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- What happens if you’re injured out of state?
Dec 30, 2015
It depends. Originally, workers' compensation laws in Pennsylvania were intended to apply only to workers who actually worked within the state. Those laws have been expanded over time to include people who work in other states under certain conditions. Simply living in Pennsylvania while working in another state does not necessarily qualify a person to collect Pennsylvania workers' compensation benefits. A recent court case illustrates this point. A truck driver who lived in Pennsylvania was...Read More - Pennsylvania athletes file lawsuit for concussions
Dec 23, 2015
Two former students from Neshannock High School in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and the father of a senior athlete from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), alleging that the organization did little to protect students against sports-related brain injuries, and did little to help them once they did receive such injuries. The PIAA is fighting back, claiming that according to the 2012 Youth in Sports Safety Act, schools...Read More - Tragic teen accident highlights dangers of forklifts
Dec 21, 2015
A joyride on a forklift turned fatal when teens entered a Wissinoming, Pennsylvania, paper company last fall for fun. A 13-year-old boy died after the forklift he was driving collided with another forklift driven by a friend. While technically the accident wasn’t a “construction accident,” the accident highlights the dangers of driving a forklift, even for seasoned adult workers on an active job site. There are many ways for workers (and curious kids) to be...Read More - Cranes That Install Christmas Trees Aren’t Always Safe
Dec 16, 2015
As the holidays approach, residents of many cities may be enjoying the spectacle of giant Christmas trees set up for public enjoyment. In New York City, for example, the lighting of the Rockefeller Center tree is a yearly tradition that draws tourists and locals alike. But putting up a giant tree isn't an easy task, and it's not always safe, either. The job requires large cranes, and sometimes those cranes can collapse, tip over, snap...Read More - Lawsuits tackle football-related brain injuries
Dec 10, 2015
The link between football and concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI) is becoming better known, with media increasing its coverage of the issue of late. The repeated concussions that many players endure on the field can add up to a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which can cause memory loss, depression, difficulty controlling impulses and even dementia. In some cases, the condition may have even contributed to former players committing suicide. But can...Read More - What is an “occupational disease”?
Dec 3, 2015
An occupational disease is an illness that develops in a worker as a result of his or her repeated exposure to a hazardous work condition. As opposed to the acute and traumatic nature of common construction site accidents, which we discussed in our previous post, many occupational diseases develop from long-term cumulative exposure to a work condition. For example, exposure to fine airborne particles, chemicals or biological agents are all risk factors for certain occupational...Read More - What are the most common types of construction accidents?
Nov 28, 2015
In 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that one in five worker deaths resulted from construction accidents. Of those construction deaths, more than half resulted from just four causes: falls, electrocution, being struck by an object, and caught-in/between hazards. Caught-in/between hazards include instances where a worker is caught in a cave-in, or pulled into machinery or gets compressed between two heavy objects. OSHA states that eliminating those "fatal four" causes would save 508 worker...Read More - Workers in dangerous jobs can sue third parties
Nov 26, 2015
A group of California firefighters is suing the Santa Clara Waste Water Co. over injuries they received while responding to a chemical explosion at the plant. An article reporting on the lawsuit says the firefighters suffered pulmonary and other injuries after battling a chemical explosion that the company's lawyer is characterizing as an industrial accident. The lawsuit alleges that the plant's employees were negligent in assuring the firefighters that the facility was safe to enter...Read More - Another FedEx worker dies in work accident
Nov 24, 2015
It is that heartwarming time of year, when we see more FedEx and UPS trucks on the roads. With the holidays having arrived, family and friends are sending each other gifts to show their love and appreciation. With this happy time of year, however, come some risks for accidents. Behind every FedEx package you receive is a job, and workers who dedicate the precious hours of their days to serving the needs of people not...Read More - Another “serial infector,” Elet Neilson, follows steps of David Kwiatkowski
Nov 19, 2015
As the saying goes, "history repeats itself." In June, we wrote an article about an interview that was done with the imprisoned "serial infector," David Kwiatkowski. If you'll recall, Kwiatkowski is serving a 39-year sentence for infecting nearly fifty people with the hepatitis C virus after intravenously injecting the painkiller fentanyl, then swapping saline back into the tubes and having the needles re-used on patients. In the article were detailed accounts of his drinking and...Read More