After getting into a car accident I called Barbara and it was the best decision I ever made. She is amazing! I couldn’t have asked for a better lawyer to represent me. She got me the best settlement to pay back my medi...
The fight with insurance companies is just as hard as fighting for your life after an accident. As long as you dont give up on yourself Barbara will fight for you. The staff at Kidwell and Gallagher were great as well. I...
These two are specialists in two related fields, personal injury and workmen’s comp. Both they and their staff were VERY responsive to me and my questions, and handled my case with patience and competence. I would,...
I feel like kidwell & Gallagher went above and beyond for me. Craig himself and his staff are so nice and helpful. I would highly recommend this law office for your workmans comp/injury needs. You will not be disappo...
The best place to go if you need good hometown lawyers. They are very informative and kept us updated on what was going to happen through out our case.
Was the best experience, we told them the problem and they took over everything, was such a relief. Always there to answer any questions and help is fast is possible.
I was at my job mountain crew changes there in the basement of kidwell and Gallagher
They weren’t able to help with my case, but they directed me to someone who could.
Keeping your family safe while your vehicle is in motion requires a multi-faceted approach. You must be responsible for maintaining the safety features in your own vehicle while being acutely aware of possible issues with surrounding vehicles. This dual awareness also involves mindfulness of your own driving habits as well as those of the drivers with whom you share the road. Be sure to keep distractions to a minimum in order to focus on safety for yourself, your family, and the occupants of other vehicles. Here are a few tips to help you.
You must be able to see clearly and be seen by other drivers to be able to react to possible safety concerns. This means clear windows and functional lights.
Change windshield wiper blades if smearing, streaking, or stuttering leaves an opaque film when the wipers are being used. Keep wiper fluid levels full, especially during the winter, when road salt spray combined with rush-hour sunrises and sunsets can leave you temporarily blinded in the middle of a highway. Also, be sure to turn on the headlights when you activate the wipers, both for you and other temporarily visually impaired drivers.
Your vehicle’s lights allow you to both see the road and be seen by other drivers, so it’s essential that all of your lights are functioning properly. You can barely see the road if one headlight isn’t working on a road without streetlights, and the appearance of your one-eyed vehicle may be disorienting to approaching drivers. Functioning brake lights are extremely important. You risk the danger of being struck from behind by a speeding vehicle if you make a sudden stop and your brake lights don’t work. Drivers are mentally conditioned to equate red brake lights with slowing or stopping, and they may be following too closely to stop when they realize that your brake lights aren’t operational. Awareness of this potential issue should be a reminder to maintain a safe distance of about three seconds or more depending upon road conditions. You should keep a safe distance both for the possibility of brake light issues in preceding vehicles and for distractions that can affect your own stopping time.
Safe driving depends on both the driver and the conditions inside the vehicle. Make sure every occupant of the moving vehicle wears a seat belt. Make sure the front airbags are unobstructed by accessories and side airbags are free of impairment through improperly installed seat covers. When you’re driving, wear sensible shoes to ensure proper access to the control pedals. Heels and slippers are both unwise choices in footwear for safe driving because of their instability. Never put plastic floor mats over the factory-installed driver’s side mats because they can slip and block access to control pedals.
Stuffed animals or decor on the dashboard or rear window can impair vision and cause a distraction if they become airborne. Empty bottles and cans may roll under the brake pedal and cause an accident. Make sure any tools and other loose items in the rear of a vehicle are secure at all times. Any type of unsecured item becomes a potential projectile in the event of an accident.
Although many jurisdictions have imposed penalties for hand-held cell phone use and texting while driving, there is no penalty as devastating as remorse experienced by a driver whose immaturity over cell phone use results in loss of life. Even a few seconds of distracted driving can cause a serious accident. If you can’t wait to answer a call or text, pull over to a safe place. If a fellow driver stops and starts suddenly, weaves in and out of their lane, or repeatedly slows to a crawl and suddenly speeds up again, they are likely texting or otherwise distracted. Keep your distance until you are away from the vehicle in question, even if you must reduce your own speed or change lanes. A temporary inconvenience is better than a safety risk for yourself and your family. If you’re injured in an accident in the Elko, Nevada, area despite your constant vigilance, contact Kidwell & Gallagher LTD for prompt and efficient legal help.
Craig W. Kidwell is the managing partner of Kidwell & Gallagher, Ltd., and exclusively represents injured workers in Nevada. Mr. Kidwell has been practicing workers’ compensation law in Nevada since 1999 and has acted as lead counsel on over 2,000 contested workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Kidwell represents injured workers in Nevada through all stages of Nevada’s complex worker’s compensation system. Craig regularly appears in all levels of Nevada’s administrative workers’ compensation system and has represented injured workers in Nevada’s districts and Supreme Court.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Managing Partner, Craig W. Kidwell who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.