Over the weekend, a woman in Pittsburgh was struck and killed by a shuttle bus as she was crossing the street. The accident, which occurred around 7:00AM on Saturday morning, happened while the woman was walking through a crosswalk. The area's Accident Investigators Unit is looking further into the case.
AAA Report Targets Distracted Driving
Although all age groups are guilty of distracted driving, a new study by AAA notes that young millennials (ages 18-24) are engaging in many risky behaviors while driving. Almost 90% of drivers in this age group reported eating, video chatting, texting, and other activities while driving that can be considered "distracted driving". Although these risky behaviors did appear to decrease with age, all age groups were engaged in some degree of distracted/risky activities while driving. According to one report, distracted driving was responsible for about 11% of wrecks in PA over the last five years. In 2015, that means that about 15,000 wrecks occurred due to distracted driving.
Pedestrian Accident Injures Local Teenager
Recently, a young boy was a victim in a pedestrian accident in Westmont, PA. According to local news reports, the thirteen-year-old was trying to cross a street when he stepped out in front of a car and was hit. Accident reconstruction specialists were noted to be working at the scene to determine the specifics of the accident.
Tort Reform in Nursing Home Negligence Cases
In the past few years, there has been some backlash against personal injury attorneys and their lawsuits against nursing homes and hospitals. One such article, written in a large healthcare magazine, even went so far as to suggest that some attorneys use understaffing of workers as an excuse to create lawsuits for cases that would not otherwise be valid. These same writers are arguing for tort reform, which would also put a cap on awards for injury or negligence. They argue that, if there was a cap on awards in the state of Pennsylvania, there would be fewer legal claims and nursing homes may be able to use more workers. They also noted that arbitration decreases the projected expense and awards of cases.
Winter Ice Means Slip and Fall Injuries
Once again, it is worth the reminder to make sure that you're being careful out on the ice! A recent news story out of our neighboring state of New York covered a lawsuit involving a slip-and-fall on the ice. The story involved a medical worker who broke her ankle when she slipped and fell on the ice of her employer's building. This injury caused a required surgery and prolonged recovery period. The worker sued the building owner and the managing real estate agent, among others. According to reports, there was a thin layer of snow on the parking lot which covered up the ice. The grade of the parking lot caused frequent problems with water pooling, which caused ice to form in freezing conditions. The lawsuit claims that the defendants were aware of the pooling conditions in the parking lot, but didn't act to fix the problem.
Chronic Pain: America's Hidden Epidemic
Followers of this blog are familiar with the idea of chronic pain being much more common than you might initially think. However, you might not realize just how many Americans suffer from chronic pain without taking a look at recent statistics and surveys.
Nursing Home Wrongful Death Suit in PA
Recently, a Philadelphia-area nursing home is under fire for supposedly contributing to a wrongful death case. The death, which is thought to be due negligence on the part of the nursing home staff, came after a series of illnesses which affected an elderly woman in the home's case. The wrongful death lawsuit claims that the resident needed 24 hour care, due to a history of trouble walking, dementia, and other issues. However, she was still was often found on her floor in her bedroom of the nursing home unattended, and it was clear that she had fallen. Eventually, the resident had a fall that was so severe that she had to go to the emergency room. Upon returning to the nursing home, she was placed in hospice care and passed away about two months after her accident.
CARIE Works For The Rights Of The Elderly
This post is a version of a story we originally brought to your attention several years ago, but is, unfortunately, still very relevant today. Please read this article to learn more about advocating for the rights of our state's senior population!
Car Crashes Are Second Leading Cause of TBI
Often when people hear about traumatic brain injuries, they tend to envision accidents related to sports. In reality, falls are the number one leading cause of traumatic brain injuries, followed closely by car crashes. This information, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control, is true across all age groups.
