By Francis M. Smith Concussion injuries, referred to in the medical profession as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), are at once among the more common injuries suffered by both children and adults, and one of the more dangerous kinds of injury. Every year, emergency rooms across the United States treat roughly 2.5 million head injuries, and correctly diagnosing whether a patient has sustained a TBI is key to ensuring proper treatment and optimal recovery. Unfortunately, concussion injuries aren’t always easy to diagnose ..read more

By Francis M. Smith A bill recently passed in the New Jersey Senate will help injured plaintiffs make informed decisions in their pursuit of fair compensation for their injuries. The bill, S-2429, passed in the State Senate at the end of March, requires that insurance providers disclose the limits of coverage on a policy held by a customer who is party to an injury claim. After receiving a request for disclosure in connection with an injury claim (which must include a statement that the attorney represents a person injured in an accident involving someone insured by the provider, t ..read more

By Francis M. Smith Relying less on automotive transportation and choosing to walk or bike, either recreationally or as part of your daily commute, is often characterized as a frugal, healthy, and eco-friendly choice. Being a pedestrian or cyclist is not without its hazards, however; 2018 saw the highest number of pedestrian accident fatalities across the country since 1990. In the last decade alone, pedestrian deaths have increased by more than a third. These troubling trends persist despite pressure from pedestrian safety groups on states and municipalities to implement policies ..read more

By Francis M. Smith After suffering an injury in any sort of accident for which someone else was at fault, you are generally advised to wait until you have reached the point of maximum medical improvement before sending a demand letter for injury compensation to the relevant insurance company. “Maximum medical improvement” refers to the point at which your treating doctors believe that you have healed as fully as you are likely to heal, and that further medical intervention will not result in any additional improvement. For some patients, this means that they have recovered complet ..read more

By Francis M. Smith While there has been an overall downward trend in automotive accident fatalities nationwide, New Jersey stands out with one of the lowest rates of car accident fatalities, with 6.7 fatalities per 100,000 residents in 2017. Only Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and the District of Columbia reported lower fatality rates that year. In even better news for New Jersey residents, the number of fatal accidents last year decreased from the 2017 figures, with 624 automotive-related fatalities in 2017 and 566 fatalities in 2018. However, that reduction in automotive de ..read more

By Francis M. Smith The sport of American football has come under scrutiny in recent years at all levels of play, from the schoolyard to the Super Bowl, for the heightened risk of head injury that its players experience. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), the more medically-accurate term for concussions, can have lasting effects on a sufferer’s physical, cognitive and emotional health, especially as repeated injuries accumulate over time. This year, the largest youth football organization in the US is implementing policies that it hopes will make the game less dangerous for participan ..read more

By Francis M. Smith For years,a common rallying cry used in efforts to raise public awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, especially involving the use of mobile devices, has been, “Hang up and drive!” While the intent behind this slogan remains as relevant as ever, the language may be due for an update, based on roadside surveys conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. While distracted driving involving the use of cell phones remains a major contributing factor to deadly automotive collisions, the manner in which drivers are interacting with their mobil ..read more

By Francis M. Smith Despite the stubborn residue of the last snowstorm still clinging to curbs and lawns, spring is only a matter of weeks away, and with it comes one of the more curious phenomena of the modern era: Daylight Savings Time. However, as we “spring forward” to chase the gradually-expanding daylight hours, it’s worth taking a moment to consider how the transition will affect our bodies and our safety as we make our daily commutes ..read more