Archive for the 'Catastrophic Injuries' Category

Bicyclist Hospitalized After West Palm Beach Accident

September 10, 2010 – West Palm Beach, FL – An early morning bicycle ride turned tragic last Thursday after a vehicle struck a bicyclist in a West Palm Beach suburb. 

The Palm Beach Post reports that the bicycle accident occurred just before sunrise, around 5:50 a.m. on Roebuck Road, just east of Haverhill Road. The information was based on dispatch records from the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Department. 

The bicyclist, who has not yet been named, was taken to a local hospital. Reports did not indicate whether the driver, who also was unidentified, was hospitalized. 

Sherriff’s investigators were called to the scene, which briefly blocked traffic in the area. Within 40 minutes, the roadway was once again clear. Further details about the accident victim and the driver of the vehicle have not yet been released from the Palm Beach County Sherriff’s office. 

Not surprisingly, 60% of bike collisions in Florida result from night riding with no lights or reflective gear, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ 2009 Traffic Crash Statistics Report, there were 197,214 traffic crashes resulting in injury and 2,563 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in Florida.

As a service to the residents of South Florida, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in South Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to:

  • single-car accidents;
  • accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
  • accidents caused by distracted drivers or aggressive driving.

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim’s family member or friend and would like the blog removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

The True Costs of a Spinal Cord Injury

If you’ve recently sustained a spinal cord injury, chances are, you’ve already received your initial hospital treatment. But as you may already know, rehabilitation is a major component of your treatment. 

The costs associated with spinal cord injuries (SCI) can exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition to medical costs, your injury may be severe enough to prevent you from returning to work, or necessitate assistance in your day-to-day activities. Additionally, you may need to remodel your home to make it more accessible to your condition. 

If you sustained your spinal cord injury because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical costs as well as lost wages and non-monetary expenses such as the impact of your injury on your quality of life in addition to the pain and suffering you have experienced. 

If you’re considering opening a Florida personal injury case for a spinal cord injury, it helps to know what you may expect, and for what the other party may be liable.  

Some recorded costs associated with severe spinal cord injuries include: 

  • 15 days – initial hospitalization, acute care unit;
  • 44 days – rehabilitation unit;
  • $144,000 – initial medical costs;
  • $198,000 – first-year costs for all SCI victims;
  • 34.4% – employment rate for paraplegics, 8 years after injury;
  • 24.3% - employment rate for quadriplegics, 8 years after injury. 

Spinal cord injuries can create a huge financial burden on victims, whether it’s in initial costs, or long-term repercussions, such as inability to return to work. If you recently suffered a spinal cord injury because of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, whether behind the wheel of a car or in another capacity, talk with a Palm Beach personal injury lawyer about some of your legal options for recovering compensation.  

You’ll want every opportunity going into your future, and compensation for your injuries will only help to aid your recovery. 

When to Hire a Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyer 

24/7 Injury Law, a law firm based in West Palm Beach, Florida, takes time when speaking with you about your case and works with you on a contingent fee basis so there are NO FEES unless one of our trained Palm Beach personal injury lawyers wins your case. Call now to schedule a FREE evaluation of your case888-984-4878.