Sandusky Personal Injury Lawyer - Motorcycle Accidents

High-speed motorcycle riders at higher risk for wrongful death | Ohio motorcycle accident lawyers

Chuck Boyk — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:24:38 GMT

Our Ohio motorcycle accident lawyers see the devastating effects that fatal motorcycle accidents can have a family and their community. If you are going to ride a motorcycle, do so responsibly. Mind the speed limit, and always wear your helmet.

According to The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, those who ride high performance motorcycles, or super-sport motorcycles, are four times more likely to die in a motorcycle accident. With speeds as high as 190 miles per hour, super-sports are very dangerous for the non-professional rider. To put speed into perspective, 190 miles per hour is also the take-off speed for a 747 airplane.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact our office today to order your FREE copy of The Ohio Accident Book.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

$6.01 million awarded to boy who lost eyesight in ATV accident

Chuck Boyk — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:41:00 GMT

A nine-year-old boy was riding his grandfather’s ATV unsupervised, when a hunting dog escaped from his kennel and startled the boy. He then lost control of the ATV, flipped it, and the handlebar punctured the boy’s eye. The ATV accident caused permanent blindness.

The ATV accident caused blindness to the little boy and the case was recently settled in Pennsylvania for $6.01 million.

In order to prevent an ATV accident, riders should not use the vehicles on a road – they are built to be off-road. Always travel at a safe speed, and never ride with a passenger. One of the most important factors in preventing a wrongful death from an ATV accident is using a helmet.

Our Toledo, Ohio ATV accident attorneys want to remind riders to be careful while riding on ATVs, and also want to discourage parents from allowing their children under 16 from riding them at all.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

Bike riders can reduce motorcycle accident injuries with helmet use

Chuck Boyk — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:12:00 GMT

If everyone riding a motorcycle would have used a helmet in 2006, roughly 752 lives could have been saved nationwide, and 24 lives in Ohio.

“Careless car drivers injure motorcycle riders on a regular basis,” said Ohio motorcycle accident attorney Attorney Chuck Boyk. “For the past 25 years I have seen much more serious injuries and death due to lack of motorcycle helmets. Individual freedom is nice, but being alive and healthy may be more important.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation is starting to require helmet manufacturers to place a larger, tamper-proof DOT label on the back of certified helmets. This larger label would not only make it harder for riders to wear novelty helmet in states that require DOT certified helmets, but it would also help riders in all states recognize a safe helmet to use in order to prevent personal injury in the event of a motorcycle accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helmets reduce the risk of death by 29% and are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcycle riders. NHTSA also predicts that an unhelmeted motorcyclist is 40 percent more likely to suffer a fatal head injury and 15 percent more likely to suffer a nonfatal injury than a helmeted motorcyclist when involved in a motorcycle accident.

Ohio law requires that motorcycle riders and passengers under the age of 18 must wear a helmet at all times. Ohio law also requires all riders, regardless of age, to wear some sort of protective eyewear while riding a motorcycle.

Even the safest motorcyclists have no control over other drivers on the road, and must prepare to ride defensively and obey all posted traffic signs, in order to prevent an Ohio motorcycle accident. Make sure to use proper turn signals, mind the speed limit, and always stay visible to other vehicles around you. Wear a helmet while riding, regardless if the law requires you to.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an Ohio motorcycle accident, order your FREE copy of The Ohio Accident Book to learn your rights. Our Ohio motorcycle lawyers can give you a free consultation and case evaluation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

Ohio ATV accident lawyers learn from State of Oregon mom

Chuck Boyk — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:01:00 GMT

Sue Rabe fought hard to get Oregon Senate Bill 49, “Kyle’s Law,” passed, which would prohibit anyone under 12-years-old from operating an ATV. It would also put stronger restrictions on ATV riders between 12 and 15 years of age, and make helmet use mandatory.

Sue knows firsthand the devastation that ATV accidents can have on a family. Our Toledo, Ohio ATV accident attorneys had help continuing their blog series on ATV safety from this mother, also the co-founder of Concerned Families for ATV Safety.

The Rabe family lost their son, Kyle, to an ATV accident when he was only 10 years old. He had been riding for over a year and a half without any accidents. His parents write on the website that he was a very cautious, skilled rider wearing boots, gloves, several layers of clothing and a full face, approved helmet.

But all of those factors did not prevent an ATV accident.

“It’s devastating,” said Sue Rabe of Turner, Oregon. “Kyle was three months shy of his 11^th birthday. Until you have children, you won’t understand that they become your number one. They are everything to you.”

While Oregon Senate Bill 49 did not pass, Sue believes that all of the lobbying and attention that Kyle’s Law received helped save lives.

“Last year not one child in the state of Oregon died in an ATV accident,” Sue said. “The year before, eight kids died. Apparently someone is listening.”

Stay tuned for our on-going series on ATV accidents as we report the information that Concerned Families for ATV Safety and Sue Rabe has provided us with.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

Sandusky County motorcycle accident injures one

Chuck Boyk — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:26:00 GMT

Motorcycle accident injuries can happen for a number of reasons, but the most common reason riders are injured is when they do not wear a helmet. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcycle helmets are 70 percent effective in preventing brain injuries. The NHTSA also reported that motorcycle riders who do not wear helmets are three times more likely to suffer personal injury from a motorcycle accident than riders who do wear helmets.

A Florida man suffered personal injury after a motorcycle accident Wednesday, according to the Toledo Blade. The motorcycle accident, which occurred in Sandusky County, happened after a car pulled out in front of the rider, hitting him head-on. The motorcycle rider was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo. He was not wearing a helmet. The driver of the car suffered no personal injury.

It is important for drivers of both cars and motorcycles to watch out for one another on the roads. Avoid driving in another vehicle’s blind spot, and always use directional indicators to announce turns. Obey posted speed limits and traffic rules, and never cut off another driver, or drive too closely behind them.

Our Toledo, Ohio motorcycle accident attorneys see firsthand what a motorcycle accident injury can do to a rider and their family. Make sure to protect yourself by always wearing a helmet and by practicing safe riding habits.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

Motorcycle helmets not required by Ohio law, can still save lives

Chuck Boyk — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:06:00 GMT

The number of motorcycle accidents resulting in wrongful death has increased 125% in the past 10 years, according to Parade magazine. Lack of helmet use has contributed to these fatalities, as well as to numerous personal injuries.

US Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters states that roughly 700 lives could be saved each year if motorcycle riders wore their helmets. While helmet use is not required by law in all states, including Ohio, it is important to remember that helmets can help prevent significant personal injury or even death in the event of a motorcycle accident. A recent study published by the American Journal of Public Health found that after a helmet use appeal in Pennsylvania, motorcycle helmet use dropped 24 percent, while the head injury deaths in the state increased 66 percent and the head injury hospitalizations increased 78 percent. This appears to prove a direct correlation to helmet use and personal injury prevention in motorcycle accidents.

Our Toledo, Ohio motorcycle accident attorneys urge riders and drivers of motorcycles to be careful while riding, and to always use a helmet. Prevent personal injury or wrongful death by protecting yourself while on a bike.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

Motorcycle helmets can save lives, prevent personal injury

Anneke Kurt — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:05:17 GMT

The chance for a motorcycle accident increases as drivers get used to sharing the road with motorcyclists when bike season starts, which is why it is so important to protect yourself.

As the weather warms up and snow disappears from the pavement, more and more motorcycles are dusted off brought out on the roads. When preparing a bike for its first ride of the year, riders should also prepare to wear a helmet, in order to prevent personal injury in the event motorcycle accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helmets reduce the risk of death by 29% and are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcycle riders.

All Ohio motorcycle riders and passengers under the age of 18 must wear a helmet at all times. Ohio law also requires all riders, regardless of age, to wear some sort of protective eye wear while riding a motorcycle.

Even the safest motorcyclists have no control over other drivers on the road, and must prepare to ride defensively and obey all posted traffic signs, in order to prevent personal injury from a motorcycle accident. Our Toledo, Ohio motorcycle accident attorneys urge cyclists to use proper turn signals, mind the speed limit, and always stay visible to other vehicles around you. Wear a helmet while riding, regardless if the law requires you to. As with all types of motor vehicles, never drink and drive.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

How to protect yourself from a motorcycle accident

Anneke Kurt — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:10:25 GMT

Over 4,800 people in 2006 suffered wrongful death as a result of motorcycle accidents in the United States, with the number of fatalities increasing every year for the past nine years, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The risk of a car accident or motorcycle accident is higher for those riding bikes, since there is no barrier between the rider and the road. Motorcycle accidents can also occur when drivers of motor vehicles do not see the motorcycles, especially at intersections, at night, or in blind spots.

A motorcyclist is 37 times more likely than someone driving a car to suffer wrongful death in a car accident in 2006, per vehicle mile traveled, according to the Insurance Information Institute. They are 8 times more likely to suffer personal injury as a result of a motorcycle accident.

Our Toledo, Ohio motorcycle accident attorneys have seen the devastating affects personal injury and wrongful death from motorcycle accidents have caused to families, and encourage motorcycle riders and those who share the road with riders to be careful and obey all posted traffic signs. Never drink and drive a car or a motorcycle, and avoid speeding or swerving around other cars. Always wear a helmet, even if it is not required by law. Helmets save lives.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Fort Hood Identifies Soldier from Motorcycle Accident

Christina Cole — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 00:55:30 GMT

Friday, Fort Hood identified two 4th Infantry Division soldiers who had died in separate motorcycle and vehicle accidents over the holidays.

Spc. Joseph Andrew Medeiros, of Dixon California, was killed in a motorcycle accident on December 31st, Fort Hood said. He was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat team.

Pfc. Craig Allen Georgia, of Conneaut, Ohio, died in a auto accident on December 29th. He was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's HHC, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team.

Fort Hood Friday identified two 4th Infantry Division soldiers who died in separate motorcycle and automobile accidents over the holidays.

Spc. Joseph Andrew Medeiros, 21, of Dixon, Calf., was killed in a motorcycle accident on Dec 31, Fort Hood said.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole