Appleton Personal Injury Law Blog

Most Wisconsin drivers assume that all rental car companies are essentially the same, and that when they rent a car from a major brand they are getting a car with all of the standard safety features. However, recent investigation by safety advocates and Congress indicates that this is not always the case.

In fact, many of the major rental car companies operating in Wisconsin and nationwide are not currently required to comply with safety recalls and often choose to forgo repairs needed to fix defective parts in cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been conducting a thorough review of this issue after a high profile settlement against Enterprise rental car company in the wrongful death of two women who were driving an unrepaired call that was subject to a recall.

A 7-year-old Wisconsin boy was hospitalized recently after an unattended dog attacked him near his home in Tomah. His injuries were significant but he was able to return home after four days.

The attack occurred when the boy went outside with a friend to test out his new bicycle. His mother and her boyfriend acted quickly once they realized what was happening and were able to fend off the dog and call an ambulance. Children are common victims of dog bites because they often do not know how to react to an unfamiliar dog, which can cause the dog to become frightened or defensive.

The cellphone industry, carmakers, and government regulators are continuing to debate the best way to reduce distracted driving car accidents. Amidst national uproar over car accidents caused by texting while driving, there are some concerns about the reliability of the data and the true source of the distraction. Each interest group has its own version of the root problem and a consensus on a solution is hard to find.

Wisconsin drivers are not permitted to text behind the wheel, but it is still permissible to talk on a handheld device while driving. States that have enacted partial or complete bans on cellphone use have reported lower rates of accidents caused by distracted driving. Some experts have pointed out that since much of the information on this activity is self-reported; it is very likely that people have simply stopped reporting their own prohibited conduct.

There are many different types of long term injuries that can result from a car accident. Whiplash and other back problems are well known and often checked for right after an accident, but many people don't know about the risk of head injury. Head injuries can cause many complications in the long term and are difficult to heal from.

Specifically, teens suffer from a high rate of brain injuries after car accidents, and those injuries are often fatal. In fact, car crashes are the most common cause of a fatal head injury among people age 15 to 19.