As a personal injury attorney, I would welcome comments from bikers.   JEFF SWANEY FREE CONSULTATION 314-481-7778 

Missouri could change motorcycle helmet law

The bill would allow those 21 and older to ride without helmets on all Missouri roads except interstate highways.

The House gave the bill final approval Wednesday on a vote of 93-65. It cleared the Senate earlier.

Proposals to repeal the mandatory helmet law have been controversial in the past. But this year’s measure, to simply modify the law, received little debate in either chamber.

Supporters of Missouri’s existing helmet law say the protective headgear keeps motorcyclists safer during a potentially dangerous activity.

But some motorcycle enthusiasts contend it’s more fun to ride without a helmet. They’ve argued that the state should micromanage their lives.

Anyone who watches television has seen a comedy show where someone fakes a “whiplash” injury and tries to collect money that they don’t deserve. Jack Lemon did a movie called “The Fortune Cookie” where he hires an attorney nicknamed “whiplash Willie” because he knows all sorts of tricks to help fake an injury. “Whiplash injuries” may actually be diagnosed as back or neck “sprains” or “strains.” When an accident victim is thrown forward in a violent manner during a motor vehicle accident, the result is oftentimes “soft-tisue” damage. “Soft- tissue ” damage  generally  consists of “muscle injury” and” ligament injury” which cannot be observed on X-rays or other diagnostic tests. A doctor will often note “muscle spasms” where there is a tightening of muscles in the injured area. It is difficult to quantify or measure “soft tissue injuries” which result from “whiplash.” “Whiplash” injuries are usually treated with physical therapy , or a chiropractor may treat these injuries with “chiropractic manipulations.” People suffering from “whiplash” find them to be far from funny. From a legal standpoint, it is important to get treatment for these injuries as soon as possible since diagnostic testing doesn’t always make your case. Unfortunately for “whiplash victims the media has created an image of “whiplash” victims as schemers ,fakers and opportunists. As a “spine injury attorney “it is my job to overcome the predjudice which has been caused by movies and television shows. As I said – “Whiplash is no laughing matter.” Submitted by Jeff Swaney FREE CONSULTATION 314-481-7778

The Swaney Law Firm will celebrate its 25^th year of business on April 1, 2009. The firm was founded by Jeff Swaney who was eager to set up his own practice. At first, the practice was confined to friends, relatives and acquaintances, but soon the practiced blossomed.

In the late 80’s, Jeff Swaney took out his first yellow pages advertisement. Eventually, the firm grew and the advertising grew. Over time, the firm became somewhat famous for the fact that a picture of the firm members appeared on the back of the Yellow Pages Directory.

In the early years members of the firm worked exclusively in the South St. Louis area. Clients were seen at the South City office located on Hampton Avenue. Attorneys would schedule appointments with Personal Injury, Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, and Traffic clients. Eventually, the firm began handling Bankruptcy and Debt Collector Harassment and Abuse cases. As the firm grew, it began getting clients from surrounding communities like Affton, Marlborough, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Maplewood, Brentwood, Clayton, University City, Crestwood and Sunset Hills.

After several years, another office was established in Overland. With the opening of that office members of the firm began to represent clients from St. Ann, Florissant, University City, the outskirts of Clayton, St. Charles and Maryland Heights. In time, the firm decided to relocate its North County office to Bridgeton. The firm was able to expand its base of operation and began obtaining clients from Hazelwood, Florrisant, Olivette, and St. Charles, Creve Couer, Manchester, Ballwin and Chesterfield. A South County office soon followed, and this move expanded the firm’s clientele into the South County area. The firm began seeing a flow of clients from LeMay, Hillsboro, High Ridge, Oakville, Arnold, Valley Park and Fenton.

At one point, the firm experimented with opening two offices in St. Charles County. The first office was located in St. Charles and the second office was located in Weldon Springs. Eventually the firm decided that these locations were too remote, but by then, the firm had established a loyal clientele from St. Peters, O’Fallon Wentzville and St. Charles, and even from more remote areas like Cottleville, Defiance, Troy,Wright City and Warrenton.

Originally the firm concentrated it practice on handling Missouri Workers’ Compensation cases, Automobile Accident/Injury claims and Social Security Disability Claims. Eventually the firm expanded into the areas of Bankruptcy and Debt Collector Harassment and Abuse/Consumer Protection cases.

It is amazing that over the years we have also represented numerous individuals from remote places like Farmington, Columbia, Jefferson City and Springfield and Moberly. At one point, when TWA was at its peak , there were numerous clients who were St. Louis based flight attendants but came from cities all across the country.

Illinois workmans compensation and personal injury clients also crossed the river from Belleville, Cahokia Alton Granite City, Edwardsville, Columbia, East St. Louis and Waterloo.

At this time, the firm would like to thank all of those people who have made our success possible. We are privileged to be celebrating 25 years in business and we hope that we will be able to provide vital legal services to injured workers, car accident victims, slip and fall victims, Social Security claimants, and those seeking services in the area of Bankruptcy and Debt Collector Harassment and Abuse.

Submitted by Jeff Swaney FREE CONSULTATION 314-481-7778

For More Information, Please Visit the Swaney Law Firm website