For the last 37 years, Snyder & Wenner has worked hard to protect members of our community. Today, Howard Snyder, David Wenner, and Brian Snyder still work tirelessly to ensure that every client is fully taken care of and receives the best settlement or trial verdict possible. Snyder & Wenner only handles catastrophic injury and wrongful death personal injury cases in the greater Phoenix area (including Scottsdale, Avondale, Paradise Valley, Mesa, Glendale, Anthem, and other surrounding cities). So what is a “catastrophic injury,” and what areas of personal injury does Snyder & Wenner focus its practice on?
What are “catastrophic injuries”?
“Catastrophic injuries,” are those that severely and permanently affect a person’s life. It is important to understand, though, that this does not mean that someone with a sprained ankle does not have a legitimate injury that is bothersome. Instead, it simply means that the injuries do not resolve and will continue to affect the person for the foreseeable future (or permanently). Snyder & Wenner focuses only on catastrophic personal injury cases because those victims have injuries that will require extensive care and treatment. When that happens, the medical bills can become overwhelming, which can send many people into bankruptcy. Every injured person deserves the very best legal services, but those who have suffered catastrophic injuries particularly need experienced, successful, well-versed attorneys because their injuries are not as simple as, “I was rear-ended in a car crash, I hurt my neck.” Many injuries, such as brain injuries, foot drop, spinal injuries, and neurologic injuries, require a long-term approach with care outlined by expert witnesses. Those services cost money, so law firms with experience and success are a “must.”
What type of cases resulting in catastrophic injuries does Snyder & Wenner handle?
Snyder & Wenner handles all catastrophic injuries resulting from: dog bites, car accidents, truck crashes, defective products, and insufficient/inadequate security. Every case is different, and every type of case is different, so here is a quick primer on each area:
Dog Bites: Dogs are great companions and wonderful pets, but they can also cause serious, life-long injuries. In Arizona, if you are a guest on someone’s property, and the property owner’s dog attacks you, the owner is responsible. There is no such thing as a “one free bite” rule, meaning that even if the dog has never harmed someone before, the owner is still responsible. The only way this is not true is if you provoke the dog or cause it to bite you. Unlike other negligence claims, though, there is a one year statute of limitations for the automatic (strict) liability. Once the one year mark passes, you will have to prove that the dog owner knew or should have known of the dog’s propensity to attack/bite. That is a much more difficult standard, so it is best to file your case within one year. In 2017, Snyder & Wenner had the largest verdict in the State of Arizona for a dog bite case.
Car Accident: Even minor car crashes can cause a major disturbance in someone’s life. The more serious the crash, the larger the physical impact. Did you know that neck and spine injuries from crashes that may SEEM like they resolve quickly can still be problematic 10-20 years later? The worst thing any injured person can do is simply assume that the injuries will get better and not seek appropriate treatment.
Truck Crashes: Many people think that truck crashes are just big car accidents. That could not be further from the truth. Truck accidents have many layers that run-of-the-mill car accidents do not, including federal regulations for truck drivers and trucking companies, and more sophisticated tools imbedded in the truck that can help determine why the truck driver was driving so fast or did not brake in time. Truck accidents obviously cause devastating injuries due to the sheer size of the big-rig, but proving that the truck driver and truck company are fault is something that requires experience. Using a basic personal injury lawyer for these cases is a recipe for disaster.
Attorney Brian Snyder recently won a $350,000 verdict in a Phoenix dog bite case. A young girl was bitten in the face by another family’s dog. The family had Liberty Mutual insurance, which offered pennies on the dollar to settle the case. Refusing to accept that amount as full and fair compensation, Mr. Snyder took the case to trial. After deliberating for approximately 3 hours, the jury returned a verdict of $350,000. The Liberty Mutual defense lawyers had suggested the jury award the young girl $80,000 for medical expenses, and $5,000 to “take her family on a trip.” The jury squarely rejected that position. The verdict appears to be the largest dog bite verdict in Arizona in 2017.
Dog bite injuries can be permanent and severe. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a dog bite in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or any other surrounding city, you need an experienced attorney who does not get intimidated by insurance defense tactics. Snyder & Wenner has over 35 years of experience litigating dog bite injuries in Phoenix and throughout all of Arizona. We take the time to process each case, hire experts, and fight to ensure our clients get full and fair compensation.
On July 1, 2018, Arizona passed its first statewide law banning texting while driving for teenagers aged 16-18. While the law fails to address the overarching problem of distracted driving, since it applies only to a small subset of the population, it is a step in the right direction. As it currently stands, Arizona is one of two states in the country that does not completely ban texting while driving for all drivers. Attorney Brian Snyder joined Good Morning Arizona to discuss the new law and the impact it will have on our state.
The new law applies only to 16-18 year olds who are within the first 6 months of getting their license. Police officers are not permitted to pull the driver over only for texting while driving, though. Instead, it is a secondary offense, meaning that there has to be another reason to pull the driver over. If someone is texting while driving, though, chances are that h or she is drifting in the lane or driving carelessly. Doing so is enough for an officer to pull the person over. A first offense is a $75 fine. A second offense is a $100 fine and one month gets added on to the probationary period. For a third offense, the driver is fined $100 and loses his or her license for one month.
Distracted driving causes over 400,000 injuries per year. It is a major epidemic that needs to be addressed. Otherwise, injuries and deaths will continue to occur at a rapid rate. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured when a distracted driver crashed into your car, please do not wait. Contact us today so we can help. Snyder and Wenner is a proud supporter of End Distracted Driving, and Brian Snyder is available to speak at local high schools on the dangers of distracted driving.
Snyder & Wenner is proud to announce that on April 2, 2018, one day before he was set to start a 4 week trial against Phoenix trucking company Houston Transport (and it’s driver), attorney Brian Snyder settled the trucking crash case against the defendants for $900,000.
On December 10, 2014, defendant truck driver James McCulloh was travelling westbound on Route 260 near Show Low. It was very foggy outside, but Mr. McCulloh decided not to slow down in his 18-wheeler, and was driving between 50-66mph in very limited visibility. At that time, plaintiff Robert Langford was driving his garbage truck on a side street that connected with Route 260. He stopped at the stop sign and looked both ways. Not seeing any vehicles coming, he turned right onto Route 260 and accelerated to 19-25mph. Mr. Langford drove 40 yards down the highway when, out of nowhere, defendant McCulloh crashed into him from behind at full speed. McCulloh never hit the brakes and never took any evasive action. The impact was so severe that plaintiff’s garbage truck flipped over, and he was knocked unconscious. Mr. Langford sustained a moderate to severe brain injury, and has been receiving treatment since the date of the injury. During litigation, defendants hired several experts to testify that plaintiff had NO injuries at all, and that he was actually to blame for the crash. Nevertheless, on the eve of trial, defendants agreed to pay $900,000 to settle the claims against them.
Trucking cases can be very complex since numerous safety rules apply to commercial vehicle drivers that do not apply to everyone else on the road. It is important to hire an attorney with experience litigating trucking crash cases so you can obtain the best possible result that you deserve.
On October 31, 2017, a jury unanimously awarded Esmeralda Tripp $15 million for the personal injuries she sustained at the hands of two inexperienced doctors at Banner UMC in Tucson, Arizona. The verdict was the largest of any kind in Arizona in 2017, and was the largest medical malpractice verdict in Arizona in the last 25+ years. Attorneys David Wenner and Brian Snyder were thrilled with the record-setting verdict, as it sent a message to Banner UMC Hospital that our community will not stand for careless doctors ruining the lives of innocent patients.
Many people think of personal injury cases as involving a simple car accident with no dispute as to whom is at fault. They think there is a quick and easy formula that can be applied to every case that will determine how much the case is worth. The truth, however, is that taking this simplistic, shortcut to the case will only result in a smaller settlement or trial verdict for the case. This blog is intended to answer common questions that the public has regarding personal injury cases and the lawyers who handle them.
Most Arizona residents love our state for its open, airy feel and the scenic beauty. Unfortunately, we have also grown accustomed to the numerous deadly trucking accidents and commercial vehicle accidents that plague our roads each day. In fact, a new article in The Arizona Republic declares that from 2013–2015, a fatal freeway accident occurred in the Valley about every 5 days, leaving 207 people dead.
It’s no secret that the auto industry is slowly moving towards self-driving vehicles. Since Tesla (and others) first introduced this technology, though, the debate immediately began: Are self-driving cars, powered by a computer and sensors, as safe as or safer than cars driven by humans?
We often take buses and trains to avoid the potential dangers of driving long distances. Perhaps we take that safety for granted. In 2013, a Greyhound bus accident forever the changed the lives of all those onboard.
Technology is pushing us in directions that were once only thought to be possible in an episode of The Jetsons. A new startup company, Otto, is dedicated to bringing self-driving trucks into reality. According to a new report by technology website Engadget, Otto is attempting “to build a system for some of the largest trucks that haul freight up and down our highways.”
"I've personally dealt with three of the attorneys at Snyder & Wenner and would wholeheartedly recommend them. Not only are they extremely knowledgable about their subject matter, they care very much for their clients and work very hard on every case. The lawyers are experts in their field, but also have the passion—and compassion—each client deserves."
-Emilie Williams
"Brian Snyder represented my daughter and I for injuries we sustained in a car accident. I am very happy with the representation and the outcome. Brian took care of all of the issues that arose and always stayed in constant contact with us. I would be happy to recommend Snyder & Wenner to all of my family and friends."
-Devi O.
Snyder & Wenner, PC
When you need undivided attention, personal care, and proven results, there's no better law firm than Snyder & Wenner, PC, Phoenix's Premier Personal Injury Law Firm. Schedule your free consultation.
