Fisher Price Recalls 800K Infant Sleepers Fearing Mold May Cause Infants Injury

As a parent, there are a variety of items that seem like life savers when your child is being fussy or difficult.  One such item is the Fisher- Price Newborn Rock N' Play Sleeper, which many parents describe as the only thing that helped them get their child to sleep.  Those days of blissfully sleeping through the night may be a distant memory for parents because today the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled the item, warning parents to inspect the estimated 800,000 sleepers sold since September 2009. 

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Fisher- Price Newborn Rock N' Play Sleeper carried risk of mold exposure for infants.  Between the removable seat cushion and the hard plastic frame, mold could grow and flourish.  Fisher- Price reports that they have received 600 reports of mold.  Additionally, 16 infants had been treated for respiratory reactions. Could mold cause severe injury for your child? 

The Dangers of Mold Exposure 

Mold sounds pretty harmless, but it can be extremely dangerous to people when they've been exposed to it over time.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people exposed to mold could experience the following reactions and injuries:

• shortness of breath
• lung infections
• hives, skin rashes
• memory problems
• headaches, migraines
• swollen glands in your neck
• open sores on your skin
• hair loss
• asthma and other breathing disorders
• ear infections
• fatigue
• nausea, vomiting

These are common injuries that adults experience. Now picture your infant being exposed to mold over prolonged periods of time.  This could be extremely serious for a child who has not yet developed an immune system capable of fighting the ill effects of mold exposure. Could you live with injuring your child on a constant basis?

If Your Child Has Been Injured

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is taking steps jointly with Fisher- Price to warn parents that they could be exposing their child to mold.  They are asking parents to inspect their sleepers to guard against injury.  However, if your child has suffered severe injuries you suspect are the result of exposure to mold in this product, you may want to seek out the advice of a skilled product liability attorney.  By contacting a skilled product liability attorney, you can find out whether your child's injuries may qualify you for compensation.  Call a skilled product liability attorney today to discuss your case and how to help restore your child's good health. 

Does California’s Diversity Translate to Less Disparity in Injury Outcomes?

In a new University of San Diego study, researchers concluded white, black, and Hispanic children all had equal hospital survival rates after experiencing serious injuries.  In a 12 year study of over 47,000 patient records, the study concluded there was little disparity.  In fact, an estimated 1% of injured children died, findings that were similar across racial groups.

This finding was somewhat surprising, given past evidence that racial disparities could influence outcomes. Said lead researcher, Dr. David Chang, “We suspect that there's something about the system, and it could be the diversity or it could be the health care system in California, where there's less of a difference between races than you see in different parts of the country.”

Originally, it appeared there might be just the opposite.  Among white kids, deaths seemed to be less common than blacks and Hispanics until researchers accounted for age, severity of injury and mechanism of injury. For instance, gunshot wounds were more common in blacks, and falls were more common in Asians.

What do you think? Does California’s increased diversity translate into better outcomes for minority patients?

If you’ve experienced just the opposite and you need a trusted advocate, you should contact an attorney today.

Protect Your Child from Overdoses: National Pharmaceutical Take Back Day

KIDS USE YOUR OLD PRESCRIPTIONS

Parents have a lot to worry about these days.  The media is full of stories of children whose lives have gone astray.  And watchful parents try their best to protect their children from illicit substances and bad influences.  There’s a lot to keep a parent up at night.  Will your child succumb to peer pressure and drink at parties? Will they be exposed to illegal drugs on the playground? Will they become an addict? 

What if your child thought he didn’t need to do that because your own prescription drugs were so easily available?  The Partnership for a Drug Free America reports, “The number one source of drugs that teenagers abuse is their own home medicine cabinet.  Kids tell us in surveys that there is enough supply at home, at grandma's house; that they don't have to buy them."

The Partnership for a Drug Free America estimates there’s approximately 200 pounds of unused medications gathering dust in medicine cabinets.  In 2011, roughly 1.7 million youths admitted to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that they took prescription pills out of their family members’ medicine cabinets.   This represents a reduction by nearly 300,000. 

"These findings show that national efforts to address the problem of prescription drug misuse may be beginning to bear fruit and we must continue to apply this pressure to drive down this and other forms of substance use," SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde said in an agency news release.

NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL TAKE BACK DAY- TURN IN YOUR OLD MEDICATIONS

To support these campaigns against prescription drug abuse, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has scheduled a National Pharmaceutical “Take Back Day.”  On September 29, 2012 from 10am- 2pm you’ll be able to drop off these old prescriptions at a local center. To find a local prescription drop off center, call 800-882-9539. 

By turning in your old medications, you could potentially be saving the life of your child.  Often, we don’t think about what’s really lurking in our medicine cabinet.  Oxycodone from your ankle repair surgery, Vicodin from last year’s dental work, Percocet left over from your elective surgery… It could all be in there. Clean out your medicine cabinet today so you can protect your children from accidental overdoses.

If your child overdoses on medications, seek help immediately.  But if you find that you’d like to consult an attorney to review your legal options, we’re here for you. 

10 Ways Your Child can Prevent Dog Bites

Dog bites are known to cause some of the most serious injuries in the nation. They can be physically damaging and emotional scarring. 

Children can be the most susceptible victims of dog bites because they don't know how to read the signs that a dog is aggressive and prone to attack. There are many actions you can pursue in the case of a dog bite, but the best course of action is to prevent it altogether.

Here are several ways you can help prevent dogs from biting your child. Teach them some of the following rules about owners and their pets.

10 ways to avoid dog bites

1)  Ask the owner

If the owner of the dog is present, always teach your child to ask the owner if he or she can pet the dog.

A dog's owners will know the past behaviors and tendencies of the dogs and whether or not the dog is safe to pet. Never approach a dog without first acknowledging its owner and seeking permission to interact with the pet.

2)   Learn to read the signs. 

Usually, a dog's first inclination isn't to bite, but to protect itself. Biting just happens to follow close behind. If an animal feels threatened, it will defend itself, and with dogs, this usually involves biting.

Teach your kid to read signs that a dog might be about to bite. Before a dog acts out with aggression, it will usually do one or more of several things:

• back away
• growl
• sneer
• show its teeth
• whine
• make eye contact
• tense its muscles
• bark

If a dog shows any of these signs, your child should remain calm, and step away from the dog slowly.

3)   Remain calm

The best way to act around a dog is to remain calm. Tell your child to "act like a tree or log" when approached by an unfamiliar dog. This means staying still, remaining motionless, being quiet, and avoiding eye contact. Don't do anything to provoke or frighten the animal.

Should your child be victim to an attack, he or she should drop to the ground and roll into a ball to protect his or her face and neck. This will minimize injuries.

4)   Never approach an unfamiliar dog

If you see a strange dog in your neighborhood, don't let your child near it. Only approach dogs if you are familiar with its history of aggression.

5)   Don't tease

Children should be taught that dogs are not toys to play with. Don't allow your kid to play with a dog's tail and ears or pull on its fur roughly. This will annoy the pet and quite possibly result in a dog bite.

6)   Don't bother dogs while they are eating, playing with toys, or protecting their children

Dogs are territorial by nature, which means that they will become aggressive if  they feel you are trying to take away their toys, food, and puppies. Teach your kid to leave a dog alone if it is eating. Never try to take away a dog's toys if it shows signs of aggression. 

7)   Remember that size doesn't matter

All breeds of dogs bite--whether the attacker is a harmless-looking chihuahua or monster-sized pit bull. It doesn't matter what breed the dog is. If it has teeth, it can bite. (If it doesn't have teeth...it can probably still bite.) Make sure your child approaches all breeds and sizes of dogs with the same wariness. Remain calm, ask the owner if it is safe, and watch out for signs of aggression.

8)   No touch, no talk, no eye contact

When interacting with an unfamiliar dog, tell your child the mantra, "no touch, no talk, no eye contact" at least until the dog shows that it is friendly. Let the dog approach you, and don't react until you know for a certainty that the dog shows no sign of aggression.

9)   Never play with a dog without adult permission or supervision

Never leave infants and young children alone with a dog. The same goes especially if the dog is eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies.

10)   Do not run

When a dog chases you, the last thing you should do is run. This will excite the dog, and set off its instincts to attack. Teach your child to remain calm and still. Back away slowly, and call for help.

In the case your child is bitten, get medical attention

Even if the wound is a small one, take your child to a doctor to prevent infection or spread of diseases. If your child was wrongfully bitten and the injury was the result of negligence, contact legal counsel. A lawyer could help you get justice for your child if the bite was preventable. Don't let your child suffer in vain.

Was your child wrongfully injured?

Though accidents are unavoidable and can happen to anyone, the tragedy is ten times worse when a child is wrongfully injured.

Children should be taken care of, and have a right to safe, healthy, and happy upbringings. Adults, parents, and responsible caretakers have a responsibility towards providing this for every child. But unfortunately, the news that a child has fallen victim to negligence, recklessness, or violence is all too common.

What can you do if your child was wrongfully injured?

First of all, make sure that your child receives the medical attention he or she needs. Costs and expenses can be taken care of later. The most important thing is that your child is safe and healthy.

If you know the injury was preventable and happened as a result of negligence or lack of action by an individual or company, you may be able to claim compensation.

What happens if your child is the victim of a wrongful death?

Nothing can compensate you for the lost of a loved one. No matter who it is you've lost to a tragedy, the consequences are devastating and life-changing. Don't let their deaths be in vain. If the cause of your tragedy was preventable, there's no reason for you not to fight for your rights.

Find out more about wrongful deaths and what you can do in the event of a tragedy.

Filing a claim is not about revenge

No matter how harmful the accident, your child has witnessed a traumatic incident. He or she will not walk away unscathed. More than likely, your child will be emotionally, if not physically, scarred.

Though nothing can undo the accident or harm caused to your child, the least you can do is seek financial compensation for the damage. If a person or company was responsible for hurting your child, there is no reason that you should not demand justice for your loved one. Don’t let others take advantage of you. You have a right to protect your child’s safety and health.

Seek legal advice immediately

By filing a claim, you are demanding justice and compensation for harm caused to your loved one. If your child was hurt because of the negligent actions of someone else, you need to do everything in your power to protect his or her rights.

Talk to a legal counselor or attorney. You may be eligible to a claim. Compensation could help pay for financial and medical expenses, costs, and other damages done to you and your child. Don’t wait until it is too late. Speak to an attorney to find out how you can protect your child’s rights.