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Tag Archives: slip and fall

February 13, 2022 News
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Redefining accidental injuries, fatalities and responsibility

An important but under-recognized movement has developed to truly improve ‎safety and prevent “accident injuries.” For way too long designers, manufacturers and society ‎leaders have ignored the well-known dangerous situations and hazardous conditions that exist ‎in the modern world. This sometimes manifests by poor road design, dangerous construction ‎site planning or manufacturing of faulty products. Once someone – or many people – have ‎been injured or were killed by poor design or negligent implementation, the people ‎responsible for the tragedy write it off as an “accident.” Many refuse to take any blame of ‎negligence and refuse to take the opportunity to declare a faulty product recall. More ‎importantly, they don’t make full efforts to redesign their product or re-do their design to ‎prevent further injury or death. It is no secret that some roads and highways are dangerous ‎and are more prone to car crash or pedestrian accidents. Likewise, some high-intensity ‎electrical products are known fire hazards. Yet others pose a serious risk of choking hazards or ‎other similar dangerous situations that need to be corrected. The concept of a wrongful death ‎lawsuit developed in an attempt to hold offending parties accountable for their actions or ‎even inactions. Personal injury lawsuits are likewise used as a tool to not only compensate ‎injury victims but to also create change in the world of those who design, develop and ‎manufacture consumer products or facilities.
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A recent book ‎was written about this topic, bringing to the forefront the idea of how to make necessary ‎changes before tragedy strikes. A top New York law firm has a long history of fighting for the rights of people ‎injured in a “car accident” that may not have actually been exactly just an accident after all. ‎This team has a tried a true history of fighting to change the reality and protect victims of faulty ‎products, work injury, slip and fall injury or even medical malpractice. The time has come to ‎make sure that designers, manufacturers and companies are held responsible for their actions.‎

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March 30, 2021 News
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Elevator accident kills assistant superintendent in Brooklyn

New York – An assistant superintendent building worker was crushed to death after being dragged into some moving elevator equipment. The elevator accident occurred after the maintenance worker was attempting to retrieve something that had fallen down into the elevator shaft. He was caught by the elevator cables as they moved along the elevator car above. Building safety specialists say that safety protocols and mechanisms should have been in place to prevent such a work accident. Some workplace safety advocates have asked why the elevator maintenance room was not properly secured with guards in place to prevent a person from getting caught up in the ropes, gears and motor. In addition, concern has arisen as to whether or not negligent maintenance or even faulty manufacturing could have contributed to such a fatal accident. Heavy machinery such as elevators require constant proper maintenance and inspections. Work accidents are a big concern for union leaders and work safety personnel. A worker’s comp injury can come about from all sorts of dangerous conditions found in the average workplace according to specialists. This can range from a car accident, to a slip and fall accident or even falling debris that can cause a head injury, internal bleeding or broken bone. An accident with injuries can easily lead to a permanent disability, sick leave and even wrongful death. You can find more details about this work accident in this article.

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February 17, 2021 News
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Multiple winter-related accidents and injuries reported in New York

New York – Winter snow, ice and rain have made for dangerous conditions on roads as well as public and private properties. There have been many reported car accidents, slip and fall injuries and even sledding accidents in a public NYC park due to the weather. It should be noted that homeowners and business owners alike have a responsibility to keep their walkways, sidewalks and parking lots in good repair and cleared of snow and ice. This often includes the need to spread salt in order to prevent a slip and fall accident. Public safety advocates also say that winter potholes and damage to sidewalks or parking lots must be repaired to prevent trip and fall accidents too. Negligent maintenance can sometimes include untimely repairs or neglecting to shovel snow and ice in a reasonable manner. You can see this article for more about the recent rash of winter accidents in the area.

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April 17, 2020 News
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Negligence? Why is New York getting hit so hard with COVID-19?

New York – Various theories abound as to why the New York City area is at the epicenter of the novel coronavirus 2019 pandemic. Thousands of COVID-19 victims have already died and up to several hundred thousand more New Yorkers are confirmed to have been infected with the dangerous virus. Citizens and workers have been concerned as to why the area has been hit so hard and wonder what should be done about it. One possibility is that employers and businesses have been negligent in properly disinfecting surfaces and equipment in the workplace. Improper cleaning of desks, phones, doorknobs and files may be linked to spread of the dangerous disease. This has many concerned for their health and welfare, especially for those workers who are being required to come into work every day. Office workers, maintenance staff, factory workers and essential workers such as doctors, nurses and ancillary hospital staff can be at risk for contracting and spreading coronavirus according to research. Workplace safety experts say that it is the responsibility of employers and management to provide for a safe work environment and to prevent a hazardous situation for both workers and customers alike. They express concern for the lack of safety equipment, personal protective supplies and disinfection control in places ranging from hospitals and doctor’s offices to everyday places such as offices, warehouses and supermarkets. Important things to look out for when assessing this include: Does the business provide gloves or face masks? Approved and safe cleaning and disinfectant supplies? Cleaning crews that are licensed and follow best practices? Does the store require customers and workers to wear face masks? Do they enforce social distancing guidelines to prevent people from coughing or sneezing on others? Some have pointed out that negligent cleaning can be similar in concept to negligent maintenance that creates a health risk and dangerous condition for others. Imagine if a store refused to clean up a slippery spill in the middle of an aisle and along comes an unsuspecting shopper that suffers a slip and fall accident as a result. Is this all part of the cause of the rapid and dangerous spread of COVID-19 in New York? See this article for more about the New York outbreak of coronavirus.

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November 27, 2019 News
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Work injuries at site of construction collapse

New York – A scaffold collapse in Manhattan left two workers injured. The wounded workmen fell from the scaffolding as it collapsed according to reports. They note that one of the victims suffered serious injuries during the work accident. The other accident victim’s injuries were still being assessed but appear to be less life threatening. It is unclear whether the injuries were caused by the fall from a height or rather from being crushed under the falling construction debris. Investigators were also looking in to the cause of the construction collapse to determine if safety precautions were in place. Worker safety is supposed to be the highest priority for employers of construction and renovation companies. However, some employers have been known to take shortcuts in order to save time and money in safety equipment and training. It appears that there was an issue with the building and inadequate maintenance of the scaffolding according to reports. Improper construction or negligent maintenance, especially at a dangerous construction zone, can place the safety, health and lives of workers and bystanders at risk. Workplace accidents are a common problem, especially at construction sites that work with heavy equipment, tall ladders and scaffolds as well as electrical tools such as drills, saws and hydraulic devices. There are also complicating factors such as poor lighting, uneven or broken sidewalks and pavement, and unsteady flooring and walls or even railings and stairs. These hazardous conditions can lead to slip and fall accidents, broken bones, neck and back injuries, heady injury or even wrongful death. Read up more about this construction accident here.

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June 03, 2019 News
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Helicopter accident in Manhattan

New York – The pilot of a helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River was treated for injuries after being rescued. He apparently was flying the helicopter, trying to take off, when it suffered a technical problem. This caused the aircraft to lose control and then crash into ground but sent the pilot into the river waters. Fire rescue teams rescued the man and transferred him to emergency medical professionals for treatment of his accident injuries. Officials say that he was very lucky to have suffered relatively minor and non-life threatening injuries during the accident. However, it is unclear what psychological injuries he may have suffered during the crash. Investigators will need to continue evaluating what caused the malfunction and determine if any negligent maintenance or other problem existed. In addition, a bystander on the chopper helipad apparently suffered a slip and fall injury while trying to run away from the impending collision. That victim reportedly suffered a wrist injury due to the trip and fall accident. Find out further details about the accident with injuries here.

Illustrative photo credit: cisc1970 [License]

September 28, 2018 News
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Traumatic nerve injury pain relief study

New York – Doctors have long struggled to adequately treat pain related to traumatic nerve injury. A recent study into the effectiveness of pain medications for various sources of pain looked into this further. They researched pain medications such as pregabalin, often marketed as Lyrica, that some doctors have tried using for patients who suffered an traumatic injury involving a nerve. Unfortunately, the study showed that this type of medication is not ineffective in treating this type of pain. These could be patients suffering with a laceration or torn nerve, radiculopathy from a neck and back injury, brachial plexopathy or the like. The causes of such nerve injuries often include motor vehicle accident, slip and fall injury, work accident, broken bones and fractures or assault. However, the medication is approved by the FDA for patients suffering from pain from a spinal cord injury. The doctors researching this medication did note that patients with chronic post-surgical pain may benefit from the use of the drug. This is good news for patients trying to get relief from chronic pain after surgery whether its related to routine complications or surgical error. You can read more about this injury and chronic pain research here.

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June 13, 2018 News
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Can a spinning class cause a car accident-like or crush-like injury?

New York – A team of medical researchers from Westchester, NY have discovered a possible link between spinning class exercise and a type of muscle injury that can lead to kidney damage. The nephrologist doctors noted multiple cases of people being injured with a condition called rhabdomyolysis after taking a spin class, especially people who are new to this type of intense exercise. The condition is normally found in severe trauma victims, for example, those involved in a car crash, victims of a slip and fall accident from a height or crush injury patients. The rhabdomyolysis condition is caused by massive muscle injury that leads to dangerous levels of myoglobin protein being deposited into the victim’s blood stream. This can then lead to kidney injury and even kidney failure and death according to doctors. Public safety specialists are now asking about the qualifications of those who recommend and teach spinning classes, wondering if they are educated about the dangers involved. They explain that this is just one type of spinning class injury. Activists have noted that the spin instructors must take responsibility by becoming educated, obtaining medical clearance when necessary and ensuring student safety for all of their classes. If you think that you might have been injured by someone, you have the right to discuss your case with an accident attorney who specializes in personal injury lawsuits. Please see this article for more about the research into rhabdomyolysis and spin exercising.

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February 14, 2018 News
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Data shows increased incidence of deaths from accident injuries

The recent release of data on the causes of death in the United States shows some disturbing statistics regarding fatal accidents. The study by the National Safety Council (NSC) showed yet another significant increase in car crashes with life-threatening injuries. Public safety specialists express concern regarding this, in light of the efforts to increase design safety of motor vehicles and roads as well as safe driving campaigns. Modern cars and trucks have advanced technology seat belts and airbags as well as safety sensors throughout the vehicle. Further analysis is needed but some wrongful death experts believe that the noted increase in serious injuries is due to distracted driver accidents. They blame this on the increased technology devices distracting drivers, such as driving while texting, talking on a cell phone while driving and even people who read and post to Twitter and Facebook while operating a motor vehicle. They also note that some drivers don’t take their responsibility seriously while they eat, read or speed instead of concentrating on the road. Several other causes of accidental injuries that commonly lead to death were identified by the council. These include slip and fall, drowning and overdose accidents. If you or someone you know has suffered a preventable accident due to someone’s possible negligence, you have the right to speak to an expert accident attorney to discuss your case. You can also find out more about the NSC study here.

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January 01, 2018 News
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New York City subway accident injures worker

New York – Wednesday’s subway train collision occurred on the tracks that run between Queens and Manhattan. The train accident involved two trains that were apparently not carrying any passengers. Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers were aboard the subways at the time of the crash and at least one worker was injured as a result. One report shows that the trains involved in the collision were actually work trains, carrying workmen, supplies and tools. The workers were down there doing repair and construction work on the line according to union officials. However, it is still unknown what caused the work accident. That cause is under investigation by transportation safety officials but has many riders concerned. The heavy traffic and speeding trains in the system that was designed so long ago is a recipe for disaster according to some watch groups. They note that negligent maintenance and delayed repairs are all too common, placing the public at risk for injury and death. These problems, some say, are the root cause of the plethora of subway injuries and accidents in the city. Safety advocates are demanding further evaluation of the safety of the mass transit system, with an eye on specific known problem areas. These include lines with prior collisions, near misses and heavy traffic as well as dangerous curves. In addition, slip and fall hazards, platforms and stairs that have a history of trip and fall injury as well as areas of increased smoke and fumes build-up should be evaluated and corrected. You can see more about last week’s work train accident here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Mark Mitchell [License]