Time is critical when emergency workers assess an accident scene. The more they know about the victims of a highway accident, the better chance they have of treating their injuries accurately.
The Illinois Department of Transportation recently debuted a new information delivery system that can help emergency workers learn critical information about crash victims at the scene.
Illinois drivers who want to participate will get a folder to keep in the glove box with information about the people in the car, such as their names, photos, emergency contact information and their primary care physician’s contact information. The folder also will tell emergency workers about current medications and other important health-related information. Emergency workers will know the motorist is participating in the program because there will be a bright yellow decal in the rear window of the vehicle.
In case of a serious automobile accident, that yellow dot could serve as a lifeline for the driver and passengers in the vehicle. The Illinois Department of Transportation is particularly targeting the program toward the elderly or people who are on medication. In emergency situations, health care workers can often waste valuable time trying to learn about the victims’ health before they can accurately treat the patient, according to a press release by the IDOT.
Individuals involved in a serious auto accident need to call a Chicago auto accident lawyer to get fair compensation and be represented effectively against an insurance company. To learn more call 1.877.595.4878 or visit http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/.
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American pharmaceutical companies are learning the hard way that marketing drugs improperly is not only bad for customers, it is bad for their bottom line.
In the fall of 2011, Merck paid $950 million in a civil lawsuit to settle charges it illegally marketed a painkiller called Vioxx. That same year Pfizer paid the government $14.5 million for illegally marketing an overactive bladder drug called Detrol.
A division of Merck advertised Vioxx for rheumatoid arthritis before the Food and Drug Administration approved it for that use. Officials said the company misrepresented the drug’s cardiovascular safety. The company already is scheduled to pay $4.85 billion in lawsuits from thousands of Vioxx customers because of stroke and heart attack claims, according to Fairwarning.org. Merck maintains that the civil settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing.
Pfizer is accused of illegal marketing in 10 different lawsuits. The Detrol case is the last of the suits accusing the company of pitching its prescription drugs for unapproved uses, according to the Associated Press. Although some of these cases were dismissed, the pharmaceutical giant already has agreed to pay $2.3 billion in criminal and civil claims.
The FDA approved Detrol for frequent urination and bladder leaks. The company was accused of marketing Detrol for conditions like enlarged prostates and bladder obstruction, according to the AP.
A Chicago defective products lawyer and Chicago personal injury attorney should be contacted promptly if you or a loved one is dealing with a serious injury or wrongful death due to taking these one of these medicines. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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A new report from the American Automobile Association shows that the financial impact of a fatal vehicle crash is about $6 million. The study from AAA puts a monetary value on things that are affected by fatal crashes like emergency services and legal costs and calculates an estimated financial impact.
Traffic accidents are three times more costly than congestion, according to the survey. Although congestion and auto crashes are linked, AAA looks at each differently in this report. The financial impact of congestion is calculated mostly by looking at gasoline usage and loss of time.
AAA published the study to raise awareness of highway safety issues when the current economic climate has politicians mostly talking about jobs and the economy, according to a story about the study in USA Today. The group makes recommendations on improving highway safety like cable barriers in highway medians and new roundabouts. AAA uses the financial impact data to help support its argument that more needs to be spent on highway safety.
Automobile crashes are the largest cause of death among Americans between the ages of 5 and 34, according to the study. These cost estimates have risen considerably since the last time AAA did a similar study. In 2005, a study determined that a traffic fatality cost $3.24 million.
A Chicago accident attorney can help individuals deal with the financial burden of an auto accident they did not cause and recover compensation for medical bills and other costs. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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Consumers should be extremely wary of taking weight loss supplements as they could cause them serious harm. The FDA recently issued a warning in regards to 20 weight loss pills and supplements that have sibutramine. More than a year ago, the FDA pulled the weight loss medicine Meridia off the shelves because sibutramine increased the chances of a heart attack, stroke, and an unexpected death. The FDA notes that there are huge concerns when dietary supplements use the same active ingredients as FDA-approved drugs, but have not gone through the FDA’s rigorous testing process.
Especially for individuals that are trying to lose weight and have a history of stroke, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias, these weight loss supplements should be thrown away. Do not be fooled by labels that say 100 percent natural. If it contains sibutramine, it is not a natural pill for weight loss.
The FDA has sent out warning letters to manufacturers who sold this product and will conduct seizures of the supplements and criminal prosecutions if the manufacturer does not stop selling the weight loss supplements “as is”. Part of the FDA’s review is to find supplements that are unapproved, misbranded, or contain adulterated dietary supplements. When manufacturers are found to be operating outside the law and do not have quality and safety practices in their supply chains, they can be liable for causing harm.
A Chicago defective products attorney and Chicago personal injury attorney should be contacted immediately to take legal action if you or a loved one is dealing with a serious injury or wrongful death due to taking these supplements. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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Slip and fall concerns are a reality in some workplaces, and especially in automotive repair shops where oil, chemicals, and other cleaning agents are frequently used. A recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection found an Arlington Heights Jiffy Lube to be in violation of safety prevention measures. Floors were not adequately kept dry, and this was a repeat violation as OSHA previously had found floors with oil and water accumulated on them.
This Jiffy Lube faces penalties up to $52,700 and is particularly concerning because the owner, Heartland Automotive Services Inc., has more than 400 Jiffy Lube stores across the United States. Unsafe floors and workplaces can create falling hazards and other serious injury concerns for workers and customers. When a worker has an injury that was caused by the unsafe conditions, the employee has the right to get workers’ compensation to recover from his or her injuries. This includes getting compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other related costs. Most employers are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage and comply with OSHA regulations for their industry. When a customer is injured because of water or oil on the floor, they may have a personal injury claim.
A Chicago workers’ compensation attorney or personal injury attorney should be contacted immediately to take legal action if an employer or customer is injured because of unsafe conditions. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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Peanuts, rice, flour and other food products were recently found to be stored in packaging susceptible to rodent infestation. Inspectors found significant amounts of rodent and bird matter throughout the Streamwood, Illinois warehouse of Chetak Chicago LLC. U.S. Marshals had to seize the products after the inspection by the FDA found these unsanitary conditions. Depending on how many products made it to grocery store shelves or a consumer’s home, these food products could pose a serious threat to an individual’s health.
Another company in Elk Grove Village had serious violations regarding the manner in which it packed, prepared, and held seafood products. The FDA found True World Foods, LLC in violation of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods. The company did not have a HACCP plan in place to address and prevent food safety concerns that are likely to occur in these settings. Sanitation practices and conditions at the facility were also not frequently monitored to show the FDA that they were in compliance with applicable food safety laws. The FDA issued the company a warning letter requiring them to address concerns that the facility’s raw, refrigerated, and ready to consume seafood items could create health issues.
When food is not properly prepared, stored, or monitored it can cause harm and serious injuries requiring hospitalization, lost wages, or even death. A Chicago personal injury attorney should be contacted immediately to take legal action. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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Big rig truckers often feel the pressure to get to their destination ahead of time with the goods and supplies they are entrusted with. It takes quite a bit of teamwork for each driver to accomplish their daily goals. Staying in touch with trucking headquarters for any dispatches and changes, accounting for traffic or road concerns, and keeping their semi-trailers in working order takes constant effort and awareness of everything going on around them.
Truckers might view their cell phones as essential to keep them on track and entertained, but drivers should know that distracted driving – especially in a big rig – can cause a deadly accident. The latest data from the Department of Transportation shows that distracted driving killed 9,000 people and injured 500,000 other individuals. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and its Operation Safe Driver initiative want big rig drivers to remember that, “At 55 miles per hour, a three-second glance at a cell phone, messaging device, or instrument panel will result in the vehicle moving nearly 250 feet down the road – almost the length of a football field.”
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg’s team of Chicago truck accident attorneys represents big rig drivers and passenger car drivers and their riders in Illinois collisions. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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The leading cause for injury death in senior citizens is falling. When an older adult lives in a long-term care facility or nursing home, the staff and management should have multiple fall prevention measures in place to help protect their residents. Even if a fall does not cause an early death, it often creates extensive injuries and expensive hospitalization.
Up to 30 percent of seniors deal with hip fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and cuts and bruising from a fall, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These complications can make it even harder for a senior to be mobile or live more independently.
Health care facilities must look at their fall rate and investigate what other steps can be done to improve the safety culture of the staff to help prevent falls. Not only should nurses that interact with the patient be accountable, but the nurse manager should share in the responsibility. Today’s Hospitalist also encourages health care professionals in all types of care settings to assess how changes in care or a resident’s health could increase their chances of falling. Best practices include bed and chair alarms for at-risk individuals, assisted bathroom visits, and monitoring the dosage of diuretics and sleep aids that can contribute to falling.
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg’s team of Chicago personal injury attorneys represents seniors and their families when they have concerns about their loved one falling because of the negligence or carelessness of a person or facility. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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The word is getting out that using a cell phone while driving is not a smart thing. No matter if a person is emailing or texting while driving, 95 percent of drivers know they could compromise their personal safety, reports AAA in their annual Traffic Safety Culture Index. But sadly, 35 percent of these same drivers have admitted to reading or sending a message anyway.
The AAA Foundation’s survey found that people know distracted driving can be just as deadly as driving under the influence of alcohol. If a driver must stay connected, a hands-free or dashboard system that works with Bluetooth technology is better. It only takes a few seconds of not paying attention to the road to cause a serious or deadly auto accident.
Texting while driving is against the law in Illinois. Using a cell phone in work and school zones is also banned. Even if a driver is stopped at a red light, driving on a quiet, residential street, or in a traffic jam, it is no time to risk your life just to text, email, or chat.
Individuals and their loved ones should seek a personal injury attorney’s counsel when they have been in an accident with a driver who was texting and driving. Briskman Briskman & Greenberg is a leading Chicago personal injury law firm that helps individuals and their loved ones take legal action to recover from serious auto accidents and wrongful deaths. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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Driving under the influence of alcohol can cause serious injuries and harm to the driver as well as any people the driver might hit. A recent news headline highlighted how drunk driving changed the life of a bride-to-be. The Joliet woman was only three weeks away from her wedding when she hit a median and bicyclist near the United Center. She was found with a blood alcohol level of .201 and allegedly had six vodka drinks before driving home that night. She is dealing with a fractured C-5 vertebra and the bicyclist is in critical condition, on a ventilator, and has bleeding in the brain.
Throughout many Illinois counties, individuals can report impaired motorists and make $100 if it leads police to a drunk driving arrest. The Drunkbuster program, which is run by The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, operates year round in DuPage, Lake, McHenry, Will, and Kane counties. More than 4,450 DUI drivers have been arrested from tips received since it began in 1990. People can call in a tip when they notice erratic driving such as swerving, autos going on the shoulder of a highway, near accidents, and other suspicious activity. Police dispatchers will then notify on-duty squads to look for the vehicle with the tell-tale signs of drunk driving, as officers must have a probable cause to stop the automobile.
When DUI offenders appear in court, part of the court fines fund the Drunkbuster program. Overall, more than 45,900 arrests due to DUI were made throughout Illinois in the latest year of statistics.
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg’s team of Chicago car accident attorneys applauds the program as they go after impaired drivers that cause unnecessary, devastating injuries and fatalities. The law firm is accomplished in all types of accidents due to DUI and will help a victim and their families seek the maximum compensation for their concerns. To learn more, call 877-595-HURT (4878) or visit more of http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com.
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