Accident & Injury

A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who provides legal representation to people who have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligenceor misconduct of another person, company, government agency, or other entity.

As personal injury lawyers, the attorneys at Owens & Crandall have obtained specialized knowledge and skill with regard to the area of lawknown as tort law, which includes civil wrongs and economic or non-economic damages to a person’s body, property, reputation, or rights. Cases that generally fall under the category of tort law include: work injuries, automobile and other accidents, defective products, medical mistakes, slip and fallaccidents, and more.

Although most personal injury cases are resolved, or settle, before trial, many do not. That is why it is important to hire a law firm with actual trial experience. The attorneys at Owens & Crandall pride themselves in their dedication and resolve to see cases through, even when that requires presenting a case before a judge and jury at trial. This experience and resolve will increase the settlement value of your case.

 

Car Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2009, 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated
additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving. Of those people killed in distracted  driving related crashes, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction.

Of those injured in distracted-driving-related crashes, 24,000 involved  reports of a cell phone as a distraction (5% of injured people in  distraction-related crashes).

See http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811346.pdf

Causing injury or death to another person while distracted by a cell phone or other electronic device is just one example of negligent driving. The
American civil justice system requires that those responsible for negligent or distracted driving are held accountable for their conduct. At Owens & Crandall we represent those who have been injured, or the families of those who have died as a result of negligent driving. No matter what the cause of your car accident, we are prepared to assist you through the legal and insurance process.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is negligence by a health care provider – a doctor, nurse or hospital - in which the level of care provided is below the accepted standards of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in October 2003 found that medical errors caused up to 98,000 deaths annually and should be considered a national epidemic. A 2006 follow-up to the 1999 Institute of Medicine study found that medication errors are among the most common medical mistakes, harming at least 1.5 million people every year.

Owens & Crandall is one of the few law firms in Idaho that continues to handle complex medical malpractice litigation. With over 35 years of experience we can help you determine the merits and feasibility of your claim, and propose litigation strategy and prepare your case for trial.

Insurance Claims

An insurance company has a responsibility of good faith and fair dealing to those who purchase its product – its policyholders. For example, when an insurance company sells you insurance on property that becomes damaged, such as a house or a car, the insurance company is required
to investigate the damage, determine whether the damage is covered, and pay the proper value for the damaged property. Or, when an insurance company sells you health insurance or life insurance, they are required to pay the coverage amount when contractually obligated.

When an insurance company improperly investigates or under-evaluates the damaged property (or its refusal to even acknowledge the claim at all), they have committed the tort of bad faith.

The attorneys at Owens & Crandall have experience holding insurance companies accountable for their conduct. In an insurance culture where
claims are denied with a rubber stamp, we can offer you a voice.

 

Unsafe Products

The area of law involving unsafe products is often referred to as product liability law. Product liabilityis the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others who make products available to the public are held responsible for the injuries those products cause.

There are three major types of product liability claims: manufacturing defect, design defect, and a failure to warn or marketing defects.

Manufacturing defects are those that occur in the manufacturing process and usually involve poor-quality materials or shoddy workmanship. Design defects occur where the product design is inherently dangerous or useless (and hence defective) no matter how carefully manufactured. Failure-to- warn defects arise in products that carry inherent yet discreet dangers, which could be mitigated through adequate warnings to the user.

The lawyers at Owens & Crandall have experience assisting clients with claims against those responsible for unsafe products. Please allow us to be your voice against the corporation responsible for your injuries.

 

On the Job Injuries

Workers' compensation a form of insurance that provides compensation for medical care to workers who are injured in the course of employment, in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence.

In Idaho, if you are injured while working, regardless of fault, you may be eligible for workers compensation benefits.

Moreover, if you are injured while working, and someone other than a coworker or employer is at fault, you may also be entitled additional
compensation. The attorneys at Owens & Crandall can help you determine the best legal course for your work related injury.