Connecticut Personal Injury Blog

Two Car Accident Injures Five in Portland

Margaret Embry — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:17:16 GMT

A two-car accident near Portland, CT injured five people and closed down parts of Route 66 for nearly two hours on Saturday, August 29th, according to the Hartford Courant. Police are still investigating the accident, but it has been confirmed that

a 2003 Subaru Outback traveling eastbound on Route 66 crossed the center line and crashed head on into a 2008 Nissan Altima going westbound at 2:52 p.m. Saturday.

The crash seriously injured all drivers and passengers involved: two in the Subaru and three in the Altima. One passenger injured was a fourteen-year-old girl. The cause of the crash is still being investigated, but at the time of the accident it was raining lightly and the road was wet.

According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, accidents involving injuries decreased from 2000 to 2006. In 2000, there were 34,447 accidents involving injuries and 27,366 in 2006. Some interesting facts presented by the Connecticut DOT from data gathered from 1997 to 2006 show that the highest number of traffic accidents occur in the month of May, on Fridays, and from 5pm to 5:59pm.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

18 Year-Old Driver Involved in Fatal One-Car Accident Charged with Negligent Homicide

Margaret Embry — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:25:11 GMT

On April 30^th in Wallingford, an eighteen-year-old male was involved in a one-car accident that killed one seventeen-year-old high school student who was riding in the front seat and injured another eighteen-year-old passenger who was riding in the back seat.  The 1999 Volkswagen GTI hatchback went out of control near Mac Kenzie Reservoir and struck a tree on the north side of the road. The front-seat passenger died May 4 from his injuries.

The driver recently turned himself in to police after learning there was a warrant for his arrest, according to Record-Journal.  He has been charged with a negligent homicide, traveling unreasonably fast, and failure to drive in the proper lane, as well as possession of steroids, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After his arrest, the driver was release after posting $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on August 18^th.   Negligent homicide is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of either six months in prison or a $1,000 fine.

Although steroids and marijuana were found in the car, police said toxicology reports showed the teen driver was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident.  The driver was, however, traveling at least 17 miles per hour above the posted limit of 30 miles per hour.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

Mistrial Declared in Bus Driver's Wrongful Death Civil Trial

Margaret Embry — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:43:59 GMT

In October, 2006, a school bus driver driving in West Hartford struck and killed a 65 year-old male drug counselor while he was in the crosswalk, as reported by School Transportation News in December of 2006. The bus driver was charged with negligent homicide and failure to exercise care to avoid a pedestrian and served five days in jail. The bus driver

later tested positive for cocaine, and it was discovered he had a previous conviction that the DMV failed to flag during a background check.

Last month the wrongful death civil trail against the former bus driver began, but a mistrial has been declared by the judge. A juror read information on the Internet against the defendant that had been excluded from the civil trial (there was no mention during the trial of the driver’s previous conviction or testing positive for cocaine around the time of the accident). A new trial has been ordered and jury selection will begin on December 1^st, according to The Hartford Courant.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

Dick’s Sporting Goods Recalls Camp Stoves Due To Burn Hazard

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:02:00 GMT

Dick’s Sporting Goods, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced a voluntary recall of “Field & Stream” Dual Burner Camp Stoves because the gas could produce higher than expected flames which pose a burn hazard to consumers.

Also, if rainwater is collected in the burners, it can prevent proper ignition allowing gas to build-up and ignite unexpectedly.

To date, the company has not received any reports of injury.

The agency advises consumers to stop using the recalled camp stoves and contact Dick’s Sporting Goods for a free repair kit.

Involved in the recall are “Field & Stream” dual burner camp stoves – style number (#CEH00475).

The items were sold nationwide at Dick’s Sporting Good stores and on the company’s Web site from January to October 2008.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Dick’s Sporting Goods toll-free at (888) 837-1380 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday; e-mail the firm at CampStove@rankam.com; or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dickssportinggoods.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Bunk Beds Recalled By Land of Nod Due to Fall Hazard

Chrissie Cole — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:55:00 GMT

The Land of Nod, in cooperation with the CPSC, voluntarily recalled 750 Cottage Bunk Beds because screws are missing from the upper bunk’s guardrails, which can cause the vertical slats to detach posing a fall hazard to small children.

To date, the company has not received any reports of injury but there has been two incidents in which the vertical slats detached from the upper bunk.

The recalled beds were sold in both white (model #s 236-519 and 188-174) and pine/honey finishes (model #s 459-410 and 172-596) and included a long and a short upper bunk guardrail, each of which should be secured to the inside of the upper bunk beds side rail with screws. Stickers bearing the model numbers are located on the inside of the lower bunk headboard.

The agency recommends checking that all screws needed to attach the guardrails to the upper bunk have been installed. If you find your bed is missing screws, you should contact The Land of Nod to receive new screws free of charge.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact The Land of Nod at (800) 933-9904, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Peanut Butter Recalled For Salmonella

Chrissie Cole — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:16:00 GMT

A string of peanut butter recalls has been traced back to the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). The latest recall includes all peanuts, peanut paste, granulated peanut and peanut meal made by PCA dating back as far as Jan. 1, 2007.

Hundreds of products have been recalled by food makers in the wake of this salmonella outbreak which has sickened 500 people in 43 states and may be linked to eight deaths.

PCA products are not sold directly to consumers but distributed to food companies and under private label. Peanut paste, made from roasted peanuts, is an ingredient found in many cookies, cakes and other products that can be found in the supermarket.

The FDA recently released an inspection report which outlined unsanitary conditions found at PCA’s Georgia plant – including mold and roaches – and confirmed the company shipped peanut products despite knowing they were contaminated with salmonella.

Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12–72 hours after infection and the illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment, but those with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness.

The FDA Web site maintains a current list of recalled peanut products linked to the salmonella outbreak.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Motorcycle Deaths On The Rise

James Sabatini — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:56:06 GMT

The number of motorcyclist deaths jumped in 2007. One out of every eight vehicle deaths on our roads invovled a motorcycle. Deaths of people in cars, trucks and on bicycles declined in 2007. The jump in motorcycle deaths is being blamed on multiple factors. One, certain states have eliminated the helmet law. Two, more people are riding motorcycles due to high gas prices. Three, middle age riders who may have stopped riding while they had young kids in the house are now getting on their bikes again and riding the bikes as if there still have the reflexes and skills of a 20 year old. With these statistics, be safe out on the road and wear a helmet.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Medical Device Safety Act of 2008

James Sabatini — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:45:02 GMT

U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, and Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, recently introduced legislation in the House that will reverse a U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this year involving medical devices

In February, the U.S. Supreme Court immunized medical device companies from state lawsuits brought by patients who are injured by certain medical devices. In Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc. the Court found that the product liability claims are barred by a preemption clause included in the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 (MDA). This decision was wrong. It ignored both congressional intent and 30 years of experience in which FDA regulation and tort liability played complementary roles in protecting consumers from device risks.

The Medical Device Safety Act of 2008 protects patients from dangerous and defective devices by correcting the Court’s flawed interpretation of the MDA. The legislation explicitly clarifies that state product liability lawsuits are preserved. People should contact thier elected Congressmen and Senator to voice support of this legislation to ensure that injured people have a right to compensation for injuries caused by dangerous and defective medical devices.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Connecticut Motorcycle Accident - Helmet Law Review

James Sabatini — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:12:55 GMT

A 43-year-old motorcyclist who collided with a truck Tuesday afternoon on Route 159 is recovering at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. The collision occured at the Hickory Street intersection around 3:31 p.m. Tuesday in Suffield, Connecticut. The truck driver informed police that he stopped at the intersection anf thought that the road was clear. According to witnesses, the truck driver failed to obey the stop sign. The news reports have not dislcosed the nature and extent of the motorcyclist's injuries nor whether he was wearing a helmet. Connecticut does not have an universal helmet law for motorcycle riders. Helmets are only legally required under Connecticut law for riders 17 and younger. Here is a list of motorcycle helmet laws in each state.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

Insulin Pumps for Teens Have Been Linked to Injuries and Deaths

Jenny Albano — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:59:55 GMT

A federal review from the FDA found that insulin pumps used by teenagers with Type 1 diabetes can be dangerous and have been linked to injuries and deaths.

Researchers from the FDA did not advise against teens using the devices, but said that parents should watch their children's use of the pumps while safety concerns are addressed.

The federal review of use by young people over a decade found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected with the pumps. At times, the devices malfunctioned, but other times, teens were careless or took risks, the study authors wrote. Some teens didn't know how to use the pumps correctly, dropped them or didn't take good care of them. There were two possible suicide attempts by teens who gave themselves too much insulin, according to the analysis.

These pumps are popular because they allow teens to give themselves insulin discreetly in public and up to 100,000 teens may be using them. The pumps are used for Type 1 diabetes, which is also called juvenile diabetes.

The FDA study, which appears in the May issue of the Journal Pediatrics, reports injuries and deaths related to the pumps from 1996-2005. The report analyzed reports from patients 12 to 21 years old.

While some teenagers want to switch from insulin injections to pump therapy to gain more flexibility in their lives, doctors said device problems such as a blocked tube can lead quickly to dangerous episodes of high blood sugar.

Many doctors screen teens before prescribing a pump and some refuse refuse pumps to immature young patients. Teenagers need to be able to monitor their glucose or else the pump can increase the risk of getting sick more quickly compared to injections.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano