Bad timing worked against worker who died in crane accident-JD Supra (press release)

Construction season is upon us, in most places in the USA Our commutes spring and summer will be delayed by the work being done on the roads and buildings around us. While it may be easy for the audience to get irritated by the construction, it is also important to recognize of the workers who risk their life really to improve our communities.

The fact that the construction work life danger is all of the time, most recently in a fatal crane accident in New York proved. A 30-year-old man was working on a subway project when things went awry. His daily work proved lethal, if a cable in a crane snapped and led to his death, as well as injuries to a few other employees.

Sources report that the investigation so far revealed as a case of bad timing. According to reports of the Department of buildings tried an inspector to evaluate the crane during a routine inspection in January. However, because the crane was reportedly use, inspection had to be rescheduled. The inspection had to take place yesterday, just two days since the fatal construction accident happened.

Crane's hoisting cranes inspection bleaching flaws in the system. Because these possible errors caused the cable to break, it is only natural to get frustrated that the inspection of the crane did not happen previously. It is not enough just watch the DOB regarding deferred inspection. Crane operators also have a legal responsibility to inspect the valves on a daily basis.

It seems that left the ball with regard to safety at the construction site was fall metro. Family of the victim is reportedly looking to seek justice as a result of their loss. This is not the only security issue that relates to the construction company responsible for the work that went awry, so this recent incident officials seriously.

Source: New York Post, "crane's cables went uncontrolled inspection in January," Jennifer Fermino, Georgett Roberts and Bill Sanderson, 6 April 2012

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Alabama traffic tickets may help fund spinal cord injury research - JD Supra (press release)

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Have you heard the saying "Make lemons out of lemonade?" It's about getting something potentially positive out of a negative situation. There's no doubt that speeding and reckless driving are negative situations in Alabama. Irresponsible driving leads to car accidents and serious injuries all too often.

Some of the most serious of injuries that a car accident victim can sustain are brain or spinal cord injuries. A legislative proposal in Alabama aims to find a cure and more effective treatment for spinal cord injuries. The money that's needed to research such injury treatments would be raised partly through traffic tickets.

The Birmingham News reports that a bill has passed through the Alabama Senate that would add on some extra cost to Alabama traffic tickets. A speeding ticket, for example, would cost an offender an extra $1; a reckless driving ticket would cost an extra $5; a DUI citation would cost an extra $10. The extra money that would be raised due to drivers' unsafe behaviors would serve as means to treat the catastrophic consequences that often result from such behaviors.

A spinal cord injury severely changes a person's life and the life of their friends and family. While stopping irresponsible driving and, therefore, preventing catastrophic accidents from happening would be the ideal circumstance, the next best circumstance is finding better ways to treat or even cure a spinal cord injury.

The bill is called the T.J. Atchison Spinal Cord Injury Act because it was inspired by a car accident victim from Alabama who was paralyzed in a 2010 wreck. If passed, the bill would help people like him gain more hope that their injuries could improve one day.

Source: The Birmingham News, "Bill in Alabama Legislature would bring spinal cord research money to UAB," Hannah Wolfson, March 28, 2012

Posted in Brain Injury & Spinal Cord Injury

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Don't let Brain Injury Awareness month go unnoticed - JD Supra (press release)

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Did you know that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month? We discuss brain injuries every now and then on this personal injury blog. Such an injury can range from mild to catastrophic, but no matter what the extent, a brain injury should never go unnoticed.

In the past, communities just didn't know enough about the effects of injuries that seem as common and insignificant as concussions. But in recent years, high-profile athletes' stories have highlighted how important it is to address safety in high-impact sports and impose stricter safety rules to protect athletes of all ages, from adult to child.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3.8 million concussions occur in the country annually. Again, those injuries affect people of all ages, and it's the children who sustain such brain injuries that the public needs to hurry to protect.

Because kids' brains are still developing, they are extremely vulnerable to damage. Compared to an injured adult, a child or teen's concussion won't heal as quickly. It is crucial that brain injuries are diagnosed among the young and that the responsible adults, including coaches and parents, don't let injured kids return to sports or other impact activities before a doctor confirms that they are fully healed.

March is almost over. Summer vacation and summer activities are just around the corner, so it would be foolish for brain injury awareness to end just because March does. Be educated on the dangers of concussions and don't hesitate to pull your child out of a game and into a doctor's office if you suspect that he or she's been injured.

Source: East Windsor Patch, "March is Brain Injury Awareness Month," Elizabeth McSpiritt, March 19, 2012

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Different Designs for Different Practice Areas Part I - JD Supra (press release)

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There is a difference between web design and web development. The design is the style, layout, graphics, and more. Development is when the design meets programming with content integration and page building. In this section, we will focus on the design.

A website is much like a work of art. It needs to say something to the visitor before they read it. Communication through design is why it is vital to have a professional website. Your website’s color schemes, graphics, imagery, and overall design need to psychologically communicate with your target clientele before they ever read one word of your content.

I have outlined a few areas of law and explained what their design needs to say in order to communicate with their target market. This week, we will cover Divorce, Personal Injury, and Bankruptcy.

Divorce Lawyers

Divorce and family lawyers probably work with the most stressed out client base of any practice area, maybe only coming in second after the personal injury/medical malpractice lawyers. Aside from uncertainty, clients working with a divorce attorney are angry, scared, bitter, and are experiencing a handful of conflicting emotions. Therefore, when branding a divorce firm, attorneys should choose calming colors, and avoid red, orange, and yellow, and go for softer earth tones.

Personal Injury Lawyers.... CONTINUE READING

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Severe work injury case ends favorably for brain injury victim - JD Supra (press release)

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When someone chooses to work construction there is going to be some risk involved, especially when the person is working up on scaffolding. However, employers are still expected to do everything in their power to keep their employee safe, which is why workers' compensation policies are so important.

One recent out-of-state case was especially severe. The young employee victim was a mere 18 years old, with his whole life ahead of him when he fell from scaffolding while on the job. Among his injuries was a brain injury which caused a whole laundry list of physical and mental disabilities that this young man will battle with for the remainder of his life.

Once multiple factors were considered, including this young man's pain and suffering, care costs, loss of earning potential, and the overall blow to his quality of life his workers' compensation payout ended up being several million dollars, a record-breaking outcome in California, where this workplace accident lawsuit was filed.

Although this particular case occurred in another state, Alabama law shares a similar philosophy when it comes to workers' compensation. When someone is injured on the job, it is not uncommon for them to focus only on their immediate medical needs and not effectively look at the uncertainty that might follow in their future.

This uncertainty can be especially apparent when a brain injury is involved. The only thing that is certain after a brain injury is life will never be the same. Having an experienced personal injury attorney to help break down the potential hardship and the related costs can get injured workers more of the money they will need to help overcome future obstacles.

Source

Live Insurance News: "California brain injury case results in largest workers' compensation settlement in state history," Julie Campbell, Mar. 12, 2012

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