Cincinnati Personal Injury Lawyer - Motorcycle Accidents

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in Ohio

Stephanie Day — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:02:00 GMT

Ohio is among the top 5 states with the most motorcycle riders. Motorcycle sales here have increased by about 16% per year. With growing popularity comes an increased need to educate motorists on motorcycle awareness and safety.

Here are a few tips for a safe 2008 riding season:

- Riders must have a valid motorcycle license, quality motorcycle training, and proper safety equipment. Many motorcycle accidents are the result of untrained and unlicensed riders.

- Ride sober. Nearly half of motorcycle fatalities are alcohol related.

- Motorists should remember that a motorcycle is a vehicle with all the same privileges on the road. Give the motorcycle a full lane of travel.

- Don’t follow a motorcycle too closely. Allow enough room for the motorcyclist to take evasive action for a hazard, if necessary. For instance, when encountering a pothole, gravel, slippery pavement, and railroad crossings a rider may need to take evasive action.

For additional safety and training information, visit Motorcycle Ohio’s Web site.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Stephanie Day

Motorcycle Crash Avoidance

Stephanie Day — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:54:20 GMT

Spring is here, and with the increase in temperatures comes an increase in motorcycles on the roadways. There are over 4 million motorcycles registered in the U.S. Unfortunately, motorcycle crash fatalities amount to 5% of all highway deaths each year, yet motorcycles represent just 2% of the registered vehicles on the roadways in the U.S. An obvious reason for motorcyclists to be fatally injured in crashes is due to the zero bodily protection a motorcycle provides in a crash situation. 80% of reported motorcycle crashes result in injury or death, compared to automobile crash injuries and death at a rate of 20%.

To prepare for crash avoidance, a new motorcycle operator should always attend a motorcycle rider training course to be educated on how to safely operate a bike and purchase the proper clothing for riding. A motorcycle operator must be far more careful and aware of his/her surroundings than an automobile operator. It takes much more skill and coordination to operate a bike than a car.

Driving defensively is key. For instance, a biker must pay special attention at intersections for vehicles that may unexpectedly pull out into the motorcycle’s path, as well as watch road surfaces and traffic ahead to anticipate problems. Use these tips to keep safe in the future.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Stephanie Day

Ohio Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:42:12 GMT

A motorcyclist, 24, was killed Saturday in a motorcycle accident on Middle Beaver Road in Elk Run Township.

A Trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, in Lisbon, said the motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The man was traveling eastbound on his bike, on Middle Beaver Road, just before 6 p.m. when the motorcycle went off the ride side of the highway and struck an embankment, ejecting him. He did have his helmet on at the time of the accident, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol.

If you or a loved one has suffered injury in a motorcycle accident, you can use the form located on the right to contact one of our personal injury lawyers for a free consultation.

For more information, please refer to our section on Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Woman Charged in Death of 2 Motorcyclists

Christina Cole — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:53:26 GMT

A woman who has pled not guilty to two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault in Perry County, had been on many different medications the day of the accident, according to court records.

Lorraine M. Mattox, 45, was indicted in October after an accident in July with a group of motorcycle riders, left two riders dead. Prosecutor Joseph Flautt said, if convicted, Mattox could end up with 13 years in prison. Trial is set for March 28th.

Per the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation, it states that at 11:55am on July, 8 Mattox was going west on U.S. 22 east of Somerset. Mattox looked in her rearview and saw some motorcycles approaching. "I tried to downshift to low, but next thing I heard was a tremendous boom," Mattox told the investigators. The 2005 Chevy Malibu she was driving had gone left of center, striking two of four eastbound motorcycles.

Garry Clark, 54, of Dexter City, and Dennis Clark, 51, died as a result of the accident.

Richard Shumaker, 53, of Nashport, and his wife, Lona, 48, were injured and transported to Grant Hospital in Columbus by a medical helicopter. The other biker, Richard Cady, 51, and his passenger, Jacqueline S. Cady, 47, of Hebron, were also injured. Court records show Dennis Clark had heart disease prior to the crash, but the injuries he suffered in the crash led to his heart failure and his death. The riders were on a Burn Unit Poker Run for Children's Hospital.
Records show Mattox told Trooper F.J. Cook she had taken some medication that day; Promethazine, a medication used to relieve symptoms of allergic reactions; meprobamate, a medication used to treat anxiety disorders; and Dilantin, a medication used to control generalized gran mal and psychomotor or temporal lobe seizures. Records also show Mattox was convicted of DUI in 1983 and in 1994.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole