This week has been dedicated as National Dog Bite Prevention Week. National Dog Bite Prevention Week (May 19^th-May 25^th) is an awareness campaign designated to help prevent dog bite injuries and dog bite attacks and by encouraging dog owners to properly train their pets, and educate children on how to approach a dog.

Michigan dog bite lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. represent victims of dog bites and animal attacks in cases throughout Michigan. The personal injury law firm is a large advocate of this week as they see the tragic dog bite injuries that result from these animal attacks every day, and understand the importance of educating the public, especially children on dog bite safety.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated amount of 68 million dogs were kept as pets in the United States with an estimated amount of 334,000 persons treated annually for dog bites in emergency departments.  In this same report by the CDC, statistics showed that injuries from a dog attack occurred most commonly to the arm and hand (45.3%), leg/foot (25.8%), and head/neck (22.8%).  However, in children aged less than four years, the majority of dog bite injuries occurred in the head and neck region.  Children in fact were reported to be the most common victims of a dog bite attack.

As part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the personal injury law firm of Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. has provided some dog attack prevention tips as a reminder of what to do when encountered by a vicious dog. These tips include:

• Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.

• Do not run from a dog or scream.
• Remain motionless when approached by an unfamiliar dog.
• If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still.
• Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
• Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior.
• Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.
• Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
• If bitten, immediately report the bite, and seek medical attention if necessary.

About: Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C.

Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. is a family-owned personal injury law representing dog bite injury victims attacked by a dog in Michigan. There are specific Michigan dog bite laws that apply to these cases and owners and keepers of dogs in Michigan are strictly liable for a victims injuries in an attack.

To learn more about the dog bite injury attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. call toll-free at (800) 606-1717 or visit the law firm website at http://www.buckfirelaw.com/

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Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board has suggested that all 50 states adopt a blood alcohol content maximum intake at 0.05 percent. Although drunk driving accidents have decreased steadily over the years, it still remains a problem causing a third of all traffic fatalities in the United States.

The Michigan drunk driver crash lawyers at our firm represent injury victims against drunk drivers and the establishment that served the alcohol. Motorists and pedestrians injured by Michigan drunk and intoxicated drivers have legal rights against the negligent driver and often also against the bar, restaurant, or establishment that served the drunk driver the alcohol that caused the intoxication. (more…)

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Michigan car accident lawyers of Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. recently created an infographic, “Drunk Driving Crash Deaths Soar to Sobering Numbers” on 2011 United States death statistics. The infographic visually displays the contrasts in accidental deaths compared to drunk driving crash deaths. It was created to make people aware of the very high number of deaths that take place due to drunk driving, and to remind society that drunk driving is not an accident and can be easily prevented unlike other natural disasters that are beyond ones control.  Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. is a Southfield personal injury law firm that specializes in representing motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists injured in a Michigan drunk driving accident and against the establishment that served the alcohol.  The firm represents victims injured throughout the entire State of Michigan.

To view the “Drunk Driving Crash Deaths Soar to Sobering Numbers” infographic visit http://bit.ly/drunkdrivingcrashdeaths

Driving under the influence is in fact a very serious issue and is still a rising problem in our society. In fact, in 2011 in the U.S. there were a total of 9,878 deaths as a result or drunk driving. Other statistics included on the infographic are deaths that resulted from an actual accident or natural disaster in 2011 in the U.S. They include:

• Lightning Deaths: 26
• West Nile Virus Deaths: 43
• Aircraft Deaths: 401
• Tornado Deaths: 553
• Handgun Murders: 6,220

Due to the high number of drunk driving deaths, some states have already passed legislation regarding safety measures to reduce these types of crashes and eliminate drunk driving nationwide.  Preventative measures such as requiring ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders, conducting sobriety checkpoints, enacting penalties for DUI Child Endangerment, utilizing administrative license revocation, and more are some examples of legislation that has passed.

The Michigan car accident lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. are actively pursuing lawsuits in several cases for victims injured in a drunk driving crash.  Motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists injured by Michigan drunk and intoxicated drivers have legal rights against the negligent driver and often also against the bar, restaurant, or establishment that served the drunk drive the alcohol that cause the intoxication.

To learn more about how the number of accidental deaths in the U.S. compared to drunk driving crash deaths, visit http://bit.ly/drunkdrivingcrashdeaths. Share this infographic with others, including new drivers, as a motivation to keep our roads and highways safe from drunk driving drivers and to make people more aware of the serious consequences of getting behind the wheel after drinking.  Take a stand against drunk driving and embed the graphic on your own site, email friends and colleagues, and share on all social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+

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Several state agencies including the California Highway Patrol, the Office of Traffic Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles have launched a month-long campaign to encourage motorcycles and motorists to share the road. May has been declared Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month after a significant increase in the number of people killed in motorcycle collisions in California over the last five years. Motorcycle accident injuries and fatalities are increasing nationwide, but it is particularly pronounced in California where ridership is high and good weather brings more motorcyclists out on the roadways year-round.

California Motorcycle Statistics

With summer just around the corner, officials are trying to create awareness among motorcyclists and motorists about safe vehicle operation. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), there are more than 1.3 million licensed motorcycle riders in the state. CHP’s statistics show that more than 400 people were killed and 12,000 people were injured in motorcycle-involved collisions in 2011, which was nearly a 20 percent increase in California’s motorcycle fatality rate.

Why Motorcyclists are in Danger

Motorcycles are smaller vehicles compared to cars trucks or SUVs, which means that they are often hidden in another vehicle’s blind spot. Every driver needs to consciously look for motorcycles before making a turn, changing lanes or merging with traffic. Impaired driving, distracted driving or speeding can increase the risk of a motorcycle accident. Often, we see motorcycle accidents occur when vehicles are making lane changes or making left turns.

Safety on the Roadway

While it is important for motorists to be careful, motorcyclists can do their part by getting the training and experience necessary to ride safely. The CHP administers California’s official safety training program for motorcyclists through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program and as of March 2012, more than 800,000 riders in the state have undergone this safety training. In addition to training, motorcyclists must also have the proper safety gear to protect themselves. This includes wearing a Department of Transportation-approved helmet.

There are several steps both riders and motorists can take to prevent tragic accidents on our roadways. First, motorists must remember that a motorcyclist has the same rights and privileges as the driver of any other motor vehicle. Motorcyclists should wear a helmet and never ride while impaired. They should wear brightly colored protective gear and use reflective tape to ensure that they are seen. Please ride safely this summer.

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This week has been designated as Bicycle Helmet Safety Week.  Bicycle Helmet Safety Week is an awareness campaign designated to help prevent injuries, particularly head injury and brain injury, and save lives by encouraging individuals to wear their helmet while bike riding and making them aware of the serious dangers and consequences if they do not wear a helmet and become  involved in a bike accident.

The Michigan bike accident attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. represent bicyclists injured in all types of accidents, including car, truck, motorcycle, and hit and run.  The personal injury law firm is a large advocate of this week as they see the tragic outcomes of a bicycle accident every day and understand the importance of wearing a helmet while riding and the protection it provides, especially to children.

In fact, a recent study by the Boston Children’s Hospital reveals that about three quarters of the people who die in bicycle crashes each year die from head injuries.  When an individual wears a helmet while riding, the head injuries that may result may not be as catastrophic if a helmet is worn. In fact, the National Center for Statistics and Analysis cites, “Bicycle helmets are 85%-88% effective in eliminating or reducing fatalities and head injuries from bicycle accidents.”

Even with this known statistics, in 2009 alone, a study showed that 91 percent of bicyclists of all ages did not wear a helmet.  This percentage is why Bicycle Helmet Safety Week is so important.

Besides wearing a helmet, there are other ways a bicyclist can protect themselves to help avoid accidents with motorists.  These safety tips include:

1. Wear bright clothes – bicyclists should wear bright colored clothing and reflective gear even during the day to      increase your visibility to motorists
2. Check for traffic- before entering or crossing any intersection, street, or driveway, make sure traffic is clear
3. Avoid wearing headphones- in some cities this is illegal but may not be strictly enforced, even so, wearing headphones while biking can be dangerous because of your inability to hear your surroundings.
4. Be aware of parked cars- people can open their doors at the most inopportune times. Make sure you allow yourself enough room to react.

About: Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C.

Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. is a family-owned Michigan personal injury law representing victims injured in bicycle related accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycle, and all other types of motor vehicle in Michigan on streets, roads, highways, and parking lots.

To learn more about the bike accident injury attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. call toll-free at (800) 606-1717 or visit the law firm website at BuckfireLaw.com

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While motorcycles can be thrilling to ride, accidents happen quite frequently and the injuries sustained by bikers and passengers are often severe. Michigan motorcycle lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. represent motorcyclists injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, bus accidents, and even hit and run accidents. We are dedicated to protecting your interests and handling your case with personal attention, professionalism, and compassion. Our motorcycle accident Michigan attorneys have successfully represented injury and accident victims for over forty years.

Motorcycle crashes rose by 15 percent in Metro Detroit in 2012 according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG). It is unclear if the Michigan’s 2012 helmet law change of lifting the helmet requirement is a direct result of the increase in accidents, injuries and fatalities. Research has shown that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury by 50 percent.

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May has been designated as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Motorcycle Safety Awareness month is a campaign proclaimed by many local and county governments throughout the United States that calls attention to the dangers and vulnerabilities motorcyclists face on the roads and highways.

The personal injury law firm of Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. represent victims injured in a Michigan motorcycle accident, and are immense advocates of this month as they see the results of catastrophic motorcycle accidents and the effect the injuries have on motorcyclist victims and their family throughout the entire spring and summer season.

Throughout the month of May, the National Safety Council (NSC) encourages drivers to share the road with motorcycles and be extra alert when they are nearby. The NSC has good means behind this awareness campaign, as statistics do prove that most motorcycle crash injuries are caused by the negligence of another driver.  In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 75% of all motorcycle accidents happen when a vehicle fails to see the motorcycle before the collision. Other common causes for motorcycle collisions include trucks or cars forcing bikers into a guard rail and speeding on behalf of a driver and/or a motorcyclist.

Often times when a victim is injured in a bike accident, they do not walk away free and clear of injuries. The NHTSA states that crashes involving a bike and a car did result in 98% of people being injured. In addition, crashes involving just the driver of the motorcycle resulted in 96% of people being injured. In 2010 alone, motorcycle accidents attributed to 14% of fatalities.

Part of the awareness campaign, is to offer helpful tips to aide drivers and motorcyclists to stay safe on the roads and share the road.  Some of these helpful tips include:

1. Allow greater following distance when driving behind a motorcycle.
2. Do not share a lane with a biker. Always give a motorcyclist the full lane width.
3. Show extra caution in intersections.
4. Motorcyclists should position their bike to avoid a driver’s blind spot.

Besides helpful tips, resources is also a valid part of the campaign. At the law firm of Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., our attorneys offer a free app as a resource to riders. The free app aids bikers in their travels across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia.

The “Helmet Laws App” is available for immediate download and allows motorcyclist to access important helmet law information quickly and conveniently right from their smartphone, along with many other cool features and valuable resources for bikers such as, GPS Bike Finder, accident checklist to inform a rider what to do after a crash, discounts at some of your favorite bike shops around the country, and a cool helmet gallery where motorcyclist can submit photos.. The App is available for the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Android. To download the free app, just go to iTunes or Google Play Store and search for “Motorcycle Helmet Laws.”  To watch a demo video of how the app works, as well as learn more about the Motorcycle Helmet Laws App and the Law Firm of Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., visit http://bit.ly/MIMotorcycleAccidentLawyers

“We would like to remind people, especially new drivers, to be on the lookout for motorcycles and to share the road with them safely.  It is very easy for a motorcyclist to be hidden in a driver’s blind spot. This is why our biker injury attorneys highly recommend drivers to keep all distractions away while behind the wheel and to be fully aware that it is spring time and motorcycle riders are out on the roads” says Lawrence Buckfire, Owner and Trial Attorney at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C.

About: Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C.

Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. is a family-owned Michigan personal injury law firm that represents bikers injured in a Michigan accident. This includes motorcycle accidents involving cars, trucks, and motorcycles and all types of injuries resulting, including, but not limited to brain injury and closed head injuries, spinal cord injury, broken bones and fractures, back and neck injuries, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, scarring and disfigurement, road rash requiring significant skin grafts, burn injuries, amputation injuries, and all other types of serious injuries.

To learn more about the motorcycle accident attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. call toll-free at (800) 606-1717 or visit the law firm website at http://www.BuckfireLaw.com

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April is National Car Care Month in the United States, and Davis Law Group founder Chris Davis wants to encourage all drivers to be proactive in addressing standard maintenance and care for their vehicles as more and more drivers hit the roadway.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the summer months – the time between the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends – have consistently experienced the highest average number of traffic fatalities per month since 1975. And with April being National Car Care Month, car accident attorney Chris Davis is encouraging drivers to prepare for the upcoming summer months by properly caring for and maintaining their vehicles.

Davis notes that as the summer months draw nearer, more and more teenage drivers – who are notorious for being distracted behind the wheel, according to a survey published by AT&T – will be hitting the roadways, potentially increasing the risk of car accidents.

“Teenage drivers have a lot more time on their hands as the summer approaches, and unfortunately that has a negative impact on the overall safety of American roadways,” Davis says. “Parents can be proactive about their teen drivers’ safety by making sure their vehicles are properly maintained and potential distractions are limited.”

National Car Care Month is the perfect time to address vehicle maintenance issues that could potentially lead to costly repairs and dangerous car accidents down the road, and the Davis Law Group has outlined the following consumer-minded tips for finding a mechanic to properly maintain your vehicle:

-Research and select a repair shop that has qualified mechanics and honest, reputable owners ahead of time. This will help you avoid a stressful situation if your vehicle needs to be repaired in a pinch.
-Take the vehicle to your pre-determined repair shop once a year to do a routine check up and make sure everything is in working order.
-Utilize resources such as information from the Better Business Bureau and other consumer review organizations to get a sense of previous customers’ experiences.
-Make sure the repair shop uses brand-name parts or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts to repair your vehicle, and request records of each individual repair in writing.

In addition to representing countless of personal injury plaintiffs in Washington throughout his legal career, Davis has also authored several informational guides to better educate accident victims about their legal rights. To date, the Washington Accident Books have helped tens of thousands of Washingtonians better understand the personal injury legal process and whether or not they may need to hire an attorney for their case.

Anyone interested in ordering one of Mr. Davis’s complimentary legal guides should contact the Davis Law Group at 206-727-4000 or visit http://www.WashingtonAccidentBooks.com to order a copy online. The books are free to residents of Washington state, but the advice could make all the difference in the success of your case.

About Chris Davis
Christopher M. Davis, founder of the Davis Law Group, has been a licensed attorney in the state of Washington since 1993. He has tried dozens of personal injury cases to verdict and has successfully handled and resolved hundreds of accident claims. He has been a Washington ‘Super Lawyer’ for seven years in a row for his expertise and success in litigating personal injury claims. You can learn more about the firm by visiting: http://www.DavisLawGroupSeattle.com.

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Because of the multi-million dollar lawsuits and disciplinary sanctions that typically result from medical errors and other forms of hospital negligence, it has long been understood that it would be in the best interest of both hospital patients and the hospital itself to avoid medical errors at all costs. And ever since Dr. Ken Kizer of the National Quality Forum (NQF) coined the term “never events” in 2001, patient advocates around the nation have developed outreach campaigns to educate patients about their legal rights in the event of an accident, mostly as part of an effort to hold hospitals accountable for their errors.

But a recent report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that hospitals who commit surgical errors and other types of complications actually aren’t that bad for business.

Study Shows Medical Mistakes Generate Revenue

According to the report, surgical errors mean longer hospital stays, additional care and medical procedures, and – undoubtedly the most surprising finding of all – a 330 percent higher profit margin compared to a privately-insured patient who experiences no complications during his or her stay.

I’ve come across some surprising statistics in my lifetime, but the fact that a hospital actually sees a profit that is three times higher when they make a mistake is just unbelievable to me. And more importantly, it means that patients are at an even greater risk of being victimized by hospital negligence.

Why? Because there is no economic incentive for hospitals to provide reasonable care to patients when making a medical mistake actually increases the profitability of that individual patient. I will not go as far to say that hospitals would intentionally commit errors to increase profitability, but the numbers show that there is really no financial consequence when this happens in a U.S. hospital.

According to the JAMA report, the average patient who suffered one or more surgical complication or other form of medical error resulted in approximately $49,400 in revenue for the medical facility. For patients who did not suffer any complications during their stay, the revenue contribution was around $18,900.

Financial Incentives Drive the Healthcare Industry

Medicare and some private health insurers have already begun working to create policies that will deny payment to healthcare providers when certain types of mistakes – including “never events” and other serious errors – are made. Some experts say this is a purposeful first step in reforming the healthcare system and making patient safety the primary focus of the industry.

Right now, many experts contend that the current state of the healthcare industry fosters the value of a high volume of patients, as opposed to better care and quality patient experiences. And since – as the study shows – the system currently allows for hospital errors to increase profitability, there is not likely to be any improvement until there is financial incentive to provide better care.

There is a misleading component to this study, however, that leaves a number of additional questions unanswered. The study shows that patients have to undergo additional procedures and stay at the hospital longer after a medical mistake is made, which then turns a higher profit for the hospital. However, a significant proportion of these patients will have grounds for a medical malpractice claim as a result of the hospital’s mistake(s), which can cost healthcare organizations millions of dollars in the end.

Unfortunately, the study does not include any data regarding the inevitable reciprocating medical malpractice lawsuits that result from the medical errors. However, the fact that nearly 80 percent of all medical malpractice claims result in zero payment to the claimant suggests that hospitals still manage to profit from their own medical mistakes, even if lawsuits are filed as a result because of the small chance that the lawsuit will result in a significant payment.

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I recently read an article that was published in The Seattle Times last week that brought up a general discussion about the various things that could be done – both on a realistic level and on a hypothetical level – to improve the safety of vehicles for all drivers. Specifically, the article tackled the ever-so-timely topic of drunk driving.

There have been two high-profile drunken driving accidents in the Puget Sound area in the past couple of weeks. The first, an already-highly-publicized crash in the Wedgwood area in which Mark Mullan was driving drunk and crashed his Chevy pickup truck into a family of pedestrians, two of whom were killed. In the other, Michael Robertson was driving the wrong way on Highway 520 and crashed his Ford Explorer into a vehicle driven by Morgan Fick Williams, killing her.

Naturally, the fact that these crashes both involved a driver who was significantly impaired by alcohol – in addition to the fact that they both occurred about a week apart from one another – led to multiple conversations about drunk driving and whether Washington state’s DUI laws are tough enough.

The Drunk Driving Conversation in Washington

First, it is important to point out that – relatively speaking – Washington state’s drunk driving laws and the penalties that are assessed to offenders are among the strictest in the country. In fact, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has acclaimed that Washington has the most comprehensive ignition interlock law in the country. However, MADD also acknowledges in that same report that the Evergreen State could do more as a whole to crack down on drunk drivers.

The problem with the whole drunk driving conversation is that after a while, it begins to sound like a broken record. Well, like it or not, repetitive discussions about deterrents for drunk driving eventually get old and the public begins to lose interest. And let’s be honest, public interest is a key driving force behind facilitating a change in public policy and state laws.

That’s why I found myself somewhat refreshed when I read The Seattle Times’ article the other day, which explored some of the more creative, outside-the-box alternatives that could potentially deter drunk drivers.

Alternative Laws for Preventing Drunk Driving

One of the preliminary ideas suggested in the article was the possibility of barring anyone with a previous DUI conviction from operating an SUV or other type of larger vehicle, with the idea being that prior offenders would at least be limited to driving smaller vehicles that cause less physical destruction. I think this could be a tough one to enforce, but I also believe that trying to prevent those with a track record of DUI from getting behind the wheel of a large vehicle is beneficial to everyone.

Another hot topic of exploration involves ignition interlock devices, which require a driver to blow into a sensor that will prevent the car from being started if it detects any alcohol in the breath. The issue here, again, is enforcement, as both drivers involved in the deadly DUI accidents mentioned above were ordered to have these devices installed but never did. Clearly more needs to be done in terms of ensuring that offenders have these devices installed, but state resources are limited and monitoring the thousands of offenders in the state every year is difficult with limited resources.

I’m not sure exactly what the solution to preventing drunk driving is, but in all likelihood it probably involves a combination of a number of things – including some of the solutions mentioned in this article. What I do know is that there is still work to be done in order to keep innocent motorists from being victimized by impaired drivers, and it’s time to take a different approach to the discussion.

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