Accidents Could Cause Brain Injuries

One of the most fragile parts of our body is the human brain.  Despite a sense of extreme resilience, a traumatic brain injury can be quite damaging.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 1.7 million Americans suffer from a traumatic brain injury every year.  Of these people who have suffered a brain injury, they are caused by the following sources:

• Slip and fall 35.2%
• Traffic accidents 17.3%
• Struck by an object 16.5%
• Assault and battery 10%

As these figures suggest, traumatic events such as accidents can leave lasting impressions on a person, notably in the form of a traumatic brain injury. Because no two brain injuries are alike, the symptoms and varied trauma could produce very different consequences for accident victims.

Symptoms of Brain Injury

Brain injuries fall into a sliding scale of physical and physiological effects.  Depending on the severity of symptoms, a brain injury could be classified as mild, moderate, or severe.  A traumatic brain injury, for example, is severe.  If you have suffered an accident, you could be experiencing signs of brain injury which could include: 

• loss of consciousness
• loss of motor skills
• headache
• concentration or memory difficulties
• nausea or vomiting
• slurred speech
• numbness in your extremities
• seizures, convulsions
• fluids draining from your nose or ears (clear fluids which could be mistaken for a runny nose)

Accident victims should take special care to see a doctor immediately after an accident.  If you have experienced these symptoms, you could have suffered a brain injury, which would require medical treatment. Following a diagnosis of brain injury, you should contact a skilled personal injury attorney in order to recover the damages you need to pay your medical bills. When you contact a personal injury attorney, they can help you to recover monetary compensation to help you. 

Avoid Injuries in Poor Weather Conditions

Last night in Orange County, a driver died in Santa Ana when his car struck a tree.  His injuries were severe because he lost control of his vehicle in the rain.  Unable to recover on this wide 3 lane road, the driver struck a tree, finally succumbing to his injuries and dying. 

As the rains begin in Spring showers in the Southland, it's important to be aware of the impact that weather such as rain can have on road conditions.  Weather could account for poor road conditions, limited visibility, and hinder your ability to operate your car safely.  In poor weather, it's important to know how to protect yourself from injuries and car crashes. 

Avoid Injuries and Drive Safely in Poor Weather

When the weather is poor, it's important to drive safely in order to prevent any potential injuries. Since most drivers in Southern California aren't used to driving in terrible weather, we must be careful to take extra precautions.  This includes the following attempts to prevent injury and stay in control of your vehicle:

• keep your vehicle's safety equipment in service and up to date
• remember to wear your seatbelt at all times
• keep your view unobstructed by obstacles in your vehicle
• reduce your speed in poor weather to ensure you keep control of the vehicle
• use your turn signals so you don't cut off drivers who are also experiencing poor visibility
• use your bright lights to see through the darkness caused by dark rain clouds or fog
• brake early and often to keep in control

If you feel yourself losing control of a vehicle and crashing, keep calm.  If you are injured, call 911 to obtain medical attention for your injuries.  And wait for the police to help you and to investigate. Collect as much evidence as you can about witnesses and road conditions.  If you feel your accident was the fault of another person's negligence or carelessness, call a skilled personal injury attorney for help today.

Glass Shards in TV Dinners Cause Recall

If you're like me, some days you just don't feel like cooking.  But when you reach for those tv dinners to reheat, did you know you could be at risk for swallowing glass or other harmful substances?  Before you swallow a hunk of glass and injure yourself, read the facts about the recent Lean Cuisine recall. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that Lean Cuisine is recalling one of its popular tv dinners over fear that there may be glass shards in the dinner.  Only applicable to the Lean Cuisine Culinary Collection Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli that expires in December 2013, lots numbered 2311587812 or 2312587812, consumers are at relatively low risk for swallowing hunks of glass. But to ensure complete safety, the company has issued a recall in conjunction with the FDA to enforce safety standards.

The Danger of Glass Shards in Food

When consumers bite down into their food, glass shards could present a serious hazard for injury.  These shards may appear to be small and therefore unobtrusive, but to swallow and digest glass, a person could seriously injure themselves.  This could include the following:

• cutting their throat
• perforating the lining of their stomach or intestines
• internal bleeding
• internal organ damage
• pain and swelling
• infection
• death

If a consumer swallows glass, this could cause serious injuries.  Consumers are advised to inspect their Lean Cuisine Culinary Collection Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli dinners to ensure that they are not included in the recalled lots.  If consumers find these recalled lots in their freezer, they should immediately return them to the supermarket explaining that they'd like a refund for the recalled item.  Or consumers should throw it out.  Consumers are advised against eating a product which may contain shards of glass for fear of injury.  

If you have been injured consuming products which contain shards of glass, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. You should contact a skilled product liability and personal injury attorney today.  Your injuries could be severe and a skilled attorney could help you to collect the money you need to move on with your life.

FL School Shooting Raises Questions of Acceptable Violence and Injury

It used to be that schools were considered some of the safest places, facilities where parents sent their children to learn.  These days, it appears schools are turning into the wild wild west.  After violent school shootings and mass injuries and deaths have ripped through the American consciousness, more violence has happened.  At Florida's Atlantic University, the police have shot and wounded a homeless man who was on the roof of a building and brandishing a knife.

Are Students at Risk of Injury from Violence at School

What's shocking about this police shooting is that it appears to come at the apex to some difficult debates raging in America.  On the one hand, mental health advocates are insisting upon health care options for the mentally ill who are accused of committing the crimes that have injured so many students and teachers. On another hand, debates rage across the country on how best to stop violence in the schools that injure staff and students.  And in various regions, debates on police brutality rage on.  

It seems that in response to a homeless man flailing about with a knife on the roof of a building, shooting the man might have been a bit egregious.  Police are quick to point out that the research facility was on an end of campus that was pretty isolated. They further assert that there was zero danger of injury to staff or students.  If this is so, why did the police shoot the homeless man? Couldn't they have tased him instead to subdue him? Why did they have to injure the homeless man with a bullet wound to subdue him? 

Perhaps what's telling is the apparent overzealous response to potential violence on campus.  The climate around violence on school campuses is super charged, electric.  The thought of parading more injured school children and staff on television is too much for law enforcement to bear.  But did the homeless man with a knife deserve to be shot and injured?

These violent actions are a concern for community members across the nation. As these violent outbursts seem to increase, the answers remain few and the questions grow larger and more numerous.  While we cannot say for certain the causes behind this violent behavior, we can control our responses.  This shooting appeared excessive on many levels and could have injured children.  If you or your loved one suffers an injury on campus, you should immediately call a skilled personal injury attorney to obtain help.

Health Dept Finds Only 4 of 40 Massachusetts Compounding Pharmacies Pass Safety Inspections

When the fungal meningitis outbreak occurred as a result of contamination in a compounding pharmacy, the fallout left health officials scrambling to exert more power over these organizations.  In the wake of this outbreak, the pressure has been on compounding pharmacies to live up to the same standards that pharmacies currently need to meet in order to do business.  Massachusetts Department of Public Health has begun a series of surprise health inspections and the results are out.  Only 4 of the 40 compounding pharmacies inspected passed their inspections.  Could that place patients at severe risk of illness if they're using medications from these compounding pharmacies?

The Danger for Injury to Consumers

After the fungal meningitis crisis sickened over 700 people and killed approximately 45 people, increased attention was focused upon whether or not these compounding facilities were following the rules of sterile facilities.  This recent report by the Massachusetts Department of Health confirms suspicions- that after years of not being forced to conform to recognized safety guidelines, these compounding facilities largely aren't.  Should these facilities produce medications in unsterile environments, a number of injuries could happen, including:

• bacteria infections
• exotic diseases
• mass sickness
• loss of limbs
• swelling in the brain
• stroke, heart attack
• paralysis
• death

Depending upon the compounding pharmacies' conditions, consumers could face exotic infections and diseases which could cause them to lose limbs, suffer swelling in the brain, and even die.  Sterile conditions are extremely important when it comes to manufacturing drugs and should be enforced at all times. 

If you buy your medications from a compounding pharmacy and have fallen ill, you should seek immediate medical help.  You should also call a skilled personal injury attorney to help you gain the compensation you need. 

Hope for Brain Injuries

Following a car accident, a brain injury, and especially a traumatic brain injury, can seem like a grim sentence.  How does one put their life back together when they have limited use of their body as a result of a brain injury? Or how do you go on with your life with diminished brain capacity?  Brain injuries like this can be extremely frightening, but there is hope.

One center, Brain Rehabilitation and Injury Network in Cypress, Ca, seeks to reach out to patients with brain injuries to help them to move on and live a more normal life.  One such service the network offers is a cooking class with Colt, a man who has similarly suffered a tragic brain injury.

Colt suffered a car accident, a former high school athlete whose traumatic accident caused his sports trophy to fly into the back of his head, causing a severe brain injury.  Colt has only limited use of the left side of his body as a result.  But cooking with others who have similarly been injured has been some of the best rehabilitation that Colt has ever experienced.

Brain Injuries Can Be Tragic Consequences of an Accident

The reality is that your brain is shielded by very little in your skull. In a severe car accident, there is significant risk that your brain could get knocked around inside your skull.  When this happens, your brain could be injured severely. In such instances, brain injuries could cause a number of consequences including:

• diminished motor skills
• difficulty speaking
• loss of memory
• loss of use of an entire side of your body
• inability to regulate body temperature, to hold one's bowels, etc...
• loss of sense of touch, taste, smell
• difficulty breathing 
• difficulty understanding language
• loss of awareness of big picture/ visionary thinking
• impaired cognitive functions

Brain injuries can be quite severe and living with a brain injury could mean years of potential medical care.  Over time, these costs could add up. If you've suffered a brain injury, you should call a skilled personal injury attorney today in order to gain the compensation you need to pay your medical bills and put your life back together.

Super Bowl Sunday Responsible for Huge Gains in Drunk Driving Accidents

Every Super Bowl Sunday, football fans congregate to watch the game, have a couple of drinks, and enjoy their company.  But did you know that this time honored tradition could also be one of your last?  According to the Automobile Club of Southern California, Super Bowl Sunday is also the "Super Bowl" of accidents.  According to their data, Super Bowl Sunday is responsible for 75% more drunk driving related accidents in California.

The Data Supporting the Super Bowl Sunday Statistics

According to the Automobile Club of Southern California, this 75% increase in accidents represents a significant increase from years prior.  In 2004, the organization released a study tracking California drunk driving accidents from 1994 to 2002, finding these accidents were 41% more likely to happen on Super Bowl Sunday.  In a recent update to that study, the Automobile Club of Southern California found that between the years 2002-2011, there were a staggering 642 alcohol- related car crashes in California on game day.  If alcohol were not a significant factor, then there would be approximately 276 fewer car crashes on that Sunday.  It's clear that because of the nature of the big game and the frequency of the hosted parties which included alcohol, there are significantly higher amounts of car crashes. 

The Danger of Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving accidents can be extremely dangerous to not only the driver of the vehicle, but also to other motorists.  When a driver gets behind the wheel of an automobile after drinking, he or she takes others' lives in their hands.  Even if the drunk driver doesn't kill other motorists, he or she runs the risk of injuring others including: 

• broken bones, fractures
• internal organ damage
• severe burns
• traumatic brain injury
• spinal cord injury
• back injury
• blindness
• paraplegia
• quadriplegia
• coma
• death

Drunk driving accidents can change someone's life in the blink of an eye.  This game day, make sure you have a sober driver or a cab lined up if you drink.  If you are the victim of a drunk driving accident, please get medical attention on scene.  And call a skilled personal injury attorney to preserve your rights and to obtain the compensation you deserve.  

New Study Claims Obesity Causes More Deadly Injuries in Car Accidents

It's hard to ignore that America has a rising obesity epidemic.  Every time you turn around, the news media is proclaiming America obese.  Traditionally, these news outlets list a number of diseases that consumers are likely to develop as a result of this obesity.  But did you know that obese people are also at a higher risk of fatal car accidents and serious injuries?

According to a recent study published in the BMJ Group's Emergency Medicine Journal, obese people are much more likely to die in car accidents than their counterparts of normal weight.  In the study, researchers compared date from 57,491 accidents reported between 1996 and 2008, noticing that obesity was a common factor for deadly injuries.

How Obesity Endangers Your Life in an Accident

Approximately 1 in 3 adults and 1 in 5 children are obese in America.  This is according to the  World Health Organization's standard of a body mass index of 30.  In car accidents, a person's weight and body mass became extremely important because it determined in part how safety equipment fit on consumers' bodies and how their bodies reacted in a car accident. Obese people's bodies sustained more serious and deadly injuries than people of normal size.  The study concluded the following:

• obese people's lower bodies were propelled further in auto accidents, increasing the risk of severe injuries
• obese people's pelvises thrust lower into seatbelts, increasing the risk of serious injuries
• obese people's seat belts fit less snugly than people of smaller size
• obese people often use seat belts incorrectly because they are not comfortable to wear, increasing the risk of serious injuries

Seat belts have been proven to save lives.  When they are used incorrectly or they cannot function properly due to a consumer's size, this safety equipment may be of little use in preventing consumer injury. 

If you have been injured in a car accident, you should not only seek out skilled medical attention, but you should also call an experienced personal injury attorney.  You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.  Find out today by calling a skilled personal injury attorney.

Snowsports like Skiing and Snowboarding Put You at Risk for Injury

Every winter season, millions of people will grab their warm clothes and hit the mountains across America in order to ski, snowboard, or even tube down the snowy mountain.  But as fun as participating in these sports can be, they can also be quite dangerous.  Every year, thousands of people injure themselves in a variety of ways, either due to their own negligence, or due to unsafe conditions, negligent actions of others, or due to failures of their equipment. 

How are People at Risk for Injury Doing Snow Sports

As snowboarding has become more popular over the years, it has attracted more youth to the sport and many adults.  Rates of participation in snowboarding have gone up while skiing participation has gone down.  As expected, given these differences, rates of skiing injuries have halved.  However, snowboarding injuries have doubled from 3.37 injuries per 1,000 visits in 1990 to 7 injuries in 1,000 visits in 2001.

When people are injured participating in snow sports, they commonly experience the following injuries:

·         Head injuries, concussions

·         Broken bones and fractures, including the common mid tibia fracture

·         Knee injuries, including torn ACL’s

·         Spinal cord injuries

·         Back and neck injuries

·         Suffocation due to falling into deep snow banks

·         Death

When participants die during snow sports activities, this commonly occurs on faster runs where the average speed of skiers and snowboarders varies between 25mph to 45mph.  Often, other snowboarders or skiers lack the kind of control that is necessary to ensure the safety of others and instead negligently create accidents that could kill someone. 

How You Can Try to Prevent Injuries

If you’re going to go skiing or snowboarding, there are a number of ways you can try to ensure both your own safety and the safety of others on the mountain.  It is important to think about safety as you could literally end someone’s life, including your own, if you don’t take the proper precautions.  These include:

·         Checking that your gear is working properly

·         Taking lessons if you are not sure of how to operate the equipment

·         Resting on the side of the mountain instead of in the middle of a run

·         Paying close attention to where you are going and where people in front of you are going

·         Not stabbing people with poles and other parts of your gear

·         Reducing your speed to ensure safety on the mountain

·         Ensuring you don’t drink too much or use drugs before getting on the mountain

·         Use the lap bar on the chair lift

·         Don’t attempt to use the chair lift in an unsafe manner

·         Staying on the path and not wandering off path into heavily forested areas or rocky areas

Winter sports can be extremely fun and satisfying, but they also represent many opportunities for injuries.  If you’ve suffered an injury engaging in these fun sports, you may be entitled to compensation.  Call a skilled personal injury attorney today to find out.

When People with Medical Conditions Drive, You Could Be at Risk

Over the weekend, a man died at the wheel of his vehicle when he suffered a heart problem, causing him to plow his car into a local CVS.  His wife, the passenger in the vehicle, is in stable condition.  Following a trip to the pharmacy, the car suddenly accelerated into the building of CVS when the driver suffered cardiac arrest.

This begs the question, at 77 years old, when you're plagued with health problems, should you still be driving?  Are you a danger to yourself and others on the road or are these occurrences just freak accidents?

Medical Conditions Could Endanger Your Life and Innocent Victims

When drivers with medical conditions take to the road, they could be ticking time bombs.  What if they suffer from cardiac arrest while behind the wheel of a large automobile?  That could be a ton of steel that is heading right for pedestrians, businesses, and other cars.

In accidents such as these, victims could suffer a wide variety of injuries, including:

• broken bones and fractures
• severe burns
• road rash
• paraplegia or quadriplegia
• traumatic brain injury
• back and spine injury
• death

With these kinds of risks, is it responsible to let people with known potentially life altering health problems behind the wheel of a large automobile?  At what point are state regulators or lawmakers supposed to step in?  And can that law be applied to everyone, or on a case by case basis?

If You've Been Injured

If you've been in an injury with a driver who had a health problem, your injuries may entitle you to compensation.  Was this driver careless in their operation of the vehicle?  Should they have gotten behind the wheel on medication, or without medication?  When you call an experienced personal injury attorney, they will fight for justice and to obtain you the relief you deserve. 

Family of Teen Who Overdosed at Rave Wins $190K

In 2010, the large commercial rave, Electric Daisy Carnival was held at the Coliseum in downtown Los Angeles across the street from the University of Southern California, and miles away from local hospitals.  At the rave, which attracted over 150,000 attendees, a 15 year old girl died of an ecstasy overdose.  That child was Sasha Rodriguez, a teenager who snuck out of her house to attend the wild rave.  

At the rave, there were thousands of people, many of whom were not only indulging in illicit drugs, but also selling these drugs to teenagers.  The event was supposed to be 16 and over, but Sasha was not carded and was let into the event with her ticket in hand. According to her grieving family, they feel the venue and the concert promoters should have known their daughter was at risk for injury and should have taken steps to protect her.  Instead, their daughter overdosed on an illicit narcotic and died at a hospital nearby.

In a lawsuit against the venue and the promoter, the family obtained a judgment of $190,000 for their daughter's tragic death.  The promoters and venue are understandably upset, but still claim they are not responsible, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times. With this judgment, it begs the question, are these venues and promoters responsible for the health and welfare of their attendees? And will they continue to be held liable for concertgoers' injuries at these events? 

Are Raves Dangerous to the Public

According to members of the Los Angeles Police Department, local doctors, and even members of federal regulation bureaus, these raves are hotbeds for illicit drugs.  As a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention observed while tagging along with paramedics that day, many of the festival attendees' eyes were as big as "dinner plates," signalling that they had ingested ecstasy, an illegal narcotic made of mdma. As a nearby doctor observed, their emergency room had filled with teenagers in skimpy outfits who were tragically ill and could soon find themselves brain dead from the drug. 

 At this rave, thousands of people were listening to music and partying.  And a portion of the crowd was also doing illicit drugs.  You could argue that this 15 year old was in danger of injury from:

• drug pushers
• grabby boys
• violence that had broken out 
• ingesting spiked drinks
• being trampled by the crowd in the initial push to get in

This rave was wildly condemned in the media for a multitude of undesirable behaviors.  This included popular YouTube videos showing kids nearly trampled to death trying to get in the front gate.  Bloody teenagers were being pulled off the ground by security guards. This also included condemnations of rampant drug use by authorities and parents alike.  

Are Venues Liable for Your Injuries

In this lawsuit, the venue and promoters were found liable for the teenager's death.  Could this establish a pattern where venues and promoters might similarly be held liable for concertgoers' injuries? If you have been injured at a rave or a concert, you should seek out the help of a skilled personal injury attorney to determine whether or not you might be eligible for compensation for those injuries. 

Bizarre Train Death Poses Question Whether We Need Barriers Between Trains

New York has had some bizarre accidents and attacks, but a recent incident is causing people to shake their heads in awe.  Apparently, a woman rose from a bench in the subway system to shove a man walking by onto the train tracks.  The man was of course pinned beneath the train and died.

But without a woman to question, there is only speculation.  Was this on purpose? Was this the act of a deranged or mentally ill woman?  There are just no answers to explain what happened.

As leaders debate whether this can be traced to policy changes which emptied out psychiatric wards onto the streets, it's clear that something needs to be done to create a barrier between the trains and people on the platforms.  According to the Washington Post, there are many individuals who find themselves on train tracks every year due to accidents like losing balance and falling.

Should there be a barrier between the train and the platform?

Millions of people use the New York subway system on a yearly basis without incident.  But to the unlucky few who have an accident and fall onto those tracks, a barrier of some sort may be the thing to save their lives.  Imagine if there were a rising concrete wall that separated the platform and the tracks below.  Small children, elderly, those of us who don't have good balance could all rest a little easier knowing there was something there to catch us and prevent us from hurling over the edge and onto the tracks.

Train deaths are excruciating.  Not only do people get pinned beneath tons of metal, they are burned, mangled, and mauled.  The stress to the body is immense. If these kinds of accidents are preventable, shouldn't the City at least try?

Accidents are unfortunately an unavoidable fact of life.  If you have suffered an accident, you should consult a skilled personal injury attorney to determine whether or not you can collect compensation for your injuries.

Unlicensed Dentist Arrested in CA for Putting Patient Lives at Risk

Apparently dental care is a booming industry, including to those who are practicing unlicensed dentistry. In a recent article in the Huffington Post, a Moorpark, California man has been accused of practicing unlicensed dentistry from his apartment bathroom.

After a month long investigation, authorities recently arrested William Escobar for claims that the man gave anesthesia injections and dental cleanings to people from his bathroom.  This all came about because one of his customers complained to authorities following what he felt was unusual swelling in his gums.

The Dangers of Unlicensed Dentistry

Authorities claim that when they entered the suspect's apartment, they found an array of dental equipment and medications from the dentist's chair to anesthesia and even orthodontic equipment.  Authorities are now hoping to add charges of illegal orthodontics to the charges of felony practice of dentistry without a license, misdemeanor furnishing of  dangerous drugs and possession of needles.  Authorities are seeking the help of additional patients.

Dentistry may be expensive, but it requires years of medical training in order to extract teeth, work with bodily fluids, and to know what to do in the event a patient has a reaction to drugs used. By practicing without a license, these illegal street dentists put patients' lives at risk in the following ways:

• bacterial or fungal infections
• contamination
• passing of diseases through bodily fluids
• allergic reactions
• damage to a patient's teeth, gums, jaw
• death

Patients who survived these illicit dental appointments should count themselves lucky that they weren't infected with deadly bacteria or that they didn't experience allergic reactions or death.  When it comes to paying for expensive dentistry work, the answer should be to seek insurance, not to trust your life to an unlicensed and unskilled charlatan.

If You Have Been Injured

When community members take these kinds of heavily regulated health care practices and take them underground, patients can suffer.  Patients may suffer a range of symptoms, some of which can forever change someone's life or end it altogether. If you have seen an unregistered dentist and suffered harm, you may be able to collect compensation for your injuries.  Call a skilled personal injury attorney today for help.

FDA Warns of Dangerous Dietary Supplement- Vows to Take Aggressive Action

There's something so insidious about some of these dietary supplement drugs. While there are many fine dietary supplements on the market, some of them are quite harmful.  For example, the dietary supplement Reumofan has been recognized by the FDA as a harmful supplement containing ingredients which could potentially cause serious harm to consumers.

With this kind of attention, the drug has reemerged under another name.  The new drug is being called "Wow."  According to the FDA, this harmful drug, once named Reumofan Plus, has simply changed its name.  Available on many sites under names such as gonepainfree.com and other generic sounding sites, this drug is now being marketed to treat a host of ailments, none of which the FDA can advocate its use to treat.

The Dangers of the Dietary Supplement Reumofan Plus

According to the FDA, Reumofan Plus has been marketed to treat a variety of ailments, including:

• arthritis
• muscle pain
• osteoporosis
• bone cancer

In truth, the FDA cites in their public warning released yesterday, that instead of a health benefit, consumers could experience the following serious injuries:

• liver damage
• serious bleeding events
• adrenal supression
• stroke, heart attack
• death

The FDA has previously warned that this drug could be very harmful to consumers and promises to take "aggressive action" in order to protect consumers.

If You Have Suffered Injury

Consumers who have taken either Wow or Reumofan Plus are encouraged to call their doctor immediately to determine whether they have injured themselves seriously.  Users are also encouraged to report any injuries to the FDA.  Any injured consumers are also encouraged to call a skilled personal injury attorney in order to potentially preserve their legal rights and obtain compensation for these injuries.

Unlicensed Dentistry Puts Patients Lives at Risk

The next time you see a dental practice advertising deals which appear too good to be true, it very may well be true.  Recently, in Pennsylvania, two women were arrested for running an underground unlicensed dentistry that took in many patients, who were unaware that the practice was not licensed. This potentially deadly operation was brought to an end by authorities based on patient complaints. 

The duo were the dental assistant and the receptionist for a licensed dentist in the area.  However, they had a side business that the licensed dentist was not aware of- an unlicensed dentist practice catering to uninsured patients at night.  After the office closed for the day, the duo would get to work performing the same services their licensed boss performed during the day.

How Patients Were at Risk

Patients were put at risk because the women performing their dental work were not licensed to do so with the necessary schooling, training, and hours with patients.  What's truly scary is that one of these two women had no medical or dental training whatsoever.  This is shocking, considering these women were performing procedures which carried potential risk to patients that their licensed boss had spent years perfecting as a licensed professional. 

The duo were brazen in their patient care; they did not keep records nor did they keep receipts for their cash only business.  They also:

• did not ask patients about drug allergies
• did not take xrays
• injected numbing medications
• pulled teeth
• performed root canals
• put braces on patients, including young patient

As one patient told authorities, their treatment left him in excruciating pain for nearly an hour.  What's worse is their treatments could have spread infection or created deadly health problems for patients.  

Unlicensed health care is a huge problem and can be deadly for patients looking for a deal. If you encounter such a scam, you should seek the help of authorities and call a skilled personal injury lawyer.  These kinds of unlicensed health care operations could leave patients with lasting health problems and financial distress as a result.  

Tis the Season for Mall Shootings?

Tis the season for a mall shooting?  As shoppers across America prepare to deck the halls and find that ugly sweater for the holiday party, there have been a disturbing amount of increased violence at the mall.  Specifically, there have been rising incidents of mall shootings.  From Oregon to right here in our own little Orange County, CA bubble, there have been disturbing incidents where people have grabbed their gun and hit the mall.

In our own little suburban oasis in Orange County, a gunman opened fire outside of a Macy's at the Fashion Island mall in Newport Beach.  Shooting over 50 bullets, shoppers went running to take cover.  For hours, there were shoppers trapped inside department stores as the police obtained control over the situation.  The mall was completely evacuated.  And the next day, shoppers continued undeterred.

What Do You Do in a Mall Shooting?

Incidents like this call to question how you can protect yourself in a violent situation.  What do you do if someone walks into a mall and opens fire?  According to the local Newport Beach police department, shoppers are encouraged to do the following:

• run away
• take shelter and hide
• call 911 from a safe place
• do not attempt to subdue the shooter

Thankfully, in our own local mall shooting, armed police officers subdued the suspect quickly.  However, as the mall was searched, cleared, and evacuated, shoppers waited in fear for nearly 2 hours inside stores. 

What Should Be Done in the Future?

The shooting has prompted many Orange County community members to speculate about how we might be able to prevent future violence.  Recommendations have centered upon more roving police in the parking lots, a heavier security presence, and even weapon sniffing dogs.  This mall in particular was down the street from the police department in an affluent area, a regular destination for on duty police officers.  Perhaps a regular and heavier presence is going to be required during the holiday season to ensure shoppers' safety.

In this case, the only injuries were to a woman who was knocked down as shoppers fled. But shoppers who become injured in these situations may have a premises liability claim against the mall.  Injured shoppers are encouraged to call an experienced personal injury lawyer to determine whether they have a case. 

Doctor Source of Staph Infection that Risks 5 Patients' Lives

Patients go to the hospital to get well, not to get sicker.  But unfortunately, a heart surgeon was recently identified as the source of staph infections at Cedars Sanai.  The complex sutures required during heart surgery are thought to be behind tiny tears to the surgeon's gloves, facilitating the spread of staph infection to patients during surgery.

As a hospital with one of the lowest rates of reported hospital infections, this outbreak was a surprise to some.  Not to Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit engaged in healthcare monitoring. They rated the hospital a C- for these sorts of cleanliness issues.  But what could the danger be if patients contract a staph infection while in the hospital?

The Dangers of Staph Infection

A staph infection begins with a cut and the Staphylococcus bacteria infecting that cut.  Usually treated with antibiotics,  a staph infection is generally more an annoyance.  But in patients such as those who received heart surgery, a staph infection could be extremely dangerous. 

The dangers that heart patients face are quite serious.  Heart patients could potentially develop an inflammation of the heart valves, named endocarditis.  This could cause heart failure and even death.

To clean this infection, patients generally are treated to an aggressive course of antibiotics over 4 to 6 weeks.  If this doesn't work, opening up the patient to clean the infected area is a possibility. In the most severe cases, replacement of the infected heart valve is necessary.  In this instance, 4 of the 5 patients needed second valve replacement surgeries.  

Examining the Standards in Hospital Care

Over 99,000 Americans die of hospital contracted infections every year.  States such as California have begun to require that hospitals report certain infections to the state's health department in hopes that this will encourage cleaner conditions. 

This staph outbreak calls to mind the lack of cohesive standards in hospital care.  When a surgeon has a skin infection, there is no guideline or rule that says they should sit this one out, how many gloves to wear to prevent transmission of infections, or how many times to change said gloves.  Surgeons and hospital administrators are literally flying blind in this instance. 

When patients develop serious infections as a result of their hospital care, their entire life can change in an instant.  This could require additional surgeries and put their lives at risk.  Patients  are encouraged to call a skilled personal injury and medical malpractice attorney to discuss how they might be able to gain compensation for these life threatening infections.  

Dog Bites May Leave You Seriously Injured

The American Medical Association estimates that approximately 13 in 10,000 people will be bitten by dogs this year and require hospitalization.  While that may sound like small numbers, this amounts to over 300,000 emergency room visits for dog bites or 914 visits to the ER per day in America.

Dog Bites Can Cause Serious Harm

Dog bites can be very serious to victims, depending on the severity of the bite or attack, the age of the victim, the duration of the attack or bite, and many other factors.  These can leave serious and lasting injuries including:

• traumatic brain injuries
• damage to nerves
• damage to skin, face, hands, neck
• fatal bleeding
• paralysis
• loss of an eye, ear, nose, or appendage
• death

The American Medical Association estimates that per every fatal dog bite or attack, there are 670 hospitalizations and 16,000 emergency room visits.  Many of these fatal attacks are on children and seniors, who remain vulnerable. 

What Do You Do After a Dog Bite

Following a dog bite, a victim may be in need of medical attention.  But the following are also good rules of thumb to document the situation:

1. Take pictures of your wound, the dog, the scene, witnesses, everything. Document what happened as best as possible.
2. Ask any potential witnesses for their contact information.
3. Separate the dog from the victim and other potential victims.
4. Call the police to report the incident and wait for them to arrive in order to take down a report.

Owners are strictly liable for their dogs' bites.  This means that absent allowed defenses, they could be subject to financial responsibility for your injuries.

If you have suffered a dog bite injury, seek medical attention and contact a skilled personal injury attorney.  You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.  Protect your rights by calling a personal injury attorney today.

New Study Suggests Brain Damage and Aggression are Result of Traumatic Brain Injury

If you follow the news lately, it seems that athletes behaving aggressively is on the rise.  Is this the case or is increased attention finally being paid to the condition these men are developing as a result of traumatic blows?

A new study has come out which may explain incidents of aggression among professional athletes and even soldiers. If the study is to be believed, successive blows to the head could cause 4 stages of brain damage which could cause both aggression and dementia.

Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine released a study on Monday in the Journal Brain, which accounts for multiple head injuries leading to chronic traumatic encephalopathy.  Traumatic encephalopathy is as suggested, a degenerative disease characterized by a progression of dementia brought about by head injuries and concussions.  Even mild injuries could add up over time and cause serious changes to the brain.

4 Stages of Brain Degeneration

As research into the condition of traumatic encephalopathy deepens, an interesting and frightening pattern emerges that explains the brain's degeneration.

• Step 1: headaches and inattention, hard to focus
• Step 2: depression, anger issues and seemingly inappropriate outbursts, brief periods of memory loss
• Step 3: impairment of the brain's cognitive functions
• Step 4: difficulty to form words and find the words to use in speech, dementia, aggressive behavior

These degenerative stages are reportedly the effect of mild to medium concussions and blows to the head which can damage the brain over time.  For this reason, the NFL has changed its guidelines, banning helmet to helmet hits, and many school districts have new limits on the number of hits students may endure in practice and game play.

Many Athletes are Suffering

Over the past few years, a lot of press has come out about athletes who have become ill with degenerative brain problems.  Believe it or not, this is not only the result of a personal injury, but it is the result of repeated injuries on the job.  And yet the NFL seems to offer little in the way of helping these injured athletes long term care.  Perhaps with more studies like this, injured athletes can come forward and get the help that they need. If you have suffered this degenerative brain condition, please seek medical help.  And please also seek out a talented attorney who can help you gain the help you need.

Survey Finds Drugged Driving Doubles the Risk of Drunk Driving

California Highway Patrol officers are worried.  A recent voluntary survey concluded that 1 in 7 drivers tested positive for drugs, including marijuana, in their system.  In comparison, only 7.3% of drivers had any measurable amount of alcohol in their system.  This voluntary test offered drivers $20 to blow into a breathalyzer and give a saliva sample to police offers.  Over 1300 people were voluntarily pulled over during the course of 2 weekends this summer during the late night hours. 

In the wee hours of the morning after the bars close and before motorists get home, it's no surprise that officers caught more than they hoped for.  But it is surprising that 14% of motorists were on at least one drug, with many having 2 or more in their system while they were on the road.

The director of the Office of Traffic Safety, Chris Murphy, concluded "These results reinforce our belief that driving after consuming potentially impairing drugs is a serious and growing problem."

How Dangerous Is Driving on Drugs?

Many activist groups in favor of legalization for drugs such as marijuana argue that their substance of choice is not harmful to others, or that it is somehow less harmful than alcohol. But if this many motorists are driving around late at night with toxic chemicals in their system, their driving is impaired enough that they could potentially kill someone.

Drivers with drugs in their system are driving impaired.  Whether this drug is a narcotic or a prescription drug, drivers can experience slowed reactions or fall asleep at the wheel.  These drivers can cause serious and life threatening accidents for not only themselves and their passengers, but to other motorists as well.

If You've Been Injured in an Impaired Driving Accident

If you've been injured in an accident where the other driver was impaired, your entire life could have changed.  Not only could you be in pain, but your financial health could be suffering as well.  Driving while impaired is illegal and you could be entitled to equitable relief.  You should call a skilled personal injury attorney today to discuss how you can obtain relief.