Greenville NC Personal Injury Lawyer

Zelnorm Can Cause Heart Problems, Including Heart Attack and Stroke

Jean Martin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:17:49 GMT

Zelnorm is a drug to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in women. On March 30, 2007 , the FDA ordered that manufacturer Novartis stop selling Zelnorm due to an increased risk of serious heart problems. Women who used Zelnorm suffered an alarming high number of heart attack, stroke, irregular heart beat, angina, and serious chest pains, which sometimes signaled a "silent" heart attack. Users of Zelnorm received no warnings of these serious side effects until the FDA ordered Zelnorm to be withdrawn from the market.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

Virginia Tractor-Trailer Accident Kills Three

Shannon Weidemann — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:16:56 GMT

A Canadian family heading south on Interstate 77 in Virginia was involved in a tractor-trailer accident Thursday evening. Three people were killed and two were injured. The accident happened in Wyeth County.

Conroy said the father was operating a Dodge Durango pulling a 35-foot camper and headed southbound on the interstate around 7 p.m. He apparently lost control of the vehicle, crossed the median and hit a northbound tractor-trailer rig head on, the sergeant said.

The victims were the 33-year-old father, 35-year-old mother, and 7-year-old daughter. The two other daughters were taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. The extent of their injuries is unknown. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured in the accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Hammer Drills Recalled

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:42:51 GMT

Hammer drills manufactured by the Robert Bosch Tool Corp. have been recalled. The recalled hammer drills have a faulty trigger. The drill may continue to work after the trigger is released.

The recalled hammer drill is blue with "BOSCH" printed on the side. The model number 1191VSR can be located on the product nameplate mounted on the side of the motor. The product's packaging will be marked as 1191VSRK (the "K" indicates that the hammer drill was packaged with a case in a kit). Only drills with a serial number that begins with "7" are included in the recall.

No injuries have been reported from the recalled drill. The company is asking anyone that has the product to stop using it immediately. They will be repairing the affected drills for free. The drills were sold nationwide from July 2007 to April 2008. You may contact the company for more information at (877) 472-0007 or www.boschtools.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Accidentally Backing over a Fellow Construction Worker

Tate Hodges — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:10:19 GMT

Your first impression about this type of accident probably will be one of curious interest and inquisitive horror. After all, how often could this actually happen? Surely, there must be precautionary measures in place to ensure that one of the most traumatic construction accidents will never occur on any jobsite. However, a sobering realization is that this type of accident happens far more than we would believe.

The amount of catastrophic injuries and deaths has reached epidemic proportions. Highway and roadway workers are the most frequent victims of this hazard. To help reduce the amount of vehicular construction accidents, Congress has passed numerous regulations through the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). For example, adequate barricades, conspicuous clothing, and flag persons are required when a large vehicle is being operated on a construction site. Furthermore, OSHA requires an operable backup alarm if a vehicle is backing up. The lack of a flag person raises issues of supervision and adequate manpower. If a worker is injured as a direct result of failure to adhere to these standards, the injured person likely will have a strong legal claim.

In addition, if the injury is a direct result of a vehicle not operating properly, for example, a break malfunction, the injured may also have a product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor of the vehicle. Product liability claims are especially helpful in obtaining recovery for the injured because unlike negligence claims, most product liability actions follow the legal concept of strict liability. In strict liability product liability actions, all the injured would need to prove is that the defective product was the proximate cause of the injury. Conversely, if the injury was a result of inadequate supervision, an OSHA violation, or the lack of reasonable care by a fellow construction worker, a negligence claim may arise against one or more responsible parties. Finally, workers compensation statutes can help the injured party obtain adequate compensation for costly medical bills, pain and suffering, past lost wages, and future diminished earning capacity. Products liability, negligence, and workers compensation claims are common issues that may arise in a lawsuit when a construction worker is backed over at a jobsite.

If you or a loved one has been injured from being struck by an operating vehicle on a jobsite, first, it is most important to report the accident immediately. Having a record of the accident immediately after it occurs is often required by law to have a legal claim. Second, it is strongly suggested to acquire an attorney who may help you in collecting important evidentiary documents, gathering witness information, serving the responsible parties with a lawsuit, and filing the lawsuit with the appropriate court. Although these types of injuries may seem rare, they do occur with some frequency, and it is important that you know your rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Tate Hodges

Spinal Cord Injuries - Things to Know

Tate Hodges — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) are some of the most tragic, prevalent, and costly injuries that occur in the U.S. Thousands of cases are reported each year, and over a quarter of a million Americans are currently living with spinal cord injuries. Automobile accidents are the leading cause of SCI - therefore, an extremely large percentage of the American population is at risk. Falls and violence also contribute to a large number of injuries. SCI are extremely complex and can have drastic, life-altering effects on a person for the rest of their life.

The two most common effects of SCI's are whiplash and paralysis. Whiplash, most commonly found in rear-end automobile collisions, is caused by a sudden and violent movement of the neck. This movement will likely cause soft tissue damage around the neck. If you think that you have whiplash, the most common symptoms you should look for are pain and stiffness in the neck, headache, nausea, numbness, and loss of balance. These symptoms may not appear immediately after the accident and may take time to manifest. Unlike other SCI's, whiplash is difficult to diagnose through modern X-ray procedures, so if you think that you have whiplash, it is very important to consult a doctor who specializes in soft tissue damage. The second most common effect of SCI's, paralysis, is the inability to control the muscles that move the body. SCI's may render the injured a paraplegic or a tetraplegic. The paraplegic has lost the partial or complete ability to move the legs while the tetraplegic has lost the partial or complete ability to move both the arms and legs. There is a wide range in the severity of paralytic injuries. The extent of the injury largely depends upon the location of the SCI. Generally, the higher the SCI occurs within the spinal column, the more damaging the results, and consequently, the higher the cost associated with the patient's care.

After the initial SCI trauma, further unnecessary injury may result if the proper steps are not taken by medical professionals who have undertaken the duty to care for the SCI patient. Early measures that should be considered to avoid further injury include methlyprednisone therapy and/or surgery or traction to decompress - or relieve the pressure of - the spinal cord. Methylprednisone is a steroid that, if given up to 8 hours after the injury, can improve neurological recovery by 20%. Directly after a spinal cord injury, it is important to determine whether: (1) methylprednisone was administered or considered; (2) the spinal cord has been decompressed; (3) blood thinners have been administered to prevent dangerous clotting; and (4) the other organs are being cared for to prevent complications. If further injury results because of the failure to consider any of the above, you may have sufficient grounds for a lawsuit against the patient's health care providers.

SCI injuries are extremely costly to treat. The average lifetime health care and living expenses of a person injured at 25 is $3 million, not including loss of earnings or companionship. If the circumstances of the injury are such that other people may have contributed to the initial injury or unnecessarily made the initial injury more severe, you may wish to hire an attorney and file a lawsuit. A successful lawsuit following an SCI will provide much needed financial support for the patient's care, and may potentially deter others from acting negligently or recklessly in the future. Hiring a lawyer shortly after an SCI provides several helpful advantages. First, the attorney will help you gather all relevant information and evidence that likely will increase the chances of your lawsuit being successful. Second, legal actions have a statute of limitations, which requires that a lawsuit be filed within a certain amount of time. While hiring an attorney following a SCI is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended if it is likely that someone other than the patient may have contributed to the injury.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Tate Hodges

Alamance County Car Accident Injures One

Shannon Weidemann — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:26:50 GMT

A 28-year-old man driving a pickup truck was injured in a car accident on N.C. 49 South in Alamance County. The truck rolled several times before coming to a stop. According to an eyewitness the truck was driving next to a red mustang before the accident.

The driver of the Mustang ended up hitting a neighbor's mailbox and agreed to pay the damages. He was not issued a citation. Day said it was very possible that speed was a factor.

It is unknown what caused the accident to happen. The driver of the pickup truck was not wearing a seat belt. He was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries. He claims the tire of his truck blew out causing the accident. He is expected to recover. The police are planning on issues citations for careless and reckless driving and not wearing a seat belt.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Trasylol Removed From Shelves

Jean Martin — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:12:50 GMT

Bayer, the manufacturer of Trasylol, has announced that it is removing all remaining Trasylol product from hospital pharmacies and warehouses. This announcement comes on the heels of a study released in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the use of Trasylol during heart surgery increased the risk of death. There have been widespread reports of Trasylol being responsible for kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes and death after heart surgery.

This latest report in the New England Journal of Medicine found that patients who received Trasylol during heart surgery faced an 53% increased risk of death compared to two, cheaper alternative drugs. Trasylol cost almost 10 times these alternative medications and increased the death rate by 53% Unbelievable. But at least the manufacturer is doing the right thing now and removing the product from the market.

Many patients who have undergone heart surgery have experienced kidney failure, stroke, heart attack and death. It is hard for patients or there loved ones to know the culprit since Trasylol is given during the surgery. Many doctors have deemed these complications as simply risk of heart surgery, but that is not necessarily the case, particularly if Trasylol was administered to control bleeding.

We at InjuryBoard would be happy to speak with you if you want more information on Trasylol.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

Can You Hear Me Now? Yes, We Heard Your Hip Squeak.

Jean Martin — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:47:02 GMT

Another report appears in the New York Times today relaying stories of hip implant patients whose implants are causing embarrassing problems because they squeak. Hundreds of people who have undergone hip replacement surgery using ceramic implants are experiencing the same problem - their hips squeak. We are not talking just a low level noise. The implants are squeaking loud enough for others to hear, and hear well. Reports are that the noise is so loud, that the first time patients hear themselves, they think there is an animal around or something else creating the ruckus.

Squeaking was a pretty rare report under Stryker began manufacturing and selling ceramic hip implants in 2003. No one is saying why they implants are squeaking, and unfortunately, many doctors are telling their patients that they will just have to live with it. Why should manufacturers be allowed to sell a product that will cause consumers a life of embarrassment, especially when other models of implants are available and are not causing these problems? And is the squeaking just a sign of things to come? Many fear that the squeaking can be a sign of the components of the implant rubbing against each other and that the components will eventually wear out prematurally. Durability is a key factor in hip replacement surgery. The surgery and recovery is so grueling that patients want to be assured that their implants will last as long as possible. They may not have this assurance with the Stryker hip implants.

Thank you for visiting InjuryBoard.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

Baby Bottle Warmers Recalled

Shannon Weidemann — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:57:31 GMT

Munchkin Inc. has issued a product recall for baby bottle warmers that may be a fire hazard. The unit may overheat due to a manufacturing error. The company has received several reports of fires from consumers.

This recall involves the Munchkin Deluxe Bottle and Food Warmer with Pacifier Cleaning Basket 2-in-1 Design, model #13301 and lot number TP-1487. The product is used to warm food and bottles of various sizes. The set includes a main basket, a lift-out basket, an adapter ring, and a measuring cup. "Munchkin" is located on the front of the warmer and "TP-1487" is located on the bottom. Only warmers bearing lot number "TP-1487" are included in this recall.

These were sold in stores across the United States from June 2007 to April 2008 for around $20. The recalled bottle warmer should no longer be used. The company is offering a free replacement to consumers. You can contact the company for more information at (866) 619-8673 or www.munchkin.com.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Letting Your Car Choose Your Child Car Seat May Be The Difference Between Life and Death

Jean Martin — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:36:39 GMT

Now, you may think that I believe that all cars are like Herbie the Love Bug and can talk back to us, but that's now what I mean in this case. Choosing a car seat for your child can be one of the most difficult, yet one of the most critical decisions that you make. Those of us that are affiliated with InjuryBoard want to make certain that you make the safest choice available.

One of the first things you need to do in choosing a child car seat is to examine your car. What type of belt system does your car have? Does it have more than one type of belt system? If you have an older model car, you may need a tether anchor. Most likely, you have more than one car in your household. Have you given thought that a child safety seat may work in one car but not another?

You must make certain that the car seat you choose if compatible with your car. And it needs to be compatible with all of your cars, or you need to buy more than one car seat. One size does not necessarily fit all.

And then the hard part comes - anchoring the car seat in the car. Read the instruction manual very carefully. Don't just assume that the seat belt of the car fits through a certain hole simply because it looks like that is where it is supposed to go. In 2004, a NHTSA found that 73% of car seats were being used incorrectly and mainly because of improper installation. Check with your local police department to see if they or another community organization is offering a free checkpoint for car seats. It may take a few minutes of your time, but these will be precious minutes if you are involved in a crash. Whether your child's car seat is improperly installed can be a matter of life or death in an accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin