What happens to the spinal cord?

When there is severe trauma done to the spinal cord, there can be bleeding, fluid accumulation, or swelling inside the spinal cord or the spinal canal. Accumulated fluid causes pressure, and the spinal cord itself can be damaged. Many of these spinal cord injuries can be avoided by wearing a seat belt as they decrease the likelihood of trauma.

What are signs of spinal cord injuries?

1. Difficulty breathing
2. Loss of bowel or bladder control
3. Numbness, especially in extremities
4. Increase in muscle spasticity
5. Pain, weakness, paralysis
6. Blood pressure problems
7. Abnormal sweating
8. Difficulty maintaining body temperature

What should I do after my accident?

Seek medical treatment immediately. If your psinal cord is injured, they will normally perform a CT scan on your back, and often may take X-rays of the spine as well. Without medical treatment, it will be difficult to show that the accident caused the injury in an injury claim.

Then, once we have started seeking the medical treatments you will need, consider contacting an experienced Portland personal injury lawyer to help you get fair compensation. Spinal cord injuries can be a long-term problem, but you only have a certain amount of time in which to file an injury claim – so waiting for complete healing can greatly jeopardize your options for getting a settlement or personal injury award. At our Portland personal injury law firm, we prefer to have at least six months before the statute of limitations to evaluate your spinal cord injury case – which helps ensure we are able to present your case properly and get you the money you deserve.

When exactly does the pedestrian have the right of way in Oregon? As Portland pedestrian attorneys, we think people need to know this important information so that pedestrian injury accidents can be avoided as much as possible.

The Law to Know:

Every intersection in Oregon, whether the crosswalk is marked or not, constitutes a pedestrian crosswalk. This means that at EVERY intersection, the PEDESTRIAN has the right of way.

Nearly 75% of accidents between motor vehicles and cars are caused when the vehicle failed to yield to a pedestrian at an intersection. Interestingly, 50% of these accidents occur when a pedestrian IS in the crosswalk.

Things for drivers to remember for pedestrian safety:

1. Obey the lights.
2. Be careful when making right turns – look for pedestrians who might be crossing – they have the right of way if you are crossing against the red light.
3. If the pedestrian has a Do Not Walk sign, they do not have right of way, but please be careful anyway as they are much more vulnerable than drivers.
4. If the pedestrian is crossing the road at any point besides a marked crosswalk or intersection, they do not have the right of way. Because of ORS 814.030, cases like this usually come out in favor of the driver.
5. Drivers must stop and remain stopped for pedestrians.
6. Drivers must yield to all pedestrians with a white cane or guide dog.
7. Even if it is against the normal traffic signals, drivers must obey all traffic control personnel’s instructions.

If you have been in an Oregon pedestrian accident, or need to ask some questions about the laws regarding pedestrian right of way, please feel free to call our Portland personal injury attorneys at 503-222-4411.

This year, the federal rule banning commercial truck drivers and bus drivers from texting went into effect. Drivers who violate this texting ban could face fines of up to $2,750 per violation and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses. Commercial truck and bus companies that allow their drivers to use hand-held cell phones face a maximum penalty of $11,000. This law could affect as many as 4 million drivers nationwide.

Distracted drivers cause a number of Portland traffic accidents. According to the Department of Transportation’s studies, commercial drivers reaching for an object such as a cell phone are three times more likely to be involved in a crash, a near-crash or lane departure. Dialing a hand-held cell phone makes it six times more likely. Other research has found that truck drivers who send text messages are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near-crash than drivers who keep their eyes on the road.

In Oregon, lawmakers in 2011, tightened an existing law banning all drivers, including commercial drivers, from using hand-held cell phones while driving. The law specifically removed an exemption that allowed a person driving on the job to use a hand-held cell phone if it was necessary for work. Oregon law makes it a Class D traffic violation with a maximum of $142 fine for talking or texting using a hand-held phone. The law does allow drivers to use a hands-free device. Some examples of parties that are exempt include roadside assistance such as tow truck drivers, emergency personnel, law enforcement officers and amateur radio operators. Fore more information about pursuing your legal rights after a Portland car accident, please order a copy of our free book.

The first thing to do as soon as you are involved in a traffic accident is to stop at once. Drivers are required to stop at the scene of the crash or as close as possible to the accident scene. Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious traffic crime. Drivers also have the responsibility to render “reasonable aid” to injured persons. What this means is injured people should not be moved around carelessly. One way to help would be to call 911 so the injured parties can get the help and attention they need as soon as possible.

Next, it is important to exchange pertinent information with other parties who are involved. Such information usually includes name, address, driver’s license number, vehicle license plate number and insurance information. The accident should also be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

If you hit an unoccupied vehicle, you should try to find the vehicle’s owner. If that is not possible, leave a note at the scene with your name and contact information. Under Oregon law, you are required to write your name and address on the note along with brief account of what occurred. If you hit an animal, try to find its owner. If not, report the injuries to a nearby police agency. If possible, you should also try and get the animal out of the way of traffic.

Also, if you are involved in a crash and you have not sustained any injuries, try to remove your vehicle from the roadway if you can do so safely. This will not only prevent another collision, but failure to do so can get you a citation for failure to remove your motor vehicle. If you have been injured, it is also important that you promptly seek medical treatment after an Oregon accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Oregon car accident due to someone else’s negligence, an experienced Oregon personal injury lawyer can help you better understand your legal rights and options. For more free information about Oregon personal injury cases, please order a copy of our complimentary book.

Interestingly, Oregon drivers ranked 37^th for drunk driving, a VERY poor showing, but ranked high in many other categories. Washington, on the other hand, ranked poorly for several categories, including careless driving, but was still named 13^th in the ranking.

The worst state in the nation for driving was Louisiana, with a “Bad Driver” score of 196. Oregon only received 89 points for bad driving, which shows how awesome we are! Missouri came in second to last, at 184 “Bad Driver” points, and the study showed a trend – the states with the worst drivers were mainly rural and primarily in the South. In contrast, New England had many of the best drivers in their states.

The states with the safest drivers in the country, and their respective “Bad Drivers” scores are:

1. Rhode Island: 47 points
2. Connecticut: 53
3. Massachusetts: 56
4. Virginia: 60
5. New Hampshire: 68
6. Oregon: 89
7. Maine: 91
8. Illinois: 97
9. Nebraska: 98
10. Ohio: 101

Honorable mention:  Washington with 109 points (in 13th Place)

The roll of ignominy concludes with the 10 states with the worst drivers in terms of safety.

1. Louisiana: 196 points
2. Missouri: 184
3. Texas: 183
T-3rd.  Florida:183
4. Oklahoma: 180
5. Arizona: 178
6. Kentucky: 167
7. Alabama: 165
, T-8th: Montana: 165
8. Nevada: 159

Despite these great rankings, Oregon drivers still ranked poorly for careless driving and as Portland personal injury lawyers, we know that accidents still happen here frequently. If you’ve been in an accident, call a lawyer to help you through the personal injury claims process.