Honolulu Personal Injury Law Blog

Stay safe at Hawaii intersections

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

Whether you live on the islands full time or are one of tens of thousands of tourists who plan on visiting Hawaii this year, you will no doubt travel by vehicle while you're here at some point. Whether you're driving or riding as a passenger, there are several things you can at intersections to help reduce the chances of collision. Intersections happen to be high-risk areas, and the more you know about how to avoid accidents, the better.

The problem is that you can't control other people's choices or actions behind the wheel. Yes, you might be alert and cautious as you approach a crossroads; however, if a nearby motorist is not, there could be trouble. Many fatal collisions occur at intersections, and driver negligence is often the cause.

Tips for staying safe while traveling on a scooter

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams on Friday, July 19, 2019.

Whether you have lived in Honolulu for years or recently moved to the area, you undoubtedly love living in Hawaii. You may have noticed many individuals getting around on mopeds or other scooters, and more recently, you have considered getting one yourself. Maybe you are interested in having a fun vehicle to get you around, or maybe you hope that it will save you on gas money.

Whatever the case, you certainly want to remain safe while traveling on your scooter. If an accident occurs, you could easily suffer serious injuries because these smaller vehicles offer little protection against larger vehicles, or even if you are the only vehicle involved in the incident.

Drivers should do their part to reduce motorcycle accidents

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams on Wednesday, April 24, 2019.

When a moving vehicle collides with a motorcycle, it often results in serious or fatal injuries, even if they were both moving at slow speeds at the time. These types of accidents often happen when drivers are unaware or inattentive. Simple awareness and practicing caution can significantly reduce the likelihood of a serious motorcycle accident.

Drivers of larger vehicles may not know how to safely share the road or understand their responsibilities while behind the wheel. One moment of distraction or one small mistake can result in grave and debilitating injuries for a biker. Statistics indicate that as many as 75% of motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle, and drivers of larger vehicles are responsible for the crash most of the time. Awareness can save lives.

Who is really to blame for your slip-and-fall accident?

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

When you visit a store, go to another place of business or visit a public space, you likely have a general assumption of safety. While you are out and about, you are probably not thinking about the various hazards that could threaten your health and well-being. However, certain conditions may lead to particular types of accidents, such as a slip-and-fall incident.

A slip-and-fall accident can leave you with painful injuries and other complications that can affect your life in many ways. You may be under the assumption that your accident was your fault or that you should have seen the hazards that ultimately caused you to fall. In reality, you may be the victim of dangerous property conditions and other factors beyond your control.

A wrong diagnosis could have significant consequences

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams on Sunday, October 28, 2018.

When a patient goes to a Hawaii doctor or visits an emergency room for treatment, it is with the expectation that he or she will get the care necessary to address the specific medical issues at hand. However, doctors are not always correct, and sometimes, they can cause innocent patients to suffer. When doctors do not give the proper diagnosis, the results can be deadly.

Improper, delayed or missed diagnosis is one of the most common types of medical malpractice. When patients do not get the right type of care they need, it can result in additional pain and continued suffering, or perhaps lead to his or her death. When this happens, it could be grounds for a civil claim against the responsible medical professional.

A car crash can give you a headache -- literally

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams on Friday, August 3, 2018.

Your trip to town on a sunny day can easily turn into a nightmarish excursion as a result of a car crash. What makes the situation worse is if another driver's negligence, which may have been preventable, caused the collision.

Unfortunately, sometimes car collisions cause serious injuries, including brain injuries. Here is a look at what an injury to the brain involves and what your legal rights are in Hawaii if somebody's negligence caused you to suffer such an injury in a car crash.

Mopeds are big in Hawaii, and so are moped crashes

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams on Thursday, May 3, 2018.

Whether you live here in Honolulu or are vacationing here, one of the best ways to get around these beautiful islands is on a moped. The problem is that riding a moped also puts you in danger of being involved in an accident and suffering serious injuries, or worse. Even though you can't predict how others on the road will react, you can take steps to protect yourself.

Hawaii does not require you to wear a helmet, but you may want to seriously consider doing so. Unlike driving or riding in a passenger vehicle, you have no protection from an impact with a vehicle, the road or some other obstacle. Your body takes the brunt of impact, which means injuries are often more severe.

Prostate cancer - watch out for yourself!

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams posted in medical malpractice on Monday, April 9, 2018.

Over the past year, our lawyers have become involved with a number of failures to diagnose and properly treat prostate cancer cases. Regrettably, we have recently seen an increasing number of treating physicians failing to properly pick up the signs of possible prostate cancer. These cases have opened our eyes to the need for the patient to be alert to the serious dangers of this common disease not diagnosed and treated early. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men following only skin cancer. Most men have a less aggressive form of the disease but about 20% have an aggressive form with requires prompt treatment for a cure. The only way to definitively diagnose cancer and its aggressiveness is a prostate biopsy. Although not without its own risks, a biopsy is typically done by a urologist who specializes in cancer of the prostate.

Is drugged driving a serious threat for Hawaii drivers?

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams posted in blog on Thursday, February 1, 2018.

When a person takes a drug, prescribed or otherwise, it can impact his or her physical and mental function. Drugs can make it difficult for a person to drive safely, and drugged driving can be as dangerous as distracted or drunk driving. Injured victims in Hawaii have the right to seek compensation when a person under the influence of drugs causes an accident.

The effect that a drug will have on a person depends on many factors, such as the type of drug, the presence of alcohol in his or her system and more. Even a prescribed medication can have a detrimental impact on a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Each driver is responsible for his or her decisions regarding drugs and driving.

What parents should know about birth injuries

On behalf of Trecker Fritz & Williams posted in blog on Thursday, November 9, 2017.

No parent expects their baby to be harmed during birth. Unfortunately, birth injuries happen every year in Hawaii. Birth injuries happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s due to the size of the baby or position during labor. However, physicians and nurses are trained to handle complicated issues during birth to prevent birth injuries from happening.

What to know about birth injuries