Articles Posted in Personal Injury

Walk down any street in any city, big or small, and you’ll see people walking across the street, into crosswalks, onto roadways, through parking lots with moving traffic, and along sidewalks, never looking up from their cell phones as they text or email. Worse, there have been numerous YouTube videos of people walking into telephone poles, falling into lakes, falling onto train tracks, tripping on uneven areas of the sidewalk or into holes, colliding with other pedestrians on the sidewalk, or, in one heavily viewed video, a woman walks into the wall of a fountain in a mall, falling directly into the water while passersby look on. It may seem funny at first to see someone walking into a pole or wall when looking down at their screens. But some accidents are anything but humorous.

Everywhere you go, you’ll see people on their phones. They’re talking. They’re texting. They’re listening to music and playing video games.  What they’re not doing is paying attention. And that lack of attention can turn any one of them into one of the pedestrians who are killed or injured each year. If you or a loved one has sustained an injury as a pedestrian due to no fault of their own, our knowledgeable team of accident attorneys is here to help.  At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano, our highly experienced personal injury attorneys may be able to help you recover the compensation you deserve.  We help clients throughout Upstate New York, with offices in multiple convenient locations. Our extensive experience in the medical malpractice field is reflected in the results we have achieved for our clients.

Almost every adult in the United States uses a cell phone on a daily basis. While walking, most of us are guilty of checking emails, sending texts, or browsing social media. While doing two things at once can save time, using your phone while walking is riskier than you may realize. In fact, according to a recent study, texting while walking is riskier than listening to music or talking on the phone. Pedestrians who are constantly connected and unable to put down their phones are more likely to be involved in a car accident.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is caused by a complication in your inner ear. Small calcium stones exist in your inner ear canals to aid in balance. When these stones are displaced due to head trauma, you may experience severe dizziness or vertigo. The precise cause of this displacement is not always known.  Vertigo is a spinning, whirling, or turning sensation. Those suffering from vertigo frequently experience the sensation that the room is moving or spinning, and they may lose their balance and have difficulty standing or walking. Changes in head position are the most common cause of BPPV. The severity of the disorder varies; some people only experience mild symptoms, while others may experience more severe, even debilitating symptoms. Non-invasive methods such as canalith repositioning maneuvers can easily and effectively treat the majority of affected individuals. However, BPPV can reoccur even after successful treatment. BBPV is difficult to treat because symptoms come and go, with some episodes lasting less than a minuteBenign paroxysmal positional vertigo can sometimes resolve on its own. If not, you may require professional medical attention to alleviate your symptoms. To protect your health and your injury claim, always see a doctor after an accident to diagnose your vertigo.

Because more calcium can become dislodged, recurrences are possible. The treatment maneuvers return the calcium particles to the main vestibule, where they originated, and vertigo goes away. It is not uncommon to experience mild to severe BPPV following a car accident. If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence and you now suffer from BPPV, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses and other losses. Consult with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano to see if a fair settlement is possible.  We help clients throughout Upstate New York, with offices in multiple convenient locations. Our extensive experience in the personal injury field is reflected in the results we have achieved for our clients.

Since the late 1800s, BPPV has been recognized as a clinical entity. The term “benign” refers to a disorder that does not progress and is not considered serious. Despite its benign label, BPPV can disrupt a person’s daily activities and negatively impact their quality of life. The symptoms can be extremely upsetting. Ordinary movements such as turning on one’s side, lying down, looking up, stooping, or bending over can frequently trigger an episode.  When people get out of bed and try to walk, they may fall out of bed or lose their balance. They may fall if they tilt their heads back or forward while walking, risking injury. Vertigo can make a person feel ill, causing nausea and vomiting. While vertigo is the hallmark of BPPV, many people with the condition also experience mild unsteadiness in between attacks of positional vertigo.

While jet skis can be a thrilling way to spend the weekend, they also pose dangers. What begins as a pleasant day on the water can quickly turn tragic.  Unfortunately, while these vessels are known for providing an exhilarating ride, with the ability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, they can also be extremely dangerous.  Jet skis, also referred to as personal watercrafts, “wet bikes,” and wave runners, have grown in popularity. Personal watercrafts account for approximately 11% of all registered boats in the United States. As more people ride jet skis, the likelihood of an accident rises. According to the US Coast Guard, personal watercrafts were involved in 30% of all reported boating accidents and 36% of all boating injuries.

In the hands of an inexperienced operator, a jet ski can pose significant dangers with disastrous results. While you cannot prevent all accidents, the more you know, the less likely it is that you will be involved in a serious jet ski accident. If you or a loved one were injured in a jet ski accident caused by someone else’s negligence, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano.  We serve clients throughout Upstate New York and have offices in several convenient locations. Our extensive experience in the field of medical malpractice is reflected in the results we have obtained for our clients.

Driving a jet ski or a personal watercraft should be treated as if the operator were driving a car. If you are in a congested area, you must pay close attention to your surroundings. These vehicles can cause dangerous situations because they travel quickly and can basically fly over water. Whether on a personal watercraft or a jet ski, accidents tend to have a few common causes.  Operating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, dangerous waters, weather conditions, inattention of the operator, the inexperience of the operator, failure to look for other boaters, excessive speed, machinery failure, failure to follow waterway rules, and the forces of waves or wakes are just a few of those causes.