Wear A Helmet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
Editor, Times-Union:
On July 14, 2006, my son-in-law was in a motorcycle accident in Marysville, Ohio. Although doctors gave us little hope he would come out of his coma, he did after five months in hospitals and rehab facilities. He can speak, read, and feed himself now. He is 47, the minister of the Marysville Christian Church, and a wonderful guy. He came home March 24, and needs 24-hour care. He is trying to learn to walk again. His wife, Julie, and four children, Ashley, Ty, Evan and Jordan, have had their lives completely changed, as have all of us in his extended family and the church family.
Are you are rider/biker? Are you a responsible biker? Do you love your bike more than loved ones? Who will look after you when that unavoidable, senseless accident occurs and you weren't wearing your helmet? "It was only a short ride," "back country roads," "no traffic," "close to home," "too hot for a helmet." Sound familiar? Marty was in the country and a dog ran in front of him with no traffic, and less than two miles from home. We will never know if a helmet would have prevented such serious injuries, but doctors have told us it sure would have helped his skull.
If you ride a motorcycle, please make sure your partner has the power of attorney already in order to facilitate your care and all the paperwork involved. Have a rider on your insurance to cover thousands of dollars in a helicopter ride to a trauma center. Have medical guardianship papers drawn to make getting Social Security disability benefits started for you and your family. Check to make sure your home mortgage and vehicles have disability insurance listed on them. Don't assume that because you have a spouse that will be enough. Talk with your insurance agency and arrange for short- and long-term disability insurance, plus long-term nursing home insurance. And remember that disability insurance only covers a percentage of your regular salary. Think about the situation of your spouse's employment. Someone should probably be with you a large part of the time to insure the care you are receiving. Most importantly, if both parents ride, make sure you have a will that states what will happen to your children if a tragedy occurs.
And in case the accident means you have brain injuries that can't be addressed, make sure you have signed your driver's license to be an organ donor. Be sure your family knows your wishes in this matter. Too many valuable organs are buried every day that could mean sight, and renewed life through heart, liver, and kidney transplants. That way something positive can come of such a tragedy.
Living on Center Street, I see countless riders without helmets, and I want to say an accident can happen in one second and change life for you and others forever. If you must ride, please make a commitment to always wear a helmet, if not for you, for them. Those who love and depend on you.
Ann Chubb
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
Editor, Times-Union:
On July 14, 2006, my son-in-law was in a motorcycle accident in Marysville, Ohio. Although doctors gave us little hope he would come out of his coma, he did after five months in hospitals and rehab facilities. He can speak, read, and feed himself now. He is 47, the minister of the Marysville Christian Church, and a wonderful guy. He came home March 24, and needs 24-hour care. He is trying to learn to walk again. His wife, Julie, and four children, Ashley, Ty, Evan and Jordan, have had their lives completely changed, as have all of us in his extended family and the church family.
Are you are rider/biker? Are you a responsible biker? Do you love your bike more than loved ones? Who will look after you when that unavoidable, senseless accident occurs and you weren't wearing your helmet? "It was only a short ride," "back country roads," "no traffic," "close to home," "too hot for a helmet." Sound familiar? Marty was in the country and a dog ran in front of him with no traffic, and less than two miles from home. We will never know if a helmet would have prevented such serious injuries, but doctors have told us it sure would have helped his skull.
If you ride a motorcycle, please make sure your partner has the power of attorney already in order to facilitate your care and all the paperwork involved. Have a rider on your insurance to cover thousands of dollars in a helicopter ride to a trauma center. Have medical guardianship papers drawn to make getting Social Security disability benefits started for you and your family. Check to make sure your home mortgage and vehicles have disability insurance listed on them. Don't assume that because you have a spouse that will be enough. Talk with your insurance agency and arrange for short- and long-term disability insurance, plus long-term nursing home insurance. And remember that disability insurance only covers a percentage of your regular salary. Think about the situation of your spouse's employment. Someone should probably be with you a large part of the time to insure the care you are receiving. Most importantly, if both parents ride, make sure you have a will that states what will happen to your children if a tragedy occurs.
And in case the accident means you have brain injuries that can't be addressed, make sure you have signed your driver's license to be an organ donor. Be sure your family knows your wishes in this matter. Too many valuable organs are buried every day that could mean sight, and renewed life through heart, liver, and kidney transplants. That way something positive can come of such a tragedy.
Living on Center Street, I see countless riders without helmets, and I want to say an accident can happen in one second and change life for you and others forever. If you must ride, please make a commitment to always wear a helmet, if not for you, for them. Those who love and depend on you.
Ann Chubb
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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