An Indiana Car Accident that left two children injured highlights the need for parents to properly restrain their children in a moving vehicle. Reports indicate the crash happened at approximately 3 p.m. this past Sunday afternoon along County Road 350 S.

Reports state that the children’s 34-year-old mother was at the wheel of a 2003 Dodge Caravan minivan traveling east along the road. She told law enforcement that when she looked down to observe a picture one of the children had drawn, the tires of the vehicle veered off the roadway. She overcorrected, causing the van to flip and eject the 7- and 10-year-old passengers who were not properly restrained.

The Shelbyville News stated the crash left the driver suffering from a leg injury that was treated at a trauma center, while the 7-year-old was left with severe bleeding. The child was airlifted to a local hospital for further treatment. The 10-year-old passenger was complaining of pain at the scene of the crash and was also taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

Indiana state law dictates that all children are to be restrained in a safety or booster seat until they reach the age of 8-years-old. Once they are 8, they must then be restrained by a seat belt in the backseat of a moving vehicle.

The Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys urge parents to always ensure their children are properly restrained before a vehicle they are riding in moves.

When a person’s physical or mental condition leaves them facing death or unable to work for an extended period of time, they may be eligible to receive Social Security Disability Benefits. However, there are certain qualifications that must be met before an individual’s claim can be approved.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) explains that the individual applying for benefits must first have worked for a specific amount of time during their adult life. This ensures the individual has worked enough to put in to the system before receiving money out of the program. The person must also meet certain income requirements. If an individual makes too much money, their claim for benefits may be denied.

If the claimant meets both of these requirements, they will then be asked to provide documentation of their condition, diagnosis, and treatment from a qualified physician.

Many of those who are able to provide all of this information and meet other qualifications as well still have their claim rejected.  Data from the SSA shows that roughly 70 percent of initial claims for benefits are denied by the agency.

The Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys recognize the complexities of getting a claim for Social Security Disability benefits approved. That’s why the firm suggests discussing your legal options with a qualified attorney if you are considering applying for such benefits or had a claim denied in the past.

An Indiana Truck Accident that occurred last month was responsible for leaving one woman seriously injured. Reports indicate the crash prompted concerns over the need for more safety measures in the state for commercial truck drivers.

According to an article from RTV 6 News, the crash happened on May 6 along U.S. Highway 150/State Route 56 in Orange County, Indiana. It was there that a trash truck was driving down the road, when two wheels from the vehicle broke free and collided with a tractor-trailer and a yellow Hyundai sedan. As a result of the impact, the 27-year-old female driver of the Hyundai sustained injuries to her shoulder, back, leg, and neck. She was taken to a local hospital in order to receive further treatment.

Further investigation determined that the Indiana State Police had never inspected the trash truck prior to the accident. This comes as no surprise to many experts though, since the state has only one inspection officer per every 13,000 commercial trucks registered in the state.

One state representative stated he plans to use the crash as an example to support measures that would strengthen safety standards and inspections on commercial vehicles.

The Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys recognize the dangers posed by commercial trucks that have not properly been inspected. The firm is hopeful the legislator is successful in his goal of stiffening inspection standards.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is currently struggling to keep the Social Security Disability Benefits program afloat. Estimates show that the trust that funds payments to recipients could run dry within the next three years.

Experts attribute the problems to several contributing factors, one being an influx of claim applications that are attributed to a poor economy. A higher volume of recipients means less money to go around. This is complicated by a high rate of improper and fraudulent payments made by the agency.

An article from CNS News reported that the SSA wrongfully paid out a total of $7.9 billion last year alone. This resulted from the agency making $4.7 billion in wrongful payments to Supplemental Security Income recipients, while $3.2 billion was improperly paid to recipients of the Old-Age, Survivors’ and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program.

Officials say the overpayments were often made because of a lack of updated information about recipients. In an effort to solve this problem, the agency has vowed to conduct hundreds of thousands of audits on recipients during the coming year. A resolution is vital considering the agency expects an influx of 80 million individuals applying for Social Security over the next 20 years.

The Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys acknowledge the complexities associated with applying for Social Security benefits. The firm suggests discussing you options with a lawyer if you are considering applying for benefits.

Governor Mike Pence recently signed several pieces of legislation into law that make major overhauls to the Indiana Workers’ Compensation system. The changes are intended to reduce costs associated with claims by offering better control over the pricing of medical care.

According to an article published by Business Insurance, the bills signed into law on Saturday not only create a fee schedule for medical costs that are relevant to Medicare’s rates, but also caps the prices that can be charged for medical implants and repackaged drugs.

Medications that are reprocessed by anyone other than the original manufacturer can no longer be sold for more than the average wholesale price.

Before the reform, providers of medical supplies were allowed to charge any price they saw fit for a product, which drove costs through the roof and left many injured workers unable to afford medical care. Most lawmakers agree the changes will help to establish better regulations regarding costs of healthcare products.

The Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys recognize the need for more affordable healthcare for workers who have been injured on the job. The firm is hopeful the reforms will be effective in achieving this goal.

A 24-year-old woman is preparing to face trial after causing a fatal Indianapolis Car Accident on Nov. 24, 2012. Reports indicate the crash happened at around 2:30 a.m. along Shadeland Avenue on the northeast side of town.

According to an article published by the Indianapolis Star, the woman drank approximately six beers at a friend’s apartment on the evening of the accident. At around 1 a.m. she decided to drive to her parents’ house. As she drove along Shadeland between 71^st and 75^th, she veered off the road and struck a 23-year-old man from Columbia City who was walking along the edge of the road.

The woman immediately slammed on her brakes, got out of the vehicle, and looked around before getting back in the vehicle and fleeing the scene.

The victim was found deceased the next morning, and it was determined he had died as a result of head injuries sustained in the crash.

The woman was later charged by police with one felony count of failure to stop following an accident that resulted in death. If convicted, she faces up to eight years in prison.

The Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys know how devastating the loss of a loved one to such an accident must be. That’s why the firm would like to send their deepest sympathies to the family of the victim.

Video recordings are a great way to document actions for later review if any kind of question or concern was to arise. This leaves many wondering why cameras are not utilized during surgeries in order to prevent Medical Malpractice Claims.

A new study released in the most recent issued of the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that utilizing cameras during procedures can be beneficial for several reasons. Data indicates that doctors tend to examine patients closer and take more time when the record button is on. In fact, gastroenterologists spent 49 percent more time looking at patients’ colons when procedures were recorded.

Another reason to utilize cameras during surgical procedures, according to an article from Bloomberg BusinessWeek, is that doctors are capable of reviewing video to help in diagnosis or to examine their techniques to help make improvements for future procedures.

Experts also tend to believe that documenting procedures can become vital evidence if a case of medical malpractice is brought against a doctor.

While those opposed to cameras in the operating room claim that they infringe patients’ rights to privacy, many tend to believe the benefits outweigh the harm making such a recording could cause.

The Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys applaud any efforts that are made to reduce medical mistakes and better protect the safety of patients.

Governor Mike Pence named the month of May “Motorcycle Awareness and Safety Month” in Indiana, and many organizations and citizens are planning to educate the public on how to prevent Indiana Motorcycle Accidents. A press release from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute discussed these efforts and offered several crash prevention tips.

According to recent studies, drivers other than motorcyclists are responsible for causing more than two-thirds of all multiple vehicle accidents that involve a motorized bike. Many of these collisions occur when motorists simply do not see the bike or its operator prior to impact. These statistics have prompted officials to ask that motorists always look twice before entering traffic at an intersection.

Motorists aren’t the only ones to blame for a high number of crashes involving motorcycles. Experts say that self-taught motorcyclists are involved in roughly 92 percent of all accidents. That’s why state officials are urging all motorcyclists to participate in rider training and safety courses before hitting the streets. The course covers all aspects of safely operating a motorcycle, including how to properly take a curve in the road.

The Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys recognize the dangers motorcyclists face each time they ride the roads. That’s why the firm is hopeful the campaign will be successful in reducing accidents by making others more aware of these risks.

The Indiana Court of Appeals issued a ruling recently that found a woman was not entitled to Indiana Workers’ Compensation Benefits for injuries sustained in an on-the-job accident.

An article from Risk & Insurance explained the plaintiff had several disputes with coworkers and management during her time as an employee of a retail store in Indiana. When a clothing rack injured her, she was put on light duty in another section of the store.

During an overnight stocking shift, the employee approached her supervisor complaining of chest pains. The supervisor and employee exchanged words and the employee left work to go to the emergency room. She was later diagnosed with having had a panic attack complicated by anemia.

The employee never returned to her job, and she was later diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She filed for workers’ compensation benefits claiming her condition was caused by altercations with her co-workers and management.

The court disagreed, saying they were unable to conclude the woman’s condition was caused by her time as an employee at the store. The court went on to explain that just because an injury occurs on-the-job does not necessarily qualify an employee for workers compensation benefits.

The Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys recognize the complexities involved with workers’ compensation claims. The firm urges anyone applying for benefits to discuss their legal options with an attorney first.

Fatal Indiana Car Accidents in construction zones have become a serious concern for state officials. In fact, three highway workers were killed last year alone along the state’s roadways. In an effort to combat this problem, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will be partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in conducting a Construction Zone Safety Awareness campaign this week.

A story released by WorkersCompensation.com explained the campaign kicked off with words from INDOT Commissioner, Michael Cline, who stated workers in the highway construction industry face a number of daily on-the-job hazards. One of the most dangerous, though, is a fast-moving vehicle.

The campaign is aimed to educate motorists on the importance of slowing down and staying vigilant in highway construction zones with increased police presence. Law enforcement will be watching for motorists who commit safety violations including speeding, reckless behavior, distracted driving, or driving under the influence. Any driver who is caught committing an infraction will be stopped and cited.

Indiana Department of Labor Commissioner, Sean M. Keefer, added his organization will also be working closely with businesses in the state to bring attention to “transportation-related hazards and exposures.”

The Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Attorneys applaud the efforts being made to improve highway construction zone safety in Indiana. The firm hopes the campaign will be successful in preventing future collisions.