Personal Injury Law
DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog 
Post Frequency: 1/day Last Entry: November 19, 2009 at 15:51:33 Recent Entries: 319
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"Bobby Chupete" Pacifiers Recalled, Choking Hazard
Posted on November 19, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire The website of KSL-TV of Salt Lake City reports that more than 640,000 pacifiers have been recalled because they pose potentially fatal choking hazards. According to the report, "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on Wednesday a voluntary recall of 641,000 'Bobby Chupete' pacifiers...
Jury Awards Fair Compensation to Woman Struck By Bus
Posted on November 19, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire A Virginia jury just recently awarded $8 million in damages to a woman who suffered severe injuries as a result of being struck by a bus owned by the GRTC Transit System. The plaintiff now suffered significant chronic pain as a consequence of serious injuries to her spine and shoulder, as well multiple fractures to her hip and pelvis...
Texting While Driving Reaches Frightening Level
Posted on November 17, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Teens and their parents are texting fanatics. That's what a recent study shows. And it's getting worse. A report by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project indicates that one out of four (25%) of American cellphone-owning teens ages 16 to 17 text while driving, and "almost half of Americans ages 12 to 17 say they've been in cars with someone who texted while behind the wheel," according to a Washington Post report...
Toyota Will Change Accelerators to Avoid Jamming
Posted on November 16, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Marketwatch recently reported that "Toyota Motor Corp. will make changes to gas pedals in certain U.S. models under an agreement with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a published report, in response to accidents blamed on the accelerators getting stuck to the floor mats...
Halloween Flashlight Recall Due to Burn Hazard
Posted on October 30, 2009The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of approximately 610,000 Halloween flashlights due to a burn hazard. Consumers are advised to stop using the product immediately and return it to any Target store for a complete refund...
Spurred by Corporate Greed, Products Endanger Americans
Posted on October 29, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Product recalls or warnings take place every day in this country. They relate to drugs that cause initially unexpected health problems, cars that have faulty systems that endanger lives, foods that have been found to be contaminated, etc...
Halloween Safety
Posted on October 29, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Halloween is fun--one of the best days of the year for many kids and families. All too often, though, kids are seriously injured while "trick or treating". I urge you to take reasonable precautions so that the day can be remembered as a joyous one...
Halloween: Safety First for Little Spooks
Posted on October 29, 2009In recent years, Halloween has jumped to the top of many lists as one of the most dangerous nights for children to be out. Several common sense tips and guidelines help create a safer environment for Trick-or-Treaters. Treats: Don't munch candy before returning home...
2008-2009 American Association for Justice Media Highlights Promoting the Civil Justice System
Posted on October 20, 2009Over the last year, the American Association for Justice (AAJ) has fought to reverse the Bush administration's legacy of complete immunity preemption, pushed to end forced arbitration and advanced the rights of all Americans to hold wrongdoers accountable...
81 Year Old Man Struck by Novice Driver of Truck
Posted on October 12, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Washington Post Staff Writer Martin Weil reports that the police have confirmed that an "81-year-old man was killed Saturday while walking a dog in Arlington County when he was struck by a truck operated by a woman learning to drive...
National Fire Protection Week
Posted on October 06, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire National Fire Protection Week is officially from October 4 through October 10, 2009, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). It is a great time to think about fire prevention and protection, but these issues demand year-round focus...
Woman Struck by Metro Bus And Critically Injured
Posted on October 06, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Martin Weil of the Washington Post reports that a "woman was struck by a Metrobus and critically injured Monday night in the Trinidad area of Northeast Washington," according to WMATA authorities...
Obama Bans Federal Employees From Texting While Driving
Posted on October 02, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Ashley Halsey III, of the Washington Post reports that "President Obama has banned federal employees from text messaging when they are behind the wheel of government vehicles and from texting in their own cars if they use government-issued phones or are on official business...
Deaths Leads Toyota to Recall Defective Cars
Posted on September 30, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire According to an AP report, "Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States, the company's largest-ever U.S. recall, to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash...
Deaths Lead Toyota to Recall Defective Cars
Posted on September 30, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire According to an AP report, "Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States, the company's largest-ever U.S. recall, to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash...
Drivers Increasingly Distracted by Cellphone, Texting
Posted on September 29, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Ashley Halsey III of the Washington Post reports that approximately "90 percent of Americans own cellphones, and one national survey found that eight in 10 drivers talk on their phones while behind the wheel, about 1 million of them at any given moment...
Metro Rail Cars To Be Equipped With Cameras
Posted on September 29, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire According to James Hohmann of the Washington Post, WMATA "officials are preparing to install video cameras on an unspecified number of rail cars, the first step in what could become a systemwide surveillance network that officials say will help them better manage crowds and investigate criminal activity...
Hit-And-Run Car and Truck Accidents On The Rise
Posted on September 22, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Ashley Halsey III of the Washington Post reports that AAA has announced that our area is experiencing an "alarming increase" in hit-and-run accidents. This public statement follows two such incidents last week -- one that killed a pedestrian and another that critically injured a cyclist...
CPSC's "Back to School Safety Checklist"
Posted on September 09, 2009As a new school year gets underway, President Obama launched a major back-to-school campaign today aimed at keeping kids in the classroom. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) new Chairman Inez Tenenbaum carried the President's message to South Carolina where she met with students and faculty at Rosewood Elementary School in Columbia...
Holiday Weekend Travel Safety Advice
Posted on September 04, 2009Labor Day weekend is considered the last summer holiday period, that final trip to the beach, that long weekend get-away before getting back to the regular routine activities and travels. AAA projects that about 40 million Americans will be traveling for this year's Labor Day weekend...
Metro Worker Tragically Killed on Orange Line
Posted on August 10, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire William Branigin and Martin Weil of the Washington Post report that a 25-year veteran worker for WMATA was killed yesterday when he was struck by a piece of track equipment, known as a ballast regulator, near the Vienna station on the Orange Line...
Metro System Needs Safety Backup
Posted on July 14, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire The National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) investigation of last month's deadly Metro crash prompted the board to conclude that WMATA's electrical system is insufficient. The Board has "urged the transit agency to add a real-time, continuous backup that would alert train operators to potential problems and stop trains when necessary," according to a Washington Post report by Lena Sun...
FDA Needs to Be More Strict With Bottled Water
Posted on July 09, 2009Posted by: Salvatore Zambri, Esquire Congressional hearings took place yesterday that were focused on multiple reports that found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap-water more carefully than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does bottled water...
WMATA Officials Speak Out About Metro System Failure
Posted on July 02, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Five days before last week's deadly Metro crash, Metro employees replaced a component of the rail system known as a Wee-Z bond, a device that keeps trains at a safe distance apart, said WMATA's Rail Chief, Dave Kubicek...
Metro System Repairs Days Before Crash Were Inadequate
Posted on July 01, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Lena Sun and Lyndsey Layton of the Washington Post reported today that federal investigators confirmed that WMATA personnel attempted to replace a component of the signaling system of the tracks only five days before last week's tragic collision...
July 4th: Common Sense Fireworks Safety Guidelines
Posted on July 01, 2009Everyone associates the July 4th holiday with fireworks. All too often, it also is associated with injuries. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 9800 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for fireworks-related accidents in 2007...
Metro Accident Cases Filed
Posted on July 01, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire As you may have heard, lawyers have already filed lawsuits stemming from the recent tragic crash involving two Metro-trains on the red-line. My firm represents injured victims and their families, but we have not yet filed suit for several reasons...
Trucks Are Dangerous: Act Now to Prevent Size and Weight Increases
Posted on July 01, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Trucks account for only 3% of the vehicles on our roadways, yet they are involved in 12 percent of all crash fatalities. According to a Public Citizen report, "Every year, about 5,000 people die and over 100,000 people are injured in large truck crashes...
Young Child Drowns in Local Pool
Posted on June 30, 2009Posted by Patrick M. Regan and Paul Cornoni A 5-year-old girl tragically died last weekend in an apparent drowning at a crowded College Park community pool operated by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. This horrible story was published recently in the Washington Post...
Coffee Better Than Green Tea for Colon
Posted on June 29, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. Researchers reporting in the National Journal of Cancer believe that coffee – not green tea – reduces the risk of colon cancer. When researchers reviewed data on the beverage-drinking habits of more than 96,000 Japanese men and women over a 10-year period, they found that coffee significantly lowered the risk of colon cancer in females...
Metro Control System Fails
Posted on June 26, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. According to the Washington Post, a train control system that should have prevented Monday's deadly Metro crash failed in a test conducted by federal investigators, officials said yesterday, suggesting that a crucial breakdown of technology sent one train slamming into another...
Metrorail System "Anamolies" Discovered
Posted on June 25, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire According to a recent Washington Post article by Lyndsey Layton, Maria Glod and Lena Sun, "Federal investigators said yesterday that they found 'anomalies' in a key component of the electronic control system along the Metro track north of Fort Totten, suggesting that computers might have sent one Red Line train crashing into another...
Perverse Laws Make Location of Metrorail Crash Critical In Analyzing Relief
Posted on June 24, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Earlier this week, the nation's capital experienced the deadliest Metrorail collision in WMATA's 33 year history. Numerous lives have been lost, and dozens of other have been seriously and permanently injured...
Emergency Brake Failure May Be Cause of Metro Rail Collision
Posted on June 24, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Lena H. Sun and Lyndsey Layton of the Washington Post reports that federal officials have announced that "[t]he operator of the Metro train that slammed into a stationary train in front of it apparently had activated the emergency brakes in a failed effort to stop before the accident...
Metro Train Should Have Never Been On Tracks
Posted on June 23, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire According to a recent Washington Post article, city officials announced today that the Metro train that collided into another yesterday "was two months past due for scheduled maintenance on its brakes, and the car was an older model that federal officials had recommended be replaced because of concerns about its safety in a crash...
WMATA Metro Accident Kills Many, Injures More
Posted on June 23, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (commonly referred to as WMATA) is a quasi-governmental entity created through a compact between the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland governments. This Authority is responsible for the rail service and bus service in the Washington-DC area...
Wrongful Death Settlement Against Metro
Posted on June 23, 2009Posted by Patrick M. Regan and Paul Cornoni In the District of Columbia, and the surrounding areas, the public bus system and Metro train cars are operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). WMATA is a quasi-governmental agency, also known as Metro...
Metro System Failure, Operator Error May Have Caused Red-Line Tragedy
Posted on June 23, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire The death toll from yesterday's horrific Metro collision continues to rise. As of now, nine have been pronounced dead, and many dozens more are seriously injured. As mentioned in yesterday's blog, system failure and operator error could be two causes of the incident...
Death Toll Rises From Redline Metrorail Collision
Posted on June 22, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire In our nation's capital, two Metro trains on the redline violently collided during the height of rush hour earlier this evening, killing at least 6 people and injuring many more. According to AOL News, "One official said the accident was a 'mass casualty event' as crews cut apart the trains to get people out...
FDA Recommends Continued Use of ADHD Drugs
Posted on June 16, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration recommended that children shouldn't stop taking drugs that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, despite a study showing the stimulants may be associated with sudden death...
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act: What Does It Mean for Consumers?
Posted on June 14, 2009The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is a federal law that protects buyers from any product that has a value over $25 and a written warranty. The requirements and guidelines established by the law are to protect customers who buy products that have written warranties...
4th of July - Independence Day Impaired Driving Prevention Campaign June 21 - July 5, 2009
Posted on June 14, 2009Drunk Driving is a Deadly Problem Every 40 minutes and nearly 40 times a day, someone in the United States dies in an alcohol impaired traffic crash according to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is why highway safety, community health and law enforcement officials are reminding everyone this Fourth of July that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving and to designate a sober driver before the celebrations begin...
Jobs Cause Cancer For Thousands of Americans Each Year
Posted on June 13, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire According to NIOSH, "Based on well-documented associations between occupational exposures and cancer, it is estimated that approximately 20,000 cancer deaths and 40,000 new cases of cancer each year in the U...
Lead Poisoning Prevention Efforts
Posted on June 13, 2009Lead poisoning is extremely dangerous for both children and adults, affecting nearly every system in the body and often occurring with no obvious symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established a Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program goal of eliminating elevated blood lead levels in children by 2010...
Traumatic Workplace Injuries Plague Americans
Posted on June 13, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire According to NIOSH, "each day, U.S. workers suffer injury, disability, and death from workplace incidents. On average, 15 workers die each day from traumatic injuries. Overall, 5,400 workers died in 2007 from an occupational injury and more than 4 million workers had a nonfatal injury or illness...
Bigger Big Rigs: More Size in Exchange for Less Safety?
Posted on June 13, 2009According to a recent news item in USA Today, fierce debate is expected in Congress over the size of big rig trucks on the U.S. interstate highway system. "Current Federal law limits the weight and length of 18-wheelers on the USA's 47,000-mile interstate highway system...
Robes By Blair LLC Recalled by CPSC
Posted on June 12, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The AP reports that "Consumers are being urged to immediately stop wearing a certain type of chenille robe made by Blair LLC due to a fire hazard that is believed to have killed at least six people...
Excessive Lead in Imported Toys Costs Matell 2.3 Million in Fines
Posted on June 12, 2009A recent $2.3 million civil penalty was agreed to by Matell, Inc. and Fisher-Price Toys for importing and selling toys with excessive levels of lead. According to the news release issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the penalty was part of a settlement for knowingly violating a 30-year-old federal ban on lead paint in toys...
BPA Dangerous to Women, Children
Posted on June 11, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire We have previously written to you about the dangers of bisphenol A (BPA)--a chemical used often in baby-bottles and other hard-plastic products, including food containers. Medical News Today reports that BPA poses dangers to women as well...
Sunshine in Litigation Act: Consumers and Dangerous Products
Posted on June 11, 2009The Judiciary Committee is considering the Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2009, designed to make it more difficult for companies to keep secret documents used in civil cases. Under the bill, federal judges would be restricted from sealing documents or settlements without making specific factual findings that the secrecy order would not harm the public's interest in disclosure of information relevant to health or safety...
Farms May Grow Drug Resistant Bacteria
Posted on June 10, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. There is mounting evidence that the industrial farming of chickens, pigs, and cattle is cultivating more than poultry and livestock — it's cultivating bacteria that medicine is losing the ability to fight. Antimicrobial drugs, including antibiotics like penicillin, ciprofloxacin, and methicillin, kill pathogenic bacteria...
Metro: Safe Exits Necessary
Posted on June 09, 2009Commuters and visitors to Washington, DC rely heavily on the Metro for traveling around town. Although DC's Metrorail system has put a number of safety measures in place during the past year, Metro operators continue to forget they are operating eight-car trains...
Text Messaging Dangerous to Teens
Posted on June 06, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Teenagers love to send text-messages. In fact, the average American teen sends and receives about 80 text messages per day--approximately 2,300 every month. What worries experts is the fact that these texts takes place while kids should be paying attention to their teachers, while they cross busy intersections, and even when they are driving...
Could Alcohol Interlocks Stop Drunken Driving?
Posted on June 05, 2009Drunk drivers create hazards for themselves and their innocent victims by driving impaired. As summarized by a New York Times columnist in a recent blog posting, support is growing to add alcohol interlocks to new cars. Judges already can order alcohol ignition interlocks for repeat offenders in almost every state...
FDA May Change Stance and Rule that BPA is Dangerous for Kids
Posted on June 05, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Earlier this spring, we informed our readers that Canada has restricted the production of plastic baby-bottles, containers, and cups manufactured with a chemical known as BPA, or bisphenol-A, which some experts say cause "breast, prostate and reproductive system abnormalities and some cancers...
Adult Survey on Drowning
Posted on June 05, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. Approximately half of adults surveyed on water safety say they've had an experience where they nearly drowned, and one in four knew someone who drowned, according to the American Red Cross. 'With so many families planning to visit unsupervised beaches and pools, it's important for parents to make water safety a priority,' says Scott Conner, Senior Vice President for Preparedness and Health and Safety Services...
Preventing Children's Sports Injuries
Posted on June 04, 2009Children benefit from participation in sports by learning to stretch their limits and learning sportsmanship and discipline. But sports participation also carries the potential for injury. Knowing the causes of sports injuries and how to prevent them is an important consideration for children and their parents...
GM, Chrysler Bankruptcy Plans Unfair to Accident Victims
Posted on June 04, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The Hill reports that "Consumer groups and trial lawyers are crying foul over the Obama administration's bankruptcy plans for General Motors and Chrysler" because "those plans would extinguish all ongoing auto accident claims that blame a death or serious injury on a defective GM or Chrysler vehicle...
Ten Commonly Overlooked Auto Safety Issues
Posted on May 31, 2009In preparing for summer road trips, most drivers take care of the routine maintenance, but frequently neglect some of the more potentially dangerous issues they could face. Missing air bags. A new report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), finds that nearly one in five fatal accidents involves cars with missing air bags...
Campus Drinking Problem: Good Samaritan Rules May Help Save Students in Medical Emergencies
Posted on May 30, 2009College presidents across the country believe that excessive drinking by college students is the number one campus-life problem. Some of the obvious dangers of student alcohol misuse include: harm to those who drink to excess; negative impacts on non-drinking students and those who drink responsibly; damage to the college reputation...
Treadmill Safety Guidelines
Posted on May 28, 2009The recent tragic death of Mike Tyson's young daughter as a result of a treadmill accident highlights the vigilance necessary by parents of young children. Treadmills are the most popular workout machine in the country. Many homes with treadmills also have young children, a combination that potentially can be extremely dangerous...
Common Sense Advice for Safe Ladder Use
Posted on May 27, 2009According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more that 164,000 individuals are treated each year following injuries related to ladder accidents. CPSC provides safety tips to prevent ladder injuries: "Make sure the weight your ladder is supporting does not exceed its maximum load rating (user plus materials)...
Youth Summer Sports Advice
Posted on May 27, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. What's all the rage with young athletes this summer? Hospital visits. With more than 30 million children playing organized sports in the United States today, the opportunity for injury is on the upswing. Almost 1.9 million children under 15 years old were treated in emergency rooms for sports-related injuries in 2002, says the most recent information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
Chrysler Plan Could Prevent Lawsuits By Injured Persons
Posted on May 23, 2009If Chrysler's bankruptcy is approved by Congress, owners of Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicles may find themselves without the right to seek compensation for serious injuries caused by car defects. The New York Times has recently published an interesting article concerning this hot topic...
Safety Belts for Commercial Buses
Posted on May 22, 2009Posted by Paul Cornoni The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advised Congress recently that it plans to require safety belts on commercial buses. This is a much needed measure which will help protect innocent passengers on buses...
Fast Lane: Bicycling is only healthy when you ride safely
Posted on May 21, 2009As recently posted on Welcome to the Fast Lane, the Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, bicycling is only healthy when you ride safely: "It's clear that bicycling is good for the environment...when it takes vehicles off the road...
Be cautious when buying electronics
Posted on May 20, 2009"The following safety tips provided by Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) can help people identify and avoid these fraudulent products: Use established vendors and authorized retailers. Buy electrical products from reputable retailers who get their goods from legitimate distributors and authorized manufacturers...
Hewlett-Packard Recalls 70,000 Laptop Batteries for Overheating
Posted on May 18, 2009The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced Hewlett-Packard is voluntarily recalling 70,000 lithium-ion batteries that shipped with several models of its HP and Compaq laptops. According to the CPSC, two separate reports of batteries that "overheated and ruptured, resulting in flames/fire that caused minor property damage" but no injuries...
"Play Yards" By Eddie Bauer Pose Suffocation Hazard
Posted on May 17, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The Associated Press (AP) reports that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Eddie Bauer company have recalled nearly "76,600 Eddie Bauer Soothe & Sway Play Yards, sold in the U...
Mother Jones: Silent Recall
Posted on May 17, 2009Posted by Paul Cornoni Mother Jones published a sad piece on the ineffectiveness of dangerous product recalls concerning unsafe cribs. Our firm has recently blogged about this issue as well. A Mother Jones investigation demonstrated that, too often, the recall system fails...
Toxic Toys and Faulty Cribs: Kids in Danger Reports on 2008 Recalls
Posted on May 16, 2009Kids In Danger (KID) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children by improving children's product safety. Toxic Toys and Faulty Cribs, a new report released by Kids in Danger, along with US Representative Jan Schakowsky and Ilinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan examines children's product recalls in 2008, recall effectiveness at CPSC and suggestions for child safety...
Water Safety Tips for Children
Posted on May 16, 2009Posted by Paul Cornoni As the warm months approach, it is important to review a few key water safety tips for children. Please refer to our prior blog on pool safety as well. According to the National Safety Council, over 3,000 people die by drowning each year and children age four and younger have the highest death rate due to drowning...
Wal-Mart pays $2M to avoid charges in death probe
Posted on May 16, 2009On May 6, 2009, Wal-Mart agreed to pay nearly $2 million and improve safety at its 92 New York stores as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid criminal charges in the trampling death of a temporary worker last year. Jdimytai Damour, a maintenance worker, was trampled to death while working at the front of a Wal-Mart store on November 29, 2008--the morning after Thanksgiving...
Disconnect Between Women's Body Image and Weight
Posted on May 15, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. Associated Press-iVillage poll suggests many women also think they're fat when they're not. The poll reveals that there's a major disconnect between body image and true physical condition. Many women who say they are dieting are avoiding healthy fruits and veggies...
Pilots Broke Rules Prior To Fatal Crash
Posted on May 15, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire An accident survey conducted by PlaneCrashInfo.com of 1,843 aircraft accidents from 1950 through 2006 established "the causes to be as follows: 53%: Pilot error 21%: Mechanical failure 11%: Weather 8%: Other human error (air traffic controller error, improper loading of aircraft, improper maintenance, fuel contamination, language miscommunication etc...
Spring Yard Work: Guidelines for Preventing Injury
Posted on May 15, 2009As spring arrives, most homeowners begin the annual task of clearing winter debris and preparing their home for spending more time outdoors. Frequently, injuries result as muscles long dormant during the winter months experience much more activity in a brief period of time than usual...
Maytag Recalls Refrigerators Due to Fire Hazard
Posted on May 14, 2009The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. We have reproduced the news release by CPSC in its entirety below. News from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2009 Release # 09-145 Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 533-9817 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 Name of Product: Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand refrigerators Units: About 1...
Car Crashes During Work Kill and Injure Many
Posted on May 14, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire On-the-job automobile collisions are consistently the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the America. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, there are 5,700 deaths at work each year, and 35% of the fatalities are associated with motor vehicles...
DWI/DUI: A Deadly Combination
Posted on May 14, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 13,470 people died in 2006 as a result of "alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States...
Highway Crashes are Leading Cause of Work-Related Fatalities
Posted on May 13, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Highway incidents involving automobiles is the number one cause of work-related deaths, reports the National Institute for Occupational safety and Health. According to the institute, "During the 1995 to 2002 period, 844 workers were killed while working at a road construction site...
Too Many Children Needless Killed in Car Crashes
Posted on May 13, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The leading cause of death among children in America is automobile collisions. "1,335 children ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 184,000 were injured," according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)...
Motor Vehicle Crashes Leading Cause of Teen Deaths
Posted on May 13, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire More teens die from automobile collisions than any other cause. Motor vehicle crashes account for 36% of all teen deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)...
Too Many Children Needlessly Killed in Car Crashes
Posted on May 13, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The leading cause of death among children in America is automobile collisions. "1,335 children ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 184,000 were injured," according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)...
FDA Alerts Consumers to Recall of Water-Based Face Paints
Posted on May 12, 2009The FDA has issued a nationwide recall of Fun Express Water-Based Face Paints for Children due to reports of skin reactions in children. The reactions include rashes, itchiness, burning sensation and swelling. We have reproduced the FDA recall notice in its entirety below: "The Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers to stop using certain cosmetic 'Face Paint' items labeled as distributed by Oriental Trading Co...
May: Bike Safety Month - Use the Eyes Ears & Mouth Test for Bike Helmet Safety
Posted on May 11, 2009The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 11-15 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 15. Bike helmet use could prevent 45,000 head injuries to kids "Spring has arrived and families are gearing up to enjoy the outdoors on their bikes...
Hip Fracture Prevention
Posted on May 11, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. Many older people fear hip fractures -- and with good reason. Of all types of fractures, hip fractures have the most significant impact on the quality of life. An alarming 20–25% of people over age 50 who break a hip will die within a year...
Families Push for Truck Safety
Posted on May 09, 2009Posted by Paul Cornoni Families of persons killed by trucking accidents are lobbying Congress to halt the trucking industry's efforts to allow heavier, longer trucks on the roads. This interesting story is being reported by MSNBC. The families are coming together to form safety groups, including Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) and the Truck Safety Coalition...
President Selects Consumer Product Safety Commissioner
Posted on May 08, 2009Posted by Paul Cornoni CNN is reporting that President Obama has selected Inez Tenenbaum to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Ms. Tenenbaum has recently served two terms as South Carolina's superintendent of education. It appears that Ms...
Click It or Ticket Campaign for 2009
Posted on May 08, 2009"America's Seat Belt Program Click It or Ticket (CIOT) is the most successful seat belt enforcement campaign ever, helping create the highest national seat belt usage rate of 83 percent. Coast to coast, day or night, the message is simple - Click It or Ticket...
Agencies Issue Guidelines for Drug Disposal
Posted on May 08, 2009By Victor E. Long The FDA has issued guidelines on the disposal of prescription drugs. The Kaiser Family Foundation states that the average American takes more than 12 prescription drugs annually, with more than 3.8 billion prescriptions purchased each year, Previously, three federal agencies--the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Department of Health and Human Services and Environmental Protection Agency--jointly released new guidelines in February designed to help people safely trash their prescription drugs...
LA Times Blasts Forced Arbitration
Posted on May 07, 2009Posted by Patrick Regan and Paul Cornoni David Lazarus, of The Los Angeles Times, published an excellent piece concerning the issue of forced arbitration. As the article states: "If you have a credit card, a cellphone or even just a job, chances are you've already signed away your right to sue if something goes wrong...
Playground Safety Tips for Summer 2009
Posted on May 07, 2009Posted by Catherine D. Bertram, Esquire and Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Over 200,000 children each year end up in emergency rooms as a result of injuries from playground equipment. Of those children, 15 die. Let's take a few minutes to think about the safety of the playground equipment in our community to make sure all of our children can play safely this summer...
Maryland Auto Insurance Carriers Pay Restitution
Posted on May 07, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. More than half of Maryland's auto insurance companies have had to pay hundreds of thousands in administrative penalties and restitution to their policyholders after mishandling claims when vehicles are declared a total loss, according to the Maryland Insurance Administration...
Good News/Bad News on New Roof Standards
Posted on May 06, 2009Posted by Paul Cornoni OMB Watch, a government watchdog, has published an interesting blog concerning the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) new roof strength rule. The new rule requires stronger roofs in vehicles to prevent injuries to passengers involved in rollover crashes...
Six Continuous Glucose Monitors Approved
Posted on May 06, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. Six continuous glucose monitors are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): CGMS System Gold, Guardian REAL-time System, Guardian RT, MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time System (all from Medtronic), DexCom STS, and The Abbott FreeStyle Navigator...
Crib Safety: 2nd Recall
Posted on May 06, 2009Posted by Paul Cornoni As a follow up to our recent blog concerning the dangers of cribs manufactured by Jardine, the company has now announced a second recall. Jardine has now announced that 96,000 additional units should be taken off the shelves...
Burn Injuries
Posted on May 05, 2009Posted by Catherine D. Bertram and Salvatore J. Zambri According to the American Burn Association there are about 1 million burn injuries in our country each year. Of those injured, 45,000 are hospitalized and about 50% of those patients are admitted to the 125 specialized burn treatment centers across the country...
Is Your Personal Trainer Qualifed and Safe?
Posted on May 05, 2009Posted by Catherine D. Bertram and Salvatore J. Zambri How do you know if that personal trainer is knowledgeable? Just because he or she is working at your gym does not guarantee your safety. Find a list of programs with third-party accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies at www...
New Rules Needed for Bus Safety
Posted on May 05, 2009Posted by Patrick Regan and Paul Cornoni A recent article in the Washington Post highlights the need for improved safety regulations concerning buses. The National Transportation Safety Board heavily criticized the Department of Transportation for failing to provide meaningful oversight of the commercial bus industry...
Need For Uninsured Motorist Coverage Increases
Posted on May 04, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Uninsured motorist coverage is needed most especially during a recession. According to a report by NewsOn6.com, The Insurance Research Council (IRC) indicates that one in seven drivers is presently without automobile insurance, and reports a "strong correlation" between unemployment rates and number of uninsured drivers...
Poll Shows That Americans Oppose Forced Arbitration, Want Corporate Wrongdoers Held Accountable
Posted on May 04, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The American Association for Justice (AAJ) reported yesterday that a nation-wide pole of likely voters conducted by Lake Research Partners shows that Americans widely oppose corporations using mandatory binding arbitration clauses in the fine print of consumer and employment contracts...
Damages Caps Do Not Lower Health Care Costs
Posted on May 03, 2009A team at the University of Alabama recently studied the issue of whether medical malpractice damages caps limiting the amount of money an injured person can receive actually help to reduce health care costs. The conclusion, as reported by Jim Landers of the Dallas Morning News, is that "Tort reforms have not led to health care costs savings for consumers...
"Independent" Medical Examinations?
Posted on May 03, 2009In most jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia, if a plaintiff claims an injury, the defendant has the right to have the injured plaintiff examined by a physician. These examinations are often referred to as "independent medical examinations...
Delays in Product Recalls Tempt Tragedy
Posted on May 02, 2009As recently reported by Los Angeles Times reporter David Lazarus, regulators may know about safety issues, but getting information out of them is difficult. In 2006, Mega Brands, Inc. took over Rose Art Industries. One product acquired was Magnetix play sets, containing powerful magnets that could tear apart a child's intestines, if swallowed...
Senior Prom Safety Tips For Teens
Posted on May 02, 2009As senior prom and graduation approaches, teen excitement increases along with parent anxiety. According to safety experts, risky behavior on prom night has the potential to spoil a special occasion of fond memories. Below is a common-sense prom safety checklist, reproduced from the Parenting Teens section of Suite101...
Genetic Risk Prediction - Are We There Yet?
Posted on May 02, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. An article in the New England Journal of Medicne concludes that it is too early to provide stable estimates of genetic risk for many diseases. However, several companies have begun offering direct to consumer testing...
Law Day - May 1, 2009
Posted on May 01, 2009The following is a reproduction of portions of an article published by Salvatore Zambri, senior partner at Regan Zambri & Long, which he wrote while he served as President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Although he wrote the article in 2007, it is appropriate to publish it again since this year's Law Day will be celebrated by our nation tomorrow, on May 1, 2009...
Swine Flu Reaches Va, DC
Posted on May 01, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Earlier this week, it was reported that there were six "probable" cases of swine flu in Maryland, but none in DC or Virginia. Unfortunately, the flu has now extended to all three local jurisdictions, according to the Washington Post...
Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire
Posted on May 01, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire According to a Washignton Post report, a government official has announced that Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is planning to retire from the High Court. A vacancy would give President Obama his first opportunity to nominate a replacement to the court...
Distracted Driving Awareness Day in Virginia
Posted on April 30, 2009DRIVE SMART Virginia reports that "1,026 people died on Virginia's roadways in 2007. That's nearly three fatalities every day. Understand this. Cars don't kill people. Cars are navigated by people. Cars crash by the actions of people...
Traffic Safety Improvements Urged By American Association For Justice
Posted on April 30, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire In 2007, more than 5,100 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks and buses, according to the Department of Transportation. There were also approximately 100,000 Americans injured in collisions involving both large trucks and buses...
Toyota Announces Equipment Safety Recall on Select Vehicles
Posted on April 29, 2009Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. is initiating an Equipment Safety Recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that involves about 39,100 Toyota Stainless Steel Exhaust Tip retention Clamps. This optional accessory was designed specifically for 2008 model year Highlander and Highlander HV vehicles sold in the United States...
FDA and Personal Care Products Recall Nail Polish
Posted on April 29, 2009Personal Care Products and FDA notified healthcare professionals of a voluntarily nationwide recall of all lots of Personal Care non-acetone nail polish remover, conditioner enriched with gelatin, 6 fl. oz., UPC 4815592076, because it has the potential to cause chemical burns to the fingers of users...
A Push to Test Crash Worthiness of Child Safety Seats in Each Car
Posted on April 29, 2009Posted by Catherine D. Bertram, Esquire and Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has urged car makers to crash-test child safety seats in their vehicles so we have data to recommend which child restraints are the safest in each auto...
Apartment Safety Basics
Posted on April 28, 2009Apartment safety may begin with renter's insurance, but it certainly doesn't end there, as recently reported in Apartments.com. To protect yourself and your belongings, experts recommend the following simple guidelines: DO... Write only your last name or initials on your mailbox...
Toaster Ovens and Broilers Pose Risk of Electrical Shock and Burn
Posted on April 28, 2009The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall along with Haier America of about 106,000 toaster oven/broilers. Electrical connections in the toaster oven/broilers can become loose posing the threat of electrical shock or burns.According to the release, 'Haier America has received two reports of minor burns and one report of a minor electrical shock to consumers, and one report of minor property damage...
May Is Electrical Safety Month
Posted on April 27, 2009By Catherine D. Bertram, Esquire and Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Each year, the Electrical Safety Foundation International sponsors May as National Electrical Safety Month. This May, ESFI's focus is the Buyer Beware Anti-Counterfeiting Campaign to help raise awareness about dangerous and defective counterfeit electrical products that are threatening to harm public health and safety...
Economic Stress Can Kill
Posted on April 27, 2009By Victor E. Long, Esq. A new study from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing found that for older women, financial stress can be deadly. Financial stress is a sadly widespread experience. According to a poll on About.com roughly 7 in 10 respondents are "very stressed" about money, and only 1 in 10 report that they are not stressed about finances — and the proportion of people stressed about money is only going up...
Crib Safety: Changes in Store for Parents
Posted on April 26, 2009Posted by Patrick M. Regan Parents shopping for baby cribs are going to notice some significant changes in the types of cribs offered for sale. Toys "R" Us has recently announced that it will stop selling drop down cribs because of a concern for the safety of infants...
Global Food Supply Poses Serious Health Risks
Posted on April 25, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Leading scientists at last week's Total Health Show 2009, held in Toronto, warned that changes to the global food supply are desperately needed to avoid serious health risks, according to a report in Medical News Today...
Threat of Fires Causes GM to Recall 1.5M Cars
Posted on April 25, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recently announced that General Motors is recalling nearly 1.5 million passenger sedans manufactured between 1997 and 2003. According to CNN, "the problem involves a potential for oil to leak on the exhaust manifold during hard braking...
Congress Probes Medical Care Provided By AIG to Civilian Workers
Posted on April 25, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Many brave women and men serve our country today in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other places in the world very far from home. Most are soldiers. Many are civilian contractors...
Baby Bottles May Be Dangerous
Posted on April 24, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire Canada has restricted the production of plastic baby-bottles, containers, and cups manufactured with a chemical that some experts say cause a serious health threat. The chemical is known as BPA, or bisphenol-A, and many states are now poised to follow the lead of Suffolk County, New York and invoke bans here in America, according to a recent report at Forbes...
Wii Gaming: Real Injuries From Simulated Activities
Posted on April 24, 2009Posted by: Amy S. Gurgle, Esq. A new article published by the New York Times highlights that use of the Nintendo Wii fit gaming system can cause injuries similar to those encountered when engaging in the actual activities. Although the Wii can be a very entertaining hobby, it is important that users consider the fact that it simulates actual physical activity and also consider the related fitness demands...
Baby Cribs, Pacifiers, and More Recalled
Posted on April 24, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recently recalled Zoo pacifiers, manufactured by Healthtex. According to a report by The State Journal, the pacifiers were recalled "because they failed to meet federal safety standards...
Amusement Park Safety
Posted on April 23, 2009Posted by Victor E. Long, Esq. A recent carnival accident injuring dozens of Washington State Children, highlights concern regarding amusement park safety. According to the Washington Post, although the Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates children's toys, strollers, bicycles and car seats, it has no jurisdiction over rides at fixed amusement parks, such as those run by Walt Disney Co...
Soldier Fired Because of Military Duty
Posted on April 23, 2009A Pennsylvania Air National Guard reservist has filed a lawsuit accusing his former employer of firing him for taking time off for an injury suffered while he was on active duty. According to the lawsuit, UPMC Health Benefits Inc. violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act when it terminated Thomas Smith after he returned to work following rotator cuff surgery...
Overinflated Exercise Balls Pose Risk of Injuries
Posted on April 23, 2009Posted by: Amy S. Gurgle, Esq. A new consumer product recall highlights the risks of exercise balls. Even while exercising to improve health and fitness, it is important to be aware of the risks associated with the equipment and to ensure that the equipment is safe and used properly...
Shed Light on Safety Issues
Posted on April 22, 2009Les Weisbrod, the President of the American Association for Justice, has recently published a very interesting article concerning the Sunshine in Litigation Act S.537, H.R. 1508. The article is published in the National Law Journal. The article discusses how numerous corporations, in the hopes of limiting bad publicity, are forcing injured persons to keep the details of their settlements confidential...
Consumer Safety Guidelines for Car Jack Use
Posted on April 22, 2009Posted by Jacqueline T. Colclough, Esquire, R.N.. According to NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 'Incidents involving jacks or hoists accounted for about 10,000 injuries seen in emergency departments per year and frequently occurred while repairing vehicles or changing tires...
Golf Cart Injuries Reveal Need for Safety Standards
Posted on April 22, 2009Posted by Jacqueline Colcough, Esquire, R.N. As reported by Science Daily and the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the injury rate for golf carts increased over 130% between 1990 and 2006. Golf carts are becoming more popular as primary transportation at sporting events, hospitals, airports, military bases, businesses, parks and college campuses...
Earth Day 2009
Posted on April 22, 2009Posted by Jacqueline Colclough, Esquire, R.N. Earth Day, celebrated in the United States annually on April 22, is a day intended to inspire appreciation and awareness for the Earth's environment. It was founded in 1970 by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin as a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment...
Bo Obama, Cute and Hypoallergenic
Posted on April 21, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire The most famous dog in America--Bo, a Portuguese water dog--arrived at the White House a few days ago. The Obamas thought long and hard about which canine to include in the First Family, especially given Malia Obama's allergies...
Supreme Court Hears Case of 13 Year Old Girl Strip Searched at School
Posted on April 21, 2009By Catherine D. Bertram, Esquire and Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire The United States Supreme Court will hear the case of a 13 year old girl from Arizona who was strip searched at school. The Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether school officials violated this child's Fourth Amendment rights...
What Not to Do After An Auto Accident
Posted on April 21, 2009Posted by Jacqueline T. Colclough, Esquire, R.N. As reported in a recent article in the Washington Post, a young woman escaped from her overturned vehicle onto the Interstate, only to be killed by another car while sitting on the highway. According to witnesses, she escaped from her overturned car and sat down in a traffic lane...
Are We Safe? U.S. Has a Patchwork of Food Safety Inspection Systems
Posted on April 20, 2009By Catherine D. Bertram, Esquire and Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire Your chances of getting sick from tainted food may depend on how diligent your state inspection system is, according to an article in the New York Times this week. 'The longer it takes you to nail an outbreak, the more people are going to get sick,' said Dr...
Accidents in Minicars Can Be Deadly
Posted on April 20, 2009Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire and Catherine Bertram, Esquire When buying a car, you need to know what you are getting into. Although they provide relatively better gas-mileage, certain minicars may be more dangerous to drive. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested three different minicars--the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris and the Smart Fortwo...
Tipover Danger Increases with Big Screen TV
Posted on April 15, 2009As more households acquire or upgrade to big screen televisions, more dangers for children are associated with them. Although many of these TVs are lightweight, their bases and stands used to hold them frequently are much smaller. SafeKids Worldwide, a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent unintentional childhood injury, recommends securing bookcases, shelving, televisions and appliances to walls with brackets and anchors...
Medical Device Safety Act
Posted on April 02, 2009Today, medical device patients and attorneys from around the country will travel to Washington, DC for a Lobby Day to ask Congress to support HR 1346/S 540, the Medical Device Safety Act (MDSA). American Association for Justice member law firms and their clients will be joining in support of this important action...
Legal Times: Plaintiff's Bar Pushes Hill Agenda
Posted on March 30, 2009March 31, 2009 marks the beginning date for Congressional hearings for legislation designed to protect consumers. Legal Times recent edition summarizes battles facing patient advocates, including the attorneys at Regan Zambri & Long, who fight for patients and their families who have been injured or lost their lives as a result of unsafe medical devices, medication and other consumer protection issues...
National Burn Awareness Week 2009: Focus on Scalding
Posted on February 06, 2009Each year during the first week of February, the American Burn Association selects a relevant topic to kick off their media campaign to educate the general public about burn prevention. For 2009, the focus is on scald prevention and treatment. According to the American Burn Association’s Scald Prevention Information, nearly 24,000 children are treated for scald injuries in emergency rooms annually...
FDA Announces Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America
Posted on January 29, 2009Previously, the DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog reported the FDA press release specifying details of the recall of bulk packaged peanut butter and peanut paste produced by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). Those products are generally distributed by institutional and food service industry use...
Contaminated Peanut Butter - Likely Source for Salmonella Outbreak
Posted on January 15, 2009During the past several months, 434 reported cases of Salmonella, a serious bacterial infection, has led to the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement of a voluntary recall by Peanut Corporation of America. We have reproduced the FDA Press Release in its entirety below: Recall -- Firm Press Release FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties...
Tire Valve Update
Posted on November 20, 2008A previous DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog posting discussed Safety Officials Urging Drivers to Inspect Tire Valve Stems Distributed by Dill Air Control. Since then, according to a Detroit Free Press article, a new investigation into Ford Motor Company has been initiated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), prompting additional warnings...
Insurance Fraud: Common-Sense Advice to Protect Consumers
Posted on November 17, 2008The term "insurance fraud" is usually attributed to the consumer but a recent article by the American Association for Justice has outlined an increasing problem of Insurance companies committing the insurance fraud.We learn from an early age that everyone needs insurance...
Drunk Driving: A Major Safety Concern on Halloween
Posted on October 31, 2008Although everyone wishes that Halloween could just be a night of carefree fun, there are many dangers that both children and adults face on Halloween. Topping the danger list is probably drunk driving. The DC Metro area participates in SoberRide service, providing free taxi rides for drunken individuals on Halloween between 10 p...
Road Rules: Safety Tips for Motorists, Parents and Children on Halloween
Posted on October 31, 2008Halloween can be a very dangerous night for children who frequently become young, and not always very street-smart, pedestrians as they trick-or-treat. AAA provides the following tips for motorists, parents, and children when making Halloween plans...
Common Sense Safety Tips for Halloween
Posted on October 31, 2008DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog recently posted an article on the Halloween hazards that young children face every year. Since this Halloween falls on a Friday, condensing all the party-going and trick or treating to one or two nights, instead of spread out over a week...
FDA Warning: Dairy Based Candy and Melamine
Posted on October 30, 2008Globalization has lead to many great advancements, including our food supply here in the US. However, globalization not only makes information travel faster it can also lead to disease and illnesses traveling faster. An unfortunate example of such a consequence is the Melamine scandal in Chinese dairy products...
Maryland Enacts New Law to Assist Efforts to Curb Underage Drinking
Posted on October 29, 2008Some parents believe that, to ensure their teens' safety, they should allow their children to drink at home with parental supervision so that they won't try to do it in a dangerous environment. Maryland recently enacted a law that will now fines such parents $1,000-$2,500...
Halloween: Think Safety First for Your Children
Posted on October 26, 2008Stories of Halloween hazards are usually concerned with some sort of spiked candy but it turns out that though the possibility of contaminated treats should not be ignored, the incidents of finding such candy is extremely rare. A more realistic hazard to children on Halloween is the increased chance of them getting hit by a car...
Warning: Do Not Allow Children Under Five To Have Contact With Exotic Animals
Posted on October 10, 2008Previously on DC Metro Personal Injury Law Blog, the risks associated with keeping baby chickens and ducks as pets were highlighted in an April, 2007 posting. Unfortunately, it is becoming evident that many other popular animals pose the same threat of passing salmonella, as well as other diseases, on to humans, according to an Associated Press article about a recent study about the dangers of owning exotic animals...
October Is Fire Safety Month: Do You Know Why?
Posted on October 08, 2008October is National Fire Prevention Month in commemoration of the Chicago fire of October 8, 1871, that lead to the deaths of 300 people and the destruction on 18,000 buildings. In spite of modern fire -resistant designs for cities, fires are still the third leading cause of injury related deaths in homes today, according to the Home Safety Council...
Safety Officials Urge Drivers to Inspect Tire Valve Stems Distributed by Dill Air Control.
Posted on October 01, 2008Dill Air Control, a subsidiary of the Chinese company, Shanghai Baolong Industries, has approximately 30 million potentially faulty tire valve stems in North American distribution. The faulty valve stems are thought to be cracking, causing a slow leak that may lead to tire failure at higher speeds – a situation that has proven to be fatal for at least one Florida resident in 2006, according to an article by Consumer Reports...
Annual Report Names Cheerleading as Most Dangerous Sport for Female Athletes
Posted on September 17, 2008Over the last 25 years, a single sport has been responsible for more than 2/3 of all catastrophic sports injuries to high school and college female athletes in the United States. That sport: cheerleading. The finding recently was published in the 25th Annual Report of the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...
Lack of Consumer Response to Recalls Leaves Children and Adults Vulnerable to Injuries
Posted on August 22, 2008NewsInferno.com reports that although product recalls are considered to be a powerful way to ensure consumer safety, sometimes recalls are just not enough. Despite recall notices and warnings, consumers continue to use products that have the potential to seriously injure or kill, according to the U...
FDA Warning: Henna Tattoos More Dangerous than Most People Realize
Posted on August 05, 2008Late Summer is a season of carnivals, festivals and open-air malls -- all venues where thousands of young people receive popular black henna tattoos each year. While popular opinion holds that the brushed-on tattoos must be safer than traditional needle-and-ink versions, that isn't necessarily the case...
Recent Death Highlights Bike Safety Concerns
Posted on August 01, 2008As gas prices rise, more commuters are relying on bicycles. The recent death of a bicyclist when a garbage truck turned into her lane has prompted a heightened public awareness regarding bicycle safety. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) calls for increased safety measures due to an influx of bike traffic...
Government to Revamp Vehicle Safety Tests
Posted on July 22, 2008As reported by the Washington Post, the U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced the first major update to its vehicle safety ratings (which grade vehicles on scale of up to five stars) in seven years. The new program will continue to assess passenger cars, pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans on the five star scale, but will add an overall safety rating that combines the scores from several crash tests...
Beef Recall Highlights Weaknesses in Reporting System
Posted on July 21, 2008The recent beef recall because of possible contamination with E. coli highlights weaknesses in a recall system that often experiences delays in informing consumers. The significance of this recall is emphasized when considered in conjunction with the separate salmonella outbreak sickening nearly 900 people...
"Deny, Delay, Defend" Strategy Prevalent Among Ten Worst Insurance Companies: Comprehensive Investigation Reveals Tactics Against Consumers
Posted on July 11, 2008American Association for Justice (AAJ) recently released a comprehensive research report, "The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America: How They Raise Premiums, Deny Claims, and Refuse Insurance to Those Who Need It Most." The top ten list includes Allstate, UNUM, AIG, State Farm, Conseco, WellPoint, Farmers, UnitedHealth, Torchmark, and Liberty Mutual...
Free Alcohol For Teens? Almost Half of Teen Drinkers Receive Free Alcohol from Adults: New Study
Posted on July 05, 2008More than half of American teens report consuming alcohol, and more than 40% of those underage drinkers say they often get their alcohol free from an adult. One in four report receiving free alcohol from an unrelated adult, one in 16 report receiving it from a parent or guardian, and one in 12 say they have received it from a family member...
Tips for a Safer Barefoot Summer
Posted on July 04, 2008The opportunity to go barefoot may be one of the greatest conveniences of summer, but without socks and shoes, your feet are exposed to a number of potentially serious personal injuries. Before you head outdoors without your footwear this season, take a moment to familiarize yourself with these foot safety considerations from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS)...
Fireworks More Dangerous for Children Than Adults
Posted on July 03, 2008A 2006 study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) found children are injured more frequently by fireworks compared to the general population. Nationwide Children's Hospital reported fireworks injuries ranged from minor burns and corneal abrasions to severe burns, vision and hearing loss and even death...
Dozens of New Laws in Virginia; Including Tougher Penalties for Teens Who Drink and Drive
Posted on July 02, 2008As of July 1, 2008, some of Virginia's incomprehensible laws will no longer be on the books. For example, restaurants in Virginia can now serve sangria (a mixture of red wine, fruit, triple sec and brandy), as legislators as have disposed of a law that prohibits restaurants from serving drinks that mix wine or beer with liquor...
Holiday Travel: Safety First for the Fourth
Posted on July 01, 2008Despite the high gas prices this year, many are planning to drive out of town for the holiday weekend. However, with driving come the risks of drunk driving, unrested drivers, and other dangerous road conditions. To help reduce these risks, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) has issued a "July 4th Planner 2008...
Is the Car You're Considering Buying a "Total Loss" or Stolen? Use VINcheck to Determine Whether It Makes the List.
Posted on June 30, 2008The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is in the process of developing a database, VINcheck, which would use a car's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to track vehicles that have been declared a "total loss" by insurance companies. The database will be free for the public to access and already has the support of hundreds of insurance companies who would be responsible for submitting the VIN to NICB for tracking...
Summer Safety: Fireworks Laws Vary by State
Posted on June 28, 2008Most Americans celebrate Fourth of July evening by watching a fireworks display. Fireworks can cause serious injuries to children and adults alike. For those who choose to put on fireworks at home without a professional, the National Council on Fireworks Safety (NCFS) has a few safety tips...
Summer Safety: Surprising Dangerous Summer Activities & Sports: New Study
Posted on June 27, 2008Summer: those few cherished months when most flock to the outdoors to take advantage of the abundant sunshine. However, a recent report from Forbes cautions most outdoor summer activities can also lead to serious injuries. The article ranked the "Most Hazardous Summer Activities" proportional to the reported injuries in 2007...
CPSC Recall: Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Injury Risk
Posted on June 25, 2008The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Jardine Enterprises have announced yesterday that the company will recall approximately 320,000 cribs sold within the past 6 years. The cribs were sold mainly at Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us locations nationwide...
Bunk Bed Safety: New Study Gives Cause for Concern
Posted on June 23, 2008Nearly 36,000 children and adolescents (up to 21 years of age) are treated for bunk bed-related injuries across the nation each year, according to a recent study conducted by The Research Institute at Nationwide Children Hospital. The study, published in the June issue of Pediatrics, found that bunk bed-related injuries most commonly occur from falls...
Physicians Recommend More Protective Equipment for High School Baseball Players
Posted on June 22, 2008Almost all high school baseball players should wear headgear on the field to protect them from injuries from batted balls, and most players should consider wearing mouth guards to help prevent oral injuries. Those recommendations and others are the result of new injury research published in a recent edition of the medical journal Pediatrics -- the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics...
Risky Behavior Among Many U.S. High School Students Declining: New Study
Posted on June 21, 2008While many high school students engage in behaviors that place their health at risk, the percentage of those students is lower today than it was in the early 1990s. The finding is the result of a recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey conducted by the U...
"21 for 21" -- A College Binge Ritual With Deadly Consequences
Posted on June 20, 2008It's called "21 for 21" -- college students knock back 21 alcoholic drinks on their 21st birthday, jeopardizing their health and their lives. The deadly effects of the drinking ritual are the subject of new research conducted at the University of Missouri, and recetly published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology...
Summer Storms and Power Outages: Emergency Preparedness Tips
Posted on June 19, 2008The rain, wind and lightning associated with summer storms poses a number of safety threats to people in the DC metro area each year – many of which stem from power outages. Fortunately, some simple preventive measures can help to minimize the inconvenience of unexpected losses of power, and can safeguard the health of your entire family...
Teenage Cell Phone Restrictions Ignored: New Study
Posted on June 18, 2008Cell phone restriction laws for teenage drivers may not be having their intended effect.According to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, North Carolinian teenagers continued to use cell phones while driving as frequently as they had before the restrictions were passed...
June is National Safety Month: Lawn Mower Safety Tips
Posted on June 16, 2008Summer lawn mowing is such a routine activity that many people tend to view it as being less dangerous than it actually is. Each summer, tens of thousands of Americans are injured by lawn mowers. This summer, four national medical societies have teamed up to encourage homeowners to be especially careful around lawn mowers...
Dry Drowning: Little Known Danger
Posted on June 13, 2008A ten-year-old South Carolina boy died last week from a danger many parents were unaware of until recently. Dry drowning occurs when water enters the lungs, preventing proper breathing. This can occur anywhere from 1 to 24 hours after the water has been ingested...
Summer Safety: Effective Sunscreen
Posted on June 12, 2008http://www.crazy-jokes.com/pictures/sunscreen.jpg Getting ready for a weekend at the beach? Going outside for a walk or bike-ride? If so, be sure to properly protect yourself from the sun. The FDA's "tip sheet" offers advice on how to take steps to prevent skin cancer...
Lightning Safety During the Summer Storm Season
Posted on June 05, 2008With powerful, fast-moving thunderstorms sweeping through the DC area yesterday, and with more storms on the horizon this summer, it's important to be familiar with some general lightning safety tips. Understanding lightning and its dangers, as well as what to do during a storm can help significantly reduce the risk of lightning related injury, or even save your life...
Beach Week Fun and Safety
Posted on June 05, 2008Beach Week is on the horizon for students across the country, and while the main concerns for students may be where to go and how to divide the food costs evenly, the main issue for parents is the safety of their children. A survey in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine lists many concerns including frequent underage drinking, drug use, driving while intoxicated, and promiscuous unprotected sex...
Chantix: Smoking Cessation Aid More Harmful Than Smoking?
Posted on June 04, 2008There are numerous products on the market to help quit smoking including everything from "The Patch" to chewing gum. One such product is Chantix, a non-nicotine prescription medicine to help adults quit smoking by reducing the urge to smoke...
Pool Safety: Drownings of Children Under Five Increase
Posted on May 30, 2008Children splashing and playing, backyard pools, bright sunny days. These are some of the telltale signs of summer. However, a new report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that scenarios such as these can create dangerous conditions for young children...
Airbags + Seatbelts = Fewer Costs for Trauma Centers
Posted on May 29, 2008According to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of American College of Surgeons, the use of airbags in combination with seatbelts considerably reduces injuries to the brain, face, spine and chest during motor vehicle collisions. As reported by the Washington Post, the study also shows that simultaneous airbag and seatbelt use leads to lower in-hospital death rates, injury severity and hospital-acquired infections among crash patients...
Click It or Ticket: 2008 Seat Belt Campaign In Effect
Posted on May 22, 2008Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of high-visibility enforcement of seat belt laws by law enforcement agencies throughout the nation as part of the 2008 Click It or Ticket campaign. The enforcement period for 2008 runs from May 19 - June 1, with paid media coverage of the campaign running from May 12 - May 26...
Safety Tips for National Safe Boating Week
Posted on May 21, 2008Lakes, reservoirs, rivers and other waterways across the U.S. offer excellent opportunities for many recreational summer activities, including boating. Those same waterways pose a number of inherent dangers to boaters, too, however...
Very Low Levels of Radon May Not Be a Cause for Concern: New Study
Posted on May 17, 2008According to a recently-completed, decades-long study published in the journal Health Physics, exposure to low-levels of radon commonly found in homes in the United States does not appear to contribute to the development of lung cancer and may actually reduce a person's risk of developing lung cancer...
CDC Offers Health and Safety Tips for Rodent Prevention
Posted on May 16, 2008Spring and Summer are great seasons for cookouts and get-togethers of all kinds with friends and family. Unfortunately, they're also seasons when rodent populations reproduce continuously. Mice and other rodents are particularly effective carriers of a number of dangerous diseases, including hantavirus...
Choose Respect: Aims to Prevent Teen Dating Violence
Posted on May 14, 2008For teens, dating is one of life's greatest rites of passage. It's also a time when many adolescents acquire the interpersonal and social skills that will help them build positive, respectful relationships throughout their adult lives...
Automobile Safety and Rollover Accident Prevention
Posted on May 13, 2008One of the deadliest risks faced by motorists is the risk of a rollover accident -- particularly for those who drive SUVs, minivans and trucks, which tend to have a higher center of gravity and a greater propensity to tip. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 280,000 rollover accidents are reported each year...
Sun Exposure Tips for Kids
Posted on May 12, 2008Did you know that by age 18, most teenagers have already accumulated 50% - 80% of their lifetime sun exposure? That's one reason why it's vitally important for parents to help ensure that their children are taking appropriate sun safety precautions...
Health Impact on Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: New Study
Posted on May 10, 2008Approximately one in five women seeking pediatric care for their children at an urban clinic recently disclosed that they and their children had been abused or exposed to domestic violence -- a finding that echoes the results of several similar studies conducted nationwide...
Teen Drivers and Over Confidence: New Study
Posted on May 09, 2008Teenage drivers in the U.S. often overestimate their level of driving experience. That false confidence in their driving abilities puts them at risk for accidents and personal injuries. The finding is a result of new research published in a recent edition of the journal Pediatrics...
Prom Safety Tips for Parents and Teens
Posted on May 07, 2008Contrary to what you may hear or see on television, most teens aren't drinking and driving or using illegal drugs this prom season. Still, each year many talented and promising young people across the U.S. are, in fact, killed in prom-related accidents -- many involving drugs or alcohol...
New Mad Cow Disease Precautions Aimed at Making Beef Supply Safer
Posted on May 06, 2008The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final regulation which bars some cattle materials from all animal feed, including pet food. The new rule is aimed at protecting consumers against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE -- also known as Mad Cow Disease)...
Clean-Up Tips for Mercury-Containing Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Posted on May 01, 2008Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are popular, spiral-shaped, energy-saving light bulbs, often touted as "green" alternatives to incandescents. The new bulbs tend to use much less energy and last several times longer than traditional bulbs, but unlike traditional incandescent bulbs, CFLs contain mercury, and when broken they represent a health hazard to consumers...
CDC Safety Tips for Cruise Vacations
Posted on April 30, 2008A cruise ship vacation is a great, relaxing way to travel and see counties all over the world. As vacations go, cruises can also be very affordable. The close proximity of so many vacationers in an isolated environment can pose some unique public health risks, however...
FDA Links Denture Cleanser to Allergic Reactions, Injuries
Posted on April 29, 2008The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning regarding persulfates -- common ingredients in denture cleansers -- and has asked manufacturers of denture cleansers to include a warning in the label about their use of persulfates...
Entering or Exiting Automobiles Presents Additional Fall Risk for Seniors - Fall Prevention Recommendations: New Study
Posted on April 28, 2008According to a new analysis of U.S. injury data, approximately 37,000 people over age 65 are injured annually while attempting to enter or exit a vehicle. Roughly 40% of these injuries were due to falls. Additionally, the same group was found more likely to be hospitalized as a result of falls than was the average driver...
Consumer Action Handbook Updated for 2008
Posted on April 27, 2008The Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) -- a consumer advocacy division of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) -- has released the 2008 edition of its Consumer Action Handbook. The handbook is designed to empower consumers to interact productively with vendors and businesses and help all people to become smarter shoppers...
Spring Cleaning? Prevent ID Theft With These Consumer Safety Tips
Posted on April 26, 2008If you've considered a deep cleaning of your home this spring, you may also be wondering how best to eliminate the disorganization of another year's worth of paperwork and financial records. Simply throwing them in the trash is not always the safest solution...
April 21 - 25 is National Playground Safety Week: Tips for Building Safe Playgrounds
Posted on April 24, 2008Outdoor play equipment and playgrounds provide kids with great opportunities for fun and exercise, but they also pose a few safety hazards. Improper playground surfaces, faulty recreational equipment and dangerous behavior can all put playful children on a fast track to the emergency room...
New EPA Rule: Protecting Children from Lead Paint Dangers
Posted on April 23, 2008Contractors working on homes built prior to 1978 will soon be forced to take extra safety precautions to protect children from the dangers of lead paint, thanks to a new rule set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which will take effect in April 2010...
Record Numbers of U.S. Girls Participating in Sports: New Study Highlights Benefits and Problems
Posted on April 19, 2008Record numbers of U.S. girls are participating in sports, but outside of organized sports, their physical activity levels are declining, especially as they become adolescents. The findings are the result of recent research conducted at the University of Minnesota Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, and presented in a new report titled Developing Physically Active Girls...
Alzheimer's Study Illustrates Need for Reliable Tests of Driving Skill and Cognitive Ability
Posted on April 17, 2008Although many people with mild dementia (such as in early Alzheimer's Disease) may initially be able to drive safely, their driving skills predictably decline over 1 - 2 years to a level that often leaves them unsafe to drive. The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of the journal Neurology -- the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology...
Early Hydration Important for Long-Distance Runners: New Study
Posted on April 15, 2008Runners who take part in day-long "ultra-marathons" experience much of their fluid loss in the first 8 hours of the race, demonstrating the importance of early hydration, a study has found. Published in a recent edition of the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, researchers in this latest study repeatedly weighed 52 ultra-marathoners (runners in day-long marathons) over the course their race, which was either a 12- or 24- hour event...
Rising Number of Young Children Visit ER with Gymnastic Injuries: New Study
Posted on April 14, 2008More than 26,000 American children end up in hospital emergency rooms due to gymnastic-related injuries each year, according to a new study in a recent issue of the journal Pediatrics. What's more, although half a millions U.S. kids compete in gymnastics each year, competitive pressure has generally been increasing, meaning that children are competing at younger ages...
Popular Music Glamorizes Illegal Drug Use: New Study
Posted on April 13, 2008Rap music glamorizes recreational drug use and portrays illegal drugs such as crack and cocaine as symbols of wealth and status, according to recent research conducted at the University of California - Berkeley School of Public Health...
DWI Cases: Heavy Drinkers, Binge Drinkers, and Inexperienced Drinkers All Share the Blame
Posted on April 12, 2008Conventional wisdom may hold that drunk drivers are habitual drinkers, but new research shows that people who get drunk only on occasion account for almost half of all DWI offenses. This latest study, published in a recent issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, draws its research data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey -- a survey involving interviews with more than 350,000 adults living in the U...
Endodontist Group Tells Kids: "Watch Your Mouth"
Posted on April 10, 2008Now that the spring and summer sports season has arrived, the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is urging all young athletes to "watch their mouths," and to wear a mouth guard for every sport this year, including even those spring sports typically thought of as "non-contact" sports -- like soccer, softball, baseball and gymnastics...
Food Safety: Malt-O-Meal Recalls Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat Cereals
Posted on April 08, 2008Malt-O-Meal has recalled two of its cereal products because of potential contamination with Salmonella. Full details for the recalled items are detailed on the company website. As summarized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Salmonella is a bacteria that infects individuals who come in contact with infected food products, food handlers, or pets...
Seat Belt Use By Pregnant Women Saves Fetuses: New Study
Posted on April 08, 2008Contrary to popular belief, pregnant women should wear seat belts, not only to save themselves in the event of a car accident but also to save their fetuses. The finding is the result of recent research published in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology...
Work Zone Awareness Week: April 7-11, 2008
Posted on April 07, 2008The 8th annual Work Zone Awareness Week will be held April 7th - 11th, 2008. Organized by the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), this year's theme is "Slow for the Cone Zone." The event is recognized across the nation, but the initial kick-off celebration will be held on April 8th in Sacramento, California -- the first annual kick-off held outside the DC Metro area...
Post-Concussion Syndrome Can Also Be Caused By Factors Other Than Head Injury
Posted on April 06, 2008Mild traumatic brain injury is often followed by post-concussion syndrome, but brain injuries, it turns out, aren't the only traumas which predict the neurological condition. The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry...
College Students Don't Practice Safe Eating Habits (Even When They Think They Do) - New Study
Posted on April 05, 2008Efforts to teach young adults about food safety may not be hitting home, according to a new study of college student eating behaviors recently published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers conducting this latest survey determined that many college students actively engage in eating behaviors that could make them sick -- behaviors such as eating raw homemade cookie dough or runny eggs...
April 2008: Sports Eye Safety Month
Posted on April 02, 2008Most people are aware of the importance of proper eye protection in sports such as hockey or racquetball, and wear face masks or appropriate safety goggles. Unfortunately, many people are injured each year in a variety of other "less dangerous" sports which also require proper eye protection...
April 2008: Alcohol Awareness Month
Posted on April 01, 2008Alcohol abuse is prevalent among many different demographic groups in the United States, including all of the following, to name just a few examples:College students who binge drink at local bars. Pregnant women who drink and put their babies at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome...
Hands-Free Cell Phones and Distracted Driving: New Study Indicates Listening Preoccupies Brain Enough to Contribute to Accidents
Posted on March 28, 2008Simply listening to a caller on a cell phone while driving may distract the brain enough to contribute to an accident. The finding is the result of a new study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University and published in a recent edition of the journal Brain Research...
Older People Face Higher Risk of Escalator Injury: New Study
Posted on March 25, 2008Older people should walk cautiously on escalators and perhaps consider taking the elevator if they have trouble balancing. These recommendations and others are the result of new research into escalator safety conducted at the Indiana University School of Medicine and recently published in the journal Accident Analysis & Prevention...
Common But Illegal Pest Control Products That Cause Injuries
Posted on March 24, 2008An increasing presence of insects and other pests is one of the earliest and most frustrating signs of Spring. While many people use pesticides to control insects in and around their homes, not all pesticides are safe -- particularly those which are only available on the street or in small neighborhood stores...
Home Safety Tips for Poison Prevention Week: March 16 - 22
Posted on March 23, 2008According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an emergency call is made to U.S. poison control centers every 13 seconds, and 40% of those calls involve injuries to children under three years of age. More than 77,000 of those calls typically involve poisonings by common household pesticides...
Egg Safety Tips for Easter and Passover
Posted on March 22, 2008Eggs are an important part of Spring religious holidays, both as decorations and for dining. If you're planning an Easter egg hunt or cooking eggs for your Passover Seder, take time to educate yourself about the following common health and safety issues specific to eggs, courtesy of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a division of the U...
Parents Can Curb College Drinking by Supervising Kids During High School Years: New Study
Posted on March 20, 2008Parents can help to reduce their children's risk of problem drinking during college by keeping a more watchful eye on them during high school. The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy...
Knockout Head Injuries Actually Cause Loss of Brain Tissue: New Study
Posted on March 18, 2008A head injury traumatic enough to cause unconsciousness can result in widespread, permanent destruction of brain tissue. The finding is the result of research recently published in the journal Neurology -- the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology -- and helps to explain why some people who suffer Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) often experience irreversible personality changes following their injuries...
New CDC Report Underscores the Importance of Fall Prevention Among Seniors
Posted on March 16, 2008Each year, approximately one third of all senior adults in the U.S. fall, and the likelihood of their falling increases substantially with each year of age. Nearly 16,000 people 65 years of age or older died as a result of injuries from falls in 2005 alone...
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Posted on March 14, 2008This month is Brain Injury Awareness Month -- a time designated for building public awareness and promoting education regarding brain injuries and their prevention.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the U...
In Motor Vehicle Accidents, Teen Passengers Face Higher Death Risk: New Study
Posted on March 13, 2008Teenage passengers involved in an automobile accident are more likely to die than other passengers in the same circumstances -- particularly if the driver is young and inexperienced. The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine...
CPSC NEWS: Changing Your Clock Means Changing Your Smoke Dectector Batteries
Posted on March 11, 2008Most of the United States will be changing to Daylight Saving Time (DST) on March 9, 2008. This will be the first season when the time change occurs so early in the spring. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and local fire departments remind consumers that DST changes are also the best times to change smoke detector batteries and reviewing home fire safety guidelines...
Being Bullied Predicts Poor Mental Health in Children: New Study
Posted on March 08, 2008Injuries inflicted by playground bullies are often much more significant than black eyes and scraped knees. New research conducted at King's College London and published in a recent edition of the medical journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine demonstrates that bullying often leads to the development of depression and anxiety...
"Snowboarder's Ankle": Hard-To-Spot Fracture Often Misdiagnosed as a Sprain
Posted on March 07, 2008A difficult-to-diagnose and once rare ankle injury is becoming more common with the increased popularity of snowboarding, according to a recent report by Reuters Health. Known as "Snowboarder's Ankle," the injury, commonly misdiagnosed as a sprain, is actually a lateral talus fracture -- a break in the lower ankle bone, at the outside of the joint...
Virginia Amends Penalties for Underage Drinking and Driving
Posted on March 06, 2008The General Assembly for the State of Virginia recently amended and reenacted its driving laws relating to underage drinking and driving. According to House Bill No. 719, the penalties for underage drinking and driving "provides that "zero tolerance" (0...
Spring Break Safety Tips
Posted on March 05, 2008March is Spring Break season for many college-age Americans, and one of the first opportunities of the year to set aside the books and vacation with friends. Too often, those vacations turn dangerous or deadly, due partly to risky behaviors frequently associated with Spring Break festivities...
Health and Safety Tips for Gardeners
Posted on March 03, 2008Spring weather and gardening season are just around the corner. While gardening can improve your sense of well-being and promote physical health, staying safe while working outdoors is still important. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 67,000 U...
Early Preventive Measures May Guard Against Later Life Shoulder Damage: New Study
Posted on March 02, 2008People whose work requires heavy lifting, frequent exposure to vibration, and routine repetition of the same movements are significantly more likely than others to develop shoulder problems 20 years later in life. The finding is the result of recent research published in the medical journal Annals of Rheumatic Disease...
VICTORY: Important Child Safety Bill Becomes Law
Posted on March 01, 2008Public Citizen announced passage of the "Cameron Gulbranson Kids and Safety Act of 2007." The announcement by Public Citizen appears below in its entirety. "Yesterday afternoon President Bush approved the first auto-safety law since 2005, when he penned his signature to a bill specifically designed to protect children from non-traffic related automobile accidents...
DC Traffic Don'ts: Regional Road Rules You May Not Know
Posted on February 29, 2008Washington, D.C. is unique as one of the few U.S. cities built according to a preconceived plan. Its grid-based pattern of roads is relatively easy to comprehend, but maneuvering across it in a car can be a challenge. Following are some metro area traffic laws that aren't necessarily common to other U...
Ankle Braces May Prevent Volleyball Injuries: New Study
Posted on February 26, 2008Ankle braces are highly effective in preventing volleyball sprains, at least among female collegiate players. The finding is the result of research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine...
FEMA Trailers: Formaldehyde Dangers
Posted on February 21, 2008A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrates that high levels of formaldehyde have been found in some travel trailers provided to disaster victims by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)...
Dangers of Street Racing Highlighted by Recent Deaths
Posted on February 20, 2008According to a recent article in the Washington Post, a Prince George's County adolescent was attempting to stop his Crown Victoria last Saturday morning at 3:00 a.m., as he struck a crowd of spectators gathered for an illegal street race on a desolate country road...
CDC Warns of Accidental Teen Deaths Attributed to "The Choking Game"
Posted on February 19, 2008At least 82 youths between the ages of 6 and 19 have been identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as probable victims of "The Choking Game," according to recent research published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report...
Stairway Safety Tips for Injury Prevention
Posted on February 17, 2008Snow-covered, icy, or cluttered stairways are a nuisance, but more importantly, they're dangerous. According to the Home Safety Council (HSC), falls account for approximately one-third of all home injury deaths annually, and falls involving stairs or steps are the second leading cause of fall-related death...
Safe Driving in Work Zones
Posted on February 16, 2008Winter weather in the DC Metro Area and elsewhere can take a toll on aging streets and roadways. Potholes caused by freezing water can quickly turn well-traveled streets into dangerous obstacle courses. Road crews repair many of these holes in late winter or early spring, creating a temporary hazard of an entirely different sort...
Hot Tub, Whirlpool and Spa Safety Tips
Posted on February 15, 2008While the topics of water safety and drowning prevention typically receive some public attention during summer months, there are many people who prefer to use hot tubs, whirlpools and spas throughout the winter, when the weather is at its coldest...
Checklists for Winter Weather Preparation
Posted on February 14, 2008When winter temperatures drop significantly below normal, staying warm and safe can become a challenge. Extremely cold temperatures often accompany a winter storm, so you may have to cope with power failures and icy roads. Although staying indoors as much as possible can help reduce the risk of car crashes and falls on the ice, you may also face indoor hazards, such as communication, heating and food complications...
Neurology Experts Advise Screening for Fall Risk
Posted on February 10, 2008The Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has issued a new guideline urging its members to screen patients and determine their risk of falling. The practice parameter and supporting research appear this month in the peer-reviewed journal Neurology...
Blogging Safety Tips for Kids and Teens
Posted on February 09, 2008Setting up a blog is an easy way to establish a presence on the Internet and host public discussions. While organizations or businesses might start blogs to interact with customers or provide a public service, many personal blogs hosted by teens are simply exercises in public journaling...
Social Networking Sites Pose Unique Risks to Adolescents: New Study
Posted on February 08, 2008Social networking sites such as MySpace, which offer unlimited opportunities for self-expression and self-promotion are particularly attractive to teenagers. Recently, public attention surrounding these sites has focused on the dangers of sexual solicitation or harassment of adolescents...
National Burn Awareness Week: Safety Advice
Posted on February 07, 2008February 3rd - 9th is National Burn Awareness Week -- a period of time designated to raise public awareness of burn injuries and how to prevent them. This year's primary theme is gasoline burn prevention. The Manassas Journal Messenger recently published an extensive compilation of gasoline safety tips to help prevent burn injuries and other burn-related accidents...
Immigrant Children Face Greater Lead Poisoning Risk: New Study
Posted on February 05, 2008Foreign-born children living in the U.S. are 5 times more likely to have elevated blood levels of lead than U.S.-born children living in New York city, according to new research published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Also significant is that children who have lived abroad within the past six months are 11 times more likely to have elevated blood lead levels...
Family Preparation for Natural Disasters in Four Easy Steps
Posted on February 04, 2008Keeping your family safe and getting your life back to normal following a natural disaster depends on advance planning and time and energy devoted to preparation. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed The Injury Prevention Program (TIPP) -- four comprehensive steps to prepare your family for disasters, prevent personal injuries and promote safety readiness...
Child Safety Tips for Using Cell Phones and Wireless Devices
Posted on February 03, 2008Among kids and teens today, a cell phone is a virtual a social necessity. While the devices can facilitate easier communication with parents or family members and offer protection in some emergencies, they can also invite danger...
Winter Sun Safety Tips
Posted on February 02, 2008Most people understand that extended exposure to the sun's rays can be damaging to the skin and eyes, and that safety precautions are in order during summer months. Unfortunately, many people fail to realize that the sun can be equally dangerous in the winter months, particularly when the ground is covered with a reflective layer of bright snow or ice...
Drunk Driving Prevention on Super Bowl Sunday
Posted on February 01, 2008Super Bowl Sunday is one of America’s most popular and most entertaining national sporting events, but it's also one of the most dangerous days on the nation's roadways, due in part to the thousands of fans who drive under the influence of alcohol each year...
Motorists on Wireless Phones Contribute to Numerous Traffic Problems: New Study
Posted on January 31, 2008Although many states do allow the use of cell phones while driving, in the District of Columbia, it is illegal to use any kind other than a hands-free device. For each offense, drivers are fined $100.00 for violating this law, in effect since July 1, 2004...
Tips to Prevent Aggressive Driving
Posted on January 30, 2008The high volume of traffic in and around the metro area means lengthy commutes for many area residents, and lengthy commutes eat into relaxation time, as well as time motorists could devote to home and work responsibilities -- it's a situation that creates significant frustration and often contributes to aggressive driving...
Teenage Drivers: Motor Vehicle Accidents Continue to Be Leading Death Cause
Posted on January 28, 2008Recent charges from a fatal accident involving a teenage driver reminds us of the particular dangers when mixing teenagers and motor vehicles. Contributing factors often include lack of experience, distracted driving, excessive speed, aggressive driving, not using seat belts, driving while drowsy, alcohol and drug use, dare-devil activities...
Food Safety Tips for Take-Out and Delivery Dishes
Posted on January 25, 2008Here in the metro area, an abundance of restaurants is the perfect solution to those meal times when you just don't feel like cooking. Particularly this time of year, however, when temperatures are cold, and you just don't feel like bundling up your family and facing the winter weather, placing a delivery or take-out order is likely to be an attractive option...
Safety Tips for Electric Space Heater Use
Posted on January 24, 2008There are many instances where a small, portable heater can be useful in a home or garage during the winter season. Portable heaters are available in many models, including those that burn propane, kerosene or other fuels. Many homeowners opt for electric models which don't produce noxious fumes or produce an open flame, because they appear safer...
Safe Driving for Those Who Take Medications
Posted on January 23, 2008Chronic medical conditions require a variety of routine medications. Unfortunately, many of those medications are known to cause drowsiness, sap energy and slow reaction times in drivers. In most areas of the U.S., it's necessary to drive to remain independent -- to get to the grocery store, the doctor, to visit friends, and even to get to work...
Outdoor Winter Safety Advice: Preventing Hypothermia
Posted on January 21, 2008If you're working outside this winter or participating in outdoor recreational activities, you already know how uncomfortable the cold weather can become in the metro area. Too many people don't realize the safety challenges winter weather presents, however -- challenges such as the prevention of hypothermia...
Safe Winter Walking Tips for Pedestrians
Posted on January 19, 2008Walking is a great way to exercise and experience the beauty of the winter season first-hand. On particularly snowy days, it may even be the only reliable mode of transportation! Walking over snow and ice can easily lead to injuries, however...
Skiing and Snowboarding Safety Tips
Posted on January 18, 2008When it comes to skiing and snowboarding injuries, prevention is often much more pleasant than the cure. Before you or your loved ones hit the slopes this season, take time to familiarize yourself with things you can do to reduce your odds of injury while snowboarding or skiing...
Winter Ladder Safety Tips for Homeowners
Posted on January 17, 2008This winter, whether you're clearing snow or ice from roofs or gutters, removing broken tree limbs or even taking down exterior holiday lights, be cautious with your ladder. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that each year in the United States, approximately 164,000 emergency room visits are attributed to ladder-related injuries...
Using a Portable Crib or Play Yard? Do You Know How Safe It Is ?
Posted on January 16, 2008According to an estimate by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are 20,000,000 unsafe cribs/play yards either in use or in storage. It's important that parents and other care givers check for safety before putting a baby into a portable crib or play yard...
EPA Designates January as National Radon Action Month
Posted on January 15, 2008Radon poisoning kills 100 times as many people each year as carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Furthermore, the agency warns that: "Breathing home indoor radon causes nearly one hundred times more deaths each year than carbon monoxide poisoning...
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Preventable Tragedy
Posted on January 03, 2008Recent articles in the Washington Post highlight the prevalence of carbon monoxide poisoning, the leading cause of accidental poisoning in America: "Eight people who were overcome by carbon monoxide Wednesday night were in stable condition yesterday, and all are expected to survive, authorities said...
More Critical Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries: New Study
Posted on January 02, 2008Alpine snowboarding and skiing are popular winter activities across the U.S., but a recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal Injury Prevention suggests that the incidence of Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury associated with these sports has steadily increased in every country that reports injury data...
Your Kitchen Sponge Needs Cleaning: Disinfection Methods To Keep You Safe
Posted on January 01, 2008Kitchen sponges are cheap and convenient items for cleaning countertop messes and absorbing spilled liquids quickly. Unfortunately, they also harbor foodborne pathogens, yeasts and molds, and could put you and your family at risk if not properly disinfected on a regular basis...
New Snow Skiing Landscapes Call for Increased Helmet Use: New Study
Posted on December 31, 2007Changes to popular skiing areas over the past decade, from open slopes to more wooded areas, mean that more snowboarders and skiers are moving slowly enough to benefit from the added protection a helmet can provide. The finding is one result of research recently published in the peer-reviewed, quarterly medical journal, Wilderness and Environmental Medicine...
Preventing Furniture and Large Appliance "Tip-Over" Injuries
Posted on December 30, 2007Historically, approximately five children are killed each year as a result of tip-over accidents involving televisions or large furniture and appliances in the home, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In most recent years, the incidence of these events has been significanlty higher than normal -- since 2000, 100 such fatalities have been reported...
Snow-Blower Safty: CPSC Tips
Posted on December 29, 2007Nearly 600 finger amputations per year are attributable to snow-thrower machines, according to the U...
2.5 Million Children Killed or Injured: What Can Parents Do? Home Safety Devices Are Available
Posted on December 28, 2007According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 2.5 million children are killed or injured as a result of basic home safety hazards. Most of those deaths and injuries are entirely preventable, and in fact, many of them can be prevented relatively easily, by purchasing and properly utilizing the following 12 commercially-available home safety and child-proofing devices: "Use Safety Latches and Locks for cabinets and drawers in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas to help prevent poisonings and other injuries...
Surprising Economic Impact of Skateboarding Injuries: New Study
Posted on December 27, 2007If a skateboard is on your shopping list this season, consider the results of recent research conducted at the University of California -- Irvine. According to Irvine researchers, the average cost of a skateboarding injury is approximately $3,200...
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Likely unintended consequence of cash-for-clunkers stimulus is dampening of 2010 spending
On 08-14 at 14:34PM
Palm seeks to halt Palm Pre Android theme on copyright and trademark ground
On 08-12 at 17:30PM
Congressional investigation demonstrates Karl Rove lied about his active role in US attorney's firing
On 08-12 at 16:20PM
Family of New York City swine flu victim to sue city for failure to secure school #nyc #swineflu
On 08-12 at 12:59PM
Real Network's DVD copying software deemed to break DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions
On 08-12 at 12:57PM
Prepaid funeral operators indicted for $100 Million fraud
On 08-12 at 12:53PM
NY Jets join Cincinnati, Dallas, Green Bay, Houston & Seattle #NFL teams offering branded state lottery games
On 08-12 at 12:43PM
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