August 6, 2018 /
What Does “Loss of Consortium” Mean?
In a personal injury case, most of the damage claims are based on the injuries and suffering of the accident victim; but some damages are based on the suffering of loved ones. One of these types of damages is called loss of consortium. You may have heard the phrase and wondered about it. Generally, loss of consortium is intended to compensate the victim’s loved ones for the repercussions that the victim’s injuries or death have caused. Spe...
July 30, 2018 /
A “Wake-Up Call”?
Among young adults, the death rate from 1999 to 2013 dropped 33 percent. However, the death rate abruptly reversed direction between 2013 and 2016, rising 12 percent. According to a recent report released June 1, 2018, by the National Center for Health Statistics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). the increase in deaths is due to motor vehicle accidents, drug overdoses, suicides, and homicides, and not to illnesses li...
July 23, 2018 /
Make Your Time off Safer
It’s high summer, and there’s no denying that many of our minds are on vacation time and having fun. Whether you’ll be driving, taking a plane, or staying home, we have some ideas for you so that your entire family can enjoy vacation time safely. Hitting the Highway AAA estimates that nearly 47 million of us will be on the road over the Fourth of July holiday alone. If you’ll be joining the many millions traveling by passenger vehicle t...
July 16, 2018 /
Don’t Leave the Kids in the Car!
Summer’s heat is in full swing, and with it comes an increased number of reports about children dying because they were left in a hot car. On average, each year 37 kids lose their lives to this senseless, avoidable tragedy. In June 2018 alone, we’ve already had two regional deaths due to hot cars: a 3-year-old in Anderson, Indiana, and a 2-year-old in Crittenden, Kentucky. To date in Indiana (late June, 2018), nine kids have suffered motor ve...
July 9, 2018 /
Death from a “Mech Mod” Vape Pen
It’s been noted previously that e-cigarettes can explode, usually because of the lithium-ion (LI) battery in use. A number of e-cigarette accidents have taken place with horrific results. But in May, 2018, a vape pen malfunction meant death in St. Petersburg, Florida, where a man was found burned on 80 percent of his body. It is believed to be the first death directly attributed to a vape pen or e-cigarette. But it wasn’t the burns that ki...
June 25, 2018 /
Strengthening Drug Tests for Truck Drivers
In May, 2018, the Trucking Alliance (also known as the Alliance for Driver Safety & Security) publicly stated that they intend to advocate for a drug testing law that would apply to anyone seeking a “safety-sensitive” position in the trucking industry. One of the main purposes of the law is to address the increasing number of opioid addicts, keeping them out of a tractor-trailer driver’s seat. The proposed law would confirm that a poten...
June 18, 2018 /
What Are the Real Reasons for Motor Vehicle Crashes?
Sometimes, establishing the reasons for a car crash is complicated. One factor that can make determinations even more imprecise is that state crash report forms used at the scene often lack the appropriate fields or places to enter codes that would explain the precise reason for the collision. Because each state uses its own form, no consistency exists. Compiling accurate national statistics becomes difficult, producing results that are just plai...
June 11, 2018 /
Most Common Killers
Although you might not want to think about it, we all die sooner or later. Approximately 2.6 million of us passed away in the U.S. during 2014, according to the CDC. But do you know what the odds are for the most likely causes of death? We have some 2016 statistics, courtesy of the National Safety Council (NSC), that detail the most likely ways we are to die in the United States. Keep in mind that the odds listed below apply to our entire popu...
June 4, 2018 /
Is Catastrophic Failure Inevitable for Allegiant Air?
If you’re like most people, you look for low fares when you want to fly, and some of the lowest around are found by traveling on the deep-discount airlines Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant. But a recent report from CBS’s “60 Minutes,” and a prediction by a Kentucky-based pilot and aviation professional, may give you pause if you fly Allegiant Airlines. “A Sense of Urgency” Allegiant is known for making short, nonstop trips at rock-bo...
May 14, 2018 /
Pre-Existing Conditions and Motor Vehicle Accidents
If you have a pre-existing medical condition and have sustained injuries in a motor vehicle crash where the other party was negligent, you may be concerned that you cannot win your case. While it can be more difficult to win, having a pre-existing condition does not negate the fact that the other person caused the accident and that you are suffering in ways that you weren’t before the accident. The insurance company for the at-fault party in...
April 12, 2018 /
How Kids Get Hurt in Non-Traffic Accidents
Not all automotive dangers to your children happen on the roads. Some can occur in your own driveway. "Non-traffic accidents," as they are known, result in hundreds of fatalities and 95,000 injuries a year for children 14 and under. Generally, the risk of injury and death is greater with young children. They often cannot be seen by the driver when they are in front of or behind a vehicle, and they do not fully understand the consequences of th...
April 5, 2018 /
Preventing Catastrophic Injuries in Youth Sports
Play Hard, but Play Safely If you have kids, it's likely that you spend time sitting on bleachers, watching them play and cheering them on. Sports are undeniably good for kids—for their bodies, their minds, and their overall social development. Athletics are one way to battle our modern society’s increasing tendency to spend time lounging in front of a screen. However, growing children are especially vulnerable to injury, more so than adu...
March 26, 2018 /
What Is the State of Our Roads in Indianapolis?
Streets and roads in Indianapolis are scandalously deteriorated, and it’s our own fault. Years of negligence from cutting public works budgets and putting off needed repairs mean that the chickens have now come home to roost—and we will all pay the price for our neglect, not only in dollars, but also in lives. Nationwide, roughly one-third of our nation’s traffic deaths are linked to poor road conditions. In a Word: “Staggering” An in...
March 5, 2018 /
Third-Party Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Wrongful death lawsuits are brought when someone’s death is caused by the wrongful actions, or negligence, of another party. Often wrongful death suits are filed directly against the party that caused the harm, such as an employer whose neglect of workplace safety or non-compliance with safety regulations caused an employee to die. In these cases, a lawsuit can be filed on behalf of the family members who are suffering from the loss of company ...
February 28, 2018 /
Are Your Tires Safe?
Your life and your safety are literally riding on your tires every time you drive your vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 11,000 crashes related to tire problems take place each year. In 2015, 719 fatalities were due to tire-related crashes. Ensuring that your tires are fit for the road should be a high priority for every driver. Blowouts: Especially Perilous Of those who own cars, on...
