From the Magic Kingdom to Sea World to dozens of others, Orlando has near-infinite options for family summertime fun. As the summer is quickly approaching, it is important to learn how to keep you and your family safe at Orlando’s many theme parks.

Water and Heat

We call it the Sunshine State for a reason – summer days in Florida get hot, and stay hot. The single most important thing you can do while enjoying a day in the sun is staying hydrated, and making sure your kids stay hydrated, as well. If you can, avoid drinking caffeinated soft drinks that sap the body of water and leave you and your family feeling thirstier.

Take It Easy

Despite their seemingly limitless energy, kids need a break from time to time. Before you embark for your family day of fun, establish times that everyone will take a dedicated break to sit down and take a load off their feet. This will ensure that everyone has energy to sustain them through the day, as well as avoiding exhaustion that could cause discomfort and illness.

“Keep Your Hands Inside The Ride At All Times…”

The phrase something of a cliché nowadays, but the simple wisdom of it holds true. Modern rollercoasters go extremely fast, making it very difficult to see any oncoming obstacles, obstructions, or hazards. Most rides were designed to be ridden with all hands, limbs and feet inside the seating area at all times, and it may be necessary to communicate this to your children. For everyone’s safety, it is vital to follow both the posted instructions and whatever you are told by park staff.

Take a Closer Look

The person operating the ride is obligated to ensure that the ride is safe for thousands upon thousands of people. Unfortunately, they may not always be doing the most diligent job of making sure you and your children are safe. It is also important to visually examine the attraction for seemingly broken parts or indications of poor maintenance. An improperly maintained or operated ride can cause catastrophic injuries. Tragically, wrongful deaths can occur due to a theme park’s negligence.

Amusement parks can be a wonderful day of fun for you and your children. However, they can also be hazardous places that could cause immense harm if the owners and operators of the park are negligent in their obligation to provide a safe experience. If you or your children have suffered due to a theme park accident, contact one of our Orlando injury attorneys today to discuss your legal rights.

• Drowning is the leading cause of injury and death for children ages one to four, and it is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury and death for people of all ages
• In 2009, more than 30 percent of children ages one to four who died from an unintentional injury died from drowning
• About one in five people who die from drowning are children under age 15, and most drowning accidents involving children ages one to four occur in home swimming pools

Swimming pool accidents can result in catastrophic injuries. For instance, slip and falls, nonfatal drowning, and diving board accidents can cause traumatic brain injury, which may lead to long-term complications such as memory problems, learning disabilities and other cognitive impairments. Swimming pool accidents can also cause spinal cord injuries, broken bones, neck and back injuries, and severe lacerations and contusions. Moreover, people can develop serious infections from improperly maintained swimming pools and hot tubs, such as Legionnaires disease. If you or your loved one has suffered a swimming pool injury or infection, you may be entitled to compensation. An experienced Orlando injury attorney can help you fight to get it.

Swimming Pool Safety

Pool owners can take several steps to prevent swimming pool injuries and infections, including:

• Installing a fence around all sides of the pool
• Using locks or alarms to prevent unintended access
• Clearly marking pool depth and potential hazards
• Properly installing and maintaining pool equipment, such as ladders, slides, diving boards, drain covers, hand rails, lighting and walkways
• Filling the pool completely
• Keeping the bottom clean
• Removing debris
• Maintaining proper chemical and pH levels
• Hiring qualified lifeguards

What Can Parents Do?

In addition to following the above safety tips, parents can minimize their children’s risk of drowning in a swimming pool by:

• Enrolling children in swimming lessons at a young age
• Having inexperienced swimmers wear properly-fitted life jackets
• Supervising children in the pool at all times
• Avoiding alcohol and distractions while supervising children
• Taking children to swimming pools with lifeguards on duty whenever possible
• Learning CPR

If a swimming pool accident caused you to suffer a serious injury, or if your loved one died from a swimming pool injury or infection, contact a qualified Orlando injury lawyer today to learn about your legal rights.

TBI victims may be entitled to compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you or your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, an experienced Orlando injury attorney can protect your legal rights and fight for the compensation you need and deserve.

Victims of CTE

In May 2012, former NFL player Junior Seau committed suicide with a gunshot wound to the chest. Hoping for answers as to why the 20-year veteran linebacker took his own life, his family donated his brain to the National Institutes of Health. Researchers determined that Seau, like so many other former pro football players, suffered from CTE, which involves symptoms such as:

• Progressive dementia
• Impaired judgment
• Memory loss
• Disorientation
• Confusion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Impulse control issues
• Headaches
• Muscle tremors
• Vertigo
• Depression
• Anger
• Difficulty speaking
• Hearing problems

CTE has also been diagnosed in younger athletes, including University of Pennsylvania offensive lineman Owen Thomas, who took his own life in April 2010.

Improving Player Safety

In an effort to minimize football players’ risk of traumatic brain injury, policymakers at the professional, college and high school levels have implemented new rules designed to reduce the number of concussions happening on the field. For example:

• The NFL requires teams to consult with an independent neurological consultant concerning player concussions. Players are not supposed to return to football activities until both the team physician and the independent neurologist have cleared them to do so.

• The Ivy League restricts full-contact practices to twice per week and enforces tough penalties for helmet-to-helmet tackles during gameplay. The league also places an emphasis on player education concerning proper tackling techniques, concussion signs and symptoms, and the short-term and long-term effects of repetitive head trauma.

• The Football Rules Committee of the National Federation of State High School Associations requires that players sit out for one play if their helmet comes off while the ball is live. This rule intended to encourage proper helmet fit.

Whether sustained while playing football, in a car accident or on the job, a TBI can have lasting effects. If you or your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact a knowledgeable Orlando injury lawyer today to learn about your legal rights.

Research shows that child safety seats reduce infants’ risk of death in passenger cars by 71 percent. For children ages one to four, child safety seats correlate to a 54 percent risk reduction. Even though numerous studies support the effectiveness of child safety seats at preventing injuries among children, the CDC recently discovered that, over a one-year period, more than 618,000 children ages 12 and under rode in vehicles unrestrained at least some of the time. This finding proves quite concerning when one considers that, according to Safe Kids USA, nearly half of all children ages 14 and under who die in car accidents are completely unrestrained at the time of the crash.

Nationwide in 2009, approximately 179,000 children ages 14 and under were injured in car accidents. To help keep child passengers safe, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends:

• Securing children under age one in a rear-facing car seat
• Securing children ages one to three in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the manufacturer’s height or weight limit, and then transitioning them to a front-facing car seat with a harness
• Securing children ages four to seven in a front-facing car seat with a harness until they reach the manufacturer’s height or weight limit, and then transitioning them to a booster seat
• Securing children ages eight to 12 in a booster seat until a seatbelt fits them properly

In addition to following manufacturer guidelines when using a child safety seat, parents should also pay attention to car seat recalls. Car seat defects, such as the following, can result in serious injuries or death:

• Inferior materials
• Weak construction
• Faulty design
• Flammability
• Sudden release
• Latch, handle, harness or tether strap failure
• Base/shell separation

If a defective car seat or reckless driver injured or killed your child, contact an experienced Orlando injury attorney today to learn about your legal rights. Your family may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, funeral costs, and pain and suffering, and a qualified Orlando injury lawyer can help you fight to get it.

Tips for Coping with a Spinal Cord Injury

Adjusting to life with a newly-acquired disability can be very difficult, especially right at first, but many spinal cord injury victims go on to lead productive and fulfilling lives. The Mayo Clinic suggests the following for coping with a spinal cord injury:

• Grieving — Spinal cord injury victims need time to grieve the loss of who they were and what they were once able to do. Grieving is an important part of recovery. Victims may initially experience denial or disbelief, followed by sadness, anger and bargaining. The grieving process eventually culminates in acceptance. During the grieving process, spinal cord injury victims should try to set new goals and work toward moving forward. Support groups can be a great resource during this time.

• Educating oneself and talking about one’s injury — Spinal cord injury victims should educate themselves about their injuries and about how to regain their independence. Vehicle modifications, for instance, may enable them to drive again. Home modifications can help them live more autonomously. It also helps to talk to family and friends about one’s injury, so they understand what help is needed and how much help is too much.

• Dealing with intimacy issues — A spinal cord injury can affect the body’s response to sexual stimuli. Professional counselors help spinal cord injury victims and their partners communicate their feelings and needs and find ways to experience intimacy together.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, contact a qualified Orlando injury lawyer today to learn about your legal rights.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

There are four main types of cerebral palsy:

• Spastic
• Dyskinetic
• Ataxic
• Mixed

Spastic cerebral palsy, the most common type, is characterized by awkward or jerky movements and muscle stiffness in the legs (diplegia), on a particular side of the body (hemiplegia) or throughout the entire body (quadriplegia). Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is characterized by uncontrollable movements in the hands, feet, arms or legs. Ataxic cerebral palsy, the rarest type, is characterized by poor balance and coordination, as well as impaired depth perception. Mixed cerebral palsy involves a combination of two or more types, the most common being spastic/dyskinetic.

Cerebral Palsy Caused By Birth Trauma

When an infant is deprived of oxygen during labor or delivery, known as birth asphyxia, it can result in permanent brain damage. If the child’s cerebrum is damaged, he or she may develop cerebral palsy. In some cases, birth asphyxia is a direct result of medical malpractice. Below are some examples of medical mistakes that can result in birth asphyxia:

• Failing to properly monitor mother and baby
• Misreading a fetal heart rate monitor
• Delaying or failing to order a C-section
• Failing to anticipate potential complications
• Failing to respond to fetal distress
• Failing to respond to umbilical cord entanglement
• Failing to treat jaundice
• Misuse of medical equipment, such as forceps
• Pregnancy mismanagement
• Pitocin or other drug errors

Treating Cerebral Palsy

Depending on the type and severity of one’s condition, treatment might include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, special education, orthotic devices or wheelchair use, medications, surgery, and/or alternative treatments such as acupuncture or Botox injections. When cerebral palsy results from avoidable birth trauma, parents may be entitled to compensation under medical malpractice law, which can help pay for their child’s ongoing treatment and care.

If your child suffered a birth injury that resulted in permanent impairments, contact a knowledgeable Orlando injury lawyer today to learn about your legal rights.

Causes of Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries can be caused by:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Swimming pool accidents
• Sports accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Falls from a height
• Violent crime
• Fires and explosions
• Medical malpractice
• Defective products

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, falls account for 35.2 percent of traumatic brain injuries in the United States, while motor vehicle accidents account for 17.3 percent. Motor vehicle accidents are also responsible for more than 40 percent of new spinal cord injuries each year in the U.S., according to the Mayo Clinic. When an individual or company acts recklessly or negligently and causes someone to suffer a catastrophic injury, that party may be legally liable.

Coping With a Catastrophic Injury

A catastrophic injury is a life-changing event. Victims of catastrophic injuries may not be able to participate in activities they used to enjoy, and they may be unable to perform certain job duties or to work at all. Some victims may need a wheelchair to get around, while others may find themselves bedbound. Victims might suffer permanent disfigurement, experience cognitive and emotional impairments or suffer from chronic pain. A catastrophic injury can even shorten a person’s lifespan. Depending on the type of injury, treatment might involve multiple surgeries, painful skin grafting procedures, intense physical therapy and/or lifelong medications. Some victims may even need round-the-clock care for the rest of their lives.

If you or your loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, a qualified Orlando injury lawyer can help you obtain compensation for the treatment, equipment, care, accommodations and rehabilitation you or your family member needs to live as comfortable and rewarding a life as possible. No matter who may be at fault for the injury, contact a knowledgeable Orlando injury attorney today to learn about your legal rights.

• Nighttime driving restrictions
• Restrictions on driving with passengers
• Ban on non-emergency cell phone use
• Minimum age requirements
• Required practice hours

The purpose of GDL programs is to help keep teens safe as they gradually acquire driving experience and develop their driving skills. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States, killing more than 5,000 teens ages 16-20 each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, research shows that GDL laws generally reduce crashes involving young, novice drivers by as much as 20 to 50 percent.

Florida GDL Laws

In Florida, teen drivers are given an intermediate license until they turn 18. The intermediate license carries certain nighttime driving restrictions depending on the driver’s age. Unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and is sitting in the closest seat to the right of the driver, or unless driving to and from work, 16-year-olds cannot drive outside the hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and 17-year-olds cannot drive outside the hours of 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. There are currently no passenger restrictions for teen drivers, and the state does not have any laws prohibiting or restricting cell phone use by drivers of any age.

IIHS Working to Improve GDL Programs

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute recently introduced an online calculator designed to help states improve their GDL programs. The calculator allows people to see the safety gains each state could achieve by adopting certain GDL provisions concerning practice hours, permit age, license age, nighttime driving and/or driving with passengers. For example, Florida could potentially reduce fatal crashes by 7 percent and collision claims by 5 percent if the state implemented a one-passenger limit for teen drivers.

The IIHS and HLDI estimate that more than 500 lives could be saved and more than 9,500 car accidents prevented annually “if every state adopted all five components of the toughest young driver laws in the nation.” Current best practices include:

• Having a minimum permit age of 16
• Having a minimum intermediate license age of 17
• Requiring at least 65 hours of supervised practice driving
• Restricting nighttime driving starting at 8 p.m.
• Banning all teen passengers

If you or your teenager has been seriously injured in an auto accident, an experienced Orlando injury attorney can review your case and determine whether you may be entitled to compensation. To learn about your legal rights, contact a qualified Orlando injury lawyer today.

Traffic Fatalities

According to the Centers for Disease Control, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for people ages five to 34 in the U.S. In 2010 alone, there were 32,885 traffic fatalities nationwide, 31 percent of which involved at least one driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or above. When any of the following factors contribute to a fatal car accident, the victim’s family may have a wrongful death case:

• Drunk driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs
• Reckless driving
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Driving while distracted or tired
• Lack of truck driver training or qualifications
• Auto part defects

If your loved one died in a car or truck accident, contact a qualified Orlando injury lawyer today.

Medical Malpractice Fatalities

According to the American Association for Justice, hundreds of thousands of Americans sustain serious injuries or die because of preventable medical mistakes every year. In fact, a study by HealthGrades, Inc. involving 37 million patient records revealed that an average of 195,000 people died in the U.S. each year from 2000 to 2002 due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors.

Examples of medical malpractice include:

• Vaccine injuries
• Failure to diagnose or delayed diagnosis
• Bad blood transfusions
• Pharmaceutical errors
• Emergency room negligence, including failure to take a complete medical history or perform a proper physical exam, failure to monitor a patient, or failure to perform necessary tests
• Surgical errors, such as leaving a medical instrument inside a patient, operating on the wrong body part or wrong patient, or accidental organ puncture
• Birth injuries caused by factors like failing to anticipate complications, improperly monitoring fetal heart rate, failing to respond to fetal distress, ordering a cesarean section too late or not at all, or misusing a vacuum extractor or forceps

If a medical mistake led to your loved one’s death, contact a knowledgeable Orlando injury attorney today.

Other Accidents Involving Wrongful Death

While many wrongful death claims involve auto accidents or medical errors, others arise from:

• Theme park accidents
• Tourist injuries
• Boating or diving accidents
• Brain injuries
• Airplane accidents
• Animal attacks

When a person dies because of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, an Orlando injury lawyer helps the victim’s family seek justice on behalf of their loved one.

Cell Phone-Related Traffic Accidents

According to the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths, 330,000 injuries and 1.5 million instances of property damage annually in the U.S. Moreover, cell phone use was reported in 18 percent of fatal distraction-related crashes in 2009, and the National Safety Council asserts that 28 percent of all traffic accidents occur when drivers are using cell phones.

In 2008, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported that cell phone use roughly quadruples a driver’s risk of being involved in a car crash. Some people may think only hand-held devices are dangerous for drivers. However, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, “Studies comparing the risks associated with . . . hand-held and hands-free cell phones . . . have found them indistinguishable — both increase risk.” In fact, researchers who reviewed 84 studies of how cell phone use impacts driving performance found hand-held and hands-free devices affect driver reaction time almost identically.

Cell Phone Driving Laws

Growing concerns about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving have prompted many states to pass legislation restricting the use of cell phones by drivers. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, as of June 2012:

• 10 states and Washington DC had banned all drivers from using a handheld cell phone
• 39 states and Washington DC had prohibited text messaging by all drivers
• 32 states and Washington DC had banned novice drivers from using a cell phone and five states had prohibited text messaging by novice drivers
• 19 states and Washington DC had banned school bus drivers from using a cell phone and three states had prohibited text messaging by school bus drivers

Despite increasing awareness about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving, drivers around the country continue to talk and text. If a distracted driver caused your serious injuries or your love one’s wrongful death, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, funeral costs, and pain and suffering. To learn about your legal rights, contact a qualified Orlando injury lawyer today.