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Date: 
Saturday, January 4, 2014

A 15-year-old girl from Murrieta was in a coma and on life support following a skateboarding accident Sunday. The community is now rallying to help raise funds to pay for her medical expenses. Madison Olson was skating down a steep street in San Clemente, when she lost control. She was not wearing a helmet and suffered a serious head injury. Her father, Jason Olson, has faith she will survive, but realizes there will be huge medical expenses.

Date: 
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Two people have been killed after their motorcycle collided with a vehicle that pulled in front of it on New Years day. Garland police say 54-year-old Ronald Hawley and his wife, 60-year-old Deborah Hawley, died Thursday at a hospital from injuries suffered the day before. Police say the Hawleys, who lived in Garland, were not wearing helmets when they were thrown into the roadway.
Date: 
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
A teenage bicyclist was in critical condition Thanksgiving night after a hit-and-run driver struck him in Long Beach, authorities said. The crash was reported shortly before 5 p.m. near 61st Street and Linden Avenue (map), according to a spokesperson for the Long Beach Fire Department. A 15-year-old boy was riding his bike west on 61st Street when he rode through a stop sign and was struck by a light-colored sedan, possibly a Nissan Altima, traveling north on Linden Avenue, authorities said.
Date: 
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Chelan County sheriff says a 17-year-old Leavenworth teen died in a weekend accident while riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Mark D. Clark was riding the ATV on Sunitsch Canyon Road in Leavenworth when he lost control and was thrown against a tree, with the ATV rolling into him, causing fatal neck and head injuries. The young man was not wearing a helmet.  

Fresno jury awards $1,085,439.15 to parents of a young motorcycle rider

Accident Type: 
Motorcycle Accident
Incident Date: 
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Result Date: 
Monday, July 7, 2008
Monetary Result: 
$1,085,439
On May 26, 2007, at about midnight, Hilari N. Sloan, 20, a college student and hostess, was injured while riding as a passenger on the rear of a motorcycle driven by Brad Jacob Stephens at the intersection of Copper and Minnewawa avenues in Clovis. Sloan sustained a severe closed head injury and massive facial injuries. She was placed on life support, but died several days later. Stephens and Sloan were travelling eastbound on Copper. After two other motorcycles in front of them made a right turn at the intersection to proceed southbound on Minnewawa, Stephens accelerated through the intersection. Phillis Elaine Steele, who was traveling northbound on Minnewawa and had stopped her car at a stop sign, pulled into the intersection, assuming that all three motorcycles were turning right. The Stephens and Sloan motorcycle then crashed into the front driver side of the Steele vehicle, causing Stephens, Sloan, and the motorcycle to fly over the car. Sloan's parents, Dee Anna and Gordon D. Sloan, sued Stephens and his mother, Elizabeth Palm, the vehicle owner, and Phillis and Bennie L. Steele for motor vehicle negligence. They argued that Phillis Steele negligently entered the intersection from the stop sign. They also allegated that Stephens was negligent for not recognizing the potential hazard with two motorcycles turning in front of him and a car at the stop sign, failing to maintain a slow speed or accelerate slowly, flashing his high beams, covering his brakes, and placing the decedent in a helmet that was too large for her head. Steele admitted fault, but agreed with the Sloans’ negligence contentions against Stephens. Stephens argued that he was not speeding, that he had the right of way, that he violated no laws, that he did not have his right­hand turn signal on, that he was in the left­hand side of the lane, that he had no time for evasive maneuvers, and that Steele was totally at fault. The parties disputed whether the decedent’s helmet came off during the accident, and whether Stephens had taken Zoloft and Xanax that day and drank one beer. Her parents sought between $1 million and $2 million in non-economic damages. Stevens requested a defense verdict, or an award of $400,000 to $500,000. Stephens and Palm had $1.1 million in liability insurance through State Farm. The Sloans had $100,000 of underinsured motorist coverage by CSAA. The jury ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, finding Stephens 22% at fault and Steele 78% at fault, awarding $1,085,439.15 in damages. The plaintiffs recovered $1 million in non-economic damages, and $85,439.15 in funeral and hospital expenses.

Wearing a helmet reduces fatalities by 85%. Tips on buying the right one

Seems like a no-brainer to wear a helmet each time you skateboard, bicycle, or inline skate, doesn't it? If that one statistic doesn't convince you to make this a habit, click here for this story from Bill Coats Law, a personal injury law firm in Bellingham, WA, with recent statistics and advice on buying a helmet. 

Be careful when transporting fragile goods: wear a bicycle helmet

Did you know that some cities do not require bicyclists to wear helmets? There is no state law mandating their use, either. This is surprising, due to statistics showing that “helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent,” according to the Bicycle Safety Helmet Institute, a volunteer advocacy group. Go here to learn how helmets protect you, and why you should never get on your bike without one.

Want to prevent a TBI? Make sure to always wear this when you bicycle

It's no mystery. Wearing a bike  helmet when you bicycle, skateboard, inline skate, or ride a scooter greatly reduced your chance of getting a brain injury. For recent statistics on bicycle crashes and injuries, as well as tips on finding the right helmet, click here for this article from Bellingham lawyer Bill Coats, a bicycle and car crash attorney.

Motorcycling – Fun and freedom tempered by increased risk of collision

For enthusiasts, motorcycling is the preferred mode of travel. A sense of freedom, a close connection to the road and nature, and the speed and maneuverability of a motorcycle are all reasons why there has been an increase in motorcycling's popularity. However, given the vulnerability of a motorcyclist to the larger, heavier vehicles sharing the road, the danger in injury or death from a motorcycle accident is significantly greater. Click here for more information on what to do next if you were in a motorcycle crash.