Toledo Personal Injury Lawyer - Motorcycle Accidents

Supersport motorcycle riders at higher risk for death | Ohio motorcycle accident lawyers

Chuck Boyk — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:42:00 GMT

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.

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

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

ATV accident case settles for $6.1 million

Chuck Boyk — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:21:54 GMT

A case involving an ATV accident that caused blindness to a little boy was recently settled in Pennsylvania for $6.01 million.

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.

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.

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.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

Helmet use imperative to prevent motorcycle accident brain injuries

Chuck Boyk — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:17:00 GMT

“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.

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.

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

ATV accidents, Yamaha Rhino accidents under scrutiny by U.S. government – Part IV

Chuck Boyk — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:53:00 GMT

Our Toledo, Ohio ATV accident attorneys depend on research performed by our office, along with research performed by government agencies, to provide accurate information to the general public. Statistics on ATV accidents as well as the ATV accidents our office handles are devastating, especially when the ATV accident has jeopardized a child’s health and safety.

That is why we are including the following report by Robin Ingles, which was published in December 2007 in the Washington Post. The report focuses on ATV accidents and the number of wrongful deaths and injuries resulting from them.

Read the following excerpt from Ms. Ingles’ Washington Post article, “Which Toys Are Okay? Don't Ask the Safety Police.”

One of my first projects as a statistician in the Directorate for Epidemiology at CPSC was to generate statistics on injuries and deaths associated with all-terrain vehicles. I read hundreds of police reports and autopsies of children and adults who had died when their ATVs rolled onto them or when they crashed into trees because the vehicles were too big and powerful to control.

Each spring for five years, I sat at my desk behind stacks of fatality reports that rose higher than my head. One year I hung a wall map by my desk and put dots at the location of each death: red for children, yellow for adults. By my third year on the project, West Virginia was obliterated by the tiny dots. Eventually I realized that there were too many deaths to track on a map, and it was too depressing.

In the 1990s, the industry had been bound by strict regulatory agreements with CPSC, but they had expired in 1998. Since then, the deaths and injuries have skyrocketed: In 1999, an estimated 536 people died on ATVs. By 2004 that number had climbed to 767. If current trends continue, the number of ATV deaths will soon exceed 900. In 2005, U.S. emergency rooms treated an estimated 136,700 ATV-related injuries. Last year they treated even more. A quarter to a third of the dead and injured were children.

Industry representatives suggest that the increase in injuries and deaths is the result of higher sales, but CPSC's own statistical research -- what little of it the agency has released -- shows that other factors are at work.

Click here for the full article.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an ATV accident, order your FREE copy of The Ohio Accident Book to learn your rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

ATV accidents, Yamaha Rhino accidents under scrutiny by U.S. government – Part I

Chuck Boyk — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:38:47 GMT

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the U.S. government is investigating all-terrain-like vehicles, or ATVs, after numerous reports of ATV accidents have surfaced.

Our Toledo, Ohio ATV accident lawyers have seen firsthand the types of injuries that ATV accidents can cause, as well as how those personal injuries can affect a family.

In this first segment on ATV accidents, our Toledo, Ohio ATV accident attorneys will address how these accidents happen. Yamaha Rhino accidents, which seem to occur most often, can happen even when a driver is not driving recklessly.

Yamaha Rhinos are tall and have a narrow wheelbase, making it more likely that they will tip over during a turn. Even people who were wearing a helmet and using the factory-installed seatbelt suffered injuries from Yamaha Rhino ATV accidents. The types of injuries that a person can suffer will be discussed in our next blog, “ATV accidents, Yamaha Rhino accidents under scrutiny by U.S. government – Part II.”

Turning quickly, or riding up or down a hill at an angle can cause an ATV to rollover. Until 2008, Yamaha Rhinos were not equipped with doors. If a driver felt the ATV starting to tip, many times they would stick their leg out to prevent a rollover, since there was nothing to keep their legs inside the vehicle. Even seatbelted drivers would have their legs pinned under the 1,100-pound ATV.

If you or someone you know has suffered injuries from an ATV accident, you need information. Order your FREE copy of The Ohio Accident Book to learn your rights. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can provide you with a free consultation and case evaluation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chuck Boyk

Florida man suffers personal injury after motorcycle accident in Sandusky County

Chuck Boyk — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:25:42 GMT

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.

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.

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

Prevent personal injury from motorcycle accidents, always wear a helmet

Anneke Kurt — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:52:34 GMT

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.

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.

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

Personal injury from motorcycle accidents preventable

Anneke Kurt — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:12:53 GMT

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.

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.

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

Powerful, light bikes cause more motorcycle accidents

Anneke Kurt — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 10:22:41 GMT

Increased horsepower, older drivers and lighter bikes are causing more deaths than ever in Toledo, Ohio and around the country.

The number of motorcycle deaths has more than doubled in the past ten years, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as more than 4,500 people die each year in motorcycle accidents, with over 87,000 motorcycle-related injuries. Toledo, Ohio lost nine of its citizens in 2005, while 94 were injured, according to the Toledo Blade.

Lightweight motorcycle bodies combined with increased horsepower make up the new models, often called "supersports." These bikes, some of which have the same horsepower as a Honda Accord but are a fraction of the weight, entice the driver to test the acceleration of the motorcycle. Riding at high speeds, often above the speed limit, puts the bikers at a greater risk of having a crash and causing personal injury to themselves or others. Since an average of 51% of motorcycle riders do not wear helmets, according to the Insurance Institute, many of these fatalities are believed to have been preventable if a helmet was used.

Many middle-aged American men are going back to riding motorcycles as they approach retirement. But the cycles they rode 20 or 30 years ago are nothing compared to the high-powered machines on the road today. Often these "born-again" riders underestimate the motorcycles and overestimate their own abilities, causing motorcycle accidents.

Even though thirty states, including Ohio, do not mandate helmet use, the importance of the protective gear should not be ignored. Wear your helmet at all times when on a motorcycle, whether as a driver or a passenger. Obey the speed limit and make yourself visible to other vehicles on the roads by staying out of blind spots, using directional indicators and by not swerving in and out of traffic. Keep the roads safe for yourself and other drivers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anneke Kurt

Motorcycle fatalities increase in Toledo and across the country

Dale Emch — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:00:17 GMT

Our office has known based on calls we've received that motorcycle accidents and deaths have been on the increase. A story in the Toledo Blade revealed the stats of what we've only surmised from anecdotal evidence.

In an interesting and well-written article, the Toledo Blade reported that last year the number of motorcycle fatalities across the country rose 5.1 percent last year over 2005.

Most of the accidents are caused by car drivers who simply don't see bikers, either turning in front of them or pulling into their lanes. Some of that is hard to combat, but being defensive as possible is a good start for anyone who gets on a motorcycle.

The Blade also found that the jump could be attributed to more bikers on the road and an increase in the average age fo motorcyclists.

As Toledo, Ohio, motorcycle accident lawyers, Chuck Boyk, Mike Bruno, and Dale Emch understand the dangers bikers face on the road every day. We've seen an increase in motorcycle accidents in Toledo, Bowling Green, Swanton, Findlay, and throughout northwest Ohio.

We've encourage bikers in previous blog posts to consider taking safety classes that focus on defensive driving techniques. Owens Community College began offering a safety class this summer. If you can't change the habits of car drivers, at least you can try to protect yourself.

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

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dale Emch