Blog

Distracted driving creates risk on the road

Mar 11, 2016

Texting and driving continues to pose a major risk of injury and death on the nation's roads. Thousands of people lose their lives every year as a result of a collision with a distracted driver, and hundreds of thousands are injured. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2013, 3,154 people were killed in distracted driving-related accidents, and 424,000 people were injured, The National Safety Council has designated April as...

What are some common repetitive-stress injuries?

Mar 9, 2016

Repetitive stress injuries are injuries resulting from repeating a motion over and over, often leading to inflammation, pain, numbness and tingling. These types of injuries are also called "overuse" injuries, and can also occur outside the workplace. Some athletes, for example, may be vulnerable to injuries of this kind. But if you're injured on the job from performing a repetitive motion, you may be able to receive workers' compensation to help pay for your recovery...

Brain scans gain favor in the courtroom

Mar 3, 2016

As the connections between brain injury and aggression grow, it seems that lawyers are increasingly using brain scans as evidence in criminal trials. This tactic is generally used to secure a reduced sentence by way of proving that a client wasn’t entirely responsible for his or her behavior. One study cited in a recent issue of The Atlantic found that judicial opinions that cited brain scans as evidence doubled between 2005 and 2012. Brain scans...

“Chameleon” trucking companies responsible for many injuries and deaths

Feb 26, 2016

A trucking company from Wake Forest, NC called Elite Freight Systems went out of business in 2009 because it was experiencing problems on the road. It soon came back as Elite Freight Systems, Incorporated and received a brand new company driving number from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. After poorly performing for several more years, the company's owner decided to change the name again, this time to Spurlin Trucking. But after some investigating, the...

Not all jackknife accidents stem from driver error

Feb 26, 2016

Trucks that jackknife can cause some of the most frightening and potentially damaging accidents on the road. The sheer weight of trucks alone, compared to the weight of cars and other vehicles, should inspire caution in other drivers, even under the best conditions. But when the back end of an 18-wheeler starts to move in a different direction from the cab, the possibility of a catastrophic accident becomes that much greater. There are certain circumstances...

How do I appeal a workers’ compensation denial?

Feb 16, 2016

If your workers’ compensation claim has been denied, it’s understandable that you may be frustrated and discouraged. But you shouldn’t give up: many claims that are initially denied get approved on appeal. But appealing your decision means filing the right paperwork to the right people in the appropriate window of time. This is where it helps to have the assistance of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. The first thing to know is that once you...

Crane accident not the first for NYC crane owner Bay Crane

Feb 10, 2016

On Friday February 5, a crane collapsed in Lower Manhattan, killing one person and injuring three others. The crane operating company, Galasso Trucking & Rigging, had been lowering the crane to adjust to windy conditions when the crane toppled over. The crane had been inspected by the New York City Department of Buildings the previous day after the operating company had requested to extend the crane to a certain height. While the New York City...

Pennsylvania bridge repair company deemed OSHA “severe violator”

Feb 3, 2016

The Pennsylvania bridge repair company, Susquehanna Supply Company Inc., has been fined $140,000 and placed in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Severe Violator Enforcement Program list for a July 7, 2015 trench collapse on a work site that killed a contractor. The contractor had been working in a deep trench on the site of a small bridge repair job contracted by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation when the trench collapsed, burying him. Susquehanna...

Traumatic brain injury recovery can be unpredictable

Jan 27, 2016

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), you may understandably have questions and anxiety about the extent of recovery that may be possible. Unfortunately it's difficult to predict exactly to what extent a person may recover from a serious brain injury. In general, the more serious the injury, the more difficult the recovery will be. A person's age and health before the injury will also affect the degree to...

What are the most dangerous industrial chemicals?

Jan 25, 2016

Industrial chemicals have the potential to cause illness, either from incremental long-term exposure or from a one-time event. Some industrial chemicals are reactive and unstable, meaning they are very flammable and can explode easily, causing burns and other secondary injuries. Other injuries can result when a worker is exposed to a toxic chemical. Whether inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin, these chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer and reproductive harm. The kind...