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New Rule Would Divert Traffic Violation Fees to Spinal Cord Injury Research

If all goes well, spinal cord injury research in California will get a major boost in funds through fees obtained from traffic violators.  A plan that would drive a three-dollar traffic violation fee, which amounts to approximately $11 million every year, to spinal cord injury research projects, could be approved by lawmakers over the next few months.

The proposal, Assembly Bill 190 was cleared by the California Assembly public safety committee.  Next, the bill will be sent to the appropriations committee, and after that if it is approved, it would go on to the full Assembly and Senate. According to the promoters of the proposal, it’ll take another two months for the proposal to be completely approved.  Assembly Bill 190 is also known as the Roman Reed law, after a football player who was left with severe spinal cord injuries that left him paralyzed.

In 2000, California legislators approved plans to fund spinal cord injury research through the state general fund.  However, that was before the state ran into a huge budget crisis that ran into $15 billion.  The supporters of the bill had to find other sources of funding, and it was decided that traffic violation penalties, which amount to more than $11 million in collections every year, could provide a source of funding.  It is also particularly appropriate that traffic violation fees fund spinal cord injury research, because 40% of all spinal cord injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents.

The bill is being strongly supported by spinal cord injury research, Los Angeles spinal cord injury lawyers as well as healthcare groups, including the California Healthcare Institute, the Christopher and Dana Reeve foundation, the California Chiropractic Association and the University Of California.

Keeping the focus on research into treatments for spinal cord injury and other serious injuries has been especially hard since California ran into massive fiscal problems.    The state has been cutting essential programs, and it hasn’t been able to divert funds for research into the treatment of catastrophic injuries.  That’s why Los Angeles spinal cord injury lawyers would support any move to generate funds for spinal cord injury research.  These are some of the most devastating injuries that a person can suffer, and in severe cases, can result in lifelong paralysis.  Even in a moderate spinal cord injury, a person may have very limited mobility and movement, dramatically impacting his quality of life.

As of 2008, there were close to 250,000 people in the USA with spinal cord injuries.  Approximately 42% of all spinal injuries are caused in motor vehicle accidents.  Fall accidents are another common cause of spinal injuries, accounting for 26% of all injuries.  Violence, gun shots and assault contribute to 50% of all spinal cord injuries every year.  Many spinal cord injuries occur on the sports field, with sports-related spinal cord injuries accounting for close to 8% fall injuries every year.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of spinal cord injuries. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire to discuss a personal injury matter,  you can reach us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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