On July 30, 2008, near Browning, Montana, a city in the northwest of the state, on their way back to Calgary after a trip visiting Glacier Park and other adjacent areas of Montana, a four-day motorcycling trip with Tyrone Patrick Deane, 39, and his friends came to a tragic end when Deane died as a result of an accident.

The group came to a sharp bend in the road and at the last second saw an oncoming motor truck, The truck was in its own lane, but the unexpected site startled the group. Deane and another motorcyclist were both thrown away from their bikes. The other man was not seriously injured, but Deane hit a tree and a rock near the site.

Despite an overpriced helmet, Deane suffered extensive brain injuries. He was transported to a local hospital and then was later transferred from Montana to Foothills Hospital. The Neurosurgeons informed Deane's family that Deane would not survive so the family agreed to take him off life support He died on August 18.

Wyatt Roy Eddy, 55, and his wife were driving through the Seeley-Swan Valley when Eddy lost control of his motorcycle and veered onto the shoulder of the road which caught his tire and caused the crash. Eddy died in the accident and his wife was injured.

Motorcycle crashes in Montana killed 36 people last year alone, probably an all-time high, says the Montana Department of Transportation.

Charlie Lockmiller doesn't remember his accident last summer, but he does know from the split in his helmet that he landed on his head. Lockmiller states that the helmet definitely saved his life.

The number of deaths from crashes with all types of vehicles rose 30% between 1994 and 2006. In Montana, the number of motorcycles on the roads has risen at a rate much higher than that of any other type of vehicle, according to the Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Office.

However, it is difficult for officials to determine how many motorcycles are on the road because in 2005 Montana began requiring that bike owners register their bikes only once, rather than annually. Before the new requirement transportation officials do know that the numbers were increasing rapidly.

A trucking company in Montana reached a $1 million settlement with a woman who was gravely injured in a collision involving one of the company's dump trucks. According to an article on Lawyers USA's website, the collision occurred on April 30, 2004 when Lucy Jones-Parker, 54, was driving with her 10-year-old girl, Arianna, sleeping in the front passenger seat.

The plaintiff's attorney said that two dump trucks operated by Dave's Trucking tried to cross an intersection and one of the trucks pulled out in front of Jones-Parker's van; she hit the truck's back axle. She was pinned against the steering wheel with her chin on the dash, unable to breathe until a passer-by helped disengage her. Her daughter suffered only secondary injuries. However, Jones-Parker suffered a fractured pelvis. She had to undergo multiple surgeries, in which she lost her job.

The trucking company claimed that their truck driver stopped at the intersections; however, plaintiff's attorney had eyewitness reports, which stated that the truck did not actually stop at the posted sign.

Plaintiff's attorney told the press that his client's life was "turned upside down" following the accident. He stated that the settlement will give her a much needed helping hand to get back on her feet again.

At Neuhardt Law Firm P.C, Billings, Montana, we've helped numerous clients get back on their feet after a terrible auto accident. Auto accidents are all too common in Montana, especially in Helena and Lewistown.

If you or a loved one has been the victim in an auto/truck accident, please give Neuhardt Law Firm a call so that we may help you get back on your feet again. We here at Neuhardt Law Firm will give you the guidance and help that you will need to get through this difficult time.

By MARK SHERMAN

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a $6.7 million jury award to a musician who lost her arm because of a botched injection of an anti-nausea medication. The court brushed away a plea that it limits lawsuits against drug makers.

In a 6-3 decision, the court rejected Wyeth Pharmaceuticals' claim that federal approval of its Phenergan anti-nausea drug should have shielded the company from lawsuits like the one filed by Diana Levine of Vermont.

The decision is the second this term to reject business groups' arguments that federal regulation effectively pre-empts consumer complaints under state law.

A Vermont jury agreed with Levine's claim that Wyeth failed to provide a strong and clear warning about the risks of quickly injecting the drug into a vein. Gangrene is likely if the injection accidentally hits an artery - precisely what happened to Levine.

The company appealed and, backed by theBush administration, argued that once a drug's warning label gets approval from theFood and Drug Administration, the label can't be changed without further FDA approval and consumers cannot pursue state law claims that they were harmed.

Justice John Paul Stevens, writing the majority opinion, said Wyeth could "unilaterally strengthen its warning."