Lansing Personal Injury Lawyer - Safety

Pair of Holiday-Weekend Accidents Result in Death, Injury

David Mittleman — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:16:28 GMT

Two young Lansing, Michigan residents fell victim to car crashes over the Thanksgiving holiday - a sobering reminder of the hazards of one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.

Christy Luckett, 30, died Thursday morning, one day after a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Waverly Road and Phoenix Drive in Lansing. The driver and one passenger in the other vehicle were also treated for injuries. The collision is still under investigation.

Some 50 miles away in Oceola Township, Zachery Warren was injured when he swerved to avoid a pickup truck driven by Clem Plowman on M-59 in Livingston County. Warren, a 23-year-old Lansing man, is still receiving treatment at University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.

Remember to use extreme caution when driving. Careful driving behaviors should be a year-long habit, but they become especially important during periods of heavy travel.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Amongst Other Dangerous Chinese Imports, ATVs Are Added to the List

David Mittleman — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Here’s another product to add to the growing list of dangerous Chinese imports: besides contaminated pet food and toys coated in lead paint, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are the latest danger to consumers. What’s even more frightening is that this specific type of ATV is marketed to young children; in fact, children as young as six have reported using the Fushin ATV.

The Fushin ATV is painted bright yellow and offers bargain-shopping parents a welcoming price at $250. However, the Fushin is missing one important feature: front brakes. Furthermore, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Fushin also has sharp handlebars that could cause injury. Luckily, in May, the manufacturer agreed to a voluntary recall of the models. Nevertheless, that did not solve the problem as the CPSC discovered a shipment of the ATVs at a U.S. port of entry, where customs officials seized the items for failing to meet domestic safety standards.

In response to the $5 billion market for ATVs, the CPSC is launching a global campaign to improve the safety of the extremely popular product. The statistics surrounding ATVs are not encouraging: in fact, according to the CPSC, ATVs contribute to about 900 deaths per year. Overall, ATVs cause more deaths than any of the 15,000 other products the commission regulates.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Announces Top Safety Picks for 2010

David Mittleman — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:01:42 GMT

After conducting their annual safety tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has cropped the list of "crashworthy" winners down from 94 vehicles in 2009 to 19 for 2010. To determine crashworthiness—that is, how well a vehicle protects its occupants during a crash—all 2010 car models were given the high-speed front and side tests, a test for rollover safety, and an evaluation of the seat and head restraints in protecting against head injuries in rear impacts. To earn the “Top Safety Pick for 2010” award, a vehicle had to achieve good ratings in all of the four tests. In addition, the winning vehicles also had to have electronic stability control.

Overall, the safest 2010 vehicles included two new models: the Nissan Cube and the Kia Soul. Furthermore, Subaru had a model winner in each category, the only manufacturer to accomplish this goal. Furthermore, Subaru won five awards total, although Ford and its subsidiary, Volvo, won topped that number with six awards.

Some of the largest automakers that did well in previous years were absent from the final rankings. For example, Toyota and its Lexus and Scion subsidiaries did well in 2009 with 11 award-winning models—this year they received no awards.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Safe Driving Is Something to Be Thankful For

David Mittleman — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:17:38 GMT

This holiday weekend, people will be traveling in droves to reunite with their families and to celebrate Thanksgiving. Given that airline tickets are prohibitively expensive for most people with the current state of the economy, much of the Turkey Day traffic will be on our roadways. Unfortunately, this could translate to a higher chance of being involved in an accident.

With millions of Americans traveling such significant distances, the opportunity for disaster also climbs. You can do your part to minimize the risk to you and your family by practicing safe driving behaviors:

Driving too fast is widely recognized as dangerous, but driving too slow can also cause hazardous situations as well.
If you're tempted to drive a few extra miles to get to your destination despite being sleepy, don't. Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as driving drunk.
Be patient. People will be clogging highways from Wednesday night through Monday morning. Be prepared to deal with delays to avoid road rage-type behavior.
Weather can be a factor. If the skies open up with rain or snow, be sure to adjust your driving accordingly.

Many law enforcement agencies will be patrolling the highways this weekend, on the lookout for these behaviors. Their goal is to keep everyone safe by ticketing violators and, hopefully, detering motorists from dangerous driving.

If you're traveling this weekend, use caution and common sense. Careful driving means you can avoid traffic tickets and hazardous situations. Celebrate Thanksgiving with your loved ones for many years to come - travel safely.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Teen Became Sick With Guillian-Barre Syndrome After Receiving H1N1 Shot

David Mittleman — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Jordan McFarland, a 14-year-old Virginia native, is the sixth person to come down with Guillian-Barre syndrome (GBS) after receiving an H1N1 vaccination. Jordan, a high school athlete, went to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia after a week of severe headaches, muscle spasms, and weakness in his legs. He is still struggling to walk and will likely need the assistance of a walker for 4-6 weeks plus intensive physical therapy. However, Jordan is expected to fully recover in time.

Jordan is one of the first people to develop Guillian-Barre after receiving an H1N1 vaccination. According to Dr. Claudia J. Vellozi, deputy director for immunization safety with the Centers for Disease Control, Jordan’s GBS is only the sixth case reported since October 6. Furthermore, officials at Inova Fairfax Hospital do not dispute that Jordan has GBS, but refuse to comment on his condition as related to the H1N1 shot because they do not want to create unnecessary fear or panic in the public.

Despite the fact that Jordan and his family believe he suffered GBS as a result of the H1N1 vaccination, Dr. Vellozi maintains that there is no clear link between the H1N1 shot and GBS. She states: “[w]e know that GBS and other illnesses occur routinely in the U.S.”. In fact, she noted that 80 to 120 cases of GBS are reported each week in the general population. Moreover, while any side effect can be devastating for an individual, the H1N1 vaccine is much less risky than the H1N1 virus itself.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Recent Michigan Taser Incidents Cause Concern for Safety, Use of Force

David Mittleman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:11:31 GMT

Two recent incidents involving the use of Tasers have grabbed headlines throughout Michigan and around the country, again raising doubts about the safety of the product and its use by law enforcement officials. Generally considered a "less-lethal" way of subduing unruly suspects, the use of Tasers has engendered serious controversy in recent months.

Earlier today, a young man in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, died in police custody after being Tasered. Early reports suggest that Matthew Bolick, 30, was Tasered twice during a struggle with local police officers.

Late last week, a Lansing, Michigan, police officer was reprimanded for Tasering a suspect who had already been handcuffed. Rocky Allred, 43, fell to the ground after the weapon was used on him, fracturing his jaw, chipping a tooth, and requiring eight stitches. The incident occurred back in August, and charges against Allred have been dismissed. The officer has been suspended for two weeks without pay for the appalling violation of police policy.

In late October, police in Traverse City, Michigan Tasered a 17-year-old girl following a traffic stop.

The recent spate of Taser-related injuries and deaths is by no means limited to Michigan. Injuries stemming from the use of the device have been reported across the country.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Should Medical Spas Perform Invasive Procedures?

David Mittleman — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:30:00 GMT

According to the International Spa Association, there are 1,800 medical spas in the United States. Medical spas offer a more “relaxed” atmosphere than doctors’ offices, but still provide medical treatments like laser hair removal and liposuction alongside the traditional spa services such as massages. In recent years the industry has experienced a boom: from July 2007 to December 2008, the number of medical spas increased by 85%. However, the recent death of Rohie Kah-Orukotan, a 37-year-old nurse who had a liposuction procedure performed, is raising concerns over the safety of medical spas.

In fact, there is proposed legislation that would require owners of medical spas to have certain credentials. Furthermore, the proposed legislation would also dictate which procedures can be performed in medical spas, as well as setting a minimum level of training for someone to perform particular procedures on medical spa patrons. The proposed legislation is now travelling through several state medical boards in Massachusetts, New York, Florida, and Utah.

The issue of most concern for many “traditional” plastic surgeons is the lack of training or experience of some employees at medical spas. For example, according to Dr. Darrick Antell, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan, an employee of a medical spa may start out performing one procedure and move to another more difficult procedure without much experience. Indeed, lack of experience with certain medical procedures has resulted in serious consequences for some medical spa clients, such as Kah-Orukaton. However, more minor consequences can also result, such as second-or third-degree burns from improperly conducted laser hair removal procedures. Overall, the proposed legislation does not want to sway consumers from getting these procedures done. Rather, they simply want to ensure that the procedures are performed safely and by someone with the correct training.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Campaign Sheds Light on Importance of Worker Safety

David Mittleman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:26:28 GMT

As a worker, you should be able to go to work without fearing for your health or safety. Nevertheless, worker safety is an issue that is often ignored. However, the 16 Deaths Per Day campaign is dedicated to shedding light on the fact that employers who provide unsafe working environments for their employees are rarely ever prosecuted for a subsequent death of an employee.

Furthermore, the punishment for employer negligence is tantamount to a slap on the wrist. In fact, contribution to an employee’s death is only a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum prison sentence of six months and a maximum fine of $70,000. Unfortunately, under the Bush Administration, funding to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was cut. Thus, OSHA was unable to inspect worksites suspected of providing unsafe working conditions. Furthermore, OSHA rarely ever referred cases of employer negligence to the Justice Department for prosecution, and employer fines for noncompliance were lowered even more.

A few current and past members of congress are hoping to change these current conditions: Lynn Woolsey and the late Ted Kennedy introduced a bill in April called the Protecting America’s Workers Act. The bill would help to strengthen worker safety laws and give OSHA the ability to inspect dangerous worksites and impose legitimate fines for non-compliance.

Please view the video below for further information and personal stories of how several employees were affected by employer negligence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pssw5bnjnr4

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Local Motorcyclist Exemplifies Fact that Helmets Save Lives

David Mittleman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:34:49 GMT

I recently wrote about motorcycle accidents and the serious injuries they can cause. A logical and simple answer to increase motorcycle safety (pdf) is to wear a helmet while riding. A local man is a testament to this fact: Jimmy Hunter, a 56-year-old musician from Muskegon and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle rider, suffered a brain injury after he was in a car accident two years ago. However, his injuries would’ve been much worse if hadn’t worn a helmet.

Along with purchasing a Harley-Davidson Sportster, Hunter also purchased one of the best helmets available. In fact, it was a full-face helmet. Hunter admits he might have looked “silly” going down the road, but he readily adds that if he had worn a smaller helmet, he wouldn’t have survived. In fact, Hunter was injured after a vehicle pulled out in front of him, even though he was following the speed limit. Although the accident left him in critical condition for weeks, and he still has difficulty moving freely on his own, he continues outpatient therapy and hopes to ride his Harley again soon.

In Michigan, motorcycle deaths have increased slightly, from 124 in 2007 to 127 in 2008. While deaths are up statewide, fatalities decreased in Ingham, Clinton, and Eaton counties between 2007 and 2008. Hopefully, the decline in deaths can be partially attributed to other riders who put safety first and wear helmets while riding their motorcycles. At least in Hunter’s case, his helmet saved his life.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Marion, Illinois VA Hospital Continues to Have Safety Issues

David Mittleman — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Federal Veterans Affairs Officials had assumed that the VA medical center in Marion, Illinois would clean up its act after being under such intense scrutiny for 2 years. However, serious safety issues continue to be a problem at the southern Illinois hospital even after Federal Veterans Affairs officials suspended surgeries in 2007 at the location after an investigation revealed at least nine deaths attributable to substandard care between October 2006 and March 2007.

While the hospital still isn’t performing any major surgeries, outpatient procedures are still performed there. The most recent inspector general’s report indicates that the hospital failed to monitor 87%, or 20 out of 23, of its physicians to ensure procedures were properly performed. Furthermore, there are problems with infection control, specifically staph infections, after a patient with a history of MRSA staph infections was put in a room with two other patients and shared a bathroom. Additionally, there are other problems with poor medication management and monitoring, patient data analysis, and tracking patient deaths. In fact, according to the hospital’s own reports, there were three different tallies for April 2009 deaths and two deaths went completely unreported. These problems are no different than those that occurred a few years ago: the most severe case involved a veteran who bled to death after receiving a faulty gallbladder surgery. The surgeon resigned just three days after the man’s death.

The inspector general has once again ordered the hospital to completely redesign its reporting structure and investigations of the hospital will continue until all the problems are resolved.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman