Indiana Injury Lawyer Blog

On Wednesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a federal ban on drivers of commercial vehicles, including buses and semi-trailer trucks, from text-messaging while driving. Click here to read an article on the ban posted at www.washingtonpost.com.

This ban comes in the wake of a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which found texting truckers to be 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near crash. Distracted driving has become a concern of Congress, and many view this ban as a first step in passing more laws and bans to eliminate or reduce cellphone use among drivers.

Continue reading "Federal Ban on Bus Drivers & Truckers Text-Messaging While Driving " »

The Associated Press recently reported that a push for change in Georgia's seat belt law has intensified as state lawmakers consider the safety concerns under the current law and the potential increased highway funds if a new law was enacted. Georgia's current seat belt law does not require adults to wear their seat belts while opeating or riding in a pick-up truck. The article explains that pressure to make the law tougher has come under the lure of receiving $4 million in federal highway funds if the law was changed and avoiding "an estimated $62 million each year in accident-related expenses such as medical costs."

Under Indiana law, adults that are front-seat passengers and drivers in pick-up trucks and SUVs that are registered as trucks are not required to wear their seat belts. See Owen v. State, 796 N.E.2d 775 (Ind. Ct. App. 2003); IC 9-13-2-123; IC 9-13-2-188; 9-19-10-2.

The SunHerald.com reported that the American Association for Justice ("AMJ") recently released a report ranking the United States "worst" insurance companies based on factors such as: refusal to pay just claims, the company employs harball tactics against policyholders, rewarding of company executives with extravagant salaries, and the raising of premiums while stockpiling excessive profits.

Researchers for the AMJ spent six months gathering information to base the report on. According to the SunHerald.com, researchers used "court documents, SEC and FBI records, state insurance department investigations and complaints, nationwide news accounts, and testimony of former insurance agents and adjusters" to draw their conclusions.

The top five "worst" companies listed in the report are:
1. Allstate
2. Unum
3. AIG
4. State Farm
5. Conseco