Halloween Safety Tips From The Stewart Law Firm

Halloween is here. Neighborhoods will literally be crawling with all kinds of creatures and goblins as they all work to fill candy bags. Children participating in Halloween festivities represent a real safety concern for drivers.

Studies show that the number of fatal injuries among young pedestrians is 4 times higher on Halloween than any other night of the year. Collisions between motor vehicles and child pedestrians happen most frequently between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Texas law requires that motorist use all due care in operating their motor vehicles when young people are present on or near a roadway. It is reasonable to expect that young children will simply not appreciate danger that might exist with motorists. Under the law, it is incumbent on motor vehicle operators to drive with care and use proper caution.

Halloween Safety Tips:

-Know where Halloween celebrations will be taking place in your neighborhood.

-Add reflective tape to costumes and provide flashlights so that your trick-or-treaters are clearly visible to motorists.

-Make sure that costumes allow your child an obstructed ability to see in all directions.

-Motorists should operate their motor vehicles well below the posted speed limit. Be prepared to make emergency stops if necessary.

-Motorists should stay completely focused. Avoid cell phone use and other distractions.

-Never assume that a young pedestrian will yield to your vehicle. Children may not see or appreciate the danger of a vehicle.

-If you are backing your vehicle, make sure that there are no children behind you. Numerous children are injured or killed by backing vehicles.

The Stewart Law Firm is committed to driving safety and crash avoidance. We see, all too often, the senseless deaths and catastrophic personal injuries to young children. The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with crash–related injuries and the prosecution of claims on behalf of crash victims. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of a catastrophic personal injury, particularly those injuries which are caused by the negligent acts of another or by a defective product. If you have a question regarding a motor vehicle crash, call The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation.

The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle crashes, train crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.

The Stewart Law Firm...Texas TBI Lawyers

Traumatic Brain Injuries can be extremely problematic for victims. Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, as it is often referred to by medical professionals, is defined as damage resulting to the brain from some external mechanical force. TBI can occur through impact, acceleration, deceleration, blast waves, or penetration by a projectile. Symptoms of TBI injuries can be mild, moderate, or severe. Disabilities resulting from a TBI depend on the severity of the injury, the location of the injury, and the age and general health of the victim. Common disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injury include problems with cognition (thinking, memory, reasoning); sensory processing (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell); communication (expression and understanding); and behavioral limitations (depression, anxiety, aggression, personality changes, and social inappropriateness).

Traumatic brain injury is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. There are approximately 1.5 million people in the U.S. who suffer from a traumatic brain injury each year. 50,000 people die from traumatic brain injury each year in our country. 85,000 people suffer long-term disability due to a traumatic brain injury. Some of the more common means by which people suffer traumatic brain injury includes: motor vehicle crashes, truck crashes, motorcycle crashes, falls, work-related injuries, and sports injuries.

The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with traumatic brain injuries and the prosecution of claims on behalf of TBI victims. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of a brain injury, particularly those injuries which were caused by the negligent acts of another or by a defective product. Victims who suffer from traumatic brain injuries sometimes are left with staggering medical bills in the past, extensive medical bills that will be incurred in the future, lost wages in the past, and loss of earning capacity in the future. If you have a question regarding a traumatic brain injury claim, contact The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation. The Stewart Law Firm is steadfast in the pursuit of justice on behalf of its victim clients. Put the power of The Stewart Law Firm to work for you today.

The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, traumatic brain injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle crashes, train crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.

NATIONAL TEEN DRIVER SAFETY WEEK

National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 18 through October 24, 2009. This week has been designated by Congress as a time for communities, schools, and families to raise awareness and provide solutions to teen driver crashes…the leading cause of death in teens in the United States. The Stewart Law Firm has previously written on its blog about the dangers of teen driver crashes. The statistics associated with fatal and catastrophic personal injuries with teens operating motor vehicles is staggering. According to the Institute for Highway Safety, teenagers are ten (10) times more likely to get involved in a motor vehicle crash than drivers between the ages of thirty (30) and fifty-nine (59).

One of the primary causes of teen deaths and catastrophic personal injuries to teens in motor vehicle crashes results when teens, both drivers and vehicle occupants, fail to utilize their seat belts. Texas Department of Transportation observational surveys have shown that Texas children and teens between the ages of 5 and 16 are not utilizing their back seat belts up to 71.1% of the time. As of September 1, 2009, all occupants of a motor vehicle, no matter their age, must be secured by a seat belt, including back seat passengers. Under the new law now on the books, unbuckled passengers…not the drivers…could face fines ranging from $25.00 up to $250.00. This new Texas law addresses the alarming statistics that young people are not properly buckled when they are in a car. Hopefully, this new law will save lives.

The Stewart Law Firm is committed to teen driving safety and crash avoidance. We see, all too often, the senseless deaths and catastrophic personal injuries that occur when young and inexperienced drivers are behind the wheel. Keep your young driver safe. Stay involved. Constantly monitor. If you would like a free Parent/Teen Driving Agreement, contact The Stewart Law Firm today. The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with crash–related injuries and the prosecution of claims on behalf of crash victims. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of a catastrophic personal injury, particularly those injuries which are caused by the negligent acts of another or by a defective product. If you have a question regarding a motor vehicle crash, call The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation.

The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle crashes, train crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.

TEXAS SPINAL CORD INJURY LAWYERS

The spinal cord consists of nerves that connect the brain to various nerves in the body. As such, the spinal cord essentially connects our brain to the rest of our body. The spinal cord is surrounded by vertebrae that make up our spine. This bone structure protects the softer spinal cord from injury and trauma. Vertebrae are stacked on top of each other and are separated by spongy discs that actually work as shock absorbers for the spinal cord. There are 7 cervical vertebrae (neck), 12 thoracic vertebrae (midlevel/trunk), 5 lumbar vertebrae (lower back region), 5 sacral vertebrae (pelvis region), and 4 fused vertebrae that form the coccyx.

If vertebrae are broken or moved out of alignment due to trauma or injury, the spinal cord can become injured. When the spinal cord suffers an injury, the ability of the brain to communicate with the body below the level of injury can be reduced or altogether lost. When this occurs, the part of the body affected will not function as normal. Medical providers generally classify spinal cord injuries as “incomplete” or “complete.” An incomplete injury means that the injured person has at least some function below the level of injury on the spine. A complete injury means that there is complete loss of sensation and muscle control below the level of injury. Paralysis can develop due to spinal cord injury. Generally, the level of injury can be a guide as to predicting what parts of the body might be affected by loss of function or paralysis. Cervical (neck) injuries can result in quadriplegia, which is paralysis of all 4 limbs, both arms and legs. Thoracic, lumbar, or sacral injuries can result in paraplegia, which is paralysis of the lower part of the body, including the legs.

There are over 250,000 people in the United States that live with spinal cord injuries. Of those persons living with spinal cord injuries, about 52% are considered paraplegic, and about 47% are considered quadriplegic. 82% of all victims of spinal cord injury are male. Most spinal cord injury victims are young, between the ages of 16 and 30 years of age. The largest numbers of spinal cord injuries occur in motor vehicle crashes. Other causes can be work-related injuries, falls, violence, and sports-related injuries.

Spinal cord injuries can be devastating. Not only can medical costs be astronomical, but long rehabilitation may be required. Medical equipment and supplies will be needed. Home healthcare is often required. With this type of injury, lost wages and lost earning capacity claims can be staggering. The attorneys at The Stewart Law Firm are familiar with spinal cord-related injuries and the prosecution of claims on behalf of spinal cord injury victims. The Stewart Law Firm understands the life-changing effects that can occur as a result of a spinal cord injury, particularly those injuries which are caused by the negligent acts of another or by a defective product. If you have a question regarding a spinal cord injury claim, call The Stewart Law Firm for a free consultation. The Stewart Law Firm can be reached, toll-free, at (877) 326-0411. Our address is: 3000 South IH-35, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78704. Visit our website at: http://www.thestewartlawfirm.net/. Cases handled by The Stewart Law Firm include catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle crashes, commercial vehicle crashes, train crashes, bus crashes, and defective products.