A sudden impact can force a lumbar disc out of its proper positioning. This results in the bones grinding against each other and rubbing against the spinal nerves. The resulting symptoms are lower back and leg pain, and numbness, tingling, and weakness in the legs. These pains can be debilitating when persistent and severe. There are many types of treatment that attempt to relieve the pain, but in many cases these do little to help the individual’s situation. When this is the case, many physicians turn to lumbar fusion. This is a procedure that fuses two of the lumbar vertebrae together. By fusing the vertebrae it is believed that the area will be stabilized and the nerves will have a clear unencumbered pathway thereby reducing the opportunity and persistence of pain.

In lumbar fusion procedures, the surgeon removes the intervertebral disc that is causing problems. Access to the spinal column can be achieved from the front (anterior lumbar fusion) or from the back (posterior lumbar fusion). Once the disc is removed, the surgeon will remove any bone spurs that may be in the area and irritating the spinal cord. The surgeon then inserts a bone graft between the two vertebrae to maintain the original amount of space between the vertebrae. This piece of bone can come from the hip bone of the patient or from a bone bank. Both options have their benefits and obstacles. The fusion of the bones is slightly more successful in cases of an autogeneous bone graft (coming from the patient’s own body). However, this requires an additional step to the surgical process whereby the donor bone is harvested (usually from the hip), resulting in more pain and recovery time. An allograft (a piece of bone from a bone bank) reduces the healing time, but might not fuse as well with the other bones. In either case, the surgeon is likely to insert screws and metal plates to hold the vertebrae in place while the bones fuse together. This fusion occurs in largely the same manner as the healing of a bone fracture. Once fused, the vertebrae make up one larger bone, which reduced the chances for painful movement.

Lumbar fusion procedures are highly successful at stabilization. Fusion occurs in over 80% of all cases. However, successful fusion does not necessarily indicate the elimination of all pain. In fact a fusion can often lead to increased pain. Full recovery from lumbar fusion procedures usually takes six to eight months.

This information is provided by www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Jason Epstein and his law practice Premiere Law Group in Seattle, Washington.

It is important to understand the workings of the shoulder to grasp the depth of the injury. The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles that attach to the shoulder joint or humeral head just behind the shoulder blade. These muscles are attached by a tough piece of tissue called a tendon. Combined, these muscles allow the shoulder to have its great range of motion. Notably, the shoulder has the widest range of motion of any joint in the body. However, when these tendons become inflamed or torn, the ability to move the shoulder becomes severely restrained.

The force of a car accident, especially when combined with certain movements of the body, is enough to completely tear these tendons. The most likely incident to cause a rotator cuff tear is a rear-ended crash. In this case, a vehicle strikes yours from behind with little or no anticipation. If you do see it coming, you might check your rear-view mirror and see the car approaching too quickly. The natural reaction is then to brace yourself against the steering wheel. This combination of twisting and bracing plus the impact of the other car is perfect for damaging the rotator cuff. Another series of events that sometimes injures the rotator cuff is a rear-end collision where the victim’s car is spun off to the side. The driver tries to recover control and stay on the road, overstressing the shoulder muscles.

Symptoms of an acute, complete tear of the rotator cuff are usually immediate and severe. Although there are exceptions, typically within 24 to 48 hours there is sharp pain in the shoulder and arm. This is accompanied by a reduced range of motion, especially in the inability to lift the arm over the head. Most patients complain of sleeping problems due to the pressure applied to the shoulder while lying in bed. Symptoms of non-acute rotator cuff injuries are more gradual, however similar pain is felt.

There are a variety of treatment methods for rotator cuff injuries. Surgery is not always the right option, but is usually recommended in cases of acute tears. Most doctors recommend trying a conservative (non-surgical) treatment option first to see if the injury will heal on its own. These include resting, medication, icing, and physical therapy exercises. These treatments, though, may not restore full strength or range of motion. Surgery can provide a more complete recovery, but it may not be as effective if it is delayed significantly. It is best to discuss all of your options with your physician before beginning a treatment plan.

This information is provided by www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Jason Epstein and his law practice Premiere Law Group in Seattle, Washington.

To understand how cervical fusion can help you and eliminate your pain, it is essential to understand the basic parts of the spinal column and how spinal cord injuries occur. The spinal column is made up of 24 vertebrae or small circular pieces of bone that line up, one on top of the other. The different sections of the column are given specific names to help identification. The uppermost vertebrae are called the cervical vertebrae and are found in the neck. In between each vertebra is a cushiony disc that absorbs shock and keeps the bones separated from each other. In the back of each of the vertebrae is a small hole, called the foramina which allows the nerve column known as the spinal cord to run through, protected from outside forces.

When these discs are damaged, the bones rub against each other and against the many nerves in the spine, all which cause severe pain along with other symptoms such as numbness, tingling, burning, or pins and needles. If a patient suffers an injury that damages the back or neck, these discs can become pushed out of place. These injuries can occur suddenly, like with an auto accident, or over time, like with repetitive stress. This is often painful because the discs cannot do their job of cushioning the bones if they are out of position. This can also occur naturally over time as the liquid-filled discs become dehydrated and less inflated, this is called degeneration.

Loss of disc space, or the discs being moved puts the vertebrae in dangerously close proximity to each other. Occasionally, the encasement of the disc ruptures and the disc is no longer useful. Another possibility for pain is the development of bone spurs. These are sharp pieces of bone that grow off the vertebrae and themselves rub the other bone or aggravate the nerves. Any of these problems could be caused by a traumatic event, such as a car accident. When conservative treatment is exhausted these complaints may be resolved by cervical fusion.

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To relieve the pain, a surgeon creates a small incision in the patient’s neck, just under the chin. He then would remove the disc that is causing problems, usually because it has ruptured. A piece of bone or an implant is then inserted to fill the space that the disc once occupied, so that the height of the spinal column and the distance between vertebrae remains the same. This piece of bone either comes from the patient’s hip bone, the iliac crest, or a bone bank. Both options have their benefits and obstacles. The fusion of the bones is slightly more successful in cases of an autogeneous bone graft (coming from the patient’s own body). However, this requires an additional step to the surgical process of harvesting your donor bone from another site on your body, usually your hip, resulting in more pain and recovery time. An allograft (a piece of bone from a bone bank) reduces the healing time, but might not fuse as well with the other bones. If all goes correctly, the bones will fuse together into one larger piece of bone, reducing the possibility of painful situations because the bones can no longer rub together or pinch the nerves.

Unfortunately, when a cervical fusion is performed it places additional stress on the vertebrae above and below the surgery site. This makes it significantly more likely that the person will need another surgery, either a discectomy, a laminectomy, or another fusion at one of those levels.

This information is provided by www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Jason Epstein and his law practice Premiere Law Group in Seattle, Washington.

The most common type of whiplash occurs in a rear-impact car accident. When your car is hit from behind your car is pushed forward and then shortly after, your body follows. However your body doesn’t move forward as one complete unit. Your head and neck are thrown back into the seat and headrest, while your torso is thrown forward. Your head and neck shortly follow in a downward forward motion towards the steering wheel. Your brain’s immediate reaction is to slam on the brakes to stop the forward motion of your car. This in turn sends your body quickly backwards until your head and neck hit the headrest again. The extension both forward and backwards of your neck and the resulting impact on the headrest injures the tissues of the neck, resulting in whiplash.

This mechanism can also result in a brain injury as your brain is thrown about inside the hard, protective skull.

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Whiplash is formally defined as injury to the soft tissues of the neck due to hyperextention (moving too far backwards) and hyperflexation (too far forwards). These tissues include ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Injury to these tissues can also damage the nerves in the area, resulting in long lasting damage and symptoms in the rest of the body. The most evident symptoms are localized to the neck and head. These symptoms are pain and stiffness in the neck, which can extend down to the shoulders and up to the head and headache. Whiplash can also manifest itself as tingling in the arms and hands because of nerve damage and lower back pain because of damage to the intervertebral joints and discs. Mental function can be impaired and may result in poor concentration or mental performance or loss of memory. Other common symptoms are blurred vision, ringing in the ears, dizziness, and tiredness.

Car manufacturers are improving their designs and technology to help prevent whiplash injuries in car accident victims. The most important part of the car in a whiplash case is the headrest. The headrest should be positioned to support the head’s center of gravity. This will help keep the head from going even farther back in the reaction stage of the impact.

If you feel that you have suffered from whiplash, you should call your doctor immediately. If the case is severe, the doctor will likely have you wear a soft collar for a short period of time for protection and to keep the neck tissues in place. However, the most immediate treatment is ice to reduce the swelling and a pain reliever to prevent inflammation. In most cases, the pain subsides within a few months, although in about 25% of cases pain and symptoms continue indefinitely. If you believe you have suffered a whiplash injury, consult your doctor for long term treatment options such as chiropractic, massage, ultrasound and physical therapy.

This information is provided by www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Jason Epstein and his law practice Premiere Law Group in Seattle, Washington.

In Washington State, where I practice in Seattle as a Personal Injury Attorney, the state senate recently toughened their cell phone driving laws on February 4th, making it easier for police to ticket drivers texting or talking on a cell phone without a headset (incidentally, though many states do permit the use of hand-free headsets for phone calls, studies show they’re just as dangerous to rely on while driving).

The new law, which passed 33-15, upgrades the law to make using a cell phone while driving a primary offense, rather than a secondary one. Washington Senator Tracey Eide, sponsor of the bill, told the Associated Press, “It’s becoming an epidemic, people are not paying attention, and it’s extremely serious.”

Opponents to the bill thought the fight against distracted driving might just distract police from more important matters. “I just have to ask whether the most important thing for law enforcement to do right now is to be out looking to see if people are using their cell phones incorrectly,” commented Washington senator Cheryl Pflug.

While most agree distracted driving increases the odds of auto accidents which cause wrongful death and personal injury, some new research questions whether the new legislative efforts are actually effective in stopping the dangerous practice.

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, insurance auto accident claims for wrongful death and personal injury didn’t budge one way or the other after distracted driving laws were passed in various states and local communities. The Institute believes this doesn’t bode well for those expecting some kind of safety pay-off from the new laws. About 1.7 million vehicle claims were used for the study.

On the other hand, actual behavior may be changing because of the new awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. SmartDrive Systems, based in San Diego, said its Distracted Driving Index, a quarterly measurement of commercial drivers who engage in distracted driving, fell from 17.9% in the 3rd quarter of 2009 to 15.8% in the fourth quarter.

Since most of the legislation is new, its overall impact may still not be readily apparent. What’s clear is that the numerous studies have shown again and again that distracted driving is a deadly luxury that our roads can ill afford.
For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

You probably don’t think much about traffic lights at all – except to get irritated when you’re stuck at a red light with no other cars in sight. In two instances, however, cities trying to save the environment – or make a few extra dollars – can inadvertently put drivers at risk and increase the odds of a car accident, personal injury, or even wrongful death, just by toying with the basics of their traffic lights.

• Case #1 – Low Energy Use, High Winter Risk

In recent years, many traffic lights have been converted from conventional halogen incandescent bulbs to arrays of LED (light emitting diodes) bulbs. The LED bulbs have several obvious advantages – since they use much less energy they’re both “green” friendly, and they also lower energy costs dramatically – in a major intersection, that savings could reach $600 per year for a city. In fact, Wisconsin’s state Transportation Department saves an incredible $750,000 a year thanks to the new technology. LEDs also have a much longer life than the older bulbs.

So what’s not to like?

Well, the LED lights’ greatest advantage is also its greatest weakness. When a winter storm hits, the hi-tech bulbs don’t burn enough energy to melt away snow and ice. Which means the traffic light can easily get crusted over and not visible to a driver. Dozens of auto accidents and one wrongful death that occurred in April of 2009 in Illinois have been attributed to this problem.

There is an easy lo-tech fix, however – a $20 Snow Scoop Visor can be attached to the traffic lights in question to prevent snow and ice build-up. Also, to be fair, it should be noted that the LEDs shine about four times more brightly than incandescents, rendering them far more visible after dark and in foggy conditions, meaning they have probably saved a great many lives by preventing some car accidents.

• Case #2 – Abandoning Caution with the Caution Light

To many, many drivers, when a green light turns yellow, that’s their signal to speed up to get through the intersection and beat the red light.

Many cities, though, when they install cameras at intersections to catch drivers running red lights, exacerbate the problem by actually decreasing the amount of time the yellow light flashes – so they can ticket more drivers and collect more revenue. The problem is that shortening the yellow light duration increases the chances of auto accidents – because drivers on either side of the light don’t have enough time to react.
There have been many reports of increased car accidents, wrongful deaths, and personal injury cases as a result of these attempts to “cash in” with the cameras.

As a personal injury lawyer practicing in Seattle, Washington, I was gratified to see a bill recently introduced in the Washington state legislature designed to lock in a longer yellow light length – and to reduce the fines from the red light cameras, so no cities in Washington would be tempted to make money by raising the risk of intersection car accidents occurring.

Every action causes a reaction. That’s why even the smallest of adjustments to traffic light usage should be studied before they’re enacted.
For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

Near the end of 2009, during the approach of the holiday season, which traditionally sees a spike in the number of DUI-related auto and motorcycle accidents, Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced a bill requiring the use of an “ignition interlock” for convicted drunk drivers.

The ignition interlock device, when installed in a car, prevents a would-be driver from starting the vehicle unless they can pass a breathalyzer test. This device is gaining in popularity all across the country – ten states, including Washington where I practice law as a personal injury attorney in Seattle, already have laws in place requiring some degree of usage of the interlock by convicted DUI offenders who wish to drive. In the case of Washington, a drunk driver who has had their license revoked can apply for a special IIL (Ignition Interlock License), which allows them to drive any vehicle that has the interlock installed.

It’s making even more of a splash internationally. In Sweden, you’ll find the interlock is standard equipment on buses and all service vehicles – in addition, all Volvos come equipped with an interlock. Legislation was also just passed in South Australia to require serious or repeat DUI offenders to have an interlock in their cars.

The reason the interlock is becoming such a center of attention? It works. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ignition interlocks reduced re-arrest rates by an amazing 73 percent, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found wrongful deaths dropped a welcome 30 percent.

Who could argue with such a great solution to such a tremendous – and potentially lethal – problem?

Well, who else but the American Beverage Institute (ABI), which has worked against the interlock since it was first introduced. The ABI’s position is that the Senators’ new proposed bill is “the first step in a campaign to require interlock technology in all cars.”

Perhaps the only reply to that argument is, “…and your point is?” But Mothers Against Drunk Driving went a bit further with their response. “We will gladly stack up the credibility of MADD versus the credibility of these groups any day,” MADD President Chuck Hurley said. “Obviously, they’re funded by the angry wing of the alcohol industry.”

The ignition interlock looks to be an amazing weapon in the ongoing war against DUI-related auto accidents and wrongful deaths, a war that has seen much progress in recent years. Drunk driving auto accidents have declined in 40 states, as well as the District of Columbia, and the interlock, should it gain widespread acceptance, will probably add much momentum to that welcome trend.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

The rising use of gadgets such as GPS systems, iPods and, most especially, cell phones, has given rise to what’s been called a deadly epidemic of “distracted driving,” according to a recent article in “The Christian Science Monitor.”

While only one in seven auto accidents are officially attributed to distracted driving, statistics are very misleading in this particular area. Unlike drunk driving, where the driver’s level of inebriation can be measured after the fact, many “distracted drivers” don’t tell the truth about what they’re doing when the auto accident happened, to avoid any kind of wrongful death or personal injury lawsuits – and there’s usually no way to be sure what activity they were engaged in.

What is clear is that distracted driving – particularly by teens who are texting while driving (73% of teenagers admit to the dangerous practice) – is growing as a national issue, with more and more legislation being passed in various states and communities against cell phone usage while driving.

Studies all over the world show that almost all drivers are four times more likely to have an auto or motorcycle accident while distracted by gadgets. And for anyone texting while driving at 55 mph, it’s the equivalent of driving the distance of a football field with their eyes closed!

There are always going to be distractions,” says David Teater, who serves as senior director of transportation strategic initiatives at the National Safety Council. “But the advent of mobile electronic communication devices has really changed the game … we’ve been talking on the phone for 80 years. We’ve been driving 100 years. It’s only recently that we’ve tried to combine the two.” Teater has an unfortunate firsthand knowledge of the subject – his 12 year-old son was killed in a wrongful death auto accident caused by a driver using a cell phone.

And for those of you who believe using a hands-free headset instead of the actual cell phone is the answer, that is simply not the case. Scientists at the University of Utah’s Applied Cognition Laboratory, using a virtual driving simulator, have proven that headset users are at as much a risk of an auto accident as the cell phone user. The real disruption, phone up to ear or no, occurs in the driver’s head – because it’s a cognitive process that takes them out of their driving space and into a virtual one removed from the road.

“We record brain activity,” says Professor David Strayer, “and we can show that it’s suppressed from the cell phone conversation.” And, of course, if a cell phone text or conversation causes a serious enough auto accident, that brain activity will be suppressed forever.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

By definition, rubbernecking “describes the act of gawking at something of interest.” It happens all the time. You are driving somewhere, usually on the freeway, and you find yourself moving at a snail’s pace, inching down the road. You know that the reason for the delay is most likely some form of traffic accident up ahead. After spending an hour on the road for a trip that usually takes ten minutes, you’d think everyone would be anxious to get out of the mess and move along on their way as quickly as possible. But no, like the cars ahead of us have been doing, we all want to slow down, take our attention off of the road, and take a look for ourselves at what has been causing this frustrating delay. The real frustration will come when you get rear ended or you hit the car in front of you because you are not paying attention to the road.

The rubbernecking phenomenon is a major problem. As we know from a past Straight Talk Law report (Straight Talk Law: Top Driver Distractions to Avoid), there are many driver distractions that we must avoid. That article discussed things we can do to prevent dangerous situations. When someone else is involved in an accident miles up the road from you, there is nothing that you can do to prevent it. However, you can prevent further accidents from happening by refraining from rubbernecking. A 2005 study examined the types of distractions most likely to cause accidents and found rubbernecking was the greatest hazard, responsible for 16% of all distractions.

So what can we do about this problem? All humans are just curious by nature, right? In Great Britain, they seem to have come up with a solution that they think will help. They have developed a plan for national use of giant safety, vision-blocking screens to put around auto accidents. These screens can be put up around accident scenes in only minutes, and experts hope that the screens will reduce congestion by making sure that the drivers continue at their normal speed because there is nothing to see, even if someone looks.

Of course there are opponents of this method. Some wonder whether the extra staff needed to assemble and break down these screens, as well as the space that they take up on the side of the road, will make congestion even worse. Also, if drivers are that curious that they slow down just to check out someone with a flat tire, then how nosey and intrigued will they be by a 20 foot tall screen that stretches 150 feet down the freeway? If there was a clear solution to this troubling problem then I’m sure we would have found it by now.

We as humans won’t ever stop being curious. But we must realize that rubbernecking can be very dangerous, and even cause more serious of accidents than the one that caused the delay in the first place. Are large, vision-blocking screens like the ones being tested in Great Britain the answer? Maybe, maybe not. Whatever the case may be, Straight Talk Law once again asks you to please drive distraction-free at all times in order to keep the roads safe for yourself and others around you.

Always remember, if you do happen to be involved in an auto or motorcycle accident where personal injury or wrongful death occurs, consult with an attorney immediately. You may not need a lawyer’s services, but it’s important to be sure before you agree to anything with insurance companies. You should consult with an experienced attorney even before giving a recorded statement.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.