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Recent Blog Posts
Can I Receive Compensation If I Was Hit by Somebody Texting and Driving?
Smartphones have revolutionized the way we communicate with each other and get information about the world. Smartphones are so wonderful that some people have trouble putting them down, even while driving. The statistics about texting and diving are grim: over 1,000 people are injured every day in auto accidents caused by distracted drivers. If you were injured or someone you love was killed due to the inattention of another driver, you may have a valid personal injury or wrongful death claim.
Texting While Driving Is Reckless and Irresponsible
Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous types of distracted driving because it integrates visual, manual, and cognitive distractions. Trying to text or otherwise use a cell phone while driving means that a driver takes his hands, eyes, and mind off the road. Someone who is texting and driving is essentially driving blind. If a driver is traveling at 55 mph and looks away from the road for only five seconds, he or she has already traveled the length of a football field.
Personal Injury Lawsuits Get a Bad Reputation Due to Misunderstandings and Misinformation
Perhaps more so than any other legal action, personal injury lawsuits are shrouded in misunderstanding. People hear television commercials about getting compensation for an injury and incorrectly assume that personal injury lawsuits are designed to “cheat” the system and make an easy buck. The purpose of personal injury lawsuits is to compensate a person for injuries sustained due to another party’s negligence.
If you are ever hurt by a drunk driver, defective product, unsafe environment, dog bite, incompetent medical professional, or another act of negligence, you may be out thousands of dollars. Medical bills and ongoing physical therapy can easily bankrupt a person, and insurance companies are notorious for only covering a minimum of costs. Missed work can result in even more financial hardship. Injury suits provide an avenue for injured people to recover some of these costs as well as be compensated for pain and suffering. Read on to learn about how personal injury cases are often misunderstood and how you can pursue compensation for your injuries.
Icy Conditions Increases Risk of Drunk Driving Accidents
News reports of fatal drunk driving accidents are sadly common. Poor road conditions and winter weather only increase the risk of alcohol-related traffic accidents. On average, approximately 30 people in the U.S. die as the result of drunk driving accidents each day. This adds up to over 10,000 lost lives per year. Monetary damages from accidents involving a drunk driver are estimated to be more than $44 billion annually. If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a car accident involving an intoxicated driver, you may be able to receive compensation.
Winter Weather and Poor Road Conditions Add to Danger of Intoxicated Drivers
Driving while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is always a reckless move, but it is especially dangerous during winter road conditions. Icy roads can lead to rear-end collisions when a driver fails to stop their vehicle in time. Multiple car pile-ups may be more likely to occur during adverse weather as well. The combination of an intoxicated driver and slippery roads can also increase the likelihood of a pedestrian being struck and killed.
Study Explores Electric Scooter Injuries
Electric scooters can be a fun and efficient way to get around town. From New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, more and more people are using electric scooters for transportation. Unfortunately, these vehicles are not without risk. Because the rider stands on top of the scooter, it can be easy to fall off. Keeping your balance on a scooter may also be harder than it looks, especially in crowded or obstacle-filled streets. Until recently, there was almost formal data regarding electric scooter safety. Now, a new study shows that scooter injuries are quite common and can range in severity from bruises to serious head injuries.
Research Suggests Scooter Falls Are on the Rise
The study, which was recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from 249 patients who visited the emergency room for scooter-related injuries in the Los Angeles area. Although scooters are thought of as nearly risk-free, injuries resulting from scooter falls or crashes are being more prevalent. Of the patients studied, about 40 percent suffered head injuries and roughly a third had broken bones. A noteworthy number of scooter-related injuries occurred in patients younger than 18. Simply falling off the scooter accounted for over 80 percent of the injuries studied while about 11 percent of injured scooter riders ran into an obstacle. Although most electric scooters only reach speeds of about 15 miles per hour, falling off a scooter, colliding with an obstacle, or being struck by a car while riding a scooter can cause serious injuries or even death. Dr. Joann Elmore, professor of medicine at UCLA and senior author of the study, says that scooter riders are underestimating the potential danger of these vehicles.
Blood Pressure Medication Recalled Over Cancer Concerns
When consumers take a medication, they understandably assume the medication will do more good than harm. Medications often contain powerful ingredients which can be dangerous or even deadly if managed improperly. Pharmaceutical companies must therefore be held to a high standard of quality and precision when it comes to manufacturing medications. Drug makers who sell medications they know to be defective must be held accountable. If you or someone you love has suffered because of a defective product, you should know that a defective product liability claim is one avenue for collecting compensation.
FDA Continues Recalls of Several Popular Medications
Prinston Pharmaceuticals has decided to recall a blood pressure medication called “irbesartan” after it was discovered that the medication contained high levels of a cancer-causing ingredient. The medication is designed to block the effects of a hormone responsible for narrowing blood vessels. Chemical testing revealed that the medication contained unacceptable levels of nitrosodiethylamine, or NDEA, which is a probable carcinogen.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wrongful Death Lawsuits in Illinois
A wrongful death suit is a beneficial legal tool which family members of a deceased person can use to collect compensation. Illinois law explains, "Whenever the death of a person shall be caused by wrongful act, neglect or default, and the act, neglect or default is such as would, if death had not ensued, have entitled the party injured to maintain an action and recover damages." If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another party, read on to learn about wrongful death claims in Illinois.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?
In Illinois, only the personal representative a deceased person can file a wrongful death claim. The personal representative represents the deceased person’s estate. He or she can be a close relative of the individual who passed away such as a spouse, parent, or adult child. If the deceased person, or decedent, did not appoint a personal representative before he or she passed away, the court is authorized to make this decision.
The Troubling Trend of Surgeons Leaving Equipment in Patients
When a person goes to the hospital to get surgery for an illness or injury, they assume the doctors, nurses, and surgeons taking care of them will do their job with caution and attentiveness. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. A recent study from Johns Hopkins shows that over 250,000 individuals die every year in the U.S from medical errors. Other studies suggest that the number of individuals killed by medical mistakes is closer to 440,000. One medical error which occurs startlingly often is the unintended retention of foreign objects (URFOs) during surgical procedures.
Surgical Items Left Inside Patients Bodies
Alarmingly, it is not unheard of for patients to discover that a surgeon or other medical professional left a piece of medical equipment inside their body. Leaving surgical instruments in a person’s body after invasive procedures can cause serious illness and even death. The type of object left in the person’s body and the length of time it was retained are the main factors that determine the severity of this error.
Establishing Liability in a Slip and Fall Injury Claim
A slip and fall accident can devastate a person’s life in mere seconds. If you have been injured after falling and the fall was a result of another party’s negligence, you may be considering seeking compensation through an injury lawsuit. The success or failure of a personal injury claim almost completely relies upon the question of liability. To win a personal injury case, a claimant and his or her legal team must prove that another party is liable, or legally responsible, for his or her injuries.
Elements of a Premises Liability Injury Lawsuit
If you are considering pursuing financial compensation for injuries through a lawsuit, identify the potentially liable parties. In many slip and fall cases, responsibility lies with the property owner. For example, a shop owner who knowingly exposes customers to danger via unmarked spills or broken stairs may be legally responsible for any injuries caused by these conditions. Property owners have a duty to maintain the property in a way that minimizes the threat of injuries. Property owners who ignore potential dangers are considered negligent.
Defective Children's and Baby Toys Can Lead to Significant Injuries
The holiday season is upon us and everywhere parents, grandparents, and friends are buying children’s toys. You may have heard about children and baby products being recalled over safety concerns in the past. While the vast majority of children’s toys and other products are safe, many children are injured and even killed by defective toys, furniture, and other items. If your child was injured due to a malfunctioning or defective toy, you may be eligible for compensation.
Toy-Related Injuries Can Cause Lasting Damage
The Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) received thirteen reports of toy-related deaths during 2017. The victims were all under 12 years of age. Over half of the fatal incidents involved riding toys like scooters and ride-on cars. Emergency room physicians treated an estimated 251,700 children for injuries caused by toys in 2017. Some of the most common toy-related injuries include bruising and abrasions, burns, lacerations, bone fractures, puncture wounds, suffocation, and strangulation.
Chris Cornell’s Widow Files Medical Malpractice Claim Against His Doctor
Studies show that more and more Americans are taking psychiatric medications in order to cope with mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Experts estimate that about one out of every six adults in the United States has used at least one psychiatric drug. For some, psychiatric medication like fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram oxalate (Lexapro), alprazolam (Xanax), Lithium, clozapine (Clozaril) diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan) help alleviate symptoms and cause few, if any, side effects. However, some people taking psychiatric medication experience intense mental and physical side effects including increased thoughts of suicide and self-harm. Now, the family of the late musician Chris Cornell believe that negligent over-prescription of psychiatric medication may have played a role in the singer’s death.
Singer Was Taking Anxiety Medicine and Opioids at Time of Suicide
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