Motorcycle Accidents

Published on: August 29, 2023

Study: Traumatic Brain Injury Similar to Chronic Conditions

Persons who have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to an auto accident or any other type of accident may suffer from long term consequences that are very similar to the symptoms suffered by persons living with a chronic condition.

Those conclusions came from a new study recently published in the Neurology journal. The researchers analyzed data on more than 900 patients who had suffered mild traumatic brain injury like concussions as well as 200 patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, and compared these patients to a group of 150 patients with no history of a traumatic brain injury. Brain injuries are frequently suffered by persons involved in car accidents, slip and fall accidents and even due to medical malpractice. As part of the research, the persons were asked about physical symptoms like headache and fatigue. They were also asked about their thinking abilities, especially the ability to perform daily and routine tasks, as well as their overall mental health and memory.

They found in their analysis that 21% of the persons with a mild brain injury suffered declines overall, compared to 26% of the persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Among the persons with no brain injury, the decline was just 15%.

Published on: August 1, 2023

Brain Injury Caused by Car Accidents Could Result in Unique Form of Depression

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Researchers have known for a while that a brain injury can result in depression, but the kind of depression that a traumatic brain injury causes is different from other forms of depression. Traumatic brain injuries often arise out of car accidents, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, or any other event that causes a significant impact to the head.

A new study finds that the kind of depression that results after a brain injury may be different from regular depression with some unique symptoms. In fact, the researchers believe that brain injury -related depression could possibly be its own distinct condition. These are important findings because they shed new light on the kind of consequences that a brain injury patient can suffer.

For years now, researchers have known that depression can set in after a person has suffered a brain injury, but there have been questions about whether the depression is a result of the injury itself or because of the trauma related to the car accident or incident that caused the personal injury. The general consensus, however, is that the depression is caused by the personal injury.

Published on: July 26, 2023

Spinal Cord Injury Could Damage Immune System

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Spinal cord injuries are serious personal injuries that can be caused after an auto accident. New research finds that these injuries, in addition to permanently impacting a person’s day to day functioning, can significantly damage a person’s immunity, exposing the patient to the risk of life-threatening infections.

A spinal cord injury can result from any kind of blow or serous impact to the spine. The impact does not have to include a fracture. A spinal cord injury can also be caused by crushing injuries or dislocation of the spine. For example, when a person is thrown about the inside of a car during an auto accident, she or he could suffer serious personal injuries to the spine. A motorcycle rider who is thrown off a motorcycle could land on the ground with force that is significant enough to fracture his spine. In fact, spine injuries are common in motorcycle accidents when a person is separated from the motorcycle.

The risk of paralysis is very serious after a spinal cord injury. These consequences of a spinal injury can also have a long term impact on a person’s health. A new study finds that a spinal injury may also trigger immunodeficiency syndrome. This condition can result in a loss of immunity, thereby exposing the person to the risk of infections. The study was conducted by researchers on 111 patients who had suffered spinal cord injury. They found that soon after a spinal cord injury, the number of antibodies in the body dropped. There was also a deactivation of the monocytes or white blood cells that are responsible for staving off infections.

Published on: June 15, 2023

Road Restrictions on E -Scooters Place Riders at Risk of Pedestrian Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Many cities including the metro Atlanta region have seen a boom in the number of e – scooter riders, but limits on the operations of these vehicles mean that many of these riders choose to ride on sidewalks, increasing their risks of being involved in pedestrian accidents.

Around the country, there has been an increase in the number of e – scooter riders, and cities have welcomed the expansion of this community because that reduces the stress on motor vehicle traffic, especially in congested cities like Atlanta. However, many cities have restricted the roads that these vehicles can be operated on. This means riders often choose to ride on sidewalks, placing them in direct conflict with pedestrians, and increasing their chances of being involved in pedestrian accidents. In fact, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there has been an increase in the number of e – scooter personal injuries and accidents involving pedestrians.

In most cities, the laws allow persons to ride e- scooters on roads where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. That restricts the operation of ride vehicles to bike lanes and bike paths. In areas where it is not possible to ride on bike lanes, e – scooter riders prefer to ride on sidewalks. This may be safe for the scooter rider, but involves increased risks for pedestrians, especially when the e-scooter is being operated at high speeds. Most riders do tend to lower their speeds when they are riding on sidewalks as compared to riding in a bicycle lane. Even so, the potential risk of personal injuries to pedestrians is very real. Some cities have placed greater speed restrictions on privately operated scooters that are being operated on sidewalks in order to reduce the risk of personal injuries to pedestrians in accidents with the scooters. Other cities are even considering a complete ban on e – scooters on sidewalks.

Published on: February 13, 2023

Study: Head Injury can Hasten Death

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There are a number of complications that are associated with suffering a head injury, and one of these, according to a new study, is an increased chance of dying, with the risk having doubled over a period of 3 decades.

We know of some of the more common consequences of head injury including memory loss, attention and concentration difficulties, and cognitive deficits. Head injuries have also been linked to other long-term disabilities including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, early onset dementia and stroke. All of these are long term consequences can seriously impact the quality of a person’s life.

However, there is one serious consequence of a head injury that does not attract as much attention – the effect of the brain injury on the person’s life expectancy. A new study probed the effects of a head injury on a person’s life expectancy, and found that a head injury could increase the risk of death over a period of 30 years. In some cases, the risk of death increased by two or even three times the risk without a head injury.

Published on: January 30, 2023

Car Accident Wrongful Deaths Drop Slightly in First 9 Months of 2022

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Statistics seem to show a slight drop in the number of people killed in car accidents across the country during the first 9 months of 2022, compared to the same period of time the previous year. However, the number of people killed in pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents increased over the same period of time.

New statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show a very slight drop in auto accident fatalities in the first 9 months of last year, compared to the same period of time in 2019. A total of 31,785 people were killed in car accidents between January and September 2022, compared to the previous year. That was a 0.2% drop. The bad news, however, is that bicycle accident and pedestrian accident wrongful deaths continued to rise over the first 9 months of 2022 as they have for several years now.

Car accident deaths across the country and in Georgia have been at elevated levels since 2020 when the pandemic struck and lock downs were imposed. In spite of a drop in traffic volumes with few people driving on the streets, the number of auto accidents began to spike, confounding experts. Since then, we have learned that auto accident numbers began to rise in 2020 because of reckless driving behaviors, including speeding. With lower traffic volumes on the road, motorists became much more comfortable driving at high speeds, and those behaviors have continued since then. Additionally, the lack of enforcement campaigns during this time also meant more numbers of people driving without wearing their seatbelts or driving under the influence of alcohol, contributing to those high statistics.

Published on: January 9, 2023

Brain Injury Association Launches Concussion Awareness Coalition

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Concussions are some of the most common head injuries that occur in car accidents and motorcycle accidents, but are often ignored with sometimes serious consequences. It is this mindset that the nation’s premier brain injury advocacy group will seek to change with a new initiative.

The Brain Injury Association of America in collaboration with Abbott recently launched a coalition of more than 20 brain injury advocacy groups. The coalition called Concussion Awareness Now will conduct education campaigns across the country in order to raise awareness about the possibly serious consequences of concussions.

According to experts, concussions are often brushed aside as minor injuries. These injuries sometimes can result in no loss of consciousness and no bleeding. There may be no swelling or inflammation at the site of the injury. The lack of any visible symptoms can sometimes spur people into a sense of complacency, and many victims who have suffered a concussion may not even seek medical treatment.

Published on: June 8, 2022

Data Shows Universal Motorcycle Helmet Laws very Effective in Preventing Accident Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A motorcycle accident is more likely to result in fatal injuries than any other type of motor vehicle accident. This is mainly because a motorcycle rider does not have the protection being in an enclosed vehicle, but also because many motorcycle accidents can result in serious head injuries. This is why a wearing a motorcycle helmet while riding a motorcycle is critical in preventing injury.

Georgia is one among several states that have universal motorcycle helmet laws requiring all riders and passengers on motorcycles to wear helmets while riding. Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that universal helmet laws go a long way in increasing helmet usage among passengers and riders, thereby preventing the kind of serious crash-related injuries that can result in death. If you are riding a motorcycle in Atlanta, you must wear a helmet regardless of your age, riding experience or whether you are a rider or a passenger on a motorcycle.

Universal motorcycle helmet laws make sense, and it can be hard to understand why only a few states have these laws in place. It wasn’t always like this. Several decades ago, the administration had tied universal motorcycle helmet laws to state accessibility to construction funds. As a result, all states excluding 3, had universal helmet laws. However, when these incentives were removed, many states went ahead with the decision to repeal universal helmet laws within their borders. This has proved to be a disaster for some of these states that have recorded high percentages of traffic accident fatalities involving motorcycle crashes since the laws were repealed.

Published on: May 17, 2022

White House Calls for Emphasis on Motorcycle Safety

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Safety organizations in Georgia and around the country are marking the month of May as National Motorcycle Safety Month, and President Joe Biden himself recently issued a statement recognizing the importance of prioritizing the safety of motorcyclists.

This May, transportation safety agencies in Georgia have planned a number of programs to bring awareness to motorcycle safety issues. The Georgia Department of Driver Services Commissioner says that it is important for all Atlanta drivers and motorcyclists to understand that motorcyclists and riders can be kept safe through a combination of avoiding distracting behaviors, staying within speed limits and respecting the rights of all on the road.

Georgia has an admirable record as far as motorcycle safety is concerned in that the state is one of just 19 other states and the District of Columbia that have passed universal motorcycle helmet laws. These laws require all persons riding a motorcycle to be wearing a helmet at the time.

Published on: November 17, 2021

Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program Receives Much-Needed Boost

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program does important work in educating riders of every level and motorists about safety. Recently, the program received a significant boost through a substantial funding grant.

The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program is an initiative by the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and is focused on providing motorcycle safety awareness and training programs to riders across the state. The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program recommends motorcycle training for motorcyclists before they begin riding. You can find approved providers for the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program near you.

Training is a vital component of motorcycle safety, and if you are a new motorcycle rider, it is recommended that you take a training course before you start riding. Apart from training, the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program also focuses its efforts on conducting rider education and awareness programs for both motorcyclists and motorists across the state of Georgia.