Jun 19, 2012 | Motorcycle Accidents, Uncategorized
While all motor vehicle collisions are dangerous, motorcycles by their design are more so. Almost all motorcycle accidents result in some injury, and about half result in serious injury. Some of the causes are:
- Collision with roadside obstacles, like roadside barriers, lamps, sign posts, buildings, fire hydrants, etc. (When a biker falls off their bike, they lose the ability to steer around obstacles.)
- Concussion and brain damage. Apparently, helmets reduce the risk of death in event of a bike wreck by 37 percent.
- Breakage of joints (elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and wrists), fingers, spine and neck. The most common breakages are the shoulder and the pelvis.
- Soft tissue (skin and muscle) damage as the body slides across the surface. This can be prevented entirely by wearing the right motorcycle apparel.
- Biker’s arm, where the nerves in the upper arm are damaged during the fall, causing a permanent paralysis of arm movement.
- Facial disfigurement, if in the absence of a full-face helmet, the unprotected face slides across the ground or smashes into an object.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, please browse our website to learn more about your options and our South Carolina and North Carolina lawyers. For a private consultation with any of our attorneys, please call us directly at 877-374-5999 toll free. Our practice is state wide. We will come to you. Try not to worry. We are here to help. This is what we do. Call today.
Jun 9, 2012 | Brain Injury/Head Trauma, Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
I was on the way to work yesterday morning. The sun was out. It was going to be a light day at the office. Everything just seems better on Friday. Traffic was typically congested for that time in the morning. As I was about to change lanes, I observed, thankfully, a motorcyclist speeding and weaving through cars. Frankly, I almost pulled out in front of him. As a motorcycle accident attorney, I know full well what can happen when a car abruptly pulls out in front of someone riding on a motorcycle. Motorcycle accidents frequently result in serious personal injury, brain or closed head injury, and even death. I know. This is what I do. But here, in this case, the motorcyclist seemed to have no care or concern for his own safety. He was wearing all black clothing which seems to make him disappear in my rear view mirror. At least, he was wearing a helmet, but again, it was all black. He was not watching out for cars. Instead, he was darting in and out of lanes and coming dangerously close to moving traffic. He was also wearing a heavy book bag which can easily shift and cause a loss of control. Fortunately, he made it to his exit and left the interstate. I can only hope he made it to wherever he was going so fast.
Even though I represent injured and killed motorcyclists for a living, I would happily do anything else if only people would be safe on the road. Motorcyclists and their passengers are particularly susceptible to injury as they have no benefit of safety belts or airbags. Instead, in serious accidents, their bodies simply fly through the air until they land in the road or strike an object. And, they are propelled unprotected at whatever speed their motorcycle was traveling at the time of accident. Serious bodily injury and death are often the result. When I was an ICU Registered Nurse (RN), the motorcycle accident victims that I treated almost always broke bones or lost a body part.
Motorcyclists know they are never totally safe when on the road. However, to be as safe as possible, always wear bright colors with reflective strips for night driving. Always wear a DOT approved helmet with reflective strips. Always watch for traffic changes. And always anticipate bad driving by other drivers. Have an escape plan at all times. Know where you will go if someone pulls out in front of you or changes lanes without seeing you. Assume you are invisible to other drivers and never dart in and out of lanes. It is always safer, and frankly, more fun to ride alone. But, if you must have a passenger, instruct them before you head out how to ride with you and not against you. Keeping these basic safety tips in mind throughout your travel will help keep you alive and get you home safely. That’s all anyone wants. Ride to live. But live to ride again.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, please visit our website at www.rjrlaw.com to learn more about your options and our lawyers’ credentials. For a private consultation with any of our attorneys, please call us directly at 877-374-5999 toll free. Our practice is state wide. We will come to you. Try not to worry. We are here to help. This is what we do. Call today.
Mar 31, 2012 | Brain Injury/Head Trauma, Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Good news for all motorcycle riders. Due to greater safety training and concerns, fatalities have been trending downward in recent years. Although the explanations for this trend vary, one continuing theme becomes clear. Better training and use of helmets saves lives. Hopefully, more states will implement changes on better motorcycle safety education. Helmet laws are a different matter. In this area, we remain proponents of rider choice. We realize, of course, that it is safer to wear a helmet in the event of an accident. However, many riders contend that a full helmet interferes with vision as well as hearing which can actually cause accidents. No matter what your view, please be careful on the road and always watch out for the inattentive car or truck driver. Be Safe. Get Home.
At Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP, all of our attorneys are seasoned trial lawyers with over 70 years combined experience. Whether it is criminal or civil, our litigators are regularly in Court fighting for our clients. Two of our firm’s partners, Art Aiken and Robert Reeves, are inducted lifetime members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Mr. Reeves has also been named one of the Top 100 lawyers for South Carolina in 2012 by the National Trial Lawyers Organization. And most recently, Mr. Reeves has been included in the SC Super Lawyers for 2012. Our attorneys include a former SC prosecutor, a former public defender, a former NC District Attorney intern, a former Registered Nurse (RN), and former insurance defense attorneys. As a result of their varied backgrounds, they understand the potential criminal, insurance, and medical aspects of complex injury cases. We would welcome an opportunity to sit down and personally review your case. Compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other law firm. Then call us today at 877-374-5999 for a private consultation. Or visit our firm’s website at www.rjrlaw.com.
Motorcyclist Traffic Fatalities
2010 Preliminary data
Prepared for Governors Highway Safety Association
By Dr. James Hedlund
Motorcyclist traffic fatalities in the United States continued to fall in 2010, based on preliminary data supplied by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Motorcyclist fatalities dropped by 2.4% during the first nine months of 2010 across the 48 states and the District of Columbia that reported monthly data for these months.
Most states have quite complete traffic fatality counts for this period. Fatalities decreased substantially in the first quarter, decreased slightly in the second quarter, and rose slightly in the third quarter. While fatality data for the final months of 2010 are less complete in some states, motorcyclist fatalities for the full year nationwide are expected to be 4,376 or fewer, a decrease of at least 2% from the 4,465 fatalities of 2009.
About half the states are likely to have fewer motorcyclist fatalities in 2010 than in 2009, and about half are likely to have more. States with decreased motorcyclist fatalities suggested several explanations, including: higher priority for motorcycle safety education, publicity, and enforcement; increased motorcyclist training; and poor cycling weather. States with increased fatalities cited more motorcycle travel, lower helmet use, and good cycling weather.
The good news of 2010’s likely decrease in motorcyclist fatalities must be tempered with several disturbing observations. First, 2010’s predicted 2% decrease is far less than 2009’s 16% decrease. Second, the decrease was concentrated in the early months: fatalities dropped only slightly in the second quarter and rose in the third quarter. Next, it’s highly likely that motorcycle travel is increasing as the economy improves. Finally, use of DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets dropped an alarming 13 percentage points in 2010. To prevent an increase in motorcyclist fatalities in 2011, states should work to increase helmet use, provide motorcycle operator training to all who need or seek it, and reduce motorcyclist alcohol impairment and speeding.
Motorcyclist traffic fatalities in the United States dropped by 16% in 2009 to 4,465. This broke a chain of 11 consecutive years of increases that more than doubled motorcyclist fatalities from 2,116 in 1997 to 5,312 in 2008. Was the 2009 decrease the beginning of a long-term downward trend in motorcyclist fatalities similar to that from 1980 to 1997? Or was 2009 only a temporary bit of relief from the steady upward trend that began in 1997?
Mar 26, 2012 | Brain Injury/Head Trauma, Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a recall alert for approximately 126,000 Goldwing motorcycles. The company has identified an issue with the motorbikes’ secondary brake master cylinders that may cause the rear brakes to drag, increasing the risk of a collision. Riding a motorcycle with a stuck rear brake may also generate enough heat to cause a fire.
According to Honda, the brake issue affects GL1800 Goldwing motorcycles of the 2001 through 2010 and 2012 model years.
In January, the company expects to being notifying affected Goldwing owners to bring their motorcycles to Honda dealers. Mechanics there will inspect and, if necessary, replace the secondary master cylinder free of charge.
For more information on the recall, which Honda has identified as S03, consumers can call Honda customer service (toll-free: 866-784-1870) or visit the NHTSA website: www.SaferCar.gov.
At Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP, all of our attorneys are seasoned trial lawyers with over 70 years combined experience. Whether it is criminal or civil, our litigators are regularly in Court fighting for our clients. Two of our firm’s partners, Art Aiken and Robert Reeves, are inducted lifetime members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Mr. Reeves has also been named one of the Top 100 lawyers for South Carolina in 2012 by the National Trial Lawyers Organization. And most recently, Mr. Reeves has been included in the SC Super Lawyers for 2012. Our attorneys include a former SC prosecutor, a former public defender, a former NC District Attorney intern, a former Registered Nurse (RN), and former insurance defense attorneys. As a result of their varied backgrounds, they understand the potential criminal, insurance, and medical aspects of complex injury cases. We would welcome an opportunity to sit down and personally review your case. Compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other law firm. Then call us today at 877-374-5999 for a private consultation. Or visit our firm’s website at www.rjrlaw.com.
