Pasadena PD's Larry Candelari killed in 18 wheeler accident near Kerrville

Two off duty Pasadena Police Department officers were returning from a deer lease they share at around 10:00 p.m. last night when they stopped to help a motorist whose U-Haul trailer had jack-knifed on Interstate 10 near Kerrville, Texas. Officer Larry Candelari and Officer Mike Huffman, both 49-years old, pulled over in front of the vehicle that lost the trailer to render aid. An approaching 18-wheeler was able to avoid the trailer in the roadway, but then hit both the officers' vehicle and the vehicle they had stopped to help.

Officer Larry Candelari was killed in the collision and his friend Mike Huffman was severely injured: according to Channel 11, Huffman had to undergo amputation of his leg below the knee. A few years ago Officer Candelari received the Chief's Citation Award for his response to the fatal shooting of Officer Jesse Hamilton on August 21, 2009.

The Houston Chronicle has a more extended article: Tamara Spencer, a spokesperson for League City Police Department, said Officer Candelari was one of the best SWAT team members on Pasadena's force, and that Mike Huffman was "...the toughest cop she's met." She said both were generous with their time, so it was no surprise that at the time of the 18-wheeler accident they had stopped to help someone in need.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. According to the Chronicle's article, the 18-wheeler driver did not appear to be impaired by alcohol, but fatigue may have been a factor. An apparent witness named Andy Lewis told the Chronicle: "The 18-wheeler comes barreling down the road and doesn't hit the brakes until he hits the vehicles."

Pasadena P.D. Officer
Larry Candelari

DaraghCarterLaw.com

Update 1: I heard from a colleague of Officers Candelari and Huffman this afternoon that three benefit accounts have been set up to help these officers' families:

(1) Go in to an Amegy Bank and say you wish to make a donation to the fund set up for Mike Huffman or Larry Candelari; or

(2) Mail a donation care of the Pasadena Police Officer's Union to: Benefit Fund, P.O. Box 766, Pasadena, Texas 77501; or

(3) The Pasadena Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association has an Assist the Officer Fund. Donations are completely tax deductible and can be made at any area Wells Fargo bank to account # 48235.  Alternatively checks paid to that fund can be mailed to: PCPAAA - Assist the Officer, 1107 Pampa Street, Pasadena, TX 77504.

Officer Candelari's body was escorted home Sunday and delivered to the Rosewood Funeral Home in Porter, Texas, escorted by dozens of police squad cars.

Update 2: click here to read Galveston Police Chief Henry Porretto's recollection of Officers Candelari and Huffman.  A Facebook memorial page for Larry Candelari has been set up here, and an online memory book established at Rosewood Funeral Home's web site here.

Update 3: Officer Larry Candelari's funeral was held today, Friday, May 3rd, 2013 attended by hundreds of mourners including the majority of the Pasadena Police Department, with the exception of Officer Mike Huffman who remains hospitalized in San Antonio.  Officer Candelari's sons Alec and Seth both spoke: Alex is a United States Marine (like his Dad before him) and Seth is a police officer. Larry Candelari served five year in Iraq with the Marine Corp. and 24 years with Pasadena P.D., 22 of those years as a SWAT team member. Alec remembers his dad as his "ultimate hero."

Larry Candelari's son, Alec, a U.S. Marine, speaking
at his Dad's funeral 05/03/2013.

Members of the Pasadena Police Department

Larry Candelari's friend, Lieutenant John Dombrowa

Larry Candelari's son, Seth, also a police officer, speaking
at his Dad's funeral 05/03/2013.

Personal Injury Claims Are The Legal Way To Get Compensation

Accidents and injuries can happen to anyone and at anytime as they form the most unpredictable part of every person’s life. They can happen as a result of either personal negligence or negligence of the other party. Hence, it is very important to seek legal help to know what you are owed in case of personal injuries. The best step to get started with the claim procedure is to know whether you have a claim or not. Following is a list of the scenarios in which you can file a personal injury claim:

•    Road traffic accidents
•    Accidents in home
•    Accidents at work
•    Tripping accidents
•    Assault claims
•    Holiday accidents
•    Accidents caused due to faulty products
•    Medical accidents
•    Dental accidents
•    Industrial diseases such as asbestosis, silicosis, asthma, bronchitis, pulmonary disorders, occupational stress, occupational deafness, and others

These are some of the most common situations that are considered valid for filing a personal injury claim.

What Information to Record?

Once you have confirmed that you can claim for your injury you need to keep track of some points from the time the injury has occurred. These points are:

1.    Record the names and contact information like telephone number and address of all the witnesses and parties involved in the accident.
2.    Inform the police about the date and time of the accident. If possible, try to inform the police no sooner than the accident has occurred.
3.    Inform the family doctor about the injury.
4.    If possible, try to make arrangements for photographs of the accident spot.
5.    Notify your employer and insurance company about the injury or the accident.
6.    If the victim is an infant, make sure that the school is informed about the mishap.
7.    Keep a track of all the information that the insurance company might ask for such as hospital bills, medication bills, transportation bills and alike.
8.    Contact a lawyer and know all your rights because there are strict deadlines and time limits that must be met if you do not want to miss out on your claim or disqualify from obtaining the compensation.

Importance of Legal Consultation

Personal injury claims are the legal way to get compensation. Consulting a personal injury lawyer before filing for a claim will help you determine what you are exactly owed. A good lawyer will introduce you to all the intricacies of the claim procedure so that you can easily navigate through the compensation process and the law. However, make sure that you talk to the lawyer only when you are medically stable because whatever you speak will be recorded and taken into consideration at the time of final judgment.

Filing a personal injury claim is a very tedious task. Moreover, failure in understanding the terms and conditions or any clause, may pose great problems before you in near future and also deprive you of the claim amount. Hence, it is very important to seek legal assistance and find out what your personal injury claim owes you.

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.hansonduby.com or by calling 416-588-9100. 

Benefits of Personal Injury Consultation

No one can control or stop the occurrence of accidents and mishaps but what lies in our hands is to take care of the situation after the accident has occurred. An important thing to do after a road or industrial accident is to claim for personal injury. A personal injury claim is for those who are hurt in accidents and the cause of their injury is not their fault and the irresponsibility of others. Under such circumstances it is important for the victim to consult a personal injury attorney who will guide him with the various legalities and procedures associated with personal injury claim. There are several benefits of consulting with a personal injury attorney and here in this article we will discuss about this topic in length. Given below are some important benefits of personal injury consultation after you met with an accident that has caused you physical injury. 

 

Consult for free:You can take free consultation from attorneys and seek legal advice regarding personal injury claim. You can consult with a number of lawyers before hiring one for your case. You can obtain valuable piece of information through free consultation and finally select the attorney who provided you the best advice and suggestions. 

Avoid complicated procedures: There are several legal procedures and documentation work that needs to be completed during personal injury claim. These procedures can be a daunting task for those who have little or no knowledge about judicial processes. Procedures such as checking of insurance papers of both parties, submitting the expenses involved in medical treatment and surgery, and submission and checking of other allied papers and documents are involved which can be pretty complicated for the claimer to perform. A legal attorney will help you complete all these procedures and in fact if you hire a personal injury lawyer, you will perhaps have to appear in court only during the hearings and all others legalities will be handled by the attorney.   

Reduce stress during physical recovery: You may have to be under treatment for 3 to 4 months after an accident and the stress of personal injury claim during the same time can be devastating. Moreover you can’t delay in your claim since the more you will delay the less likely will be your chances to get the compensation. Therefore it is important to hire a personal injury lawyer after an accident so that he can take care of all the legal works while you recover properly form your physical injuries.

  

Helps in your decision making process: A personal injury lawyer will guide you in each and every step of your claim. You will have to follow whatever he instructs you and act accordingly. He will also help you with your insurance and instruct you on whether the matter can be solved outside the court. 

Helps in personal injury and property loss claims: A personal injury lawyer is well equipped to fight for you medical expenses and property loss claims. For instance if you are in a road accident and the cause of your injuries and the damage of your car is the fault of another person than your lawyer will make all possible efforts to make the offender reimburse you for the damages.

Personal Injury Lawyers and Accident Law Firm in Toronto

Once you are injured in an accident and suffered personal injuries, you can exercise your right to make a claim. Such claim should justify the expenses and monetary losses successfully. Here, you need professional assistance to comprehend the procedural matters and to exercise your rights in the present circumstances.

Personal injury lawyers and legal services are vital to help you finalize your settlements easily. Welcome, your search ends here with our team of expertise to support you manage legal proceedings. Documentation, proofs, and data supply are essential to carry out proceedings and ensure successful outcomes. We are here to solve your queries and provide you comfort to complete the formalities and ensure personal injury claims within the specified time limits. Our accident personal injury law firm in Toronto helps you move forward and carries out personal injury litigations on behalf of the plaintiffs. Legal expertise support is really essential to comprehend your requirements and offer you excellent service assistance to manage your case. Our goal is to meet the requirements of the applicants and help them deal with case settlements, abiding to the personal injury law. Legal consulting, recovery of damages, and settlement of claims is what we provide to the clients. So, it’s time to recover the financial losses, pain, and suffering that the personal injuries have caused you. With minimum procedural formalities and filing of application, you can avail necessary legal services to get protected against financial losses and recover the financial losses you have born. Our well built networks and professionally managed relationships benefit you in getting your problems solved sooner within the given time framework. So, our legal help will relive the injured person from the burden of carrying out proceedings by himself/herself. Sometimes, specialized medical investigations are necessary. The client need not worry about such matters; all he/she should do is to contact us and perform necessary formalities to get relieved from the extra burden. 

It’s our responsibilities to file personal injury claims considering various expenses and financial losses, the person bears. Unless you get your claims settled, you need not pay any fees. So, it is highly beneficial to avail such legal service assistance to deal with the issues relating to the personal injuries.

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.hansonduby.com or by calling 416-588-9100.

Charles Garley fatally struck by out of control pickup while airing tires

Charles Garley was putting air in the tires of his car at a Shell gas station on Aldine Mail Route near the Eastex Freeway just before 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday April 23rd when he was struck and killed by an out of control red pickup truck. Police think the driver of the pickup was probably speeding before jumping a curb and crashing into Mr. Garley, who was bent down airing the tires at the time and was believed to have died instantly. Mr. Garley's wife was in the car at the time: she was rushed to hospital. The driver of the pickup was questioned by police and was tested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Mr. Garley's sister Carla Hall described him to Channel 2 News as a kind and thoughtful man who loved to cook for his wife. 

DaraghCarterLaw

Scene of the fatal crash at the Shell gas station

Accident victim Charles Garley

Repair of Car After Albuquerque Car Accident

I Need My Car Repaired After an Albuquerque Car Accident!

By:  Mark Caruso, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney (Albuquerque, NM)

You have been in a  car accident,  truck accident  or  motorcycle accident  in Albuquerque, and it wasn't your fault. How are you going to get your car damages repaired?

New Mexico law gives you rights against the person at fault and their insurance company.

But delays in the claims process may mean that you are driving around with a damaged car for weeks after the wreck.  What can be done to speed up this process so you can get your vehicle fixed.

Because  Caruso Law Offices  only handles  personal injury  and  wrongful death  cases, we run into this problem almost every day.  Here is my advice as a  personal injury  and  wrongful death  attorney with 31 years experience. I would be happy to give you more advice during a  free consultation.  Just call me at 505-883-5000 or email me at mark@carusolaw.com






 First, you need to understand that most of the time the officer will not give you the name of the insurance company and policy number for the at fault driver at the scene of the collision. The officer will give you a police report number and tell you that the report will be available in 7 to 10 days.  This creates the first problem of delay.

 

 

Without knowing the name of the insurance company or policy number you don't know who to contact.

If you have collision/comprehensive on your vehicle with your own insurance company, you should immediately begin the vehicle damage  claim  by reporting the accident to your own insurance company.  The phone number to the claims office and your policy number should be on your proof of insurance card you carry in your car.

Let your insurance company know that you want them to begin the property repair process.  Let them know that you do not want to wait for the at fault person's insurance. Do not let your insurance company intimidate you into waiting to deal with the at fault person's insurance.

For instance you might be told that you will need to pay a deductible if you go thru your insurance company but no deductible if you go thru the at fault person's insurance.  This is true.  But as we explain below, the timing should work out that you don't need to pay the deductible.  And even if you do pay it, you will get it back almost immediately after the at fault person's insurance gets copies of the repair bills.

You might also be told that your rates will go up.  This is a lie. New Mexico law prohibits your own insurance company from raising rates or, cancelling you  so long as the accident report states that the accident was not your fault.

 The "property damage adjuster" will take a short statement of what happened in the accident and instruct you on how to proceed on getting estimates.

Some insurance companies require you to get 2 or 3 estimates, while others will want you to make an appointment with them to physically inspect your vehicle.  Regardless of the amounts of the estimates, your insurance company will be required to pay for all the repairs to your vehicle less the deductible.

Now here is where it gets interesting.  While you are getting your vehicle repaired, probably 7 to 10 days has passed and the accident report is now available.  You need to get a copy of the accident report.

The accident report will state the name and contact information of the driver and owner of the at fault vehicle and the name and policy number for the at fault driver's insurance.  You need to immediately telephone the insurance company.  They will take your statement and ask you to fax them a copy of the accident report.  Bec extremely careful what you say to the adjuster because it can be used against you later.

You need to let the property damage adjuster for this insurance company know that your vehicle is currently being repaired, where it is being repaired and the amount of the anticipated repairs.  You will need to also fax this adjuster a copy of your estimates or appraisals you received from your own insurance company.

In most instances the at fault driver's insurance company will directly pay the auto body shop the full cost of all repairs, and you will have no deductible. 

You were able to get the process started using your own insurance company, and finished the repair to your vehicle using the at fault driver's insurance.

Unfortunately, if you don't have collision/comprehensive insurance you will need to wait until you get the accident report before you have any idea who to contact about the repairs to your vehicle.

If you need any assistance on your property damage claim or personal injuries resulting from the collision, please contact  Caruso Law Offices  at (505) 883-5000. We only handle personal injury and wrongful death claims.  That's all we do.  This lets us focus our entire law firm on just one type of law--Personal Injury and Wrongful Death.

Attorney  Mark Caruso  is a former insurance company attorney who now represents individuals who have been injured  car accidents,  truck accidents,  motorcycle accidents,  bicycle accidents, bus accidents or as pedestrians.

Mark Caruso has been an attorney for 31 years.  We have  2 offices in Albuquerque to serve you...Northeast Heights (Montgomery and Carlisle) and Westside (Coors and I-40). We also represent clients statewide and in the pueblos and reservations of our state. 

Call us at (505) 883-5000 for a  free consultation  with Mark Caruso or another attorney at our  personal injury  and  wrongful death law firm.  The consultation is confidential and without obligation.  We can meet with you at either office or at your home, work or hospital.  We can also meet you after hours and on Saturdays.

We look forward to hearing from you.

 mark@carusolaw.com

Hanson Duby, Toronto’s Most Trusted Personal Injury Law Firm, Comments on OPP Crackdown on Distracted Drivers

Hanson Duby Lawyers (http://www.HansonDuby.com), a personal injury law firm serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), is commenting on the week-long crackdown on distracted drivers launched by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Using cell phones, laptops, radios, MP3 players, and GPS devices, as well as attending to children, eating, shaving, applying makeup, and smoking while driving, have all contributed to serious motor vehicle accidents on Ontario roads. The “Put Down the Phone and Leave it Alone” campaign runs from April 15th to 19th and will see hundreds of OPP cruisers patrolling Ontario highways as they look for distracted drivers. Read More>>

Free APD Accident Report--Identification of Drivers, Witnesses and Insurance Companies. Call (505) 883-5000

Get Your Free APD Accident and Collision Report  TODAY

 

By:  Mark Caruso, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney (Albuquerque, NM)

 

Call 505-883-5000 for a free copy of the Albuquerque Police Department--APD accident report--and Bernalillo County Sheriff Department --BCSO accident report. 

It typically takes 7 to 10 days for the accident report to be available to  the drivers of the involved vehicles from APD or Bernalillo Co. Sheriff.

The accident report will state the name and contact information of all drivers, passengers, witnesses,  the insurance company name and policy number. The accident report also states the investigating officer's findings of the contributory causes of the accident.

You will need this accident report to make an insurance claim.

How to order your free copy of your accident report:

Call 505-883-5000.

We will need the following information:

1.  the name of a driver,

2.  the date and time of the accident,

3.  the location (nearest intersection) where the accident occurred.

Caruso Law Offices will immediately get the APD and BCSO accident report for you  the first day that it is available. We are at the Records Department every morning, and we will check every morning to see if your accident report is available.

We will telephone you immediately the morning that we get the accident report. You can pick up the accident report at the receptionist desk at 4302 Carlisle NE in Albuquerque. You can park for free at our front entrance door.  You don't need to make the long trip downtown, fight for parking, pay for parking and wait in line to get your accident report.

There is no obligation to you whatsoever.

When you come to our office to pick up your free accident report, we will also give you the option to immediately meet with a lawyer for free to discuss your car accident.  There is no obligation to do so. We will also tell you about our discounted 29% contingency fee which is the lowest percentage in Albuquerque.

Just call 505-883-5000 and give us your full name, the date of the accident and the location of the accident.  We will get the accident report for you.

There is  no obligation or cost for providing you a copy of your accident report, and  there is absolutely no obligation or cost to meet with an attorney at our office if you choose to do so. Caruso Law Offices offers this service to the people of Albuquerque as a public service.  Call 505-883-5000

Caruso Law Offices is a  personal injury  and  wrongful death  law firm with two offices in Albuquerque. The firm exclusively handles personal injury cases in Albuquerque and statewide throughout New Mexico.  Because we only handle personal injury and wrongful death cases, we are particularly good at what we do.

 Mark Caruso is a former insurance company attorney who now helps the victims of the negligence of others against insurance companies and large corporations.  In practice for 31 years, Caruso has the experience to fight for you.

HCSO deputy killed in motorcycle accident on FM 2920 at Kuykendahl

There was a fatal accident Saturday morning between an SUV exiting a Kroger parking lot and an off duty HCSO deputy riding his motorcycle. The deputy was riding westbound on FM 2920 near Kuykendahl Road at around 11:00 a.m. when the SUV pulled into the deputy's travel lane: he attempted to swerve around the vehicle but was unable to do so. The impact was enough to break the deputy's motorcycle helmet. He was air-lifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he passed away. Precinct 4 will handle the investigation of the crash, though on the face of it, it appears the white Chevy Tahoe SUV failed to yield the right-of-way to the deputy's motorbike. Channel 11's story. According to Channel 13's story, the deputy works at Harris County Jail. The Channel 13 account of the accident is somewhat more detailed: it says the deputy was thrown from his motorcycle after hitting the SUV leaving Kroger where he struck another SUV that was in the center turn lane waiting to turn left across 2920. DaraghCarterLaw

Update: sadly the officer involved, who has been identified as J.C. Godby, has died from injuries sustained the motorcycle accident.

J.C. Godby

Life Insurance Claims Lawyers in Toronto

Life insurance is such a claim that none of us would ever like to claim for, but still we purchase it so that we can ensure the financial security of our loved ones. Though the money will not get the person back, it will make a lot of difference in coping with the financial needs of rest of the family members who are completely dependent on the dead. 

Life insurance claim procedure requires expertise in order to navigate through the legal proceedings smoothly and efficiently. Consulting personal injury lawyers would prove to be of great help in such situations, since they have a complete knowledge of all the rules and regulations. 

Till the time you recover from the loss, your personal injury lawyer will take over all the legal formalities. It will help you in arranging all the documents that the insurance company might ask for. Moreover, there is a certain limit within which you must file for a claim. Most of the people fail to take a note of this point and lose on their much needed claims. With the help of a lawyer you can file for the claim on time.  

You need to be very careful when filing for a life insurance claim, since most of the insurance companies try to manipulate the terms to settle the claim in their favor. Some of the most common reasons that result in denial of life insurance claims are listed as follows:

• Misrepresentation of material
• Failure in payment of timely premiums
• Preexisting history exclusions
• Nonconformity with the proof of loss provisions of the insurance contract
• Denial of claim because of misinterpretation of what an “accident” means

The insurance company might disapprove your life insurance claims in any of these situations. Hence, make sure that you provide the correct documents and proofs.

The life insurance claims lawyers will protect you from frauds and help you in obtaining the claim benefits which is your right in case of death of a family member.  In addition to this, they also provide you with the much needed emotional support helping through some of the most difficult times of your lives. 

More information on Hanson Duby is available by visiting the firm's web site at http://www.hansonduby.com or by calling 416-588-9100.