NOYES LEGAL NEWS

New Hope for Whiplash Injuries?

Whiplash injuries caused by the sudden acceleration-deceleration forces on the neck as a result a rear-end or side impact crash are quite common after a car accident. On recent study is looking into a new way of treating whiplash.

The University of Queensland's Centre for National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine is currently trialing a combination of dry needling and exercise for chronic whiplash sufferers. The researchers say using dry needles is an attempt to "settle down" the nervous system, allowing patients to participate in exercises typically recommended for whiplash. Dry needling involves the insertion of fine acupuncture needles into muscle trigger points in an attempt to deactivate them.

The trial only started last month and currently has five participants but will expand to include 120 over the next year. Some participants receive dry needling, while others receive a "sham" injection - a blunt needle which is not inserted into the muscle.

It is way too early to know if this approach will relieve the thousands of people who sustain whiplash injuries from car accidents every day. However, I support anything that could help whiplash victims.

If you suffered a whiplash injury in a car accident, don't ignore it and say "It's just whiplash." Whiplash is a serious injury that needs to be treated. Talk to a respectable chiropractor, orthopedist or your family doctor if you have neck pain after a car accident. Ignoring it will result in chronic problems.

For information on your legal rights after sustaining whiplash or other injuries from an automobile accident, motorcycle accident or other personal injury matter, click here to contact Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes. Remember, insurance companies have attorneys working for them, so should you!

Can Blue M&Ms Help Spinal Cord Injuries?

Someone involved in a car accident, motorcycle accident or workers' compensation can sustain a traumatic injury to the spinal cord. That injury is bad, but what is worse is the inflammation after the injury that can cause more irreversible damage than the initial trauma. Can blue M&Ms and blue Gatorade prevent this inflammation from happening?

 

Well, not M&Ms and Gatorade, but a compound that's similar to the blue food dye in Gatorade and M&Ms may hold promise for people with spinal cord injuries, new research says. The compound, called Brilliant Blue G, blocks the cascade of events that leads to inflammation following a traumatic injury of the spinal cord, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center report in a recent study.

 

In the study, researchers injected Brilliant Blue G into rats with spinal cord injuries. The rodents which were injected showed improved mobility and even hobbled about. They also temporarily turned blue. Injured rats that were not given a dose of the blue dye didn’t walk at all. According to the study, Brilliant Blue G blocks ATP from flooding the spinal injury and triggering inflammation, the researchers say.

 

And I thought the green M&M were the good ones!!

Finding Your Employer's Workers Compensation Carrier When They Won't Tell You

If you get hurt at work, your employer should report the workers' compensation injury to their work comp carrier as soon as possible, but no later than seven (7) days after their knowledge. The workers comp insurance company must send you an informational brochure within three (3) days after receiving notice from your employer. The brochure will explain your rights and responsibilities, as well as provide additional information about the workers' compensation law. But what if the employer will not report your injury? What can you do?

The Florida Workers' Compensation law permits an injured worker to report a workers' compensation claim. However, you cannot report the claim if you do not know who to report it to. That is why the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation provides a database wherein you can type in your employer's name and be provided with the workers' compensation carrier's name and contact information. Click here to be connected to the employer compliance database.

Unfortunately, the Florida workers' compensation system has become a battleground for injured workers to get benefits. The law takes away the right to sue the employer for negligence in exchange for providing workers' compensation benefits, but makes it harder and harder to get fewer and fewer workers' compensation benefits.

If you are fighting the insurance carrier to get Florida workers' compensation benefits, don't do it alone. Click here to schedule a free case evaluation with Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes.

Wanna Limit Your Teenage Driver's Speed & Music Volume? Now You Can!

Auto accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Ford's new MyKey technology may reduce some of a parent's worry as their teenager begins driving and may prevent some car accidents.

The MyKey system allows the parent to program any key through the vehicle message center, which updates the SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system. When the MyKey is inserted into the ignition, the system reads the transponder chip in the key and immediately identifies the MyKey code, which enables certain default driving modes, including:

•Persistent Ford Beltminder™ with audio mute. Ford’s Beltminder system typically provides a six-second reminder chime every minute for five minutes. With MyKey, the Beltminder chime continues at the regular interval and the audio system is muted until the safety belt is buckled. A message center display “Buckle Up to Unmute Radio” also appears on the instrument cluster.

•Limited top speed of 80 mph

•Traction control system, that limits tire spin, cannot be deactivated

•Limited audio volume to 44 percent of total volume

•A speed alert chime at 45, 55 or 65 mph

According to NHTSA, teens are more likely to take risks such as speeding – a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal car accidents - and less likely to wear safety belts than older drivers.

MyKey will debut as a standard feature this summer on the 2010 Ford Focus and will quickly be offered on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models.

I encourage anything that may prevent a teenager being involved in a car accident. Remember, teenage drivers don't only crash into other teenagers in car accidents. This technology in a teenager's vehicle could save you and your family as well--even if you don't have a teenager.

For more information about your rights after a Florida car accident, contact Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes. With offices throughout the Tampa Bay area, Attorney Noyes can accommodate your schedule to discuss your rights after an automobile accident, motorcycle accident, workers' compensation matter or other personal injury claim. Click here to schedule a free case consultation with Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes.

Hmmmm . . . What Don't They Eat While Driving?

These statistics seem high to me, but according to a new study reported in the New York Daily News, a staggering 80% of all car accidents and 65% of near miss automobile accidents are caused by distracted drivers more focused on their burgers than the road.

"Distractions like eating can become a problem for drivers who can't react quickly to a sharp curve," according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Apparently, there is also a ranking of which food is the worst to consume while driving. Coffee is the worst. Then comes soup (do people really try to eat soup while driving?), tacos, chili dogs, hamburgers, ribs and wings, fried chicken, jelly doughnuts, soda and chocolate.

In a separate study of 1,000 drivers, ExxonMobil Corp. discovered more than 70% of drivers eat while driving - and 83% drink beverages.

Whatever the numbers are, distracted driving causes car accidents. Drive safely and watch out for those who don't. For information on your rights after a Florida automobile accident, click here for a free case consultation with Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes.

How Many Floridians Cause More Than 3 Car Accidents?

Florida has identified 3,277 motorists who were at fault in at least three car accidents over a three-year period from 2006. Starting next year, these drivers and other motorists convicted of three car accident-related moving violations over a three-year period will lose their license. To get it back, they will need to pay for and pass a $500 education course, and also pay $48 to take and pass the driving test again. Right now, motorists are required to take an Internet safety course if they are responsible for two accidents in two years, with damage more than $500, but that course does not include a driving exam, where someone actually drives in a car with an instructor grading them.

Car accidents in 2008 and 2009 will count. So if you've been at fault for two accidents in since the start of 2008, and if you cause another one next year, the state can compel you to go take the course, said Electra Bustle, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Some facts about the 3,277 drivers with three or more at fault car accidents crashes from 2006 to 2008:

• 11 percent were at fault in four or more car accident.
• 18 percent were convicted of driving while the license was suspended or revoked.
• 32 percent of the motorists caused car accidents which involved injuries.
• Five people died in these crashes.
• 64 percent of the drivers are male.
• 36 percent are 25 or younger.
• One motorist was convicted of 86 violations. The next-highest driver was convicted of 32 violations.

It is because of these types of drivers that uninsured motorist coverage is so important. With so many car accidents, I suspect some of these drivers will not carry insurance coverage. If you are injured in a car accident caused by one of these multiple offenders, you could be left responsible for your medical bills and lost wages and receive no compensation for your pain and suffering. So, check your automobile insurance policy now to make sure you have stacked uninsured motorist coverage.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Florida automobile accident, it is important that you talk with a personal injury attorney before talking with the insurance companies. Insurance companies have attorneys working for them--so should you!

Click here to schedule a free case consultation with Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes. With offices throughout Tampa Bay, we can accommodate your schedule.

Tips To Avoid Car Accident in the Rain

Rain doesn't cause car accidents--people drving in the rain cause car accidents.

Driving to work this morning screamed out at me that driving in the rain was going to be the topic of today's article. Some people simply don't know how to drive when moisture hits their windshield. When a lot of rain hits the windshield, they leave common sense in the backseat.

When the road is wet, the film of the water on the asphalt causes tires to lose traction. That is why it is very important that you check your tires and make sure they are propely inflated. If not, you could lose control of your car and end up in an automobile accident.
While you're checking your tires, make sure that your wipers are in good condition and functioning properly. If the blades are brittle or damaged, replace them before you're caught in a downpour. Some wipers are definitely better than others, so ask your retailer for recommendations.

Drivers should be sure to be extra careful during the first rains after a long dry spell. During a dry period, engine oil and grease build up on the road. When mixed with rain, the road becomes extremely slick. The first few hours can be the most dangerous and could result in a car accident.

Most importantly, allow for more travel time when it is raining. You should drive at a slower pace than normal when the roads are wet (and not weave in and out of traffic as the guy in front of me did this morning). Keep in mind that traffic is likely to be moving slower as well.

Don't slam on your brakes when it is raining (or drive in such a way that causes others to have to slam on their brakes). Brake earlier and with less force than you would normally. Not only does this increase the stopping distance between you and the car in front of you, it also lets the driver behind you know that you're slowing down.

Also, don't use cruise control. If you hydroplane, there's the chance your car could actually accelerate. Cruise control also allows drivers to be less vigilant and to take their foot away from the pedals — not a great idea when reaction time is so important. If you start to hydroplane, don't brake suddenly or turn the wheel, or you might spin into a skid. Release the gas pedal slowly and steer straight until the car regains traction. If you must brake, tap the brake pedal (unless you have antilock brakes, in which case you can put your foot down).

After you cross a puddle, tap on your brake pedal lightly to dry off some of the water on your rotors.

Turn on your headlights, even when there's a light sprinkle. It helps you see the road, and more importantly, it helps other motorists see you. Also, it is the law! If your car is equipped with foglights, you may find it helpful to turn these on, as they throw a little extra light on the road while making your car easier to see.

Watch out for pedestrians. Those walking or running in the rain are less likely be be observant than on a sunny day.

Track the car ahead of you. Let the car ahead pave a clear path, so to speak, through the water. If it's raining so hard that you can't see the road or the car in front of you, pull over and wait it out.

Drive safely and watch out for those who don't. If you or a loved one is injured because of the negligence of another driver who fails to use common sense when it is raining, you should contact a personal injury attorney before talking with the insurance companies. Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes has been caring for clients after car accident, motorcycle crashes, and other personal injury matters for years. Click here to contact Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes for a free case consultation.

Remember, insurance companies have attorneys working for them, so should you!

Does Swearing Ease Pain? You're @#$##$ Right It Does!

In pain? Just swear and you'll feel better. At least according to a new UK study. The study found that swearing appeared to lessen the effects of pain, perhaps because it invokes a similar response as that which occurs in fight or flight when it breaks the link between fear of pain and the perception of pain.

For this study, the researchers investigated the extent to which swearing altered the ability of 64 volunteers to withstand immersing their hand in water (cold-pressor pain tolerance). They also measured pain perception and heart rate. The researchers asked the volunteers to repeat a swear word while they immersed their hand in water. And then they asked them do the experiment again, except this time they repeated a neutral word that described a table.

The research found that compared with not swearing, swearing increased pain tolerance and heart rate, and decreased perception of pain. "What is clear is that swearing triggers not only an emotional response, but a physical one too", the researchers stated, explaining that perhaps this is why the practice of swearing has survived for centuries.

Well, I know some of my partners, some of my legal assistants, and many of my clients' pain must be somewhat reduced based on their language. Keep this article away from your kids-they will use it as a reason to cuss.

If you're in pain because of a car accident, motorcycle accident, workers' compensation injury or other personal injury matter and need to know your rights, click here to contact Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes. You don't have to swear--I know you are in pain!

Mailbox Kills Girl Leaning Out Car's Window

Every now and then a story comes along that reminds us that it is important that we talk about even the most obvious things with our kids while they are driving or riding in cars.

A few days ago, a 20-year-old woman when she was leaning out a moving car and her head hit a mailbox. Officers say just after 1 am a man drove the victim to Northside Hospital. 24-year-old Karl Jeckel says the woman, Angela Gaskin, was leaning out of the passenger window and struck her head on a mailbox in the 4600 block of Lake Boulevard. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Officers say Jeckel was driving his Chevrolet pick-up truck and on his way home in the Lakes subdivision where the crash occurred.

What she was doing with her head out the window is unclear. What is clear is that young woman is dead because she did not stay inside the car.

Tell your teenagers about this story and, even though they should already know, tell them to keep their hands, feet and head inside the vehicle at all times.

Girl Falls into Manhole While Text-Messaging

We all know that text-messaging while driving causes car accidents.  Now, text-message while walking apparently causes teenagers to fall into open manholes.

A Staten Island teen was walking with a friend along Victory Blvd. on Wednesday when she suddenly dropped underground because of an manhole left opened by a Department of Environmental Protection team. The schoolgirl had just been passed the phone by her friend and was opening it to send a text message when the ground beneath her feet disappeared.

This should remind us that text-messaging is distracting. Don't do while driving. No message is that important to put you or others at risk of a car accident.

If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident because someone else was text-messaging or distracted in another way, click here to schedule a free case consultation with Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes.  With offices throughout Tampa Bay, Attorney Noyes' personal injury law firm can be available for you.