Thankfully, there are several steps that cyclists can take to help prevent these accidents from occurring this season.

Get a Tune-Up

Just like cars, bikes need an occasional tune-up to ensure that they are in good working order. If a bike is not properly maintained, its safety components may not work properly and a person may unnecessarily get hurt in the process. Another situation that can arise during a safety inspection is a defective part may be identified.

A cause of action may be available for a person who is injured due to defective products caused by manufacturers, distributors and local vendors. Even individuals and businesses that sell and manufacture well-crafted and high quality bikes may be responsible for a person’s injury that was caused by a defective product.

Wear a Helmet

Although wearing a helmet alone will not prevent an accident, it can mitigate the effects of an accident. Statistics indicate that bike helmets can help reduce the risk of a person sustaining a head injury up to 85 percent when the cyclist falls or is struck. However, helmets are most effective when the cyclist wears the proper type. Helmet styles vary, and there are different types of helmets for each type of sport.

For example, federal safety standards exist for bicycle helmets which differ from the standards for skateboard helmets. Before purchasing a helmet, a cyclist should ensure that the helmet is designed for cycling, rather than mountain climbing, ATV riding or other activity. Checking the inner lining can help determine how much padding will be able to help with a blow.

Look for Help from Experts

When purchasing a helmet for a child, it is essential to take all precautions necessary to ensure the safety of these children. Children can sustain serious injuries or die from bicycle accidents. The CPSC and ASTM have standards regarding bike helmets that consumers can look to for more information.

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If you or your child has been injured in a bike accident, a Tampa bicycle accident lawyer may be able to help. Call 1-800-753-5203 for a free case evaluation from the experienced injury law team of Abrahamson & Uiterwyk.

When you think of the airbag in your car, you are reassured that, in the event of a crash, you will be protected.

Indeed, airbags have saved many lives since they first appeared en masse in 1981 Mercedes S-Class automobiles. Between 1991 and 2001, airbags saved an average of 2,000 lives a year.

The problem is that injuries occur when the airbag systems do not function correctly. One of two things usually happens: The airbag either goes off early during a crash, leaving the occupant of the car without the extra protection, or it simply goes off without warning. The latter might even occur when the vehicle is standing still.

Massive Number of Vehicles Included in Latest Airbag Recall

A global recall including over 3 million vehicles was recently issued by auto manufacturers Honda, Nissan, Toyota and General Motors due to faulty airbags made Takata Corp. Due to a product defect, there is a chance that metal canisters housed in the airbag system may explode upon deployment, possibly spraying metal shrapnel that could seriously injure passengers.

Faulty Airbag Injury Statistics

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 284 people actually died from airbag faults between 1990 and 2007; one-hundred eighty of those were children. The NHTSA also reports that there were 618 injuries, not including death, from 1980-1994. Last November, Chrysler reported 81 minor injuries during its recall of almost 750,000 vehicles.

As car manufacturers continue to find ways to improve passenger safety, consumers need to stay informed about the latest car safety features and recalls. This is especially true because companies are not only adding additional airbags but also installing them in different places. In fact, the new Dodge Dart has 10 airbags!

Car manufacturers are also incorporating new technology, such as inflatable seat belts, different gases used for inflation, and smaller circuit boards. Although these are usually improvements, there is more that can go wrong. It pays to be vigilant.

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Any Tampa injury attorney will agree that the best way to secure a vehicle passenger that is a child is with appropriate safety seats. A World Health Organization report entitled “Children and Road Traffic Injury” states that in high income countries, 50 percent of all passenger related traffic deaths are children.

The reported added that it was more likely that an unrestrained child passenger would be killed in any car crash. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that during one year 618,000 children were not using an appropriate safety seat while riding in a car.

Education to Improve safety

The CDC added in the same article that safety seats reduce the risk of death by 71 percent for newborns and 54 percent for toddlers to 4 years old.

In a recent article published in the March 2013 issue of Pediatric Emergency Care stated that a study of 638 physicians showed that parents of children discharged from emergency departments were under-informed of resources for child passenger safety. The article encourages physicians to provide child passenger safety education at the emergency department level.

Child passenger safety tips

In a report by the Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention best practices regarding child passenger safety are identified. Pediatricians are encouraged to know and educate parents of these best practices.

• Rear-facing safety seats for birth to 2 years.
• Forward-facing seats for 2 to 4 years.
• Booster seats with belt positioning from 4 to 8 years.
• Seat belts after the booster seat have been outgrown.

In addition to best practices, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends replacing car seats after moderate to severe collisions. To help parents distinguish between minor and moderate collisions, the NHTSA provides the following guidelines.

* The vehicle was driven away from the collision site.

* The door near the safety or booster seat was undamaged.

* No passenger sustained injuries in the collision.

* Air bags did not deploy.

* No damage to the car is visible.

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Obtaining legal advice after an automobile collision might be the first step to securing your rights. Abrahamson & Uiterwyk is pleased to offer a completely free initial consultation to discuss your “post collision” legal needs. Call us at 1-800-753-5203 for your free consultation.

Due to the ongoing shortage of qualified truck drivers, many truck companies have been taking advantage of the initiative in order to stay staffed with qualified truckers.

For a veteran to qualify for the initiative, he or she must meet several requirements. For example, he or she must have had two years of driving experience before they were discharged from the military service.

They must also have a clean driving record, only one driver’s license in the past two years, have certification of the vehicle they drive and have certification regarding how long they have operated the vehicle. They must also pass the written portion of the commercial driver’s license test.

At this point, 44 states have adopted the initiative. Each state has the discretion to allow veterans to acquire their CDL by only passing the written part of the test. The initiative allows veterans to receive their CDL without having to pass the skills driving portion of the test.

However, some are against the initiative because they feel that the drivers may not actually be qualified without having to pass all of the normal requirements to acquire a CDL. Before getting a CDL, most individuals must undertake training and practice.

Individuals who oppose the initiative believe that driving a tractor trailer have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that all motorists on the roadway are kept safe. When safety standards are not complied with, commercial vehicles and their drivers can become very dangerous.

However, initiatives like these may help prevent dangerous truck fleet practices such as grass-hopping. Grass-hopping is an unscrupulous industry trend in which trucking companies decrease their standards by permitting unqualified or reprimanded truck drivers fill positions, including truckers with a history of truck accidents or safety violations.

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If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident caused by a negligent commercial truck fleet or driver, a Tampa truck accident lawyer may be able to assist the victim. For a free case evaluation, contact Abrahamson & Uiterwyk today at 1-800-753-5203.

For the last six years, traffic fatality rates have been in decline. However, after measuring the number of traffic accidents from the first six months of 2012, the council found that this period represented a higher number of traffic fatalities, compared to the rate for the same period in 2011.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had provided preliminary reports providing similar information related to traffic fatalities. The administration reported that the first six months of 2012 saw more traffic fatalities, compared to the number of fatalities in the first six months of 2011, representing a 9 percent increase in fatalities.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has seen a continuing trend of fewer traffic fatalities in recent years. However, this trend now appears to be reversing. The National Safety Council theorizes that the increase in traffic fatalities may be due to an improving economy.

The economy had previously suffered a recession, causing more people to rely on public transportation, carpooling, walking or other forms of transportation to get around. An improved economy has resulted in more individuals being on the roadways. This increased presence of motorists may translate to a higher risk of accidents for the motorists who are on the road.

In addition to an improved economy, other factors may be playing a role in this recent uptick in traffic fatalities. For example, some believe that distracted drivers are causing more accidents. The rate of accidents that are caused by distracted drivers has increased during recent history, along with the number of fatalities related to these types of accidents. At the same time that alcohol-related accidents have been decreasing, the number of distracted driving accidents has been increasing.

Traffic fatalities result in significant damages to the victims and their family. Property is destroyed and families must attempt to grasp the loss of a loved one for accidents that are often preventable.

Passengers in the accidents may sustain serious injuries in these fatal crashes, such as fractures, spinal injuries, brain injuries and other injuries that may lead to permanent disability or significant pain.

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A personal injury attorney may be able to assist a car accident victim, or his or her family, pursue financial compensation for accidents that were caused by another person’s negligence. Call Abrahamson & Uiterwyk today at 1-800-753-5203 for a free case evaluation and initial consultation.

If a vehicle’s tires have uneven tread or inflation, then a vehicle is not stable. Any defects or inadequate pressure or inflation can cause some serious accidents. In the United States, this is one of the major causes of accidents.

Leeds Tire Check

A recent study conducted in Leeds, England highlighted just how many vehicles are being currently operated with improper tire pressure. The severity of the problem was highlight by a recent tire check in the United Kingdom.

Out of all of the vehicles that were included in the study, only 12% of which were found to have the correct tire pressure. 47% of the vehicles had tire pressure that was dangerously low, and 6% were discovered to have pressure that was very dangerously low.

Tire Tread and Safety Issues

It is important to maintain the right amount of tire pressure so that vehicles are balanced and safe. Otherwise, unnecessary strain is placed on certain parts of the cars, tires wear out and a blow out can occur. When traveling on a highway, this can result in a life-threatening accident.

Over- and under-inflation are both causes for concern. A defect in tires’ tread and basic wear and tear increases the likelihood of an accident. Rollover accidents and blowouts can cause some serious issues.

Tire Pressure Checks

Experts recommend that people check their vehicle’s tire pressure on a monthly basis. Inflating the tires takes just a moment. In turn, this will lengthen the lifespan of the vehicles and prevent issues from happening. If there are consistent issues with maintain proper tire pressure, vehicle owners should visit a mechanic to have the tires inspected.

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Diagnostic Error

A diagnostic error occurs when a healthcare provider does not accurately diagnose the patient. While some symptoms are common to multiple conditions, a healthcare provider is expected to assess the symptoms and order tests that will narrow the potential diagnosis. Sometimes, the healthcare provider should refer the patient to a specialist.

If the healthcare provider misses the important link between the patient’s symptoms and a possible medical condition, he or she may misdiagnose the patient. Other diagnostic errors include a delayed diagnosis, failure to request tests that could help reveal the condition in a timely manner or failure to react appropriately when test results come in.

Treatment Error

A healthcare provider could make a treatment error if he or she does not treat the patient appropriately. To determine the appropriate treatment, a healthcare provider must take several factors into consideration, such as the patient’s age, health, current prescription medicine regimen and reactions to previous treatment.

A health care provider may make a mistake when he or she performs an operation or other medical procedure. He or she may also lack the necessary consent from the patient. Another treatment error may occur when the healthcare provider administers an inappropriate amount or kind of medication.

Preventative Error

Healthcare providers have a continued duty to treat their patients while they are in their care. This duty includes taking steps to prevent further medical debilitation. A healthcare provider may commit a preventative error when he or she fails to prevent infection or a foreseeable complication. Another way that healthcare providers can commit preventative errors is when proper patient monitoring or follow-up care is not present.

Other Types of Medical Errors

Other medical errors may occur that are not explained above. There are many variables in medical treatment, and any of these variables may be linked to a healthcare error. For example, a healthcare provider may use equipment that fails or a medical device that malfunctions.

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If you’ve been seriously injured due to medical malpractice, our injury law team may be able to help. Call Abrahamson & Uiterwyk today for a free case evaluation at 1-800-753-5203.

Deadly Impact of Contamination

The Department of Public Health investigated pharmacies after a Framingham group was linked to a recent outbreak of fungal meningitis. The tainted steroid injections from this group caused 45 deaths and nearly 700 cases of meningitis. In nearly half of the pharmacies, serious violations were discovered. These facilities were ordered to immediately shut down. Another 21 groups were cited for minor violations of standards.

Experienced Inspectors and Established Guidelines

Many health experts are concerned that this issue could pop up elsewhere. When pharmacies do not have sterile environments or follow safety procedures, medications can be contaminated at the expense of public health.

Massachusetts’ inspection policies were recently updated. Today, all inspectors are required have to five years’ experience and be licensed. Money was freed up in the state budget so that more inspectors could handle quality control issues. The goal was to protect people from tainted medications and outbreaks. However, not all states have such funds or inspection regulations in place.

Future Outbreaks Are Possible

The inspections found that many of the compounding pharmacies’ sterile locations did not meet medical community standards. Thus, drugs were contaminated. Today, there is little federal regulation of compound pharmacies. If mistakes continue to happen, there could be another fatal outbreak. Victims not only have to deal with the possibility of death but also further medical treatment. Some victims may even end up permanently disabled.

We’ll Fight for Your Rights

If you have been seriously injured by a defective drug or medical device in our area, please seek help of a Tampa personal injury attorney. Victims may be eligible for compensation for pain, suffering, medical bills, lost wages and more.

Experienced lawyers can explain how the legal system works, the likelihood of compensation and what to expect from seeking legal assistance. Call Abrahamson & Uiterwyk today for a free initial consultation at 1-800-753-5203.

The United States Department of Transportation and Bridestone Americas are working together to take these videos and release them as a series. The videos are being submitted as entrance into the 2012 Teens Drive Smart Video Contest. They will then be sent to television stations throughout the country as public service announcements.

Statistics Regarding Distracted Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has repeatedly released information regarding the dangers of distracted driving, especially the dangers related to young drivers.

For example, 11 percent of drivers who were under 20 and were involved in fatal automotive accidents were reported as being distracted when the accident occurred. This percentage is the highest percentage of distracted drivers of all demographics.

Another study conducted by the Pew Research Center reported that 40 percent of American teens said that they had been in a vehicle in which the driver was using a cell phone while driving in a manner that posed a danger to them. In 2008 alone, distracted driving resulted in 515,000 personal injuries. During this same time period, 5,870 fatalities were the result of distracted driving.

Plans to Protect Young Drivers

The public service announcements are designed to prevent future accidents from occurring. Having their peers talk to them may have a greater impact on teens than having adults disseminate the information. Due to car accidents being the leading cause of death for young people in the United States, an attempt is being made to curtail dangerous activities like texting and driving. Parents can also make a dramatic impact on teen driving habits by encouraging teens to be safe drivers. Leading by example can also help teach teens how to become safer drivers.

Seeking Legal Assistance

When a distracted driver causes an accident, the victim or his or her family may be able to recover compensation from the responsible party. If you have been injured in an automobile accident that was caused by a teen driver or a distracted driver, you can schedule a confidential consultation with a Tampa personal injury attorney to discuss your case and to determine whether you have a viable claim.

We’ll Fight for Your Rights!

If you or a loved one has been severely injured in a motor vehicle accident in our area, our experienced legal team may be help. Call Abrahamson & Uiterwyk now at 1-800-753-5203 for a

While the study revealed that most individuals believed that they had above-average multitasking abilities, these individuals were the most likely ones to use cell phones or similar devices while driving.

This research was conducted at a time when many states and municipalities are creating laws banning the use of cell phones while driving. Other areas are imposing punishments on individuals who text and drive simultaneously. Other laws exist that prevent anyone under the age of 18 from using a cell phone or texting while driving.

The study was peer-reviewed and designed to analyze the relationship between an individual’s personality and his ability to multitask, particularly emphasizing the individual’s ability to multitask while he or she drove.

Approximately 275 undergraduate students were asked how often they multitasked, how good that they believed they were at multitasking and how impulsive these individuals believed that they were. The study resulted in the alarming finding that individuals who report using cell phones the most are the worst multitaskers.

While the ability to multitask generally considered being a positive trait, this study reached a different conclusion. They found that multitasking individuals completed multiple assignments at once because they were unable to focus on just one activity at a time. The authors of the study are looking to expand on the research by investigating why individuals choose to text and drive even though it is widely known to be a dangerous activity.

This study is not the only one to note that texting while driving is a dangerous activity. A study in 2008 reached the conclusion that individuals who drive while they are using cell phones have their driving impacted in a similar manner as to individuals who drink and drive.

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If you or a loved one has been negatively affected by a car accident that involved a distracted driver, a Tampa personal injury attorney may be able to assist you with your case. Contact Abrahamson & Uiterwyk today at 1-800-753-5203 for a free initial consultation.