Gary Doehling P.C. works with persons injured in farm related accidents.  Please call us at 970-241-9370 if you have been involved in a farm accident.

Have you done any of the following things that could have possibly devalued your case or claim. Check the ones that apply to your case or claim.

___1.  Failure to seek immediate medical attention.

___2.  Delaying the treatment for your symptoms because you thought they would get better.

___3.  Failure to summon law enforcement to the accident scene.

___4.  Failure to file a station report of accident and/or SR1 form with DMV if law enforcement did not come to the scene    of the accident.

___5.  Telling law enforcement and paramedics that you are fine, when you are nervous, shaking, confused and disoriented following your accident.

___6.  Failure to record adequate identity, insurance and vehicle information on the adverse driver and vehicle.

___7.  Failure to take accident scene photos.

___8.  Failure to obtain witness information.

___9.  Failure to take visible injury photographs.

__10.  Movement of vehicles before police arrived (unless safety issues were present).

__11.  Delay in retaining counsel.

__12.  Failure to record information on vehicle movement and body position at time of impact on a minor property damage accident.

__13.  Giving a recorded statement to the adverse carrier stating that you were not injured and your symptoms developed after that.

__14.  Failure to give your attorney an accurate prior accident history.

___15.  Failure to give your doctor an accurate medical and accident and injury history.

___16.  Failure to go for recommended medical treatment and medical follow-up.

___17.  Missing doctor’s appointments without a good reason and/or not calling to cancel your appointment.

___18.  Failure to obtain a doctor’s excuse for missed work, even if not required by your employer.

___19.  Failure to tell your employer that your were involved in an accident.

___20.  Not keeping a record on days/hours of that you missed work.

___21.  Failure to report initial minor symptoms to your doctor and reporting them weeks or months later, when they become worse.

___22.  Arguing with defense counsel in deposition, arbitration, or trial.

___23.  Failure to obtain medical treatment for symptoms you are experiencing after discharge from doctor.

___24.  Telling the doctor that you are fully recovered so that you can get discharged from treatment.

___25.  Failure to give an accurate explanation to your doctor of any aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

___26.  Not giving adequate time and attention to the completion written discovery.

___27.  Not reviewing documentation on your case prior to deposition, arbitration or trial.

___28.  A prior accident was revealed during your deposition or arbitration or trial that you didn’t tell anyone about.

___29.  Not taking medication as prescribed.

___30.  Not advising your attorney of new medical treatment or diagnostic tests.

___31.  Not responding to your attorney’s telephone calls and faxes.

___32.  Delay in responding to your attorney’s requests for communication.

___33.  Allowing your emergency bills to go into collections because you didn’t pay your deductibles.

___34.  Lengthy therapy without referral to a doctor to verify the medical necessity of this treatment.

___35.  Obtaining treatment from providers who are unfamiliar with auto accident cases.

___36.  Failure to tell your healthcare providers how the  injuries are affecting your daily activities.

___37.  Failure to tell your doctor that your injuries are affecting your ability to sleep.

Most insurance companies will use computer programs to evaluate your auto accident claims. These programs consider the aforementioned factors to reduce the value of your auto accident claim.

HOW DID YOU SCORE?

7 or less checkmarks – minor reduction in value

8 to 15 checkmarks   – moderate reduction in value

16-20 checkmarks     – major reduction in value

over 20 checkmarks   – you probably received only a nominal offer or no offer on your claim.

There are many simple things you can do when snow falls to safely get to your destination.

If you have been injured in an auto accident please call Doehling Law for your free consultation:

(970) 241-9370

    The Governor’s Highway Safety Administration reports that there were over 4,700 motorcycle accident fatalities in 2009, noting the first time in 12 years that the number of fatalities has declined. In Colorado, the number of deaths decreased as well, down over 10 percent from the 2008 high of 98.

A recent report by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) states that there are nearly 175,000 registered motorcycles in the state. With more and more motorcyclist on the road, it is important for riders and drivers of other vehicles alike to take notice and help the number of accidents and fatalities continue the downward trend.

Staying Safe

Though experts recommend wearing proper protective gear while riding, including gloves, eye protection and a jacket, perhaps the best way to protect yourself is to wear a properly fitting helmet. In Colorado, the CDOT statistics note that two-thirds of those killed in motorcycle accidents during 2009 were not wearing helmets. Nationally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) estimates that wearing a helmet can reduce motorcycle accident fatalities by up to 37 percent.

Though lack of head protection is a major factor in motorcycle related deaths, the use of helmets by riders has been consistently on the rise. The NHTSA estimates that in 2009, 67 percent of riders were wearing a helmet, up from 48 percent in 2005.

The other major contributing factor in motorcycle fatalities is the use of alcohol. As with the operation of any motor vehicle, you should avoid using alcohol if you plan on riding. The CDOT reports that 40 percent of all motorcycle accident deaths involved alcohol use by the operator last year, up 6 percent from 2008.

Increasing Awareness for Drivers of Cars and Other Vehicles

The insurance company Allstate has released a list of motorcycle safety tips for drivers of motor vehicles to keep in mind when sharing the road with motorcycles. The tips note that the main reason motorcyclists crash is because drivers of cars and other vehicles do not see them. Because motorcycles are smaller, they can easily disappear in blind spots and be closer in mirrors than they appear.

Giving motorcyclists enough room is also emphasized by Allstate. Bikers will often slow down by downshifting instead of using their brakes, meaning that drivers behind motorcycles may not see brakes lights as the rider slows down. Also, it is difficult for bikers to slow down or stop quickly on wet roads. Allowing more following distance in wet or slippery conditions can help save lives.

The company notes that 80 percent of motorcycle accidents will result in death or some form of injury, as riders lack the protection of a car and its safety devices like airbags and seat belts. It is important for all riders and drivers to be more aware and safely share the road during the peak riding season.

Article provided by Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm, P.C.

Please visit us at www.doehlinglaw.com

A Mesa woman was killed this morning after rolling her sport-utility vehicle, injuring two others.

The Colorado State Patrol said Courtni J. Bieser, 23, was driving east on County Road 330E, approximately 22 miles east of Collbran, when her 1996 Nissan Pathfinder lost control on a curve, went off the road and rolled multiple times down an embankment about 50 feet from the road. Bieser, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. The accident was reported just after midnight.

A front seat passenger, Joseph Bieser, 22, of Mesa, was wearing a seat belt and was treated at the scene for minor injuries, troopers said. Hannah Etcheverry, 18, of Collbran, was riding unrestrained in the back seat and was ejected. She was taken to Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs reportedly in stable condition.

If you had benn injured in an accident you are welcome to contact Gary Doehling Personal Injury Law Firm, P.C. at (970) 241-9370.

Gary Doehling P.C. a personal injury law firm will be opening a new office in the Aspen, CO area September 1, 2010.  Attorney Gary Doehling has been practicing law for over 27 years and  has the experience to help you pursue auto and motorcycle related injuries. 

You are invited to call Mr. Doehling at 970-241-9370 for your free consultation.

Gary Doehling  is proud to support the “Rider Down Assistance Network”

Rider Down Assistance Network

Any one of us, at anytime, under any circumstances, can become a Rider Down —there is no discrimination.

Most motorcycle groups/clubs take care of their own, but what if the need was beyond their ability or the downed rider did not belong to a group/club?

Answer: A Rider Down Assistance Network (RDAN) throughout the valley encompassing the entire rider community.

Who: Any downed rider regardless of anything else —period. There would be no questions asked and no judgments made. The focus would be the need, nothing else.

What: A need could be short term financial, physical assistance, chores around the house, retrieving the bike, or any number of things.

How: Someone in need would call the RDAN coordinator with a description of the need. The coordinator would call established network contacts that would rally their group/club to the need.

To Make This Work: We need to establish a Rider Down Assistance Network consisting of contact names , email address, and phone numbers for each group/club in the valley as well as any businesses or people wishing to participate. Call the RDAN coordinator today with your contact information.

We also need to spread the word throughout the valley so that downed riders or families of riders can receive the assistance they need.

The Rider Down Assistance Network is coordinated by the Band of Brothers Motorcycle Ministry http://www.bandofbrothersmm.com/.
Call Gordon at 970-250-5849 or Brian at 970-260-5940

Rider Down Assistance Network

I have previously stated that Medical Payments coverage on your automobile insurance policy is very good coverage and that  you should buy as much as the insurance company will sell you. I am of the same opinion today. The purpose of this note is to make you aware that many insurance companies will put a time limit on Medical Payments coverage. This is done to limit their exposure. this little known fact catches many people by suprise as many are still treating a year after an motor vehicle accident.

Thus, please ask your insurance agent if there are any time limitations on Medical Payments coverage on your auto insurance policy. Don’t get caught in a bad situation for medical treatment/expenses that are ongoing a year after the accident and no longer covered by your auto insurance company.

Scott Krug, CPCU

Claims Manager

A recent article being circulated comments on the fact that the number of uninsured automobiles is rising dramatically due to the current economic conditions. This article simply reinforces claim manager Scott Krug wherein he addressed this very fact in his book, Buying Auto Insurance in Colorado, for the protection of you, your family and your passenger. Scott stated in the guide that Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury is perhaps the best coverage a person can buy as no matter what laws are passed to try and force drivers to buy auto insurance, the bottom line is that if a family cannot afford the coverage they will not buy or pay the premium. This fact puts all drivers in financial harms way as more and more drivers become uninsured.

You are invited and encouraged to contact attorney Gary Doehling for a free consultation if you have been injured because of an uninsured or underinsured motorist. Toll Free 866-941-9370 in Grand Junction, CO and serving all of Western Colorado and Eastern Utah.