South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog

Published on: October 18, 2012

Palm Beach Bicycle Safety: Helmets Saving Lives

A new study was just released that solidifies the argument that bicycle helmets can save lives. According to US News, researchers in Canada looked at close to 150 bicycle fatalities that happened from 2006 through 2010. Cyclists involved in these accidents ranged from 10- to 83-years-old. More than 85 percent of these victims were males. Cars and other motor vehicles were involved in more than three quarters of these fatal accidents.

The bicyclists who were killed in these accidents because of a head injury were about three times less likely to be wearing a helmet at the time of collision than those who were killed because of other injuries sustained in the accident. The study was published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

Our Palm Beach bicycle accident lawyers understand that bicyclists stand little to no chance of survival in a serious accident with a motor vehicle. Cars and trucks carry so much weight and power that it’s an unfair match up when accidents occur. It’s important for these two-wheeled travelers to be on the lookout when traveling near vehicular traffic. Staying one step ahead of the movement around you will help to cut down your risks of a potentially fatal accident.

“We saw an association between dying as a result of sustaining head injury and not wearing a helmet,” wrote Dr. Navindra Persaud, with St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

When tallying bicycle fatalities, they account for more than 2 percent of all of the recorded traffic deaths for the year. As a matter of fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there were more than 615 cyclists who were killed in the U.S. in 2010. There were another 50,000 injuries sustained by our two-wheeled friends.

The state of Florida is one of the most dangerous states in the country for these kinds of accidents, too. In 2010, there were close to 100 bicyclist fatalities recorded in the Sunshine State. We ranked as only the second most dangerous state for riders, behind the state of California.

Riders have to fend for themselves out there, because it’s clear that no one else is going to do it. Be safe, be alert and be aware when riding your bicycle to help to keep yourself out of the path of any irresponsible drivers.

Riders can qualify to get a free bike helmet through the PedBike SRC. All you have to do is register on the site. You’ll then have to become a community partner, meaning that you have to attend and complete a bicycle helmet fitter training program. Once you’ve completed this program, you have to fax or email a scanned copy of the completion certificate to the organization. Lastly, you’ll have to complete the Community Partner Agreement Form. Once all of this is verified by officials, you’ll get access to the Helmet Store and you can get your free helmet!
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Published on: October 17, 2012

Defective Product Risks in North Carolina Increase During Holidays

By Dean Freeman

Believe it or not, there are probably dangerous or recalled products in your home that you don’t know about. Most of the time, parents, guardians and family members never know that a product they own has been recalled due to the risk of accidents and injuries.

For this reason, our Sebastian injury lawyers are urging all residents to take a periodic peek at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission‘s (CPSC) recall list.

In the most recent list of recalls, you will find a lot of child products. It’s especially important for parents to be aware of these kinds of recalls because kids can’t do so themselves. Check out the recalls listed below and make sure to check the federal recall list often to help to keep your young loved ones safe.

Children’s Upholstered Chairs Recalled by Trend Lab:

There have been close to 20,000 of these products recalled by Trend Lab LLC, of Burnsville, Minnesota because the staples that can be found in the binding on the backside of the chair can come loose and can serve up some serious laceration hazards to children. The date codes TL1007C through TL0812C fall under this recall. If you have one of these items in your home, discontinue use of it and contact the company, by calling (866) 814-7978, for a free repair kit.

Fleece Hoodie and T-Shirt Sets Recalled by Children’s Apparel Network:

There are more than 6,000 of these sets that have been recalled by Children’s Apparel Network, Ltd. of New York, N.Y. — coating on the zipper of the hoodie contains a high level of lead. The levels violate the federal lead paint standard. These sets were sold at Target from October through December of 2011. If your child has one of the sets, please discontinue use and return it to the store for a refund.

Wood Highchairs Recalled by Graco:

There have been close to 100,000 of these Classic Wood Highchairs recalled by Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Atlanta, Georgia. There have already been nearly 60 reports of these seats loosening and/or coming detached from the base. There have been close to 10 reports of children falling from the seat after they became detached. Injuries have been reported also. The following model numbers fall under the recall: 3C00BPN, 3C00BPN TC, 3C00CHY, 3C00CHY TC, 3C00CPO and 3C00CPO. If you have one of these chairs, stop using it immediately and contact the company, by calling (800) 345-4109, for a free repair kit.

Buy Buy Baby Recalls Pink Angel Embroidered Girls’ Denim Shorts:

There have been close to 1,200 of these Pink Angel Embroidered Girls’ Denim Shorts recalled by Franshaw, Inc., of New York, N.Y. because the pockets can come undone and can serve as a choking hazard for young children. There has already been one accident report of this happening. Style numbers B91540 or B11540 can be found on the hangtag of the shorts. Stop allowing your child to wear these shorts if they have them and call the company for a full refund. Call (877) 328-9222.
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Published on: October 9, 2012

Trampolines: More Dangerous than Fun for Kids!

By Dean Freeman

Go through any neighborhood in South Florida and you’re bound to see trampolines in the back yards of many houses. What you don’t commonly think about when seeing these trampolines are the dangers that accompany them.

According to NBC News, there were about 100,000 injuries reported in 2009. Because of all of these injuries, officials with the American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued a warning to parents and caregivers asking them to get rid of them. This even counts for the ones that come with the safety net surrounding — those are no safer! The only thing that these nets do for owners of trampolines is provide them with a false sense of security. The truth of the matter is that they’re no safer than the ones without them.

“Pediatricians need to actively discourage recreational trampoline use,” said LaBotz with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Our Palm Beach child injury attorneys understand that these trampolines are a piece of equipment — not a toy! While officials are urging parents and caregivers to discard these devices, we understand that many will not. That’s why we’re here to help you to be aware of the risks and to urge you to take the proper safety precautions to help to reduce your risks for an accident.

According to National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, about 75 percent of injuries that happen on trampolines happen when there is more than one person jumping on it at a time. In these cases, it’s the smaller person who is jumping that is likely to be injured.

As a matter of fact, the young the child is the higher their risks are for an injury. Many of these injuries happen to the legs and spine and are most commonly fractures. For kids under the age of 6, close to 40 percent of the injuries that were taken to the emergency room were fractures.

When you take all age groups into account, sprains, contusions and sprains were the most common kinds of injuries. They actually accounted for about 40 percent of all trampoline injuries. They’re so bad though, that about 1 out of every 200 trampoline injuries results in some kind of permanent neurological damage.

Trampoline Safety Tips:

-Always keep them at ground level when possible. If a fall happens, you want it to be as short of a fall as possible.

-Avoid doing flips. When flips fail, your risks for a cervical spine injury skyrocket! Many of these kinds of injuries can result in permanent damage.

-Always supervise young children. This means to actually watch them and not to just stand close by.

-Don’t let outer netting substitute for adult supervision.

-Only allow one person to jump at a time.

-Clear the area around a trampoline.

-Trampolines that are used for a structured sports training program should always have appropriate supervision, coaching and safety measures.
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Published on: September 30, 2012

More Red-Light Cameras in Boynton Beach?

By Dean Freeman

As we recently reported on our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, Boynton Beach is raking in the dough from their intersection cameras. There are more than 10 red-light cameras in the area. They may cost the city more than $52,000 each month, but they brought in more than $2 million from July of 2011 through August of 2012.

According to the Sun Sentinel, city officials are looking to expand the program to generate even more revenue. About $2 million was collected for the city in just a 14-month time period. Thousands of motorists were busted for trying to slip through the traffic lights. Elected officials are going to vote on the addition of five new red-light cameras at four new intersections in the area. These new cameras could bust close to 2,000 more drivers every month.

Our Boynton Beach car accident lawyers understand that the 11 cameras in the city were expected to catch close to 12,000 drivers trying to run red lights by the end of September. Each of these drivers would get a citation and a fine of close to $160. The state takes some of the money, but the city is expected to get more than $2 million before expenses.

Of course, these systems aren’t free. To operate them all, there is close to $650,000 in lease payments. It also cost law enforcement officer wages because they need to be hired to look over the footage before issuing tickets. Since only two officers can use the system at a time and there’s a lot of footage to cover, this takes quite some time and in turn is pretty costly!

First off, commissioners are trying to hire two community service officers at close to $60,000 a piece to look over the footage. With the additional cameras and the extra officers, city officials think that the program will help to make a profit.

Vice Mayor Mack McCray says that he knows that the cameras are effective. Even he was busted and slapped with a citation for passing through a red light.

Despite all of the talk about the money and the profit, city leaders still say it’s not about the money — it’s more about the safety of our drivers.

In recent studies regarding these cameras, the number of t-bone accidents usually decreased whereas the number of rear-end accidents actually increase. This is usually because drivers try too hard to avoid a ticket and slam on their brakes.

At four of the intersections where there are already cameras, the number of accidents dropped by close to 60 percent. Commissioner Steven Holzman says you can’t believe all of the numbers though. He says that the city hasn’t compared accident stats to other intersections too, to see if the drop was part of a citywide trend. Police Chief Matt Immler said that’s probably the case because the number of accidents across the city have dropped.
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Published on: September 28, 2012

Broward Traffic Safety: Protecting Children Near Our Roadways

By Dean Freeman

A child was injured after he was hit by a van near the intersection of Boynton Beach Boulevard and Winchester Park Boulevard, reports The Palm Beach Post.

The 10-year-old was riding his bicycle when the crash happened. Boynton Beach Fire Rescue reports that the child was taken to a local hospital for observation.

Our Boynton Beach injury lawyers understand the risks children face for traffic accidents when traveling along our roadways. They’re not always able to comprehend the workings of motor vehicle traffic. It’s important that we talk with our kids about these dangers. Our young ones are walking to and from the bus stop and to school and they’re also playing outside after school. Let’s equip them with safe traveling habits now so they can safely travel outside for a lifetime. That’s why officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are bringing back Chuggington, the animated series helping to teach kids safe walking and bicycling habits.

The NHTSA reports that there were close to 3,000 school-aged kids who were killed in traffic-related accidents in 2010. A majority of these fatalities happened during the afternoon hours, or between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., as kids are out of school and are heading home.

This year’s campaign, “Think Safe. Ride Safe. Be Safe!” is working to make sure that kids follow a few safety tips when getting to and from school and when playing outside once school it out. Please review the following safety tips and share them with the young traveler in your family.

Walking:

-Always walk on the sidewalk if there’s once available.

-When there’s no sidewalk, make sure that you walk as far off the road as possible and walk facing on-coming traffic.

-Don’t shove or push others near the road. No horseplay!

-Look left, right and left again before crossing the road.

-Never allow children under the age of 10-years-old to walk near traffic alone.

-Never allow children of any age to walk alone. Make sure that they’re walking with a friend or with a group of kids.

-Always use a crosswalk.

Bicycle:

-Always wear a helmet and make sure the chin strap is buckled.

-Always ride on a bike path or on a sidewalk. Never ride in the street.

-Never ride next to your buddies. Always ride in a single file line.

-When you have to cross a street, get off of your bike and walk it across.

-Never ride during evening or early-morning hours.

-Make sure bicycle are equipped with lights and reflectors.

-Make sure you wear light clothing to make yourself more visible to motorists.

Chuggington is also asking kids to take the pledge to put safety first. Kids are asked to always buckle up, to always wear a helmet on a bicycle and to only cross the street with an adult.
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Published on: September 26, 2012

Parasail Accidents in Fort Lauderdale: Safety Bill Proposed for Industry

By Dean Freeman

Florida legislators recently announced that they were going to make a proposal to tighten up parasailing safety regulations. The proposal comes after a recent parasailing accident we told you about on our South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog in which a tourist plunged more than 100 feet to the waters below in Pompano Beach.

The bill that’s going to be introduced during the next legislative session would make sure that there are more safety inspections of these companies, that operations don’t happen too close to the shoreline and that there will be more standards in place to protect customers. There have been other proposals in the past, but none of them have passed. Supporters of the bill say that it’s all in an effort to stop people from being killed in these kinds of accidents.

Our Fort Lauderdale accident lawyers understand that carnivals are inspected when they come into town and these beach “rides” should have to undergo the same inspections, too! We can’t have these tragedies continue to occur along our shoreline.

The most recent bill is named the “White-Miskell bill.” It’s named in honor of the victims in two fatal Pompano Beach parasailing accidents. One was the accident that happened weeks ago and the other was the accident that happened five years ago in which a 15-year-old girl was allowed to go up with her sister even though there was a thunderstorm approaching. Because of the wind, the line that the girls were attached to snapped and the girls flew ashore and slammed into the roof of a hotel, according to the Sun Sentinel.

According to the most recent calculations, there are somewhere between 70 and 120 parasailing companies throughout the state of Florida. Most of these are in areas that have heavy tourist populations, like Fort Lauderdale. There’s a little bit of regulation from the Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration over these operations, but no one agency sets or even enforces any safety standards.

Under the proposed bill, these operations would not be able to take place when weather is poor, when power lines or other fixed objects are nearby, when companies don’t have the proper insurance, when equipment has not been inspected or when the towline doesn’t meet a strength standard of 4,800 pounds.

“Any business that can’t operate with safety standards shouldn’t be in business anyway,” said state Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach.

Advocates are hoping that these safety standards will help to weed out any unsafe and irresponsible companies.

Still, there are people in our state’s government who believe that certain activities don’t need to be regulated. But how many people have to die before we enact some sort of safety regulation?.

Still, all safety bills that have been introduced in the past have died in committee. Fingers are crossed for this one.
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Published on: September 20, 2012

Check CPSC Recall List – Reduce Child Injury Risks in Broward County

By Dean Freeman

We expect the products we purchase to be safe for our family. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case and items are recalled long after they’ve made their way into our homes.

For this reason it’s important that parents periodically check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission‘s list of recalls.

Our Fort Lauderdale defective products attorneys know children are at especially high risk of injuries as it’s often child products that face recall. Our children are some of the most vulnerable consumers as they not always able to recognize the danger.

Recent CPSC recalls include:

H&M Children’s Water Bottles:
H&M Recalls Children’s Water Bottle Due to Choking Hazard, Sold Exclusively at H&M Stores. H&M Hennes & Mauritz has recalled close to 3,000 child water bottles because the spout has been found to break off and pose a serious choking hazard for child users. “H&M Sweden” and “www.hm.com” are printed on the bottom of these bottles. If you have one of these bottles, you should stop using it immediately and return it to the store for a full refund.

Bluestem Brands’ Range Rider Ride-on Toy Cars:

Close to 5,000 of thee toy cars have been recalled by Bluestem Brands, Inc. What can happen is the battery of the car can overheat, start smoking, melt down and catch on fire. Clearly this serves as a serious burn hazard for children. There have already been about 10 accident reports. Under this recall are the model numbers 90407B and 90407G. If you have one of these cars, stop using it immediately, take the battery out of it and contact Bluestem for a full refund. Call (866) 931-5417.

Kickboard USA’s Children’s Scooter:

Kickboard USA is recalling close to 6,000 of its Scooters because the one-piece plastic platform on the front wheel base can break off and can serve as a serious laceration hazard to children. They were sold for children between the ages of 3- and 5-years-old and have the words “Mini Micro” written on the front plastic covering. If you have one of these scooters, contact the company at (888) 236-5657 for a full refund.

Babylicious Recalls Cloth Crib Fringe:

About 300 of cloth crib fringe have been recalled by Babylicious Products Inc. This fringe is the narrow fabric strip on the crib. It poses a serious strangulation hazard to children. If you have one of these cribs with the cloth fringe, stop using it immediately and contact the company at (855) 684-8399 for a full refund. Consumers will be refunded $12 for each recalled fringe returned.
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Published on: September 19, 2012

Summertime Stats Released: Child Drowning Accidents Increase!

By Dean Freeman

Parents need to keep an eye on their children, especially in the state of Florida where we have so many swimming pools! According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), there were close to 150 children under the age of 15 who drowned in a spa or a pool during the traditional summer season, or the time from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Another 170 young kids required emergency attention for near-death accidents in spas and pools.

“These figures are a strong indication that child drownings are a serious public health problem,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum.

Our Wilton Manors injury lawyers understand that pools in the state of Florida don’t typically ever shut down, meaning that we have year-round risks for these kinds of accidents. It’s important that parents, guardians and other adults keep an eye on their children while they’re playing in or around pools and that we also make sure that we take the proper safety precautions to secure the pool area when we’re not around.

According to media figures, there were close to 55 drownings during the summer that occurred when children left the supervision of an adult. More than 30 of these drownings happened even though there were others at the pool.

It’s the toddlers that we have to worry the most about when it comes to drowning accidents. Every year, at least 100 of the more than 135 kids who drown are under the age of 5. As a matter of fact, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional death among children who are between the ages of 1- and 4-years-old.

Not every one of these accidents is reported by the media, especially in the state of Florida when these accidents are so common. It takes some time for officials with the CPSC to receive reports of all of the drownings that occur across the country. Each May, officials with the CPSC release the stats for drownings and near-drownings. According to the CPSC’s most recent data, there were an average of more than 240 child drownings in pools or spas every year from the 2007 through 2009. The drownings that happen during the summer months account for close to 65 percent of the number of drownings that happen every year.

For 2012, Florida was ranked as one of the top states for child pool or spa drownings. Many of these accidents could have been prevented if parents were on top of their pool-safety game!

There’s an average of close to 400 of these fatal accidents that occur each and every year to kids who are under the age of 15-years-old. In addition to these fatalities, there is another 5,200 of these kids who wind up in an emergency room because of a near-drowning.
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Published on: September 16, 2012

Are Your Medications Setting You Up for an Accident?

By Dean Freeman

A vast majority (about 80 percent) of drivers who are 65-years-old and older are taking medications on a regular basis. Unfortunately, only about half of them have talked to their doctor or another medical professional about the problems that these medications might give them behind the wheel.

Now, there is a new way for you to get this information. It’s the “Roadwise Rx” tool. It’s online and it can give you custom information regarding the medications you take and what negative affects they might have on your driving abilities. It was created and developed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, according to Consumer Affairs.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys understand that’s it’s not only your doctor-prescribed medications that you have to worry about messing with your driving skills. You need to worry about over-the-counter medications as well! Drivers are urged to check out this new tool from AAA to make sure that none of their pills are putting them at serious risk for a car accident. If your medications are going to alter your ability to drive, then you need to either avoid the medication, find alternatives or gain thorough understanding of possible side effects so you can best manage your risk.

What this tool does is it helps to generate information regarding the medications or the herbal sublimes and foods that you’re consuming and how they’re reacting with each other to affect your driving.

“Roadwise Rx lets users move beyond the old-fashioned ‘brown bag’ review with an easy way to virtually pool together their medications and talk to their doctors,” said Beth Mosher with AAA.

Because of chronic medical conditions, older drivers are oftentimes subjected to a number of medications on a daily basis. There are certain types of medications that can increase your risks for an accident by more than 40 percent. Some ingredients in over-the-counter medications can have some of these same affects. Some cold and allergy medications have ingredients in them that can hinder your ability to drive as much as someone who is legally drunk!

According to the most recent research, one out of every five elderly drivers is taking at least five different medications at one time. As the number of elderly drivers continues to increase — with more than 10,000 turning 65 every day — there are going to be more drivers out there who may not be aware of how their prescriptions are affecting them behind the wheel. Roadwise Rx is going to help drivers of all ages to learn more about these affects and how to stay safe on our streets.

In 2020, officials say that one out of every six people is going to be 65-years-old or older. Most of these individuals will be licensed and driving, too!
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Published on: September 9, 2012

Distracted Driving: An Epidemic with No End in Sight for Florida

By Dean Freeman

It’s a growing trend and there’s nothing in the state of Florida that’s stopping it — texting while driving. Officials say that it’s a national epidemic that’s causing more than 1.5 million car accidents each and every year.

In fact, the National Safety Council (NSC) reports that texting drivers are close to 25 times more likely to get into a car accident. Even with all of the dangers that are involved with this behavior, including accident risks, injury and even death, a large number of drivers and even more teenage drivers continue to engage in this behavior behind the wheel, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

“It’s becoming a major issue nation-wide in terms of accidents,” said Doug Goodmund, safe driving and anti-texting advocate.

Our Lauderdale Lakes car accident attorneys understand that the Sunshine State is one of the few states left in the country that hasn’t enacted any distracted driving laws. We still let drivers, of all ages do whatever they want behind the wheel. That’s why safe driving advocates across the state are working to raise awareness about the problem and to help to educate more drivers about the dangers. For the most part, these efforts are being aimed at our younger drivers. They’re not only the group who is most likely to engage in these distractions while driving, but they’re also most likely to get into an accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were close to 2,000 teenage drivers who were killed in car accidents in the U.S. in 2010. Some 115 of these drivers were killed in the state of Florida. The NHTSA also reports that distracted driving is the number 1 killer of teens in the U.S.

It’s not just the cell phones and the text messaging devices that are getting our young drivers in trouble. Distracted driving can also include operating a GPS, reading, talking to passengers, eating, drinking, grooming, watching videos and even messing with an MP3 or a CD player.

Officials tend to focus on texting while driving because they think that it might be the most dangerous. It distracts drivers in three ways, manual, visual and cognitive distractions. It has been ranked as the most dangerous driving habit of them all!

On average, a text message takes a driver’s attention off of the road for about 4 and a half seconds. When you’re driving at 55 miles per hour that means that you’re going to travel the entire length of a football field without ever laying eyes on the road.

There have been a number of Florida lawmakers that have been trying to push laws on distracted driving, such as texting and driving, but no laws are currently in place.
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