The chain-reaction rear-end accident took place around 3:45 a.m. Sunday. As emergency medical services personnel arrived on the scene they could only respond to the screams and moans for help because visibility was so limited by a nearby brush fire and fog. The collisions also cause several car fires along the stretch of accidents, as small passenger cars and trucks lit on fire after striking other vehicles.
]]> I-75 was shut down for most of the morning Sunday while investigators and numerous law enforcement agencies tried to clear the wreckage while searching for clues about how such an awful number of collisions could have happened.Once reporters and news media personnel arrived on scene Sunday, they were confronted with a scene that was out a Hollywood movie, they said. Dead bodies were still visible inside some of the cars and many of the passenger vehicles were obliterated under the larger commercial and semi trucks.
It will likely take months to fully understand how the chain-reaction car accidents occurred on a quiet morning along I-75. Family of the people injured in the collision or fatally injured in the crashes may wish consult with a Florida attorney who can preserve evidence from the scene of the collision.
Source: USA Today, "Cause sought for deadly Fla. Highway pileup," 1/30/2012
]]>POP is a condition experienced by approximately 50 percent of women, according to WebMD, however few women will require surgery to treat the prolapse. Since 2002, vaginal mesh implants have been an FDA approved surgical treatment for POP.
]]> The FDA has recently issued a warning against vaginal mesh after receiving numerous reports of serious complications from the mesh, including:These conditions appear to directly stem from the use of the potentially dangerous product to repair POP. A study conducted on vaginal mesh found that 10 percent of women had their vaginal mesh erode within one year of surgery. The study evaluated more than 12,000 women. The FDA recommends that all women who are considering vaginal mesh surgery consider that there may be serious risks associated with the medical treatment and that future surgeries may be necessary to correct the harm caused by the mesh.
If you've had a surgical vaginal mesh implant recently, and you've experienced medical complications, it's important to contact a lawyer who can help you understand your rights.
Source: WebMD, "Vaginal Mesh: New FDA Warnings," Jane Harrison-Hohner and Laura Corio, 8/1/2011
]]>The faulty wheel studs may fracture the wheels and may even cause the wheels to separate from the vehicle. This very dangerous problem obviously increases the potential for a car crash and serious injuries.
]]> Ford is notifying owners of these vehicles and will advise the owners to bring their vehicles into local dealers for repair. The repairs and inspections will be of no charge to the owners. The cars will have the wheel lug nuts replaced and, if necessary, the rear disc brakes will be replaced as well. Ford will begin sending notices to owners starting around January 24, 2012.The NHTSA began its investigation approximately one year ago in January 2011, after receiving four complaints of wheel stud issues on the 2010 Ford Fusion. One of the vehicles reported broken wheel studs on more than one wheel. The reported Fusions had low mileage and there were no accidents or injuries involved in any of the reported vehicles.
By August 2011, the NHTSA had received 29 reports which caused it to widen the scope of its investigation. Similarly, these vehicles had low mileage and no accidents or injuries were reported.
This recall may lead to lawsuits for individuals who have already been victims of the faulty wheel studs. The danger of this recall is obvious and injuries may have been caused. If Ford was careless or negligent in manufacturing the affected vehicles, individuals may have strong causes of action against the motor company.
Source: Source: Consumer Reports, "Recall: 2010-2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan for bad wheel studs," 12/9/2011
]]>Collisions between vehicles and commercial trucks are especially dangerous due to disparity in size between the semitrailer and the smaller passenger vehicles. Commercial trucks need more distance for braking and larger openings than other cars in order to change lanes. The very operation of trucking can also cause more accidents because many drivers are paid per mile which makes them want to driver at higher speeds and take less time for sleeping breaks.
]]> However, out of the 41,000 to 45,000 traffic deaths occurring yearly, only nine percent of these accidents involve commercial trucks. Of that nine percent, over 80 percent of the collisions are the fault of the driver of the smaller vehicle, not the driver of the commercial truck. Common problems in many of these accidents are fatigue, driving under the influence and distracted driving.Collisions between a non-commercial vehicle and commercial trucks are very dangerous. Approximately 5,000 people are killed in truck accidents each year, with 98 percent of those killed being the driver of the noncommercial vehicle. The majority of accidents occur in rural areas and on the weekend. Sadly, Florida has one of the highest levels of truck accidents in the country.
It is important that both commercial truck drivers and non-commercial vehicle drivers pay attention on the roads. Being alert and aware of your surroundings is very important to keep the roads safe for everyone. No matter when or where they happen, collisions between commercial trucks and non-commercial vehicles can be very dangerous. Everyone who shares the road needs to do what they can to help avoid these costly accidents.
Source: Tampa Bay Online, "U.S. 201 reopens after fatal crash east of I-75," 1/5/2012
]]>Local law enforcement agencies in the area around Farmington report that the suspected drunk driver was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. 550. According to witness reports, the driver narrowly escaped several head-on collisions with oncoming vehicles. When the driver drove into a parking lot in San Juan County, officials report that witnesses had to tackle the man and hogtie him to prevent him from running away.
]]> Witnesses say the driver was belligerent when witnesses confronted him about nearly killing other motorists traveling northbound on U.S. 550. The man tried to run from the parking lot but another man tackled him to the ground, tying him up before authorities were able to reach the scene of the altercation.San Juan County sheriff's officers stated that they do not encourage witnesses and good Samaritans to restrain suspected drunk driving drivers. However, there are no charges pending against the man who tied the driver. Drunk driving in Florida kills hundreds of innocent drivers and passengers each year.
Source: Miami Herald, "Drunken-driving suspect hogtied by witness," 1/18/2012
]]>Current reports from the scene of the Costa Concordia cruise ship put the death toll at six. News reports also state that Italian authorities believe that the disaster may have been avoidable and was likely caused by captain error.
]]> While the possibility of a fatal cruise collision or accident is rare, serious injury accidents can easily occur aboard a cruise ship. The dangers of the water and the weather elements can easily cause a slip-and-fall accident or other personal injury accident.Some of the serious accidents on cruise ships originating from Florida include:
If someone acted negligently causing your injury, you may be able to hold the at-fault party responsible for the harm caused. After a serious personal injury accident aboard a cruise ship, it's important to work with a knowledgeable attorney who will advocate on your behalf.
Source: Miami Herald, "Miami-Dade couple survives Costa Concordia cruise grounding: 'We've been blessed'," Susan Miller Degnan, 1/15/12
]]>The passenger from Temple Terrace died at the scene of the crash. The 20-year-old driver was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital. The tow truck driver was not hurt in the fatal car accident.
]]> According to the Florida Highway Patrol, both women were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision. The brutal force of the impact, however, was too much for the passenger. The tow truck was carrying a Jeep SUV when it struck the car.The Florida car accident remains under investigation by the FHP. While it's unclear why the driver failed to yield at the intersection, the accident offers a painful reminder to pay attention to the road signs and traffic lights at all times. Entering an intersection without the right of way will almost certainly lead to a serious car accident.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, "Zephyrhills crash kills woman," 1/4/2012
]]>In some cases, federal investigators found that hospital and health care employees failed to report even fatal medical errors. Each month, it is believed that more than 130,000 Medicare patients is harmed by an adverse medical event that is preventable. Some patients in hospitals throughout the country experience more than one adverse event in a month.
]]> Hospital employees in the early 1990s reported in studies that they were afraid to report medical errors such as bedsores, infections or medication errors. Today, however, the inspector general of DHHS says that he believes employees do not understand what type of medical error they are required to report.The report also noted that hospitals failed to take action to protect Medicare patients after they investigated medical errors caused by medical malpractice. When a hospital fails to take action to prevent future harm, additional patients are at risk of harm from the same medical error.
Source: NY Times, "Report Finds Most Errors at Hospitals Go Unreported," Robert Pear, 1/6/2012
]]>FHP reports show that a two car caravan was traveling along State Route 64 near Solfo Springs when a truck driver crossed the center line. Two women in a Toyota sedan tried to avoid the semi but still collided with the front of the semi truck. The truck pushed the car backwards and off the road. The truck also veered off the shoulder and hit orange trees.
]]> The second vehicle, an SUV, was driven by the husband of one of the women killed in the crash. He was driving his 2 month old daughter. In an effort to avoid the truck and car collision, the man swerved and the SUV overturned. Both the man and the infant received only minor injuries in the accident.The two women, aged 35 and 34, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The truck driver was transported to Tampa General Hospital with serious injuries. FHP has said that charges against the truck driver are pending.
Source: Naples News, "2 Naples women killed in car-truck crash on rural road in Hardee County," 12/31/2011
]]>Law enforcement officers stopped the man and his passenger at southwest Eighth Street and 107th Avenue. The driver pulled a gun on officers while he was outside of his vehicle and pointed it at officers. As the driver got back in the car, officers fired shots at the man. One bullet shattered a passing car's window, injuring the driver.
]]> As the driver fled the scene, he violently rear-ended a Ford truck. The driver of the truck lost control, hit a palm tree and overturned. The driver is in critical condition. From there, the fleeing driver struck a blue Toyota and two other vehicles. All of the individuals involved in the multiple car accidents were transported to local hospitals.Law enforcement officers blocked off a street along Eighth Street and 107th Avenue to continue their search for the driver and to assess the damage to the vehicles. The passenger that was also involved in the police stop was not charged because he stayed at the scene while the driver took off.
Source: Miami Herald, "Driver flees traffic stop, creates chaos on busy SW Eighth Street," Enrique Flor, 1/2/2012
]]>FHP believes the woman claimed to be the driver of the Chevy Malibu simply because she was the only one authorized to drive the car on the rental agreement. Now the woman must wait to see what repercussions will follow this act of deception. She is likely to find that dealing with the rental company would have been a much better option than what she is dealing with now -the possibility of building a criminal record for falsifying her role in a car crash.
Source: Herald Tribune "FHP: Woman falsely claims to be driver in accident," 12/15/2011
]]>This sort of injury is typically an epidural hemorrhage. Hemorrhages occur when blood is stuck between the layer of skin between the brain and the bone, known as the dura mater. When blood flows from the blown artery, fluid builds up and it eventually punctures the dura.
]]> Brain injuries from a car accident can be especially dangerous because patients are oftentimes unaware that they have injured themselves. As the brain bleeds it swells, and it will eventually have no room left to grow. Over time blood flow will be restricted and the patient will begin to feel symptoms. Unfortunately, at this point, the damage is done and the patient is known to have "talk and die" syndrome. Symptoms for talk and die syndrome can set in anywhere from a few minutes after the incident but not likely more than three hours.Because of the delayed onset of symptoms, talk and die syndrome can be hard to diagnose. Symptoms of an epidural hemorrhage include, but are not limited to:
If a person has experienced a substantial blow to the head due to a car accident or any other reason and seems to be showing any of these symptoms, they should be treated immediately.
Source: CNN, " 'Minor' head injuries can turn serious rapidly, experts say," Danielle Dellorto, 3/18/2009
]]>The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said that the man was riding in the back seat of his girlfriend's vehicle with their 3-month-old son when they were struck from behind. It appears that they were waiting at a traffic intersection when a 41-year-old driver rear-ended the car.
]]> The man was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa where he died four days later. The 3-month-old boy was also seriously injured in the collision. The deceased man's girlfriend was not seriously injured in the crash.The driver in the other vehicle and her three children were bruised but not seriously injured in the collision. Law enforcement officers are continuing their investigation into this fatal rear-end car accident. They are reporting that it appears neither excessive speed nor intoxication played a role in the Florida accident.
Rear-end crashes are particularly dangerous for backseat passengers, such as small children and infants in safety seats. The impact from a rear-end crash often cause brain or spine injuries that may be fatal.
Source: TBN Weekly, "Man dies from injuries in Oldsmar crash," 12/16/2011
]]>This campaign was announced on the heels of a new Department of Transportation report that shows drunk driving fatalities were down on highways throughout the country in 2010. Despite the positive reduction in the fatality numbers, many states saw substantial increases in the number of deaths. For example, the overall drop in fatalities in 2010 was 4.9 percent but New Hampshire fatalities due to drunk driving rose 52 percent and New York fatalities rose 14 percent.
]]> The goal of the new national PSA campaign is to reduce preventable car accidents caused by drunk driving. "Our work is not done," LaHood said. "We can do better and we must do better. We are not going to rest."The three main strategies that are used by both national and Florida law enforcement agencies include: 1) tough laws; 2) consistent enforcement; 3) continued public education, according to LaHood's priorities.
Source: ABC News "Ray LaHood Warns Americans to 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over'," Sarah Burke, 12/13/2011
]]>The report stems from a deadly accident caused by a 19-year-old driver who was texting a friend when he caused a fatal crash. The teen rear-ended a stopped tractor trailer traveling 55 mph. The teen's vehicle was then rear-ended by a school bus. Another bus also collided with the first school bus. All in all, thirty eight people were injured in the collision and the teen and a 15-year-old student aboard a bus were killed in the collision.
]]> The rise in emailing, texting and talking while driving has prompted the sudden call by the NTSB. The recommendation has already received substantial criticism on their unanimous report. Many say that the ban on even hands-free texting is too far. People argue that drivers should be able to police themselves when it comes to talking while driving. Even police officers who support the measure argue that enforcement of texting and emailing bans has been relatively ineffective.Source: Miami Herald "NTSB recommends ban on driver cell phone use," Joan Lowy, 12/13/11
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