Charpentier Law Firm Blog

  49 Fatal Crashes in Brevard County in 2011, as of Friday  

 33 Of those 49 crashes they were investigated by FHP  

10 Of the FHP crashes were labeled “delayed fatalities”    

  7  Delayed fatalities in all of 2010

For more information on Personal Injury Click Here:  http://www.brevardlawyer.com

Florida Today-August 29, 2011-Scott Gunnerson-According to the article a 33-year-old Valkaria man was killed in a motorcycle accident that occurred in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida Friday night. The crash occurred on NASA Boulevard near Evans Road in Melbourne, Florida. Apparently the motorcyclist was traveling eastbound on NASA Boulevard when he went off the roadway, crossed the median and hit a westbound Ford pickup truck in the right lane. The article goes onto the motorcyclist was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida were he later died from his injuries.

For more information on Motorcycle Accidents Click Here: http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/motorcycle-accidents.html

Florida Today-August 26, 2011-Andrew Knapp-According to the article the a 19-year-old Merritt Island woman that was in the fatal Beachline overpass tanker crash had placed three cell phone calls to the owner of the F-150 truck that she was borrowing just prior to the crash. Apparently the driver was distracted and lost control of the truck crashing it into a tanker truck carrying 8,702 gallons of gasoline. The crash caused a fire destroying the overpass at North Courtenay Parkway in Merritt Island, Brevard County, Florida. The article goes onto say the driver overcorrected and the Ford truck sideswiped the tanker. Both the woman and driver of the tanker truck were killed when the vehicle overturned and fell off the overpass and exploded.

Gasoline spilled over half the bridge and burned for at least an hour, charring the bridge beyond repair. Florida Department of Transportation granted funds to have the overpass rebuilt in three weeks by Lane Construction.

According to Florida Highway Patrol they found no certain factors that contributed to the fatal crash. The roads were wet, but it was not raining. Also blood samples were taken and there was no indication that either driver was under the influence.

For more information on Automobile Accidents Click Here: http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/auto-accidents.html

Motorcycle accidents can cause serious injury to the rider and in some cases even death. When the motorcyclist is involved in a collision or loses control of the bike, there are several common types of injuries that can occur:

Collision with less forgiving protective barriers, or badly placed roadside “furniture” (lampposts, signs, fences etc.) This is often simply a result of poor road design, and can be engineered out to a large degree. Note that when one falls off a motorcycle in the middle of a curve, lamps and signs create a “wall” of sorts with little chance to avoid slamming against a pole.

Concussion and brain damage, as the head violently contacts other vehicles or objects. Riders wearing an approved helmet/wiki/Motorcycle_helmet \\ Standards_testing reduce the risk of death by 37 percent.

Breakage of joints (elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and wrists), fingers, spine and neck, for the same reason. The most common breakages are the shoulder and the pelvis.

Soft tissue (skin and muscle) damage (road rash) /wiki/R\\hich\\af0\\dbch\\af31505\\loch\\f0 oad_rashas the body slides across the surface. This can be prevented entirely with the proper use of motorcycle-specific protective apparel such as a leather jacket or reinforced denim and textile pants.

There is also a condition known as biker’s arm, where the nerves in the upper arm are damaged during the fall, causing a permanent paralysis of arm movement.

Facial disfigurement, if in the absence of a full-face helmet, the unprotected face slides across the ground or smashes into an object. Thirty-five percent of all crashes show major impact on the chin-bar area.

The Hurt Report (a motorcycle safety study initiated in the United States in 1976, published in 1981, and named after its primary author, Professor Harry Hurt) also commented on injuries after an accident stating that the likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle accidents – 98% of the multiple vehicle collision and 96% of the single vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, you can benefit from the experience and knowledge of the Brevard County motorcycle accident Charpentier Law Firm, P.A.

Brevard County personal injury attorneys at Charpentier Law Firm, P.A., have the experience and resources to handle any type of motorcycle accident case, no matter how complex the circumstances. Contact our practice for a case review.

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Motorcycle Consumer News-August 2011-Polaris is recalling certain model year 2011 Victory Cross Country motorcycles manufactured from January 1, through April 11, 2011. Apparently the handlebar clamps and/or risers may have been machined incorrectly, leading to the handlebars to slip in the clamps. This could cause the rider of the motorcycle to lose control and increasing the risk of crash or injury. Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will test and replace the defective riser/clamp assemblies, free of charge. Owners may contact Victory Consumer Service at 888-704-5290. NHTSA Campaign ID#: 11V305000

For more information on Motorcycles Click Here: http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/motorcycle-accidents.html

Florida Today-August 17, 2011-According to the article a two people were taken to the hospital after a car smashed into the back of one car causing a chain reaction of crashes. The accident occurred on Barnes Blvd. in Rockledge, Brevard County, Florida Tuesday morning. The cars were waiting for a school bus to get students when the accident happened. Police say a 17-year-old from Rockledge High caused the accident.

For more information on Automobile Accidents Click Here: http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/auto-accidents.html

Motorcycle Consumer News-August 2011-Honda is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 VT750 motorcycles produced from June 25, 2009 to March 28, 2011. According to the article the bank angle sensor may be incorrectly manufactured, creating the possibility of an erroneous reading which could the engine to stall resulting in a crash or injury. Honda will replace the affected bank angle sensors. Owners may contact Honda Motorcycle Customer Service at 866-784-1870. NHTSA Campaign ID#: 11V310000

For more information on Motorcycles Click Here: http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/motorcycle-accidents.html

Motorcycle Consumer News-August 2011-KTM is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 motorcycles manufactured from November 2009 through November 23, 2010. KTM is recalling motorcycles die to improper heat treatment, the handlebar clamps can develop cracks, allowing the handlebar to move from its set position. This unexpected movement can cause the rider to crash resulting in injury or death to the rider. KTM dealers will replace the defective clamps free of charge. Owners may contact KTM Customer Service at 888-985-6090. NHTSA Campaign ID#: 11V300000.

For more information on Motorcycles Click Here: http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/motorcycle-accidents.html

According to the Hurt Report (a motorcycle safety study initiated in the United States in 1976, published in 1981, and named after its primary author, Professor Harry Hurt), 75% of motorcycle accidents involved a collision with another vehicle, usually a car.

Other notable findings in the Hurt Report are quoted below:

 * 75% of accidents were found to involve a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle, while the remaining 25% of accidents were single motorcycle accidents.

*”In the single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the typical error being a slide-out and fall due to over-braking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.”

*”Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement” and “injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size.”

*In the multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.

*The report’s additional findings show that the wearing of appropriate gear, specifically, helmets and durable garments, mitigates crash injuries substantially.

*”Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle accidents, and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control was lost due to a puncture flat” and “Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.”

*”The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents… Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps – on in daylight and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.”

If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident, you can benefit from the experience and knowledge of the Brevard County motorcycle accident  at Charpentier Law Firm, P.A.

Motorcycle accident statistics are extremely vital, supplying relevant data and educating us on how to effectively reduce accidents and injuries.

Florida Today-July 19, 2011-According to the article a 55-year-old man was seriously injured after a motorcycle crash that occurred on U.S. Highway 1 in Grant, Brevard County, Florida. The wreck happened at the intersection of Valkaria Road and was reported at 12:23 p.m. Florida Highway Patrol say the man went down after losing control of his 2000 Harley Davidson. According to the article the man suffered critical injuries and taken by ambulance to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida. Apparently weather prevented the crew from airlifting the man to the hospital.

For more information on Motorcycle Accidents Click Here: http://www.brevardlawyer.com/html/motorcycle-accidents.html