Personal Injury Blog - The Heller Law Firm

Broken bones and fractures are some the most frequent car accident-related injuries that California personal injury lawyers come across. Scientists at the University of Georgia have developed a new product that would help heal fractures and broken bones much faster.

The researchers wanted to develop a quicker bone healing procedure. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer fractures in car and motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, work place accidents, and as a result of violent assaults. These broken bones take weeks, and in the case of complex fractures, even months to heal.

The researchers were looking for strategies that would accelerate the healing process for broken bones. They used adult stem cells that produce a protein which boosts bone healing and regeneration. The adult stem cells were added to a gel, creating a kind of ‘fracture putty.’ The researchers used this putty to treat broken bones in rats.

They found that two weeks after the injury, the rats with broken bones were running about on their hind legs. They showed no evidence of the injury. Tests are now being conducted on pigs and sheep.

According to the researchers, the tests have yielded excellent results in small animals, and they are now progressing to tests on large animals. It will be a while before human medical trials are conducted. The research has been funded by the US Department of Defense. The human trials will depend on whether the funding is continued. If the researchers are able to show good results using the fracture putty on larger animals, then they may push for human trials too.

The researchers are also studying a number of other uses of the putty, including using it to improve the outcomes of spinal fusion surgery.

There may be an urgent need for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to reduce the maximum work hours for truck drivers. According to preliminary statistics, the number of people killed in truck accidents in the year 2011 is likely to be higher than the number in 2010.

The trucking industry has been strongly opposed to any reduction in the work hours for truck drivers, from the current 11 hours to 10 hours in a 14-hour window. According to the industry, there is no need for any modification of the current work hour rules, because they seem to be working perfectly well, and have actually contributed to a decline in trucking accidents and deaths.

However, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration chief Anne Ferro, preliminary data indicates that there has actually been an increase in truck accident fatalities this year. The number this year is likely to touch 4,000, compared to just over 3, 300 fatalities in truck accidents last year. Obviously, the trucking industry's argument that the 11-hour rule actually increases trucking safety, don't hold water.

Anne Ferro’s observation came during a congressional hearing into a final federal decision on the Hours of Service rule for truck drivers. While Los Angeles trucking accident lawyers strongly support a reduction in the maximum hours that a truck driver can drive consecutively, the trucking industry has resisted these proposals. The industry has been supported by several lawmakers too. Even if the number of truck accident fatalities in 2011 is higher than in 2010, this fact may have a limited influence on the final rule. That's because the number of truck accidents actually declined this year. The trucking industry is likely to take the ‘increased trucking safety’ argument, and run with it as it has been doing all along.

Virginia Tech has settled a wrongful death lawsuit by a family whose son, a student at the University, committed suicide. The settlement includes $200,000 to be paid to the family of Daniel Sun Kim, as well as a $100,000 scholarship fund that will be established in his name at the university.

On December 9, 2007, Kim was found in his car in a parking lot, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. According to friends, he had been talking about his intention of killing himself, and had even purchased a gun. One of his friends was concerned enough to inform university officials about Kim’s suicidal tendencies. The university was also informed that he had purchased a gun. When university officials questioned Kim however, he denied any plans for suicide.

Officials should have probed the matter further, especially when a university counselor recommended that Kim be brought in for discussion. Matters ended right there however, and the following month, Kim shot himself.

His family was never informed either about his suicidal tendencies, or the fact that the university had investigated him and his plans to kill himself. After he died, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Virginia Tech, claiming $4 million in damages, and alleging that the university should have followed its own protocols to intervene in his case.

Now, as part of the settlement, the university will establish a memorial plaque honoring Kim on campus. Virginia Tech will also adopt a new policy under which parents and guardians of children, who have suicidal tendencies, will be informed about their children's behavior.

No amount of compensation can ever make up for the loss of a loved one. However, a California wrongful death lawyer can help survivors of persons killed by the negligence of others to recover compensation that can lessen their financial strain.

Gift buying in 2011 is likely to be a lot less traumatic and stressful than in 2008, when a series of toy-related recalls shocked the country and Los Angeles product liability lawyers. However, that doesn't mean that parents can afford to be less vigilant this year. In spite of the fact that toy recalls are down this year, the number of children who had to be rushed to emergency rooms with toy-related injuries in 2010 was more than 181,000.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that 181,500 children below fifteen years of age were injured by toys last year, and 17 children of this age group died from such injuries. The previous year, the number of fatalities had been fifteen. Most of the toy-related accidents in this age group involved smaller, but widely used, products like balls and balloons that can pose a choking hazard.

The most common injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission were abrasions, lacerations, and contusions. The toys that were related to the most number of injuries were non-motorized scooters. In 2011, there have been a total of 34 recalls, a drop from 46 in 2010, and a substantial drop from 172 in 2008.

However, toys in 2011 are still much safer than they used to be since the CPSC announced stronger lead paint and lead content requirements, as well as restrictions on the amount of lead in children's products. Additionally, there are now new rules requiring third-party testing and certification of toys that are designed for children below the age of 12, as well as stronger limits on cadmium and toys.

All of these rules ensure that most of the toys that you pick up this season will be safe. It's important however, to remember that many will not. Check the CPSC website for toy-related recalls, before shopping this season.

Federal inspectors recently found a string of safety violations at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Inspection reports indicate that most of the violations were found in operating rooms which were found to have low sanitation and hygiene levels.

According to the report which has been released to the Los Angeles Times, federal inspectors found that several rooms at the hospital had damaged ceilings. The rooms were dusty and cluttered. Inspectors also found that operating rooms were maintained at wrong humidity levels, which can contribute to the growth of disease-causing germs.

Additionally, inspectors also found that hospital personnel were not following proper hand washing and hand hygiene procedures. Proper hand washing procedures are some of the most basic steps that healthcare personnel can take to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections. According to the report, the hospital isn’t doing enough to eliminate the risk of deadly hospital-acquired infections.

The report came after inspections were conducted earlier this year, and provides such damning evidence of poor hospital hygiene levels that the federal government is considering taking action to revoke Medicare funding for the institution. Revocation of Medicare funding could possibly shut down Harbor-UCLA altogether.

According to the hospital, it has taken note of the report, and has addressed some of the concerns mentioned in the report. Hospital officials say that they have now implemented several changes in procedures, including conducting weekly audits of infection risks. There has also been a focus on training staff to comply with hand-washing procedures.

California medical malpractice lawyers find that these infection risks at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center are also heightened due to the large number of patients that the hospital now sees every day. The Martin Luther King Jr/Drew Medical Center closed down in 2007, and this has resulted in a massive influx of patients to Harbor-UCLA.

Urinary incontinence is one of the health problems that California spinal cord injury lawyers often see in people with a spinal injury. However, there now seems to be confirmed evidence that the use of anti-wrinkle drug Botox, can help in the management of urinary incontinence in adults with spinal injury.

The Irish Medicines Board has confirmed that Botox, or botulinum toxin type A can be used to manage urinary incontinence in adults suffering from spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. According to estimates, approximately 75% of patients with spinal cord injuries suffered from urinary incontinence. Additionally, between 60% and 80% of persons with multiple sclerosis suffer from urinary incontinence.

Patients with a spinal cord injury have been found to suffer from a condition called neurogenic detrusor overactivity, which can result in urinary incontinence. A normal bladder is relaxed when the bladder is being filled. However, in a person who suffers from detrusor overactivity, the bladder contracts during filling.

However, Allergan researchers have found that when Botox is injected into the bladder muscles, the contractions stop, leading to a lowered risk of urine leakage. In fact, over a period of time, some persons have found a complete elimination of incontinence.

Urinary incontinence can be one of the factors that affect a spinal cord injury patient’s quality of life. Typically, urinary incontinence is seen in those patients who suffer from stable sub-cervical spinal cord injury. Even when a person has some mobility movement abilities, the urinary incontinence can cause depression, distress, anguish, low self-esteem and lost independence. Additionally, persons with urinary incontinence are much more likely to develop ulcers and skin rashes. They may also be at a higher risk of urinary tract infections, and even kidney failure. If a urinary tract infection is ignored, other complications can develop.

With Halloween almost upon us, it is time for parents and Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyers to focus on safety for children during this holiday.

Thousands of children will be out trick-or-treating on Los Angeles streets on Halloween night. However, it's important to remember that this is one of the most dangerous days of the year for children. In fact, almost twice as many children are killed in pedestrian accidents when they are trick-or-treating on Halloween, than on any other day of the year.

This year, Safe Kids USA is partnering with FedEx to sponsor an initiative aimed at increasing awareness about safety for children on Halloween. You do not want to stop children from going out on Halloween, but you can teach them how to keep themselves safe on the streets. The Safe Kids/FedEx Program will conduct events at specific local sites. Children will be provided with reflective materials to make their costumes more visible in the dark. Parents and children will also be given important safety information to prevent pedestrian accidents.

Drivers need to be extra careful this Halloween. Motorists can expect a dramatically increased child pedestrian population during the holiday. What makes the chances of a pedestrian accident even higher is that these children may not be focused on traffic rules. In fact, safety may be the furthest thing on a child's mind, occupied as it with candies and treats.

If your child is below 12, he or she should not be out trick-or-treating alone. Costumes must be colorful, preferably in light colors. Stick reflective tape on costumes, and avoid masks.

Children above 12 must be taught basic pedestrian safety tips, including crossing the street only at crosswalks, and the proper use of traffic signals. They must be taught to walk on sidewalks and to avoid darting out from between parked vehicles and into busy traffic.

The CPSC warns parents to immediately stop using the Phil & Ted’s “metoo” clip-on table top chairs as they can detach from the table creating serious fall and amputation hazards to children who are sitting in them. Here is a video produced by the CPSC which demonstrates how our children are in danger. Phil & Ted’s refused to agree to the CPSC’s request for a national recall. The Heller Law Firm (www.seriousinjury.org) is investigating a possible class action to get your money back. If you purchased one of these chairs and are interested in pursuing legal action or want more information, please call 800.992.9947 or email shayne@hellerlaw.net. No cost/obligation.

Members of a Dallas-area church were traveling on a ski trip in Colorado in December 2010 when their chartered bus was involved in a collision, injuring nine of the passengers. The suit alleges that the driver of the bus, Fred Kornegay of the company Gotta Go Express Trailways, Inc., was engaging in unsafe driving practices before the crash occurred, despite the treacherous conditions of the road. The collision occurred when Kornegay attempted to make a turn at too great a speed, losing control of the vehicle. The lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of damages.

If another’s negligence has caused you or a loved one to suffer, we can help you assess your legal options. Contact the Los Angeles bus accident attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us directly at 800-992-9947. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the following press release today regarding the Phil & Ted's metoo chairs:

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2011
Release #11-218

CPSC Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

CPSC Alert: Consumers Urged To Stop Using phil&teds USA Clip-on Chairs Due To Serious Dangers Posed To Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns consumers that some "metoo" clip-on table top chairs, imported by phil&teds USA Inc., of Fort Collins, Colo. put young children at risk of serious injury due to multiple safety hazards. CPSC is urging consumers to stop using some metoo clip-on chairs immediately.

The product is an infant/toddler chair with a nylon fabric seat and a metal frame that clamps onto tables using two metal vise clamps. The upper part of each clamp rests on the table top and has either a rubber clamp pad on its underside or a rubber boot covering it. The chair is sold in three fabric colors - red, black and navy.

The clip-on chairs affected by this warning do not have plastic spacers between the table clamps and the front horizontal metal bar. The clip-on chairs that have plastic spacers between the table clamps and the front horizontal metal bar are under evaluation.

The company has refused to agree to a national recall of their hazardous product that is acceptable to CPSC. The company has offered a repair kit consisting of rubber boots to place on the upper clamp grips of the chairs. Consumers should be aware that CPSC has not approved a repair kit for this product, despite the firm's prior statement that it was conducting a recall "in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission."

CPSC is urging consumers to stop using the affected metoo chairs at this time in order to prevent the risk of injury to children.

The affected metoo chairs pose serious fall and amputation hazards to children placed in them. Children can suffer impact and head injuries when the chair detaches from the table and falls with them in it. CPSC staff is aware of numerous incidents involving the affected metoo chairs.

CPSC staff has determined that the clamps can detach from a variety of different table surfaces. Additionally, the chairs can detach when children move around or use their feet to push against other objects. Staff also determined that the lack of adequate space between the horizontal metal bar at the front of the chair and the clamps can cause children's fingers to be severely pinched, lacerated, crushed or amputated if caught between the bar and the clamp when the chair detaches.

In addition to hazards with the affected clip-on chairs, the product packaging and instructions provide conflicting information. The product's packaging and marketing information show the product being used in ways that may lead to the chair detaching from the table. However, the product's instructions do not adequately warn against this type of use.

Tens of thousands of the affected metoo chairs may have been distributed since May 2006 for about $50 through philandteds.com, Amazon.com, Buy Buy Baby, Target, Toys R Us, other online retailers and a variety of independent juvenile specialty stores.

To see this safety alert on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the products involved, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11218.html

Do you own one of these chairs? If so, we would like to speak with you. Please call defective product attorneys at The Heller Law Firm at 800-992-9947 for more information or visit our website at www.seriousinjury.org.