Butte County Personal Injury Blog

‘Tis the season to be distracted

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm on Friday, December 7, 2018.

The holiday season is here. With the rising prices in airline tickets and amount of drivers on the road, families should expect plenty of traffic to be in their way on their route to Grandma’s house. Many of the cars on the road will be filled with people too tired or drunk to be behind a steering wheel, but they are far from the only threat present.

The Washington Post recently put out an article highlighting the dramatic increase in distracted driving over the holidays. They cite statistics from driving apps that state that there could be around a 33 percent increase in distracted driving around Christmas and New Year’s. If you plan on traveling during the holidays, you need to be aware of these dangerous driving behaviors so you can look out for negligent motorists and avoid getting distracted yourself.

Lawsuit demonstrates newer roads aren’t always safe

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

The reason so many motorists receive warnings about roads in rural areas is because they often lack proper maintenance. Construction primarily focuses on streets near larger cities, so anyone speeding through the rough countryside has a higher chance of hitting a pothole or veering into a ditch off the borderless road. They also receive warnings on driving slower when construction does happen on a road so they can avoid crashing into one of the workers, machines or many signs occupying the area.

When a street is all fixed and there are no workers or construction signs in sight, you would think you would no longer have to worry about an accident from faulty road conditions. Unfortunately, there are some instances where construction workers can rush to complete their job early so they no longer have to hear complaints from the hundreds of people who want to use the road. Any oversights they make during the finalization of the road can be costly, as demonstrated by the recent story of a young man in South Dakota forced to deal with a permanent spine injury potentially because of one contractor’s mistake.

Sharing the road with snow plows

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm on Friday, November 9, 2018.

November in South Dakota means snow is just around the corner. Snowy and icy roads require extra safety precautions, including reduced speed, caution on bridges and keeping a good distance from other vehicles.

Motorists not only need to adjust their driving behaviors according to weather conditions but also be mindful when sharing the road with snow plows.

Common areas for accidents on the farm

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm posted in personal injury on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

Farmers in South Dakota are rushing to get their work done in the fall to make sure their crops are good for the holidays and to prepare their land for the winter. This also means that it is one of the more dangerous seasons of the year for them as their quicker work approach can lead to some serious accidents.

Farming is one of the deadliest occupations in the nation with the amount of safety hazards in and outside of the fields. Combine this with some locations not providing sufficient training or supervision, and a lot of workers can be at serious risk. If you or a loved one are working this physically demanding career field, you should be especially careful around these areas of your workplace.

Wildfire activity is becoming increasingly likely

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm posted in personal injury on Friday, September 21, 2018.

In the last two years, the media has done extensive coverage on the devastating effect wildfires are having on California. While the Golden State has it the worst, many other western states have been seeing more wildfire activity as of late. Last month, Hot Springs experienced the Vineyard Fire, which spread to about 560 acres and threatened hundreds of residents living in the area.

Unfortunately, recent reports suggest that the fires will continue to become larger and destroy more property. South Dakota ranchers need to become more aware of the issue so they can take as many precautions as they can when protecting their property.

Protecting yourself when you ride

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm on Wednesday, July 25, 2018.

Unless you are under the age of 17, South Dakota law does not require you to wear a helmet when you ride or operate a motorcycle. Nevertheless, there are many who realize they already have very little protection in the event of an accident, so not only do they wear a helmet, but they may also add protective eye gear, gloves and protective clothing. Even with these precautions, however, the chances of being seriously injured in a collision with another vehicle are high.

Reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that about 80 percent of all motorcycle accidents result in serious or fatal injuries. If you are on your bike when you encounter a larger vehicle, the odds are not in your favor. You may find yourself struggling to recover from some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries.

Did you need surgery to repair a broken bone?

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm on Wednesday, June 6, 2018.

Lives can change in an instant, and people who have been involved in car accidents know that better than many people do. One minute you may have simply been trying to get to work on time, and the next minute, a car comes seemingly out of nowhere and crashes into your vehicle. Suddenly, you are experiencing immense pain, confusion and fear.

Soon after the adrenaline subsided, you may have suspected that you had broken one or multiple bones. Car crashes can easily cause these and other serious injuries, and you may worry what it means for your health and your life. Of course, to know the answer to these questions, you will need an evaluation from medical professionals.

When a bad tumble causes a brain injury

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm posted in blog on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

Slipping or tripping may seem funny in cartoons, but in real life, it often leads to serious injuries. While a cartoon character who falls may make you laugh as a bullet-shaped knot grows out of his head, it is not so amusing when you are the one with a head injury.

Traumatic brain injuries can occur when your head strikes the ground or another object during your fall. These injuries can have lifelong consequences, requiring prolonged medical intervention and expensive treatments and therapies. If your fall occurred because of the negligence of a South Dakota property owner in remediating a hazard, you may have cause to seek compensation through the civil courts.

Did you lose a loved one because of someone else's negligence?

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm posted in blog on Friday, February 9, 2018.

Losing a loved one may just be one of the hardest things you may ever go through. The hole left behind by that person's absence can never be filled. When that loss comes suddenly at the hands of someone else, the situation takes on another level of grief.

Nothing can bring back your loved one, but it might be possible to seek some closure, along with compensation for the financial losses the death of your loved one caused. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for those losses.

Mining accidents have many causes, catastrophic results

On behalf of Barker Wilson Law Firm posted in blog on Friday, December 22, 2017.

Every job has its risks. Even the most sedentary work can result in injury or illness if proper precautions aren't in place. Of course, you understand that some jobs consistently rise to the top of lists of industries carrying high risk of danger. If you work in the mining industry, you know your life is often on the line.

Mining is one of the top industries in South Dakota. Gold, silver and other minerals have lured adventure-seekers and dreamers to the state for generations, and entrepreneurs have built lucrative businesses around those dreams. Oil, natural gas fields and coal mines provide energy for the world and jobs for many hardworking residents. Nevertheless, no matter which type of mining you do, you face hazards on the job daily.