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CPSC Warns Parents About Dangers Of Opening Windows

by on April 10, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, concussions, CPSC, fall, window fall, wrongful death

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a timely warning for all families, especially for those with young children.

As spring approaches, many start opening their windows and although opened windows bring relief from the heat, they may also bring danger to those who are on the inside.

According to data from the CPSC, about 3,300 children five years and younger are treated yearly for window falls and about eight children die yearly. About 34 percent of those who fall, must be hospitalized as they recover from their injuries.

The National Safety Council recommends parents and caregivers take these steps to help prevent falls of young children.

- Avoid placing furniture young children can climb on near windows.

- Do not lean on screens or rely on them to prevent a window fall. Insect screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in the home.

- Supervise children to prevent them from playing near windows, balconies or patio doors.

- Install building code-compliant devices such as window guards (with quick-release mechanisms in case of fire).

- Teach your children how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a fall from a window, the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt may be able to assist you. Contact our offices today for a free, initial consultation.

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Family Of Dance Instructor Killed In Train Collision Receives $6M

by on March 17, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, train accident, wrongful death

Nearly two years after a Naperville dance instructor was struck and killed at a train crossing due to malfunctioning equipment, the family has come to a $6 million settlement with the railroad company.

Twenty-six-year-old Katie Ann Lunn was on her way to her Lincoln Park residence from an awards contest when a Chicago-bound Amtrak collided with her sports utility vehicle at approximately 78 mph. Witnesses reported and video showed the gates, lights and bells were not working at the time of the crash.

Canadian National Railway Co. had a crew out there working hours before the crash and had accidentally disabled the gate and warning lights and sounds. The family was scheduled to go to trial in a civil suit against the railway company on Tuesday, but the family came to an agreement with the company Monday evening.

Additionally, the signalman assigned to assuring the signals were operating correctly should have been tested for drugs and alcohol, but no test was given because it apparently wasn’t mandatory for non crewmen. The Amtrak crew was cleared of wrongdoing in the accident.

If you or your loved one has been serious injured or killed in any type of train accident, you want an aggressive Chicago personal injury attorney on your side fighting on your behalf. Call our offices today for a free, initial consultation.

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CPSC Fines NJ-based Company $1.1M For Defective Product

by on October 18, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, product liability, wrongful death

A New Jersey-based company agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1.1 million last week after they allegedly failed to report a defective product to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

According to a press release from the CPSC, Henry Gordy International, Inc. of Plainfield, N.J. agreed to pay the penalty after failing to report hazards involving their children’s dart set.

At least three deaths have been associated with the dart set. The CPSC said Henry Gordy knew about the hazard as early as May 2006, but failed to report it to the CPSC, which is a requirement by federal law. The CPSC also alleged Henry Gordy made a misrepresentation about the product and didn’t disclose what they were aware of when the CPSC was investigating in 2009.

In May 2010, the Family Dollar Stores, Inc. along with the CPSC announced a recall of 1.8 million Auto Fire Target Sets after Henry Gordy refused to conduct the recall. The sets were sold between September 2005 and January 2009 at Family Dollar and each set contained a toy gun, soft, pliable plastic toy darts and a small target.

CPSC believes this product is hazardous because if a child places the toy dart in his or her mouth, the toy can be inhaled and may block the child’s airway.

Federal law mandates manufacturers, distributors and retails report to the CPSC within 24 hours after obtaining information of a potential product hazard.

Henry Gordy denies all allegations of knowledge of the defect.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, you need a Chicago products liability lawyer to review your case and guide you. Contact the lawy offices of Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. today for your free case evaluation.

Read press release >>

 

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CDC Study: Drunk Driving Rates Decrease, But Still High

by on October 10, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, drunk driving, wrongful death

A study released this month showed that although rates of drinking and driving has decreased by nearly 30 percent in the past five years, U.S. adults still drank too much and got behind the wheel about 112 million times in 2010.

The study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, also found that men were responsible for nearly all of the drinking and driving last year (about 81 percent) and 32 percent of those who drank and drove were men between the ages of 21 and 34.

Many who drank and drove also reported binge drinking, which means men consumed five or more drinks and woman consumed four or more drinks in a short period of time.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or you have a loved one who was killed in an accident involving a drunk driver, we may be able to help you. Contact us today for your free, initial case evaluation.

To read more about the study, click here >>

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Study: Safer Car Seat Installments Still Possible

by on September 21, 2011 in Accident, car accident, wrongful death

A new study released by the Safe Kids USA showed despite ever increasing education for parents and caregivers on car seat safety, many car seats are still improperly installed and many caregivers and parents are not utilizing all the safety features.

The study analyzed data from 79,000 car seat checklist forms completed by Safe Kids coalitions at various car seat safety checks across the country from October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.

The study said most caregivers and parents did not correctly attach the over-the-seat tether, meant to limit the child’s head movement and subsequent injuries in the case of a crash.

The study also pointed out that many parents are too quick to move their children to booster seats and showed just a bit more than 30 percent of children between ages 4 to 8 were still using internal harnesses. The organization recommends that to optimize children’s safety, they should be using a booster seat until they are taller than 4′ 9″ and are between 8 to 12 years old.

On a positive note, the study noted more caregivers and parents knew the complete history of the car seat and less than one percent of the children arrived at the check unrestrained.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death to those between ages 3 to 14 years old. The study was released in conjunction with National Child Passenger Safety Safety Week, which is September 18 – 24.

If you or your loved one has been injured due to a motor vehicle accident, our offices may be able to assist you. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.

Safe Kids Study

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Patients’ Right To Know Act Signed Into Law

by on August 23, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, health news, wrongful death

Patients will have access to Illinois’ doctors detailed histories once again.

On August 9, Governor Pat Quinn signed into law the Patients’ Right To Know Act, which will require the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to post doctor profiles on its site.

The profiles are expected to go live in mid-October. The Governor allowed for a two-month period for doctors to review their profiles before they are made public.

The profiles will contain information about the doctors including which medical school they attended, what types of specialty board certifications they have, how many years they have practiced, where they have practiced and if they participate in Medicaid.

This will enable patients to look up if their doctors have been arrested for any crimes, have been convicted of any crimes, have been fired or have made a medical malpractice payment over the past five years. Advocates said this is long overdue and is a big step in patients’ rights.

The physicians’ profiles were available after an ammendment to a 2005 law capping settlements that could be obtained in medical malpractice lawsuits. When that law was ruled unconstitutional in 2010, the profiles became unavailable. Reports state the web site had been drawing more than 130,000 clicks a week when it was live.

If you or your loved one has been injured by a medical mistake, we may be able to help you. Contact Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. today for your free case review.

 

IL Press Release

Web Site Where Profiles Available (as of mid-October)

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DeKalb Ironworker Falls To Death At Work

by on July 21, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, fall, workers compensation, wrongful death

A DeKalb ironworker was killed Monday morning in a work-related accident.

According to reports, 52-year-old James Vaughn was only a few years away from retirement. Lake County’s coroner’s office said Vaughn died of multiple internal injuries after a fall. He was working on a addition on a Lake Zurich warehouse when the accident occurred.

He was on a platform hanging about 40 feet above the ground when the accident occurred. Vaughn was pronounced dead about 11:30 a.m.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a workplace accident, our team is ready to help you. With experience and compassion, we can help you navigate the legal system and fight for your rights. Contact us for your free, immediate case evaluation.

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Boy Dies In Apparent Accidental Shooting

by on July 21, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, premises liability, wrongful death

Police are investigating the death of a 4-year-old Indiana boy.

According to reports, the boy may have accidentally shot himself at a liquor store in Beecher, Indiana. He was discovered Thursday morning at Tubby’s Wine & Spirits and taken to a local hospital, where he pronounced dead about 2 p.m. Thursday.

Officials said they think the boy found a loaded gun behind the counter.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, our offices may be able to assist you. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.

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Man Charged In 2009 Crash That Killed Unborn Baby

by on July 15, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, car accident, transportation news, wrongful death

A 22-year-old was charged with homicide by negligent use of a motor vehicle in a 2009 crash that took the life of a woman’s unborn child.

According to The Northwestern, the man, Joshua J. Ozment, was charged Monday in a head-on crash that killed Emmy Kiecker’s unborn child. He allegedly crossed the center line at an esitmated speed of 14 to 18 miles over the speed limit before hitting Kiecker. She was 5 1/2 months pregnant at the time of the crash and she lost the unborn baby as a result.

Read more about the story here >>>

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, our office can help. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.

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Boy Drowns In Apartment Pool

by on July 11, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, drowning, wrongful death

A 10-year-old University Park boy died in an apparent accident drowning last Friday in an apartment complex pool.

According to reports, Anthony Perkins died while swimming in an apartment pool mid afternoon in the New Colonies apartment complex in the 300 block of West Steger Road. Reportedly, several residents helped pull him out. It was unclear if a lifeguard had been present at the time. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead just after 3:30 p.m.

The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services is investigating allegations of neglect by his adult sister, who was caring for the boy and his siblings when the incident occurred.

If you or your loved one has been injured in a swimming pool accident, our offices are ready to help you. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.

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