Category: Personal Injuries
Blocking Back and Neck Pain
January 3, 2012 | John T. BuchmanBack and neck pain are common afflictions which, by report, cost the United States millions of dollars in lost work time and medical costs each year. Those who suffer from chronic back and neck pain often must limit or give up activities they enjoy. While frequently due to car crashes, such pain can also be caused by many other factors. Medical science is still trying to identify and treat the cause of such pain. The American Medical Association itself is recognizing the long-term implications of ongoing chronic pain. An entire chapter is devoted to this in the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. In car crash cases, the insurance industry routinely hires doctors that ignore this growing body of medical science and, without any real factual or scientific support, claim all injuries heal within 6-12 weeks. There is a growing subspecialty in medicine of pain management utilizing therapy and various procedures short of surgery to deal with ongoing pain. These often involve injections that serve both a diagnostic and therapeutic purpose. Many people, who are frustrated with attending physical therapy or chiropractic appointments, experience ongoing pain despite performing exercises and using over-the counter or prescription medications. These people often become frustrated with the inability of their doctors to determine a definitive…
Read MoreBuckle Up!
November 15, 2011 | Jon P. EricksonI recently read two different articles about the rate of traffic accident deaths where seat belts were not being used. One was about the motor vehicle accident (MVA) death rate in MN, and the other involved the statistics nationally. Both articles stated that some 50{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} of the people who died in MVA’s were not wearing seat belts. We see this in many of the MVA cases where we represent the deceased’s family or where there have been serious injuries. That percentage to me is very disturbing! It tells us that many of our MVA deaths are preventable simply by fastening a seat belt before driving and/or when getting into a car. There are very few cars if any that don’t have seat belts. I am taking this time to remind all of us how easy it would be to lower the death rate….FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS!! The other disturbing part of these articles was how many of these deaths involved our young drivers, young men and women under the age of twenty five. We have to take the time to try to get these young people to remember to fasten their seat belts when they get in their cars. Here are some very easy things we all can do to prevent these deaths:…
Read MoreWhy I Do This
October 25, 2011 | John T. BuchmanI recently resolved a couple of cases for very nice clients that reaffirmed why it is I’ve been representing injured people for the past 27 years. These included people injured in car crashes, from dangerous products, and injuries on construction sites primarily in Anoka County and the north metro but in other locations as well. Handling personal injury matters is tougher today than it was 15-20 years ago. Insurers are more stingy, confrontational and combative. My clients are frequently frustrated that cases end up in litigation more often, take longer and cost more to obtain a fair outcome. Yet, it’s the clients that I meet and their friends and family that provide satisfaction and make the effort worthwhile. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing several people who have persevered after brain injuries, serious burns and amputations. I’ve also met those that have suffered the more common neck and back injuries. I’m struck by how many of them still smile and go to work, take care of their families and responsibilities and do the best they can. More often than not when I first meet a client they tell me at the outset they are not in it for a huge settlement. They are reluctant to hire an attorney. They often decided to hire…
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