We have all heard about the dangers of DUI (Driving Under the Influence). A DUI will cause more than a headache, leading to Court costs and fines, license suspension, jail time and higher insurance costs. Driving under the influence can also lead to vehicle collisions, causing serious injury and death.
Of all life’s would-be experience, few things leave a person more disoriented than a car accident. Beyond the speed and shock of the actual collision—which can be debilitating even if you are physically unhurt—you are suddenly faced with an abundance of questions, concerns, and fears.
When it comes to car accidents, sometimes the real damage doesn’t occur until long after the crash itself. Depending on the circumstances of the incident and how much you are determined to be “at fault” for the accident, you may be on the hook for a substantial amount of money. And even if your insurance covers the damages and/or injuries involved, your rates are going to climb according to exactly how much you were to blame.
Thousands of car accidents occur every day (15,913, to be precise, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Many are low-impact fender benders or other minor crashes. Some, however, involve major expenses, either from the resulting damage or the injuries sustained during the accident.
Did you know that of the 2.1 million vehicles involved in collisions, 189,000 injuries were the result of tire issues in a 24 month period? 45% of SUV’s rolled over that were experiencing tire problems. Don’t let you or your family be included in one of these statistics.
The time of year when people scramble to find all tax records and documents to file before the April 15th deadline. Filing taxes usually raises questions about what qualifies as taxable income. Does a settlement from a personal injury claim qualify as taxable income? How about payments from the Department of Labor and Industries? These are significant questions as most of us begin to receive tax documents like W-2s, 1098s and 1099s. The good news is that payments to compensate for bodily injury are generally not taxable forms of income.
