Personal Injury | O'Keeffe O'Brien Lyson Attorneys - Part 6

Personal Injury

March 1, 2017

Service of Process in Your Personal Injury Case

You have been injured in a North Dakota personal injury accident (such as an auto accident or serious injury accident) caused by another person’s careless behavior. However, before you can collect compensation from the at-fault party – indeed, before your personal injury lawsuit can actually begin – you need to […]
February 24, 2017

Slip and Fall Injuries in Residences

Many individuals have either experienced a slip and fall injury at a place of business (a wet floor at a supermarket, for example) or know of someone who has. These injuries can be quite serious and severe. For example, depending on several factors, the following catastrophic injuries may result from […]
February 22, 2017

Avoiding Fire and Burn Injuries from North Dakota Car Crashes

It is not uncommon for car crashes to result in one or more of the cars erupting in flames. This is especially likely to occur when the crash is of such force as to rupture the fuel tanks of the vehicles or where one vehicle was transporting a hazardous chemical. […]
February 20, 2017

Beer Recalled Over Chipped Glass

The California-based maker of Sierra Nevada beer recently issued a voluntary recall for a certain number of its products manufactured in its North Carolina brewery over concerns that a small part of the glass bottle may chip, creating a danger to customers. The recall affects its Pale Ale, Beer Camp […]
February 15, 2017

When You Lend Someone Your Car, You’re Also Lending Them Your Insurance

In most states, including North Dakota, car insurance follows the car and not the driver, so when you give someone permission to drive your car, you’re also lending them your car insurance. Primary Coverage vs. Secondary Coverage When you lend a friend your car, your insurance will generally cover them […]
February 10, 2017

Protect the Elderly from Financial Exploitation

When our loved ones grows old, we are often on the lookout to protect them against instances of nursing home abuse or neglect. There are other ways in which elder abuse occurs, such as when vulnerable individuals are exploited for their financial resources. Section 50-25.2-01 of the North Dakota Century […]
February 8, 2017

What are the Chances That My Personal Injury Case Will Go to Trial?

Approximately five percent of all personal injury cases go to court, and the rest settle before trial. While attorneys on both sides may evaluate a case on a similar basis, there is no guarantee whatsoever that a jury will, and neither side wants to be surprised by an unfavorable verdict. […]
February 1, 2017

When Inaction Causes Medical Malpractice: Failure to Diagnose

We put our lives in the hands of medical professionals, and we trust that their training and procedures will protect us against harm. Often, though, we think of medical malpractice is a result of what the doctors did incorrectly, but sometimes what the doctors failed to do can have equally […]
January 30, 2017

Your Fitbit May Provide Evidence in Your Personal Injury Case

In our modern age of technology, we generate a plethora of data as we go about our lives. Social media has been used in divorce, child custody, personal injury, and criminal cases by providing evidence contrary to what the parties are claiming in court. As social media use has increased, […]
January 18, 2017

Are You a Safe Driver?

Car manufacturers are adding safety features to their vehicles with ever increasing frequency. Things like brake assist devices, electronic stability control, collision avoidance systems, and phone suppression devices are all extremely useful, yet the most important safety feature in your car is you. Most of us consider ourselves to be […]
January 13, 2017

Parking Lots: Busy and Often Dangerous Places

Parking lots are very busy, and sometimes dangerous places – and most people have been both an impatient driver and a distracted pedestrian as they locate a parking place in a busy parking lot, exit their car, and walk toward their destination. Although drivers usually travel slowly through parking lots […]
January 6, 2017

Evidence of Immigration Status Inadmissible in California Personal Injury Cases

Never have terms like “illegal alien,” “illegal immigrant,” and “undocumented worker” created more fear and controversy in our nation than now. The passionate responses inspired by the word “immigration” carry such a substantial danger of interfering with the jury’s duty to conduct a fair deliberation, and so significant is this […]
November 29, 2016

Can a Bar Owner or Social Host be Held Liable for an Accident in North Dakota?

It’s that time of the year again. The holidays are just around the corner, parties abound, and the number of intoxicated drivers on the roads is increasing, putting innocent pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists at risk. Most people understand that an impaired person who gets behind the wheel after drinking […]
November 23, 2016

Why Aggressive Drivers are the Most Dangerous Motorists on the Road

Whether a driver is late, in a hurry, distracted by emotions, or just in a bad mood, aggressive driving is very common among drivers in the U.S. A recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that almost 80 percent of drivers expressed significant anger, aggression, or road […]
November 21, 2016

Slip and Falls in Private Homes: Can I Really Sue My Host?

The holiday season is nearly here, making social gatherings more common. But if you slip and fall while at someone else’s home and suffer injuries, can you still recover damages – even from your holiday host? Slip and Fall Accident at a Private Residence If you slip and fall at […]
November 15, 2016

Why Carry More Auto Insurance Than the Limits?

In North Dakota, drivers are required to carry a minimum amount of bodily injury liability coverage equal to $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident, and $25,000 per accident for property damage. Why should you consider carrying more?
November 9, 2016

Deer-Automobile Accidents Increase from 2015

Due to increasing deer populations, deer-related automobile accidents have risen nearly 50 percent in recent years, particularly from the months of October through December. According to a State Farm analysis published on CarInsurance.com season the likelihood of deer-automobile accidents nearly doubles at the height of mating and migration season. According […]
October 20, 2016

Wrongful Death: Damages Must be Proven in Court

Under North Dakota law, a wrongful death is one that arises from the “wrongful act, neglect, or default” of another. The act that causes death may be negligent, reckless, or intentional. Wrongful death claims can be made in a variety of circumstances, including fatal car accidents, medical malpractice, and dangerous […]
October 10, 2016

My Injury Case Finally Settled –Now What?

Just when your injury was becoming a distant yet painful memory and you were beginning to wonder if you would ever be able to put your personal injury case behind you, your lawyer successfully settled the claim – so what happens next? Before you’ll get your settlement proceeds, several obligations […]
September 2, 2016

Don’t Tolerate These Inappropriate Sexual Behaviors From Supervisors

Sexual harassment is unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is considered severe or pervasive and affects working conditions or creates a hostile work environment. If a person is fired, denied a promotion, demoted, given a poor performance evaluation, or reassigned to a less desirable position […]
August 25, 2016

Injured in an Auto Accident? Know Your Rights

Whenever a motorist operates an automobile, they are expected to exercise reasonable care not to injure others, and the failure to do so may be considered negligence. A person who drives in a negligent manner may be obligated to pay for any damages that he or she causes. An injured […]
August 23, 2016

Inattentional Blindness: When the Obvious Isn’t So Obvious

When drivers focus on a task that demands their attention (texting, for example), they often fail to notice unexpected objects and events that occur in full view, such as a pedestrian or another car in their path. This phenomenon is known as inattentional blindness. In 2011, psychologists at the University […]