+ Car Accidents

Unfortunately hundreds of people are injured in “car accidents” everyday. In reality these collisions are NOT accidents. While most people don’t intentionally try to cause a collision, collisions can be avoided. In fact, there is virtually no defense to rear-ending someone. Why, because the collision could have been avoided if the driver had been paying attention and not following the vehicle ahead of him too closely. Because the collision could have been avoided, the law says that person is financially responsible for the harm he or she caused. Because most people can’t afford to pay someone cash for the harm they caused, the law requires that every driver have insurance to pay for that harm.

If you have been injured in a car collision, you have an absolute right to be compensated for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment. Many people would have you believe making a claim or consulting an attorney makes you greedy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, even if YOUR own insurance company pays to repair your vehicle and your own insurance company pays for your medical bills, if you don’t ask the other person to pay you for your harm, your insurance company will DEMAND to be reimbursed by the other person’s insurance company. If the other person doesn’t have insurance, YOUR own insurance company will sue them personally and ask to be reimbursed.

The insurance company is a business. Most people are NOT equipped to handle this process on their own. There is NO REQUIREMENT that the other person’s insurance company pay you for your harm. In fact, it’s their job to protect their insured who caused the harm, NOT YOU. Insurance companies hire and train the best adjusters to save them money. They save money buy denying, delaying and refusing to pay claims. In fact, they could outright refuse to pay you and there is NOTHING you can do except hire an attorney to sue their insured to force them to pay a valid claim. Unfortunately, you can’t sue the other person’s insurance company, the insurance company was not driving the vehicle.

However, YOUR insurance company has a duty to protect you. YOUR insurance company should not lie, delay or try to deceive you. Unfortunately, the insurance industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. It’s difficult to be fair when so much money is at stake. In order to protect yourself, you should ALWAYS consult with an experienced ATTORNEY. Your friends and family members are NOT attorneys and DON’T know the laws. At Rivera Law Offices we offer a FREE consultation. You are under NO obligation to hire us after a free consultation. As a public service, we want to arm you with knowledge. Knowledge is power.

+ Premises Liability Claims

I fell, do I have a claim? It’s the “slip and fall” cases that sometimes give attorneys a bad rap. NO, just because you fell doesn’t mean you have a case. If you tripped on your own two feet, you don’t have a case. However, if you fell in a pot hole filled with water, in a dark parking lot, and broke your ankle, you might have a case. Why? Because the property owner or business has a duty to make sure they warn you of the hole, or repair the hole as soon as it’s discovered so that no one is injured. “Slip and Fall” cases are very fact specific. Clearly the business or property owner doesn’t have a duty to isolate every person from harm. But if there is a dangerous condition on their property that they knew about or should have known about AND the property owner or business failed to warn,repair or fix the condition, you could have a case.

“Slip and Fall” cases are very complicated and difficult to win. To ensure your rights are protected, you should always consult with an attorney. At Rivera Law Offices, we offer a free – no obligation consultation with an attorney. We want you to know your rights and arm you with knowledge. Our founding partner strongly believes in being candid and straight forward with her advice.

+ Bicycle Accidents

There is a huge movement for society to ride their bikes, especially in larger cities where parking is expensive and difficult to find. However, with inattentive drivers at an all time high, bike riders are very susceptible to harm. If you’ve been in an accident while riding your bike, contact an experienced attorney immediately. Most people don’t know that their own car insurance can cover some of their medical bills if they have PIP (Personal Injury Protection.) The laws protecting bike riders and pedestrians is complicated. At Rivera Law Offices, we want to arm you with knowledge. Even if the collision was your fault, there may be coverage for your injuries. .

+ Dog Bites

Most everyone loves dogs, however, dogs can be very dangerous and sometimes unpredictable. If you have been bitten by someone else’s dog, the law is very clear, the dog owner is responsible for your medical bills. If the dog owner has home owners insurance or renter’s insurance, their insurance company will pay for your medical bills and other losses. However, again, more often that not, you may have need to hire an attorney to force the insurance company to pay for your claim. You should always consult with an attorney as soon as possible. At Rivera Law Offices, we offer a free – no obligation consultation with an attorney. We want you to know your rights and arm you with knowledge.

+ Child Injuries

Did you know that if your minor child was injured through no fault of their own, they have a claim. In fact, if your child was in your vehicle and YOU were at-fault for the car collision, your child has a claim against YOU. Your insurance company will pay your child for their injuries. Unfortunately, your insurance company will never tell you your child has a claim against you. In fact, an insurance company CAN NOT settle a claim without court approval. Our laws are designed to protect minor children. Any monies paid for a child’s harm or injuries, is the child’s money and needs to be placed into a blocked account until the child turns 18 years of age.

If your child was injured in a car accident, or in some other capacity, consult with an experienced attorney to make sure your child’s rights are protected. At Rivera Law Offices, we offer a free – no obligation consultation.

+ Brain Injuries

Brain injuries are among the most tragic to occur during a car crash and inflict devastating damage and even death. Even with airbags, seat belts, and all the latest technology, a vehicle occupant’s head is still incredibly vulnerable during an auto accident. The most common brain injuries that occur in a vehicle crash include: concussions, closed head injuries and penetrating head injuries. A sudden blow to the head can cause the brain to shake inside the skull where it may be bruised or cut. Symptoms of a concussion often include loss of consciousness, headaches, dizziness, and difficulty thinking and remembering clearly.

When the head hits a hard surface, the blunt trauma can cause bruising, nerve damage, skull fractures, and brain swelling. If you think you have suffered a brain injury it is extremely important that you seek immediate medical attention. After seeking medical attention, consult with an experienced attorney. Treating a brain injury can be complicated. An experienced attorney can help ensure that your medical bills get paid so you can get the treatment you need. At Rivera Law Offices, we offer a free – no obligation consultation.

+ Burn Injuries

Depending on whether a burn injury is a first-degree burn, second-degree burn, third-degree burn, or fourth-degree burn, an individual may require months, years, or even a lifetime to recover. Medical action is typically taken as soon as possible after burn trauma to help prevent scarring and disfigurement. In many situations, multiple operations and skin grafting surgeries may be necessary. The altered functions of the burned areas of skin may also require intensive physical therapy, respiratory management, and pain control. At Rivera Law Offices, we offer a free – no obligation consultation.

+ Wrongful Death

If a loved one has passed away and you think that a wrongful death may have been involved, Rivera Law Offices is able to help. Many times family members do not even know that a loved one’s death was “wrongful”. It’s important to contact a lawyer so that the situation can be analyzed by someone with experience handling wrongful death cases. At Rivera Law Offices, we offer a free – no .obligation consultation.