Injury Law Blog : Florida Injury Lawyer & Attorney : LaBovick & LaBovick Law Firm: Serving West Palm, Boynton, North Palm, West Palm Beach, Jupiter

Motorists, please be aware that leaving the scene of an accident prior to the police coming is a crime.  Recently a Port St. Lucie woman, Matilda Nunez was arrested and charged with a felony for leaving the scene of an accident that she caused involving a teen Bicyclist.

It is Summer and school is out. This means that more kids and people are on the road riding bicycles.  As drivers we should be aware of this and pay careful attention to where we are going, this will help cut down  on avoidable bicycle accidents.  In the case involving Ms. Nunez, she was distracted by her cell phone, when she injured the teen bicyclist that was crossing the driveway, according to reports in the Palm Beach Post..

Car Accidents sometimes can't be avoided. But in most instances, when drivers are paying attention to driving and not talking on the cell phone or texting while driving, accidents can be cut down tremendously. In an effort to promote roadway safety for Bicyclists we are sharing important stats involving bicycle accidents.

According to the Bicycle Helmet Institute there is extensive data on Bicycle Accident Statistics and motor vehicles. Here are a few statistics parents and Cyclists should be aware of:

• There are 73 to 85 million bicycle riders in the US, including 45 million over age 6 who rode more than six times in 2008.
• 700 bicyclists died on US roads in 2007. Over 90 percent died in crashes with motor vehicles.
• The "typical" bicyclist killed on our roads is a sober male over 16 not wearing a helmet riding on a major road between intersections in an urban area on a summer evening when hit by a car.
• About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized.
• 43,000 cyclists were reported injured in traffic crashes in 2007. 
• There were 1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries had a brain injury.
• Two-thirds of the deaths here are from traumatic brain injury.
• A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent..

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the following Bicycle Stats in
November, 2008

• There were 698 Bicyclist deaths in 2007:  (Down from 773 in 2006).
• There were 43,000 Bicyclist injuries in traffic in 2007: (Down from 44,000 in 2006).
• The average age of a bicyclist killed on the highways was Age 40.
• The average age of a bicyclist injured on the highways was age 30.
• The number of Bicyclists killed that were 15 years old and under was 107.
• The number of Bicyclists injured that were 15 years old and under was 12,000.
• The number of Bicyclists killed that were 16 to 34 years old was 163.
• The number of Bicyclists injured that were 16 to 34 years old was 16,000.
• The number of Bicyclists killed  that were 35 to 54 years old was 262.
• The number of Bicyclists injured that were 35 to 54 years old was 10,000.
• The number of Bicyclists killed  that were 55 years and older was 262.
• The number of Bicyclists killed  that were 55 years and older was 4,000. 

In a prior post on the LaBovick Injury Law Blog, we shared "Rules for The Road" and safety tips for  cyclists.  Here is look at  Seven tips ever cyclist should be aware of. It would not hurt drivers to take a look at these tips as well.  As a Personal Injury law firm, we want to help make the roadways safer for all, Pedestrians, Drivers and Bicyclists included.

7 Tips and Rules for the Road for Bicyclists

• Protect Your Head. Wear a Helmet.
• Assure Bicycle Readiness. Use proper size and function of bicycle.
• Ride Wisely. Learn and Follow the Rules of the Road.
• Be Predictable. Act Like a Driver of a Vehicle.
• Be Visible. See and Be Seen at All Times.
• “Drive” with Care. Share the Road.
• Stay Focused. Stay Alert.

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Interesting news today on the Pharma front. The FDA has issued orders that the "old faithful" painkiller Darvocet should be withdrawn off the market. This drug is somewhat of a household medicine cabinet staple, with over 20 million prescriptions in 2007 alone. A review panel narrowly approved this measure to withdraw this drug  with a vote of 14-12. It makes one wonder after 50 years why is this drug getting the attention of the FDA.  The Consumer Watch Dog Group, Public Citizen, may have something to do with this recent interest. Last year, in June 2008, the Public Citizen Group filed a lawsuit against the FDA over Darvon, Darvocet and all drugs containing propoxyphene , since it has been banned in the United Kingdom, since 2005.  The group brought this revelation to the FDA's attention as far back as 2006. What took the Agency so long to act?

We are delighted that someone in the FDA is finally paying attention to reports from non-biased organizations, such as the Florida Medical Examiners. There is data from the reporting system of the Florida Medical Examiners that show reports from 85 people out of 341 dying with the Darvon drug in their system. It is important to note that all 341 deaths were classified as drug related causes.

Fierce Pharma states that there were 1,452 deaths associated with propoxyphene from 1957 through September 2008.

Click here to read more from the FDA and the Wallstreet Journal on the Darvocet painkiller.

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Today, April 22, 2008 is Earth Day. It is amazing that Earth Day has been around since 1970 and I only seem to remember hearing about it a few years ago.  Last week I purchased several reusable shopping bags at Publix, a major chain in the Southeast. Initially, I thought the .99 price tag was just a gimmick to get people to buy a product.  I see that I was wrong, as I bring my 4 bags back to the market with me, I am pleasantly surprised to see other shoppers doing the same.  The bags are awesome. One bag takes the place of 4 plastic shopping bags and two large paper bags. Based on my bagging methods. 

I spoke to Managing Partner, Brian LaBovick, Esq. regarding my post on Earth Day and asked what he was doing today to acknowledge Earth Day. After my story of the Publix "reusable shopping bags" he decided to go out and buy bags for all of our LaBovick & LaBovick staff members in an effort to help promote saving the environment in small steps. Yes, I mention small steps, because if we all take a few steps to make the environment better, it will make a difference. According to the EPA, companies can make a difference at the work place in helping the environment. A few   simple things, to start with include: 1) reducing energy use, 2) Re-use or recycle office products, 3) Use water more efficiently 4) Efficient Commuting for the environment, this includes, working from home when possible, carpooling use of mass transportation 5) Turn off  equipment, copier, printers, computers when not in use, 6) Use energy efficient lighting.

As a Boutique Florida Personal Injury Law firm, we are doing a little bit more than just giving reusable Publix Shopping bags to our employees. About a year ago, Managing Partner, Brian LaBovick, told me that he wanted to go paperless. He asked me to investigate and find the necessary steps on what it will take for us to be a paperless office. Imagine a paperless law firm. Believe it or not, they do exist. They are few and far between, but not impossible.

We are exploring the paperless office, which will take some time and effort, but in the interim, our Florida Injury Law Firm has taken some giant leaps in being more efficient and environmentally friendly. Last year we recycled old computers and monitors, after stripping them of all data, first. We shred and recycle paper and recycle cans that we use for beverages in the firm for staff and clients. We purchased a state of the art copier to scan documents for us to send PDFs of files to Doctors,  Insurance Adjusters, Defense Counsel, Experts and others involved in Personal injury and Qui tam cases we are working on. This cuts down on the use of paper tremendously. We satisfy requests of those that prefer receiving paper instead of a PDF or file.

If our Florida Injury Law firm can take small steps in our business to help the environment, we encourage other firms to join in.  A few weeks ago, the wonderful Governor of Florida, attended a "Going Green" event in Palm Beach County sponsored by Palm Tran. It is nice to see that officials in Florida are trying to make the public aware of their efforts to improve the environment.

You too can make a difference and do your part for our environment.

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