Pittsburgh Injury Attorney Blog

Dog Bites Can Cause Serious Injuries

2012-05-11T09:39:10Z

As spring turns to summer and the weather improves, people will spend an increasing amount of their time walking, running, and riding bicycles through their neighborhoods. While all these activities are great ways to spend a summer afternoon, they all carry the possibility of injury that few stop to consider: dog bites.

According to statistics compiled by DogsBite.org, 31 fatal dog attacks occurred in the United States in 2011. Although pit bulls make up only five percent of the U.S. dog population, they were responsible for 71 percent of fatal dog attacks in 2011. Rottweilers were the next deadliest breed, accounting for 13 percent of fatal attacks. Over the last seven years, pit bulls have been responsible for killing 128 people in the United States. Over the same periods, Rottweilers killed 29 people.

]]> Most of the people attacked in 2011 - 58 percent - were adults. Of the attacks to children, 62 percent were to those one year old or younger.

Family dogs were responsible for 65 percent of fatalities and 74 percent of the attacks occurred on the dog owner's property.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury due to a dog bite, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: Dogsbite.org, "2011 Statistics."

Texting While Driving a Danger for Young Drivers

2012-05-04T09:32:39Z

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has called distracted driving "an epidemic" in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 5,474 people were killed in car accidents involving driver distraction and an estimated 448,000 were injured in 2009, the last year for which statistics are available. Of all groups, teen drivers are the most likely to be involved in an accident involving driver distraction.

Recent Survey: Teens Know Risks, but Ignore Them

A recent survey of 2,000 teens by Bridgestone indicates that further steps are necessary to prevent young drivers from driving while distracted. Even though 97 percent of drivers surveyed indicated that typing a text message behind the wheel is dangerous, 20 percent admitted to texting while driving. Furthermore, although 95 percent of drivers surveyed said that reading a text message while driving is dangerous, 33 percent admitted to the behavior.

]]> The numbers indicate that efforts to educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving - particularly texting while driving - are working. Education is not, however, curbing the behavior entirely. Indeed, tougher laws or stepped-up enforcement of laws already on the books may be necessary to prevent teens and other drivers from texting while behind the wheel.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can assess your case and help you get the fair and adequate compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Erb's Palsy

2012-04-27T09:47:14Z

Erb's palsy may not be something that most people are familiar with, but it is a potentially serious injury that some children may suffer during birth.

Erb's palsy, also known as Erb-Duchenne palsy, is a loss of movement or weakness in the arm that occurs when the collection of nerves around the shoulder - known as the brachial plexus - are damaged. This sort of damage most commonly occurs from shoulder dystocia during labor, which can occur if a child's head and neck are pulled to the side at the same time as the shoulder passes through the birth canal. Pulling on a child's shoulders or exerting pressure on its arms during delivery can also cause shoulder dystocia.

]]> Paralysis in the affected arm can be partial or complete. In some cases, the injury heals on its own. In other cases, surgery and physical therapy may result in a child regaining muscle usage. Unfortunately, many children who do not heal from these injuries by one year of age will never recover full range of motion in their arm and may develop arthritis.

Contact a Birth Injury Attorney

If your child has suffered a birth injury - including cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy, or brain damage from hypoxia or other conditions - contact a knowledgeable birth injury lawyer. An experienced birth injury attorney can assess your case and help you get the fair and adequate compensation for medical bills you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Traumatic Brain Injuries Can Affect Medical Decision Making

2012-04-20T09:34:39Z

Suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can change a person's life. Because of the danger of damage to the cognitive and emotional centers of the brain, it is essential that those with TBIs receive the best medical care available. Unfortunately, a new study indicates that suffering a traumatic brain injury may negatively affect a person's ability to make good choices about his own medical care.

In a paper published recently in the journal Neurology, researchers from the University of Alabama-Birmingham outlined the results of tests they performed on those who had recently suffered a TBI. The team asked TBI patients to make medical decisions by presenting to them scenarios of hypothetical medical problems and possible treatment options. The patients were then asked examined by team members to determine whether they could express their treatment choices, understand the personal consequences of their choices, provide explanations for their choices, and show that they understood the relative risks of the different treatment options.

]]> Researchers discovered that the decision-making capacity of those who suffer a TBI is "clearly diminished" in the days immediately following their injuries. Those who suffered a moderate TBI were generally impaired for up to 30 days after their injuries. Those who suffered more severe TBIs were impaired for significantly longer, depending on the severity of the injury.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of someone else, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more information, contact a personal injury attorney today.

Tragic Balcony Fall Accident

2012-04-18T20:17:22Z

A Gannon University student from Butler County has died following a recent fall from a fraternity house balcony in Erie, Pennsylvania. The student fell from a second-story balcony at the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity house. This is a tragic accident that leaves a community in mourning. More information regarding the accident can be found at WPXI.com.

Sadly, a number of people die or sustain serious injuries every year from balcony falls. Balcony falls have occurred at weddings, rental homes, hotels, and vacation properties. Balcony fall accidents are often not the fault of the victim. Frequently, there is an explanation for these accidents other than the victim was intoxicated or "horsing around." Balcony falls may be caused by poor construction or failure to follow building codes.

Most building codes and human engineering standards mandate that a guardrail be not less than 42 inches in height. Many balcony free-falls occur when individuals are confronted with guardrails that are less than 40 inches in height. The accident victim my simply lean against a short guardrail and this shift in gravity may cause a person to fall over the guardrail. Serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury, broken bones, and paralysis can occur from any balcony fall.

A personal injury lawyer can recover damages for victims of balcony falls and their families, from the owner of the premises. Damages can include medical expenses, lost wages, and money for pain and suffering. The attorneys at Berger and Green have handled balcony fall cases. If you or someone you loved has been injured in a balcony fall, the attorneys at Berger and Green may be able to help. We understand that your injuries may be due to an unsafe or unmaintained balcony.

Tips to Stay Safe on a Motorcycle

2012-04-13T19:29:27Z

As the weather gets warmer and spring becomes summer, people all over the country - including Pittsburgh - will take to the road on motorcycles. And while motorcyclists may enjoy the open air and the open road, they must remember to do what they can to stay safe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,290 motorcyclists were killed and nearly 96,000 were injured in motorcycle accidents in 2008, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Bikers can, however, reduce their risk of accidents by following a few simple safety tips.

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Protective clothing: motorcyclists should always wear proper protective clothing, such as a helmet, gloves, heavy boots, and leathers.

Visibility: many car-motorcycle crashes occur because drivers have difficulty seeing motorcyclists. Bikers should use their entire lane, maintain as much space as possible between themselves and other vehicles, and wear brightly colored protective clothing.

Intersections: bikers should approach intersections carefully and should attempt to make eye contact with drivers waiting to enter traffic.

Passing: motorcyclists should signal their intention to pass a vehicle and should complete their pass as quickly as possible. When being passed, motorcyclists should maintain their speed and their position in their lane.

More than anything else, motorcyclists can lower their risk of being involved in an accident simply by making sure they are visible to other drivers.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered a severe injury in a motorcycle accident caused by another driver's negligence, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Car Surfing Leads To Devastating Injuries

2012-04-11T19:55:13Z

A local teen was recently injured in a car surfing accident at a Cinemark movie theater on Route 18 in Center Township. The girl was injured when she fell from the hood of the car and hit her head. The driver of the car may face criminal charges. More information on about this Pittsburgh car surfing accident can be found on the WPXI website.

Car surfing is a dangerous activity that usually involves young people. One person will attempt to surf on the hood of a moving car while another person drives the car. Car surfing often results in serious injuries and even death. Injuries can occur at any speed. Accidents often occur when the driver makes sharp turns, changes speed, or stops. Common injuries from car surfing include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, death, and neck and back injuries that result in paralysis.

Parents of teenagers need to be aware that this activity is common among teenagers. There are hundreds of videos on YouTube that show teenagers car surfing, ghost riding, and skitching (being pulled by a car while on a skateboard). Talk to your children about car surfing and the risk of death associated with this activity. Also, talk to your children about the risk of criminal prosecution and financial responsibility if they are a driver during a car surfing accident.

The attorneys at Berger and Green have represented individuals who have been injured while car surfing. If your child was car surfing and was injured, your child may recover damages for medical expenses and pain and suffering.

Parents must talk to their children about the dangers of car surfing. Car surfing is a dangerous activity with often tragic results.

Stay Alert to Help Avoid Truck Accidents

2012-04-09T10:15:14Z

The drivers of 18 wheelers and other large commercial trucks are in a race against time. The faster they deliver their products, the more money they make. Unfortunately, the pressure to deliver goods on-time leads many drivers to push their vehicles to unsafe speeds or to push themselves past the point of exhaustion. Too often, the drivers of smaller, lighter passenger vehicles pay the price when distracted driving, reckless driving, or fatigue causes serious truck accidents.

Though there are many dangers on the road, the drivers of passenger vehicles can help avoid truck accidents by following a few simple rules.

Large commercial trucks have much larger blind spots than passenger vehicles. When approaching a large truck on the road, drivers should remember to avoid staying in a blind spot for too long. Remember: if you cannot see the truck's side mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
Drivers should avoid cutting in front of large trucks. Because of their size, trucks are not nearly as maneuverable as passenger vehicles and they require a great deal more distance to stop.
Drivers should always remain alert around large trucks and should call the authorities immediately if they observe unsafe driving.

]]> A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact a personal injury attorney today.

Dangerous Child Carrier Seats Recalled

2012-04-06T09:52:39Z

As spring begins and the weather gets warmer, more and more families will take to the streets on their bicycles. And while there are a great number of products available to help riders get their children involved in the fun, parents should remember that not all of these products are safe. Indeed, defective or unsafe products can cause serious injuries, particularly to small children.

Just this week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of 40,000 bicycle child carrier seats because they pose laceration and fingertip amputation hazards. The Topeak Babyseat II Bicycle Carrier Seats, manufactured by Todson, Inc. in Massachusetts, have a flawed design that allows children to place their hands in the seats' safety bar hinge mechanism. When a parent moves the safety bar to remove a child, the mechanism can cause severe injuries.

]]> The seats were sold in multiple retail and specialty stores, including REI, and online from approximately January 2009 through April 2012. The CPSC recommends that consumers stop using the seats immediately and contact Todson for free hinge cover and retrofit kit.

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered injury because of a defective product, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more information, contact an attorney today.

GM, Toyota and Subaru Face Questions About Recent Car Fires

2012-03-23T16:17:33Z

A number of recent car fires are causing safety groups to petition the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate the safety of late model vehicles manufactured by GM, Toyota and Subaru. Although the reported fires have been minor, they definitely have the potential to cause serious burn injuries.

The most recent incidents have involved Subaru vehicles, specifically the Outback and Legacy models. According to one report, a driver was traveling approximately 65 miles per hour in his 2001 Subaru Outback when he smelled something burning in the vehicle. Suddenly, flames erupted out from under the window buttons of the driver-side armrest. A mechanic diagnosed the problem as an electrical short in the wires connected to the side view mirror defroster.

]]> Earlier this year, the NHTSA launched investigations after reports of similar door panel fires in 2006-2007 Chevy Trailblazers and 2007 RAV4 and Camry vehicles from Toyota. According to news reports, investigators are considering the possibility that Chevy and Toyota share a parts supplier that may be to blame for the accidents. It is currently unknown whether Subaru shares the same supplier.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car fire or other automobile accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the fair and adequate compensation for your injuries you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Trucker Fatigue a Common Cause of Truck Accidents

2012-03-16T09:35:32Z

According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 18 wheelers, semis and other large commercial trucks were involved in thousands of traffic crashes in 2008, the last year for which statistics are available. A total of 4,229 people died and an additional 90,000 were injured in those crashes. In Pennsylvania that year, large commercial trucks were involved in 195 fatal accidents, nearly 10 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents.

Not surprisingly, a factor in many of these truck accidents was trucker fatigue. Even though federal hours of service rules dictate the hours that truck drivers are allowed to work, many truckers stretch their schedules to meet unrealistic delivery deadlines.

]]> When a truck collides with a passenger vehicle, the results are often catastrophic. 18 wheelers and other large commercial trucks are bigger and heavier than other vehicles, which means that they can destroy a passenger vehicle even at relatively slow speeds.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact a personal injury attorney today.

Children Receive Breast Cancer Drug Because of Pharmacy Error

2012-03-09T10:51:41Z

A CVS pharmacy in New Jersey recently announced that it had mistaken the breast cancer drug tamoxifen for children's fluoride tablets. The tablets for both drugs are similar in size, shape and color. Local reports estimate that dozens of families could be affected by the news.

Fortunately, experts believe that children who mistakenly took tamoxifen are in no danger. This mix-up, however, demonstrates the potential danger of pharmacy and medication errors. Many pharmacies - particularly chain pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens - use non-pharmacists to help fill prescriptions, which increases the risk of simple errors like the one in New Jersey. Furthermore, although many name-brand prescription drugs have unique shapes, sizes and colors, most generic drugs differ in appearance very slightly, rendering them nearly indistinguishable from one another.

]]> The consequences of a simple pharmacy mix-up can be deadly. A patient who takes the incorrect medication may risk an allergic reaction or a life threatening interaction with his other prescription medications. Pharmacies do have procedures in place to help prevent these problems, but these procedures are not always effective.

An Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered severe injury due to a medication error, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: Foxnews.com, "New Jersey CVS store mixes up child drug with breast cancer pill."

Facts About Traumatic Brain Injuries

2012-03-02T10:58:16Z

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are emerging as a major problem in the United States, including Pennsylvania. According to statistics compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.7 million people suffer a TBI each year. TBIs can cause permanent disability and, in some cases, even death. Of the 1.7 million people who suffer a TBI each year, roughly 275,000 are hospitalized and approximately 52,000 are killed.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A TBI can be caused by any blow or jolt to the head that causes a disruption of normal brain function. Falls - either in the home or workplace - are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. It is also not uncommon for motor vehicle accident victims to suffer TBIs: the violent stop-and-go motion of a car crash causes the brain to move and strike the inside of the skull, which can result in bleeding or more serious injury.

]]> According to the CDC, 43 percent of those hospitalized for TBIs suffer a related disability one year after their injuries. Typically, traumatic brain injuries can problems with:

Cognitive ability
Motor function
Emotion
Sensation (i.e., impaired sense of touch, hearing, etc.)

Contact an Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of another person's negligence, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

New Rules Seek to Curb Distracted Driving

2012-02-24T10:49:19Z

Smartphones and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices have become indispensable tools for many people in Pittsburgh and throughout the United States. These devices undoubtedly make communicating and traveling easier, but they also have a deadly downside. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving - the practice of using a cell phone or other electronic device while driving - was responsible for 3,000 deaths in 2010 alone.

In order to address the burgeoning problem of distracted driving, the U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed guidelines for automobile manufacturers designed to prevent the use of certain infotainment systems while a car is in motion. Specifically, the guidelines require manufacturers to restrict onboard systems to prevent drivers from viewing text messages, browsing the internet, typing addresses into navigation systems, or seeing more than 30 characters of an incoming message unless vehicles are stopped and out of gear.

]]> While a good first step, these guidelines do not impact a driver's ability to use a cell phone or other standalone electronic device while a car is in motion. The NHTSA has scheduled hearings on the proposed rules.

An Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident with a distracted driver, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: USA Today, "DOT 'distracted driving' rules would limit cars' info systems," Chris Woodyard.

Welcome to Our Pittsburgh Personal Injury Law Blog

2012-01-10T23:30:13Z

We established this blog to share stories and information about topics relevant to our practice. Our intent is to highlight local stories, as well as national subject matter, that we think you will find interesting. We will regularly update this blog and encourage you to share your thoughts on these posts.