More and more people across the country are beginning to use bicycles as their preferred mode of transportation. There are many advantages to doing so, from saving on gas to getting much needed exercise. Unfortunately, this hobby also comes with risks. To increase your safety on the road, please consider the following tips.

Minnesota Bicycle Accident Prevention: Sharing the Road with Drivers

• When riding your bicycle, keep your eyes open. Many drivers are not used to sharing the road with bicyclists, which means they will not be looking out for you. You may want to avoid bicycling in crowded areas until you have learned how to look around and behind you while maintaining your balance.
• Do not pass cars on the right. Drivers may turn right without noticing you are there.
• Obey all traffic laws. They are not just for cars; they apply to all types of vehicle.
• Do not ride against traffic. Drivers do not expect this and may not see you in time.

Minnesota Bicycle Safety Tips

• Always wear a helmet when riding your bicycle. This will greatly reduce your chances of suffering a disabling or even fatal bicycle injury if you are in an accident.
• Do not wear headphones while riding a bicycle. You need to be alert to your surroundings.
• Use safety equipment for night bicycling. This includes a white light for the front of your bicycle that is visible for at least 500 feet and a reflector light that is visible for at least 300 feet. Some riders also choose to wear reflective vests to maximize their visibility.

Need Help? Contact Us Today

Even if you follow every safety tip, you can still be injured by a negligent driver. If this has happened to you or a loved one, contact the Minnesota injury lawyers at TSR Injury Law, at (612) TSR-TIME, to discuss your legal options or submit our contact form.

If you have suffered a Lisfranc fracture due to the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer in Minneapolis, MN or call (612) TSR-TIME. We have years of experience with these cases and have recovered significant amounts for the Lisfranc fracture victims we have represented. We want to help you and will pursue every angle to maximize your compensation.

What Is A Lisfranc Fracture?

A Lisfranc foot fracture is a fracture of the midfoot and may initially be mistaken for a sprain. The midfoot area is the arch at the top of the foot where many small bones meet. The metatarsals extend from the midfoot to the toes. Most of the bones in this area are held in place by ligaments. The ligaments extend across and down the foot except between the first and second metatarsal, leaving this area more vulnerable to dislocation or fracture.

There are three classifications of Lisfranc fractures:

• divergent: the metatarsal fractures are splayed in different directions
• homolateral: where all five metatarsals are fractured in the same direction
• isolated: one or two metatarsals are fractured

If a Lisfranc fracture is suspected, x-rays will be taken. In some cases, a CT scan or MRI may be ordered to aid in diagnosis. Undiagnosed Lisfranc fractures can lead to joint damage or pressure can build-up in the muscles, damaging nerve cells and blood vessels.

Lisfranc Fracture Treatment

Most Lisfranc fractures require surgery. Reduction is achieved by means of screws that are inserted into the bones across the joints. An external fixator may be used, where the screws are inserted through punctures in the skin, rather than an incision.

With a Lisfranc fracture, the foot will be in a cast for 6-8 weeks and during that time the foot cannot support weight. After the cast, a rigid arch support or walking brace may be recommended. It is helpful to do foot exercises to build strength and help restore ROM.

Post-traumatic arthritis can develop in the joint following a Lisfranc fracture. If that happens, the bones may have to be fused together. Planovalgus deformity is another complication. That means the foot flattens longitudinally, turning outward.

Legal Help 24/7

Our lawyer are skilled, dynamic litigators with a reputation for excellent settlements. We will handle the insurance companies, do all the paperwork, and file your claim. Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free contact form today.

Spinal cord damage can be the result of a medical condition such as spina bifida or Friedrich’s Ataxia, but it is often the result of a serious injury. The most common causes of spinal damage include:

• Traffic accidents
• Diving accidents
• Gunshot wounds
• Assault

All too often people suffer painful and life-changing injuries through no fault of their own. A person who suffers a spinal cord injury may be facing years of physical challenges, medical bills, and emotional stress.

Common Back Injuries

The spine is made up of a column of 33 vertebrae, and tissue extending from the skull to the pelvis. These vertebrae enclose and protect a cylinder of nerve tissues known as the spinal cord. Between each of the vertebra is an intervertebral disc that serves as a shock absorber between the vertebrae. The discs make up 25 percent of the length of the spinal column. The types of vertebrae are:

• cervical vertebrae: the upper most seven vertebrae of the neck
• thoracic vertebrae: the 12 bones between the neck and the lower back
• lumbar vertebrae: the 5 largest and strongest vertebrae in the lower back
• The other nine vertebrae are in the sacrum and coccyx, and located at the base of the spine. The sacrum is a section of 5 fused vertebrae, while the coccyx (tailbone) is four vertebrae fused together.

Most of the back injuries occur in either the cervical or lumbar regions. A back injury may be sustained in a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, or slip and fall accident. There are many types of back injuries, including:

• herniated disc / bulging disc / ruptured disc / slipped disc
• compression fracture
• facet joint injury
• burst fracture
• spinal stenosis
• soft tissue injury

A back injury can be life-altering, leading to chronic or acute pain, as well as muscle weakness, lack of muscle coordination, numbness and/or tingling in the extremities.

(Chronic pain is defined as deep, aching, dull, burning pain that lasts a long time and is not relieved by standard types of medical management. Acute pain is a very sharp pain or a dull ache that can be intermittent, but is usually constant, and ranging in severity.)

Consequences of Spinal Cord Damage

The spinal cord is a thick bundle of nerves that runs from the base of the brain to just below the waist. It acts as the center of communication for the nervous system, carrying information between the brain and the rest of the body. Because of the important role it plays, damage to the spinal cord is a very serious medical issue.

The long-term medical consequences depend partly on the severity of the injury. An injury can be complete, meaning a complete loss of sensation or function, or it can be incomplete, meaning a partial loss of sensation, function, or both.

The location of the injury also has an effect on the long-term consequences for the patient. Areas of the body below the injury are the ones that will be affected. For example, a severe injury at the top of the neck can result in quadriplegia, or loss of the use of all four limbs. Injuries located closer to the ribcage can damage functioning in the hands and arms, while injuries closer to the waist affect leg functioning.

Seeking Justice

It is not fair for a person injured by someone else’s negligence to suffer the physical, financial, and emotional losses associated with spinal cord injury. Filing a suit against the responsible party is one way for victims to gain compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. It is also a way to see justice done against the parties who hurt them.

Contact a Minnesota Spinal Injury Lawyer

To speak with an experienced Minneapolis injury lawyer, contact TSR Injury Law at (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form. There are no upfront fees if we take on your case and we are ready to help you today.

Ph: (612) TSR-TIME.

Playgrounds are fun and exciting areas for children to play, interact with other kids, and exercise their imaginations. However, unsafe playground equipment or facilities can turn a fun afternoon at the park into a dangerous injury very quickly.

As such, it is critical that you carefully examine your neighborhood playground to make sure that it is a safe place for your children and their friends. There are a number of elements you will want to consider when determining the safety of a local playground.

What material serves as the “floor” of the playground?

Children should never play on a playground that is paved with cement, as this increases the likelihood of broken bones and head injuries should a fall occur. You will want to make sure that there is some sort of “cushioning” material provided, like shredded rubber or sand, that will give your child a safe landing place should they happen to fall from the playground structures.

How far apart are the various playground elements?

You will not want to let your children play on a playground where the various pieces of equipment are located too closely to one another. The reasoning for this is that if a child should happen to fall or be thrown from one of the pieces of equipment, they will not injure or endanger any other children accidentally if they are located a safe distance away from the other kids.

Are there any dangers present on the structures themselves?

To help prevent cuts, you will want to carefully monitor and inspect the playground equipment for any unsafe elements, such as:

• exposed nails / screws
• sharp edges
• splinters

Common Types of School Injuries

There are a number of aspects of school life that can lead to an injury if a child is not properly protected or supervised. TSR Injury Law is here to answer any questions you have and to represent you if your child has been affected by:

• Teacher negligence
• School district negligence
• Failure to supervise
• Sexual assault

Contact TSR Injury Law Today

If your child has been injured because of unsafe or poorly maintained playground equipment, contact a Minneapolis personal injury attorney at TSR Injury Law today by calling (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

A 49 year-old man, working at Country Stone and Soil, a Lakeville, Minnesota company, died in a work-related accident Saturday. His name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

The man was feeding mulch into a hopper leading into an auger assembly. The auger became clogged. While attempting to clear the clog, he fell into the auger and was killed. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident will continue to be investigated by a wide array of departments, including Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, the M.E., and work safety and health officials.

Product Liability Cases and Third Party Claims

We are saddened that these tragic accidents continue to happen at work. Unfortunately, these cases are quite common. There are safety rules that require guards so that a person can’t get too close to the moving parts. Some of these cases fall under product liability if the manufacturer did not provide adequate protective features and had previous complaints or injuries associated with that piece of equipment.

These cases are complicated. They are called third party liability cases. When you are hurt on the job, you cannot sue your employer. The exclusive remedy against the employer is workers compensation. However, you can sue a “third party” that caused the injury.

In these cases, we will investigate if any third party did anything to cause the injury. That could be the product manufacturer or a prior owner of the equipment that removed the safety guards, etc. It is very important to get legal representation involved quickly so that a thorough investigation is done before any evidence is compromised.

Have Questions? Contact Us Today

TSR Injury Law is available to assist anyone who has suffered a job injury or has lost a family member in a workplace accident or a product liability accident, including third-party claims. Our partners are skilled, personal injury attorneys with years of experience and they are consistently named Super Lawyers and Top Lawyers by Law & Politics and Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine. Call (612) TSR-TIME for legal advise or submit our free consultation form.

This is a poignant example of the importance of job training, equipment safety features, and working in tandem when working with dangerous machinery.

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