Yost Law Legal Blog

Baltimore, Maryland

The Yost Legal Group in Baltimore, Maryland is a multi – service personal injury law firm focusing on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Archive for July, 2010

Common Injuries Following Motorcycle Accidents

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Most motorcycle riders who are seriously injured and killed following an accident are thrown from their bike. Without a seatbelt or other restraints, the rider and any passengers with them will be ejected onto or near the road.

It is estimated that 75% of all motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle. A quarter of them involve single bike accidents where there is a chance the rider will fall, then slide, roll, or bounce down the road. Either way, the resulting injuries can be very severe. Blunt force trauma and abrasion injuries are very common.
Some of the most common injuries following a motorcycle accident include:

• Broken bones, especially broken legs
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Road rash

It is important to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle. Traumatic brain injuries will often be very severe or fatal in motorcycle accidents. Even if you are riding your motorcycle in a state that does not enforce helmet laws, please wear a helmet.

It can take months to heal from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Broken bones are more than just simple fractures most of the time. Healing often involves months of physical therapy and recuperation. You may be unable to work to pay bills that continue to role in if you are laid up for months.

If you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and are unable to work, please contact the experienced Maryland motorcycle accident lawyers at the Yost Legal Groupto get the compensation you deserve. We serve the Baltimore, Maryland area.

Tags: compensation you deserve, motorcycle accident lawyers, seriously injured, unable to work
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What to do After a Motorcycle Accident

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, it will probably be hard to think clearly right away, but you need to so that you can protect yourself and others. Having a motorcycle accident is not like being involved in an auto accident. You do not have the luxury of being surrounded by material that will take most of the impact. However, several of the things you should do following your motorcycle accident at the same things you would do had you been involved in an auto accident.

If you are in the way of traffic or are in danger of being involved in a second accident, you need to move fast. There may be gas leaking, which can start a fire and burn you or others. Once you are sure you are safe, you need to check for injuries and call emergency services. Be sure other motorists can see your motorcycle if it is lying on its side.

Other actions you should take if you have been involved in a motorcycle accident include:

• If you or others need medical attention, get it as quickly as you can
• Do not leave the scene of the motorcycle accident before police arrive
• Get any pertinent information from others involved or witnesses, including: name, address, phone, email, insurance company information, driver’s license, and license plate number
• Contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney

If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident in the Baltimore, Maryland area, please contact the offices of the experienced Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyers at the Yost Law Group for a free case consultation.

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Defensive Driving for Motorcyclists

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

It is estimated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that there are over four million registered motorcycles on U.S. roads. There are probably many more unregistered riders who ride their motorcycles across cities and towns in every state.

However, in order to keep from being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, it is beneficial to all motorcyclists to drive defensively. Remember, you are the some of the smallest vehicles on the road and are without the protection cars and trucks have.

Some things you can do to drive defensively on your motorcycle include:

• Stay alert to vehicles around you, especially at intersections. Vehicles may pull or turn in front of you at any time.
• Be prepared to stop or avoid vehicles quickly
• Check your mirrors when changing lanes or stopping to avoid being rear-ended. Use your turn signals.
• Watch for changes in the surface of the road. A minor bump for a car can be a major jolt causing you to crash on a motorcycle. Also watch for manholes, debris, water, gravel, and more.
• Cross railroad tracks at as close to a 90 degree angle as possible

Perhaps the most important thing you can do is something that experienced motorcycle riders often tell newbies: Assume you are invisible to other motorists. Avoid blind spots, use headlights at all times of the day, and do not try to speed past cars.

If you have questions about defensive motorcycle driving in the Baltimore, Maryland area, please contact the experienced Maryland motorcycle accident attorneys at the Yost Law Group today.

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Guidelines for Driving Motorcycles

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Most vehicles on the roads are passenger vehicles, such as autos, SUVs, or large trucks. However, during the warm months of summer, more motorcycles are frequently ridden. Motorcycles have become more popular for people from all walks of life to ride. With the rise in motorcyclists on the road comes a rise in the chance of being involved in a motorcycle accident.

Motorcyclists follow the same rules of the road as anyone else in a car. Most accidents involving a motorcycle are caused by the driver of a car not seeing the motorcycle. Loud exhaust pipes and bright colored gear are two ways motorcycles are more likely to be noticed. There are a few things to remember when driving around motorcycles.

• Motorcycles are smaller than your car – it may be easy to see other passenger vehicles, but motorcyclists are sometimes not identified by other drivers, even when they are looking right in the direction of the motorcycle. All drivers should look for motorcycles when they turn onto the road or cross an intersection.
• Groups of motorcyclists may ride in formation together or ride spread out – Even if two or three motorcycles are not part of the same group, drivers should avoid coming between them on the road. Motorcycles can easily wind up in your blind spot.
• Remember that motorcycles do not have the same protection as people in a car – Motorcycle riders are more likely to be in a traffic fatality than passengers in a car. They are also more likely to suffer road rash, lower extremity injury, or broken bones.

It is especially important for motorcycle riders to drive defensively. When cars drive behind motorcycles, they should give a little extra distance to increase their reaction time in case of brakes being applied. Car drivers should also be careful after passing a motorcycle so that they do not cut back in too close to the motorcycle rider’s path. By staying safe on the road, you can be sure that you and those around you will make it home.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident in the Baltimore, Maryland area, please contact the experienced Baltimore motorcycle accident attorneys at the Yost Legal Group for an initial consultation.

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