Los Angeles Bicycle Safety: Use Your Head, Wear a Helmet

Image Source: http://cdn.velonews.competitor.com/files/2013/07/312.jpg

Bikes can be equally (or even more) dangerous than riding a vehicle. Bikes are often involved in crashes that cause injuries to riders. In worst cases, these accidents can even claim the lives of these poor bikers.

Using your head to protect it
While there is not much that you can do to stop these accidents, what you can do as a rider is to lessen the negative effects of such mishaps. Wearing biking safety gear can help lessen the chances of you getting severe injuries that can cause disabilities to people. According to a Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney, of all the personal injury claims he handled, injuries were lessened because of these gear. Especially with injuries on one’s head, wearing a helmet significantly lowers the risk of brain injuries that can get one permanently disabled, or killed.

What's in it with helmets?
So helmets help protect one’s head. But is it all that one needs to know about these biking safety gears? Here are some of the things that you should keep in mind when it comes to helmets.

What if he doesn't wear his helmet?... watch carefully...

There are three types of helmets; road, multi-sport, BMX helmets.

• A road helmet is the best kind of protection that meets the needs of most bicyclists. Made of foam, it has soft pads that improve fit and comfort. This is held on the head of the rider with the use of adjustable straps.
• Multi-sport helmets on the other hand are designed for people who use bikes, skateboards, or rollerblades. These have fewer air vents with a thicker plastic shell.
• BMC helmets provide more protection to the rider’s head. These look at lot like motorcycle helmets with a chin bar that protects the rider’s head in the event of big crashes.

What are the features that helmets offer?

• Vents. Helmets have vents to keep you cool your head down while riding.
• Straps. These help keep your helmets snugly fit on your head, keeping your head protected in the event of a crash.
• Pads. These removable pads in the helmets helps improve fit to the rider’s head. Moreover it also provides comfort and additional protection as it helps absorbs some of the impact in the event of a crash. The same pads can be interchanged for sanitary purposes.

Getting the “perfect” fit

• Like seat belts, helmets work best when worn correctly. That is why the helmet you should buy must not slide or bounce around on your head. On the front end, it should be at least two finger-widths from your eyebrows.

Helmet replacement 

• As soon as you see damage on it, you should immediately replace it. You must also replace that in the event of a crash where you hit your head. Finally, only get helmets certified by CPSC, ASTM, or Snell.

Biking can really be dangerous. That is why you should use your head properly and do anything you can to protect it. If you ever get injuries that got you injured on any part of your body, hiring the services of a Los Angeles attorney can help you make those negligent people accountable for their actions, of their lack of it.

Things to Keep in Mind to Avoid Spinal Cord Injuries

 

Image Source: http://monash.edu/news/i/media/2012/08/7d9733df1a0254f535704de708bae0fd_n.jpg

The spinal cord is such an important part of one’s body. It serves as the medium for the human brain to transmit and receive signals from various parts of our body. It is largely responsible for our body’s motor and sensory functions. This is a very sensitive part of the human body and it requires special attention.

The spinal cord is encased inside the vertebrae or the backbone. While the backbone is tough and durable, a bad blow to your back can cause great damage to the spine. This damage could lead to serious problems like the loss of one’s motor or sensory abilities.

Because of this, it is important that you should protect it from any kinds of injury or damage. A spinal cord injury advocate, the United Spinal Association provided a list of tips that one must remember to prevent injury to the spine. Here are some of them`:

• Be mindful of your step. Even the best fall down at times. But why let yourself experience that and cause irreversible injury to your spine? Be mindful of where you are stepping so that you can avoid slipping, tripping, and falling. You wouldn’t want to sustain these kinds of life-threatening injuries, so you better be really careful.
• Buckle up when traveling. When driving or riding a vehicle, make sure you buckle up to keep yourself planted on your seat at all times. When accidents happen, this safety gadget protects you from possible injuries to the spine, preventing nasty injuries.
• When riding a bicycle or motorcycle, wear your protective helmet. When you ride a motorcycle or bicycle, you must do so safely. It is a must, too, that you use your helmet to protect your head from possible injuries.

If you or your loved one has suffered from a serious spinal cord injury because of one’s negligence or fault, you must remember that there are laws there to help protect your rights. You can file a personal injury complaint for the spinal cord injury and have the people responsible held liable.

Just seek the help of a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer and they will guide you through the entire process hearing you case. They will help you gather all documents necessary in proving the fault of the person or party responsible for your injury. Fight for your rights and protect your spine at all times.

Wrongful Death Defined

Image Source: http://www.planecrashlawyercalifornia.com/images/wrongful_death_claim.jpg

Death is something that every living being in this world will face. It is a reality of life that cannot be avoided, only delayed. However, it doesn’t mean that one can’t live a full life. That is why people always ask questions about why someone dies ahead of them. This is also one of the reasons why losing important people for you really do hurt. People can die because of diseases or freak accidents. Though painful, those are causes of death that are much easier to deal with and accept. However, when the death of your loved one is something that is caused by the actions or negligence of some people that is when it gets harder to deal with. You can’t and must not just let their death go in vain.

Giving justice to your loved one’s untimely passing

Losing your loved one because of an unfortunate incident brought about by one’s actions or negligence is truly painful. That is why the federal and state laws came up with a way on how you can make the people responsible for the passing of a loved one liable for their actions. A wrongful death charge is something that you can file against someone who has indirectly caused the death of a loved one. This civil action can be filed by the close relatives of the victim. There are certain statues that depend on which state you are residing as to when and how you can file such claims.

Filing a wrongful death claim

While a lot of people know that you can file a wrongful death claim to avenge the death of your loved one, not a lot of people know how it is filed. And so, here is a quick guide on how you can file a wrongful death claim.

• Meet the basic requirements in filing a claim. First up, a proof of death is needed. Then you need to collect pieces of evidence or present witnesses that can prove that the death of your loved one is caused by a particular person or a group of people. Finally, you need proof that you, or a group of people are suffering from trauma, whether emotional or financial as a result of the death of that loved one.
• Hire a Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer to help you. You need the assistance of a legal expert before you do file a claim. They will guide you in doing the best things that could make your claims strong. These lawyers will be legally representing and guiding you in this highly technical battle.
• File your claims in compliance to the statutes in your state. Depending on what state you are on, there are statutes that limit the filing of wrongful death claims. That is why you should consult a Los Angeles attorney to help you file your claims according to the laws governing such claims.

After filing such claims, expect a hard-fought legal battle if this does not end up in a settlement. So make sure that you also are ready for all of the consequences and the challenges that come with filing a wrongful death claim. What matters here is that you have legal avenues to seek justice for the untimely loss of a loved one.

Is Your Car Included in Vehicle Safety Recalls

 

Image Source: http://www1.whdh.com/images/news_articles/320x180/Car_recall_generic.JPG

Every customer in the United States has the right to demand nothing but the best from the products that they buy. With every dollar and penny that an American spends on a particular item that they buy is their trust for that particular product. That is why there are consumer protection laws in the country to help ensure that these companies are held accountable for the quality, or the lack of it, of their products.

The same goes for big ticket items such as houses and vehicles. Not too long ago, Japanese carmaker Toyota got into trouble for the failure of some other components. The carmaker’s manufacturing defects have caused serious injuries and even death to its customers. That prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to put in place stringent quality control testing to ensure that the products that reach the market are free from the said problems.

Vehicle recalls
However, there are times when some defects are not discovered during the extensive qualitative testing of the vehicle manufacturer. If left unchecked or undetected, these pending problems on the vehicle can cause problems while travelling causing accidents. These accidents if left undetected could lead you and family hurt, or worse died. That is why you have to keep yourself updated about the latest recalls to have the things that need fixing on your vehicle fixed.

Left behind
Usually, vehicle recalls are done in batches. Certain series of a particular make and model are included in the recall and the others, not. Because of this nature of vehicle recalls, some manufacturers fail to serve and fix all of the vehicles that need to be recalled. There are also times when one person fails to have their vehicles serviced because they are not aware that their vehicle needs servicing.

NHTSA’s free Vehicle Identification Number searches
To help customers have their vehicles checked if it is included in the recall or no, the NHTSA offers vehicle owners a free VIN searches to help determine a certain vehicles inclusion or not in the vehicle recall. This online tool can be accessed by visiting the NHTSA website at www.SaferCar.gov. Just key in your vehicle’s VIN and you will be notified if your vehicle is part of any recall activity. This project by the NHTSA aims to keep all American motorists safe from danger.

A Los Angeles personal injury attorney reminds every American motorist that their safety and their occupants should be on top of these carmakers’ priorities. That is why you should demand your vehicles be serviced if it is included in the NHTSA’s list of vehicles that need to be recalled. If they fail to do so and these defects caused injuries to you or your loved ones, you can file the necessary complaints through the help of a Los Angeles lawyer.

Wanted: Car Accident Lawyer

 

Some people who have been involved in an accident think that filing a complaint by themselves help save them money. Because think about it, you will be paying a huge sum to your lawyer as attorney's fees if they ever win the case for you. However, there are some cases when you really need the assistance of a lawyer to help you win the case you are filing. Here are some of the instances when you should really be asking for the help of a good Los Angeles car accident lawyer to bail you out of possible imprisonment.

• When you are the one at fault. No matter how you try to explain and defend yourself hard, nobody can do it better for you than a trained and experienced lawyer. While you may not be able to get away from liability and may still be asked to pay for damages, at least, you won't be taken advantage of and pay for excessive damages.
• When the case is quite complicated and the negligence is disputed.  In cases where you are partly to blame for the accident, you would need to defend yourself from the situation. In such situations, a lawyer can better represent you and also prove the other's party's negligence. Which can effectively lessen the damages you need to pay.
• When disputes are made about the damages that needs to be paid. In accidents, it is normal for victims to jack up the prices of the repairs needed to the hospitalization fees made to treat their injuries. On the other hand, the one liable can also play low ball and haggle the amount of damages that he or she needs to pay in very low levels that it gets really unfair for the victims. A lawyer can help you with this as they will be able to defend you, if you happen to be the one responsible; or go after those who caused damages and injuries to you, if you are the victim.
• In cases where the injuries are grave. When one victim suffers severe injuries due to the accident, it is the best to ask for the help of a lawyer. A good attorney will be able to bolster your chance in winning your claims. This will make sure that you get what you truly deserve and that the ones liable for your injuries are held accountable for their fault.

While in many situations, hiring a lawyer may not be the best idea as some claims are easy to file. One more thing is that attorney's fees can eat up a huge chunk of the damages that you are ought to get. But when it comes to the situations that were mentioned earlier, you wouldn't want to jeopardize your claim's possible success by not asking for the help of someone who's very knowledgeable when it comes to personal injury laws. In these times, hiring a personal injury attorney will help ensure that you get the justice that you deserve.