- Ed Smith | October 31, 2006 3:33 PM |
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MiscellaneousThose attorney's handling pedestrian accidents may recall a 1994 book by Jerry Eubanks entitled Pedestrian Accident Reconstruction. I have used it over the years and found it to be a omprehensive text including formulas, examples, day/night photography, etc. It was clearly written and well illustrated.It's with some excitement therefore that I await Mr. Eubanks updated work entitled Pedestrian...
- Ed Smith | October 31, 2006 3:05 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsThere's some good basic text's available for an attorney who is handling a bicycle accident case. BICYCLE ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION FOR THE FORENSIC ENGINEER is useful in determining the causal factors of bicycle accidents. The autor, Jim Green, is a professional engineer and triathlete with 20 years experience in reconstructing accidents.Another useful text for the attorney is the book BICYCLE...
- Ed Smith | October 31, 2006 4:47 AM |
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Property Owner's Liability (Slip & Fall)An 11 year old boy lost his lefy eye during a state organized junior pheasant hunt north of Sacramento on Sunday. The accident occurred in the Feather River Wildlife area during a hunt organized by the Department of Fish and Game. The accident happened when another boy 20-30 feet away, fired his .20 gauge shotgun and accidentally stuck the boy in the face.Homeowners insurance policies will often...
- Ed Smith | October 30, 2006 7:51 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsAn article in Accident Analysis and Prevention Magazine (1990) analyzed 649 emergency room treated bicyclists injured in the summers of 1985 and 1986. In police reported accidents, 85% of the bicycle drivers were male and 2/3 suffered moderate or worse injury.
- Ed Smith | October 29, 2006 2:45 PM |
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Tractor-Trailer AccidentsAn unappreciated piece of evidence in a trucking accident is often the black box data which can be obtained. The primary purpose of a "black box" is to determine by various inputs if air bag deployment is needed. These black boxes or electronic data recorders do not chart data over long periods of time, but they DO normally record data from various sensors for up to 5 seconds before an...
- Ed Smith | October 29, 2006 11:56 AM |
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Automobile AccidentsAn 11 year old Lodi boy was struck by a truck driven by a hit and run driver Thursday evening. The boy was crossing Lodi Avenue at Cherokee Lane when a pick-up truck rounded the corner and struck him. The boy was taken to UCD hospital in critical condition. The red truck was described as an 80's or 90's GMC or Chevrolet with a white stripe on the bottom and a toolbox in the back.Police asked...
- Ed Smith | October 29, 2006 11:32 AM |
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MiscellaneousRSDS or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome is an abnormality of the central nervous system which often results from relatively minor trauma. It is also known by many other terms including causalgia, Sudeck's atrophy, complex regional pain syndrome and shoulder-hand syndrome.Whatever name it is called by, the main symptom is a severe burning pain often accompanied by limited movement of an...
- Ed Smith | October 27, 2006 4:06 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsA recent study conducted by the University of Alabama, in coordination with the Jefferson County Coroner's office, has indicated that persons involved in fatal car crashes often have moderate, to much more severe, hip fractures. The study further found that a higher prevalence of hip fractures occurred in relation to the speed involved in the collision. There was also a much higher...
- Ed Smith | October 26, 2006 4:22 PM |
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Medical MalpracticeGuidant Corporation is voluntarily advising physicians about important safety information regarding certain devices. Guidant has apprised FDA of these actions, and FDA has indicated that it will classify them as recalls. These communications advise physicians and their patients of safety information and are intended to limit adverse events. Physicians should use this information to decide how...
- Ed Smith | October 26, 2006 4:19 PM |
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Medical MalpracticeFDA is notifying health care providers and patients that the Guidant Corporation is recalling certain of its implantable defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators. These devices can develop an internal short circuit without warning, resulting in failure to deliver a shock when needed.
- Ed Smith | October 26, 2006 4:15 PM |
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Medical MalpracticeMedical device maker Guidant Corporation has announced a series of recalls culminating in a September 22, 2005 recall, recalling nearly 100,000 implanted defibrillators and pacemakers because of potential electrical malfunctions. The defect essentially places patients at risk as a result of an internal short circuit which comes without warning and can either result in a failure to deliver a...
- Ed Smith | October 24, 2006 9:26 PM |
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MiscellaneousPedestrians involved in motor vehicle accidents have the highest mortality and morbidity rates of all motor vehicle trauma. In an article studying the pattern of pedestrian injuries, of 115 patients, the most common fracture wasthe tibia-fibula (39 patients), followed by pelvic fractures (35 patients) and femur fractures (31 patients). 90% of long bone fractures were caused by a direct blow...
- Ed Smith | October 24, 2006 9:15 PM |
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MiscellaneousA recent review of the medical records of 149 children below the age of 18 who were in motor vehicle accidents, and who suffered fractured femurs found 159 fractured femurs of which over 89% were closed.Associated fractures were common (50.3%) The loswer limbs were most often the site of the associated fractures.The incidence of intra-abdominal injury was 5% with liver lacerations most...
- Ed Smith | October 24, 2006 1:20 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsOn Monday, October 23rd, a fatal accident occurred at 7:50 PM at the Arden Garden Connector. The driver of a silver BMW lost control and hit a light post. Police are seeking anyone who witnessed this accident. You may call the Sacramento Police Department at [916] 264-5471.
- Ed Smith | October 23, 2006 7:47 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsThis weekend, I was fortunate to meet an extraodinary young man, Hal Elrod, who was speaking in my local East_West bookstore. Hal aka "Yo Pal Hal" (long story) was involved in a horrendous accident in 1999. At the time of his accident, Hal, at age 20, was one of the top salesmen in the nation for Cutco. After a speaking engagement one night, he was driving home and was hit head on by a drunk...
- Ed Smith | October 23, 2006 7:41 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsAn excellent new book entitled Total Knee Replacement & Rehabilitation: The Knee Owner's Manual by Daniel J Brugioni MD and Jeff Falkel PH D has been recently published.Complete with 145 exercises and nearly 200 illustrations and photos, this comprehensive guide helps readers navigate through the entire process of having one or both knees replaced. It explains what to consider when deciding on...
- Ed Smith | October 23, 2006 4:07 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsDuring the recent Fourth INternational Conference on Inflammnatory bowel diseases, an Italian physician, Dr. Eduard Strange stated tha it is not surprising that this treatment [Remicade] is associated with side effects, including severe infections such as tuberculosis, and opportunistic infections including listeriosis, histoplasmosis, and many others (published as case reports or in the large...
- Ed Smith | October 23, 2006 3:58 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsOn Sunday evening, October 22nd, a driver southbound on Pleasant Hill Road, lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a house in the 1500 block of Pleasant Hill Road at Camino Verde. The 22 year old driver of the car, Briana Christensen, a Walnut Creek resident, was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek with a concussion and facial abrasions, Yox said.
- Ed Smith | October 23, 2006 12:37 AM |
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Automobile AccidentsSacramento police are looking for a woman who fled the scene of a fatal accident Sunday evening. The accident happened at 24th street and Matson Drive when a white car ran a red light and struck a maroon colored car. One person in each vehiclew died.
- Ed Smith | October 21, 2006 6:15 PM |
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Tractor-Trailer AccidentsA big rig crashed into the back of an R.T. bus Friday morning, October 20th, sending 3 people in the bus to the hospital.The big rig allegedly slammed into the bus when going thru a yellow light, overturning the bus. The trucker apparently escaped injury. The attached article is an excllent summary of the causes of trucking accidents.
- Ed Smith | October 20, 2006 12:25 PM |
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MiscellaneousStudies show that one-third of children involved in a motor vehicle accident display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).The degree of the accident is not relevant, though if the child perceived the collision as life threatening the child would more likely develop PTSD. Also females tend to be more prone to this disorder compared to males. How can the needs of these children be...
- Ed Smith | October 20, 2006 11:46 AM |
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Automobile AccidentsOn October 9, 2006 at about 6:30 a.m. a Crash on Hwy 16 involving a Big Rig, School Bus and a Jeep was reported. The driver of the jeep had been driving erratically trying to pass the big rig, he suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to a hospital. On the bus was also a student that received injuries to the head.
- Ed Smith | October 20, 2006 10:31 AM |
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Automobile AccidentsAn investigation is underway after a deadly crash occurred involving a 17 year old girl where a passenger in the car was killed. The accident happened just before midnight Thursday, October 19th, at Greenback and Elkhorn lane . The victim was identified as 18 year old Kimberly Barcenas of Arcata. Her car apparently ran a red light and was hit by a driver in the intersection.The CHP continues...
- Ed Smith | October 19, 2006 4:01 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsTwo people were injured Thursday, October 19th in a single-vehicle crash in Sacramento.The wreck occurred at about 3 a.m. near the intersection of Del Paso and El Centro roads.Police said a car was likely speeding when the driver lost control, leading the vehicle to hit the center divide.The driver and passenger were injured, officials said. The road was shut down in the area until about 6...
- Ed Smith | October 19, 2006 3:34 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsA total knee relacement surgery which could be viewed online was recently perfromed at Rush University Medical Center. Orthopedist, Richard Berger, performed the surgery which featured a knee replacement designed to fit a woman's anatomy. The webcast was moderated by Dr. Aaron Rosenberg and Berger, Rosenberg and 12 other surgeons answered questions from Doctors and the general public which were...
- Ed Smith | October 19, 2006 10:28 AM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsYou've likely heard about Bausch & Lomb asking U.S. retailers to remove ReNu® with MoistureLoc® from their shelves temporarily, and recommending that consumers switch to another lens care solution for the time being, until the investigation of reports of fungal keratitis infections among contact lens wearers in the United States is concluded. How can you protect yourself from this, and other...
- Ed Smith | October 19, 2006 10:07 AM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsBausch & Lomb has asked U.S. retailers to remove ReNu® with MoistureLoc® from their shelves temporarily, and recommended that consumers switch to another lens care solution for the time being, until the investigation of reports of fungal keratitis infections among contact lens wearers in the United States is concluded. The company initiated the voluntary market withdrawal in order to eliminate...
- Ed Smith | October 19, 2006 9:56 AM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsCharacteristics of Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc product can increase the risk of a type of eye infection called a Fusarium infection.As a result, Bausch & Lomb has decided to permanently remove the ReNu with MoistureLoc product worldwide. The Federal Drug Administration has supported this decision. It is important to note that to date, data available does not indicate a problem with...
- Ed Smith | October 18, 2006 5:49 PM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesYou are not alone. Many many victims of motor vehicle accidents say the same thing. In fact, a medical diagnosis exists addressing this very problem: "Traumatic Amnesia". As descirbed, even a relatively "minor" car accident in which the occupant suffers only mild whiplash symptoms, can result in an 'interruption in the short/long term memory transfer mechanism." What this means is, that...
- Ed Smith | October 18, 2006 5:48 PM |
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Tractor-Trailer AccidentsGovernment immunity may protect a government entity in its decisions and judgments about putting up signs at an intersection. However, there is no protection if the government entity allows trees or buhes to obstruct those signs so they cannot be readily seen by motorists.In a recent Texas case, Plaintiff was allowed to pursue its claim against the state of Texas where there was a trucking...
- Ed Smith | October 18, 2006 5:23 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsIn what may be viewed by some as a "disturbing" business practice, the maker of the Ortho Evra birth control patch appears to be 'settling Ortho Evra lawsuits almost as quickly as they are filed', in exchange for confidentiality agreements which prevent the persons settling from discussing the facts of their cases (and, in doing so, preventing the public from becoming better educated as to the...
- Ed Smith | October 18, 2006 5:16 PM |
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FDA & Prescription DrugsIt was recently reporter that there is a link between women taking certain bone strengthening drugs known as bisphosphonates, including ( Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, Skelid, Didronel, Zometa, Aredia, and Bonefos) and death of bone tissue.The study was printed in the Harvard Women's Health Watch (September 2006).The above drugs are widely prescribed for osteoporosis and also to treat bone pain...
- Ed Smith | October 18, 2006 5:08 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsFosamax is a prescription drug used to treat a variety of bone related conditions, is a type of drug known as bisphosphonates. Fosamax was approved by the FDA in 1995. Fosamax and bisphosphonates are most commonly prescribed to prevent and treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. However, it is also approved to prevent and treat osteoporosis in both men and women, to treat Paget's disease of...
- Ed Smith | October 18, 2006 4:06 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsUsers of the Ortho Evra birth control patch are cautioned to consult with their physicians about ongoing usage of this drug. The manufacturer of this patch, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical Inc, lists many potential side effects to be aware of. Approximately 4 million women have used the patch since it was put on the market in 2002. According to the FDA, women who used the patch are exposed to...
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 11:17 PM |
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Medical MalpracticeEvery year there are approximately one and a half million new surgical procedures known as Allografts - surgical transfers of bone, skin, tendons, and other tissues in which tissues from cadavers are transplanted into patients.Recently, the New Jersey tissue company known as Biomedical Tissue Services was criminally indicted for illegally harvesting human tissue from corpses. Biomedical then...
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 10:52 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsA recent release by the Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that over 200 children were strangledbetween 1991 and 2004 from cords and chains on old window coverings. Most strangulation deaths involved the outer pull cords. Consumers are urged to repair or replace window coverings purchased before 2001.Outer pull cord deaths typically involve children ranging in age from 7 months to 6...
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 10:43 PM |
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MiscellaneousMany times young children present to my office with severe fracture of the legs or feet. This recent article from Clin Podiatr Med Surg, discusses Distal tibial physeal injuries which are very common in younger children. The article discusses the treatment and complications of distal tibial fractures, fractures of the talus and calcaneus, midfoot and tarsometatarsal injuries, metatarsal...
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 10:35 PM |
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MiscellaneousDoctors treat patients who lack health insurance differently than patients who are insured, a major new study finds.The study, in the September/October issue of the Annuls of Family Medicine, show that uninsured patients are more likely to be prescribed generic medicines instead of brand bane, easier to take medications.....resulting in less compliance.Nearly 63% of Doctors discuss insurance...
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 10:31 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsOften attorney's intake new clients whoese pregnancy is, in some way, affected after an accident. This article reviews the physiology of pregnancy, discuss recent changes in assessment and resuscitation, and identifies special injuries and issues specific to the pregnant trauma patient.
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 10:24 PM |
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MiscellaneousIn a recent article in the Journal of Loss and Trauma, it was found that individuals who had a good memory of a traumatic event were most at risk to develop post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) in the future.
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 4:15 PM |
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MiscellaneousVery often after traffic accidents, patients are told to take tylenol or tylenol with codeine for their pain. Now, a recent study at the University of North Carolina,Chapel Hill, shows that people who took the maximun recoommended daily dose of acetaminophen (generic name for Tylenol) developed abnormalities in blood tests that can be a signal for liver damageThe message to consumers is to pay...
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 4:07 PM |
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MiscellaneousSupport from family and medical staff is a vry important factor in preventing post-traumatic stress disorder after a major intensive care intervention. In a recent study in Germany, it was shown that those survivors of a major surgery who had high preeived support from family and medical staff were much less likely to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) down the line.
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 3:54 PM |
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MiscellaneousA new documentary is being produced to help bring awareness of RSD to the medical community. The film will show the experience of living with an RSD patient and the severe impact it has on the famiy's of RSD victims. RSD patients are interviewed along with their families, doctors, therapists and other caregivers.The documentary is being produced now and the hope is to assist patients, as well as...
- Ed Smith | October 17, 2006 3:44 PM |
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Motorcycle AccidentsA recent study by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety revealed that in two vehicle collisions involving motorcycles, the motorist was more likely to be at fault. Failure to yield was the greatest cause of motorcycle- caraccidents.90% of all fatalities were men and 64% were over the age of 35. A motorcyclist's greatest safety device is a clear mind. "You've got to be a defensive...
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 10:34 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsThe Leapfrog Group, a healthcare safety and quality coalition supported by many of the nation's largest corporationsnamed UC Davis and Sutter Memorial Hospitals in Sacramento as amongst the 50 Best hospitals in the nation.UCSF Medical Center and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco were also named among adult hospitals, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford in the...
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 10:24 PM |
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MiscellaneousAmateur soccer is responsible for a surprisingly high number of fractures and other significant injuiries to the mouth, jaw and face according to a recent article in The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. Most of the injuries in the study were suffered by mean 18-24. Dental fractures are the most common injuries suffered by soccer players followed by fractures of the mandible.
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 4:02 PM |
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Property Owner's Liability (Slip & Fall)Why employers who kill by willfully violating OSHA standards shouldn't receive more serious punishment should be an issue that every candidate has to address during this political season. Unfortunately, families of those killed seem to be the only ones asking the questions. Although much is known about Trench accidents , companies in the pursuit of fast profits often leave their workers totally...
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 11:11 AM |
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MiscellaneousClients often call an attorney early after an accident wondering what the potential value of their injury claims might be. Evaluating an injury claim is an art not a science and many factors go into such evaluation.I will list a few of such factors here.Liability, along with insurance information, is the first thing most atorney's look at. Liability simply means who is at fault in an accident....
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 10:54 AM |
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MiscellaneousSwings, slides and climbing frames, metal bars and merry go rounds contribute to over 70% of all playground accidents. Rope-plank type swings are frequently the cause of backward falling accidents. It is important to be aware of standards and specifications for playground equipment if you represent a child injured by playground equipment. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued...
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 2:56 AM |
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Tractor-Trailer AccidentsHere's another video on how not to enter a train crossing. A trucker decides her can beat this oncoming train, but doesn't realize a line of cars is blocking his path on the other side of the tracks.Many accidents at train crossings are due to the motorists error, however many train crossing accidents are due to negligence on the part of the railroad.
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 2:22 AM |
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MiscellaneousOn November 18, 2006, Noon-3:00 PM, a conference on Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) will be Held in the Stained Glass Lobby of St Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center 350 W Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ.Reflex Sympathetic Distrophy is a rare nerve disease where nerves send constant pain signals to the brain even after the original injury has healed. Between 200,000 and 1.2 Million American suffer...
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 1:37 AM |
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MiscellaneousIt's hard to imagine a minor injury, like an ankle sprain, turning into a lifetime of pain. But it's happening to as many as one million Americans. It's a disease called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and doctors don't know what causes it or how to cure it. Complex regional pain syndrome can be triggered by even the slightest injury to nerves or nerve endings.According to Dr.Robert Schwartzman,...
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 1:23 AM |
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MiscellaneousAlthough in use for decades, a sweet tasting compund, 2-deoxy-glucose, or 2DG, may be a potential cure for epilepsy.About 1 percent of the world's population suffers from epilepsy, a neurological condition that makes people susceptible to seizures. Researchers at the University of Wisconcin have found that the compound completely blocks seizures in laboratory rats. Human studies are on the...
- Ed Smith | October 16, 2006 1:14 AM |
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Automobile Accidents10-13-06 Five truckers pleaded guilty Wednesday to falsifying their driver's logs, bringing to an end a major federal investigation of the practice in the commercial-trucking industry. This was the culmonation of an operation known as "Operation Safe Roads" begun in 2003 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, whose regulations include limitations on the number of daily driving hours...
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 6:11 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsWhile the statistics involved are likely due, in part, to the number of miles driven on a daily basis by school buses state wide, our office has seen an increase in the number of cases involving accidents caused by school bus drivers. Recently, my office settled a case for $1,900,000.00 as the result of the negligence of a San Juan Unified School District bus driver. The accident was...
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 4:05 PM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesWe have lost close to 3,000 American Soldiers in Iraq, there have been about 20,000 wounded soldiers and now President Bush decides to cut the budget that had been set aside for traumatic brain injury centers that would treat these soldiers by half. The president has also cut $190 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs budget for 2007, even though it is currently underfunded and the...
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 3:39 PM |
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Motorcycle AccidentsA 19 year old ran a stop sign Wednesday, October 11th, and his motorcycle broadsided a van. The accident happened at the intersection of at Vernon Street and Dawnridge Road, in Roseville. A really good site that talks about motorcycle safety is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_safety
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 3:19 PM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesA cerebral contusion is categorized as bruise or bleeding of the brain. A contusion may be caused by sudden accceleration which causes the brain to jolt.This is usually cased by a forceful blow to the head or when the head comes into forceful contact with an unmoving object. Not only can the brain at point of impact be damaged from the forceful blow, but the opposite side of the brain can also...
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 1:44 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsOrtho-Evra lawsuit cases are increasingly common as very young women are suffering strokes, heart attacks, blood clots and pulmonary embolism after using the birth control patch, Ortho Evra.It's been alleged that the manufacturer was aware of the serious risks above and yet continuoulsy marketed it to young women.The FDA has launched an investigation of the safety of the Ortho evra patch.
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 1:41 PM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesHead trauma can cause brain damage in many ways. What is the difference between a brain contusion and brain concussion? When people experience head injury such as from an auto accident, there are popular misconceptions when comparing contusions to concussions. Are these head injuries the same in severity or is there no verifiable difference between the two conditions? ...
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 1:35 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsA new mobile warning system from Mobileye has a color coded warning system which gives an audible and visual warning if a driver gets too close to the car in front. It will also let you know if you drift out of your lane. Mom, if you can't be in the car with your teen driver, this sounds like a great way to encorage safe driving from afar...Photos within.
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 1:23 PM |
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Spinal Cord InjuriesIn a recent study from Thomas Jefferson University in Pittsburgh, 332 cases of thoraic and lumbar surgeries were reviewed for complication rates. Extrememely overweight and obese patients were much more likely to suffer complications such as wound infections, blood clots, heart problems and deep vein thrombosis. As the body mass index (BMI) increased over 30 the incidence of complications...
- Ed Smith | October 13, 2006 9:13 AM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesMany of us have seen professional athletes endure concussions. Suffering the effects of concussions have cut short the careers of superstars such as Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers and Troy Aikman of the Dallas Cowboys. In addition to competitive team sports, auto accidents and slip and falls are a leading cause of concussions and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). How does one help...
- Ed Smith | October 12, 2006 8:31 PM |
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MiscellaneousAt 3:15PM Thursday afternoon, a delivery truck driver was inattentive and when he looked up the cars in front of him had stopped. The delivery van ran over a white Honda causing major inuries. A second car then struck the truck. The female driver of the Honda was taken to UCD, while the driver of the other car was in critical condition.
- Ed Smith | October 12, 2006 3:51 PM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesA concussion is a common, yet frequently undiagnosed and unrecognized injury sustained in automobile collisions.In fact, in the United States traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a leading cause of death for persons under the age of 45. If you or a loved one has endured direct trauma to the head, or been involved in an incident involving indirect trauma to the head, it is critical that you be...
- Ed Smith | October 12, 2006 11:13 AM |
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MiscellaneousOne of the most important tasks an experienced personal injury lawyer does is to organize and summarize his client's medical records. Without a complete history of the client, it's impossible to competently prepare the case.Oftentimes, the doctors chart is a mess. If you cannot decipher the handwriting, our office has found that a telephone call to the doctors secretary an a dreview of the...
- Ed Smith | October 11, 2006 10:06 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsA new website, www.traffic.com. gives real time traffic reports on major Sacramento Freeways. It show Jam Factor trends and traffic hotspots as well as interactive traffic maps and e-mail alerts. A great site to bookmark beforesetting out on that 3 day vacation.
- Ed Smith | October 11, 2006 9:24 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsAn early morning truck crash in Elk Grove on Wednesday played havoc with early morning traffic. At 3:22 AM, the truck slammed into the center rail north of Laguna Boulevard. All southbound lanes were blocked for several hours.The cause of the accident was not immediately known.See the following article for an excellent review of causes of trucking accidents.
- Ed Smith | October 11, 2006 3:25 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsThere's a disproportionate number of escalator related injuries among children younger than 5 years. Hand injuries are the most frequent, as fingers become entrapped between the steps and the sidewall. A proper escalator design that redcues the gap between the steps and the sidewall can do much to reduce the chances of entrapment. It is critically important for an experienced products liability...
- Ed Smith | October 11, 2006 3:07 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsIn the past week, 9 Sacramentans were injured in 2 separate hit and run accidents. Many of my clients are unaware that even if the hit and run driver injuring the innocent party leaves the scene in a hit and run accident.they may still have insurance coerage under their own uninsured motorist automobile insurance.In the first accident, a pedestrian was struck last Friday approximately 7:15PM,...
- Ed Smith | October 11, 2006 2:38 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsRecently, my office handled a case where a young high school freshman suffered a concussion which seriously affected his life. A concussion, also called a "mild traumatic brain injury", results when the soft tissues of the brain are shifted and grind against the hard bones of the skull. Concussions are graded in three clases.In a grade 1 concussion, the child does no lose consciousness, but may...
- Ed Smith | October 10, 2006 2:21 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsMany times, as demonstrated by a recent case in this office, people with traumatic brain injuries (also known as concussions) are noted in initial emergency room records to be "Alert", "oriented" and ""responsive and coherent". They may have no obvious signs of injury abd CAT scans can be negative. Nonetheless, at varying intervals after their accident, such people encounterdifficulties in...
- Ed Smith | October 10, 2006 1:36 PM |
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Wrongful DeathA woman who suffered a brain injury becase she was neglected in a hospital after suffering a stroke was awarded 2 million dollars by an Illinois jury. Even trained professionals, if they are hurried and unaware may miss stroke warning signs that are vitally important to full recovery.
- Ed Smith | October 06, 2006 3:25 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsWitnesses recall a horrific crash on Highway 70 Near Olivehurst involving a suspected drunk driver. On 9/16/06, a Mother, Father, thier 3 year old and six moth old sons and the womans parents were returning from a baptism when the suspected drunk driver clipped thier Suburban and caused them to slam into a tree. Five of the six victims died at the scene and the father died on arrival at...
- Ed Smith | October 06, 2006 2:49 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsTreatment with progesterone, a well-known hormone that prepares the womb for pregnancy, safely reduces the risk of death and disability in people who suffer a traumatic brain injury, new research suggests. Researcher Dr. David W. Wright and colleagues have noticed that the advantages of progesterone over other treatments are that it enters the brain quickly, it is safe to use, easy to administer...
- Ed Smith | October 05, 2006 4:35 PM |
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MiscellaneousBeginning January 1, 2006, not only will Medicare require reimbursement for injury-related care, but will expand reimbursement interest to include prescription drugs.In the past, not only has Medicare taken a bite out of personal injury settlements and awards by requiring reimbursement for costs for medical care provided, but will now allege a separate right of recovery via Prescription Drugs...
- Ed Smith | October 04, 2006 5:11 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsSacramento County has the dubious distinction of being the county in California where the most hit and run collisions occur. Out of the 15,555 motor vehicle collisions resulting in a fatality or injury in Sacramento County alone in 2004, over 1,180 of these involved a hit and run driver, according to the State Office of Traffic Safety. This disturbing statistic is all the more reason for...
- Ed Smith | October 04, 2006 4:41 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsA red light photo enforcement program has been implemented in Sacramento in order to reduce traffic accidents and increase safety. Often times there is a dispute in traffic accidents as to which party ran the red light. However, liability is clear when a photograph is taken of the driver who caused the violation In the Sacramento region there are approximately 19 cameras in place that will...
- Ed Smith | October 03, 2006 9:51 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsThe intersection of Howe Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard in Sacramento has again made the list of the most dangerous intersections in the Unoted States. It is believed that this intersection has become very dangerous because of booming population growth and slow infrastructure improvements.If you were asked, you'd probably have a tough time naming the most dangerous intersection inthe...
- Ed Smith | October 02, 2006 7:36 PM |
Category:
Automobile AccidentsThem outfits are crazy. And those cows are unpredictable," says Marlin Miller about an accident two weeks ago that killed six of his dairy cows and totaled two vehicles, and any other number of close calls involving traffic on U.S. 89 and his livestock.The above accident happened in Utah, but collisions between cows and motor vehicles are on the increase everywhere. Recently, my office settled...
- Ed Smith | October 02, 2006 7:04 PM |
Category:
Automobile AccidentsSaturday, a Camptonville man became the 15th death on this dangerous stretch of road since January, 2005. The accident occured near Birchville Road.Highway 49 runs between Auburn abd Grass Valley. Despite continuous criticism, Caltrans has refused to installmedian barriers on this very dangerous road.