Iowa - Motorcycle Collision and Rollover
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 335
The Gazette reported a motorcycle rolled over "several times" after going into the ditch along Highway 151 on Monday night. The woman, Treva Rai Rich, was taken to the hospitals in Iowa City. Her condition was "believed to be life-threatening." The driver, Robert Embry went from the hospital in Cedar Rapids to the University Hospitals.
Neither were wearing helmets. The Wall Street Journal ran an article on how motorcycles are being manufactured with lighter materials thereby allowing them to be faster. With the lighter and faster bikes come more crashes and resulting horrific injuries. It's too late for Ms. Rich to do much except file a claim with Mr. Embry's insurance company. But if she gets on a bike again she should wear a helmet. The compound effect of multiple head injuries is exponentially cumulative. And for Mr. Embry I would suggest he control who gets on based on what they wear on their head. In other words as the owner and operator of a motorcycle you have some obligation to protect them even when they don't choose to protect themselves.
Bigger, faster, more-powerful machines are helping to make 2007 the deadliest year yet for motorcycle riders, say safety officials and a new insurance-industry study.
You don't have to agree with having to wear a helmet; but if you don't start wearing them the choice will be taken away from every rider.
In the past few years a horsepower battle in the cycle industry has produced bikes that have the power of a car but often weigh less than ever. Sophisticated suspension and braking systems and other electronics make them easy for inexperienced riders to handle -- up to a point. But the bikes' potential speed and violent acceleration can quickly overwhelm all but the most skilled riders.The total number of rider deaths has more than doubled since 1997. At the current rate, some safety experts say, fatalities in 2007 could surpass the previous peak of 4,955 set in 1980.
As a civil trial attorney I've seen far too many clients with head injuries. Treatment never really brings back the brain's pre-accident function. As one client said to me about her brain damaged husband, he's not like a five-year old, because five-year olds can learn from their mistakes.
For more information on this subject matter, please refer to our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.