Lansing Personal Injury Lawyer - death

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

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

Theft and Joyriding Lead to Pursuit and Death in Oak Park, MI

Devon Glass — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:30:27 GMT

15-year-old Desean Murrell Fant died after crashing a stolen car into a tree in the early morning hours of November 10, 2009 in Oak Park, MI. Desean and another 15-year-old child had allegedly stolen a 1999 Saturn that belonged to a 24-year-old Oak Park resident.

After locating the vehicle, Oak Park police ensued on a car chase. The boys were not wearing seat belts when they lost control of the vehicle. The police had been pursuing the boys for several blocks and Michigan State Police are reconstructing the crash to learn more about the boys' speed at the time of collision.

Local residents noted that the speeding car was zooming. It is unfortunate and tragic that the need to go on a joyride or steal property would lead to taking such dangerous risks. The risks were not only to their own lives, but to the lives of any other pedestrian or driver.

It is also unfortunate that death is the price that was paid by these kids for stealing a car. If these kids had been caught and arrested, I don't think anyone would find death a reasonable punishment for the crime they committed, but that's the sentence they received when the situation escalated. Did the police really need to engage in a high speed pursuit to catch these kids for stealing a car?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Devon Glass

Michigan's Wrongful Death Act Provides Compensation, Closure for Families

David Mittleman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:31:00 GMT

It is always difficult when a family member dies. When a loved one passes away, it is quite common to feel grief and loss. Those feelings can be even worse when someone is taken out of our lives due to the carelessness or negligence of another.

Nothing can ever truly replace a relative lost forever. However, Michigan law does allow family members to receive fair and reasonable compensation when an individual dies as a result of injuries caused by someone else. Michigan's Wrongful Death Act permits the following people to recover certain damages:

The decedent's spouse
The decedent's children (and their descendants)
The decedent's parents and grandparents
The decedent's brothers and/or sisters
People entitled to recover a portion of the decedent's estate under law
People entitled to recover a portion of the estate under a will

Instead of compensating the decedent, the Wrongful Death Act is designed to compensate the surviving relatives and the estate for damages they have suffered. Therefore, damages are typically limited to:

Reasonable medical, hospital, funeral, and burial expenses
Conscious pain and suffering suffered by the decedent
Loss of financial support
Loss of society and companionship

The law also permits a jury or judge to award any other damages considered "fair and equitable under the circumstances."

Michigan's Wrongful Death Act is very complicated and detailed. It includes numerous procedural requirements that must be strictly observed. Our firm regularly handles this type of claim, and we may be able to help you if you have lost a family member due to the negligence of someone else.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Family of Drowned 3-year-old Sues Ohio Water Park

David Mittleman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:18:56 GMT

The family of a 3-year-old Dearborn boy is suing the Kalahari water park in Sandusky, Ohio after the boy drowned in a 3-foot deep wading pool on August 2^nd. The lawsuit alleges that the boy did not have a life vest, as required by Kalahari policy, and that the park did not have and adequate number of lifeguards on duty.

The boy’s mother lost sight of him as he entered the wading pool, which contained over 50 people. When employees finally located the boy, he was face down in the water. He was then transported to a local hospital, where he subsequently died.

The lawsuit specifically alleges that Kalahari should have known that additional lifeguards were needed on such a busy day, particularly during the height of the summer season. Furthermore, the lawsuit also argues that Kalahari always has a large number of visitors, which should’ve prompted the park to prepare with more lifeguards on duty. In fact, according to the lawsuit, the park brings in more than 1 million guests each year to its 250,000 square-foot park.

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

Hospitalized Uninsured Children More Likely to Die When Compared to Insured Children

David Mittleman — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:35:07 GMT

Researchers at John Hopkins University recently made a horrific discovery: uninsured children who are hospitalized are more likely to die than children with government or private health insurance. In fact, the researchers estimated that approximately 37.8%, or 17,000 child deaths could have been avoided if the more children had health insurance coverage.

The researchers analyzed data from 23 million children’s hospitalizations in 37 states from 1988 to 2005. According to the data, when the researchers compared uninsured children with insured children, the uninsured faced a 60% increased risk of dying.

While the study was not meant to identify why uninsured children were more likely to die, the researchers did find a potential culprit for the increase in deaths amongst uninsured children. Specifically, uninsured children were more likely to access health care through the emergency room, which suggests that many uninsured children were in advanced stages of illness prior to seeking medical attention. Furthermore, uninsured children were hospitalized for less time than insured children: on the average, uninsured children were hospitalized for less than a day when they died, as compared to insured children who spent a full day in the hospital prior to death. Currently, an estimated 7 million children are uninsured in the United States.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Family of Jennifer Strange Wins $16.5 Million for Water-Drinking Contest Death

David Mittleman — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:34:54 GMT

Thanks to a Sacramento County jury, the notorious case of Jennifer Strange, a young mother of three who died after participating in a radio station’s water-drinking contest, has come to a close. Jennifer’s family will receive $16.5 for their daughter’s 2007 death after the jury found the radio station liable for the actions of its employees.

Sacramento radio station KDND-FM held a contest in January 2007 called “Hold Your Wee for a Wii”, a contest whereby participants were instructed to hold their urine for as long as possible after drinking large amounts of water. Jennifer died of acute water intoxication after consuming nearly two gallons of water. In response, the plaintiff’s attorneys filed the wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Jennifer’s husband and their two sons, as well as her oldest son and his father.

The plaintiff’s attorneys alleged that the radio station was negligent in holding the contest. However, the defense attorneys countered that Jennifer’s death was her own fault by “contributory negligence”. Nevertheless, jurors ultimately found Entercom Sacramento LLC liable for the actions of its employees at radio station KDND-FM.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

I-94 Rollover Crash Kills One, Injures Three

Devon Glass — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:12:28 GMT

A high-speed, single-vehicle accident on I-94 in Van Buren Township, Michigan, has claimed the life of one man and seriously injured three other people. The crash, which happened early Monday morning, occurred when a sport utility vehicle carrying the four occupants veered off the highway and flipped multiple times.

The violent rollover accident resulted in the ejection of three of the victims. The SUV then landed on one man who was thrown from the vehicle, causing fatal injuries. No one in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt. Authorities believe alcohol may have played a role in the accident.

There are many things you cannot control on the roadway - the weather, road conditions, and the behavior of other drivers, to name a few. However, you can take steps to keep yourself safe. Always wear a seat belt and obey traffic laws. Never drink and drive, and do not accept a ride from someone who has been drinking.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Devon Glass

Blair LLC Recalls More Chenille Products After Increase in Robe-Related Burn Deaths

David Mittleman — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:00:00 GMT

Blair LLC and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are recalling chenille robes and other chenille products made by A-One Textile and Towel of Pakistan, because the products are highly flammable. So far, nine people have died as a result of serious burns after their robes caught fire.

Overall, about 300,000 garments are being recalled, including the full-length women’s chenille robes, women’s chenille jackets, women’s chenille lounge jackets, and women’s chenille tops. Some of the products allegedly fail to meet federal flammability standards and present a risk of serious burns if exposed to an open flame. In fact, most of the deaths linked to the full-length chenille robes occurred while the victims were cooking.

According to the company, most of the newly recalled items were sold before December 2004. Furthermore, the recalled products were sold in Blair catalogs, online and at the Blair stores in Pennsylvania and Delaware between July 2000 and April 2007. While there haven’t been any deaths related to the other chenille products, the company decided to recall the additional items as an added precautionary measure.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman