Jacksonville Injury Lawyer Blog

As a Jacksonville TMJ attorney I have represented several clients who have TMJ as a result of a car accident. The following is a question I am asked when a client initially calls my office:

I would like to know if you have ever heard of anyone having TMJ like symptoms after a bad car accident? I never in my life had these problems until my auto accident. I did not hit my head on anything. I was in so much pain after the accident that I was unable to eat anything for three days. Now, four months later it’s getting worse and worse. I can’t stand the pain. I will be seeing a dentist soon, but I want to be sure that he is going to be treating me correctly. Any suggestions?

Answer: Yes. It is possible that your TMJ problems were caused by trauma from your auto accident. You point out that your face did not come into contact with a hard surface; however, injury to deep tissue of any body part can result from any high velocity impact. Soft tissue injuries often remain undetected during the E.R. visit because matters of immediate treatment need, superficial tissues and bone, get all attention. I always advise clients to follow up with their dentist to determine what next steps he considers appropriate.
If you are a loved one has suffered TMJ injury as a result of a car crash please call the Jacksonville TMJ attorneys at the Law Offices of Henry E. Gare at (904) 387-6101.

Here is some good news to start the new year. The number of people killed in Jacksonville car crashes is dropping.

Fatalities dropped 14 percent in a year, from 2,986 in 2008 to 2,570 in 2009, according to preliminary figures released last week by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The rates also declined in Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. One more motorist died in Clay County in 2009, but its 16 fatalities was still 11 less than the 27 fatalities in 2007.

Safety advocates and law enforcement officials listed a wide variety of reasons for the decline, including better safety equipment, more driver education, new seat belt laws and increased police patrols in areas where accidents can occur.

“The most important factor that impacts our fatality rate is driver behavior,” said Lt. Bill Leeper of the Florida Highway Patrol. “But we also know that other factors such as roadway conditions, vehicle conditions, weather conditions and even economic conditions can impact these totals.”

Targeted education and enforcement campaigns that focus on wearing a seat belt, not driving drunk and avoiding distractions behind the wheel have all helped lower the fatality rate. If you have been in a Jacksonville car accident be sure to call an experience Jacksonville car accident lawyer.

Jacksonville dangerous products:
The maker of Slim-Fast announced a recall of its canned, ready-to-drink products due to possible bacterial contamination.

Unilever, the company which also makes products like Skippy peanut butter and Ragu pasta sauce, said the weight-loss drink may be tainted by Bacillus cereus, which can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman Rita Chappelle said the recall affects 10 million cans distributed in the United States.

Unilever (UL) said it is still in the process of identifying and correcting the production problem that led to the contamination. The FDA, which was notified by Unilever of the possible contamination on Dec. 2, is currently investigating the company’s production facility in Covington, Tenn.

All Slim-Fast ready-to-drink products served in cans, regardless of flahurt by a dangerous product please call The Law Offices of Henry Gare at (904) 387-6101.vor, best-by dates, lot code or UPC number that are currently in retail distribution centers, on store shelves, in warehouses or in consumer homes are being recalled, the company said Thursday. If you or a loved one have been injured by a dangerous product please call the Law Office of Henry E. Gare at (904) 387-6101.

Jacksonville construction accidents: Who is at Fault?

When determining responsibility in a Florida construction accident, several factors must be considered. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) holds the prime contractor responsible for construction site safety. This makes sense, given that prime contractors are involved with all aspects of worksite management, including coordinating work schedules, work quality, and equipment on-site. Even when a subcontractor is present on a Florida construction site, the prime contract is still ultimately responsible. Both prime and subcontractor share responsibility when a subcontractor is involved.

Prime and subcontractors can prevent construction accidents through a focus on safety. This includes proper training in the use of dangerous equipment, monitoring employees for overexertion, and training in proper lifting techniques to prevent all-too-common back and soft tissue injuries. If you have been hurt in a Jacksonville construction accident call the Law Office of Henry Gare at (904) 387-6101.

  Jacksonville drunk driving accidents have decreased but drug-use is still a problem.
The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration study reports that 16 percent of drivers on weekend nights test positive for some type of drug including cocaine, marijuana and prescription sedatives. This is the first time the NHTSA has done this study so it is hard to compare it with previous years.

Law enforcement officials are pleased that the number of drunk driving car accident fatalities has declined along with alcohol-impaired driving. Alcohol is a factor in about 20% of car accident fatalities.

Drunk driving statistics:

A driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or greater is 42% more likely to be male than female.

The hours of 1am to 3am are the hours when drivers are more likely to be drunk driving

Drunk driving among motorcycle drivers is twice that as automobile drivers(5.6% compared with 2.3%)

Pick up truck drivers have a higher rate of driving under the influence, 3.3% pick up truck drivers are DUI compared to 2.3% of auto drivers.  If you or a loved one have been injured in a  Jacksonville car accident call The Law Offices of Henry E. Gare at (904) 387-6101.