Personal Injury Blog

Recently d’Oliveira & Associates attorney, Laura Cameron, obtained a $100,000 settlement from Safety Insurance Company for a Providence woman, who was seriously injured in a car accident. Our client was injured when another vehicle improperly turned left and struck her vehicle. This accident left our client with severe neck and back pain that continues to persist today. Attorney Laura Cameron said, “I am happy that I was able to secure compensation to this individual for her injuries and for any possible treatment that she may require in the future.” The sudden shock of a car accident, especially one that is not your fault, can be a dramatic event. Nevertheless, you must maintain composure and do what must be done to best preserve your case. Following simple steps like calling the police immediately and gathering evidence from the scene of the accident, such as pictures of the damaged vehicles and injuries, can go a long way in helping your case. After this is taken care of, you should seek immediate medical attention. Of course, if your injuries are severe, you should get medical help before doing anything else. Even if you feel that your injuries are minimal, getting checked out by a doctor is to your benefit. Some injuries do not manifest themselves until several days later, so it is best to be looked at to see the extent of your injuries. Having your injuries examined by a medical professional also acts as valuable evidence for your car accident case.     Contact a Providence Car Accident Lawyer If you or a loved one were recently injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation such as medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost earnings, among other losses. Our Providence Car Accident Lawyers are experienced in working with insurance companies to get you the settlement or award you deserve. Please call us today toll-free 24/7 at 401-831-8600 or fill out an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many emergency orders were established, including immunity from legal liability to nursing homes for injuries and/or deaths related to COVID-19, unless gross negligence could be proven in Rhode Island. This pandemic has indeed hit nursing homes in Rhode Island hard with 883 lives lost and over 3,300 cases. Now, many are calling on the removal of these policies. Currently, the only way to bring legal action against a nursing home for these cases is to accuse gross negligence, which is a very high legal bar to prove. A party would need to prove that the facility went beyond ordinary negligence but not quite at the level of criminal conduct. However, this is extremely hard to prove as the families have not had regular contact with their loved ones due to this COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, inspections of nursing homes have been suspended for this uncertain period of time, thereby making it a challenge to keep an eye on potential nursing home negligence.     While many lawyers and nursing home patient advocates desire these policies to be removed, others agree with the policies and believe they need to still be in place. The president and CEO of the Rhode Island Health Care Association is one who agrees with the policies. He states that this virus presents unique challenges to health care workers and requires them to respond quickly and differently than they are used to. He also states that the policies need to stay intact because the virus is not going away anytime soon and that the looming potential of lawsuits are on the minds of the nursing home facilities, who are battling the virus on the front lines.  Contact a Rhode Island Nursing Home Lawyer Today If you or a loved one were injured while receiving care at a nursing home facility, you should contact d’Oliveira & Associates. The Rhode Island Nursing Home Lawyers we work with on these cases have the experience and knowledge to get you the compensation you deserve. There is no upfront out of pocket costs to you and you only pay if your case is won and you receive a settlement or award. Contact us toll-free at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Recently d’Oliveira & Associates attorney, D. Robin Gouveia, obtained a combined $100,000 settlement from Safeco Insurance for a New Bedford woman, who was injured in a car accident. Our client was a passenger in a vehicle that struck a parked car. The impact was on our client’s side of the vehicle, which caused her to sustain head and shoulder injuries. Due to her injuries sustained in this accident, our client missed valuable time at work, for which, she needed to also be compensated. Attorney D. Robin Gouveia said, “We confirmed the policy limits of the Defendants policy quickly and made a demand for this amount due to the severity of the client’s injuries.  The insurer made attempts to settle for amounts which were under the limits but we remained firm on our demand.  We argued the medical evidence and ultimately convinced the insurer to make an offer of the full limits.  We then negotiated with the lienholders to maximize the client’s net settlement.” Being involved in a car accident as a passenger presents unique challenges. As a passenger, you have no ability to control the actions of the driver. You cannot break for them or swerve the vehicle out of the way of danger. You are completely reliant on the driving capabilities of the vehicle operator. While the comparative negligence laws of Rhode Island may try to attribute some fault to the passenger, it is highly unlikely that you, as the passenger, will be found at fault at all. Regardless, if you were injured as a passenger in a vehicle, you should seek legal advice right away. Contact a New Bedford Car Accident Lawyer If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost income, among other related losses. Our New Bedford Car Accident Lawyers know how to negotiate with insurance companies to get you the best possible settlement or award of your claim. Please call our New Bedford office at 508-984-8400 or fill out an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Recently d’Oliveira & Associates attorney, D. Robin Gouveia, obtained a combined $100,000 settlement from Allstate Insurance, Quincy Mutual and National Interstate Insurance for a New Bedford woman, who was injured in a car accident. Our client’s vehicle was struck in the rear, causing her vehicle to collide with another. The injuries she sustained in this accident required therapy and invasive surgery, leaving a substantial emotional and financial burden to our client. Attorney D. Robin Gouveia said, “Knowing the details of the auto policies in the Commonwealth allowed us to exercise all rights this client had under several different policies in order to maximize her recovery.  In doing this, we were able to obtain policy limits from 3 carriers and achieve full compensation for the injury.” The medical bills after a car accident, much like in this case, can add up quickly. Doctor and hospital visits, CAT scans, MRI’s, x-rays and surgeries, among other medical procedures, all have a monetary price. You might ask if you can afford all of these new and unexpected expenses. You may also be wondering if the person who is at fault for the accident should be responsible for covering any of these expenses. If you choose to tackle this situation alone, these questions may not get properly answered. Even worse than this, you may not be compensated for what you are truly owed. Contact a Knowledgeable New Bedford Car Accident Lawyer If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering and lost earnings. Our New Bedford Car Accident Lawyers know how to negotiate with insurance companies to get you the best possible settlement or award of your claim. There is no fee to you unless your case is won. Call our New Bedford office at 508-984-8400 or fill out an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Recently d’Oliveira & Associates attorney, Cara Gallucci, received a $100,000 settlement from Geico for a North Attleboro man, who was injured in a car accident. Another vehicle illegally crossed solid yellow lines and, after getting in front of our client’s vehicle, slammed on the brakes and caused the vehicles to collide. This accident left our client with serious pain and injuries, which required surgical intervention and lengthy therapy. Attorney Cara Gallucci said, “I am always grateful to work with kind people and try to help them through difficult times.  This client was no exception.  He had a good result with surgery and I am happy to have been able to obtain the maximum settlement amount available for him” The number of serious car accident cases have gone up during the COVID-19 pandemic. One source states serious and fatal car accidents have increased from 3.4 to 3.7 per day. Speeding and impatient driving, much like in our client’s car accident case, is the prime reason for this increase. Lower traffic volumes have, unfortunately, led to riskier driving behavior. Several cities and states concur with these findings, as they report added speeding tickets from traffic cameras and local police. The average speeds above the speed limit recorded on highways across the United States have also gone up by 15-25 mph. Contact an Experienced Attleboro Car Accident Lawyer If you or a loved one were injured in a Massachusetts car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost earnings, medical expenses and pain and suffering, among other related losses. Speak with a knowledgeable Attleboro Car Accident Lawyer who will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. There is no fee to you unless we win your case. Call us today at 1-800-580-4112 or fill out a contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Recently d’Oliveira & Associates attorney, D. Robin Gouveia, obtained a $150,000 settlement from Commerce Insurance for a Fall River woman, who was injured in a car accident. Our client was a passenger in a car that was struck head-on by another vehicle, who crossed over from the opposing lane. As a direct result of this accident, our client suffered fractures and scarring, which required medical attention and caused her to miss time at work.   Attorney D. Robin Gouveia said, “Traumatic injuries often arise after a car accident and frequently are debilitating to the victim. We presented the claim on this case to the insurance company, who had a very different view on the case’s value. We pushed and persisted, arguing specific medical documentation, as well as the impact the injuries suffered had on this client’s daily activities. Despite COVID-19, we were able to arrange to have scarring photos taken.  These all helped us to persuade the adjuster to offer and reach a fair and amicable result. We put together a settlement package ensuring all bills and liens were paid, allowing for a reasonable and fair result to the client for the suffering she endured.” Improper lane use and careless driving, much like in this case, are among the most common causes for car accidents. According to one statistic, improper lane use accounts for 6.53% of car accidents, while careless driving accounts for 5.77%. The biggest culprits of car accidents stem from the inability to stop in time (34.89%), failure to yield (22.52%) and speeding (15.15%). Regardless of how the accident occurred, if you were injured by an at-fault driver, you should contact a local car accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Contact a Fall River Car Accident Lawyer If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost earnings, among other related losses. A knowledgeable Fall River Car Accident Lawyer will know how to negotiate with the insurance company to get you the best possible settlement or award of your claim. There is no fee to you unless we win your case. Call our Fall River office at 508-677-0500 or fill out an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with “stay home” orders from March until May, traffic volumes have decreased substantially. As a result, car accident statistics have also been affected. Researchers at the University of Missouri delved deep into data from the Statewide Traffic Accident Records System to analyze how this pandemic altered typical car accident statistics. Based on their findings, the number of overall car accidents was reduced from 17.9 to 14.4 per day. In addition, there was an even bigger decrease from the rate of minor or no injury accidents from 14.5 to 10.8 per day. With overall traffic volumes at an all-time low, this is not surprising, despite a heavy pick up for summer vacation driving. However, the data showed an increase in the number of serious and fatal car accidents. These accidents increased from 3.4 to 3.7 per day. Researchers speculate possible reasons, including decreased policing and overall changes to road safety campaigns. The most accepted theory states we are seeing more serious car accidents because drivers are driving faster than usual. In April, a study by INRIX showed that the average speed on highways on the west coast increased by as much as 75% during COVID lockdowns. New York City officials reported a more than 60% increase in speeding camera tickets. Washington D.C. also reported a 20% increase in these tickets and that the number of drivers exceeding 21-25 mph above the speed limit increased to nearly 40%. Contact a Rhode Island Car Accident Lawyer Today If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you may be able to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost earnings and pain and suffering, among other related losses. You need a Rhode Island Car Accident Lawyer with the experience and knowledge to negotiate a fair settlement of your claim. There is no upfront out of pocket costs to you and you only pay if we win your case and you receive a settlement or award. Contact us toll-free at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Recently, a woman received a $200,000 settlement from AIT Insurance Group for a slip and fall accident. Our client was walking to a business establishment when her foot caught on the lip of the concrete near the establishment, causing her to fall forward and break her arm. Our firm maintained joint responsibility with another slip and fall lawyer, who settled this case.    Attorney Paul d’Oliveira said, “I feel this was an excellent settlement as these cases are difficult to win in court.” Slip and fall accidents, much like any personal injury case, can leave you in tremendous pain and with many unanswered questions. Hiring a slip and fall lawyer will answer these questions and allow you to focus on healing, while your slip and fall lawyer focuses on your case. It is always to your benefit to hire a lawyer for a slip and fall case.   Contact a Rhode Island Slip and Fall Lawyer If you or a loved one were injured in a slip and fall accident, you should contact a knowledgeable Rhode Island Slip and Fall Lawyer to discuss your legal options and get you the best possible compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering, among other related losses. Call us at 800-992-6878 or fill out an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

A Dartmouth, MA woman received a $110,000 settlement from UTICA National Insurance Company for a workers’ compensation claim. While at work, she aggravated an area of her neck that was healing from a previous procedure. d’Oliveira & Associates remained jointly responsible with a Massachusetts workers’ compensation attorney, who lump-sum settled this case with the insurance company.    Attorney Paul d’Oliveira said, “This was a very nice settlement for this client, who was happy to resolve the matter and get on with their life” After being injured at work, you may wonder if your particular injury is covered under workers’ compensation. In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, any injury that occurred while you were working has the potential to be covered under workers’ compensation. Some common injuries could come from slip and falls, lifting objects, vehicle accidents and heavy equipment. Even injuries that occurred due to repetitive motions are also covered under workers’ compensation. If you have any questions or doubts about your legal rights, you should contact a Massachusetts personal injury lawyer. Contact an Experienced Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyer If you or a loved one were injured while at work, you should contact an experienced Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyer to discuss your legal options and get you the best possible compensation for your injuries and losses. Their is no fee to you unless your case is won. Call us toll-free at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Recently d’Oliveira & Associates attorney, D. Robin Gouveia, obtained a $100,000 settlement from Commerce Insurance for a Fall River woman, who was injured in a pedestrian accident. Our client was walking in a parking lot when a driver struck her, knocking her to the ground. This incident left our client with a severely injured leg that needed surgery and subsequent physical therapy sessions.    Attorney D. Robin Gouveia said, “After we were unable to obtain a fair and reasonable offer from the insurance company, we pursued the case through binding arbitration and secured an award of the policy limits.  We negotiated the lien for medical bills in order to maximize the recovery to this well-deserving client.” When it comes to a pedestrian accident, you should always seek the legal advice of a seasoned personal injury lawyer because these cases can be more difficult to prove than other types of personal injury cases. The driver will try to say they did not see the pedestrian, which can be especially convincing if the pedestrian is walking at night and in dark-colored clothing. In order to prevail in these cases, one must prove that the driver was at fault for the accident. This is where the complexities of the legal system can overwhelm the victim of the accident. It is for this reason, and many others, that hiring a personal injury lawyer is to your benefit when involved in a pedestrian accident.  Contact a Fall River Personal Injury Lawyer If you or a loved one were injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost earnings, among other related losses. Our Fall River Personal Injury Lawyers have the experience and knowledge to get you the best possible settlement or award of your claim. There is no fee to you unless we win your case. Call our Fall River office at 508-677-0500 or fill out an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.