Michigan Motorcycle Accidents and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Motorcyclists who hit their head against the pavement or another vehicle as the result of a collision are at risk for suffering traumatic brain injuries. A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain caused by some type of impact such as a fall or a car accident. Traumatic brain injury after a Michigan motorcycle accident may cause long-term physical, emotional and behavioral issues for the victim and his or her family. A brain injury can place significant emotional and financial burdens on the victim’s family. The cost of a traumatic brain injury can add up to millions of dollars over the victim’s lifetime. Motorcyclists are approximately 14 times more likely than occupants of passenger vehicles to die in a crash and three times as likely to be injured.

Safety advocates say that the best way to prevent a traumatic brain injury while riding a motorcycle is by wearing a Department of Transportation-approved helmet. Studies indicate that the risk of brain injury in hospitalized motorcyclists is nearly twice that for unhelmeted motorcyclists ant motorcyclists riding without helmets had acute care costs three times that of helmeted drivers. In the state of California where the helmet law was enacted in 1992, there was a 37.5 percent decrease in motorcycle crash fatalities just one year after that law was enacted. Those likely to sustain TBI-related impairments decreased by 34 percent.

Some of the other precautions motorcyclists can take before riding includes making sure the motorcycle is in good riding condition. It would also help to wear protective gear such as boots and gloves. Safe driving habits such as maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and defensive driving can also help prevent motorcycle accidents and serious injuries.

If you have suffered a head injury in a motorcycle accident, it is important to get immediate medical attention. The most common symptoms of a brain injury include loss of consciousness, confusion, dizziness and memory loss. If your traumatic brain injury was caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, an experienced Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer can help you better understand your legal rights and options.

What Are the Steps You Can Take to Ride your Motorcycle Safely on Michigan Roads?

Motorcycles are no doubt fun to ride. With summer just around the corner, we will soon start seeing more and more motorcyclists take to Michigan’s roadways. However, it is also important to remember that motorcycle accidents can have devastating consequences especially for riders and passengers. It is often the people on the motorcycle who suffer major injuries when a collision occurs between a motorcycle and another vehicle. Solo motorcycle accidents can be tragic as well.

There are several steps motorcyclists can take to ensure that they are safe while riding on Michigan roadways this summer. Before taking your motorcycle out, you should always make sure that your motorcycle is in good working condition. Check your tires for any bulges, cracks or signs of wear in the treads. Make sure there are no oil or gas leaks. Also, ensure that all lights are functioning properly. It is also important that you check your motorcycle’s hydraulic and coolant fluids.

It also helps to remind yourself about some of the safety measures to take when you are riding. Maintain safe spacing, which means that you should leave plenty of space in front and back and to the sides from all other vehicles. This gives you the space and time to react to situations. Be wary of oncoming left turners. Vehicles turning left in front of motorcyclists is the leading cause of fatal motorcycle accidents. Slow down before entering an intersection. Stay visible. Don’t try to keep up with friends who are more experienced. Know your personal limits.

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Should Seatbelts Be Required on Buses?

The debate about whether seatbelts should be required on buses – school buses or motor coaches – has raged for many years now. Our Philadelphia bus accident attorneys have been of the opinion that seatbelts in buses can save lives, just as they do in other types of vehicular accidents. While bus travel is generally considered a safe mode of travel, approximately 19 motor coach occupants are killed on U.S. roadways every year.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor coaches carry 750 million passengers annually. NHTSA officials determined that wearing lap-shoulder belts on motor coaches could reduce the risk for passengers of being killed in a rollover crash by 77 percent. NHTSA is expected to issue a final rule on this matter this year.

The laws are different when it comes to school buses. Federal regulations passed in 2008 require school buses under 10,000 pounds to have three-point lap-shoulder belts. However, larger school buses, which are probably more common, are not required under federal law to have any type of seatbelt. Instead, it is up to the state and local officials to decide whether to make any type of seat restraints mandatory on school buses.

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Life With Quadriplegia

Most of us cannot imagine our lives without our limbs. But for quadriplegics, being unable to move is a permanent reality. Quadriplegia is a type of spinal cord injury, which is caused by trauma to the neck or by a cervical spinal cord injury causing paralysis of the arms, torso and legs. As quadriplegia lawyers in Pennsylvania who interact with injured victims and their families, we understand the challenges patients and their families face when it comes to finding ways to cope with their disabilities.

Quadriplegia can cause a number of complications including pain, blood clots, pressure sores, spastic muscles, respiratory problems and loss of bladder and bowel control. Quadriplegics are confined to a bed or wheelchair. This means that being a caregiver to a quadriplegic at home comes with its set of challenges. The patient must at times be lifted in order to be moved. Bedsores must be prevented by rolling over the patient so that he or she is not lying on the same body part for too long a period. The patient’s limbs must be moved and exercised daily. Neck injuries such as whiplash, which could lead to quadriplegia, are often the result of car accidents. Quadriplegia could also be caused by a slip-and-fall accident, an act of violence or sports injuries.

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Knee Injuries Sustained in Workplace Accidents

Meniscal tears are among the most common knee injuries suffered in the workplace. Meniscal tear attorneys in New Jersey know and understand that workers who have suffered these knee injuries go through significant challenges including a lengthy recovery process, chronic pain and inability to return to work. The knee is the largest joint in the human body and one of the most complex. But, because we use our knees so much, they are vulnerable to injury. When people are talking about torn cartilage in the knee, they are mostly talking about a torn meniscus.

It helps to learn about the anatomy of the knee in order to better understand how and why these knee injuries occur. The knee joint is basically where your thighbone, shinbone and knee cap meet. Two pieces of cartilage act as shock absorbers between your thighbone and shinbone. These pieces of cartilage that help cushion the joint and keep it stable are called meniscus.

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Injured in a Michigan Supersport Bike Accident?

Riding a motorcycle in itself can be a thrilling, but dangerous hobby. The risks multiply considerably if you are riding a supersport bike. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), supersport bike riders have death rates that are four times greater than average when you consider all types of motorcycles. These so-called “rockets” are racing motorcycles modified for highway use. They typically have more horsepower per pound than other motorcycles. They are also built for speed, which is a part of their appeal.

Experts say that while supersport motorcycles can be fun to ride because of how nimble and quick they are, they can also cause catastrophic injuries or fatalities. In 2005, supersport bikes accounted for less than 10 percent of registered motorcycles, but they accounted for more than 25 percent of rider deaths. These bikes also appeal to a younger demographic. A majority of supersport bikers are between the ages of 18 and 35.

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Auto versus Pedestrian Accidents in Las Vegas Continue to Climb

The Las Vegas pedestrian accident lawyers at the Richard Harris Law Firm are becoming increasingly concerned over the rash of pedestrian accidents in the city. Just over the last two weeks, several pedestrians have been seriously injured or killed in pedestrian accidents in the Las Vegas Strip or other parts of town.

City officials in Las Vegas held two press conferences late last year to create more awareness about the dangers faced by pedestrians. In addition, in March, cops paraded around as leprechauns in an effort to apprehend motorists who failed to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks. Children are often the victims of these horrific auto versus pedestrian accidents. According to UNLV’s Safe Community Partnership program, there were 414 pedestrian accidents just in Clark County in 2011 and 105 of them involved a child between the ages of 1 and 15.

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Understanding Listeria

Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that is found in contaminated food. Ingesting food containing these bacteria can cause listeriosis, which is a serious infection, which could even prove fatal. As personal injury attorneys in Allentown who vigorously advocate for the rights of food poisoning victims, we believe it is important that the public is aware of how these serious infections can spread and how they can affect individuals and families.

Listeriosis primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns and adults who have weakened immune systems. However, people who do not belong to any of these at-risk categories may also be affected. Some of the most common symptoms of listeria include fever muscle aches, diarrhea, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a life-threatening infection to the newborn baby.

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Stricter Guidelines for Nursing Home Employees

Nursing homes are not only responsible for the proper care of their residents, but also their safety and security. As Jersey City personal injury lawyers who represent the rights of nursing home abuse victims, we are extremely concerned about the safety of nursing home residents in New Jersey. When nursing homes fail to perform proper background checks on their employees, the consequences can be disastrous.

Three residents in Ohio were hospitalized with injuries after a meth lab exploded inside a nursing home. In that case, the nursing home had been cited several times by the Ohio Department of Health for a variety of health and safety violations. In another egregious case in New Jersey, a nursing home employee took pictures of an elderly resident’s genitals and posted it on Facebook.

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Michigan Personal Injury Law Firm Announces Detroit Tigers Tickets Giveaway

The Michigan personal injury law firm of Buckfire & Buckfire will donate 15 Tigers games tickets during the 2012 season to patients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. For the first time, Buckfire & Buckfire will give two tickets for games in the handicapped section of the lower deck of Comerica Park. Recipients will also get a handicapped parking pass. Ticket donations will be chosen randomly.

As a Detroit personal injury law firm that believes in giving back to the community, we hope that this ticket giveaway will help lift the spirits of traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury survivors. Medical providers or nurse case managers who are involved in the treatment and care of the patients may make the nominations for these tickets.

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