Harrell and Harrell's Personal Injury law blog

Social Security Statement Now Online

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:04:15 +0000

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has made our social security statements available online. People over the age of 18 can go to the SSA website and complete a verification process. Once the verification is complete, the user will be able to access their statement for planning purposes and verifying past wage earnings over their lifetime. The average of your lifetime wages determines your available benefits so obviously it is critical to make sure your account is accurate. Here’s an excerpt from an SSA press release:

To get a personalized online Statement, people age 18 and older must be able to provide information about themselves that matches information already on file with Social Security. In addition, Social Security uses Experian, an external authentication service provider, for additional verification. People must provide their identifying information and answer security questions in order to pass this verification. Social Security will not share a person’s Social Security number with Experian, but the identity check is an important part of this new, robust verification process.

For the full press release, follow this link http://www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement/

If we can assist you with your Social Security Disability Benefits, feel free to contact us.

www.harrellandharrell.com

Actos linked to bladder cancer

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 21:47:16 +0000

On June 15,2011 the FDA released a safety announcement to make the public aware of the link between Actos, a Type 2 diabetes oral medication, and the much higher risk of bladder cancer. According to the FDA’s release, people who have taken the medicine and other similar medicines for over a year have a much higher chance of developing bladder cancer – up to 40% greater chance.

If you or someone you know has been injured by the drug Actos, please contact us at Harrell & Harrell, PA .

When a night light becomes scary

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:27:05 +0000

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) along with American Tack and Hardware, Inc of Saddle River, NJ (AmerTac) have announced a recall of Amertac’s LED Night Light. Approximately 227,000 of these LED Night Lights were produced and sold to the public. AmerTac has received 25 reports of faulty night lights. The problems reported include smoking, burning, charring and melting. Thankfully no injuries have been reported. The recall does not mention any personal property damage or fires so I can’t comment on that aspect, but certainly it is a big safety concern. The LED Night Lights suffers from an electrical short circuit which causes it to overheat, melt and potentailly spark a fire in your home.

Three different models of night lights are being recalled. The product can be better identified by following the link to the CSPC recall announcement or by going to the company’s website, www.amertac.com . To prevent potential personal injury or propert damage, consumers should immediately stop using these defective night lights and contact AmerTac for refund info.

www.harrellandharrell.com

Happy New Year!!!!

admin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:55:03 +0000

Happy New Year from all of us at Harrell and Harrell, PA. We hope 2012 is brighter and better than ever for everyone. Please be safe over this holiday weekend. Don’t drink and drive OR eat too much.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Remembering Pearl Harbor

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:52:24 +0000

A picture is worth a thousand words – say a quick prayer for those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Battery Case for iPhone 3G/3GS Recalled

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:53:56 +0000

Just a quick note to alert everyone out there to this recall. The Rocketfish battery case sold exclusively at Best Buy can overheat while charging causing a serious risk of burn and/or fire hazard. 31,000 of them were sold in the United States along with another 1,000 in Canada.

www.harrellandharrell.com

Auto Insurance – Do you have the right coverage?

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:44:52 +0000

Most people have no idea what kind of insurance they have until AFTER they get into an auto accident. Every state is different when it comes to required coverages for your automobile. Florida is considered a “NO-Fault” state because of our required coverage or lack thereof. People call us all day long and tell me until they are blue in the face that they have full coverage. The definition of full coverage varies greatly from caller to caller. Have you ever heard the saying – you can never have enough insurance? What kind of insurance should you have?

The answer to that question also varies tremendously. In my opinion, the most important coverage you can carry in Florida is UM or under/uninsured motorist coverage. How do you know if you carry any or enough of this coverage? Find out BEFORE you have a car accident. Call your insurance company or agent to have them clearly explain to you what type of coverage you have and then ask them what you don’t have. Run through different scenarios in your head to double check that you have not just the state mandated coverage but the coverage to give you and your family peace of mind in the event of an auto accident related injury. If you need some help, give us a call. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard almost every possible scenario you could dream up.

www.harrellandharrell.com

SAFE HALLOWEEN

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:18:59 +0000

Lacking blog inspiration this morning I decided to share an old article from the CDC on Halloween Safety. There are lots of good tips and safety advice in the brief article.

TRICK or TREAT?

	Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
	Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
	Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
	Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

	Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
	Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
	Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
	Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
	Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
	Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
	Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
	Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
	Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

John Deere Recall

admin — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:52:48 +0000

John Deere announced two recalls today concerning certain lawn tractor models. One of the recalls relates to the blade brakes in which the brake can fail and allow the blades to take longer to spin to a stop – posing a laceration hazard.

The other recallis also on certain lawn tractor models in which the hardware holding the brake housing onto the transmission can fail and cause a loss of lawn tractor brakes.

Thankfully neither defect has lead to a personal injury. Hopefully we are helping to spread the word to prevent anyone from being injured.

www.harrellandharrell.com

Summer’s last hurrah

admin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:30:28 +0000

Well, summer has come and gone for another year – ALMOST!! We still have Labor Day weekend to survive and part of me really does mean survive. Not only surviving entertaining our kids’ insatiable needs for non-stop action but surviving the roads and waterways of North Florida this weekend. Lots of people will be making that last trip to the beach, last venture in the boat either fishing, skiing, sunning or sailing, quick vacation down to see Mickey and friends or whatever else they can sneak in before we officially close the book on summer. Our family will be doing the same scheduled in between the other obligatory functions like horse show and swim practice.

It all adds up for lots of potential fun and fellowship with friends and family. Don’t forget to keep safety in the forefront of your mind. Safety for yourself, family friends and others. Slow down, look twice, be patient, don’t drink and drive – all those terms come to mind!

Enjoy your weekend, be safe and here’s to another fun filled summer in the books. Best part about summer ending – football starts!!