Rhode Island Accident Lawyer Blog

Rhode Island recently joined the ranks of six other states to ban a particular style of highway guardrail, the Lindsay X-LITE, due to concerns over the barriers crash safety. The X-LITE guardrails are believed by some to cause potential death or personal injury in car accidents by piercing, or impaling, the vehicles that come into…

With countless safety options available on newer vehicles today, it is understandable the choices can be overwhelming. However, it’s worth taking the time to understand, even in simple terms, what options are available as many of them are expected to, or have already proven to, assist in preventing car crashes resulting in serious personal injury…

In 2016, over 37,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents. The majority of fatal crashes each year are due to driver error, or driver choice, and most are preventable. In addition to awareness programs bringing attention to drunk driving and distracted driving, the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA) is fervently promoting motor vehicle technologies…

Rhode Island traffic fatalities are at their highest since 2008, with 83 traffic related fatalities seen in the state in 2017. This is a jump from 51 traffic deaths seen in 2016 and 2014 in Rhode Island. Ironically, 2015 saw the lowest number of traffic fatalities in RI, 45, since 1992 according to the National…

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 1,000 people are injured each day in the United States in accidents involving distracted drivers. Drivers who text and drive are six times more likely to cause a car accident. In an effort to crack down on this serious issue in Rhode Island, police gave out…

The holidays are a wonderful time in New England and a great time to catch up with friends and family at the myriad of parties and events hosted this time of year. When alcohol is involved though, sometimes the party can get dangerous. Between Christmas and New Year’s, AAA reports two to three times more…

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), more than half of home fire deaths occur during the period of November to March, and a large number of these deaths are caused by holiday decorations like candles and Christmas trees. In fact, fires started by holiday decorations have a tendency to be more deadly than…

At Tapalian Law, as auto accident lawyers we often use the terms UM and UIM with our clients. The average Rhode Island driver however, may find this confusing. Though two separate meanings, they are often used interchangeably and stand for Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) and Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM). Unless you’ve been injured in a…

You’ve been hurt in a car accident. After a hospital visit and incurring a number of medical bills, pharmacy expenses, and missing a few days of work, you find out the driver who caused the accident has no auto insurance. After learning this frustrating news, you wonder – what happens when you are hit by…

An Alabama jury recently awarded $7.5 million to an Army veteran after breaking his hip at a Walmart store. The incident took place in 2015 when the retired sergeant was shopping in an Alabama Walmart and his foot got stuck in the side of a wooden pallet under a watermelon display. This led him to…