Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer - Property Owner's Liability (Slip & Fall)

Swimming Pool Hazards: Is your Pool Accident Prone?

Edward Smith — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 02:52:57 GMT

Do you have access to a swimming pool? Are you a regular user of the pool? Or do you own one? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then you ought to pay heed to the swimming pool hazards that disguise themselves in every part of the pool.

Most of the equipments related to the pool can become a potential source of danger-whether it is the all-important diving board, or the lack of designing with safety markers in the pool. Take care to eliminate swimming pool hazards and be at ease with the pool. Failing it, you or other pool users could meet with pool related accidents and could result in the threat of litigation if pool is the venue of an accident caused by negligence.

What Are The Hazards To Swim Against

First, deal with the pool proportions. Even if you have a perfectly designed pool, but forget to indicate water depth, you are in troubled waters indeed! Accidents are a possibility when a diver fails to judge the water depth, dives straight and fast from a height, and heads into the pool bottom, head first. When you plunge into water, you hit it at a velocity of 15 feet/sec. If the pool is deep, it serves as a brake to slow you down. Your velocity decreases at 12-15 feet. Hence, an absolute safe pool for diving is the one that is 18-20 feet deep, and not one that is shallow.

Similarly, pool curves or contours, with their gradual slope to the bottom, prevent accidents! They too, like the water depth, act as a brake to the diver's trajectory through the water. Conversely, inadequate pool curves and contours could result in severe accidents.

The absence of pool markings is another potential cause of swimming pool accidents. Pool markings provide a visual reference to the divers for estimating the water depth and profile of the floor and absence of such markings is a death trap for divers. Protruding ladders, water pipes, and other things inside the water are further invitations to serious injuries.

Also, check for the equipment with which a swimming pool is fitted, such as ladders and diving boards. Whether you have an in-ground pool or an aboveground one, always make sure that the ladders are in proper condition, secured tightly with no loose hinges. Please make sure that no ladder is with step that is cracked or broken.

The absence of a trained lifeguard around the pool premises to detect, if a person is going down while swimming is another major cause of pool accidents and fatalities. Not many people know that the drowning victim's first impulse is not to shout, but to use every ounce of energy to keep him/her afloat and breathe in oxygen. Only a trained eye can detect that a person thrashing about in the water may not be enjoying himself soundlessly, but is actually trying his best not to drown! Thus a trained lifeguard who can perform rescues, use life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) processes, and warn of possible dangers around the pool area, is the real asset around a pool.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Edward Smith

What was she thinking?

Laura Mackie — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:03:35 GMT

Recent headlines in the Modesto Bee brought to mind that eternal question "What was this person thinking?" It's a fair question (considering the circumstances), and in actual fact, an experienced litigator should probably ask themselves this question on a fairly regular basis. The incident currently under consideration is a perfect example of tragic results in a situation where poor judgment prevailed. Such lapses in judgment are often the "stuff" of which lawsuits are made.

Anna J. Walker-Vogt stands accused of six misdemeanor charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, twelve felony counts of child endangerment and two counts of unlawful sex with a minor.

The charges stem from an incident on January 20, 2007. According to witnesses, Mrs. Walker-Vogt purchased alcohol for a party she was throwing at her Grayson home on behalf of her teenage son. It is alleged that after the teens partied and drank the alcohol, Mrs. Walker-Vogt paid one teenager $50 to drive 12 other teenagers home in his sport utility. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle was involved in an accident wherein all occupants were injured. CHP and state Alcoholic Beverage Control officials investigated the crash, which led to the subsequent arrest and charges against Mrs. Walker-Vogt.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Laura Mackie

An ounce of Prevention......

Laura Mackie — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:41:35 GMT

Slip and fall accidents are difficult cases to litigate, especially when your client is an older adult. More often than not the injuries sustained during an unintentional fall, if not immediately fatal, can cause functional impairments that may require admission to a nursing home for a year or even longer. The physical and emotional toll this inevitably takes on the client and their family is enormous.

In 2003, 13,700 persons over age 65 died from injuries sustained as a result of an unintentional fall. An additional 1.8 million older adults were treated in emergency rooms for nonfatal injuries sustained as a result of unintentional falls. As sobering as these statistics may be, they are but the tip of the iceberg. The Center for Disease Control, in an effort to examine trends for fatal and nonfatal falls among older persons, published a report which summarized the results of their analysis.

The report indicated that the overall rate of fatal falls among persons aged 65 increased during the years between 1993-2003, while the rate of hospitalizations for non-fatal injuries decreased. There was no significant overall rate of change in the statistics associated with nonfatal injuries from falls during 2001-2005.

The CDC determined that implementation of interventions on a wider and more comprehensive level would produce further reductions in those sobering statistics. The CDC recommended increased community involvement with older adults aimed at promoting:
1. Regular exercise in the target population
2. Regular reviews of medicine to reduce side effects and interactions.

All things considered, an ounce of prevention is surely worth a pound of cure.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Laura Mackie

Meniscal tears and trauma

Laura Mackie — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 17:49:31 GMT

Slip and fall accidents commonly result in injuries to the knee which can be debilitating and costly. Whenever a client presents with a knee injury, their physician will usually proceed with treatment consisting of ice, wrap, motion, and anti-inflammatory medication. However, if the client is diagnosed with a meniscal tear, treatment may be much more involved.

A meniscal tear is a tear in the meniscus. The meniscus is a shock-absorbing structure in the knee. There are two menisci in each knee, one on the inside (medial) and one on the outside (lateral). The meniscus is made of fibro-cartilage and collagen. Since about 4/5th of the meniscus has no blood supply, it cannot heal a tear. The meniscus functions as a shock absorber for the knee, serving to distribute impact and load.

Most injuries to the meniscus are caused by trauma, usually compression and twisting of the knee. A torn meniscus may or may not cause symptoms. The injuries that do not cause symptoms are usually small tears located in the back of the knee. Symptoms may include a "popping" sound at the time of the injury, pain, tightness, swelling within the knee (more often referred to as 'water on the knee') or tenderness in the joint. In some cases, the diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI (magnetic resonance image).

However, if the knee locks up and is painful, the physician may determine that surgery is necessary to remove the damaged meniscus. Surgical treatment involves using a small microscope to look at and treat the tear. Arthroscopic surgery is usually done within a few days in order to relieve pain and prevent long term stiffness. The procedure involves inserting an arthoscope into the knee to examine the meniscus tear. If the tear involves the vascular portion of the meniscus, it will be repaired by passing sutures across the tear. If the meniscus is not repairable, a microscopic shaver is used to remove the torn portion. The goal is to leave the joint surfaces smooth.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Laura Mackie

To Fall Or Not To Fall, That is the question

Laura Mackie — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 22:11:43 GMT

Each year, more than 1.6 million seniors are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for fall-related injuries caused by incidents such as slipping on a wet bathroom floor, loss of balance on stairs, or tripping on a throw rug. According to the U.S National Institute on Aging, falls are the leading cause of fractures, hospital admissions for trauma, loss of independence, and injury-related deaths, among older adults in the United States.

Statistics show that 60 percent of fall-related deaths occur among people 65 and older. Falls are the No. 1 cause of injury-related death for males 80 and older and for females 75 and older. One-fourth of those who sustain a hip fracture die within one year and another 50 percent never return to their prior level of mobility or independence.

Falls among the elderly are often due to decreasing awareness of the body's relationship to its surroundings.
Studies have found that sensitivity to foot position declines as people age. Researchers at Stanford conceived that a device which could help simulate this lost sensitivity would help individuals maintain their balance without relying on cumbersome or ineffective support devices, such as walkers or canes.

Graduate engineering students at Stanford University working under the direction of a professor of mechanical engineering and orthopedic surgery, recently developed a "smart" ankle brace for the elderly to correct imbalances and prevent falling.

Their invention is an ankle brace containing a smart chip that continuously monitors the roll of the ankle. If the chip detects a roll that is greater than normal, it provides a correctional vibration. This vibration helps the wearer change position or shift balance to avoid a fall in much the same way that sensory nerves provide correctional feedback to the brain. With the assistance of this unique device, society can hope to see a decline in the association of fatal falls and the elderly.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Laura Mackie

11 Year Old Lafayette boy shot in hunting accident

Ed Smith — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 04:47:59 GMT

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 cover injuries caused by the negligent use of a firearm. This coverage may be available to the homeowner as well as other family members residing at the home. Some hunters also carry separate hunting accident insurance that may be obtained through certain hunting clubs and organizations.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith

Family of Trench Victim calls for stronger Laws

Ed Smith — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:02:53 GMT

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 exposed to death or serious injury.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith