General Motors has announced that it will begin to compensate the families of the victims of car accidents due a faulty switch installed in 2.6 million of its vehicles.

They have hired lawyer Kenneth R. Feinberg, a compensation specialist, to draw up the details of the fund and to handle its administration.

Feinberg has said that the size of the settlement to the families of those killed or seriously injured would be based on a variety of factors including age at the time of the incident, future earning potential, and medical expenses. It would also depend on the nature of the injury. Awards were expected to begin at a million dollars with no upper limit.

Those who were less seriously injured would receive compensation depending on how long they were in hospital, with payments beginning at $20,000 and going up to $500,000 for those hospitalized for more than a month.

It is not yet known how many of the victims might take part in the scheme as opposed to taking General Motors to court for damages, although Feinberg expects the situation to be similar to 9/11, when 90% of the victims chose to be compensated via a fund rather than go to court.

If you, or someone you know, have been injured in a serious auto accident with a teen driver, please call the at Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC at 801-990-0500 or contact us online today. We have the experience and expertise needed to help you get the compensation you deserve.

One of the best things about having a modern road system is that the law rules. Everyone shares the road and every kind of vehicle has equal claim to the streets. But this equality comes with a cost. When a motorist needs to use the shoulder, which is usually a helpful option, they can easily become victim to drivers who are driving drunk or distracted. Too often, these kinds of situation have resulted in tragedy. In order to help you avoid being in an accident while you use the shoulder – to fix a flat tire or for any other reason – follow these tips:

Pull All the Way Over

If you find that you have to stop on the shoulder of a major highway or roadway, be sure to pull all the way over in order to avoid leaving part your vehicle in harm’s way. The farther you are from the roadways the less likely a passing driver is to collide with you.

Use Flares

One of the best ways to alert drivers to the fact that you are stopped on the shoulder is to use flares. Depending on the quantity of flares you have, they should be set up several hundred feet before your car, in the direction of oncoming traffic, so that the other drivers have an opportunity to prepare and avoid a collision. Flares should be used regardless if it is day or night.

Call for Help

Sometimes it seems like it is easier to do nothing than ask for help. But in the case you find yourself stranded on the should of a roadway without the extra gas or spare tire you need to make it to your destination, it is a far better idea to call someone for help than to simply sit in the car and hope it will all work itself out.

Automobile accidents can be devastating, even deadly. If you have been the victim of a serious automobile accident, whether you believe it was you fault or not, call the attorneys at Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC at 801-990-0500 or contact us online now!

Salt Lake City Accident Attorneys

Road biking is becoming more and more popular today – especially in beautiful places with lots of sunshine like we have here in Utah. Although bicyclists share the vulnerability of pedestrians, when it comes to a collision with cars, legally, bicyclists are subject to the same rules and have the same rights as drivers of motor vehicles. That can create a precarious and confusing situation. As a bicyclist, you cannot behave as a pedestrian, even if it seems safer. These tips can help you stay legal and stay safe.

• Know the law. Learn your rights and responsibilities, and what most drivers will expect of you.
• On the same token, do not rely on the law to keep you safe. Knowing you have the right-of-way isn’t good enough when your life is at stake, so always be vigilant and aware of what is going on around you, even if it’s wrong.
• Switch to pedestrian mode when it behooves you. As a bicyclist you have the option of using crosswalks for safety, but only if you dismount and walk your bike.
• Always ride on the right-hand side of the road and with the flow of traffic, not against traffic.
• Use hand signals to let drivers know what you are up to.
• If you ride at night, you must have a headlight, side reflectors, and either a red rear reflector or taillight, and they must be visible from 500 feet. It’s not just a good idea; it’s Utah law.

If you have been injured in a bike accident in Salt Lake City or anywhere in Utah, please call the experienced accident attorneys at Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC at 801-990-0500 or contact us online today. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.

Salt Lake City Accident Attorneys

Tylenol (acetaminophen) is used to reduce fever and treat minor aches and pains. It is sold over-the-counter (OTC). It does not make you drowsy or get you high. Doctors recommend it all the time. Before ibuprofen, it was the only real option for treating fever in children because aspirin can cause Reye’s syndrome, and it remains a popular choice for that purpose. It is also the only OTC pain reliever that many people, who have adverse gastrointestinal reactions to ibuprofen, can tolerate. Unfortunately, acetaminophen overdose can be deadly, and long-term use of recommended doses can cause liver and kidney failure.

Avoiding Acetaminophen Overdose

People often take acetaminophen without realizing it, because it is contained in so many OTC combination products sold to treat the symptoms of cold, sinus, flu, and allergies. These are not just Tylenol products; acetaminophen is sold under other brand names. It is also contained in prescription drugs such as Vicodin.

Overdose typically occurs when users are unaware of the fact that they are taking multiple acetaminophen products, and therefore, fail to do the math and make sure that they are not taking more than they should over the course of the day. For example, someone who takes Vicodin for back pain, and comes down with a cold, may then take an OTC cold remedy containing the drug without realizing that the drugs are in conflict at all.

According to the FDA, you should not take more than 4,000mg of acetaminophen within a 24 period. Don’t rely on the brand name of OTC or prescription drugs. Read the actual ingredients, add up the dose, and when in doubt, talk to your doctor or ask a pharmacist for help in determining what is safe for you.

If you have been harmed by Tylenol or any other drug, please call the Salt Lake City attorneys of Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC at 801-990-0500 or contact us online today. We represent people who have been injured through no fault of their own and we can help you and your family through this difficult period.

Salt Lake City Accident Attorneys

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of FEMA, about 164,500 cooking fires in residential buildings occur each year in the U.S., and from 2008-2010 cooking was the leading cause of all residential building fires and injuries. Fortunately, this is something we each have a vast amount of control over in our own homes. Here are some tips to help you avoid kitchen fires.

• Never leave cooking food unattended, even if it is in the oven rather than on the stovetop.
• Use a timer. We’re all subject to distraction from time-to-time.
• Never leave the house with while any kitchen appliance is in use, even if it’s “just for a minute.” That includes the oven, stove, toaster oven, microwave, and other small appliances.
• Do not put food in the oven to slow-cook overnight while you and your family are sleeping.
• Keep pot holders, oven mitts, dish towels, pizza boxes, paper plates, plastic packaging and other flammable items off of, out of, and away from the stove and oven, even when they are turned off.
• Do not use your oven as a storage space.
• Keep the stovetop clean, and always clean up grease spills as soon as they occur.
• Keep pot handles turned in toward the center of the stove, to prevent spills and burns from bumping into hot handles.
• Never wear loose clothing while cooking.
• Never pour water on a grease fire. Use baking soda to smother it instead. If a pot or pan on the stovetop catches fire turn off the burner immediately and cover the pan with a lid to smoother the fire.
• If something in the oven catches fire, leave the door closed and it off.
• If there is a fire inside of the microwave oven, leave the door closed, turn off the oven and unplug it.

If you have been injured in an accident, in Salt Lake City, please call the Salt Lake City accident attorneys of Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC at 801-990-0500 or contact us online today. We can help you and your family get the injury compensation that you need and deserve.

Salt Lake City Accident Attorneys

Microwave ovens may seem much safer than conventional ovens, but they cause over 7,000 house fires in the U.S. every year and are a leading cause of scald injuries. In June, 2013, the American Journal of Emergency Medicine reported that between 1990 and 2010 the number of microwave injuries increase 98% per year. Microwave ovens are particularly dangerous to young children, but adults are often injured, too. Here are some tips for preventing microwave oven accidents and injuries.

• Beware of superheated liquids. This is not urban legend. Superheated water, is water that has passed boiling temperature but is not moving like water normally does when it is boiling, so it does not appear to be that hot. When the water is disturbed, by moving the container or adding an ingredient, it erupts, flying up and out of the container, easily causing serious burns.
• When opening containers, point them away from your face to avoid steam burns.
• If you have children, make sure that the microwave is not at the edge of the counter at their face level.
• If your child is not mature enough to safely use a conventional oven or stove without supervision, he’s not ready to use the microwave unsupervised either.
• Microwaved foods often have hot and cold spots. Food that does not feel hot at first can have very hot spots that will burn you, and foods that feel hot may have cold spots that are not thoroughly cooked which could cause food poisoning.
• Never heat a baby bottle in the microwave.
• Do not use aluminum foil or any kind of metal in the microwave oven. It can cause a fire or explosion inside of the oven.
• You may need oven mitts. Containers coming out of the microwave oven can be very hot on the outside causing burns or causing you to drop and spill hot food on yourself or someone nearby.
• Only use microwave-safe dishes and containers, preferably those made of glass rather than plastic.

If you have been injured in an accident in Utah, please call the Salt Lake City accident attorneys of Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC at 801-990-0500 or contact us online today. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.

Salt Lake City Accident Attorneys

Millions of defective vehicles are recalled each year, but that does not get all of the dangerous defective vehicles off the road. Some defects are not discovered or publicized until there have been numerous accidents and deaths. Some defective vehicles are never recalled, and owners are not always notified when their vehicles are recalled. If you have been injured in a defective vehicle accident in Utah, the Salt Lake City accident attorneys of Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC, can help you recover fair compensation for your injuries.

Examples of Dangerous Defects

There are defects which cause accidents and defects which cause injuries to be worse when an accident occurs. Examples of defects which can ultimately result in injuries or death include:

• Faulty steering
• Power steering which fails
• Faulty brakes
• Transmissions which slip into reverse
• Defects causing engine fires
• Defects causing door fires
• Airbags which deploy randomly
• Other airbag defects
• Defective seat belts
• Faulty tires
• Defective headlights
• Defective door latch
• Fuel system defects causing fuel-fed fires
• Poor roof crush resistance
• Design flaws leading to rollover

The law firm of Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC represents people injured in defective vehicle accident claims in Utah.  If you have been injured in an accident in Utah, please call the Salt Lake City accident attorneys of Hirschi Steele & Baer, PLLC, at 801-990-0500 or contact us online today. Our attorneys have extensive experience in defective vehicle accident lawsuits and will help you get the full recovery you deserve.