Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer - Motorcycle Accidents - Most Commented

Illinois motorcycle helmets remains voluntary

Steve Lombardi — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:23:00 GMT

The Illinois Senate has rejected a mandatory helmet plan for those riding on a motorcycle. This is one of the more frivolous legislative efforts by the State of Illinois Legislature. The research on traumatic brain injury (head injury and TBI) proves just how foolish it is to allow those riding motorcycles to do so without a helmet.

Iowa, Illinois and New Hampshire continue to allow motorcyclists to ride without helmets. Iowa and Illinois should know better. New Hampshire is just trying to live up to its state motto: Live Free or Die. Yeah I suspect they are doing just that on New Hampshire highways.

Failing to pass a mandatory helmet law is really an amazing feat. When you consider the states suffering financial hardship and wanting to decrease medical care expenses for the various state and federal programs; having no helmet law is incredibly irresponsible. This is legislative short sighted pandering to a few motorcycle riders who shouldn’t have any clout with the legislature.

I could see failing to pass a mandatory helmet law if there was a higher insurance requirement for anyone not wanting to wear a helmet. But there isn’t in Iowa. Iowa law doesn’t require a person to have private health insurance or medical pay coverage on their auto policy. Casualty insurance limits are a paltry $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident and $15,000 for property destroyed. ( Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law – 321A.1(11) That law hasn’t changed since January 1, 1983.

Iowa Code – Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility

321A.1 Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

….

11. Proof of financial responsibility. Proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of the proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle, in amounts as follows: With respect to accidents occurring on or after January 1, 1981, and prior to January 1, 1983, the amount of fifteen thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to the limit for one person, the amount of thirty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and the amount of ten thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident; and with respect to accidents occurring on or after January 1, 1983, the amount of twenty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to the limit for one person, the amount of forty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and the amount of fifteen thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.

And the costs of a motorcycle accident without a helmet increase the chances of suffering traumatic brain injury. The University of Iowa just completed a study.

JAMA -- Abstract: Motorcycle helmet-use laws and head injury ...

Motorcyclists live Better longer: Prevent traumatic Brain ...

Add increased deer population and the single motorcycle collisions become a fact of life. Throw in some alcohol and the numbers increase further. Then there are driving distractions of the other drivers choosing. There are distractions involving GPS navigation, DVD players, cell phones, text messaging along with iPods. Each of these electronic devices can and do cause driver distraction. Children cause distractions and the risks of not seeing a motorcycle and striking one increase further. Fault aside the risks of being in a motorcycle accident are far and away one of the most dangerous of all motor vehicle collisions.

Motorcycles and Deer Don't Mix in Iowa, S.Lombardi September 24, 2007

I have no intention of standing on a soap box to preach individual freedoms like most personal injury lawyers will do. I like my clients too much to pander to popular opinion just to get a few personal injury cases. If as a rider you’re angry with me for taking the opposing view than you aren’t being realistic about the risks of injury.

Iowa Motorcycle Helmet Law - A Choice To Protect Your Brain, S. Lombardi August 21, 2008

Helmets are a proven, low cost and effective way of combating brain damage. If the legislature won’t step in then riders need to protect themselves and voluntarily wear a helmet.

2. Motorcycle helmets

Countermeasure	Effectiveness	Use	Cost	Time
2.1 State motorcycle helmet use laws	Proven	Medium	Low	Short
2.2 Helmet law enforcement; noncompliant helmets	Unknown	Unknown	Low	Medium
2.3 Helmet use promotion programs	Unknown	Low	Varies	Medium

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Fatal Collision Caused By Drunk Driver

Steve Lombardi — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Darcy Schehr, a woman from Wisconsin, has been charged with "homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle." In a collision on Sunday, July 15, Schehr lost control of her vehicle on Highway 60, crossed the center line and hit a motorcycle. The motorcyclist, 40-year old Daniel Christ of Iowa City who was wearing a helmet, was killed. Schehr suffered no injuries.

Important in any collision is a timely and thorough investigation. The investigation should be conducted immediately so that statements of all witnesses can be obtained with their memories are fresh. If the driver was driving while intoxicated the injured party may be entitled to punitive damages and an award of $150,000.00 under state criminal laws.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

TBI Can Cause Personality Changes, Criminal Behavior

Steve Lombardi — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:09:00 GMT

On September 23, 2009, Bruce Mundy, riding a motorcycle was allegedly struck by Santos Vidal Rodriguez, age 26 who is reported to have been driving an SUV, according to the Des Moines Register. Santos Rodriguez and his brother Orlando David Rodriguez, age 23 left the Casey’s on Park Ave. allegedly without paying for $27 worth of gas. Both brothers are charged with second-degree robbery as well as vehicular homicide. Their Class C felony could result in up to 10 years in prison. If drugs or alcohol are found in the drug tests, which are still being run they could have up to 25 years in prison. It is being speculated whether Santos Rodriguez will be charged with an alleged role in the 1999 shootout in Des Moines (mentioned in the previous blog). Stay tuned for updates.

If this is true how does anyone make sense out of $27 worth of gas being worth the risk and all the damage it can cause? All I can say to those stealing gas, get a job. And don't tell me you can't find one. Make one by creating a business, mowing lawns, plowing snow, cleaning houses or offices; just work. The driver of the motorcycle has a HUGE civil lawsuit against the driver and probably the passenger who is alleged to be an accomplice in a criminal act that led to an accident and death of another person. I wonder if the driver was married and had dependent children.

Now all of that said there is a component to this case that will surely be explored in the criminal case: The driver's previous traumatic brain injury and whether it's caused a change in personality involving a lack of inhibition. That lack of inhibition is what can cause seemingly law abiding people to behave in ways contrary to the criminal laws. After a brain injury a person can have two types of changes: personality changes and a lower cognitive functioning. If someone you know suffers a head injury and then exhibits irrational behavior they may need evaluation and treatment.

Did this driver suffer a brain injury and a change in behavior? That's the question the defense team will have to explore.

How many people have TBI?

TBIs contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability annually.

Of the 1.4 million who sustain a TBI each year in the United States:

50,000 die;
235,000 are hospitalized; and
1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department.¹

Among children ages 0 to 14 years, TBI results in an estimated:

2,685 deaths;
37,000 hospitalizations; and
435,000 emergency department visits annually.¹

The number of people with TBI who are not seen in an emergency department or who receive no care is unknown.

For more information about TBI in the United States, including the groups at highest risk, CDC’s surveillance activities, and the numbers of TBI cases in each state, see Overview.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Helmets don't always help to avoid brain damage or death of the rider

Steve Lombardi — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:35:00 GMT

On April 14^th2009 William Lee Kilmer of Des Moines was traveling west on Aurora Avenue when he lost control of his motorcycle hit a curb and crashed head first into a tree. Mr. Kilmer was not wearing a helmet which some believe could have saved his life.

Of course without seeing the autopsy report and knowing what anatomically caused his death, it's not right to jump to the conclusion a helmet would have saved his life.

I can't say that helmets would have saved Mr. Kilmer's life; nor will I go so far as to say just wearing a helmet will always save you from brain damage; but I can say common sense tells me wearing a helmet will protect to some degree your brain.

Look at the comments from the Des Moines Register article. Interesting to say the least.

Replying to divergent1:

" I don't care if you wear a helmet or not.

Nor, as a taxpayer do I want to subsidize your life in a nursing home if you crack your melon.

So, as long as your liberty and your right to choose doesn't cost ME money for your care for the rest of your disabled life (assuming a life-altering event that could have been lessened by the wearing of a helmet), do whatever you please.

Keep in mind that the cost of bad decisions by a few are shouldered by the rest of us.

For that reason there I have Full Coverage Insurance as well as personal insurance that I PAY INTO. So you do not have to worry about footing the bill for my medical costs because I CHOSE not to wear my helmet! It is my right as well as my choice!
How many more rights are we going to hand over to the government.
I'd venture to guess the illegals cost you more in hospital costs in a month than I would in a month if I get into an accident without insurance!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

divergent1 wrote:

You wrote: " Helmets can be irritating and can cause blind spots for the rider. "

Blowing through a straw to change the direction of your wheelchair can be irritating also.

As long as you do not belong to the same health insurance group I do, I don't care if you wear a helmet or not.

Nor, as a taxpayer do I want to subsidize your life in a nursing home if you crack your melon.

So, as long as your liberty and your right to choose doesn't cost ME money for your care for the rest of your disabled life (assuming a life-altering event that could have been lessened by the wearing of a helmet), do whatever you please.

Keep in mind that the cost of bad decisions by a few are shouldered by the rest of us.

You wrote: "Also, the cause of death has not been determined."

I'm not an emergency room technician, but I'd hazard a guess of massive blunt force trauma.

Motorcyclist meeting tree isn't going to be saved by a helmet, I will grant you that.

Lifelong rider, and yes, with a helmet

___________________________________________

Everyone should be aware that "full coverage" isn't necessarily what most people expect. A full coverage policy with low insured limits is after an accident a painful lesson to learn. Look at your declarations page and make sure you understand the differences.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Motorcyclist’s “loss of control” may not be the cause of this wreck.

Steve Lombardi — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:28:45 GMT

Doctors refer to general diagnoses as "a waste-basket diagnosis", meaning the diagnosis is so general that it's meaningless. So when the Harrison County, Iowa officials list a loss of control as the cause of what killed a 49-year-old Omaha man after his motorcycle crashed it’s pretty worthless.

KCAUTV reports that David Jeulfs of Omaha was driving his motorcycle two-miles south of Missouri Valley when “he lost control of it” and crashed into a concrete railroad embankment. Of course the reporting is what it is because of the cause listed by the Harrison County officials who investigated the accident. I’m not picking on their reporting. But what I am trying to do is to explain why lawyers don’t find “loss of control” a sufficient explanation of the true cause of what caused Jeulfs to lose control. The passenger, Deborah Godek may be able to shed light on what actually caused Jeulfs’ to initially lose control.

When lawyers, judges and juries evaluated fault and negligence they seek to know more about what caused the driver to initially lose control. It could be speed, drinking alcohol and the effects, a deer crossing, a gaggle of geese in the roadway, a dog chasing the bike, a pot-hole in the roadway, a grease spot or some other debris on the road’s surface or a distraction caused by the passenger can all be “causes” of what caused the driver to “lose control”.

Loss of control is an initial description or preliminary description that leads to further investigation to establish the true cause of the collision and resulting death.

Take for instance a second motorcycle collision-wreck in Henderson County, Iowa where a 52-year old Christopher Coates of Corydon, Iowa was killed. In this collision there is another vehicle, a pickup truck driven by an 85-year old gentleman from Galesburg. In this wreck it’s reported the driver of the pickup truck turned left of center intending to make a left turn, but did so right in front of the motorcycle. The motorcycle driver lost control of the cycle as it slid into the pickup truck, causing his severe injuries and death and serious injury to the passenger of the motorcycle. It’s correct to say the motorcycle driver lost control, but that’s not the cause of the collision. The cause of the collision is the pickup truck turning left in front of the motorcycle, which causes him to lose control, and then leads to the crash. Going back one more step the pickup truck driver failing to see the motorcycle, a failure to use due care while driving, is the true cause. Speed could also be a factor along with other causes that influence vision and reaction times.

When a motorcyclist loses control it’s easy to initially blame the driver, but that’s unfair and wrong. You first have to examine all potential causes of what made the driver lose control in the first instance. We’ll examine one more crash. KOLNKGIN.com reports of a Dixon County, Nebraska crash where a 49-year old woman died after crashing into a car. She obviously lost control but that is not the cause of the crash or negligent act that caused her to lose control. What happened on that Sunday afternoon on Highway 12 near Ponca is that a car on the left shoulder of the highway came out and attempted to turn right, causing the motorcycle to crash into it. The negligent act is not the motorcyclist losing control, but the attempt by the car driver to cross lines of traffic from the left to make a right turn.

So when you are analyzing fault or negligence don’t stop short of the true cause. If there can’t be a determination of the true cause, in cases where the driver is killed and there is not a witness and no other vehicle involved, the waste-basket cause may have to be the only determination. But when there is more, ask questions and analyze the other potential causes. Good luck with your case.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Motorcycle Helmets - Should they be mandatory?

Steve Lombardi — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:00:00 GMT

A few months ago I wrote a blawg about my position on motorcyclists wearing helmets and making it mandatory by law. There’s a lawyer in California who has an Internet website named the “ Biker Law Blog ”, apparently took issue with my post and later commented on it. His post is titled Well Some Things Just Really Piss Me Off!

Looking back at what I posted the title I chose isn’t much better. Motorcycles, Helmets, Wrecks, Brain Damage and the Freedom to be Stupid . Read it and see what he describes as his position. I don’t agree with him. I’ll state my position, read his and tell me if you agree or disagree with either of us. Here is how I responded to Mr. Fernandez.

“If my caring for my clients who have suffered traumatic brain injury is offensive then so be it. If my 27 years of representing those who ride motorcycles and suffer brain injury as a result of not wearing a helmet is offensive, then once again so be it. Like you I'm entitled to my own opinion. And that opinion is as you describe, my American right. Most of the lawyers who do personal injury work will tell you exactly what you want to hear – “no we don’t need to wear helmets, we should be allowed to do whatever it is we want too”. You’re too smart of a man to believe that just because a lawyer has been telling you what you want to hear that he/she somehow is qualified or more likely to have had your best interests in mind or to be the best lawyer for the biker’s case. Certainly when you get in an accident you can’t believe because their opinion was to let you ride with your skull exposed to trauma that they are qualified to represent you. Or for that matter even care about you as a human being.

I’m not like a lot of the lawyers who advertise because I won’t tell anyone who rides a motorcycle what they want to hear in hopes of later getting their case. You see I won’t pander to a motorcyclist just to make a buck. I’ve seen first hand what brain injury does and how it destroys a biker’s life. There is no amount of money anyone can pay me that would cause me to lie and pander to them with the hope to someday get their case. If any biker wants to be lied to, so be it. Don’t show up at my office because I’m sure to disappoint you.

Mr. Fernandez I enjoyed your point of view but it’s only a point of view. In the courtroom everyone has a point of view, but can every lawyer try a biker’s case? We can stand in court all day long espousing about biker rights but in the end when the legislature won’t require car owners to carry anymore than $20,000.00 in coverage and many drivers are without insurance coverage I sleep better at night telling biker’s what they need to hear and not what they want to hear. In the court room any lawyer with book on me will tell you I represent my client zealously and without pause.

Examine my motives for saying motorcycle helmets need to be mandatory for some or all riders. If there were less brain damage I’d make less money and there would be a few more motorcycle riders still on the road riding. Accidents would result in less severe injuries. (We can argue this point but don’t because we don’t have to when selecting a lawyer after the fact.) How does a biker wearing a helmet benefit me financially?

Now if I were to say, “We don’t need any stinking mandatory helmet laws! Let them ride free of die!” Well, crashes would result in more deaths and brain damage. “Come to me because I’m a good guy!” A good guy is defined as someone who told you what you wanted to hear before you turned your brain into mush and became totally unemployable. But what the heck if you do I have more cases and higher damage awards or settlements.

Which lawyer really is being genuine and cares about your well being?

Which lawyer is in it just for the bucks?

So what can I tell you and your readers today? Do you carry $2,000,000.00 worth of underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage on your ride? If you don’t carry that kind of insurance coverage you should. Because that law education you worked so hard for is what you’re risking with your hair flying free in the wind. I’ve ridden and know the feeling of freedom. I’ve crashed a motorcycle and assume many of your readers have as well. Okay you want me to say it, okay I will. You don’t need to wear a helmet; but if you don’t you do need $2,000,000.00 worth of insurance protecting you and the ones who depend on you. That’s advice for free and I didn’t make a dime off of giving it to you. Plain spoken, straight forward and perhaps not what your readers wanted to hear, but nevertheless it’s what they needed to hear. Onward we march …”

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Texas Motorcyclists Injured and Killed By Turning Trucker

Steve Lombardi — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:19:00 GMT

A Texas man, Vernon Newsom of Mansfield, Texas died in a motorcycle accident in or near Geddes, South Dakota as a result of a driver turning without first making sure it was clear to do so. Newsom, with his wife on the back attempted to pass a truck, as he started passing the truck started to turn causing him to have to take to the ditch where he was killed and his wife suffered life-threatening injuries.

In Iowa it’s referred to as the duty of due care. You can’t start a turn without first looking and making sure it’s safe to do so. Each driver also has a look out duty. You must look before you begin a turn. In this case it doesn’t appear either was correctly performed. I’ve come across three people in the last two days almost causing accidents/wrecks/crashes as a result of being on the cell phone and holding it up with their left hand so that their hand and arm cover their peripheral vision. Stupid is as stupid does.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

YAMAHA and the ATRA might ask: Why are there so many personal injury lawyers?

Steve Lombardi — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:14:00 GMT

This is the headline the American Tort Reform Association would write:

Iowa motorcyclist, out for a Sunday driver in Cedar Rapids clocked on radar at over 164 mph!

Greedy trial lawyers to blame!

Poor Yamaha being put out of business by greedy trial lawyers who blame everything from bullets causing a few deaths to cigarette smoking causing lung cancer!

Who will they sue next? Poor Bernard Madoff? Help us to help Bernie!

Kill a trial lawyer!

Okay, enough foolishness from me, but it gets me angry to have to listen to the tort reform associations preach about injured people taking responsibility and yet you never hear those same organizations talk about corporate responsibility. Let's get to today's news story because that's exactly what it is about - corporate responsibility or the lack thereof.

This story starts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa aboard a very fast motorcycle. What does a 2002 Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle have in common with a jet? Well apparently a jet can travel at speeds of 164 mph but not in a city and not so close to the ground. Kyle Russell, just 20-years-of-age knows what it feels like to go from zero to 164 mph in less than 9 seconds. And apparently the Cedar Rapids police weren’t especially impressed with his prowess for going faster than a speeding bullet. Seems how several motorcycles going 104 mph were caught on radar. They split up but a police helicopter kept up with one catching him on radar going 164 mph. It’s reported he was found hiding in a boat when they caught up with him. And I though Superman changed his clothes in a telephone booth?

What, if anything does a crotch rocket have in common with an assault rifle? Well both can kill you along with innocent bystanders.

Take 28 seconds and run through the gears of a YZF-R1.

I have to wonder, what responsibility does Corporate Yamaha take for setting a good example for the young buyers that might just get the wrong idea about using the speed of one of these crotch rockets on city streets?

It would certainly help if someone could point out to me how those greedy trial lawyers are involved with selling a motorcycle that has a top speed of +/- 160 mph and is spec-ed out for city driving.

Is it really 160 mph or more like 200 mph? You be the judge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ty-7bTId5M

"Comment and rate this video, please. This machine does 0 - 200 km/h in almost 9 secs.. and goes ahead to 305 km/hr!"

305.0 km/h = 189.51 mi/h

Top Speed Video on this city driving machine:

http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/yamaha/2009-yamaha-yzf-r1-ar63535.html

But one has to wonder, can a Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle really go 164 miles per hour?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MfTSxobwYc

FYI: How fast were they going when they cut off your soccer mom car load of kids?

According to Convert-It, 305 km/hr is the equivalent of 189.51821363238685 mph.

And 164 mph is the equivalent of 263.932416 km/hr.

Foolish is as foolish does.

According to Motorcycle Magazine, here are the specifications:

TECH

Price

$12,390-$12,490

Engine type

l-c inline-four

Valve train

DOHC, 16v

Displacement

998cc

Bore x stroke

78.0 x 52.2mm

Compression

12.7:1

Fuel system

Mikuni EFI

Clutch

Wet, multi-plate slipper

Transmission

6-speed

Claimed horsepower

178.4 bhp @12,500 rpm

Claimed torque

84.5 lb-ft @ 10,000 rpm

Frame

Aluminum twin-spar

Front suspension

43mm Soqi inverted fork with adjustable
spring preload, compression and rebound
damping

Rear suspension

Single Soqi shock with adjustable spring
preload, high/low-speed compression and
rebound damping

Front brake

Dual Sumitomo six-piston radial calipers,
310mm discs

Rear brake

Single Nissin one-piston caliper, 220mm disc

Front tire

120/70-ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax D210F

Rear tire

190/55-ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax D210F

Rake/trail

24.0 deg./4.0 in.

Seat height

32.9 in.

Wheelbase

55.7 in.

Fuel capacity

4.8 gal.

Claimed wet weight

454 lbs.

Color

Team Yamaha Blue/White, Raven/Candy Red,
Pearl White/Rapid Red, Cadmium Yellow/Raven

Available

Now

Warranty

12 mo./unlimited mi.

Contact:
Yamaha Motor Corp. USA
6555 Katella Ave.
Cypress, CA 90630
800.962.7926
www.yamaha-motor.com

Verdict 4.5 stars out of 5
The most effective, accessible and charismatic literbike we've ridden yet.

Is the question: Why are there so many personal injury lawyers?

Or should the question be: Why are there so many personal injury accidents?

What does the American Tort Reform Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have to say about Yamaha selling a motorcycle for city driving, a bike that can reach speeds of almost 200 mph?

Answer:

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Recovering Damages in a Motorcycle Accident

Megan Roth — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:59:00 GMT

Yesterday I touched on the high numbers of motorcycle injuries and fatalities, which have been on a steady increase in recent years. I commented how the increased occurrence of such injuries/fatalities has led to an increase in lawsuits and litigations regarding who’s at fault in such incidents.

As we all know, such accidents can place a huge financial burden on both the victim (assuming he/she survives) and his/her family. But should it?

This is a touchy subject that requires us to look at degrees of fault (in certain cases the driver is wholly responsible, in other cases he’s partially to blame and still in certain situations he/she happens to have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time and falls victim to an accident/injury). Regardless, it remains to be seen whether the victim should be held liable for the thousands upon thousands of dollars they are bound to lose between medical bills, loss of wages, property damages, punitive damages and both physical and emotional pain and suffering.

After all, there’s a long list of expenses such an accident is bound to incur and I can’t help but wonder, who should be held liable?

In the event that the accident results from an inadequate stop sign (or other roadway marking), an unmarked curve or change of terrain or a dangerous state of public property (such as a roadway defect – among many others), there’s a good chance the city/state entity responsible for the affected body (or roadway condition) is liable.

Most often, such cases will be tried for negligence on the part of one of the parties involved; in the case a roadway is in disrepair, the entity responsible for that roadway should be proven negligent for posing a dangerous, potentially life-threatening risk.

In the event that another vehicle strikes the motorcyclist, the driver of that vehicle should be proven negligent for reckless driving and disregard for others on the road.

Should the accident happen to be the result of a faulty part on the bike, the manufacturer (or even a mechanic who worked on the bike) could be to blame.

Considering the circumstances surrounding such incidents vary greatly and can result in serious injury and/or death (and the aforementioned list of expenses that go with it), individuals involved in such accidents should follow an established series of steps whenever possible and reach out to an experienced lawyer in order to recover the greatest costs possible.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Megan Roth

Motorcycle Safety - More accidents, more deaths and multiple causes.

Steve Lombardi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:00:00 GMT

A southbound motorcycle rider was ejected from his bike after a northbound car turned and struck him head on while turning off Highway 965 onto Cou Falls Road near Swisher, Iowa . The collision occurred about 6:30 PM. There is no mention of whether a helmet was worn or a cause of death. This appears to be a failure to yield case.

In a second news item from the Golden Triangle Media a Mt. Pleasant man was killed in a similarly head-on crash . The accident description is not very clear other than the Mt. Pleasant man was pronounced dead at the scene when his motorcycle collided head-on with a vehicle being driven by a Ft. Madison gentleman.

In a third collision a car and motorcycle collided at 6^th Street SW and 33^rd Ave. SW just before 3:00 A.M. in Cedar Rapids , Iowa . The cycle rider was taken to the hospital. The police suspect the driver of the car had been drinking. KCRG has this story. This is an alcohol related case, or OWI collision.

In a fourth accident near Welton , Iowa a woman from Lost Nation driving a car collided head-on with a motorcycle driver in Clinton County . The woman was driving a Buick Century westbound in the 2000 block of 190^th Street at 4:44 PM when she fell asleep at the wheel, then crossed the center line and collided head-on with a Harley-Davidson cycle driven by a 54 year old man, Bruce Hanley from Geneseo , Illinois . The point of impact was in the south shoulder of the road, tending to show the motorcyclist was trying to avoid the collision by turning away from her. Both vehicles went airborne, the car ending up on it’s top and striking a utility pole. The cycle had a passenger, Hanley who is 53. She was pronounced dead at the University or Iowa Hospital and the driver was admitted. Neither was wearing helmets. The car driver was treated and released. This is a failure to maintain control case.

In a fifth motorcycle accident a Fremont woman was killed when the motorcycle she was riding on blew a tire, the driver lost control and she was injured. This collision occurred on Interstate 80 west of Des Moines . The motorcycle actually overturned and slid into the ditch. They were traveling east on I-80 and ended up in the south ditch. In this collision both were wearing helmets. This is a vehicle-maintenance case.

KIMT, News 3 from Mason City , Iowa has a story about the number of motorcycle registrations and death rates in both Iowa and Minnesota . As the number of registrations climb so has the death toll. Iowa has 60-motorcycle related deaths in the state.

“The Iowa D.O.T says there are things you can do to stay safe on your motorcycle. Bikers should wear bright colors so other drivers can notice them.

Drive the speed limit while operating any vehicle and don't drive while intoxicated. You can also lower the fatality rate while driving your car.

"As far as a driver be aware of motorcycles I know it's been preached for many years but it obviously is a problem we still have people today saying I didn't see the motorcycle," said Iowa D.O.T's Field Service Coordinator Pete Hjelmstad. "Some motorcycles now have flashing headlights to help them become more visible to the rest of the traffic."

With gas prices what they are the number of scooters using the roadway is bound to increase. We all need to slow down and pay more attention to our driving and the traffic conditions. Motorcycle riders need to increase their visibility. I don’t mean to pick on the motorcycle riders, I just want them to stay alive. Everyone needs to be more careful, to be alert and then we can all be safe and stay alive.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

TECH
Price	$12,390-$12,490
Engine type	l-c inline-four
Valve train	DOHC, 16v
Displacement	998cc
Bore x stroke	78.0 x 52.2mm
Compression	12.7:1
Fuel system	Mikuni EFI
Clutch	Wet, multi-plate slipper
Transmission	6-speed
Claimed horsepower	178.4 bhp @12,500 rpm
Claimed torque	84.5 lb-ft @ 10,000 rpm
Frame	Aluminum twin-spar
Front suspension	43mm Soqi inverted fork with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping
Rear suspension	Single Soqi shock with adjustable spring preload, high/low-speed compression and rebound damping
Front brake	Dual Sumitomo six-piston radial calipers, 310mm discs
Rear brake	Single Nissin one-piston caliper, 220mm disc
Front tire	120/70-ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax D210F
Rear tire	190/55-ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax D210F
Rake/trail	24.0 deg./4.0 in.
Seat height	32.9 in.
Wheelbase	55.7 in.
Fuel capacity	4.8 gal.
Claimed wet weight	454 lbs.
Color	Team Yamaha Blue/White, Raven/Candy Red, Pearl White/Rapid Red, Cadmium Yellow/Raven
Available	Now
Warranty	12 mo./unlimited mi.