Florida
Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Although it happened far from Florida, the truck accident that took place in Lockport, New York this past week should serve as a reminder to truck drivers across the country. Nicholas Sparks crashed his flatbed truck into a car and a swimming pool. According to authorities, Sparks was speaking on one cell phone and texting on another at the time of the accident.

Niagara County sheriff's deputies note that Sparks may have been distracted by talking and texting when he hit a car, then smashed through a fence, brushed by a home and rolled into a pool. The passengers of the car Sparks hit included an 8-year old girl and an elderly woman. The child suffered minor injuries while the woman sustained head injuries as a result of the crash.

Sparks has been charged with talking on a cell phone while driving, following too closely, and reckless driving. It is unknown how he will plead at this time. However, the case does point to larger problems that need to be addresses to prevent other such truck accidents.

The role of cell phones in car accidents has been widely reported in the media. Some states are banning cell phone use on the roads. Many authorities and studies have proven a link between cell phone and mobile device use and car accidents. Experts claim that mobile devices such as cell phones distract drivers from the road and can lead to accidents. Cell phone use encourages drivers to focus less on the road and texting encourages drivers to take their eyes off the road entirely.

Less has been written about truck accidents and cell phone use, but common sense would suggest that mobile device use while driving a truck is just as dangerous – and possibly more so – than talking and texting while driving a car. Fully loaded trucks can weigh tens of thousands of pounds. On inclines, especially, braking and swerving can be more challenging, making it even more important for truck drivers to anticipate and keep their eyes on the road.

Texting or talking while driving a truck can also be far more deadly than texting and talking while driving a car. Because of their sheer size and weight, trucks can cause far more damage than cars in a collision. Trucking accidents frequently cause fatalities and serious, permanent injuries. This is an excellent reason to ask truck drivers to pull over before placing a call or sending a text.

Lift trucks can lead to workplace accidents and pedestrian accidents. A study by Hyster Co. has found that employers can reduce serious accidents involving workplace lift trucks by using some safety precautions:

1) Improve workplace layout. Creating separate travel zones for pedestrians and lift trucks is important and can reduce the number of pedestrian accidents, especially in situations where there are many pedestrians or many lift trucks present in a small area. It is important to keep in mind, too, that many pedestrian accidents involving lift trucks involve workers who are working with the lift truck operator at the time of the accident. Therefore, it is a good idea to create separate areas for employees working on foot and employees working in lift trucks.

2) Increase visibility, especially at the rear of the lift truck. Reflector lights, lights, and visible signs or colors are important. Many pedestrians involved in lift truck accidents simply did not see the lift truck at the time of the accident, according to the Hyster study. It is especially important to improve visibility on the back of a lift truck, since lift truck drivers are likely to have more blind spots when reversing.

3) Install alarms on lift trucks and instruct workers to always use these alarms. Flashing lights or clearly audible noise alarms can raise the awareness of pedestrians about lift trucks in the vicinity. However, these alarms must be used each time a lift truck is in motion to

4) Reduce speeds in workplace areas involving lift trucks. Any time trucks are present in a work place, it is important to reduce surrounding traffic in order to create a safe work area. It is also a good idea to place a maximum speed on lift trucks. The slower a lift truck is moving, the more time a driver has to take evasive manoeuvres to prevent a crash.

5) Train pedestrians and workers. Place signs in a work area, reminding visitors and pedestrians to be aware of lift trucks in the area. Train employees to exercise additional caution around moving lift trucks. Make sure that any employees driving lift trucks are fully qualified and trained for the job; trained drivers are more likely to avoid collisions than drivers unfamiliar with lift trucks.

Delivery trucks play an important role in carrying products to businesses and customers. While many delivery trucks are very safe and deliver products safely, some delivery trucks can be a danger on the road. One common problem with delivery trucks is that drivers are often under considerable pressure to deliver products by a specific deadline.

When drivers of delivery trucks are in an excessive hurry, mistakes are often made and these mistakes can cause fatalities, pedestrian accidents, car accidents, personal injuries, and property damage. Drivers who are in an excessive hurry may not take the time to properly secure loads. They may run red lights or speed to make a specific delivery by a deadline. They may drive under the influence in order to meet quotas. In all these instances, these behaviours can lead to an accident.

In addition to rushed drivers, other factors may contribute to delivery truck accidents. The trucks themselves may have defects or may not be adequately maintained, leading to failure of major systems on the road and therefore to accidents. In some cases, delivery truck drivers may not have safe driving records or may not be adequately trained to drive a truck.

By law, employers are held responsible for the delivery trucks and delivery truck drivers they hire. If an employer places unsafe pressure on a driver, that employer may be held liable if the driver is in an accident that causes personal injury or property damage. Similarly, the employer may be held liable if the trucks are not carefully maintained and checked. The employer is also expected to have safe hiring practices and is expected to verify the qualifications of drivers hired for deliveries.

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one to a delivery truck accident, it is important to seek the help of a qualified Florida personal injury attorney at once. Employers have a protection to protect and are not always willing to consider their role in an accident. Florida attorneys can investigate an employer’s practices and the cause of a crash so that you get the help you are entitled to under the law.

Keep in mind, as well, that there are many strict regulations set forth by the federal government regulating commercial trucks, including delivery trucks and vans. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has established mandatory training requirements for drivers, substance abuse prevention programs for drivers, maintenance standards for trucks, and other regulations designed to keep you safe. When an employer or company is negligent in adhering to these rules, you can often help prevent further trucking accidents by holding the business responsible for their actions.

Truck accidents can and do cause serious personal injuries and fatalities each year. They also cause many millions of dollars in property damage annually. While personal injuries are often far more devastating, property damage can also cause serious financial problems for people and businesses. Some of the more common kinds of property damage caused by trucking accidents include:

1) Damage to real property. When a truck careens out of control, it can easily hit a home, house, or other building, causing considerable damage to the structure. Smaller structures – such as trailer homes – can be completely destroyed by a truck. Even if there is no building on a property, a truck can create gaps or gashes in the soil or can cause damage to driveways, roads, and other paved or soft surfaces.

2) Damage to cars and other vehicles. If a truck collides with a vehicle, the car is often severely damaged, sometimes beyond repair. A collision with a truck can shear off parts of a car, can crush a car, or can break major systems of a car.

3) Damage to shipped property. If a truck is in an accident while carrying a shipment of products, those products may be thrown against the sides of the truck, possibly breaking. While properly securing a load can reduce the possibility of breakage, property damage to shipped property is almost inevitable in a serious truck accident.

4) Incidental property damage. In addition to the direct damage caused by a truck accident, there are incidental types of damage which can also occur. For example, if a truck collides with a car, the items stored inside a car – including cameras, luggage, and other personal items – can also be damaged.

5) Property damage caused by hazardous materials. Sometimes, trucks carry dangerous products, such as flammable or corrosive liquids or substances, which can cause damage when spilled. Flammable materials may spill from a truck during a collision, for example, causing fire damage to property as well as burn injuries to people nearby.

It is important to hire a Florida personal injury attorney when coping with the aftermath of a trucking accident. Since there are so many types of property damage possible in a trucking accident, it is vital to evaluate the true costs of all these types of damages. A qualified Florida attorney can assist you with this process.

Truck accidents can and do frequently cause fatalities. Due to their size and power, when truck accidents collide with cars or even buildings, they can kill a person inside. In a pedestrian accident involving a truck, the pedestrian’s chances of survival are sometimes quite small. In addition to fatalities, however, trucking accidents can cause a number of serious and permanent injuries:

1) Brain injuries. A collision involving a car and truck can cause the car to rollover or travel at very high speeds. This can cause a passenger’s head to whip around, causing brain injury as the brain bumps against the hard surface of the inner skull. In a collision, a passenger’s head may also come into violent contact with a hard surface – such as a dashboard – causing a brain injury.

2) Broken bones. The impact of a car-truck collision can cause passengers in the car to the thrown about inside of the vehicle. As well, any unsecured objects in the car can become projectiles, forcibly smashing against passengers. In both cases, bones can easily break under the impact.

3) Spinal cord injuries. When a truck and car collide, passengers of the vehicle may be thrown from the car or may be crushed inside the vehicle if the car is smashed. In both cases, the spinal cord can become damaged, leaving the passengers unable to walk.

4) Amputations. Objects can become airborne in a car accident involving a truck, and when objects have sharp edges, they can amputate limbs if these objects come into direct contact with a passenger’s limbs. As well, if a passenger sustains very serious injuries in a trucking accident, doctors may be unable to save a limb.

5) Burn injuries. If a truck is carrying flammable substances, these substances can easily ignite in an accident, if the accident produces sparks. In a serious accident, even the truck’s own fuel can ignite. Depending on what the truck is transporting, a fire can quickly get out of control, causing burn injuries to the driver and anyone nearby.

If you drive a truck or work with a truck, there are several things you can do to prevent trucking accidents and the personal injuries they cause:

1) Inspect the truck daily. Even if someone else – such as your employer – is doing regular maintenance on the truck, check your tires, turn signals and lights, windshields, mirrors, and fluids daily. If your truck is not in good condition, ensure that it is repaired before you drive it.

2) Get the correct training. Make sure that you familiarize yourself with truck driving in a controlled environment before taking a truck out on the road. Even if you have been trained in truck driving, get familiar with a new truck before you take it out on the road. You need to be familiar with the particular characteristics of a truck in order to understand how the truck will respond in various situations.

3) Do not drive if you are not alert. If you are drowsy or sick, it is dangerous to drive a truck. Trucks respond slower than cars and take longer to stop or slow down. Anything that reduces your response times is a hazard. While driving, take frequent breaks and walk around the truck to stretch to ensure that you don’t fall asleep at the wheel.

4) Keep well back from other vehicles. In a truck, you have more blind spots, so give yourself extra room. You also need additional space because it will take you longer to brake with a truck than with a car.

5) Be wary of ditches and soft shoulders. The heavy weight of a truck makes soft shoulders and ditches especially dangerous. Keep well back from these danger areas – they can cause your truck to tip over.

6) Be wary of what you load into the truck. Secure any heavy loads carefully to ensure that nothing moves or shifts as you drive. If you are transporting anything dangerous, make sure that you understand and follow all safety protocols.

Trucking accidents cause devastating fatalities each year as well as serious injuries, including brain injuries, broken bones, amputations, burn injuries, and more. Although there are many possible reasons for truck accidents, some of the more common culprits include:

1) Rollovers. Since trucks are very top-heavy, they can easily rollover in a collision, causing more injuries than the collision itself. Driving on slopes, near ditches, and soft shoulders can also cause trucks to overturn easily, leading to a rollover. An uneven truck bed or poorly distributed loads can also make trucks liable to turn or roll over.

2) Crushing. If you are working on the hoist, it is essential to block the raised bed so that the bed does not crash down on top of you, crushing you.

3) Collisions. Driver error, speeding, and loss of control of the truck can all cause collisions with other trucks, cars, or inanimate objects.

4) Overloading trucks. Trucks that are carrying more than their maximum load are very dangerous on the roads. Overloading a truck strains the brakes and the tires, and may cause either of these two systems to fail. An overloaded truck is also harder to control, especially on hills. A trailer that is too heavily loaded can easily crash into the truck in front of it down hill or can cause the truck to lose control.

5) Backing. Experts claim that up to one fourth of all trucking accidents involve a driver backing up over an object or person. Unfortunately, trucks have many blind spots and it is important to check carefully to ensure that there is no one behind your truck when you are reversing.

6) Trailer load problems. Not loading a trailer correctly or not securing a load properly can cause objects to fall from the trailer, which can result in a traffic accident. As well, and incorrectly loaded truck is more difficult to control and this alone can cause an accident.

Continue reading " Understanding the Common Causes of Trucking Accidents Can Help You Avoid an Accident " »

Moving truck accidents can be devastating. Due to the size of trucks, a moving truck accident can cause fatalities, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, property damage, brain injuries, and other serious injuries. Unfortunately, many families who choose to rent trucks for their move are not familiar with driving a truck. This can make moving truck accidents more likely. Follow these tips to make moving day a little safer:

1) Rent the right truck for your move. Before you rent your truck, estimate the total weight of your possessions as accurately as you can and ensure that you have a truck that can hold all the weight of your things. Overloading a truck greatly increases your odds of an accident, so err on the side of a larger truck than you’ll need. At the same time, however, don’t rent a truck that is larger than what you are comfortable with. When renting your truck, look for a newer model which may have more safety features and fewer mechanical problems.

2) Get the truck inspected. At the very least, take your truck for a test drive to ensure that all lights, brakes, and other features of the truck work correctly. If at all possible, have the truck inspected by a mechanic. Not all truck rental companies take proper care of their fleets and this is really the only way to know if your truck is safe and road-worthy.

3) Familiarize yourself with the truck. Before you load and drive your truck to your new destination, take the truck on some less-populated areas so that you feel comfortable behind the wheel.

4) If possible, move with a friend. A co-pilot can help you read the map and can help you check your blind spots. In a large truck, this can be very useful and can help you feel more confident on the road.

5) Plan your move and route for maximum safety. Drive at a time when you are well rested. Try to avoid rush hour, since less traffic is safer when you are in a larger truck that you are not familiar with. At the same time, plan your move so that you are driving during the daytime, when visibility is good.

Continue reading " Preventing Moving Truck Accidents " »

Across the state and across the country, many jobs require employees to drive a truck. Commercial transport companies, for example, hire truck drivers to haul freight across the country and across the continent. Courier and delivery personnel often drive trucks as part of the job. Shuttle drivers must often drive trucks or vans as part of the job. If an accident occurs on the job in such a truck, the legal implications can be quite complex.

When an employee is in a car accident in a company truck, the business is necessarily implicated. Truck accidents, by their very nature, tend to be more serious than car accidents, simply due to the size and the power of a truck. Serious brain injuries, property damage, fatalities, spinal cord injuries, and other damages are a frequent result. If someone has been seriously injured, the company owning the truck can be held liable for a great deal of money.

The driver’s liability is often a consideration in a company truck accident. Often, the driver’s responsibility in an accident is carefully investigated. Investigators try to determine whether a driver was driving recklessly, under the influence of controlled substances, or was tired when driving. In some cases, drivers feel betrayed by their employers because employers as well as insurance companies investigate driver responsibility. As employers try to determine what caused an accident, some employees feel that they are being burdened with the responsibility of a truck accident.

The business’s liability is also often an issue in a company truck accident. Investigators may examine how carefully a business marinated its trucks, how well it trained its drivers, and the steps the company took to prevent car accidents. In many cases, businesses and their insurers stand to lose a great deal of money if it is determined that a company was reckless with the public’s safety.

Another consideration is the Electronic Control Module (ECM). Since the 1990's most trucks have an ECM as part of the engine components. This device is often compared to the “black box” that is part of large aircraft. The ECM records information about a truck, including a truck’s average speed, the fastest speed the truck attained, the amount of time a truck was driven, and additional information. In many cases, the ECM can help determine liability.

In a company truck accident, drivers who are employed by the company owning the truck also make workers compensation claims. In some cases, these claims may be delayed while an investigation into the accident is underway. Many drivers find that hiring an attorney is essential in determining exactly what happened in the accident and in preserving their rights.

In the summer, many people rent trucks to tackle home projects or moves. Some people also rent trucks to go camping or to travel on vacation. Unfortunately, when an accident occurs involving a rented truck, customers often find themselves faced with a serious legal problem. Even in cases where negligence on the part of the rental company seems evident, customers may have a hard time getting their claim handled quickly and fairly.

The truth is, most rental truck companies promise a hassle-free rental experience. Most people who rent a truck have no problems. However, if a customer finds himself or herself in a truck accident in a rental tuck, the rental company may be unwilling to help. Most motorists are covered under their own driver insurance. However, this insurance may not cover all the costs of a truck accident. Unfortunately, truck accidents often result in serious burn injuries, fatalities, spinal cord injuries, and other serious injuries as well as property damage. The costs of such an accident can be immense.

Most truck rental companies are large and powerful. They have many resources and much legal assistance, whereas the average consumer may not have these advantages. In some cases, consumers do not carefully weigh their options before accepting an offer. Some customers are not aware of their rights.

If you have been in a truck accident involving a rental truck, it is important to contact a qualified South Florida attorney. A good personal injury attorney can help you negotiate with a rental company or your insurance carrier. You will find that most insurance companies and rental companies are far more willing to pay all the costs you have incurred in a truck accident if there is an attorney representing you.

In addition, a South Florida personal injury attorney can help you by uncovering all the causes of a truck accident. Rental truck accidents may be caused by poor truck maintenance, lack of instructions about using the truck, weather conditions, road conditions, and other factors. Attorneys work with private investigators who can determine the exact cause of an accident. This can be especially important if you have been accused of causing an accident.

Before renting a truck, it is important to read the fine print. Most rental agreements have complex fine print. Generally, agreements state that you will be liable for damages if you drive a rental vehicle drunk. However, rental agreements vary widely in terms of how they resolve disputes and in terms of how much insurance the consumer is granted in the rental cost.

Tractor trailers are also known as semi-trailer trucks and these trucks are often used in transporting many tons of commercial or retail products. Tractor trailers consist of two parts: the trailer carrying the freight and the tractor or cab where the driver sits. Due to their sheer size, tractor trailers can cause fatalities and very serious injuries in an accident. In a pedestrian accident, pedestrians stand no chance against the size of the tractor trailer. In a car accident involving an tractor trailer, the car and all occupants can easily be crushed flat by the truck.

1) The tractor and trailer are separate units. If the two are not attached properly and if the tractor and the trailer are not kept in good condition, the two parts can become unattached, causing massive damage as the packed trailer careens through traffic.

2) Tractor trailers carry many tons of products. Tractor trailers can carry tens of thousands of pounds of material, and the sheer weight can easily flatten a car or smaller truck. The heavier load can also make tractor trailers more difficult to control, as these trucks take longer to stop and speed up more on downhill slopes.

3) Tractor trailers carry many kinds of products, including hazardous products. Some tractor trailers carry hazardous materials, flammable materials, toxic chemicals, or even explosives. If these potentially dangerous materials are not correctly stored and attached, they can cause explosions, fires, and other hazards on public roads and highways.

4) Tractor trailers require additional training and expertise to operate. In the US, drivers of tractor trailers must be at least 18 years of age and must possess a valid Class A commercial driver's license. To get this license, drivers must get additional training to learn how to operate a tractor trailer. An inexperienced or unqualified driver can easily make mistakes on the road or lose control of the truck, causing serious injuries and fatalities.

5) Fully loaded tractor trailers are unwieldy. Large tractor trailers make wide turns, take a long time to stop and can be more difficult to control. Making mistakes with a tractor trailer is easy and can have dire consequences. Driver fatigue, mechanical problems, driver inattention, and small driver errors can result in tragedy simply because tractor trailers require more focus to drive.

Summer is often a time of moves. Many families want to move during the summer, before the school year begins, so that their children do not have to interrupt their school year. College students often move before the start of the fall semester as well. For this reason, many moving trucks are on the road during the late summer and early fall. These trucks range from large vans to huge multi-ton trucks, capable of transporting several cars and several homes’ worth of items.

There are a number of factors that can make moving trucks especially dangerous and accident prone:

1) Do-it-yourself moves require inexperienced drivers to drive large trucks. Some moving truck carriers allow families to rent a truck, load the truck themselves, and drive the truck to their new destination. Do-it-yourself moves are popular because they are far less expensive than hiring movers. Unfortunately, renting a moving truck can be dangerous since it allows a driver to drive a much larger vehicle than he or she is used to. Professional truck drivers have special licenses and extensive training, but the average driver renting a multi-ton moving truck lacks this training and certification. On the road, this can lead to an accident.

2) Moving trucks frequently enter residential areas. Many trucks carrying commercial products mainly travel along highways and commercial areas. Moving trucks, however, move between one residence and another. These large trucks also park in driveways. This makes the possibility of pedestrian accidents more likely, simply because these trucks are frequently in areas frequented by pedestrians.

3) Moving truck carriers do not always take proper care of their trucks. While many moving companies and truck rental companies are responsible, some are not. Many serious legal allegations have been made against moving truck rental companies who do not perform required maintenance on their trucks.

4) Moving trucks can easily be overburdened with weight. All trucks have a weight limit, but when people are loading up a rented moving truck, they do not always have a scale present to weigh the total weight of the cargo. Some moving companies are also cavalier about weight limits. A truck that is overburdened is at an increased risk of a rollover or accident.

When moving truck accidents occur, serious injuries are often the result. The sheer size of these trucks ensure that in the event of an accident, pedestrians or motorists colliding with the truck are killed or seriously injured. In addition, moving truck accidents can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage.

Florida truck accidents cost far too many lives. In addition to fatalities, trucking accidents cause serious injuries, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, and other injuries. While truck drivers and carriers are responsible for ensuring that drivers and trucks are safe, there are also a number of things that motorists can do to make the highways and roads of Florida safer for trucks and motorists:

1) Use extra caution around trucks. Driving around trucks is not the same as driving around smaller vehicles. Large, heavy trucks take longer to slow down, for example. When driving behind a large truck, consider giving them extra room to brake safely. Don’t cut trucks off or brake suddenly in front of them; they may not be able to stop in time to prevent an accident. Also, keep in mind that large trucks making a turn require more space.

2) Report unsafe trucks on the road. If you see a truck driver driving erratically, making unsafe lane changes, or displaying unsafe driving behaviours, call your local authorities at once to report the truck. Many trucks also have a toll-free number prominently displayed that allows you to contact the carrier owning the truck. Getting an unsafe truck off the road can prevent an accident.

3) Write to your congressperson to promote safer trucking laws. Consider writing to your congressperson to ask for stricter laws and penalties for trucks that break the law. Currently, trucks that are dangerously over weight limits only have to pay a small fee. Ask for stricter controls and laws.

4) Support advocacy groups dedicated to making the truck industry safer. Some groups raise awareness about trucking accidents and lobby the government to change trucking laws and regulations. Your support will help these groups get tougher laws passed.

5) Never stay in a truck’s blind spots. Most trucks have large blind spots and drivers may not be able to see cars behind them or right beside them. A good rule of thumb is that if you cannot see the driver, the driver likely cannot see you. If you cannot see a truck’s driver, get out of the blind spot so that they can see you and make eye contact to ensure that the driver can indeed see you.

According to Road Safe America, an advocacy group aiming to reduce the number of trucking accidents across the country, 5000 Americans die as a result of truck accidents each year. Florida is considered one of the states with the highest rate of truck accidents in the nation. Many years, Florida is second only to Texas in the number of fatal truck accidents it sees.

Truck accidents have a high rate of fatalities because a fully-loaded commercial truck can weigh 20 times what the typical passenger car weighs. In a collision at high speeds, especially, the car and its passengers can be crushed. In addition to fatalities, however, trucking accidents also cause serious injuries, including spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, burn injuries, and many other types of injuries. Many people have had their lives permanently devastated by a truck accident.

The American Trucking Association reports that the US has more than 3,000,000 commercial truck drivers and more than 500,000 commercial carriers. Each of these drivers and truck carriers share the road with much smaller cars. It is important to ensure that carriers and drivers alike are held responsible for their behavior on the road and for the condition of the trucks they drive.

Some groups claim that up to 30% of the commercial trucks on the road are carrying a load that exceeds safe weight limits. The penalties for violations of weight rules are quite low in Florida. In some cases, a truck that is carrying an overweight load pays only a $100 fine. For a commercial truck, the potential fine is much smaller than the possible profit in carrying more goods.

In addition to excess weight , advocacy groups are concerned about the speeds that drivers are allowed to travel. To make deadlines and to improve profitability, some drivers drive over the speed limit in their semis and rigs. In a trucking accident, high speeds can cause dangerous rollovers. In a truck-vehicle collision, high truck speeds can be a death sentence for the passengers in the vehicle. Road Safe America and other groups have advocated the use of speed governors, a low-cost solution to ensure that all trucks remain within speed limits.

In addition to these issues, many truck accidents are caused by driver or mechanical failure. While many drivers are quite responsible, some truck drivers do drive under the influence or drive while fatigued, increasing the chances of an accident. Not all commercial carriers are as scrupulous about the mechanical condition of their trucks, either. Lack of adequate inspections and lack of proper maintenance do lead to trucking accidents. Many things can malfunction in a truck, including service brakes, trailer break connections, lights, windshield wipers, mirrors, chains and straps, parking and hand brakes, horns, steering, and truck tires. Any such malfunction can lead to an accident.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a trucking accident, call the Flaxman Law Group at 1 866 Flaxman (1 866 352 9626). Our team of compassionate, experienced South Florida personal injury attorneys have successfully handled many trucking accident cases and we can help you through the difficult time after an accident. The Flaxman Law Group even provides a no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation. This consultation is an opportunity to ask questions and get legal advice without having to commit to a course of action or a large fee. It’s an excellent way to get some answers at a time when you may need support and assistance.