Motorcycle accidents are often deadly or result in permanent disabilities. Mainly because of the lack of safety measures and foolproof protective equipment, motorcycle accidents are 35 times more deadly than any other kind of traffic accident, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Many of today’s motorcycle accidents occur on highways and are the result of inattentive drivers and speeding motor vehicles including cars and trucks. Not wearing safety helmets contributes to the degree of severity of injuries received by motorcyclists. The NHTSA also estimates that safety helmets can reduce the chance of a fatality by 37%. While most motorcycle enthusiasts are well aware of the threat riding a motorcycle without a helmet poses, many still refuse to wear them and increase their risk of serious personal injuries.

If you or anyone you know has been seriously injured due to a motorcycle accident, please contact our Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.

Types of Motorcycle Accidents

More than 5,000 people die from motorcycle accidents each year in the US. Motorcycle accidents occur in many different ways with many variables unique to each accident. However, similarities between motorcycle and automobile crashes are too blatant to ignore. Fast speeds, violent collisions, and, more often than not, inattentive or distracted motorists all play their role in typical motorcycle accidents. The majority of motorcycle accidents happen on highways with more than half of them involving other motor vehicles.

One of the main reasons motorcycle traffic accidents occur is aggressive driving. Failure to yield right of way or operating a motorcycle at unsafe speeds round up the top three reasons for the high rate of motorcycle accidents.

Common reasons for motorcycle accidents include:

Rear-end Collisions
Limited Visibility Accidents
Traffic Collisions
Loss of Motorcycle Control
Aggressive Driving
Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often occurs in motorcycle accidents where the driver of the motor bike was not wearing a helmet. Helmets can help reduce fatalities and serious brain injuries like concussions, head trauma, and TBIs by more than 37%. Motorcyclists are also frequently thrown off their vehicle after impact due to lack of safety harnesses on motorcycles. This may cause a myriad of injuries including road rash, broken bones, and spinal cord injuries.

The most common motorcycle accident injuries include:

Traumatic Brain Injury
Concussions
Broken/Fractured Bones
Disfigurement
Spinal Cord Damage
Soft Tissue Injuries
Road Rash/Burn
Scratches
Internal Injuries

Getting Legal Help

Motorcycle accidents can result in very serious consequences including permanent disabilities and substantial loss of income. Our experienced legal team can help provide you with all the legal options available to you from seeking justice to receiving compensation for your injuries. Please contact our Personal Injury Lawyers today.

Construction Defects Attorneys

Problems and defects with Walls

If you have construction defect issue likes soil movement, construction deficiencies, or low quality products used, you may see some symptoms in the exterior walls and interior walls. For example, walls may have cracks from the floor to the ceilings. Exterior walls and interior walls may have water damage. This could be due to poor workmanship on the roof, windows or doors. You may also see water damage from issues with cracks in the exterior wall that have allowed moisture to enter. In this case, you may find dryrot or mildew growing. Either issue is extremely difficult to repair. In general, water issues can be very detrimental since they can even cause structural failures.

Shear Walls

Shear walls refer to the vertical limps that help with structural support of exterior walls, floors and the foundation. Shear walls are an important part of a house’s structure since it has many functions, including keeping the shape of the structure and protecting it from elements such as wind or earthquakes that can literally tear a house apart. If you have a construction defect that impacts the foundation, you do not want the shear walls to be affected, but it can happen. Foundation issues such as expansive soils can create a great deal of pressure that can easily shift a wall or crack a slab. Any damage evident on shear walls is a sure sign of a very serious construction defect.

Below Grade Walls

Below grade walls will be most affected by water issues or foundation issues. Due to the nature of below grade walls, insulation is very important. If the integrity of the insulation is injected with water or moisture, this could result in a whole host of problems. Dry-rot, mildew and mold are all potential construction defects you may encounter with below grade walls.

Retaining Walls

If you have a soil or foundation issue causing cracks in exterior pavement or structures, you may also see cracks in retaining walls. When the ground shifts because of improper soil preparation or improper construction strategies, it causes cracks everywhere.

If you are seeing cracks in exterior walls, interior walls, shear walls, below grade walls, and/or retaining walls, you probably have some kinds of construction defect. You need to contact an attorney with experience in construction defect law. Contact an attorney today before your problems worsen.

an apartment with wet walls on which mildew forming

Fireplace, Ceilings Problems

A construction defect can be so severe that it causes cracks all over your house. The source of the construction defect will dictate what areas of the house will be most affected. Ceilings and fireplaces may show signs of a construction defect rooted from soil issues or water issues, but are not limited to just these two construction defects.

Expansive soil is a major cause of construction defect. Although we have the technology to determine if the land being built on contains expansive soil, builders and/or developers cut corners by disregarding this fact at times. It is necessary to choose a construction plan that will take the soil type into consideration. If a builder does not use these techniques and the soil gets wet, you will see some serious symptoms of a construction defect. A fireplace can become separated from the wall with the enormous pressure that wet expansive soil can produce. A fireplace can incur many cracks all over during this soil movement as well.

Ceilings are also damaged during a soil movement like when expansive soils swell when wet. When dry, expansive soil shrinks. This means that, depending on the weather, expansive soil can have a twisting effect. Ceilings can also be affected from the top down. For example, water damage from a leaky roof can be a big problem for ceilings. Mold and mildew can grow in ceilings if there is enough moisture present. Mold issues can be devastating. Ceilings that have moisture seeping in can be infected with dryrot which can eventually destroy the ceiling. This can be a very dangerous situation.

You need to evaluate what the construction defect is, its location, and how far it has progressed. Your first priority should be trying to repair any defect found. If you start to implement your repair plan, you need to keep all documentation you get from any contractors and keep your own detailed notes. Take pictures if you can. Although right now your focus is on getting your ceilings or your fireplace repaired, later you will want to decide who is ultimately responsible for the construction defects and who should incur the repair costs. Any documentation you have will be very helpful to an attorney that will help you with your case. You need to contact an attorney to help you make the right decisions moving forward.
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