Because of the state's long coal mining history, residents of West Virginia have a vested interest in knowing the main reasons for fatal mining-related accidents. Annual fatalities in mining have nearly doubled in the U.S. since 2005. Though the figure is far less...
Month: February 2019
Dealing with dangerous or drunk drivers on the road
People in West Virginia face serious threats from drunk drivers on the roads. Drunk driving is implicated in thousands of serious car accidents each year, including many fatal crashes. As a result, people may be very concerned about how they can spot drunk drivers and...
Mild traumatic brain injuries have long-term effects
Every year, there are over 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries that occur across the United States. An estimated 7 percent of these cases are in children. Mild brain injuries are often called a "silent epidemic" as the symptoms can go unnoticed. The month of March...
Solutions to fatal truck crash increase are in truckers’ hands
Truckers in West Virginia and across the nation can do something about the rise in fatal large truck crashes. During the Transportation Research Board's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. in early 2019, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released some...
New TBI test designated as breakthrough device by FDA
A rapid test for confirming traumatic brain injuries has received the FDA's designation as a breakthrough device. The test, called the Tbit™ Blood Testing Platform and developed by medical device company BioDirection, can diagnose a concussion in less than 90...
Businesses have a duty to keep properties safe for customers
The legal concept of premises liability obliges West Virginia businesses to maintain safe properties. They have a legal duty of care to monitor their properties for hazards, warn people about dangers and fix problems like broken handrails, bunched up carpet or rugs,...
FMCSA regulations are strict on trucker cellphone use
As a driver, you are probably aware of laws pertaining to cellphone use in passenger cars, but are there different rules for truckers?If the big rig in front of you begins weaving a little, has the driver taken his or her attention off the road to call a spouse or...
Woman dies on subway stairs in station without elevator
Some West Virginia residents who have struggled with stairs when no elevator was available might have heard about a woman who died while trying to carry her baby's stroller down a flight of stairs in a New York City subway station. There was no elevator in the...
Mild TBIs raise risk for PTSD, other mental health problems
A study published in JAMA Psychiatry has linked mild traumatic brain injuries to a higher risk for mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. West Virginia residents should know that the CDC defines a TBI as any injury, either caused by...