Pedestrian deaths are on the rise across the country, and PA is no exception. According to nationally compiled data via the Governors Highway Safety Commission, Pennsylvania saw over a 40% increase in pedestrian fatalities in the first half of 2018 as compared to the first half of 2017. If this trend continues, 2019 will prove to be a deadly year for pedestrians, too. According to the data, almost 100 pedestrians were killed by drivers in Pennsylvania during the first half of 2018 as compared to 64 during that same stretch of time in 2017.Nationally, these numbers reflect the highest number of pedestrian deaths in 30 years. Many people believe that this increase is due to heightened instances of distracted driving, more SUVs on the road (which data suggests is correlated with an increase in pedestrian accidents), and an increased number of walkers in areas where most people used to drive. By the numbers, most accidents involving pedestrians overwhelmingly occur at night (about 90%) and over half of these accidents occur on local streets and neighboring highways. In PA, pedestrian fatalities account for roughly 10% of all traffic-related deaths.
Potential Warnings Of A Subpar Nursing Home
According to a US and World News report, there are several warning signs you can look for to see if a loved one in a nursing home is receiving subpar care. Many of the warning signs the article noted involve examining your elderly relative's reaction to people and aspects of the home. In this way, substandard care may become apparent through your loved one's emotional or physical changes, including looking unhealthy, sudden changes in appetite, and becoming easily agitated or fearful around certain people. Additionally, if your relative mentions that they don't want a particular person to take care of them, that might be a sign of a serious problem, such as abuse or neglect. If your relative also appears malnourished or dehydrated, that is a definite warning sign of a potential problem.
Chronic Pain After An Injury
Chronic pain is often a blanket diagnosis used to explain pain that persists consistently over a period longer than 3-6 months. However, chronic pain can result from many different disorders and injuries. Unfortunately, many of these problems come from common accidents, such as motor vehicle accidents or slip and falls.
Freezing Rain on Winter Roads
In these harsh winter weather conditions, many car drivers across our state of Pennsylvania, as well as the country, are dealing with less than desirable road conditions. According to news source Syracuse.com, the phenomenon of "flash-freezing" is causing major problems on both roads and sidewalks across the East Coast this winter.
Refresher: Winter Driving Quizzes
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.
