Santa Clarita Personal Injury Lawyer - General Personal Injury

8 Killed While Watching Illegal Street Cace

Susy Owen — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:31:41 GMT

Most everyone knows to stay away from the dangers of illegal street racing. Yet, sometimes danger comes from a place that is least suspected. That was the case on Saturday on an isolated stretch of highway, about 20 miles south of Washington.

As a group of street racing fans gathered to watch an illegal car race, a car plowed into the group killing 8 people and scattering bodies in every direction. There were close to 50 people gathered on the highway for the illegal event. The offending vehicle, a Ford Crown Victoria, came at the spectators from behind. "There were just bodies everywhere; it was horrible," said Crystal Gaines, 27, whose father was killed.

No charges are pending with respect to the driver of the Ford. The investigating officers came to the conclusion that the driver was unable to see the crowd due to the smoke from the vehicles in the race coupled with the darkness. Police are investigation the identity of the drivers who were racing.

Additional Information Pertaining to Automobile Accidents

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

FDA Reports on Botox & Botox Coxmetics

Susy Owen — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:45:07 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received reports of adverse reactions including death following the use of botulinum toxins for both FDA-approved and unapproved uses. In fact, there is an ongoing safety review of botox and botox cosmetic (Botulinum toxin Type A) and myobloc (Botulinum toxin Type B).

The FDA is currently reviewing safety data from clinical studies submitted by the manufacturers of Botox, Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc. Until the FDA have completed their review healthcare professionals will need to exercise precautions more than ever. Consumers should receive immediate medical attention if they have worsening or unexpected difficulty swallowing or talking, trouble breathing, or muscle weakness after using this product. To report serious adverse events to FDA's MedWatch see full article.

Additional Information Pertaining to Defective and Dangerous Products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Sexual Misconduct by Driver on School Bus

Susy Owen — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:08:46 GMT

When parents put their children on a school bus, the worst thing they probably fear is a school bully harassing their child or, at worst, a traffic accident. However, on this particular Durham, Connecticut bus the unthinkable happened to some of the children onboard.

Anthony Mathre, school bus driver for the Durham/Middlefield school district, has been charged with one count of sexual assault in the fourth-degree and five counts of risk of injury to a minor in the two arrest warrants. This comes on the heels of two investigations that begun in November of last year. At this time the records are sealed and police are not releasing details. Mathre, who was arrested last Monday, is being held on $10,000 bond for each of the arrest warrants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Wrongful Death Claim Against Disney Cruise

Susy Owen — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:58:17 GMT

"The suit gives this account: Santo Piazza tripped over the raised threshold while stepping into his cabin's bathroom. He fell, and his right side struck the bathtub, causing "catastrophic internal injuries." He immediately went to the shipboard health-services department, where he was given a Tylenol. That afternoon, he returned to the health-services department after he vomited, had shortness of breath and experienced severe pain. After his second evaluation, the ship's doctor diagnosed him with fractured ribs and a punctured lung, requiring immediate evacuation and hospitalization."

In August 2007, Santo L. Piazza, 78, and his wife Marilyn Piazza took a Disney cruise to the Mediterranean. While on the cruse, Mr. Piazza injured himself on the ship and died within days of his injuries.

It appears that after the fall was reported to the cruise staff, the Disney Magic did not alter its course for some five hours. Eventually the ship headed toward Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. The injured man was put in an inflatable raft and was taken on the raft through eight miles of rough waters. To add insult to injury, when they arrived at the shore, none of the Italian medical personnel spoke English, and nobody from the Disney Magic staff had accompanied the injured man in the raft. After what is claimed to have been substandard efforts to evacuate and treat the victim, he died on August 14 at 78 years-of-age. Both sides declined to comment.

Further information regarding wrongful death

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

L'OrÃ©al Recalls Hair Color

Susy Owen — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:02:58 GMT

L'OrÃ©al has announced a voluntary recall of L'OrÃ©al Paris Dream Blonde Bleach and Lightening Care Kit due to misprinted directions. At this time, the recall involves U.S. retail stores only.

Retailers carring the product have been notified. It has been estimated that several hundred consumers have purchased the product. The company received a customer complaint of irritation to the scalp after using the product. It seems that irritation is due to the misprinted directions. Consumers can return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any consumers looking for more information should call 888-241-9504.

Additional Information Pertaining to Defective and Dangerous Products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Medical Malpractice Troubles in New York

Susy Owen — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:40:18 GMT

A report named "A Self-Inflicted "Crisis:" New York's Medical Malpractice Insurance Troubles Caused By Flawed State Rate Setting and Raid on Rainy Day Fund' was released this week by Public Citizen, New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) and the Center for Medical Consumers. The report concludes that New York's government in the 1990s are responsible for the so-called medical malpractice "crises" in that state.

The report urges Govenor Spitzer to focus on ways to improve public safety and to resist pleas from the insurance industry and state doctors to reduce the legal rights of patients. The report details the falsehood of the claims that a recent 14 percent increase in medical malpractice was a result of an increase in litigation. There were actually fewer medical malpractice payments over the past five years than in any other five-year period on record, according to the federal National Practitioner Data Bank.

Claims have even been made that increased rates caused a shortage of doctors in New York. The reality is, the population of doctors is at an all time high in New York. The report goes on to state the real reasons for the increase, which is due to the state trying to make-up for a period of eight years when the state held rates stagnant. Additionally, the report states, the state took almost $700 million in the 1990s from the rainy day fund of the program that covers high-risk doctors. The truth is, it is only about 1 percent of New York's doctors are enrolled in the state's program for physicians deemed too risky by commercial insurance providers. As Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook put it "It is unconscionable that such a small number of doctors could be allowed to make so many mistakes that they could throw an entire state's insurance system into crisis. New York needs to take a hard look at whether these doctors should be allowed to continue practicing, and it needs to put dangerous doctors out of business."

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Defective Toys Recalled - Kids in Coma

Susy Owen — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 18:41:33 GMT

It is no secret that there has been recall upon recall of products being exported from China. The latest recall, however, has to be one of the worst. It involves beads used in childrens' toys that motabolize into the "date rape drug" (gamma hydroxy butyrate) when ingested, and ingested it was.

The toy is known as "Agua Dots," and is distributed by a Toronto-based company. The beads were also distributed in Australia where they are known as Bindeez. Ironically, this particular toy was named toy of the year at an industry function recently. " Naren Gunja from Australia's Poisons Information Center said the drug's effect on children was "quite serious ... and potentially life-threatening."

Gunja is correct. Sadly, two children here in the United States have gone into comas as a result of ingesting the Aqua Dot beads. In Australia, the news is not much better. A 2-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl were hospitalized and a 19-month-old infant is currently being treated due to ingestion of the beads.

Additional information pertaining to defective and dangerous products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Lawsuits Against Vioxx Continue

Susy Owen — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 17:55:38 GMT

Due to safety concerns, a defective product known as Vioxx was pulled from the market 2004. The manufacturer of Vioxx, Merck, is still facing thousands of lawsuits filed by injured people. In fact, a study done by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004, estimated that Vioxx could have played a part in as many as 27,785 heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths between 1999 and 2003.

Subsequent to the above-referenced FDA study, it was revealed by Dr. David Graham, that the FDA had attempted to silence him and his findings regarding Vioxx, by way of intimidation and veiled threats. The same type of behavior on the part of the FDA became evident when Avandia, a diabetes drug, came under scrutiny. During congressional hearings, allegations were made that the FDA had intimidated Avandia safety reviewers into keeping quiet about the drug's potential problems. Seeing a pattern here.

As a result of the foregoing, this year, Congress passed major FDA reforms. "These reforms should make the FDA much less dependent on the drug industry for safety information, and give the agency more power to take action against defective drugs. The legislation was signed into law by President Bush just last month."

Additional information pertaining to defective products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

The Dangers of Polypharmacy

Susy Owen — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:22:20 GMT

Most people realize the problems that can arise from drug interaction. The elderly are particularly vulnerable. As a rule, many people need medications as they age, and as a result, there are many opportunities to have a dangerous combination of pills in one's system. Take this story, for example: A 78-year-old woman was found unconscious on the floor of her apartment by a neighbor. She could not recall falling but was taking a lot of medications at the time of the fall. A drug combination which, may be doing her more harm than good.

A combination such as can be found on the drug interaction link above is what is referred to by doctors as polypharmacy, otherwise known as a "poisonous cocktail." The 78-year-old woman mentioned above had a bleeding stomach ulcer from a combination of drugs that irritated her stomach.

In order to prevent problems with respect to dangerous drug interactions, it is a good idea to do the following:

A) Keep a list of the medications, dosage and injestion schedule - including herbal remedies and over-the-counter medications;

B) Order all medications from the same pharmacy, so the a potential problem can be found due to computerized records; and

C) Ask you doctor what the side effects of a particular drug are and what side effect(s) should prompt a call to the doctor.

For more information on this subject matter, please review our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Accuracy of 9/11 Health Reports Is Questioned

Susy Owen — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:16:50 GMT

After the 9/11 attack, the center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, which is based at Mount Saini Medical Center, has examined in excess of 15,000 people who were both workers and volunteers at the tragic site. At the same time, they have overseen an additional 5,000 who were examined at various clinics.

Those programs received more than $100 million federal dollars to aid in this undertaking. However, the same programs are now being heavily criticized. Although the programs are generally being seen as well meaning, their findings are now believed to be flawed. Many doctors feel that they did not have adequate time to collect detailed data. The clinic's program is said to have been poorly planned and imprecise. For their part, the leaders of the clinic challenge anyone who feels that could have done a better job.

For more information on this subject matter, please review our section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen