The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a list of what they say should be safety priorities for 2015. According to the NTSB, there are over 100 truck safety recommendations that have been made by the agency, but highway regulators have failed to act on those recommendations, contributing to the number of truck accidents that occur every day.

There are more than two million commercial truck drivers on the nation’s roadways. There are also more than 4,000 people killed every year in truck crashes. One of the most publicized crashes from 2014 involved comedian Tracy Morgan, who was seriously injured when a commercial truck plowed into the limousine in which Morgan, along with five other people, were traveling. One person was killed in that crash. Walmart, the owner of the truck, recently settled a wrongful death suit with the dead victim’s family. There are also criminal charges pending against the driver of that truck.

The NTSB’s statistics show that there has been a 17 percent increase in the number of fatal truck accidents, since 2009. One of the biggest causes of these accidents is driver fatigue. In the Morgan accident, police records show the driver had not slept for over 24 hours. The NTSB says that trucking companies should be putting policies into place that to not only ensure their drivers are not struggling with fatigue, but to also screen them for any sleep disorders which could also affect their driving.

The dangers of driver fatigue may play even more of a role in trucking accidents thanks to a move by Congress which did away with a regulation which prohibited truck drivers from working more than 82 hours in an eight day period.

Another issue the NTSB points out in their report is the lack of enforcing safety regulations. Too many trucks—more than 20 percent on the road—fail safety inspections. The agencies stresses there should be much more enforcement by highway regulators of these inspections.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a commercial truck driver, contact an experienced Westport personal injury attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the driver and company for your pain and loss.

Innovative technology may enable thousands of paralyzed accident victims to walk again. Biometric exoskeletons are currently being tested by patients at different medical facilities across the country. So far, the results have been positive.

Marketed under the name Indego exoskeleton, the device works on the same principle as a Segway does. If a user leans forward, the device moves faster, while leaning back slows it down. The Indego essentially does the walking for a paralyzed person, allowing him or her to stand up and walk away. The device is constructed of with equipment that regulates a user’s posture, returning him or her to a balanced position.

When a user leans forward, the Indego enables him or her to stand up. Once standing, if a user leans forward again, the device will vibrate, which is a signal that a forward step is about to occur. To stop that step, a user only needs to lean back. If a user stays leaning forward, the device will continue to take steps until he or she leans back. The device even allows users to climb stairs.

The device is light, only weighing approximately 27 pounds and can snap apart in order to be easily transported. The manufacturers are hoping to receive FDA approval sometime this year.

According to national statistics, there are almost over one million people who have some form paralysis as a result of a spinal cord injury. Approximately 30 percent of injuries—362,000—happened from work-related accidents. Almost one-fourth of those injuries—311,000—are the result of a motor vehicle accident. Another 16 percent of spinal cord injury victims—206,000—were injured in a sports-related accident, and 9 percent of victims—112,000—were injured in some type of fall.

The cost of living with a spinal cord injury can be financially devastating. In the first year after a spinal cord injury, the average expenses can be anywhere between $228,566 and $775,567. The estimate lifetime cost is approximately $681,843 to over $3 million, depending on the severity of the injuries.

If you or a loved one suffers from paralysis or other spinal cord injuries as a result of an accident, contact an experienced Westport personal injury attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the party or parties responsible for the accident.

A fatal train crash has occurred—this time in Valhalla, New York. Six people were killed and another 15 injured when a commuter train smashed into an SUV that was stopped on the tracks at the crossing. According to officials, the “electrified third rail on the tracks became dislodged after the impact and pierced the floor of the front train car.” Almost 400 feet of track will need to be replaced. The investigation into what caused the crash is currently underway by both state and federal officials.

Railroad Crossing Accident Causes

One of the most tragic, and often avoidable, fatal accidents are those that occur at railroad crossings. The impact of a train slamming into a car at a crossing has been compared to the impact of a car crushing a tin can. In the U.S., every 90 minutes a train and vehicle collide. Every year, there are approximately 250 people killed and another 1,000 seriously injured in railroad crossing accidents.

Many of these accidents are often caused by a vehicle driver attempting to get around the gates of the crossing, or through flashing lights which signal that a train is coming through. By law, drivers are required to stop when these warning signals are in place. Most of these crashes occur within 25 miles of the vehicle driver’s home.

However, it is not always an impatient driver who is at fault in these accidents. Statistics from the Federal Railroad Administration reveal that more than 80 percent of railroad crossings have inadequate warning signals, leaving drivers completely unaware that a train is approaching.

The consequences of train/vehicle accidents can have a dangerous ripple effect. Many of these crashes result in the train derailing off the tracks which greatly endangers the passengers. There are also dangers when the involved train is a freight train. Many freight trains transport hazardous cargo, which can put an entire community in danger if the toxins are exposed to the atmosphere in a crash.

Contact a Westport Wrongful Death Attorney

If you have lost a loved one in a train or vehicle accident, please contact an aggressive wrongful death attorney in Westport, Connecticut to discuss your case and determine what legal recourse you may have against those parties whose negligence were responsible for your family’s tragic loss.