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Can a Concussion Increase Suicide Risk?
One of the most common accident injuries people suffered is a concussion. According to national statistics, approximately three million people are in some kind of incident that results in a concussion. Some, of course, are extremely serious and can have an immediate impact on the victim' life. Even a mild concussion can have long-term side effects, but those effects may be even more serious than previously thought. A new study has concluded that people who suffer from even one concussion may be three times more likely to commit suicide several years later.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto. The study’s organizers spent 20 years tracking the history of 236,000 victims of concussions. On average, the study found, 31 out of every 100,000 concussion victims eventually took their own lives. Interestingly, concussion victims who had suffered their injuries on a weekend had an even higher risk of committing suicide, at a rate of nearly four times the national average.
Common Child Safety Seat Errors
As summer approaches – and with gas prices significantly lower than they have been in previous years – families will be taking to the roads to enjoy day trips and vacation outings. For parents with young children, one of the most important items they will have in their vehicles is the child safety seat that they depend on to keep their little one safe in the event of a car accident. National statistics, however, reveal that four out of every five safety seats on the road are not being used correctly – leaving their tiny occupants at serious risk.
Seat Base Too Loose
The most common mistake that parents make when installing child safety seats is not making the base of the seat tight enough. A good test to see if the base is installed property is to grab the base on both sides – in the areas where the seat belt is looped through – and try to move it. The base should not budge more than an inch on either side or when being pulled forward. If the base moves, it is not installed correctly. Car seat safety inspectors recommend placing your knee on the base and putting your weight on it, while tightening the seat belt. If you are installing an infant seat, use your elbow during this step. When the belt is as tight as it can go, it is critical to make sure the seat belt locks. This is another step that many parents forget, which can have tragic consequences in the event of an accident.
Statute of Limitations vs. Statute of Repose in Illinois Malpractice Cases
An Illinois appeals court has ruled that families of plaintiffs who die with a pending medical malpractice lawsuit can add a wrongful death claim to the lawsuit. As one might expect, such an addition is possible if the death is alleged to be related to the action in question in the original malpractice suit.
The case was heard by the three-judge panel, and involved an Illinois woman who was being treated at the University of Chicago Medical Center and several of its affiliates, as well as two other medical centers, between the years 2007 through July 2009. In 2011, the woman filed a lawsuit against all parties, alleging that they failed to diagnose her condition as central nervous system lymphoma. The filing of the lawsuit was within the two-year statute of limitations, as well as the four-year statute of repose required by the state of Illinois.
Filing Limitations
Study: Medical Errors Now Third Leading Cause of Death in U.S.
In 1999, the medical community was rocked by a report prepared by Institute of Medicine which classified the problem of medical errors as an epidemic. That report concluded that approximately 95,000 people died each year from preventable medical mistakes. The annual cost to medical facilities was determined to be between $17 billion and $29 billion. Although the Institute of Medicine’s report inspired much debate over the years regarding what could be done to protect patients, a new report – prepared by researchers from John Hopkins University - found that the medical community may not have had too much success and preventable medical errors are now the third leading cause of death in this country.
Unlike the 1999 report, which only used data from one study, the new report used information collected from four major studies. Two of these studies were from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, during the years 2000 to 2008.
Can Third Parties Be Held Liable for Texting and Driving Car Accidents?
One of the most common causes of car accidents today is distracted driving. National statistics put the number of Americans killed every year in distracted driving accidents at over 3,000, with another 431,000 victims injured. However, according to a study conducted by AAA, the number of victims is probably much higher. The study found that distracted driving accidents are difficult to accurately track because drivers are most likely very reluctant to admit they were using their cell phone when the crash occurred.
The state of Illinois, along with 45 other states in the country, has banned texting and driving. Illinois is also one of 14 states that have enacted a hand-held cell-phone ban.
Accident Liability
The driver who is texting and driving is breaking the law. If he or she causes a vehicle accident and someone is injured – or worse, killed – the driver can be held legally responsible for both economic and noneconomic damages for any victims of the crash. But what about the person on the other end of the cell phone who the driver was exchanging messages with? Can they be held liable for a car crash victim’s injuries if they knew the person they were texting with was actually driving a vehicle at the time?
NHTSA: Traffic Fatalities Increased in 2015
New data recently released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that in 2015, traffic fatalities increased by 7.7 percent over 2014. According to the NHTSA, 35,200 people died last year in motor vehicle related deaths.
Regional Analysis
The federal agency breaks the country up into 10 different regions for the purposes of analyzing data. Reports from 2015 show that all but one of those regions had an increase in the number of fatalities. Illinois is in Region 5, which also includes Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Region 5 experienced an overall increase of deaths of nine percent.
Every type of motor vehicle accident fatality also had an increase in numbers. The breakdown includes:
- Truck accident fatalities had a four percent increase;
- Rollover accident fatalities had a five percent increase;
OSHA Implements New Worker Injury Record-Keeping Rules
According to statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are over three million people who are injured on the job each year in this country. Approximately 200,000 of those victims are from Illinois. Of these, about 50,000 such injuries result in some kind of claim seeking compensation.
In countless safety studies and analyses, one common finding is that if there was a better reporting system in place, many of these worker accidents could be avoided. These indications have prompted OSHA to implement new record-keeping requirements for employers, although there are a number of low-hazard industries which will be exempt from the new rules.
New Requirements
These new regulations require that any employer with 10 or more employees will be required keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses. An injury that only requires first aid treatment will not need to be reported. Under OSHA guidelines, the following injures meet the requirement:
Dangers of Heatstroke for Outdoor Workers
The summer months are very enjoyable for most people. Warmer weather permits a number of fun outdoor activities—going to beaches, barbecues, hiking, and, of course, just playing outside for children during the school break. But for those who have to work outside, the heat of summer can cause serious illness and even death.
Potentially Fatal Heat-Related Illness
That is what happened to one man – a 23-year-old landscaper – who recently died after working in the heat all day. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) say the man was assisting with tree trimming work and his duties included flagging traffic, chipping limbs, and stacking brush. He began at approximately 7:00 a.m., but by 4:30 p.m., his body became overheated. He was rushed to the hospital, where his core temperature was measured at 108 degrees. He died the next day.
Who Pays for Victims’ Injuries in Hit and Run Accidents?
A 59-year-old man was killed and two other people were left injured in a hit-and-run accident in Montgomery County, Illinois. According to reports from law enforcement, the man who was killed was riding a motorcycle and the other two victims were on another motorcycle when a tow truck traveling in the opposite direction crossed over the center line, causing both bike operators to drop their bikes in order to avoid being slammed into by the tow truck. The man was pronounced dead at the scene and the passenger on the second motorcycle was transferred to a local hospital. The other driver was treated at the scene. The tow truck driver did not stop and sped off. As of this writing, the driver still has not been identified.
A Growing Problem
According to national statistics, there has been an increase in the number of hit and run accidents nationwide. Eleven percent of all vehicle accidents in the United States involve a driver who takes off instead of staying at the scene of the crash.
Illinois Passes Gabby’s Law Regarding Sepsis
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has signed a new law which will require hospitals to take a more proactive approach to recognizing and treating patients who develop sepsis. When a person comes down with an infection, the body can sometimes have a “toxic response” to that infection. Such a response is known as sepsis.
Senate Bill 2403, also known as Gabby’s Law, reads in part:
“Each hospital shall adopt evidence-based protocols for the early recognition and treatment of patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock that are based on generally accepted standards of care. It requires the protocols contain certain components, including those specific to identifying and treating adults and children.”
The Need for Action
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.5 million people develop sepsis. It is responsible for the deaths of almost 260,000 people every year in this country. It has been ranked as the ninth-leading cause of deaths caused by disease, killing more people than AIDS, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined.
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9631 W. 153rd St., Suite 32, Orland Park, IL 60462
708-966-2408
