Car Wreck

What You Should Know About Children and Head Injuries

August 28, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Head injuries are not something to take lightly. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1.7 million people in the country sustain a traumatic brain injury every year, and these injuries contribute to a third of all injury-related deaths in the United States.

Children, especially those between the ages of 0 and 4 and the ages of 15 and 19, are the most likely to sustain these injuries, which is why education about the dangers of head injuries is so important. Because of the long-term effects that head injuries can have, parents should learn all they can about this common childhood injury.

In children, head injuries often occur while they are playing. Falls on the sports field, tumbles while riding a bike and trips while climbing outdoors are all common causes. For this reason, children should wear protective helmets whenever possible. Parents need to make sure that helmets are being used when their children participate in rough sports events or when riding wheeled toys, such as bikes, scooters and roller skates. Head injuries also frequently occur as a result of car accidents, especially when children are not properly restrained. Proper use of child safety seats can help protect children against serious brain injury in a car accident.

Though head injuries affect all children, a recent Reuters article mentioned the findings of a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine which shows the treatment for such injuries may not be uniform across the different races. Researchers looked at brain injuries and treatment of children and discovered differences based on the race of the injured child.

According to the research, white children get CT scans more often following minor head injuries than the children of the other races. The study found that 42% of white children brought in for minor head trauma got CT scans while only 28% of black and Hispanic children brought in for minor head trauma received such scans.

Some may think this means that hospitals are giving better treatment to white children, but the results indicate that unnecessary CT scans can actually be dangerous to the children receiving them. In this case, more treatment is not better treatment and can actually lead to medical mistakes and dangerous radiation risks.

Personal Injury Lawyers in Charlotte, NC :: Megabus Bound for Charlotte Involved in Mega-Accident

August 21, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

A double-decker bus caught fire last week along I-85 in northeast Georgia, forcing Megabus passengers to flee to safety and closing the northbound lanes of the interstate for hours. The commercial bus was traveling from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina when the fire broke out at about 11:40 a.m. near Lavonia, Georgia. Officials with Megabus said that some 80 passengers were on board at the time and all, including the driver, were able to evacuate safely.

It’s the latest incident for Megabus, which offers low-priced, one-way fares between major cities across the U.S. Just a week before, on August 2, a Megabus struck a bridge pillar in the median of I-55 near Litchfield, Illinois killing one passenger and injuring nearly four-dozen others. Police have said that a blown tire likely caused the double-decker bus to weave out of control and crash into the pillar. The same week a 76-year-old woman in Chicago died from injuries she suffered when a Megabus hit her as the driver attempted to make a turn on a tight downtown street. Finally, back in February, a Megabus driver was acquitted of homicide charges for the deaths of four passengers when his double-decker bus crashed into a low overpass in upstate New York back in 2010.

Megabus drivers have been cited for speeding 35 times in the past two years, including 14 occasions where the driver was traveling more than 15 mph over the speed limit. During those same two years, a driver was cited for failure to inspect or use emergency equipment, six buses were cited for no or defective emergency doors and more than 50 citations were issued for failure to properly log a driver’s time on duty.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Megabus officials said they are working with state and federal investigators to determine whether all safety protocols were followed in the accident. The bus that caught on fire was manufactured by Van Hool in 2012 and had passed a full preventative maintenance check less than 2,500 miles ago, according to Megabus. It is unknown whether the driver performed an inspection before leaving Atlanta the morning of the accident. Such an inspection is required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of all commercial interstate drivers.

Car Wreck Lawyers in Charlotte, NC :: North Carolina Drivers at Risk for Drowsy Driving Accidents

August 14, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

A recent poll conducted by the AAA Foundation demonstrated results similar to those from the National Sleep Foundation Polls, which showed that a large percentage of Americans report driving under the influence of sleep. The most recent poll showed that one-third of those surveyed admitted to driving drowsy in the past 30 days. A 2005 NSF poll of approximately 1,000 people found that 60% of drivers, or about 168 million people, admitted that they had driven while sleepy in the preceding year; and 37% confessed that they had actually fallen asleep behind the wheel.

Though many people know that sleepy driving isn’t a good thing, they don’t understand just how dangerous it can be. Educating people to the dangers of drowsy driving is a key step in preventing unnecessary injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 crashes that are reported to the police each year are the direct result of fatigue and sleepiness. There’s no reason for such an enormous number of accidents to take place when simple steps can be taken to eliminate the risk.

The root of the problem is that many American are chronically sleep deprived. According to a study published in The Lancet, a quarter of all adults admit to not being happy with the amount of sleep they get each night. The results show that approximately 10% of adults meet the criteria for full-fledged insomnia.

The dangers of insomnia are great, especially for those on North Carolina roadways. Study after study has shown that those suffering from insomnia have symptoms similar to those suffering from severe sleep deprivation. Such sleep leads to an increased risk of accidents. Those who are surviving on much less sleep than they need are more likely to nod off at the wheel, especially when they’re driving alone or for long distances, increasing the risks of serious accidents and the possibility of causing harm to others.

Charlotte North Carolina Car Wreck Lawyers :: Terrible Charlotte Interstate Wreck Causes Severe Injuries

August 7, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

In a tragic story that highlights the dangers that lurk on North Carolina’s roadways, seven people were injured, including two who had to be freed from a crushed car, in a four-vehicle crash earlier this month on southbound Interstate 85 in north Charlotte.

The crash closed the southbound lanes of I-85 for nearly 90 minutes during morning rush hour after the wreck. The wreck happened at almost the exact location as another terrible crash only five days earlier.

A spokesperson for Medic says that seven people were taken to hospitals, including two who suffered life-threatening injuries. Charlotte fire Capt. Mark Basnight said a crew of 35 firefighters spent nearly 45 minutes working to free two injured people from a car that was involved in the wreck. Another car, a smaller Ford, was almost totally flattened against a semi that was part of the multi-car accident.

Apparently a truck that was hauling PVC pipe slammed on his brakes which then lead to the chain reaction collision. An SUV hit the truck which was then hit by the smaller Ford which in turn was smashed by a semi from behind. Finally, a pick-up truck hit the semi from behind.

The week before the chain reaction collision a 47-year-old woman was killed when she was hit from behind by a tractor-trailer. The wreck happened at the same exit off of I-75. According to the state’s highway patrol, traffic slowed suddenly but the driver of the semi failed to notice the rapid slow down, plowing into the back of the SUV and killing the driver.

Doubt Remains Whether Siri Can Reduce Distraction for North Carolina Drivers

July 19, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

By now many of us have either heard of or had the opportunity to experience firsthand Apple’s helpful gadget dubbed “Siri.” The technology company recently had a major announcement about everyone’s favorite robot assistant, but it had nothing to do with the iPhone.

The company instead said that Siri would shortly be coming to a steering wheel near you. Several car companies have signed on to implement the new “Eye’s Free” feature in their vehicles. These companies include several of the big boys: BMW, General Motors, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and Audi. The carmakers will allow drivers to integrate Siri with their car’s electronic systems and thus be able to access Siri through a steering wheel-mounted button.

Given this integration, it seems likely that such devices will also allow people to sync other features of their Apple products with their vehicles. This could include music, calling features, maps, text messaging and email, all with the helpful, voice-activated assistance of Siri.

Some believe such a system would be welcome to drivers who grow tired of having to manually enter in their destinations in the GPS. By making use of Siri’s natural language voice control system, drivers will supposedly be better able to keep their hands on the wheel and their minds on the task at hand, thus limiting the dangers associated with distracted driving.

Apple never got around to mentioning what, if any, restrictions would placed on Siri’s use in the car. Currently, Siri can be used to read and send text messages, get directions, find restaurants and movies, play music, get weather reports, answer random questions as well as a multitude of other tasks. This plethora of entertaining possibilities could become a liability rather than a benefit to drivers as the door becomes open to even more distractions.

Tips for What to Do After a Car Wreck to Preserve a Personal Injury Claim

June 14, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

As the number of accidents on the roadways continue to increase, it’s important that victims take steps to protect themselves immediately following a car crash. Delay can only hurt your chances of collecting for damages later. The following are some tips for how best to protect yourself in the event of a car accident:

1. Write everything down
For victims of accidents, it is important to gather as much information as possible. Think about writing down the names and addresses of everyone who was involved in the accident, including any witnesses. If the victim is left incapacitated after an accident then someone else needs to think clearly and record the details.

After an accident it’s still important to keep records. Making notes of all the doctors’ appointments, diagnoses, prescriptions and symptoms can help if you end up pursuing a personal injury claim down the road.

2. Take pictures if you can
Pictures really do tell a thousand words, maybe more. This is definitely the case in the personal injury world where juries respond to photographic evidence. With so many people owning phones with great quality cameras, it is easier than ever for people to snap a picture of the situation right after an accident takes place. Victims with proof will find that the defendants are less able to claim things didn’t happen the way you say it did. Even insurance claims can move more smoothly with the benefits of pictures.

3. Keep everything in one place
It can be hard to keep everything organized when it comes to something as complicated as a personal injury case. It’s a good idea to start a file or folder that contains all the information relating to your case. It doesn’t have to be in perfect order; it’s just best that all the information can be found in once place.

To Avoid Severe Injury, Don’t Swerve when Animals are in the Road

June 5, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

According to an article in the Miami Herald, most injuries on the road involving animal crashes occur not when a driver actually hits the animal, but instead when the car crashes following an attempt to avoid hitting the animal. Apparently it’s the swerving away from the critter that actually causes most of the injuries to drivers and their passengers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 173 fatal accidents involving animals in 2009, the most recent year that statistics were available. That same year there were 12,000 car accidents that resulted in injuries involving animals. Even more shocking is the news that according to the Insurance Industry for Highway Safety, 1.5 million accidents involving deer occur each year across the country and result in $1 billion in damages.

According to people familiar with the subject, highway safety experts and police officers who encounter such accidents regularly, swerving to avoid a collisions may actually be more dangerous than simply hitting the animal. Law enforcement officials urge motorists to avoid sudden evasive maneuvers if you’re not able to check the other lanes of traffic beforehand. If it’s safe to make a lane change then the experts say to go ahead, but if you’re not sure what else is going on around you then swerving is usually the wrong choice.

Older North Carolina Drivers and Road Safety

May 31, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

As the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, one thing is certain–the roads will be increasingly filled with older drivers. Currently, thirteen percent, or 34 million Americans, are over sixty-five years of age. That number is expected to increase by 60% over the next fifteen years. Based on these numbers, it is projected that one in five drivers will be 65 or older by 2025.

While the older drivers may have more experience on the road, they are also responsible for a disproportionate number of accidents. A report released by TRIP states that although drivers over 65 account for 8% of all miles driven, they are involved in at least 17% of all reported crashes.

North Carolina is towards the top of the list in multiple statistical categories pertaining to older drivers. The state is fourth in the nation in raw number of older drivers killed in car accidents and fifth in the number of accidents involving at least one driver over the age of 65. North Carolina is ranked ninth in the nation for number of older licensed drivers. Unsurprisingly, the number one state in many of these categories is Florida.

Older drivers are more susceptible to serious injury from car accidents for a number of reasons. First, age comes with increased physical frailty and related medical issues. These issues include slower reaction time, poorer eyesight, and reduced muscle dexterity. Furthermore, when such accidents happen, injuries tend to be more severe due to this increased frailty. TRIP singles out “safely moving through intersections” as especially hazardous for older drivers.

Despite these numbers, no one is suggesting that we revoke the licenses of all older drivers. One of the major determining factors in quality of life is mobility and to deny that to an ever-increasing proportion of the population could only lead to trouble. Rather, it is being suggested that steps be taken to make the roads safer for older drivers. Some of the more prominent suggestions include clearer signs with larger lettering, increased width of pavement markings, widening lanes, and brighter lighting.

Study shows that turn signal errors contribute to 2 million car accidents per year

May 24, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

In driver’s ed most of us learned to follow a few simple rules before changing lanes: turn on your blinker, check your mirrors and check your blind spot. Only after these had been done is it safe to change lanes.

According to a new study by the Society of Automotive Engineers discussed on MSNBC.com, almost half of all drivers are getting that first, and arguably most crucial step, wrong. The study found that, when changing lanes, 48% of drivers either fail to engage their turn signals or forget to turn them off. When turning, the error rate drops considerably but still remains at a surprisingly high 25%.

Whatever the reason, forgetfulness, laziness or poor driver’s education, the signal errors are having a major impact on driving safety. According to the study, improper blinker use causes roughly 2 million traffic accidents every year. By comparison, distracted driving causes around 950,000 crashes each year.

Drivers who fail to use their turn signals properly might not think their mistake is a big deal, but the fact is that such a slip up puts everyone else on the road at risk. Even if an accident does not happen, drivers could still run into trouble with the law. After all, failing to signal a turn or a lane change is a crime and is treated as severely as speeding or running a red light.

The people at the Society of Automotive Engineers have come up with a novel and potentially useful solution to the problem. It’s called the “Smart Turn Signal,” the group claims it can go a long way to reducing the rate of car accidents across the nation’s roadways.

The “Smart Turn Signal” would automatically shut off a signal once a certain amount of time had passed. The device is also capable of being programmed to automatically turn off after detecting a lane change. Such a feature is similar to what happens now after drivers complete a turn.

Deadly Car Crash Raises Questions for Gastonia Police

May 8, 2012 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

According a recent article on WCNC.com, police in Gastonia, North Carolina are conducting an investigation into a car crash with deadly consequences. It happened in the wee hours of Friday, May 18, 2012 on Beaty Road. The incident began at the intersection of Beacon Hills Drive and the police are still unsure about what caused the car crash.

The driver, Fionjela Knox, and her boyfriend, Justrivius Chambers, were driving a 2011 Chrysler Sebring. After the crash, the car came to rest on the side of the road in the middle of some bushes. Chambers was killed instantly but Knox survived the crash and is now in critical condition at an area hospital.

What is bothering investigators is the extent of the injuries to both crash victims. Doctors disagree on whether all of the injuries were caused by the crash. One doctor believes that the wreck was severe enough to have caused the substantial injuries to both victims, especially the survivor. Another doctor believes that Knox may have sustained injuries before the wreck. A police report, which has still not been finalized, claimed that Knox had been the victim of an aggravated assault shortly before the crash that seriously injured her.

The tow truck driver who was called to haul the crushed car away to a nearby lot said the police were acting very strange and he was told that he was not to touch the car in any way. Obviously the police believe that the car is of some evidentiary value and do not want to take the chance that the tow truck driver will contaminate the evidence.

Some of the neighbors told police that they heard gunshots. Glass was found several hundred yards away from where the car eventually came to rest after the crash. Some speculate that the window had been shot out just prior to the crash. Chambers had been previously convicted of possession of a firearm. Several questions still remain about what happened that night between Chambers and Knox.