Steering clear of personal injury in Hernando County is pretty much like avoiding personal injury anywhere else in the US. Sure, there might not be icy sidewalks to slip and fall on, but there are other similar ways in you might be injured, or even ways in which you might cause someone else to become injured.
Whether it’s regular motorcycle maintenance, or keeping a close eye on the people who tend to your elderly relatives, we’re promoting a simple task: to help keep everyone safe.
Motorcycle Injuries
It’s probably no surprise to you that Florida is a popular tourist destination, but according to RideSmartFlorida.com, 94 percent of motorcyclists fatally injured in Florida were also Florida residents. Similarly, Pinellas and Orange (both near Hernando), were 2 out of 10 counties that accounted for the largest number of motorcycle fatalities respectively, in 2010. Simply put, motorcycle injuries are a major issue in and around Hernando County.
To avoid this type of injury, it’s vital that you make sure your bike is in prime condition – regular inspections and tune-ups are an absolute must. You should also wear a helmet, follow all the rules of the road, avoid riding while tired, and of course, never consume alcohol before getting behind the handlebars.
Golf Cart Injuries
Golf carts aren’t only used these days, for transporting you to where you last hit your ball, they’re also extremely popular for getting around in gated and retirement communities, as well. And, we all know Hernando’s surrounding areas to be popular retirement spots, but are golf carts really unsafe? Well, not relative to motorcycles of course, but injuries are still surprisingly prevalent.
According to InsuranceJournal.com, there are 13,000 golf cart-related accidents a year, that require emergency room visits. The source goes on to say that the retirement communities of Sun City Center and The Villages of Florida conduct annual inspections of golf carts. While this is a obviously a thumbs up, there are a few simple things you can do, to avoid golf cart injuries:
- Don’t drink and drive
- Only cart the number of people the vehicle will allow
- Try not to drive unstable terrain.
You may not think twice about the safety concerns of golf carts, but the numbers don’t lie.
Nursing Home Abuse
Being a place for the elderly, Florida is home to a number of nursing residences. Nursing home neglect and abuse is unfortunately, an all too real fact, and although there’s often not much your elderly relative can do about this, there are plenty of ways you can take action, to ensure that your loved one is out of harm’s way.
It’s very important that you ask for a background check of every single individual that’ll be working with your loved one. Certifications might not be enough – you should ask the supervisor the type of screening the employees had to go through, in order to get the position.
On the same token, try to arrange things so that no one caregiver is spending too much time with your relative – this actually increases the chance of abuse. It’s best if you have a small cast of rotating caregivers that he or she can get to know well, so that each one can provide their own assessment of your relative.
What If I’ve Been Injured?
While the concerns we’ve listed aren’t exhaustive, nor are they unique to Florida and Hernando County, at times, they seem to be magnified here. That’s why we’re committed to doing everything in our power to spread the word about these issues, If you or a loved one have been injured in similar manner, we encourage you to reach out to us, today. We’ll fight to bring you the justice you deserve!
