Use these tips shared by Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. to minimize your risks while driving

Through our blog here at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we often talk about the needless tragedies caused by people who are texting or otherwise distracted while driving their vehicles. Distracted driving is leading directly to serious injuries and death on our roadways here in Jupiter, throughout Florida and the entire United States. April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month (National Safety Council). This is the perfect time to share some valuable tips on how you can minimize the risks of driving, and keeping your attention on your vehicle and what is going on around you on the roadway.

Here are the following steps you should be taking to avoid the dangers of driving:

• Wear your seat belt.
  • Statistics show that seat belt wearers have a significantly higher chance of suffering less serious injury and death when wearing their seat belt. Published reports from James Madison University and the University of Washington found that when used properly seat belts reduce your risk of serious injury during an auto accident by 50%, and your risk of dying by a whopping 86%. https://consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/patient-safety-32/safety-and-public-health-news-585/seatbelts-why-you-should-buckle-up-648220.html
• Whenever you are going to drive, try to plan ahead and leave early if possible, giving yourself extra time to get to your destination.
  • Giving yourself extra time makes you less stressed – and also one less excuse for picking up the phone and texting or calling ahead to tell someone that you are running late.
• Be careful and extra aware in work/construction zones.
  • Here in Florida, there are currently multiple construction zones at night along most of our major highways (particularly I-95). There is big risk involved for the workers who are often close to the moving vehicles. Be extra aware and cautious when you see workers and active construction going on.
• Do not let yourself be distracted.
  • Do not text. Do not let passengers (especially children) distract your attention. Do not let animals distract you either. Any distraction can significantly delay your response time, which can be the difference between avoiding an accident and being involved in one. Your vehicle can turn into a dangerous projectile in less than a second.
• Have a plan for any troubles that can happen during your trip.
  • If you are not prepared for your vehicle breaking down or having a flat tire, you will be at the mercy of local towing companies and random service companies that could take advantage of you and your situation.
• Make sure your proof of insurance is up to date and easily accessible.
• Create for yourself safe phone useage rules while driving. And do everything you can to stick to them.
  • This might sound a bit corny – but the truth is that we have become so used to driving in our society that most of us take the very real risk of driving each time we get behind the wheel for granted. As mentioned earlier, any vehicle can turn into a dangerous, high speed projectile instantaneously. We should always be mindful of that fact.

 

This list of tips comes directly from an article recently published on the insurance industry online magazine website PropertyCasualty360.com, written by Rosalie L. Donlon.  To read this entire article go to: http://www.propertycasualty360.com/2017/04/11/minimize-your-risk-of-distracted-driving-with-thes?ref=most-popular&slreturn=1492549095

 

If you are injured in an auto accident because the other driver or you were texting or otherwise distracted, you may have a right to bring a claim for various damages and injuries incurred. Call us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We offer a free initial consultation, and our phone number is (561) 686-3400.

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, we know that automobile accidents involving cell phone usage or other momentary distractions happen all the time. If you are in an accident because of the willful negligence of another driver then you need to contact us right away. We help our clients obtain payment to cover hospital and other medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it.

If you want to learn more about how we can help you in a situation where someone you love has been in an auto accident, then go to this page on our website: http://www.sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/auto-accident/. We also specialize in Slip and Fall accidents, Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products, and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

 

Our main office is conveniently located in Jupiter, Florida. We have proudly served south Florida including Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Tequesta and the Treasure Coast as well as anyone in the state of Florida who needs a law firm who knows how to protect your rights, for over 40 years.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne – a real automobile accident story from one of our clients

How do you go about picking a personal injury attorney when you need one? So many of us are afraid that after you get past the television commercials and the hype, most personal injury law firms are little more than uncaring “ambulance chasers”, just looking for their next big score, whether or not you have a legitimate personal injury case or not.

 

Here is a story that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that attorneys and staff at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. are not your typical personal injury law firm personnel. Their practice is made up of people who really do care about their clients – and they really do go the extra mile to try and get you the compensation you deserve for the losses that you suffered.

 

How do I know this? Because I have been a client of theirs. During the late afternoon/early evening of a Monday in April of last year (2015), I was involved in 2-car automobile accident on I-95 in West Palm Beach. Luckily, neither I nor the people in the other car involved suffered any type of serious injury. My car, however, was deemed a total loss by my insurance company.

 

During the weeks that ensued I would come to learn that my automobile insurance company of 25 years valued my car at almost $5,500 less than I owed on my loan (despite the fact I purchased it used, two years old), AND they would only cover 5% of the cost of my visit to my local MDNow to have my neck checked out – an additional loss of $525 for me. Since I had only owned the car for 10 months, I argued with my insurance company that they had covered the car for the full value of what I purchased it for, and I could not understand how they now valued it for $8,000 less than my purchase amount in less than a year.

 

Suffice it to say – the multiple debates accomplished nothing other than to make me extremely frustrated. Particularly since I have been a loyal customer for all of those 25 years, involved in only one accident since my early college days. Conservatively they have made at least $20,000 on me over that time.

 

When I related my story to Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. partner Ryan Wynne at a networking event, he asked me if I were willing to allow him to work on my behalf to try and recover some of the money I had lost. Honestly, I had given up. After hours of useless arguing with multiple insurance company representatives on the telephone, I figured that Ryan and his firm had zero chance of getting me another penny. But hey, since he was willing, why not let him try?

 

Well, it took about 9 months of effort by Ryan and his team – yes, he did not give up fighting for me, even after I had said to him that he could give up at least 2 or 3 times. And amazingly, Ryan Wynne and his team was able to get the insurance company to agree on a settlement that netted me a payment of around $3,300.

 

I realize that does not sound like a lot of money. But for me, that $3,300 was totally found money – from the same insurance company that told me, in essence, to go pound sand. That surprise and welcome settlement helped me to pay off the rest of my car loan.

 

Therefore, if you are like so many other people, and you have no idea how to go about finding a personal injury law firm you can trust will work hard for you when you have been injured – then take it from me, and my personal experience. If you are located in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Stuart or anywhere else in south Florida, then Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne is the personal injury attorney firm that will get you every penny that you deserve from your case – even if you are sure, like I was, that your insurance company or the party who caused your injury will never have to give you a penny. The lawyers at this firm understand personal injury law thoroughly, are hard-working, and willing to fight for you.

 

Go to our “Cases and Judgments” page to learn more about the many cases we have won fighting for our clients in a variety of personal injury cases, including automobile accidents, defective products, slip and fall, medical malpractice and others: http://www.sswlawfl.com/cases-judgments/.

 

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we have practiced law in Jupiter, Florida, Palm Beach County, and the Treasure Coast since the early 1970’s. During that time we have been devoted to protecting South Florida families for over 40 years.

 

We limit our practice to serious injury and wrongful death arising out of severe accidents and medical negligence. Those areas of personal injury law we focus on include automobile accidents, boating accidents, motorcycle accidents, defective products and medical malpractice. We look forward to meeting you and fulfilling the needs of you and your family.

 

Contact our Palm Beach law firm using our Case Review Form right on our website with questions about your legal issue. Or, call us directly at (561) 686-3400. Provide a much information as possible regarding your inquiry. While this contact does not serve to establish an attorney/client relationship, it will allow our legal team to begin an assessment of your case. Please note that your initial consultation with our law firm is FREE.

 

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne offers thanks to all of our living military veterans – Happy Veterans Day

We have just come through an amazing presidential campaign, one marked by divisiveness and many twists and turns before ending in a truly amazing outcome where an outsider with no political background is now the President-elect… Whichever way you voted here in the Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach South Florida and Treasure Coast areas, at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we hope you did get out and vote. Exercising your right to do so is one of the most important and cherished rights of being an American citizen.

 

Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day – an important day when we honor our living military veterans (Memorial Day honors our military veterans who have passed away), the men and women who help to make our continued freedoms as Americans possible. We thank all of you who are serving or have served in our military! We truly appreciate what you have done for all of us, your families and ours.

 

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we have practiced law in Jupiter, Florida, Palm Beach County, and the Treasure Coast since the early 1970’s. During that time we have been devoted to protecting South Florida families for over 40 years.

 

We limit our practice to serious injury and wrongful death arising out of severe accidents and medical negligence. Those areas of personal injury law we focus on include automobile accidents, boating accidents, motorcycle accidents, defective products and medical malpractice. We look forward to meeting you and fulfilling the needs of you and your family.

 

Contact our Palm Beach law firm using our Case Review Form right on our website with questions about your legal issue. Or, call us directly at (561) 686-3400. Provide a much information as possible regarding your inquiry. While this contact does not serve to establish an attorney/client relationship, it will allow our legal team to begin an assessment of your case. Please note that your initial consultation with our law firm is FREE.

Sobering news: NSC announces that automobile deaths in first half of 2016 increase 43% in state of Florida

In its semi-annual report released recently, the National Safety Council announced that distractions while driving combined with lower once again were the leading causes in another significant rise in fatal auto accidents throughout the United States in the first six months of 2016. In the report, the National Safety Council said that approximately 19,100 motor vehicle deaths occurred from January through June of this year – an increase of 9% from the same period in 2015. That also puts the U.S. on pace to have more than 40,000 automobile accident fatalities by the end of the year; the first time we have exceeded that number since 2007.

Even worse for us Floridians, that same report also stated that driving-related deaths in Florida were up a whopping 43% over last year. This jump comes on the back of significant increases in both 2015 and 2014. Florida was one of only three states to have more than 1,000 deaths in the first half of the year, and has the 5^th largest increase of any state in the country. Only Vermont, Oregon New Hampshire and Idaho have seen a higher rate of increase in the death rate.

As quoted in an article in the Insurance Journal, “Our complacency is killing us,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council (NSC). “One hundred deaths every day should outrage us. Americans should demand change to prioritize safety actions and protect ourselves from one of the leading causes of preventable death.”

To read the entire article go to: http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2016/08/24/424297.htm

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.ASlinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we agree with the NSC President and CEO that as Floridians and Americans we need to figure out how to reverse this trend immediately. If you are injured in an auto accident because the other driver was distracted or otherwise impaired, you may have a right to bring a claim for various damages and injuries incurred. Call us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne. We offer a free initial consultation, and our phone number is (561) 686-3400.

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, we know that automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents and fatal accidents involving all types of vehicles unfortunately happen all the time. If you are in an accident and need any type of legal help then you should contact us right away. We help our clients obtain payment to cover hospital and other medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it.

If you want to learn more about how we can help you in a situation where someone you love has been in an auto accident, then go to this page on our website: http://www.sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/auto-accident/. We also specialize in Slip and Fall accidents, Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products, and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. school driving safety tips, part 2 – dropping off children at school

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we believe that if we help one person avoid a potentially dangerous situation that leads to an injury or their death. That is why we dedicate many of our blog posts and articles to sharing information that helps you and your loved ones to be safe and hopefully stay healthy. In the next several blog posts we offer “back to school driving safety tips”. Important tips to help you share the road safely with other cars, pedestrians, school buses and bicyclists.

In this post we offer tips on do’s and don’ts of what to do if you are dropping off children at school here in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach or anywhere else in a community where schools and/or children reside.

When you are dropping off children at school:

• Carpool wherever possible
  • Carpooling reduces congestion and helps reduce pollution.
• Do not drop your children off across the street from the school
  • Yes, it takes a few extra minutes to get in line and drop off in front of the school. It also saves your children from crossing a very busy, potentially dangerous street.
• Do not double park
  • This raises congestion and causes potentially dangerous blind spots. It also raises everyone’s frustration level, just like the next point.
• Do not cut the line
  • Every car in front of you is waiting to pick up their child just like you. The more respectful everyone is, the quicker each person moves through, picks up their child/children, and completes the process.
• Try to stay off your mobile devices, if possible.
  • Particularly if you are moving. Children can be unpredictable, and one can come jumping out from the sidewalk or from behind a vehicle in a split second without notice. If you are distracted, if even for a moment, it can change that other person’s life, forever. And, your own.

We acknowledge using and sharing this important information with you from the National Safety Council. To read their entire article dedicated to back to school safety, please go to: http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/back-to-school-safety-tips-for-drivers.aspx

Unfortunately, we all know that automobile accidents in school zones and everywhere else where vehicles travel happen every day. If you or a person you care about gets injured or killed in an automobile accident or any other situation, contact us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. Or, if you have a question about any type of personal injury situation that you have not yet had answered, please call us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We offer a free initial consultation: our phone number is (561) 686-3400 and our email address is info@sswlawfl.com.

Accidents involving children happen. We help our clients obtain payment to cover hospital and other medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it. If you want to learn more about how we can help you in a situation where someone you love has been in an accident, then go to this page on our website: http://sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/accidents-serious-injury/. We also specialize in Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Slip and Fall, Defective Products, Motorcycle accidents, Boating accidents and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

Whether you are in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Stuart, West Palm Beach or any other city in the state of Florida, you need to find and hire a law firm that has the level of knowledge and experience that will get you the financial results you deserve, while also working with you throughout your case until some type of resolution has been reached. With over four decades of experience, that firm is Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, where we have been devoted to protecting south Florida families for over 40 years.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne safety tips: driving during school days in Florida

The middle of August here in Florida means several things: the summer season weather-wise (hot and humid) is about half over, but more importantly, schools are back in full swing. Even if you do not have any children that are school-age, you know school is back in session with the significant pick up in traffic and congestion on the roadways as you try to make your way to and from work. That also means you must be significantly more careful where ever you are driving at this time of year.

Therefore, we will do a 2-part blog on driver safety during school days. This first part is a refresher of general driving safety tips for all drivers at this time of year to help keep kids, other drivers and yourself accident and injury-free during school days. In the second part we will share with you some safety tips for parents and others driving kids to and from school:

• Plan to leave your home a few minutes earlier than you did during the summer to get to your destination.
  • Between school buses, kids walking and on bikes, and parents trying to drop off or pick up their kids, traffic congestion is significantly more than it was just two weeks ago. Adjust for that so you keep yourself from getting frustrated, angry and impatient behind the wheel.
• Slow down and pay attention to the road AND the surrounding sidewalks
  • Even the safest of drivers can not predict a child darting out into the middle of the road apparently out of nowhere. The slower you are driving, the more time you will have to react when unexpected, potentially dangerous actions by others, particularly kids, happen.
• Do NOT pass a bus that has its “Stop Sign” and blinkers on. Ever.
  • Of course we all have had that morning we are running late, and then we get stuck behind a school bus stopped to pick up kids… and it is taking forever. There is no one on the other side of the road, and it looks so tempting to go around the bus and continue on your way. Don’t do it. The leading cause of death among kids and teenagers is accidents/unintentional death, according to https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001915.htm

 

If you or a person you care about gets injured or killed in an automobile accident caused by negligent driving or you simply have a question about a potential personal injury situation that you have not yet had answered, please call us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We offer a free initial consultation: our phone number is (561) 686-3400 and our email address is info@sswlawfl.com.

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, we know that automobile accidents involving children happen. We help our clients obtain payment to cover hospital and other medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it. If you want to learn more about how we can help you in a situation where someone you love has been in an accident, then go to this page on our website: http://sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/accidents-serious-injury/. We also specialize in Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Slip and Fall, Defective Products, Motorcycle accidents, Boating accidents and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

Whether you are in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Stuart, West Palm Beach or any other city in the state of Florida, you need to find and hire a law firm that has the level of knowledge and experience that will get you the financial results you deserve, while also working with you throughout your case until some type of resolution has been reached. With over four decades of experience, that firm is Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, where we have been devoted to protecting south Florida families for over 40 years.