Oregon Personal Injury Blog - All Topics

Pedestrian Crosswalk Death Highlights Nighttime Dangers and Safety

Josh Shulman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:38:00 GMT

A horrific pedestrian accident a few days ago in Portland serves as a grim reminder of the importance for drivers to pay extra attention once the sun sets and for pedestrians to use extreme caution while crossing the street at night - even in well-marked crosswalks. And with the recent time change, rush hour falls on some of the most dangerous hours to drive. There are more people - drivers and pedestrians alike - and therefore more chances for something like this to happen. The tragedy also showcases the need for cities to be sure their streets and intersections are well-lit to help keep their populations safe.

According to Portland's NewsChannel 8:

Two women were hit by a car and one of them died as they tried to walk across a crosswalk in Southeast Portland on Sunday night, Nov. 2, 2009. Police said the crosswalk was clearly marked but the driver did not see the pedestrians in the dark.

The women were thrown onto the car’s windshield when they were struck. Police said 23-year-old Lindsay Leonard was killed in the crash and her 29-year-old roommate, Jessica Finlay, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

People who live nearby said the intersection was poorly lit and it’s always been a dangerous place to cross the street at night.

It is so sad and unfortunate that something as simple as crossing a crosswalk could be fatal, but the tragic truth is that accidents like this happen all too often, especially in poorly lit areas like this one at night. There are many cases of late-night pedestrian accidents in Oregon, like the case of the drunk man who hit two teenagers crossing their city's only crosswalk during halftime of the local football game. In fact, 54% of pedestrian deaths recorded in 2003 happened between the hours of 4 pm and midnight, when it is hardest for drivers to see people in the road.

Thankfully, there are simple safety precautions both drivers and pedestrians can follow to help ensure that our roads stay safe.

Drivers:

-Pedestrians do not always cross at crosswalks, so always be on the lookout for people in the road.

-Be especially careful if it is dark or the weather is rough, it may be harder to see pedestrians.

-Always drive the speed limit, especially in urban areas or near crosswalks, in case you have to stop quickly to avoid a collision.

- If you are attempting to turn onto a new street, watch for pedestrians crossing into your intended path.

-Be careful around school areas, since children are less likely to understand and follow safe pedestrian behavior.

-DO NOT drink and drive, or do anything to impair your ability to be a safe driver.

-In general: PAY ATTENTION

Pedestrians:

-Walk in areas where drivers can anticipate you. Choose crosswalk areas and sidewalks over freeways or restricted zones when at all possible. Also, obey traffic signals.

-If you must walk on the road, walk facing traffic, so that you can see the vehicles coming toward you.

-Dress in light or reflective colors, especially at night, to make it easier for drivers to see you.

-Always be aware of your surroundings, and be very cautious when crossing large highways or high-speed roads.

-Don't assume that a driver sees you, always err on the side of safety.

-Do not drink alcohol if you are planning on walking anywhere; alcohol affects your judgment and reaction time just as it affects someone who is driving a car.

The state of Oregon has laws in place to help reduce the number of pedestrian accidents that occur in the state every year. These laws mandate that drivers stop and remain stopped for pedestrians crossing at intersections and traffic lights until the pedestrians have cleared a safe area around the vehicle.

These laws should help crack down on irresponsible drivers, and will hopefully make pedestrian deaths a thing of the past.

Members of the community should also be active in making neighborhoods safer. If there is an intersection that you think is unsafe, report it. And don't be afraid to repeatedly address the problem. Get your neighbors involved. Volunteer your time and money, too, if you feel it is important enough to have a safe neighborhood. Be a community of action.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Josh Shulman

Portland Officer Injured In Crash During Taping Of The TV Show COPS

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:14:00 GMT

A Portland police officer was injured in a car crash during taping of the TV show “COPS.”

The accident happened Tuesday night when a vehicle crossed the center line at the intersection of SE 136th Ave. and Stark Street and struck Officer Ruppel's police cruiser head-on, according to Portland police.

Ruppel and two members of the show’s product crew were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The driver, Robert King, 53, suffered minor injuries.

"COPS" has been in Portland the last six weeks filming for upcoming shows on Portland police, according to Detective Mary Wheat.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Car Crashes Into Portland Home Injuring Two

Chrissie Cole — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:39:00 GMT

A car struck a power pole and then a house in Portland Sunday, sending two people to the hospital.

The car crash occurred at the intersection of Southeast 162 Avenue and Taggart Street. According to police, two people were inside the vehicle traveling north on 162 Ave when the driver – traveling about 80 mph in a 40 mph zone – lost control and struck the pole and then the house.

The driver and passenger, 16, were taken to the hospital where they are both being treated in the ICU.

There were people inside the home when the accident occurred, but no one was hurt.

Wayne Louie, who lives across the street from the crash scene, said the wreck didn't come as a surprise.

"I've lived here two years and there have been two accidents just in this corner right here," Louie said.

Police say alcohol does not appear to be a factor.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Two Teens Die in Oregon Car Accident

Jenny Albano — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:33:51 GMT

Two teenagers from Roseburg, Oregon died on Friday, March 28 after the car they were riding in swerved off the road, hit an electrical pole, hit a tree, and then flipped over. The 15-year-old driver, Jacob Gonzales, of the 1995 Toyota Camry is in serious condition after the car accident and another passenger was already treated and released from the hospital.

Gonzales failed to negotiate a corner and the vehicle left the road near Goedeck Avenue. The driver's side of the vehicle swiped an electrical pole and then spun around and hit a fir tree. The vehicle knocked the tree down and the car flipped upside down.

Both Rachel Merrell, 17, and Anthony Nickels, 15, both of Roseburg, were pronounced dead on the scene and Gonzales was flown to Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center, where he was listed in serious condition Saturday afternoon. Sarah Sitton, 16, of Sutherlin, was treated at Mercy Medical Center where she has been released.

The electrical pole damage caused local homes to lose power until workers were able to replace the pole.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Toxins in Fish Sicken Many in U.S.

Jenny Albano — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:26:22 GMT

The FDA has announced that there have been at least 28 reports of consumers getting sick from ciguatera fish poisoning. The fish that were eaten were harvested in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The first reproted case was in November and outbreaks of the illness were confirmed in Washington D.C. and St. Louis.

Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning include nausea, vomiting, vertigo and joint pain. In the most serious cases, neurological problems can last for months or even years. Grouper, snapper, amberjack and barracuda are the biggest threat to consumers.

Ciguatera is common in fish living in tropical and subtropical regions, including the Caribbean Sea, the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. But the FDA has considered it rare for fish in the northern Gulf of Mexico to have the toxin.

The fish linked to the ciguatera poisoning were harvested near the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and the FDA is recommending that processors not buy the fish harvested near this sanctuary. The FDA is also warning processors to make sure their hazard control plans are up to date, because failure to take the proper precautions could cause their products to be considered adulterated.

Consumers who think they may be ill due to ciguatera poisoning should consult a physician and report their illness to the local health department.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Paricon Recalls Children's Snow and Sand Castle Kits Because of Sharp Edges

Jenny Albano — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:48:05 GMT

Paricon, in conjunction with the CPSC, is recalling about 800 Children's Snow and Sand Castle Kits because the largest plastic castle block maker in the kit can crack at the handle during when being used, which creates sharp edges that pose a laceration hazard to children.

The recall castle kit consists of three red plastic block makers. Only the largest block maker in the set is included in the recall. The largest block maker measures about 19 inches in length and 5 inches in width. Smaller block maker blocks and castle kits with the letter "A" on the inside of the large block maker are not included in this recall.

So far no injuries have been reported to Paricon. The castle kits were sold at L.L. Bean retail stores across the country from September 2007 to October 2007.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Car and Train Collide Because of Text-Messaging Driver

Jenny Albano — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:14:10 GMT

An Oregon man crashed into a freight train on Tuesday, October 16 at around 2 a.m. The driver, Robert Gillespie, and the crew on-board the train were not seriously injured.

Gillespie told rescue workers that he was using his cell phone to send a text message while they were trying to release him from the demolished vehicle. He has been charged with drunken driving and careless driving. It is also believed that Gillespie was driving over the 35mph speed limit at the time of the accident.

Gillespie stated that once he looked up after completing his text message he finally saw the freight train. Apparently he tried to slam on the brakes at the last minute, but it was too late.

Text messaging or using cell phones while driving is very dangerous, and can cause the driver to not concentrate on the road. This accident is just another example of how distracting cell phone use while driving really is.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Xcel Energy HydroPlant Chemical Fire Kills Five Contract Workers

Courtney Mills — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:29:38 GMT

A smoldering fire 1000 ft. inside a tunnel at a hydro-electric plant outside of Georgetown, Colorado, developed late Tuesday, killing five contract workers of the company as they tried in vain to escape.

The five who perished in the chemical fire were from a group of nine contract maintenance workers at Xcel Energy. The workers had crawled 1,000 feet inside an empty 4,000 foot long underground water tunnel to perform certain maintenance upgrades when something went awry.

The machinery used to apply epoxy to the surface metal of the tunnel to prevent corrosion malfunctioned and ignited a chemical fire, trapping the workers in the tunnel and subjecting them to toxic fumes of burning epoxy resin. Officials at Excel Energy and Cabin Creek authorities had initially hoped to rescue the trapped workers, but efforts proved futile. Miraculously, four co-workers were able to escape the fire alive.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Wrongful Death.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Courtney Mills

Worker Dies in Wind Tower Collapse

Jenny Albano — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:49:09 GMT

Chadd Mitchell died on Saturday at a wind farm that is under construction in Oregon. Mitchell was killed when a 242-foot-tall tower he was working on fell over.

Mitchell, of Goldendale, Washington, was working at the top of the tower -- essentially a hollow tube -- when it buckled. A second worker in the tube was injured and a third worker on the ground was not hurt, according to The Oregonian newspaper. Federal officials are investigating the incident, it said.

Mitchell's death is the first reported for the wind power industry due to a tower collapse.

Susan Sloan of the American Wind Energy Association stated that wind turbines and the towers that hold them are not inherently unsafe, and said she could not speak specifically of the Oregon incident. Sloan also mentioned that there have been a handful of people who have been killed while performing maintenance or construction at wind farms.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Workplace Injuries and Discrimination.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Certain Models of Triple-Channel Infusion Pumps Recalled

Jenny Albano — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:54:56 GMT

On Friday, the FDA alerted healthcare professionals of a class 1 recall of certain models of an upgraded triple-channel volumetric infusion pump made by Colleague and Colleague CX. A software malfunction may sound an alarm in the device, showing an error code 16:310:867:0002, which will stop infusing.

An electronic infusion pump delivers controlled amounts of medicine or other fluids to patients through a direct line into the bloodstream (intravenously, intra-arterially, or through an epidural).

"The error occurs when all three channels are in use and a healthcare professional initiates a user interface-intensive command such as overriding the Guardian dose limit feature, displaying the dose mode window, performing dose calculations or performing running rate changes," the company says in a news release.

So far there have been sixteen injuries reported. All the affected users have been contacted and have had their infusion pumps replaced with alternate devices, such as non-upgraded triple-channel and upgraded single-channel pumps.

From May 14 to June 18, 2007 there have been 4512 defective infusion pumps administered to 427 customers, according to an alert from the FDA's MedWatch.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano