Posted on October 25, 2021 in Defective Products

For most Americans, driving is a part of everyday life, and people accept certain types of risks when they are behind the wheel or riding in a vehicle. While the risks of injury in a car accident are present whenever a vehicle is on the road, drivers and passengers expect vehicles to protect them from harm as much as possible. However, many cars and trucks contain defective parts that may affect the safety of drivers and passengers. Those who are injured by auto parts that were designed, manufactured, or installed incorrectly can work with a personal injury attorney to determine who was responsible and pursue compensation for their damages.

Common Auto Part Defects

Vehicles contain multiple types of complex parts, and the failure of any one of these systems can cause serious injuries to the vehicle’s occupants. Some auto parts that commonly fail and cause accidents or injuries include:

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 Posted on October 18, 2021 in Personal Injury

Riding a motorcycle is inherently more dangerous than driving or riding in a passenger vehicle. Cars and trucks have a number of safety systems meant to protect their occupants, such as seat belts and airbags. The structure of a vehicle itself also provides protection, and the body of a car or truck contains crumple zones that help keep occupants safe, even in a high-speed crash or rollover accident. 

Without the safety provided by being inside a vehicle, motorcyclists are much more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a collision. However, most motorcyclists recognize this fact, and they take extra care to be as safe as possible. Unfortunately, many drivers do not use the same level of care, and they can inflict severe injuries in a motorcycle accident. By understanding the types of driver negligence that are likely to cause a collision and working with an experienced lawyer, injured motorcyclists can take action to hold a driver responsible for their injuries.

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 Posted on October 11, 2021 in Pedestrian Accidents

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month, and public safety officials are taking this time to highlight the dangers that pedestrians face as they use the roads. Pedestrian accidents can be incredibly harmful, since a vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds can inflict serious bodily harm on a person, even if the vehicle is traveling at low speeds. In many cases, pedestrian accidents and injuries are caused by drivers who violate traffic laws or otherwise act negligently. Victims of these types of accidents can get legal help from an attorney as they seek financial compensation from a driver who struck them, ensuring that the driver will be held responsible for their actions and that the victim and their family will be able to meet their needs as they recover from their injuries.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

Over the past 10 years, pedestrian fatalities have increased significantly. The initial analysis of data from 2020 indicates that the total number of pedestrian accident injuries decreased from the previous year. However, the amount of traffic on the roads also decreased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rate of pedestrian fatalities for each mile traveled by vehicles throughout the United States actually increased by 20 percent. Studies of data from 2020 also found that:

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 Posted on October 04, 2021 in Personal Injury

There are multiple types of catastrophic injuries that can result in long-term health issues or permanent impairments. Burn injuries can be especially serious, and they can result in severe pain, complications, scarring and disfigurement, and psychological trauma. By understanding the ways a severe burn injury can impact their health and well-being, victims can pursue compensation that fully addresses the ways they have been affected.

Effects of Moderate or Severe Burn Injuries

Burns are classified into different categories depending on their severity. First-degree burns involve redness of the skin, and they are not usually serious unless they affect a large percentage of a person’s body. Second-degree burns involve redness, blistering, and damage to lower layers of skin. These burns may be considered moderate or severe if they cover more than 10 percent of a person’s body or affect sensitive areas such as the face or hands. Third-degree burns are much more serious, and they may affect all layers of the skin. Fourth-degree burns are even more severe, and they may affect tissues below the skin. Third- or fourth-degree burns will often require hospitalization and surgery, and they can cause permanent scars.

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 Posted on September 30, 2021 in Personal Injury

A personal injury can affect someone in many ways, and in addition to suffering physical harm, a person may also experience emotional trauma. These issues can linger for years after a person has fully healed from the physical effects of an injury, and they may even impact a victim for the rest of their life. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly affects injury victims, and those who have suffered emotional trauma due to an injury that was caused by someone else will need to understand how they can receive financial compensation that addresses these issues.

Effects of PTSD

Anyone who experiences a traumatic event may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and this issue may occur following car accidents, assaults, sexual abuse, dog bites, or other cases where a person suffered or witnessed a serious injury. PTSD can affect a person in multiple ways, including:

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 Posted on September 24, 2021 in Nursing Home Negligence

Nursing homes are supposed to provide a safe environment for people who need assistance meeting their daily needs. Unfortunately, many facilities fail to live up to this responsibility, and residents can suffer serious harm due to nursing home abuse. One issue that has become a concern for many residents and their loved ones is the improper use of sedatives, antipsychotic drugs, and other medications.

Increase in Schizophrenia Diagnoses for Nursing Home Patients

Some nursing home residents suffer from dementia, and there are certain medications that are approved to treat these conditions. Some types of antipsychotic medications may be used for these patients, but these drugs can be dangerous, leading to increased risks of infections, heart disease, falls, among other risks. These drugs have been described as “chemical straitjackets,” since they may be used to sedate patients that nursing home staff members believe are troublesome or disruptive.

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 Posted on September 17, 2021 in Personal Injury

A rear-end collision is often considered to be a minor type of car accident, especially when compared to a head-on collision or other high-speed accidents. However, rear-end accidents can still be very harmful to the occupants of a vehicle, while also causing extensive damage to a vehicle or other property. Drivers or passengers who suffer injuries can work with an attorney to determine how they can receive compensation from the driver who caused an accident.

Common Injuries in Rear-End Collisions

Even when collisions occur at low speeds, they are likely to place a great deal of stress on a person’s body, which can lead to serious injuries. Passenger vehicles weigh thousands of pounds, and the momentum of a vehicle that strikes another vehicle from behind will be transferred to the vehicle being struck and the people inside it. This can cause a person’s body to be jerked backwards and forwards, leading to injuries such as:

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 Posted on September 13, 2021 in Slip and Fall

It may seem like a slip and fall accident would only result in minor injuries. Even in serious cases, most people would expect a victim’s injuries to be limited to issues such as broken bones or dislocated joints that can be painful and debilitating but not permanent. However, situations where these types of accidents lead to fatal injuries are much more common than most people would expect. In fact, falls account for around 23 percent of all preventable deaths in the United States, adding up to almost 40,000 wrongful deaths each year. When fatal slip and fall accidents occur when a person was on someone else’s property, the property owner may be held liable for any form of negligence that led to the accident.

Causes of Fatal Slip and Fall Accidents

A fall accident can be fatal if it causes a person to strike their head on the ground or another object. This can result in traumatic brain injuries, and depending on the force of the blow, these types of injuries can be severe enough to cause permanent, irreparable brain damage. If a person’s skull is fractured, pieces of bone or foreign objects may penetrate the skull and damage brain tissue. If brain damage is severe, it may cause a person to fall into a coma or permanently lose consciousness, or brain function may cease altogether, leading to death. Head injuries may also cause hemorrhaging of blood inside the cranium, placing pressure on the brain that may lead to death.

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 Posted on August 30, 2021 in Defective Products

Americans expect to be protected from products that could be harmful to their health. Unfortunately, there are many ways that people can become exposed to toxic chemicals and other dangerous substances. In many cases, exposure to these types of chemicals occurs because of the pesticides and herbicides used on crops. Recently, issues related to chlorpyrifos, a commonly-used pesticide, were brought to light when the federal government took steps to ban the use of this chemical on crops used for food. Those who may have been exposed to this dangerous product will want to understand its potential effects and their options for addressing the injuries they have suffered.

Dangers of Chlorpyrifos

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide that has been in use since 1965. It has been used on multiple different types of crops, including apples, strawberries, citrus fruits, peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, and soybeans. Until 2000, it was also used as a household pesticide to kill insects such as cockroaches, ants, or mosquitos.

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 Posted on August 20, 2021 in Defective Medical Devices

Modern medical technology has accomplished some amazing things, and it has helped patients address many serious diseases and health conditions while improving people’s quality of life. Unfortunately, not every advancement has been beneficial, and there are some cases where treatments or devices used by medical professionals have caused harm to patients without adequately addressing their medical conditions. Defective hip replacements are one type of device that has resulted in injuries for a large number of patients. Those who have had hip replacement surgery should be sure to understand the potential risks they may face, and know that an attorney can help these patients determine their legal options.

Problems With Degrading Hip Implants

Hip replacements may be beneficial for patients who have experienced deterioration of bones or cartilage in the hip joints, injuries such as broken bones, or inflammation of tissue. Ideally, a hip replacement will provide a patient with increased mobility while reducing the pain and stiffness they experience.

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