Personal Injury: October 2006 Archives

Accident Involving TLC's "Little People, Big World"

An accident involving the Roloff family, stars of the TLC show “Little People, Big World,” resulted in serious injuries. The family has found fame, and increased media attention, as the stars of TLC’s relatively new reality show. This last weekend, the family was using a 25 foot tall wooden trebuchet, a medieval weapon of war, to throw pumpkins. Unfortunately, the equipment malfunctioned and one of the Roloff’s sons received a severe brain injury which required immediate medial treatment. Michael Detjen, an engineer who was involved in the design of the trebuchet, was also injured and required more than 200 stitches. The Roloff’s father, Matt Roloff, said, “[Detjen], who helped us build the trebuchet, is already thinking about how to make the machine safer. This was a fluke thing that we want to make sure never happens again.”

Continue reading "Accident Adds to Scruitiny of Roloff Family"

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 10:30 PM | Permalink

Victim of Car Accident Dies Because of Injuries

A victim of a serious car accident died in Lakeland, Florida as a result of his injuries. Michael Ostashen, received serious injuries when he was thrown from his vehicle after was stuck by a 1995 Toyota Corolla driver by Claudette M. Harper. Ostashen was rushed to the Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he died later that day. A police spokesman indicated that charges may be filed following the investigation

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 07:01 AM | Permalink

Semi Accident Causes Fatality

An accident in Dekalb County, Indiana involving three semi-trucks caused one fatality and numerous injuries. The driver was killed when his truck was struck by another semi, which was trying to pass another truck. The name of the driver who died has not yet been released. Investigators are still trying to determine the weather may have played a role in causing the accidents.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 06:59 AM | Permalink

Parents Settle With Federal Government For $4.6 Million

According to a report by the Associated Press, a couple was given $4.6 million USD in a settlement with the federal government for injuries their son sustained at a government run medical clinic. Their son was a victim of a serious brain injury, cardiopulmonary arrest and severe neurological damage. The parents of Omar Castaneda Cortez brought him to a government clinic for a monthly checkups. The medical practitioners there failed to realize that the child’s head circumference had increased 10 centimeters over the course of two months. This failure resulted in the child’s serious brain injuries.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 06:45 AM | Permalink

Accident At Yuma Proving Grounds Causes Soldier's Death

According to the Associated Press, a U.S. soldier was killed while training at Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona. The accident occurred when the soldiers were engaging in target practice with M-248 light machine guns. Authorities have not released additional details about the accident because it is still under investigation. It is possible, but not confirmed, that the accident was a result of a weapon’s malfunction. The soldier was a part of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The name of the soldier has not yet been released.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 04:23 PM | Permalink

Drunk Driver Causes Death and Injuries

A drunk driver in Antioch, TN collided with a family of four causing death and serious injuries. Jonathan Narvaez-Pena has acknowledged that he consumed quite a few tequila shots before putting his young daughter in the car and getting behind the wheel. A father and his young son were killed when Narvaez-Pena collided with their car, the wife and young daughter were seriously injured. Ultimately the accident involved six vehicles and sent more than 10 people to get medial treatment.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 04:20 PM | Permalink

Young Boy Accidentally Killed At School Drop-Off

A tragic accident in Gilroy, CA resulted in the death of a five year old boy, Julio Gonzalez. His funeral was attended by more than 100 people who remembered him as a boy that “was always smiling, no matter what people told him.” Julio Gonzalez had been dropped off for school when he was hit by a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The driver of the pickup was just leaving the school after dropping of her own child. The Rev. Francisco Miramontes in his funeral message stated, “It’s always a difficult task when someone dies so young in life. We can learn from death with respect and dignity.”

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 04:17 PM | Permalink

Man Killed by SUV Battery

According to ABC news, a man involved in a violent domestic dispute may be charged with vehicular homicide or second-degree murder. The incident occurred as Kevin Harville, from San Bernardino, CA, was chasing down his girlfriend on the freeway. He rear-ended her car at 65 mph causing his SUV rolled over the center median. As the car rolled, the battery came out of Kevin’s vehicle and shattered the windshield of Shawn Billings Kettlewell and hit him in the head causing his death. In order to convict Harville, prosecutors must prove he had a “life-endangering state of mind.”

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 06:13 AM | Permalink

Student Killed in Car Accident

According to a report by the Associated Press, a local medical student, after stopping to assist following a serious traffic accidents, was killed in an unrelated traffic accident. The student, Bradley Skikne, lost control of his car and was ejected from the vehicle. Investigators indicate he was not wearing his seatbelt. A lot of his friends remember him as “an open friendly person. He had a lot of friends. The community is crushed by his tragic death.”

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 11:15 PM | Permalink

Police Car Involved in Serious Accident

According to CBS 3, a police car was involved in a serious accident early in the morning Oct. 23. Police have still not announced what injuries were sustained during the accident. A lot of questions remain about not only the cause of the accident, but whether or not the police officer was actively responding to a call when the accident occurred. A local traffic helicopter, shortly after the accident, has footage of the cruiser on its side with emergency lights flashing.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 10:02 AM | Permalink

Man Killed in ATV Accident

According to a report by the Standard Speaker, a man from Freeland, PA, died as a result of injuries sustained when he hit a deer with his ATV. John “Basil” Sessock Jr. had been visiting a friend and decided to go home shortly after 11 p.m. It appears that on the way home he hit a deer causing his ATV to careen out of control. Officials with the local police department believe that this was an accident and not the result of foul play.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 10:21 PM | Permalink

Illinois Teen Killed in Accident

According to a report by the Associated Press, an accident at a high school in Kankakee has unfortunately resulted in the death of a 15-year-old student. The student, Sarah Weibal, was hit by a car while crossing the street before school began for the day. Police are not providing extensive information about the investigation, they have only said that the accident was not a hit-and-run.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 05:19 AM | Permalink

Study Examines Hearing Loss

A new study suggests that listening to music at more than 80% of maximum volume for more than 90 minutes a day could impair your hearing. The research also indicated that there was no difference in sound levels when looking at different genres, including rock, rap and county. The findings also suggest that ear buds, headphones which are placed in the ears, are no more dangerous then those placed on the outside. Brian Fligor, an audiolostis at the Children’s Hospital of Boston and author of the study, will presented these findings at a conference in Cincinnati. Because ear damage often does not manifest itself for many years, Brian said, “I worry about the teen-ager who’s going to be 23, 24, 25 years old and has a measurable noise-induced hearing loss and now has another 60 something years to live with his hearing which is only going to get worse.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 11:18 PM | Permalink

700,000 Victims of Adverse Drug Reactions Annually

A report which has been getting a lot of media attention was released yesterday regarding the effects of adverse drug reaction. According to the Associated Press, a government study showed that drug reactions cause over 700,000 Americans to visit the emergency room each year. The most common cause of negative drug reaction is accidental overdoses and allergic reaction. A specialist in patient safety at the University of Illinois believes that “This is an important study because it reinforces the really substantial risks that there are in everyday use of drugs.”

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:48 PM | Permalink

Bicyclist Killed in Accident

In a bizarre accident, a man was killed when he was hit in the head by a piece of furniture, which was sticking out over the side of a pickup truck that drove by. The victim, Mark Torres, was not wearing a helmet, and the bike didn’t have any lights on at the time of the accident. Additionally, the driver of the pickup may have been breaking the law by driving with the furniture extending out over the side of the vehicle.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 06:13 AM | Permalink

Walmart Employees Awarded $78 Million

A jury determined that Walmart must pay $78 million USD because they broke labor laws when they refused to let employees to take rest breaks and required them to work off the clock. The suit was brought on behalf of 187,000 current and former employees of Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. These employees expressed frustration about being required to put in hours for which they were not paid. Dolores Hummel, a former employee said she supported the lawsuit because it was essential to “show how we were treated working at Wal-Mart – working off the clock and not getting paid.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 08:15 AM | Permalink

Officials Investigate New York Aircraft Crash

Investigators are still trying to determine why the personal aircraft crashed into a luxury high-rise in New York last Wednesday. Last week, officials successfully recovered many parts of the aircraft including the nose, wings, tail, instrument panel and a GPS device. At this point, it appears the plane was flying at 112 mph when it tried to make a u-turn to follow the East River; soon after the plane fell off radar. Preliminary investigations indicate the engine was still running when the aircraft crashed.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:44 PM | Permalink

Death Row Inmate Challenges Lethal Injection

The Baltimore Sun Times reported Vernon L. Evans Jr., a death row prisoner, is challenging Maryland’s lethal injection procedures. Attorneys argued that Evan’s previous heroin use left his veins in a state where lethal injection may not sufficiently sedate him, thus exposing him to severe pain during execution. Evans was convicted of the contract killings in 1983 and was sentenced to death 14 years ago.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 06:05 AM | Permalink

Hospitals Rise To Patient Safety Challenge

According to an intriguing report by Newsweek, many hospitals are responding to the challenge of improving patient safety in innovative ways. These new innovative methods include digitizing medical records and updating nursing practices. These changes are in response to statistics that indicate far too many patients die because of medical mistakes. A 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine indicated that nearly 100,000 Americans die every year as a result of medical errors. Since 1999 it appears that mistakes are now more common, as this year it is reported that at least 1.5 million people annually are victims of medical errors.

Hospitals are making mistakes such as incorrect or missed diagnoses, wrong drug dosages, and failing to treat patients as quickly as needed. According to the vice president of Boston’s Institute for Healthcare Improvement, “No matter how good people are they suffer from being human and they’re going to screw up. We have to put systems in place that stop that error from causing harm.”

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 08:28 AM | Permalink

Carrot Juice Continues to Cause Serious Injuries

According to a report by CBC News, the public health department in Canada announced that two residents of Toronto have been paralyzed after drinking carrot juice that contained botulism toxin. Botulism toxin is the most poisonous substance that occurs naturally in the world. The same juice, manufactured by Bolthouse Farms in Bakersfield, CA was recalled from the U.S. market when it poisoned four people in September of this year.

Symptoms of Botulism poisoning usually occur within 36 hours of being exposed to the substance. Other symptoms include difficulty swallowing, double vision and slurred speech. Consumers should be extra vigilant to ensure that the juice they purchase has not been recalled. Experts suggest consumers throw away any carrot juice with the best-before date before November 11.

Lettuce Recall in Salinas Valley

According to the Associated Press, the lettuce grown in California’s Salinas Valley, produced by Nunes Co. Inc., has been voluntarily recalled because of fears of E. coli contamination. While it seems that the lettuce has not yet caused any sickness, a water test of its irrigation water had generic E.coli in it. The president of Nunes Co. Inc. said, “We’re just reacting to a water test only. We know there’s generic E. coli on it, but we’re not sure what that means. We’re being extra careful. This is precautionary.”

Possible side effects of E. coli are very serious and include paralysis, respiratory failure and even death. The recent E. coli scares have motivated law makers to consider creating a new federal agency with responsibility for food safety.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 07:01 AM | Permalink

October 31, 2006

Accident Involving TLC's "Little People, Big World"

Victim of Car Accident Dies Because of Injuries

Semi Accident Causes Fatality

Parents Settle With Federal Government For $4.6 Million

October 26, 2006

Accident At Yuma Proving Grounds Causes Soldier's Death

Drunk Driver Causes Death and Injuries

Young Boy Accidentally Killed At School Drop-Off

Man Killed by SUV Battery

October 24, 2006

Student Killed in Car Accident

Police Car Involved in Serious Accident

October 23, 2006

Man Killed in ATV Accident

Illinois Teen Killed in Accident

October 19, 2006

Study Examines Hearing Loss

700,000 Victims of Adverse Drug Reactions Annually

October 18, 2006

Bicyclist Killed in Accident

October 17, 2006

Walmart Employees Awarded $78 Million

October 15, 2006

Officials Investigate New York Aircraft Crash

October 12, 2006

Death Row Inmate Challenges Lethal Injection

October 11, 2006

Hospitals Rise To Patient Safety Challenge

October 09, 2006

Carrot Juice Continues to Cause Serious Injuries

October 08, 2006

Lettuce Recall in Salinas Valley