How to find a good Lawyer

Shopping for shoes:  Yellow pages under Shoes
Shopping for Restaurants:  Yellow pages under Restaurants

Shopping for an Attorney:  You cannot simply pick up the phone book and look there.  If it were that simple Attorney's would not do a good job for their clients.  They would charge a retainer, charge an hourly fee and let the chips fall where they may.

So how do you find a good Attorney?  You ask people who have been in your situation.  Don't just take one person's word on the Attorney, as with all professionals and professions no one is perfect. Get the opinion of several people.  If you get several referrals, schedule a free consultation (if possible) with all of them.

Now it's time to do your homework.  Check with your State Bar Association to see if there are any complaints.  Check online referral websites:

Avvo and Colorado Bar Association are just a few links you can do some research on.

Important questions to ask when YOU are interviewing an Attorney.  Most people think that when they meet with an Attorney it is a one-way decision; "Will they take my case."  What you need to remember is that you need to also decide if "I will hire this person."

Communication is very important when deciding to hire an Attorney.  If you call and schedule an appointment to meet with an Attorney ask if the person you are meeting with IS AN ATTORNEY. When you need an Attorney it is essential you speak to an Attorney, not an assistant, not a paralegal, not anyone but an Attorney.  Your time is important.

Ask the Attorney if he/she will be communicating with you or will his/her assistant?  Please know that it is absolutely appropriate for an Attorney's assistant/paralegal to keep you updated on your case but you need to know that if you need to speak with the Attorney that you will be able to do so. (Please note that it is probably unlikely that you will get to speak with them when you call).  Ask them how long it takes for them to normally return a phone call.  I have found that if you can email the Attorney you will often get an answer quickly but it is understandable that you would want to "talk" to them.

Most important when you are trying to find a good Attorney, do not explain your situation differently than the facts.  If you meet with one Attorney who will not take your case because of XYZ do not fail to tell the next one of XYZ.  If you want a good Attorney than you must first be a good client.

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Pueblo Office: 113 W. 12th Street  (Map it)

Colorado Springs Office:  422 E. Vermijo Ave., Suite 412 (Map it)

Summer car accidents are increasing

We all hear about car accidents in the winter with ice, snow and low visability.  But car accidents are on the rise in the summer.  Summer is when are kids are out of school and...on the road.

With the heat we have been having heat exhaustion is a big problem.  According to WebMD Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness that may occur after you've been exposed to high temperatures for several days and have developed dehydration, which is an inadequate or imbalanced replacement of the fluids and electrolytes you've lost through excessive perspiration.
There are two types of heat exhaustion:

• Water depletion. Signs include excessive thirst, weakness, headache, and even loss of consciousness.
• Salt depletion. Signs include nausea and vomiting, frequent muscle cramps, and dizziness.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion

The most common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• confusion
• dark-colored urine (which indicates dehydration)
• dizziness
• fainting
• fatigue
• headache
• muscle cramps
• nausea
• pale skin
• profuse sweating
• rapid heartbeat

Take a good look at the list of symptoms of heat exhaustion.  Now imagine having these symptoms while driving....it is a dangerous combination.

Please be careful when getting behind the wheel of a car.  If you are involved in a car accident call Zeisler & Associates for the best representation! 

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The truth about MedPay and treatment for Personal Injury

The more I treat the more I get.....not true.  Insurance companies have a pre-determined amount that each injury is worth.....so if you treat the injury more than you should than less money will come to you....unless you have a powerful Attorney to fight this!

Gotta love Colorado:  You are allowed to "sign off" on MedPay. 

MedPay:  A type of auto insurance covering medical and funeral expenses resulting from an accident for the policyholder and any passengers riding with the policyholder. MedPay also covers the policyholder for any accident in which he is a pedestrian. MedPay provides coverage regardless of who is at fault. (Investorwords.com). 

For a few dollars more a month you can add this to your insurance policy.  Personally I have $25,000 in MedPay and used up most of it with my car accident. 

Why?

Because....I was over-treated in the beginning.

Who knew, right? I thought it was the right thing to do....and being stubborn I didn't need an Attorney when it first happened....WRONG!

If I hired Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC IN THE BEGINNING I would not have been "over-treated."

Here's what most people do not know....

.......MedPay is PAID BACK out of your settlement....UNLESS you have an Attorney who fights for you.  When I was told this, honestly, I was shocked!!  BUT....

.....the good news...Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC was able to fight this and have the pay it back out of my settlement waived.  If I did not have this powerful Firm representing me....my settlement would have been less!

If you, or someone you know, is involved in a car accident....CALL ZEISLER & ASSOCIATES, Attorney at Law, PC.  They ONLY represent Personal Injury so they are very qualified and know what your rights are ALL THE TIME.  (800) 961-2430.

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Calculating an Insurance Settlement

The process for an insurance settlement begins AT THE TIME of the Accident which is called the pre-trial process.  This is where, if you are able, to gather as much information of the accident as you can.  Police reports, witness names and contact information and your documentation of the accident are essential in this situation.

According to David Goguen, J.D: 

From the time your accident occurs, until you submit your claim, you need to collect and preserve evidence that documents the cause of your accident and answers the question: How has this car accident affected my life? An evidence checklist you gather should include:

• The facts of how the car accident happened, with supporting documentation such as the police report, witness statements and photos. (Use this accident investigation form to record information at the scene of your accident. Then, keep a diary of important accident-related information, using this diary form.)
• Medical records that show what injuries you received, how they were treated and how well you recovered.
• Medical bills that you incurred to treat your car accident injuries.
• A statement verifying any loss of income that resulted from your car accident injuries.
• Documentation of any other financial losses that you had as a result of your car accident.
• Evidence of your pain and suffering.

Do not try to do this alone.  Yes you can try to settle with the insurance company yourself but why not meet with an HONEST Attorney who will tell you if it is something you can do yourself.

Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC is just that Attorney!!  If you can do it yourself they will tell you and in most cases will assist you in knowing what needs to be done. 

Call them today 1-800-961-2430

Offices located in Pueblo and Colorado Springs

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What you need to know when your teenager gets their license to drive

One of the most exciting events in a teenager's life is also the most deadliest.

What every parent should know but is often afraid to know 

Zeisler & Associates, Attorney's at Law, PC specialize in Personal Injury. 

Information provided by:
Insurance Institute for Highway safety
and Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association


In 2007, the latest year for which data are available, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death among 13-19 year-old males and females in the United States.

A total of 3,466 teenagers ages 13-19 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2009. This is 60 percent fewer than in 1975 and 15 percent fewer than in 2008.

• Thirty-three percent of deaths among 13-19-year-olds occurred in motor vehicle crashes, 39 percent among females and 31 percent among males.
• 16-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
• The crash rate per mile driven is twice as high for 16-year-olds as it is for 18- and 19-year-olds.
• About 2 out of every 3 teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 were males.
• Sixty percent of teenage passenger deaths in 2009 occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager. Among deaths of passengers of all ages, 18 percent occurred when a teenager was driving.
• Statistics show that 16- and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger.

• Eighty-three percent of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths in 2009 were passenger vehicle occupants. The others were pedestrians (7 percent), motorcyclists (4 percent), bicyclists (2 percent), riders of all-terrain vehicles (2 percent), and people in other kinds of vehicles (2 percent).

• Fifty-five percent of motor vehicle crash deaths among teenagers in 2009 occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

• In states with GDL programs that include at least five of the most important elements, there was a 20% reduction in fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers.

• In 2006 (latest data available) crashes involving 15- to 17-year-olds cost more than $34 billion nationwide in medical treatment, property damage and other costs, according to an AAA analysis.

How do teenage crashes differ from those of other drivers
According to the IIHS
Analyses of fatal crash data indicate that crashes of teenage drivers are more likely to be attributed to driver error. Teenagers' fatal crashes are more likely to involve speeding than those of older drivers, and teenagers are more likely than drivers of other ages to be in single-vehicle fatal crashes. Plus teenagers do more of their driving in small and older cars  and at night, compared with adults. In 2010, 17 percent of teenagers' fatalities occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight, and 24 percent occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. Fifty-five percent of teenagers' fatalities occurred on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

The more you know, the more prepared you are the safer your child will be.  Zeisler & Associates, Attorney's at Law, PC would rather not meet you under these circumstance but should you ever need an Attorney to assist you, Zeisler and Associates, Attorney's at Law, PC will be there to help you.

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Spinal Cord Injuries

What is Spinal Cord Injury?   Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function such as mobility or feeling. Frequent causes of damage are trauma (car accident, gunshot,  falls, etc.) or disease (polio, spina bifida, Friedreich's Ataxia, etc.). The spinal cord does not have to be severed in order for a loss of functioning to occur. In fact, in most people with SCI, the spinal cord is intact, but the damage to it results in loss of functioning. SCI is very different from back injuries such as ruptured disks, spinal stenosis or pinched nerves.
   A person can "break their back or neck" yet not sustain a spinal cord injury if only the bones around the spinal cord (the vertebrae) are damaged, but the spinal cord is not affected. In these situations, the individual may not experience paralysis after the bones are stabilized.
   What is the spinal cord and the vertebra?   The spinal cord is about 18 inches long and extends from the base of the brain, down the middle of the back, to about the waist. The nerves that lie within the spinal cord are upper motor neurons (UMNs) and their function is to carry the messages back and forth from the brain to the spinal nerves along the spinal tract. The spinal nerves that branch out from the spinal cord to the other parts of the body are called lower motor neurons (LMNs). These spinal nerves exit and enter at each vertebral level and communicate with specific areas of the body. The sensory portions of the LMN carry messages about sensation from the skin and other body parts and organs to the brain. The motor portions of the LMN send messages from the brain to the various body parts to initiate actions such as muscle movement.
(http://www.spinalinjury.net/html/_spinal_cord_101.html) 
    
Car Accidents can cause numerous problems to the body.  Spinal cord injuries can affect your hands, arms, legs and feet and will usually take a MRI to discover.  Depending where the injury will determine what other parts of your body will be affected.  A neck injury can affect your arm while a back injury can affect your legs. When you are involved in a car accident and you don't "feel" any injuries call an Attorney anyway.  It may take several weeks before any injuries will be discovered.  


At Zeisler & Associates you will get the attention YOU deserve and need.  Zeisler & Associates ONLY practice personal injury.  Make your first call the them and they can refer you to the best doctors for your situation.


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Whiplash



123rf.com

Whiplash is an injury that can be caused by a car accident.  There may be minimal or no damage done to your vehicle which will lead the insurance companies to claim that you were not injured in the accident.  Also, you may not know you are injured for weeks after the accident.  I know this first hand from my car accident.  It wasn't until a few weeks after my accident, and after I told the other party's insurance company I was not hurt, that I could barely move.  After months of doctor visits I learned of my neck injuries.  

Carol Zeisler had her work cut out for her after I hired her.  I hadn't been to a doctor (except for my injuries from the car accident) in about 10 years.  I told the insurance company I was not hurt (at the time I wasn't).  It wasn't until I couldn't move that I called Carol, who had been referred to me by a trusted person....who I will always be thankful to for the referral.  Carol was able to prove it wasn't a pre-existing injury (insurance companies love those words) and was able to get me my policy limits.  

When you are involved in a car accident    CALL CAROL FIRST   even if you do not think you are injured.  You need a good Attorney to ensure that you are able to receive the proper care and compensation owed to you.  


Symptoms of whiplash include neck pain and stiffness, headaches, pain in the shoulder or between the shoulder blades, low back pain, pain or numbness in the arm and/or hand, dizziness and/or ringing in the ears or blurred vision.  


When you call Carol first she will put you in contact with the BEST doctors for your situation.  She knows what needs to be done from the beginning and can serve you better when she starts from the beginning and doesn't have to "clean up" what has happened.  (She had to clean up my mess that I started from not realizing what I was doing).


Zeisler & Associates are exclusive to personal injury and are dedicated to serve you.  When you hire Zeisler & Associates you not only get an EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY you get a person who cares about YOU and what is right!!

At Zeisler & Associates you will always be informed of the status of your case.

Conveniently located in two locations:

Click on the city to get directions

Pueblo                                                   Colorado Springs

123 W. 12th Street                                 422 E Vermijo, Ste 412

Pueblo, CO  81003                                Colorado Springs, CO 80903

719-358-2571                                        719-694-3971

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