On Monday, a 37 year old man was struck by a Nissan in Lake Ave in St. James. The victim was a school teacher and coach for the Kings Park school district and was jogging around noon in the shoulder of the Lake Ave. As a result of the accident, the jogger was killed and the driver had fled the scene.
The alleged hit-and-run driver has been arrested and is facing trial for driving without a license, leaving the scene of the crime, and vehicular homicide.
Hit and Run accidents are scary. The idea of someone having the ability to cause harm and get away with it is infuriating. However, sometimes driver’s put themselves in dangerous situations when getting in a hit and run. While documenting as much information as possible is important, a persons safety is more important. And thankfully in situations like the one described above, more and more places can be traced with video footage. Here is what you should do if you are involved in a hit and run accident.
Should you suffer an injury as a result of a hit and run accident there are ways to ensure that you receive payment of your medical bills, lost wages and even receive financial compensation for your injuries. However, the process is complicated and knowing which insurance company to file your claim with can be tricky. At Palermo Law, we dedicate ourselves to individuals that have suffered serious injuries so they can receive the justice they deserve.
Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.
His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.
Summer is a great time of the year for parents to spend more time with their kids. Not only is school out, but the nice weather opens up a lot of activities for families to spend time together. However, some of these activities can cause injury. Whether it’s in the pool or other types of activities, more often it’s the adults who play along with the kids that get injured. Some of these things are not designed for adults, so the grownups who are playing along are at the risk of hurting themselves. Here are some activities that adults should be careful of when playing along with children.
Slip N Slides can be a perfect past time on a hot summer day. Especially if your family doesn’t have a pool to enjoy, slip n slides are the perfect alternative to cool off and have fun. The concept is simple, it’s essentially a long plastic sheet with running water that you can slide down on your belly. In fact, the concept is so simple that many make it themselves.
However, while kids can run and dive down a slippery slope all day, adults don’t hit the ground as easily as kids do. That’s why we recommend purchasing a manufactured slip n slide rather than making it yourself. The ones that are made by pool companies are often inflatable and more cushioned so that you aren’t diving right on the solid ground. Even so, adults should not go overboard on slip n slides, because diving into it too roughly could cause injuries in the shoulders, neck or back. Additionally, follow all safety instructions that the slip n slide companies recommend, especially when it encourages to go down the slide one at a time. Multiple people sliding at once could result in a head injury.
Pools are one of the most popular summer past time for families. We recently spoke about some major pool safety tips, but additional hazards are worth noting. Insurance companies refer to pools as an “attractive nuisance”, and homeowners are completely liable for anyone who is in the pool area, due to the risks that can come with it. Two such risks are diving boards and pool slides. These items are extra risks and many insurance companies require additional coverage if you want to install them in your swimming pool.For kids, these items make the pools more exciting. So if your child is going to go to a pool that has either a diving board or a pool slide, it is extra important that they are properly supervised.
Make sure your kid is old enough to use a diving board, and inform other parents if you are not comfortable with your child to use one on play dates. And for adults, being cautious on these things are no exception. Diving is the fifth leading cause of spinal cord injury for men and women, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center. So make sure you know what you’re doing before diving or performing an acrobatic in front of your friends.
Pool slides are not as common as diving boards, and many pool slides on Long Island are old. This is because insurance companies dislike them even more than diving boards, due to the injuries they can cause. Particularly slides that lead into a shallow end can be dangerous, especially if a person decides to dive head first. Therefore, it is recommended to never dive head first in these pools, because the result could be traumatic brain injury.
Finally, grownups should also be careful if using a trampoline. It seems like kids can bounce around all day long without any repercussions. But that’s not the case for adults because once again, adults fall harder. The best kinds of trampolines are the ones that have a safety net around it, as it prevents anyone from accidentally flying off and hurting themselves. Additionally, all trampolines have a weight limit attached somewhere, do not test this out. Those weight limits are there for a reason and adhering to it can prevent serious injury. Also, don’t go crazy if jumping around with kids. Kids might be able to bounce off of each other all day, but an impact from an adult can really hurt them. Finally, once again be extremely careful if performing acrobatics so as not to seriously injure your neck.
No one wants to spend summer in a cast. These hazards from popular activities should not be overlooked in order for you and your family to be safe.
Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.
His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.
“The Most Dangerous Holiday of the Year” – July 4th. That is, according to Forbes Magazine. And they’re right. It’s 1 out of maybe 10 holidays that almost all Americans celebrate. The great John Adams saw to that, when he declared July 4th to be a “great anniversary Festival…solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” Guns + Fires + Parades = Danger. At least he states the importance of wearing shoes.
All jest aside, it’s a dangerous holiday and we need to recognize that and learn how to celebrate safely. Let’s make a very simple, straightforward list of why July 4th is literally one of the deadliest holiday weekends in America. Let us also make some suggestions on how to be safer this July 4th.
There’s good reason for the stringent laws surrounding pyrotechnics. A lot of people simply don’t realize that they’re handling a weapon. They’re dangerous, just like cars, and for that reason they should not be handled by someone who is not a licensed professional. Some enthusiasts purchase illegal fireworks, which have grave potential to injure anyone in the vicinity when they go off, especially if handled improperly. Some of these illegal fireworks yield more firepower than those found at professional firework shows, handled by professionals.
But believe it or not, the fireworks that most often cause injuries are the smaller ones…especially if they have short fuses and are handled incorrectly. We’re not saying smaller fireworks are more dangerous, but think about the kids. Even a sparkler can cause serious burns if not handled properly. Just check out this Newsweek Article on Firework Injuries – they are meant to be handled by professionals and only professionals. So, simply stated, if you want to see fireworks, go to a fireworks show.
If we’re going to talk about burns, we can’t forget about barbecues. They seem innocent, right? That is, until you have kids running around – and that’s usually the case on July 4th. It’s a really good idea to keep the barbecue area, and the area between the barbecue and the food table, closed off. A child running into the chef or the barbeque itself can cause serious injury. A little caution tape could help, as well as making it very clear to the children that the cooking area is off limits.
The kids get hyped. They’re with their best friends, neighborly friends, their cousins, and they’re likely overly excited for pool time. If you’re unsure of their swimming abilities, make them wear floaties. It’s one thing when you and your child are by yourselves hanging by the pool and you have a close eye on them…it’s a totally different ball field when your pool becomes public. The last thing you want is a swimming pool accident. And then there’s the heat. The heat can seriously get to you, your children, and your pets. If you start to feel nauseous, feel a rapid heartbeat or start to breathe at a rapid pace, get to a cool place quickly. This could mean heat exhaustion. Keep your children, your pets, and yourself hydrated – it’s looking to be quite hot this July 4th. And don’t forget your sunscreen either.
Don’t be that person, and don’t let that person next to you be that person. Pensicola News Journal reported in 2014 that roughly 40% of all fatal motor vehicle accidents recorded over the previous years happened on one day: July 4th. Is that not staggering? So, we can safely say this holiday is not a good time to be on the road.
This year, July 4th occurs on a Monday. Not so convenient, right? Remember, buzzed driving is drunk driving. You may end up driving across town to that block party yourself. You may end up losing your inhibitions and having a few drinks, but you still need your car for work tomorrow. Luckily, there’s a service located on Long Island that will literally drive to you and drive your car home so you have it ready for work the next day. IDriveYourCar has put together a simplistic business model to save lives. Palermo Tuohy Bruno, P.L.L.C. does not endorse this service, but we do believe it’s worth looking into.
We urge you to take all of these tips into consideration. We fought hard for our right to freedom. And we have every right to celebrate it happily. But it’s crucial to recognize how dangerous this holiday can be, and to take the right precautions. Have a happy 4th of July, but make sure it’s a safe one.