The following is an article our firm published about four years ago in the winter. These quizzes proved helpful to many we knew then, and we hope they'll help you now!
Snowmobiling in PA
It is important to remember your safety tips when walking, driving, and participating in outdoor activities this season. The cold weather can increase danger, and it is important to know state regulations in order to keep yourself and others safe. This safety-first attitude takes even greater meaning if you participate in more potentially hazardous winter activities in our area like skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding, and ice fishing.
Unfortunately, winter accidents, such as from ice fishing, skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling, are more common than many people many think. Snowmobile accidents, in particular, account for a large amount of winter-related accidents and deaths. It is important to remember that snowmobile accidents affect not only the victim, but can drastically and permanently change the lives of the loved ones in their lives. Please use proper safety precautions when driving a snowmobile and/or participating in other winter activities to do your best to avoid accidents and injury.
Off-road vehicles, such as snowmobiles and ATVs, are potentially dangerous vehicles for many of our state's youth. Improper ATV use is leading cause of serious injury among Pennsylvanians. Attorney Doug Stoehr of Altoona, PA handles cases involving injury as a result of accidents involving off-road vehicles. For more information about Attorney Doug Stoehr and his central Pennsylvania practice, please call his law firm at 814-946-4100.
Activity Trackers And Your Personal Injury Claim
As you may realize by now, what you choose to show on social media can have a significant impact on your possible legal claim. In some cases, social media posts can be used as evidence during your lawsuit, especially in the case of personal injury. You may be familiar with the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but how about other tools such as activity trackers? According to a recent article, fitness tracker information may also impact your social media claim. For example, if you claim that an injury made you immobile, yet your activity tracker reflects that you run five miles a day, it does not add up. In the future, it is possible that your data from any activity trackers may also be used in the course of a personal injury case. As always, it is important to be truthful when reporting the extent and longevity of your personal injury following an accident or other traumatic event.
Tractor-Trailer Goes Off Highway Near Pittsburgh
In the Pittsburgh area this week, a section of I-70 was closed due to a large tractor-trailer accident. According to accident reports, the truck went off the road and got stuck between the guard rail and the highway. The driver was trapped inside the car and received treatment at an area hospital for his injuries. At the time of the article, there was no mention of other cars being involved in the accident.
Teen Driving Statistics
As students are going back to school and driving their friends around, it is important to talk to your teens and tell them about these statistics. Infographic courtesy of AAA.
Low Performing Nursing Homes Seldom Improve
Sometimes, nursing homes get reprimanded when their facilities are not up to standards and/or are endangering their patients. As a result, they can become put under "special focus status", which means they are strictly overseen and are placed under a high level of scrutiny. Unfortunately, recent data suggests that after nursing home receive such violation notices, they do not often improve. According to one news source, "While special focus status is one of the federal government's strictest forms of oversight, nursing homes that were forced to undergo such scrutiny often slide back into providing dangerous care, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of federal health inspection data." Out of over 500 nursing homes that came out of special focus status before 2014 and are still in business, over half of them have since harmed patients or put them in serious danger. These violations have included giving patients incorrect medication, failing to intervene in cases of violence from other residents or staff members, and withholding information from families and physicians regarding injuries. These homes are found in almost all 50 states.
Accredited Nursing Homes Have Higher Safety Culture
This may be an older post from our website, but is definitely worth another look! As you may know, not all nursing homes are all created equal. In addition to having private or government-run facilities, nursing homes can either be accredited or not. Sometimes the differences between the different types of facilities are not immediately clear, but you should research all possible options before making a decision.
About 1 in 10 Seniors in US Are Abused
Information reported by a Georgia news source as referenced by the World Heath Organization, states that about 10% of America's elderly population is abused or neglected. Additionally, the researchers noted that this is likely an underestimation. Elderly citizens are being abused both in home care situations and while being cared for in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Many Child Car Seats Are Incorrectly Installed
Although this may be an older article, it is incredibly worthwhile to read! Several years ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on a safety initiative run by the state police to assess child safety seats. A voluntary inspection occurred at sites throughout the state for a two-week period. Over 75% of the 319 seats checked were not installed correctly. Of course, this is a huge cause for concern! The state police listed the most common problems as a failure to position the seat in the right direction and not properly adjusting the safety harnesses or harnessing the seat in the right manner. If you are concerned that your child's car seat is not installed correctly, you can call your local police department to see if they'd be able to do a safety check for you.
We're Within The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer
According to a USA Today news report, the time after school lets out for the summer is considered one of the "100 deadliest days" of the summer. Taking data compiled by USAA, the article stated that about 1,000 people die in crashes with teenage drivers on the 100 day stretch from Memorial Day onward. This time results in raising the average number of car accident deaths up by 16% compared to other times during the calendar year. Distracted driving accounted for almost 60% of the crashes.
