Posted on March 13, 2021 in Premises Liability

Spinal cord injuries may happen in a high-speed car accident, but may also be the result of negligence on-premises or at work. Unfortunately, medical science has yet to devise a true cure for SCIs and so if you find yourself the victim of one, it may mean a long road of rehabilitation and high medical costs.

In the case of negligence though, the possibility of compensation for your pain and suffering is still in the cards. Knowing what costs to expect may help you build a better case.

Average costs depend on the severity of SCIs

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the average first-year cost of your SCI may range between $375,000 and $1.1 million. It all depends on how severe the injury is. Motor functional damage at any level throws real hurdles for you during recovery and may impact your job prospects for the rest of your life.

Lower injuries may still be drastic and give you paraplegia—the partial or full paralysis of your lower half. Catastrophic injuries higher up on the spinal column may give you tetraplegia—similar levels of paralysis but through your whole body. High tetraplegia, or injuries to the C1-C4 vertebrae, pose the greatest risk and highest costs of surgery and recovery.

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 Posted on March 11, 2021 in Car Accidents

Even though child car seats can be expensive, placing your child in one is the best way to protect him or her from injury in a car accident. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that using a height- and weight-appropriate car seat reduces injury risk by as much as 82%.

If you have a collision when your child is in the car, you may wonder if it is safe to continue to use the car seat. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it is only acceptable to use car seats that have been through minor collisions. Accordingly, you should replace the seat after moderate or severe ones.

Was your accident moderate or severe?

The terms, "minor," "moderate" and "severe," may not mean much to you.

Fortunately, the NHTSA has a framework for determining if your crash was moderate or severe. If your accident has any of the following characteristics, you should replace your child’s car seat immediately:

• Someone suffered an injury in the crash.

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 Posted on February 19, 2021 in Car Accidents

Winter weather is here again. Driving on ice- or snow-covered roads is dangerous and poses many risks, even for experienced drivers.

In additional to snow on the road, dangerously low temperatures can cause black ice on the road that is difficult to spot after the roads are cleared. The Connecticut State Police is reminding motorists to be aware of road conditions before you leave, to drive slowly and to leave extra space between you and other vehicles.

What to include in your emergency kit

In addition to driving defensively, what else should motorists do to stay safe on the road? Don’t forget to store emergency items in your vehicle in case you get into an accident or stuck in a snowstorm.

Some of the most essential items to include in have in your vehicle during the winter include:

• Durable mittens or gloves
• Hat
• Blankets

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 Posted on February 05, 2021 in Car Accidents

With lockdowns across the country, many Americans decided to work from home. If you commute to your place of employment, you probably noticed lighter traffic in and around Bridgeport. Unfortunately, despite uncongested roadways, the number of traffic fatalities increased in 2020.

During the first six months of 2020, nationwide traffic deaths increased by 12.7% over the same period the previous year. In Connecticut, from the middle of March 2020 to the middle of April 2020, there was a 50% drop in traffic volume and a 40% increase in traffic fatalities.

Speeding may be to blame

It may be impossible to believe that traffic fatalities would increase when fewer drivers are on the road. Still, it seems drivers may have used a lack of congestion as a reason to increase their speeds. Obviously, if cars are moving at fast speeds, their drivers have less time to avoid a serious accident.

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 Posted on February 04, 2021 in Premises Liability

Winter is a particularly hazardous time of year for many of us in the northern hemisphere. The presence of snow and ice turns the entire world into a slip and slide. While nobody can stop the freezing temperatures, it is true that in certain circumstances landlords have responsibilities to keep their properties safe for pedestrians.

If you suffer a nasty slip in front of a retail property during the winter months and sustain an injury as a result, you may be wondering about your legal recourse. According to FindLaw, there are certain instances where you may have a slip-and-fall case against a retail landlord who was negligent with ice and snow.

Are landlords liable for ice and snow?

Not in all situations. Generally speaking, if the ice and snow accumulation is due to current weather conditions, it is not reasonable to expect a landlord to remove ice and snow the moment it appears.

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 Posted on January 25, 2021 in Car Accidents

Winters in Connecticut bring ice and snow to the road, making it difficult to drive safely. No matter if you plan on only driving around your neighborhood or venturing farther, learn how to maneuver your vehicle safely.

To prevent unnecessary car accidents, read what AAA Exchange offers for winter driving tips. The right information could save a life.

Learn how to navigate hills

If you have a lot of hills in your area, understand how to navigate them during icy and snowy conditions. While approaching inclines, increase your speed a bit so you have enough inertia to power your vehicle up the hill. Do not change speeds while climbing, as doing so may force your tires to spin out, and try not to brake or stop while going uphill. When you get to the top of the hill, allow momentum and gravity to guide you gently downhill.

Allow for greater following distance

When temperatures plummet, leave more room between yourself and other vehicles. If you hit a patch of black ice, you may need more distance to come to a complete stop. Also, if a car behind you skids on ice or snow, putting more distance between yourself and the car ahead of you gives you more room to pull up or maneuver out of the way.

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 Posted on January 22, 2021 in Car Accidents

Many types of driving behaviors contribute to the risks that drivers face on the road. Distracted driving is an umbrella term that covers a handful of these behaviors. While texting and driving gets the worst rap, drowsy driving is just as risky.

In fact, drowsy driving is one of the leading causes of crashes. As time goes on, it only grows deadlier, becoming a bigger and more pressing issue.

Affects of drowsiness on drivers

The Sleep Foundation looks at drowsy driving and its impact on crashes. Drowsiness affects the human body in a way similar to intoxication. In fact, many drowsy drivers exhibit similar behaviors and actions to intoxicated drivers. They may slur their speech, stumble and lack hand-eye coordination. They can also experience:

• Slowed reflexes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Trouble identifying oncoming danger
• Slowed mental processes

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 Posted on January 20, 2021 in Personal Injury

Car accidents have the potential to cause a host of injuries. Yet, one of the most common and over-looked injuries is brain trauma. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury-related hospitalizations in the United States.

It is critical to understand the signs and symptoms of brain trauma, so you can spot an injury. Furthermore, you can get help as soon as possible.

What is traumatic brain damage?

The delicate human brain sits suspended in fluid within the skull cavity. Any sudden, forceful blow to the head can cause the soft tissue to reverberate with the cavity, hitting into the hard skull bone once or even multiple times. Each impact has the potential to cause bruising, bleeding and inflammation to the brain tissue.

Some damage may seem minor, as you may not notice any symptoms of an injury for days after the accident occurred. However, the damage may intensify as swelling in the brain occurs.

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 Posted on January 11, 2021 in Firm News

Tremont Sheldon P.C. is committed to our clients, community, and the legal system in 2021. We are here to help 7 days a week and can meet with clients in a variety of ways. We understand that on-line schooling, elder care, work, and other commitments may make it difficult to meet during traditional office hours or even in the office and we are happy to accommodate by offering night and weekend appointments and teleconferences.

Modified office policies

Our Bridgeport, Connecticut, office is open and continues to serve those who need our help after an accident or after suffering abuse. We have made some changes to the way our office operates so that we may better serve our clients during this difficult time. We can now see clients inside or outside our office and are committed to maintaining safe social distancing practices in order to keep our staff and clients safe and healthy.

Now Available: Tele visits

In 2020, Tremont Sheldon P.C. began offering conferences via telephone or video call to better meet our clients’ needs during these uncertain times. These tele visits are exactly like in-office appointments, but they allow our clients to remain safely in their homes throughout the visit.  We are doing remote depositions and have computers that clients can use for these remote meetings.

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 Posted on January 05, 2021 in Firm News

Civil and criminal jury trials in Connecticut have been on hold since March because of the pandemic. Jury trials were scheduled to resume in early November. However, due to the recent increase in positive COVID-19 test results statewide, they have again been postponed until at least the end of the year in state courts and until February 1^stin federal courts. We will keep you apprised of ongoing developments.

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