One of the most serious injuries an Ottawa cyclist can sustain is spinal cord injury.  Like head trauma, damage to the spinal cord is severe and can certainly be life-altering.  Because the spinal cord is responsible for transmitting signals from the brain to the body, and vice-versa, damage to the spinal cord can have very serious and lasting effects on an individual’s health and their ability to function.  The most severe consequences of spinal cord injury involve permanent disability or paralysis of part of the body or the entire body.  The extent of the injury depends upon the location of the damage to the spinal cord. 

Some of the Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injury

A variety of symptoms accompany a spinal cord injury.  Some of the symptoms include numbness, loss of feeling, and loss of motor function in the area below the injury.  Because the spinal cord controls all of the nerves in a person’s’ body, the symptoms of spinal cord injuries usually have to do with sensation and movement of parts of the body near the site of injury.  The severity of these symptoms varies depending on the extent of the damage done to particular nerves.  It is possible to regain sensation or movement in areas that were once affected by nerve damage, but this is never a guarantee.

Ottawa Spinal Cord Injuries May Require Rehabilitation 

Individuals who suffer from spinal cord injury are often hospitalized and require intense medical treatment.  This often placed a burden on themselves and their friends and family.  It can be difficult emotionally and financially.  Because of the severity of the injuries, treatment for spinal cord injuries can take a long time and there are often recurring bouts of treatment, rehabilitation and other medical appointments.

Can A Personal Injury Lawyer Help? 

For these reasons, a personal injury lawyer can be very beneficial in this kind of situation.  It is important to enlist the help of a personal injury lawyer who can help you receive compensation for your injuries.  If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, contact the personal injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth.  Call us at 613 233-4529 or use the contact form on the site. 

OTTAWA INJURY LAWYER  — As Ottawa personal injury lawyers we frequently come across individuals who were injured in car accidents, slip and falls or in a workplace situation, but often the most heartbreaking cases are those that involve injured children.  While we can’t protect our children from every harm, we should do all we can to help prevent situations in which they can get seriously injured.  Bicycle safety is an important area that can help save your child from being unnecessarily injured.  As parents, there are a few simple things you can do to help your child avoid accidents and injuries while riding their bicycle.

While it may seem obvious, teaching your child how to ride in a straight line is very important.  Riding a bicycle can be difficult at first and riding it in a straight line can be even tougher!  Before you let your child ride off with their friends, make sure that you are confident (and so are they) that they can consistently ride in a straight line.  If they can ride in a straight line, they will be better able to stay out of the way of other vehicles and pedestrians.  To teach this to your child, take them to a quiet park or empty parking lot where there is plenty of room and few obstacles.  Stand a short distance away from your child and have them ride towards you in a straight line.  Have them practice this several times, and if you want, you can gradually increase the distance they have to ride to reach you.

Another important skill for you to teach your child is how to turn.  This can be a difficult skill for beginner cyclists so it may take some time for your child to be able to successfully turn while riding their bike.  To teach your child how to effectively turn, take your child to an empty parking lot or cul-de-sac and have them practice riding in a figure-eight pattern.  At first it will be easier for your child to ride in a larger pattern, but over time you can challenge them to make the figure-eights smaller, thus allowing them to practice tighter turns.

Once your child has mastered these basic cycling skills, you can teach them more advanced, but very important, skills such as looking back without swerving.  It is important for cyclists to look behind them before making a left-hand turn, but while doing so, they must continue to ride in a straight line.  You can practice this with your child by once again taking them to an empty parking lot or park and have them ride past you.  As they ride past, hold up a picture of a car or hide the picture behind your back.  Tell them to look back and tell you if they have seen the car.  This exercise will teach your child to look back and assess the situation without swerving.

One last skill you should teach your child is braking control.  It can take time to learn how much pressure to put on the brake and to learn how long it will take to stop before reaching an obstacle.  It can be difficult for a child to judge the distance between themselves and an obstacle and to then break in time.  To practice proper braking techniques with your child, draw a line on your driveway or in an empty parking lot and have your child practice riding towards the line and then stopping right before it.  You can have them approach the line at varying speeds so that they learn how to properly brake in different situations.

Before you let your kids ride their bicycles with their friends outside of your supervision, make sure that they have mastered these few important skills.  By equipping your child with essential bicycle skills, you have done your part to help prevent bicycle accidents and injuries.  Nonetheless, if you or your child has been seriously injured in a bicycle accident, you may benefit from speaking with a personal injury lawyer.  An Ontario injury lawyer can assess your case and help you with any legal proceedings you may be able to pursue.  The personal injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth would be happy to discuss your case with you.

Lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth – Bicycle and Car Accidents on Ottawa Streets

Ottawa personal injury lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth appeared on Daytime Ottawa today to review what steps you should take if you are injured in an Ottawa accident involving a motor vehicle and a bicycle.

Here is Auger Hollingsworth’s

10 Steps to Take After a Motor Vehicle – Bicycle Collision

1. Get Safe-  Make sure you are off the road, out of the way of oncoming traffic.  Save yourself first, worry about your bike after.
2. Don’t Apologize or Explain – Be polite but do not accept responsibility or explain what you were doing to the other driver(s).
3. Call the Police and / or Ambulance-  Remember, what may seem like a minor accident or minor injuries can get much worse as the hours or days go by and pain sets in.  If you don’t call the police to the scene, you miss the opportunity to have a report done at the scene.  Get the officer’s name and badge number.
4. Look for Witnesses.  Assuming you are able, track down the names and numbers of people who witnessed the accident.  Don’t have a pen and paper?  Consider texting the info on your cell.  Many PDA’s have “note” options.
5. Take Photos-  Remember your cell phone has a camera.  Take photos of all sides of any vehicle involved, do a close up of any damage, consider photos of witnesses, license plate numbers and the accident scene.
6. Exchange Information- Get the name and contact info of any involved driver and vehicle owner.  Take the driver’s license number and insurance information too.
7. Get Immediate Medical Attention-  If you do not need to go to the emergency room, visit your family doctor or walk-in clinic shortly after the accident.  Sprains, strains and even fractures are not always immediately obvious.  If you wait, you may have a hard time proving the accident caused the injury.
8. Document the Damage to Your Bike-   Have your bike assessed by an experienced bike technician or engineer before it is repaired or scrapped.
9. Report the Accident.-  Even if the bike accident was not your fault, report it to your auto insurer to activate your accident benefits.  If you don’t have auto insurance, report the accident to the other person’s insurer.
10. Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free no Obligation Consultation.  If you contact Auger Hollingsworth, we will provide you with a free copy of our two books:  An Injured Victim’s Guide to Fairm Compensation and Crash Course:  A Savvy Woman’s Guide to Ontario Accident Claims.  Both have important information for cycling accident victims.

If you have been injured by a car while riding a bicycle or as a pedestrian, it’s important to speak with a top personal injury lawyer as soon as you’ve received necessary medical treatment. For more information, contact the Ottawa lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth by email info@ottawalawfirm.ca or by phone at (613) 233-4529.

Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyers – ‘Share the Road’ for safety

As Ottawa personal injury lawyers who see a lot of bicycle accidents, this initiative impresses us. On July 19, 2009, Ottawa resident, Perth native and Carleton University social work student Hilary McNamee was struck by a van, along with four other cyclists, on March Road in Kanata.

A year later she is spreading a message of cycling safety to Perth, and she plans to deliver the same message about bicycle safety to Ottawa this summer. On Sunday, May 16, 2010, she highlighted wearing bicycle helmets as an important safety measure to avoid serious injuries when speaking at the Perth and District Chamber of Commerce Bike Rodeo. This August, she plans to be an Ottawa representative for Share the Road, a cycling advocacy group with a mission “to make Ontario bicycle friendly for everyone” by doing the following:

• Enhancing access for bicyclists on roads and trails
• Improving safety for all bicyclists
• Educating citizens on the value and importance of safe bicycling for healthy lifestyles and communities

The expansion of Share the Road to Ottawa will be kicked off with a bicycle ride to raise awareness. For more information about Share the Road, visit www.sharetheroad.ca. If you have suffered a cycling accident in Ontario, you may have access to accident benefits and you may have a claim against a motorist who hit you.  Contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth to determine if you have a case for your serious injuries. Visit us online at: www.personalinjuryottawa.ca

Ottawa cyclists ride for safer road conditions, fewer bicycle-vehicle collisions

OTTAWA LAWYERS – As the personal injury lawyer for many injured cyclists, I ma impressed by this initiative.  In an effort to make their voices heard by the government, more than 200 local cyclists took their bicycles to the streets of Ottawa this past Sunday.

The riding event was organized following the recent death of an Ottawa cyclist who collided with a vehicle on Boyce St. Those participating in the event were pushing for legislation to prevent further tragic bicycling accidents in Ottawa and other Canadian cities.

One group who helped organize the event has already seen some satisfying results – they successfully pushed the government to introduce a law which increases the penalties against those caught driving with suspended licenses. The new law, named after the collision victim, will go into effect this fall.

This Sunday, participants in the ride were advocating a new idea: a law which would require at least one meter of clearance between vehicle drivers and cyclists on city roadways.

Bicycle injuries continue to be a serious problem on Ontario’s roads. Data collected and published by Transport Canada in 2005 revealed that in 2004, there were 3,597 bicycle-vehicle collisions in Ontario alone.

If you have been injured by a vehicle while cycling, be sure to get medical attention right away, and to follow up with your family physician in the days that follow.  Remember that some injuries take a few days to settle in.  Getting early medical attention is smart for your health and also helps in the event that you wish to pursue a claim for damages.  For more information about what to after an accident, contact the Ottawa injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth by email info@ottawalawfirm.ca or telephone 613 233-4529.

Bike cases can be tricky. Learn the law before you speak to an adjuster.

Have you  been struck by a vehicle while riding your bicycle, while in Ottawa or the surrounding area including Smiths Falls, Perth, Cornwall or elsewhere in Eastern Ontario? You’re not alone.  Looking for an experienced personal injury lawyer?  Maybe we can help. 

When Ontario cyclists are injured in accidents involving vehicles – whether it’s cars, vans, or trucks – they come to the accident and injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth to receive the best information and legal assistance.

If you are hit by a car while riding your bicycle in Ontario, you may have a statutory accident benefits claims (SABS) for medical expenses, lost wages, and other benefits.

There’s a good chance that you have a case to make a claim for fair compensation – even if your bicycle accident was a hit-and-run.

Families of people who are killed in bicycle accidents can often claim death benefits under the SABS.

In addition to the SABS, cyclists who are accident victims may be able to bring a claim for damages against the driver who hit them.  In the case of death, a wrongful death claim may be available to the family of survivors.

The lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth can help you initiate and prosecute both your no fault claims and your claims against the at-fault drivers.  Call us at 613 233-4529 or email us at info@ottawalawfirm.ca.

What Types of Accidents Are We Considering?

Catastrophic injuries are frequent outcomes of the interaction between a motor vehicle and a cyclist, because of the difference in size and weight between a bicycle and a car or truck.  Common injuries include:

• Concussions/ Closed Head Injury/ Tramatic Brain Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury, such as paraplegia or quadriplegia
• Fractures such as broken bones
• Back Injuries
• Neck Injuries
• Shoulder Injuries
• Knee injuries
• Scarring or other disfigurement
• Amputation

If you have been injured in an Ottawa bicycle accident, you should contact experienced personal injury lawyers like the lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth immediately.  Email us at info@ottawalawfirm.ca for a free consultation with no obligation.   Our lawyers will start working on your case immediately.  There is so much to do!  We look forward to working with you on your accident case

Ottawa Lawyer: Build a better bike helmet to avoid head injury

Avoiding child head injuries and child spinal cord injury is a pressing issue for all Ottawa parents, especially when those parents are also personal injury lawyers who see the damage a bike accident can cause.  There is progress toward this shared goal.  Researchers have been working towards a new design for a bicycle helmet which would more effectively prevent injuries to the spinal cord. This new design is made to lessen the compression that occurs in the vertebrae. Would you wear one?

http://www.fitsugar.com/1784404

The Ottawa personal injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth have successfully represented children who have been injured while riding their bicycles.  If you have a question about your child’s bicycle accident, contact us at info@personalinjuryottawa.ca.

Ottawa Cycling Injury:  How Car  / Bike Accidents Happen in Ontario

The Ottawa Citizen has reported that there were no fatal motor vehicle accidents involving cyclists in 2008.  However, 262 cyclists and 9 drivers were injured were injured in Ottawa accidents involving bikes and cars.

As of July 2009, one cyclist died as the result of an Ottawa collision with a motor vehicle.

Here are some collision statistics you should be aware of when assessing your risk as an Ottawa cyclist or when considering what you should be monitoring as an Ottawa driver.

Apparent driver manoeuvres in 2008 collisions involving motor vehicles and cyclists in Ottawa.

Going ahead: 101, Turning right: 91, Turning left: 48, Stopped: 24, Other: 28

Apparent cyclist manoeuvres in 2008 in collisions involving motor vehicles

 and cyclists.

Going ahead: 255, Turning left: 22, Other: 34

If you have been injured in a cycling accident, a personal injury lawyer will assess how the accident happened in your specific circumstances.  We will consider who had the right of way, as well as any other factors.  To do this, your Ottawa injury lawyers will examine the police report, if any, and speak to any pertinent witnesses. 

Injured in an Ontario bike accident?  Call 613 233-4529 and our accident lawyers will help you learn your legal rights.

Ottawa Bicycle Lawyers – We represent Injured Cyclists

The Ottawa injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth help injured cyclists get compensation for their serious injuries after a car accident or other motor vehicle accident.  We have successfully handled many bicycle accident cases in Ontario.  We have the experience and are aware of the background issues that are important to cyclists.  

 If we need to, our Ottawa law firm will hire qualified bicycle experts for our injured clients.  As we do in all our cases, we will obtain the best medical experts and specialists available to help diagnose our clients’ injuries. 

We have an expert private investigator who interviews every person who witnessed the accident. Sometimes we will video tape the scene or will hire an accident reconstruction expert as required. 

We love to bike and so do our kids.  We are therefore very keen to ensure that injured bicyclists’ claims are taken seriously and are well-compensated.  We are well aware that in a competition between a car, or worse a an SUV, a truck or van, the bike will always lose.

We have heard horror stories of cyclists hit and run, hit with objects intentionally thrown by pedestians or motorists.  We have had clients fly over car doors, carelessly opened by car drivers who don’t look.  As lawyers and people who love to cycle, we understand what you are up against and will fight for our vicitms. 

American studies suggest that is common for cyclists to get worse settlements from insurance companies than motorists.  At least in the U.S., settlements for injuries suffered in cars are up to 30% to 40% higher than for the same type of injuries suffered by cyclists.  There is no reason to expect that Canadian cyclists do any better.

Often, a bicycle accident is caused by a driver’s negligence or inattentiveness.  Examples of common collisions include:

• A driver turning directly in front of a cyclist;
• A motorist entering the street from a driveway or parking spot and pulls out into traffic in front of the cyclist;
• A driver’s failure to yield at an intersection or running a stop sign or red light;
• A motor vehicle driver’s inattention while driving past a bicyclist;
• A car driver’s failure to look both ways when starting after a stop sign;
• Impaired driving. 

We will handle any of these types of collisions, as well as many others.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Bicycle Accident in Ontario, contact a successful personal injury law firm such as Auger Hollingsworth to protect your rights.