Morgantown Personal Injury Lawyer

As you finalize your travel plans for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, chances are very good that you are also making arrangements for the family dog, perhaps having them stay with a loved one, boarding them at a local kennel or even bringing them on the road with you. Whatever the situation, however, it’s always important to ensure that your dog is safely secured and does not pose a threat to those around them.

While people can be dismissive of the danger posed a dog bite, consider that dog bites frequently result in very serious personal injuries, such as lacerations, puncture wounds, internal injuries and even broken bones. Consequently, many victims frequently have to undergo several surgical procedures in order to fully recover, as well as psychological counseling to help cope with the trauma.

Children across the U.S. are currently sitting at their desks counting down the days to summer vacation when they will finally be free to do as they please for three whole months. For some, this means playing outside and riding bikes, while for others it means going to camp or their favorite amusement parks.

Interestingly, a recently published study in the medical journal Clinical Pediatrics indicates that parents might want to exercise a certain degree of caution before allowing their young ones to line up for their favorite rides.

The first of its kind study by researchers with Nationwide Children’s Hospital sought to uncover the national rates and trends surrounding pediatric injuries and amusement park rides. Specifically, the researchers focused on injuries sustained by children on rides at amusement parks (fixed-sites rides), rides at fairs/festivals (mobile rides), and rides at malls, restaurants and arcades (mall rides).

Those athletic men and women looking to prove both their mettle and their muscle can participate in such physically demanding events as marathons or triathlons. However, those people looking for an even harder challenge can take things one-step further by participating in events like the grueling Tough Mudder challenge.

For those unfamiliar with the Tough Mudder, it is essentially a 12-mile endurance course featuring 20 to 25 so-called hazards that participants must navigate their way through using both physical endurance and mental prowess. Originally designed by British Special Forces to test its personnel, some of the regular course hazards include everything from deep mud and icy cold water to fire and electrical shocks.

Tough Mudder -- which has staged over 50 events with 750,000 participants over the last three years -- put on the Mid-Atlantic Tough Mudder right here in West Virginia's Berkeley County this past weekend. Sadly, the event was highlighted not by the indomitable spirit of its teams but rather by the tragic death of a participant.

Most people interested in buying a new car will undertake a somewhat rigorous research process to determine which make and model is right for them. For some it will be important to learn as much as possible about fuel efficiency or driving performance, while for others the focus will be on overall reliability or safety features.

Whatever their primary concern, most car purchasers will undoubtedly spend some time combing through reviews, speaking with family and friends and, of course, surfing the Internet. In fact, one destination that many safety-conscious prospective car buyers frequent is the New Car Assessment Program page run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The NCAP system is essentially a comprehensive government database in which consumers can view safety ratings for vehicles based on a five-star scale, and compare safety performance/features among vehicles.

As it turns out, the NHTSA is considering updating the NCAP program to introduce two new safety ratings in an attempt to provide more in-depth information to certain classes of consumers.