St. Cloud Personal Injury Lawyer

Lawyers And Doctors In Most Auto Accidents? Why?

Mike Bryant — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:10:00 GMT

The ABA Journal had an interesting finding in this week's magazine. Doctors and lawyers have the highest rates of car crashes of any occupation. Maybe it's too much thinking about the heath care debate, or maybe it's being on the cell phone all the time. Maybe, the article speculates, it's being too tired. They support this with the finding that the number one group for accidents is students.

The findings were: For every 1,000 students, there are about 152 accidents and 87 speeding tickets per year, the report showed. That compares with 109 accidents and 44 speeding tickets for doctors. For lawyers; 106 accidents and 37 speeding tickets.

Robert Sinclair, spokesman for AAA New York, who saw one category that seems to sum up most of them; tired drivers. "These are professions who put in lots and lots of hours," Sinclair said. "Often fatigued driving can be a greater impingement on skills and abilities than alcohol."

The safest on the list were farmers. The next safest were firefighters, with 67 annual accidents per 1,000, and pilots, with 75. (They ranked 29th and 33rd, respectively, in the number of speeding tickets they received, the report showed.)

Personally, I've been rear ended a couple of times and hit a rail after sliding on ice one time. But, it certainly is another thought to keep in mind while driving.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

A message About Teen Suicide

Mike Bryant — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:00:00 GMT

At times, you will see recommendations of must see videos here at the Injurboard. The often cited one is the teenager texting and driving.

There have been a number of others:

Georgia Teen Tosses Baby On YouTube Video, Eddie Farah | July 02, 2008 11:54 PM

Rear-facing carseats, Pete Burns | December 31, 2008 8:45 AM

Who Can Be A Methamphetamine Addict?, Steve Lombardi | January 19, 2010 2:01 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNLR41afZsQ&feature=player_embedded

It's a good thing to see Hannah/Miley taking the time to talk to depressed teens. Hopefully, they are listening.

This is another one of those that I hope people will all take the time to watch.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Plea Entered In 2008 Albertville Bus Crash

Mike Bryant — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Over a year ago, I wrote about the April 2008 bus crash that was on it's way back from a high school four-day cultural tour of Chicago. The bus crashed at 5:45 a.m. The bus was traveling along the Highway 94 when it left the road and flipped over. Many of the students were injured and one was killed.

Driver Of Bus That Crashed In Albertville Admits To Being Tired, Mike Bryant | November 12, 2008 8:29 PM

This past week the driver entered into a plea agreement. Loren Duane Ernst, 70, of Moorhead was charged in Weishair's death, along with other charges for causing harm to three dozen other students in that crash.

WCCO reported that:

Investigators with the State Patrol said Ernst was way too tired to be driving that morning. According to the criminal complaint, he had three hours of sleep, at the most, during the previous 24 hours and was dozing off during the trip.

While this may be of small consolation to the teenagers family and friends, it is hoped that they do finds some bit of closure on what has been a very long ordeal. It also is hoped that we insure that the drivers of these buses do so with enough sleep and safely.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Time To Revisit The 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act

Mike Bryant — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:13:00 GMT

In 1976, the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed concerning the reporting requirements of chemical manufacturers to the federal government concerning new chemicals they intend to market. The law exempted from public disclosure any information that could harm their bottom line.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the result is that of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States, nearly 20 percent have their names and physical properties guarded from consumers. The concern was that trade secrets needed to protected in a highly competitive industry.

The Washington Post quoted Mike Walls, vice president of the American Chemistry Council, "Even acknowledging what chemical is used or what is made at what facility could convey important information to competitors, and they can start to put the pieces together," and found that at the same time:

Of the secret chemicals, 151 are made in quantities of more than 1 million tons a year and 10 are used specifically in children's products, according to the EPA.

The chemicals clearly seem to be playing a role in all of our daily lives. The reality being that we have no idea what is in them and even what their names are. Hopefully, the EPA will move ahead with it's plans for greater public disclosure.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Graco Recalls 1.5 Million Strollers

Mike Bryant — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:21:00 GMT

The third week of January, The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.,recalled 1,500,000 Graco Passage™, Alano™ and Spree™ Strollers and Travel Systems. The recall covers those Graco Passage, Alano and Spree strollers and travel systems with a plastic, jointed hinge mechanism that has indented canopy positioning notches. Five children had their fingertips severed and two children received cuts on their fingertips.

This recall involves the following model numbers and specific hinge mechanisms:

Model Numbers
6303MYC, 6303MYC3	7240DNB, 7240DNB2 7240MKL2, 7240MKL3	7F02GLM3
6320IVY, 6320LAU	7241DDH2, 7241DHO3	7F04TAY3
6330CAP, 6330THR, 6330THR3	7255CLP, 7255CLP2, 7255CRA2, 7255CRA3, 7255CSA3, 7255GPK3, 7255GRN, 7255GRN2, 7255JJB3, 7255ORC2, 7255WLO2, 7255WLO3	7F07EMA3
6F00QIN3, 6F00RRY3	7256CLO2, 7256SPM2, 7256SPM3	7F08DSW3, 7F08LAN3
6F03GLN3	7260BAN, 7260BAN2, 7260BAN3, 7260MRA2, 7260MRA3, 7260PKR, 7260PKR2	7G00DLS3, 7G00DLS4
6G10CSE3	7270BIA, 7270BIA2	7G01CRL3
7235GGA, 7235GGA2	7E01JON2, 7E01JON3	7G04KRA3
7236CDR2	7F00LPE3, 7F00RSH3	7G05GPR3, 7G06WSR3
7237HOL2, 7237HOL3	7F01FOR3	7G07ABB3, 7G07BAT3

The strollers were sold under the brands Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers and Travel Systems. The units were sold at AFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Walmart and other retailers from October 2004 and December 2009. The products were made in China.

The CPSC said consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Graco to receive a free protective cover repair kit. Consumers can contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 or visit the firm’s Web site at www.gracobaby.com.

Consumers can also view a Public Service Announcement (transcript) about this recall. This is in "streaming video" format.

If you or a family member is injured by a product, you need to get immediate medical care. If there is a significant affect or injury, you should contact an attorney concerning the problem. Early investigation can include the collection of product, checking recall alerts, and the proper notifying of those who caused the problem.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Teens Highway Death Leads To Multiple Criminal Charges

Mike Bryant — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:33:00 GMT

The end of January, a 20-year-old woman passenger was killed when the Pontiac G6 she was in , over corrected after hitting ice, rolled over and hit a power pole. The crash happened on Highway 95 near 114th Street north of Stillwater, Minnesota. The incident was investigated by local and state law enforcement.

This past week, the driver was charged with criminal vehicular homicide. She is reported to have admitted to drinking vodka mixed with full Throttle energy drink the night before. A preliminary breath test at the scene of the crash revealed she had a blood alcohol concentration of .108.

The woman's boyfriend was also charged. It is alleged that he provided the alcohol. The 21-year-old was charged with providing liquor for someone under age 21 resulting in death. The Minneapolis Tribune reported:

On Thursday, Haupert gave him $20 to buy alcohol. Video surveillance reviewed by the State Patrol appears to show Hedlund buying a bottle of vodka and meeting Haupert and Hughes in the Cub Foods parking lot in Stillwater shortly before 9 p.m.

Hopefully, many people will learn from what happened here. There can be a number of lessons:

- don't provide alcohol to minors

- you may still feel the affects of drinking the next morning

- Even teenagers can have their lives changed quickly.

Sympathy goes out for all the family and Friends of those involved. This incident had to cause a lot of pain for all of them.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Another Week Of Snow And Ice Brings Rollovers And Head-Ons To Minnesota Highways

Mike Bryant — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:58:39 GMT

There has been some tragic weeks in the past year on Minnesota roads. It snowed and it rained this past week, so the roads were slick and dangerous. Frozen roads made for tragic events.

Two were injured on U.S. Highway 2 near Solway in a 1992 Pontiac Bonneville. The car was turning across the westbound lanes onto Caribou Footed Drive Northwest when it collided with a 2000 Ford Taurus, also eastbound.
An 81-year-old motorist hit a truck on an icy road southwest of Fairmont and was killed.
A 47- year-old Lakefield woman was killed on Interstate 90 just west of the Lakefield . The woman was driving a SUV that was in front of two semis. One of the semis attempted to pass and kicked up a cloud of snow. The second semi then hit her. The SUV rolled and she was thrown from her vehicle and died at the scene.
A 93-year-old northern Minnesota woman was killed when a rear tire blew out on an SUV on northbound Interstate 29 causing a rollover and throwing her from the vehicle.
Two central Minnesota drivers were killed in Isanti County on County Road 5 near the junction with Jodrell Drive NE east of Isant when their vehicles hit head-on.
Three were injured on Interstate 94 when the van they were in lost control and rolled.
A 30-year-old driver of a Dodge Stratus lost control while driving near intersection of Hwy. 5 and Arboretum Drive. The van into oncoming traffic and hit an eastbound Nissan. He was dead at the scene.
A woman was killed when her westbound Honda Accord and rolled into the eastbound lane on I-90 near Winona and was hit by a tanker truck.

These deaths, like any other on Minnesota roads are particularly unfortunate considering it comes after the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) reported lower numbers again with 403 highway deaths in 2009. There were 458 deaths in 2008, which was a drop from 510 in 2007. Sorrow for the family and friends of all of these people that were killed goes out.

It will be important to look back and try to figure out why there were certain clusters of highway weekend deaths in 2009.

Five More Die This Weekend From Collisions On Minnesota Roads, Mike Bryant | November 09, 2009 9:54 AM

Another Deadly Weekend On Minnesota Roads, Mike Bryant, October 10, 2009 8:28 PM

Worries On The Rise That This Is Becoming Another Deadly Weekend On Minnesota Roads, Mike Bryant | June 28, 2009 9:42 AM

Another Weekend Of Increased Minnesota Highway Deaths Continues To Cause Concerns, Mike Bryant | June 06, 2009 11:14 PM

Deadly Weekend On Minnesota Roads,Mike Bryant , May 25, 2009 12:12 AM

These are way to many deadly weeks. As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are many issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a recent article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed last year on the same topic.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Potential Drunk Driver, A Ditch, A Passenger: What Coverage Is There

Mike Bryant — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:43:00 GMT

The Minneapolis Tribune had an interesting story about a truck that got caught in a ditch. Apparently, the passenger got out and was run over as he pushed the truck out. The driver was charged with drunk driving.

As it happened in Minnesota there would be at least two sources of coverage to look to:

-As with any accident involving a motor vehicle, you will always have No Fault coverage to pay the basic needed medical , wage loss and replacement service benefits. Even though the vehicle was in the ditch the injuries were caused by the use of a motor vehicle. However, the pain and suffering part of the claim will be covered through the liability part of the policy.

- If a family member is negligent (at fault) and due to that negligence a relative is injured, there is a claim after a motor vehicle accident. It's no different than if you never knew the person who caused the accident.

- It will be interesting if the insurance company tries to use the drinking as a way to escape liability. It will be important to differentiate when the injury happened and why. But, clearly, a drunk driver shouldn't have less fault.

Just one of those odd questions that sometimes need to be answered. If you are in an accident that involves a vehicle you should take the time to talk to a lawyer that does this type of work.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Wear Red For Women

Mike Bryant — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:05:00 GMT

Today people are being asked to wear red to to show their support for women's heart disease awareness on National Wear Red Day. This observance promotes the Red Dress symbol and provides an opportunity for everyone to unite in this life-saving awareness movement by showing off a favorite red dress, shirt, or tie, or Red Dress Pin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiKPE0i7a3g

Here's what you can do.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Driving When There Is A White Out

Mike Bryant — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:49:00 GMT

This early winter has lead to all sorts of difficult road conditions. The best advice is to watch the weather and stay where you are at when things are bad. But, since people do drive and the State Troopers are often called to find people, the South Dakota highway patrol put out a list of suggestions concerning what to do when you are caught in a white out:

Do not stop in the lane of travel. That's where a lot of problems do happen is where vehicles do stop in the lane of travel and then they do get hit when they are stopped in the lane
Keep going but stay at a comfortable pace that you feel safe driving at
If you are having problems seeing make sure you are following the fog-line on the side of the road that'll keep you from going into the other lanes and going into the ditch.
Get off the highway as soon as possible.
Continue to scan the road with their eyes while they are driving through heavy pockets of snow. He says if you stare right into it the snow can mesmerize you and cause you to lose focus on the road.

Hopefully, all of the suggestions will lead to lives being saved and people making it home safe this winter.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant