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  It damages those muscles in your neck and shoulder area as well as the tendons and ligaments.  A single whiplash injury can result in lost time at work, major financial burdens and of course, the physical pain that results.  Even years after the whiplash accident, pain and discomfort can still exist and can seriously affect your quality of life.

Whiplash injury compensation is important in that it can play a significant role in how your injury affects your family and your ability to maintain your financial responsibilities.  Even the mildest whiplash injury can result in lost time at work and medical expenses.  Neck injuries of this nature are unpredictable and often those who suffer the injuries don’t realize damage has been done until hours and sometimes days after the accident.  Consulting a lawyer is your best first option for protecting your family and ensuring proper compensation is made. 

As you prepare for your initial meeting, you’ll want to make sure you have as many details as possible regarding the accident, including the date, time of day and any information you have access to regarding other parties that might have been involved.  Pictures that are taken immediately following an automobile accident are often advantageous as are any witness statements collected by police.  If you were taken to the hospital or any medical care facility, you’ll want to gather that information as well, including the physician who treated you, the diagnosis, any prescriptions that were written and doctor’s notes, advice extended to you and any other relevant information.  From there, your lawyer will be in a better position to offer the best legal avenues available to you, what your options are and how he can help as you pursue whiplash injury compensation.

Your attorney should be sympathetic to your situation, honest in any options he believes are available and sensitive to the time element involved.  After all, not many of us can afford extended absences from our employment with no compensation.  He should be willing to patiently address any concerns you might have as well as answer any of your questions.  It’s the only sure way to develop the attorney client relationship that will serve as the foundation in your legal claim.  Choosing the right legal representation is as important as choosing the right medical care provider in whiplash injury claims. 

Finally, your most important task in the days following a whiplash or any other neck injury is to follow your doctor’s advice.  Take any medication prescribed, follow up with appointments or meetings with physical therapists if that was encouraged and if possible, document your progress on a daily basis.  This might serve as an excellent resource for your attorney as he moves forward in an effort to protect you and gain reasonable whiplash injury compensation.

Find the best advice on whiplash injury compensation at http://www.glplaw.com/services.asp?PageID=58
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As we approach Valentines Day on the 14th of this month, all our minds and hearts turn to love and romance.  But as the saying goes….love hurts! The following stories from the world of personal injury and accident solicitors go some way to prove that the old proverb is true. First up on our list of amorous accidents is the story of the Spanish actress who won a compensation claim after falling down steps in Jeremy Irons’ hotel suite. She described going to the suite because she “wanted to spend the night with Jeremy Irons,” but sadly only ended up with a broken pelvis and who knows maybe a broken heart too. Married man Jeremy Irons refutes any claim that he has ever cheated on his wife.

When newlywed couple Margaret and Russell Moore agreed to stay by each other “in sickness and in health,” they did not expect the sickness bit to come up – pardon the pun – so soon. The couple spent their honeymoon on a cruise around the Canary Islands, even postponing their reception to catch the liner immediately after the ceremony. Just two days into the voyage though, Russell was one of many people on board struck down by a serious sickness bug. It left him too weak to walk and ruined  all their honeymoon plans. The couples’ package holiday claims were successful on their return.

For one couple in Dundee, it wasn’t so much love that left a bad taste in the mouth as the wedding reception drinks! Bride Sheonagh Taylor wanted to spoil and thank the guests at her wedding reception by treating them to a glass of expensive champagne on arrival. She was left devastated however when they were instead served a glass of Lambrini each. The sparkling and low alcohol ‘wine style’ drink Lambrini can retail for as little as £1.35 per bottle, hardly the best way to give an air of wealth and class on your big day. The father of the bride later took the wedding venue to court for compensation and won.

As these tales of romantic woe show, love can often be a painful experience. Learn from these stories and hopefully you and your soulmate will enjoy the rest of your life together in peace and happiness. And if the course of true love doesn’t run smooth? Well in cases like the above, contact a personal injury and accident solicitors who can help you receive the compensation you are entitled too. [removed][removed]

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Ashley Ainsworth are professional personal injury solicitors with over 10 years experience.
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Ingredients:

- oil, for cooking
- 500g (1lb) lamb fillet, cut into strips
- 250g (8 oz.) snow peas
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 20g (3/4 oz.) butter
- 1/4 cup (60g/2 oz.) wholegrain mustard
- 1/2 cup (125ml/4 fl oz.) cream
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Heat the wok until it become very hot and add 1 tablespoon of oil and then swirl it around to coat the side. After that, stir-fry the lamb in batches over very high heat. Then remove from the wok and set it aside.

2. Then heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok and add the crushed garlic, the snow peas and the onion wedges. Then stir-fry over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or so, or until the onion becomes slightly soften. After that, remove from the wok and keep warm.

3. Then reduce the heat a little and add the butter, the wholegrain mustard, the honey, the cream and the brandy to the wok. Simmer the sauce gently for about 3 to 4 minutes or so. Then return the meat and the snow pea mixture to the wok and stir until the meat and vegetables becomes well heated through and well combined with the sauce.

Nutrition Value:

- Protein 30g;
- Fat 30g;
- Carbohydrate 15g;
- Dietary Fibre 4g;
- Cholesterol 140mg;
- Energy 2030kJ (485cal)

1. Remove any fat or sinew from the lamb and cut the lamb into strips.

2. Stir-fry the lamb in batches over very high heat so that the meat becomes brown.

3. Heat the oil and add the garlic, the snow peas the onion wedges.

Shirley M. Duran is a mother of two and a cooking enthusiast and at her website you can find recipes like the rotisserie chicken recipe and others similar as well. For more informations you can visit: http://rotisseriechickenrecipe.info/ Copyright © Shirley M. Duran, All Rights Reserved. If you are interested in using this article make all the urls (links) active. Thank you!
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You don’t need a bunch of ingredients or a lot of time to make a
delicious meal with scallops.  A little bit of love and a minimal bit of skill
will bring out the sweet taste of the scallop to your palate.  Here are
three quick and easy to make recipes for scallops that I hope you will
enjoy.

Pan Fried Scallops

What you need:

1 lb fresh sea scallops (medium sized)
1/3 cup bread crumbs
3 T butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash of paprika (1/16 t)
1 lemon

What you do:

In medium bowl, combine salt, pepper, paprika and bread
crumbs; add scallops and roll until coated.  Heat butter in large
skillet over medium-high heat.  Add scallops and fry until golden-
brown, approximately 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally.  
Serve with lemon wedges.

Scallops Italiano

What you need:

1 lb large sea scallops
2 T olive oil
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t salt
1 clove garlic, minced
11/2 t fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
11/2 c tomatoes, diced
1 T lemon juice

What you do:

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, parsley, basil, garlic,
lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet, add
scallops and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each
side.  Add the other ingredients from bowl and cook until heated
through (no more than 2 minutes) while stirring.

Quick and Easy Scallops

What you need:

1 lb bay scallops
2 T olive oil
lemon pepper

What you do:

Season scallops with lemon pepper per taste.  In a medium
skillet, heat oil on high heat.  Add scallops to skillet and cook for
5 minutes, turning scallops over halfway through cooking.  
Serve with lemon wedges or melted butter.

For more cooking articles, recipes and food related links, visit Easy Breezy Recipes at http://www.easybreezyrecipes.com
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Louisiana is famous for fantastic food and nothing is more popular than the gumbo recipes created by the state’s talented chefs. The wonderful dishes prepared by real Cajuns from the Bayou country are world renown for delicious flavors and millions of diners seek out their food and recipes every year. But the most talked about and sought after dish and surely the most revered is the world famous Louisiana gumbo.

It is quite natural for accomplished chefs to experiment and create new and exciting versions of Louisiana’s most famous food. Although most recipes are simple and rustic, new techniques can be employed to greatly improve the intensity of flavors and bring color and beauty to a Cajun soup that has long been known for it’s mouth watering taste.

Many brilliant chefs have tweaked and modified old traditional recipes to enhance the taste and to add interesting and creative flavors. Their intent is not to significantly change the structure or core elements of the dish but only to improve upon what is already a nearly perfect food. Many have succeeded in this endeavor.

Then there are other chefs who refuse to change the old traditional recipes in any way and choose to prepare only those that are in keeping with the simple and unsophisticated nature of gumbo. Of course this is perfectly appropriate.

But the thing that is so great about a chef’s approach is that those who are really good at their work will always try to push the limits on cooking techniques or try different ingredients that can add excitement and depth to a dish with a history as old as the Louisiana Purchase. The result is intensely delicious flavors that are deep, rich and nearly intoxicating.

For example pushing the limit on getting the roux really dark without burning is a technique some use to extract the most intensity from the ingredients. A light colored and dainty roux is easy to make but makes a gumbo that falls far short of it’s potential. When making a chicken gumbo, frying the chicken before adding it to the pot adds another level of flavor. Thoughtful and daring chefs will take this extra step to bring chicken gumbo to the pinnacle of flavor.

Most authentic seafood and poultry gumbo varieties will have a smoked meat added. Your talented chefs will use real Cajun andouille and not a run of the mill smoked sausage. Andouille is a Louisiana style sausage that uses lean chunks of pork, has lots of great seasonings and is smoked long and slow using a real smokehouse.

Others will experiment with adding different ingredients that create interesting textures and flavors without significantly changing the essence or attributes that define gumbo. An excellent technique employed by experienced chefs is the use of a flavorful stock made in advance and this becomes the primary liquid base for the gumbo. This approach contributes significantly to the flavor and character of the dish and is an excellent method used to make a really outstanding example of Louisiana’s most famous food. This is a simple technique that anyone can practice at home to make gumbo recipes that will rival a Chef’s best dish.

Here is a recipe for homemade chicken stock that will make your Cajun soup better than ever. This recipe is not only for gumbo and can be used in any recipe requiring stock. This is nothing like canned stock and is so much better it will make the commercial versions seem outdated. It will freeze well and stay fresh for many months.

Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe

Ingredients

*In a large pot add 3-4 quarts of water.
*2 pounds Chicken parts like legs, thighs, wings etc. Or one whole chicken. Raw not cooked.
*Two onions quartered.
*4 stalks of celery quartered
*3 carrots quartered
*4 cloves garlic
*1 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning (or 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/8 teaspoons cayenne)
*3 bay leaves
*2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
*4 whole peppercorns
*2 cups white cooking wine (optional)
*1 cup smoked sausage

Directions

Bring this to a boil then turn heat to low, cover and allow to cook for about 2-3 hours. Longer is better because it takes some time to extract the full flavors from the bones. This is another secret to fabulous gumbos. Extracting that wonderful flavor from the bones adds more richness and great depth while boosting the character of your gumbo.

Of all the secrets and techniques learned over the years this is one of the most important. Take the time to make this wonderful broth. You can make it ahead of time and refrigerate. Store it in your freezer and it will keep for months. At any given time you can have several containers of frozen stock just waiting for your next culinary creation.

One more tip. To really intensify and electrify the flavor of your Cajun soup add some smoked meat to your list of ingredients. Don’t have smoked meat? Then go any barbecue restaurant and buy a smoked chicken without the sauce.

Gene Gautro is a Louisiana native an learned to cook Cajun from his mother and grandmother. He is a gumbo cooking devotee and happily shares his recipes and cooking knowledge with anyone interested in cooking Louisiana’s most famous dish. Gene maintains a web site with free gumbo recipes and cooking instructions for making authentic Louisiana gumbo.
http://www.gumbocooking.com
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Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

- oil for cooking
- 300g (10 oz.) fresh egg noodles
- 350g (12 oz.) lamb, cut into strips
- 200g (6 1/2 oz.) button mushrooms, sliced
- 150g (5 oz.) oyster mushrooms
- 75g (2 1/2 oz.) fresh garlic chives, cut into pieces
- 8 Asian shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil
- 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the lamb, the shallots, the garlic, the oil, the brown sugar, the salt and the pepper in a bowl. Mix them very well.

2. Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes or so, or until it becomes tender. Then rinse with some cold water.

3. Heat the wok until very hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around to coat the side. Stir-fry the lamb in three batches until browned, adding a little more oil when needed. Remove all the meat from the wok.

4. Then add the button mushrooms to the wok with 2 teaspoons of water and stir-fry for about 1 minute or so. Then add the oyster mushrooms and the teriyaki sauce and toss them very well. After that, cover and steam for about 10 seconds or so.

5. Then return the lamb and any juices to the wok with the noodles. Toss them well to heat through. Serve it immediately.

Nutrition Value:

-    Protein 30g;
-    Fat 20g;
-    Carbohydrate 40g;
-    Dietary Fibre 3g;
-    Cholesterol 60mg;
-    Energy 1920kJ (460 cal)

Hints:

1. Trim any fat from the lamb and cut the fillet into strips (diagonal strips).

2. Stir-fry the marinated lamb in batches, in the mean time tossing constantly until it is well browned.

Shirley M. Duran is a mother of two and a cooking enthusiast and at her website you can find recipes like the rotisserie chicken recipe and others similar as well. For more informations you can visit: http://rotisseriechickenrecipe.info/ Copyright © Shirley M. Duran, All Rights Reserved. If you are interested in using this article make all the urls (links) active. Thank you!
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