Spinal cord injuries may result from traumatic damage to a person's spine that affects the nerve fibers that allow the body to function. For example, an injury to the lower back can affect nerves controlling the abdomen, legs, bowel and bladder. A severe neck injury can affect arm and hand movement. Some spinal cord injuries will result in temporary disability where nerve functions can be regenerated and body movement may eventually be restored (like Peyton Manning's throwing motion). However, severe injuries may result in permanent paralysis, where movement cannot be restored.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, as well as future medical expenses. In addition to proving how a negligent party breached the duty of care that led to the injury, attorneys must clearly describe the costs of future care and rehabilitation.

If you have suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury, an experienced personal injury attorney can advise you and help you obtain the compensation you need to meet your new obligations.

California is a community property state. Generally speaking, this means that all property/income acquired during the marriage is subject to a 50-50 division upon divorce. Any property acquired before the marriage or property acquired by either party in certain ways, such as by gift or inheritance, is excluded from division.

Parties to a divorce and their lawyers may present evidence that shows how a particular piece of property belongs exclusively to one spouse or another, or argue as to why property should be divided in a certain way. Yet, that 50-50 split set forth by California law is always a baseline for negotiations and courtroom arguments.

For some couples, a legal separation may be a better idea financially. Religious or personal reasons are often behind long-term legal separations. But significant property benefits may also make separation a worthwhile solution.

While a legal separation is often fruitful, it also warrants caution. If spouses act as though they are divorced when they remain technically married, problems can ensue - for instance, separated spouses remain liable for each other's debts. To address such potential pitfalls, anyone living apart from their spouse should consider a legal separation agreement. Separation agreements are legally binding documents that pertain to matters like the division of property and debt, spousal support and child custody issues.

Sometime divorce is tough financially. But, by devoting attention to possible value-creating alternatives like legal separation, your pocketbook can come out well in the black.

Source: Forbes, "Legal Separation or Divorce: Which is Better Financially?" Jeff Landers.

Of course motorcyclists can decrease their chances of motorcycle accidents and increase their safety odds by wearing helmets, goggles and protective clothing; never drinking alcohol or ingesting drugs before biking; following the rules of the road; and taking dangerous conditions into account.

But car and truck drivers have the responsibility - legally and ethically - to handle themselves on the road in a manner more likely to keep bikers safe. Not only will there be legal consequences to harming a motorcyclist by negligent or illegal driving moves, but the personal anguish of severely harming or killing another person when it could have been avoided may be unbearable.

Some solid safety suggestions for drivers when they meet motorcycles in traffic:

• Don't follow a cycle as closely as you might a car or truck. Bikes can't stop as quickly in wet conditions and the way bikers slow down may not always activate brake lights.
• Be aware that motorcycle turn signals need to be manually turned off, so it is more likely that a biker may leave a signal on unintentionally.
• Try to increase your awareness of the possible presence of motorcycles in the traffic flow. They can easily fall into blind spots or be hidden by other objects.
• Assume a motorcycle is closer than it looks, and that it is going faster than it appears to be.

A little bit of old-fashioned civility and courtesy on the road will go a long way toward increasing biker safety.

Recalling the successful "Click It or Ticket" seat-belt awareness programs, NHTSA launched the media campaign "Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other," in cities in New York and Connecticut. By actively observing cell phone use and monitoring public awareness before and after the campaign, NHTSA researchers concluded that cell phone and texting use by drivers fell by one-third in one city and over one half in the other.

"Based on these results, it is crystal clear that those who try to minimize this dangerous behavior are making a serious error in judgment, especially when half a million people are injured and thousands more are killed in distracted driving accidents," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a NHTSA press release. LaHood emphasized the importance of high visibility law enforcement presence to enforce traffic laws and remind drivers of the criminal consequences.

California lawmakers have recognized the dangers of distracted driving by passing a handheld phone and texting ban for all drivers, as well as banning all cell phone use by bus drivers and novice drivers.

Regardless of the criminal consequences, drivers are negligent when they allow themselves to be distracted by cell phones or other devices. Motorists who cause car accidents and injuries due to reckless or careless behavior can be held accountable for damages by an experienced California personal injury lawyer.

This tragic event marked the first dog-related death in Pacifica in over 25 years, although at least three Bay Area residents have been killed by dogs in the last decade. While fatalities are thankfully rare, many California residents suffer personal injury from dog bites and other animal attacks every year.

California Law Provides Remedies for Dog Bite Victims

Californians injured by a dog bite may be entitled to compensation from the dog's owner. California is one of many states that hold a dog owner "strictly liable" for the animal's behavior, meaning that it is not necessary for an injured person to show that the dog bite was caused by the owner's negligent behavior.

Dog bite victims are usually barred from recovering from their injuries if they were not legally authorized to be in the location where the attack occurred. As an example, while victims usually can recover if they are attacked while they are guests in someone's home, they usually cannot if they have broken in to the home. Veterinarians and humane societies are also usually barred from recovering.

The new law allows courts to take into account existing bonds between a child and an individual whom they have recognized as a parent in adoption proceedings. The bill, which has major implications for individuals in same-sex relationships, passed in both the Senate and Assembly with considerable majorities.

The California Family Code now provides that a voluntary declaration of paternity is invalid if the child already had a "presumed parent" at the time the declaration was signed, or if the man signing the declaration is a sperm donor. Presumed parenthood will be based on the court's consideration of a variety of factors, including "the nature, duration, and quality of the petitioning party's relationship with the child" in deciding whether to set aside the voluntary declaration of paternity.

A study being conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on the safety and economic impact of truck speed limiters will be reviewed before a change is finalized. If approved, a rule limiting truck speeds will join other proposed regulatory initiatives.

Other Safety Measures Studied

In 2000, large truck accidents were linked to 5,211 fatalities and 140,000 injuries. Committed to reducing this toll, the FMCSA is exploring a number of potential safety measures.

In a report to Congress in 2011, the FMCSA indicated research support for the use of event data recorders (EDRs) to reduce crash risks. Once installed, EDRs gather vehicle data including speed, braking and throttle position during truck operation. Analysis of this data helps pinpoint problems and improve driving behavior, thus reducing the risk of a crash.

The latest speed control proposal has drawn mixed support from the trucking industry. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) argued in 2006 that lower truck speeds would reduce the crash severity, cut fuel use, improve highway safety and the environment.

However, smaller truckers, represented by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) oppose the rule, arguing that limiting speed would inhibit safe travel. "All credible highway research shows that highways are safest when all vehicles travel at the same speed," said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of OOIDA in the Journal of Commerce.

An Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident with a large commercial truck, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

The Every 15 Minutes program, which has undoubtedly raised awareness of the issue of drunk driving, and other programs seeking to curb drunk driving, must have had some measure of impact.

A recent tragic car accident in Glenn that resulted in the death of three people, some of whom had just graduated from Willows High School, may cause postponement or cancellation of the event at that high school. It remains to be seen whether there was alcohol involved - there are reports that the driver who crossed the center line may have had a small amount of methamphetamine in his car.

Source: Glenn triple fatal accident may cancel 'Every 15 Minutes'

Here's how it works:

• Bump creates a unique profile for your car based on your license plate number

As founder Mitch Thrower says, "It's kind of like a Groupon and a Foursquare meets AAA..."

But Thrower goes on to discuss the possible negatives as well, such as distracted driving. With the rise of interactive social media, so has another thing risen: distraction. Every message you receive from friends and family and coworkers can be routed through your mobile device. Bump.com, which effectively brings your car into the loop, is another potential distraction.

But Thrower said, "We want to make the roads safer," referring to one of Bump's goals of helping police track down suspects, as well as the fact that drivers cannot text or otherwise communicate using Bump while driving.

Source: How am I driving: Social network allows you to contact other motorists