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Recent Blog Posts
Study Shows Seatbelts and Airbags Can Reduce Risk of Facial Fractures
When accidents happen, victims need all the protection they can get. A recent study suggests that safety updates in vehicles, particularly those made to seatbelts and airbags, provide a certain level of risk reduction. However, injuries can and do still happen to auto accident victims. As such, it is important that you know what to do, should an accident happen to you.
Risk of Facial Fractures Reduced, but Not Eliminated
Using data from the National Trauma Data Bank, researchers from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center examined the risk of facial fractures among auto accident victims. What they found was that, out of 518,106 accident victims, 56,422 had suffered at least one facial fracture. Seatbelts were used by about 27 percent, 6 percent had an airbag, and 9 percent had both.
When compared to those that did not have any safety devices in their car, victims were 18 percent less likely to suffer a facial fracture with only an airbag. Those using only a seatbelt had a risk reduction of 43 percent. And when victims used both seatbelts and airbags, their risk of a facial fracture was reduced by 53 percent. This suggests that, while people have a fear of the damage that an airbag can cause, their risk of facial injuries are reduced, especially if that airbag is used in conjunction with a seatbelt. However, the risk of facial fractures is still present.
Understanding Sexual Assault Charges in Wisconsin
Sexual assault (also known as sexual battery) is a serious offense in the state of Wisconsin. Considered a violent offense, and generally a felony, it comes with heavy penalties for those who are convicted. If you or someone you love is facing such charges, understand what these charges could mean for your future and understand how to ensure you are effectively and aggressively represented.
What Constitutes Sexual Assault?
Sexual assault charges can be brought by a victim against a total stranger, a friend, a neighbor, or even a spouse. The law treats them all the same. Essentially, it is constituted as compelling someone (a victim) to engage in sexual penetration, contact, or other sexual acts against their will. This can also apply if the alleged victim is considered to have been unable to give sexual consent (i.e. being overly intoxicated, a minor, or mentally incapable) at the time of sexual intercourse or contact.
Most Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Even with the protection of gloves, leathers, helmets, boots, and safety goggles, motorcycle riders are at an extremely high risk for serious injury. This is due, in part, to the lack of encasement around them. However, they are also at an increased risk because, more often than not, other drivers simply do not see motorcycle riders. What injuries are riders most likely to sustain in a motorcycle accident? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) have both conducted studies to find the answer.
Most Common Non-Fatal Injuries
Based on hospital records of 1,222,000 motorcycle crash victims, the CDC’s study of non-fatal motorcycle crash injuries determined that the feet and legs of riders were most likely to be injured in a crash (30 percent of all injuries). However, in a very close second, injuries to the head and neck accounted for 22 percent of injuries. This includes injuries like traumatic brain injury (TBI, also known as a concussion), paralysis, whiplash, and others. Injuries to the chest, back, shoulders, hips, arms, pelvis, and other areas of the body made up the remainder of non-fatal injuries sustained by riders.
Excessive Force and Police Brutality
The viral YouTube video of a young Wisconsin woman’s arrest has outraged a community and caused local leaders asking heavy and important questions. All parties want a review of the details. Law enforcement officials say one will be conducted, but such investigations often sway in favor of the officers on duty. That leaves the general population to decide for themselves whether or not racial mistreatment and excessive force were present in the recent arrest. On a wider scale, the arrest also calls into question the pervasiveness and persistence of these problems throughout the state of Wisconsin.
Details of the Arrest
After allegedly confronting a mall employee about a stolen cell phone, the slight-built 18-year-old was approached by mall security. She reportedly displayed a knife and threatened one of the security guards. Law enforcement was called to address the issue. Outside of the mall, the woman allegedly tried to leave after officers told her to stay. They then attempted to take her into custody, which she reportedly resisted against. That is when the madness ensued.
Practicing Yoga or Tai Chi May Help Reduce Your Risk of a Slip and Fall Injury
According to the National Safety Council, approximately 2.5 million people are treated in emergency departments for slips and falls each year. Some of those falls happen at home, some happen at work, and still others occur at business establishments in premises liability accidents. A new study suggests that practicing yoga on a regular basis could reduce your risk for them all.
The Relationship Between Falls and Balance
As the human body ages, balance begins to fade. As such, those who are older are at greater risk for falls than those who are younger. However, one study concluded that everyone – even young people – experience frequent slips and falls. Conducted on college students, the study counted 1,446 total trips and slips and 82 falls over the course of 16 weeks. And so, the final consensus is that every person, young and old, could benefit from improved balance to help them prevent slips, trips, and falls.
Dealing with a DUI/OWI Charge in Wisconsin
Getting caught behind the wheel while intoxicated can have serious consequences in the state of Wisconsin. It can affect your ability to drive, result in jail time, and even have an impact on your employment opportunities if listed on your criminal record. Furthermore, the process of dealing with a DUI (driving under the influence) or OWI (operating a vehicle while intoxicated) can be frustrating, expensive, and highly arduous. If you are facing OWI or DUI charges in Wisconsin, know how to protect your rights and your future against the potential long-term consequences.
Wisconsin Legal Limits
In the state of Wisconsin, the maximum blood alcohol content (BAC) permissible by law is 0.08. Anything above that and you can be arrested and charged with a DUI or OWI (often used interchangeably). The only exceptions are for commercial drivers, who can face charges for a BAC for a limit of 0.04 or higher, and drivers under the age of 21, who can be arrested for any trace of alcohol in their system.
Study Finds Higher Crash Rate for Truck Drivers Who Fail to Adhere to Sleep Apnea Treatment
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a medical condition that temporarily stops a sufferer’s breathing while they sleep. This can disrupt sleepiness and often leads to excessive daytime sleepiness. This symptom, which can be caused by a number of other factors or conditions, is thought to be responsible for as many as 20 percent of all large truck accidents and as many as 9,000 deaths and 22,000 severe injuries each and every year. What is most concerning is that nearly all of those accidents (if not all) could have been prevented with proper diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea
According to estimates from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep apnea affects as many 26 percent of Americans. Unfortunately, many do not actually know they have the condition since it rarely wakes the sufferer up enough that they register the disruption. Instead, they must be able to register their daytime sleepiness and/or other symptoms as a side effect of their condition and speak to their doctor. From there, they undergo testing that will help their doctor diagnose and administer treatment.
Assaulting an Officer Could Soon Be Classified a Hate Crime
Assaulting a police officer is already considered a severe crime. However, a bill recently proposed in Wisconsin could turn police attacks into a hate crime. This could make defending those charged with assaulting a police officer much more difficult. Furthermore, it could increase the penalties of those who are charged with crimes related to officer assault.
Texas Officer Deaths Prompt Bill
The bill, a direct response to the Dallas shooting that killed five officers and injured seven others, was proposed by Representative David Steffen, R-Howard. Dubbed the “Blue Lives Matter” bill, it would give prosecutors and judges the ability to up the charges of assaulting an officer to a hate crime. If convicted, one could expect to suffer a longer prison term and higher fines. It is meant to focus on those that target police officers. However, this bill may only work in theory.
Researchers Devise a New Strategy to Determine if Whiplash Will Have Long-Term Consequences
Whiplash has remained one of medicine’s strange mysteries, especially in cases where there are long-term pain and complication. However, a new study has devised a way that may help in predicting which patients are likely to experience long-lasting symptoms, which can prove to be beneficial in ensuring proper treatment and interventions are provided. Though only a single study at this point, this new diagnostic method could prove to be highly beneficial in treating automobile accident victims in the future.
Risk Group Division and Long-Term Complications
Conducted by the Danish “Whiplash Study Group” and presented at the Second Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) in Copenhagen, the study followed the outcomes of 326 automobile accident victims diagnosed with whiplash. Each had received a clinical examination within four days of the injury and were then assigned to a risk group, based on factors relating to the type and nature of their pain, type and number of painful complaints, and mobility of their neck. Those that complained of severe headaches, strong neck pain, and displayed a negative emotional state were placed in the highest risk group. The rest were categorized according to the severity of their symptoms.
Understanding the Consequences of a Drug Charge in Wisconsin
Drug charges are one of the most complicated criminal matters in the state of Wisconsin. This is because there are so many different factors used to determine the consequence. Able to impact your life in ways that you may not have even considered, it is critical that you understand these consequences and how you can best protect yourself when facing a drug charge in Wisconsin.
Factors Used to Determine Sentencing of a Drug Charge
Like other states, Wisconsin adheres to a drug schedule to determine the penalties of a drug charge. Drugs with a higher classification – those said to have no medical use – typically result in a heavier consequence, but there are exceptions. For example, being arrested near a school can result in heavier penalties, even for those arrested with lower classification drugs in their possession. Other factors used to determine the severity of a charge will typically include the amount of substance found in possession and the number of previous drug charges. Keep in mind, however, that even these factors can be deceptive. For example, carrying above a certain amount could result in an intent to deliver charge.
