Automobile accidents can be very dangerous. The sheer force of two cars colliding at almost any speed can cause some very serious injuries. However, in a car accident there is a certain amount of protection afforded by the cars. This is not the case when a car collides with a bicycle.

Unlike cars, bicycles are not enclosed. They provide no protection to the rider during a collision. There is also no seatbelt or airbag to lessen the impact. This makes it far more dangerous when a car hits a bicycle.

The force of the impact when a car hits a bicycle is equal to the mass of the car times the velocity at which it is traveling. Because the car weighs so much more than the bicycle, the force of impact is already high. The faster the car travels, the more danger there is involved in the collision.

Most car and bicycle collisions occur because the driver of the car does not see the cyclist or does not realize how quickly the cyclist is traveling. Bicycles can often travel in excess of 30 mph. They are also very small compared to cars. Drivers should always be aware of this, and always be on the lookout for cyclists.

Contact a Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

When a car hits a bicycle, the aftermath can be terrible and often results in serious injury or death. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident like this, contact the Minneapolis personal injury attorneys of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen at 612-362-0000.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, toxic gas. It is a gas that is impossible to see, taste, or smell. Because of this, carbon monoxide can kill you before you are aware it is even present in the home. When the level of exposure is low, carbon monoxide poisoning has symptoms that are frequently mistaken to be the flu.

The low-level exposure symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea, and fatigue. The effects that carbon monoxide has on the body can vary from person to person. Some of the biggest factors in determining their effect are the person’s age, overall health, concentration level, and the length of exposure.

Carbon monoxide found in the home can come from a variety of sources. Unvented kerosene, unvented gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, wood fireplaces, gas stoves, and a huge number of other things found in the home that are sources of heat can all leak carbon monoxide.

When the concentration of carbon monoxide is low, fatigue in healthy people is common. A low concentration can cause chest pains in people who have heart disease. When the level of concentration is higher, exposure can result in impaired vision, decreased coordination, headaches, dizziness, confusion, and nausea.

If the carbon monoxide in a person’s home is due to a faulty product or faulty construction of a fireplace or flue, a person’s injuries may be covered by a recall or other legal options.

Contact a Minneapolis Products Liability Lawyer

If you have been injured by a faulty product, contact the Minneapolis products liability lawyers of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. at 612-362-0000.

Most people would not cite carbon monoxide as a substance that they find threatening. The majority of individuals probably assume that they will never encounter this gas in their households. However, this colorless, odorless gas is a natural part of the environment, and should it build up in an unventilated area, it can be life-threatening.

How is carbon monoxide formed?

While carbon monoxide exists naturally on earth, large amounts of it can be formed through the incomplete combustion of carbon-based materials, typically, any sort of fuel source. When there is not enough oxygen present for the formation of carbon dioxide during the burning process, carbon monoxide is created instead.

Common appliances that burn fuel include gas-powered space heaters, gas water heaters, furnaces, and gas stoves. Fireplaces also can be sources of carbon monoxide formation. To prevent the buildup of this deadly substance inside your home, always ensure that your appliances are in proper working condition and that the areas in which they are used are always well-ventilated. The installation of a carbon monoxide detector will alert you of any problems.

What are the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?

People who are being poisoned by carbon monoxide often times experience symptoms similar to those one feels when suffering from the flu virus. This includes dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Oftentimes, people do not realize that they are exposed to carbon monoxide until it is too late. It is important that people are made aware of these signs of lethal exposure so they know to evacuate the area and seek medical attention immediately.

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If you or someone you know has suffered from carbon monoxide exposure in your home, please contact the Minneapolis personal injury lawyers of Terry, Slane, & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. at 612-362-0000.

When most people think of auto accidents, they imagine collisions of a moving vehicle with another car, a bicycle, or an inanimate object. However, accidents involving cars can occur in other ways, as well. Many people are injured each year by car doors, either by slamming body parts in it, opening the door into passing cyclists or pedestrians, or through latch failure while in motion.

While slamming a body part in the door of a car is very rarely fatal, it is often times extremely painful and the victim can sustain lasting injuries. If hair or fingers find themselves shut in a car door, the latch may engage since these are relatively small and thin parts. Should this happen and the driver is not aware of the trapped victim, he or she may drive away with the victim still stuck in the door. This can result in severe injuries or death.

Car doors can also pose a threat to passing cyclists. Drivers who are not aware of the presence of a bike line or a biker pedaling next to their cars may open the door into the rider. This is extremely dangerous for the cyclist because he or she can experience a relatively high-speed collision into a solid object. Often times, the biker is thrown over the door, which has a high likelihood of causing a head or neck injury.

Finally, car door latch failure can cause terrible injuries or even fatalities to passengers not wearing a seat belt. When the latch fails during an accident, the victim can be thrown out of the car, resulting in far worse injuries than he or she may have sustained if he or she had remained within the confines of the vehicle.

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Car door accidents are more common and more dangerous than people may think. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a car door accident please do not hesitate to contact the Minneapolis personal injury lawyers of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. at 612-362-0000 today.

Railroads can be dangerous places. They can have accidents that are just as bad as, and far worse than, normal auto accidents. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of safe guards against this because it is not supposed to happen.

Trains run on railroad tracks which should never allow for auto collisions. On top of that, the number of trains running across the country is low enough to prevent accidents. This works wonderfully in theory. In real life, however, these trains do collide. Trains hit other trains, they hit automobiles, and they even derail at times. This is not the accident free environment that trains should theoretically run in.

Unfortunately, there is very little protection from train accidents. To avoid train and automobile accidents, signs, gates and lights are generally posted at every intersection. However, these can fail at times or never be posted. This leads to automobiles being hit at intersections of railways and roads. As you can imagine, if a train hits a car, it can only end badly for the person in the car.

Trains do not only hit automobiles. It is possible for trains to collide with each other or to derail. Depending on the situation in which these happen, they can be extremely dangerous. If passenger trains collide, hundreds of people can be injured or killed.

Speak with a Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or someone you know has been involved in a train accident, contact the Minneapolis train accident lawyers of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen at 612-362-0000.

Camping is a wonderful way to escape everyday life and just enjoy oneself in nature, either alone or with friends or family. However, while hiking, swimming, or participating in other outdoor activities on a camping trip, one runs the risk of personal injury. Often times, the isolation of camping and hiking makes it difficult for one to seek and obtain help after an incident has occurred. It is wise to be as prepared as possible when spending an extended amount of time in nature.

The most common types of injuries that people sustain while hiking are sprains and fractures. Trails are often untamed, and it is quite easy for one to turn an ankle or slip and fall while they move along. Hiking boots are essential in the prevention of these injuries. They provide the extra support that is necessary to keep one stable over the rough terrain. Always make sure that you are either with someone or have the ability to contact someone when you are hiking. If an accident does occur, you will be able to get outside help.

Fire injuries are some of the most common injuries sustained while one is camping. Children in particular are susceptible to hurting themselves by getting too close to the flames or touching hot items around the perimeter of the fire pit, even after the fire has been extinguished. Fire safety knowledge is key when an individual plans on constructing one while camping.

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If you or someone you know has been injured due to negligence while camping or hiking, please contact the Minneapolis personal injury lawyers of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. at 612-362-0000.

Whenever people enter into a building, they trust that it is structurally sound. Collapse most likely does not even cross their minds. However, buildings do occasionally fall, and victims of these rare incidents can sustain severe injuries.

Causes of Building Collapse

There are many different causes for the collapse of a structure such as a building. One of the most talked about incidents of building collapse is that of the World Trade Center. The structure crumbled after being impacted by two large airplanes. While this was a very rare occurrence, the collision of planes into buildings, usually unintentionally, does happen.

More commonly, structural issues are the main causes of the fall of a building. These problems include the following:

• Poor building design: not taking into account how large a load may be applied to the building, or what sort of wear the structure will experience over time
• Poor building construction: not using proper fasteners or materials, or putting the structure together in an incorrect manner
• Foundation breakdown: choosing a poor building site on which to lay the foundation or laying a sub-quality foundation itself can cause even a very stable structure to fail
• Overloading the building: typically, unexpected natural overloads, such as heavy snow or earthquakes, can result in building collapse

One or any combination of these four causes, or any unexpected incident such as the aforementioned plane crashes, can result in building failure.

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If you or someone you know has been injured in a building collapse incident, please contact the Minneapolis personal injury lawyers of Terry, Slane, & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. at 612-362-0000 today to set up an appointment.

All too often, people decide to relax and enjoy their free time by combining various water activities with alcohol consumption. However, as is the case with the operation of land-based vehicles, alcohol consumption dramatically hinders an individual’s ability to operate water-based vehicles responsibly, creating a scenario where accidents are likely to occur.

The Risks of BWI

Boating while intoxicated (or impaired), known as BWI, is a very serious charge brought against individuals who, similar to DWI laws, decide to operate a water-based vehicle with elevated blood alcohol content (BAC) levels.

A 2002 study shows that approximately 39% of all boating fatalities were alcohol-related, a notable increase from previous years. Additionally, individuals who choose to operate a boat (or other water-based vehicle) while under the influence of alcohol are ten times more likely to be killed in a boating accident than someone who had not been drinking.

Boating while intoxicated is an especially dangerous activity, because people on boats or other water-based vehicles often find themselves far away from land and assistance if an accident does occur. If someone is intoxicated and has to deal with a serious problem miles away from land and other human Contact, the chances of that person being able to safely and efficiently deal with the situation are minimal.

BWI Laws

Boating while intoxicated laws vary from state to state, but in many locations, they are extremely rigid. In many states, the BAC required to prove intoxication in a BWI charge is lower than in a DWI charge.

Additionally, individuals found guilty of boating while intoxicated face a number of serious penalties including:

• Felony convictions
• Prison sentences
• Fines
• Loss of driver’s license

Contact a Minneapolis BWI Lawyer

If you have been injured by an intoxicated boater, it is important that you contact a legal professional to bring the guilty individual(s) to justice. Contact the Minneapolis boating accident lawyers of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. today at 612-362-0000 to schedule a consultation.

Everybody knows the dangers of automobile accidents, but they don’t necessarily consider that boats can be just as dangerous. Just like a car or truck, a boat has a fairly powerful engine. This allows the boat to reach high speeds that will create a great deal of danger in the event of a collision.

On the road, there are so many cars that it becomes necessary for drivers to take safety courses to reduce the risk of accidents. On the water, however, it is a different story. Just about anyone can drive a boat. There is generally not a lot of traffic out on a lake. This gives boaters a certain amount of freedom. However, with this freedom you accept a certain amount of responsibility.

Even though there is not a lot of traffic on the water, there is still traffic. If you are in a larger boat, you should constantly be on the look out for jet skis and smaller boats, as well as swimmers and tubers. Colliding with any of these could lead to serious injury or even death.

The injuries that come from boat accidents can be just as bad as those that come from auto accidents. On top of these injuries, however, there is the risk of drowning. This makes boating accidents even more dangerous.

A Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

If you or someone you know has ever been involved in a boating accident, contact the Minneapolis boat accident attorneys of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen at 612-362-0000.

According to the United States Coast Guard, most boating accidents are the result of carelessness, excessive speed, operator inattention, or inexperience. In 2005, these accidents caused 39 million dollars of damage and 3,500 injuries. While these numbers are already significant, it is estimated that the actual numbers are far higher. Federal law requires operators to file accident reports with state authorities, but this rarely happens. The United States Coast Guard found that only 5-10% of nonfatal accidents are reported. Failing to file a report is a misdemeanor is certain states.

The Code of Federal Regulations states that a report is to be filed if a person is killed, goes missing, or is injured to the extent that medical attention is sought. In addition, if damage totals more than $2,000 or a vessel is destroyed, a report is required. It must be made within 48 hours. However, if the only damage is to the property, a person has 10 days to file. These are federal regulations and serve as only a minimum. State regulations may be stricter, so it is important to check with your local authority.

If you are involved in an accident, avoid speaking about it until an attorney is consulted. An experienced attorney will be able to help you receive compensation for damages. Laws involving water vehicles vary by state. Comparative fault is often used when determining damages.

Contact an experienced Minneapolis personal injury attorney today at the law firm of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen P.L.L.C. for a free consultation, 612-362-0000.