New York injury cloud looms dark over shoppers on Black Friday
New York shoppers remember Black Friday for more than just great deals and huge discounts on clothes, electronics, toys and jewelry. Shoppers remember a Long Island stampede that injured several patrons and employees and left one employee dead and caused a pregnant woman’s miscarriage. The Wal-Mart stampede was not the only serious injury or fatality in Black Friday’s history. The day is known as one of the best savings days, but in terms of premises liability, one of the most dangerous shopping days.
The number of people out for door buster deals can be extremely dangerous and stores have been accused of not taking adequate precautions to prevent deadly stampedes. The 2008 Wal-Mart stampede occurred when 2,000 people tried to force themselves through the door. The only thing that the store operators did was organize a human chain they hoped would slow thousands of people pressing against the few employees. Continue reading
Chantix may increase risk of suicide in New York smokers trying to quit
Giving up cigarette smoking is one of the hardest things a person can do. Smokers will try just about anything that may help them break the nicotine addiction, but only 3 percent manage to quit for six months or more. Unfortunately, one smoking cessation aid may be more harmful to a smoker’s health than smoking, and some New York physicians have suggested that a cessation pharmaceutical may be adangerous product.
One research study has shown that the smoking cessation drug Chantix raises the risk of suicide and depression eight times higher than products such as the nicotine patch. Researchers recommended that smokers only try Chantix when it is clear that other treatments had failed. Even then, only 10 percent of smokers who take Chantix quit smoking for at least a year. Continue reading
Charity may have been on notice about Sandusky sexual allegations
When a supervisor of children abuses his power to coerce or force them into performing illicit acts, the individual will have to answer to criminal charges levied against him. Charges for intentional criminal acts are certainly for the one who commits them, but what about those who negligently allow the acts to go on? Should they be required to prevent possible victims once they become aware of an injury risk?
The Sandusky criminal investigation into sexual allegations of abuse against young children has brought civil focus on the charity foundation that the former football coach founded in 1997. Some experts say that the charity could be held responsible for negligence in allowing Sandusky to continue to work with the children at the charity after having allegedly been notified twice about the possibility the sexual allegations. Continue reading
Construction workers injured, one dies in Brooklyn building collapse
On Tuesday morning construction workers arrived at their Brooklyn job site as usual. They set up their gear and began construction on the 14-unit condominium in Brighton Beach. As the day wore on, the workers were unaware of the structural problems lying in wait and increasing in danger. The building finally gave out at 2:30 in the afternoon, collapsing on top of the group of workers.
Firefighters were immediately called to the scene to rescue the men from the debris, including corrugated metal and freshly poured concrete that fell on top of them. Firefighters were able to rescue the four trapped workers, but they later learned that the collapse had turned into a fatal workplace accident when medical doctors pronounced the death of one of the men. Continue reading
Pharmaceutical settlement shows how great injury costs can be
A recent agreement made by GlaxoSmithKline illustrates the depth of damages that can arise from personal injury lawsuits over defective products and failure to warn consumers. According to the New York Times, this agreement stipulates that the company will pay $3 billion to settle allegations of illegal drug marketing and fraud against Medicaid.
This is the largest pharmaceutical settlement to date, breaking previous records of $2.3 billion and $1.4 million settlements. The product that was the focus of this lawsuit is the drug Avandia and the company’s methods of marketing it to doctors. Also under legal scrutiny by the U.S. Justice Department were the company’s alleged manipulation of research. Continue reading
New York bus accident risk increases with interstate curbside operations
In our last post, we discussed the statistical conclusion — based on accident data and inspection violations – that curbside buses are the riskier option for interstate travelers in New York and across the country. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the fatal bus accident rate for curbside operators was 1.4 percent for the period between 2005 and this past March when the New York accident taking 15 lives occurred.
The 1.4 percent statistic may not seem like a particularly large number, but when compared to the 0.2 percent fatal accident rate for conventional bus operators the number seems a lot bigger. When you realize that it is your life that is being gambled, that fatality rate may seem even greater. But why is there such a discrepancy between traditional buses and curbside operations? Continue reading
Cheap New York travel fares may save money but cost you your life
Money saving is on the minds of many New Yorkers these days as families find that the flow of money is not as swift as it may have been 10 years ago. Online sites and companies that offer deals on discount travel are becoming vastly popular when people still want to travel, but cannot do so at a high cost.
The curbside bus industry is one of those operations that offer incredibly low fares for interstate travel, but some safety experts say that it may cost you your life. According to a National Transportation Safety Board study, the curbside operations have a much higher fatal bus accident rate and violate a much larger number of safety violations. Continue reading
UPDATE: One third of inspected New York buses pulled from service
New York state officials decided to launch a string of bus safety inspections that began in late September as discussed in a prior post. The inspections came in response to the call for action after a fatal bus accident killed 15 people.
The fatal bus accident occurred in March of 2011 on Interstate 95 in the Bronx. The 30 passengers were nearing their final destination on their return from a Connecticut casino when they were awaken by a sharp twist of momentum and the frightening sound of twisting metal. The mass transit driver had lost control of the vehicle and struck a sign on the side of the highway. Continue reading
New York bus rear-ends semi, injures eight
When we step onto a mass transit vehicle we are placing a large amount of trust in the hands of the driver. We trust that they will keep us safe by obeying all traffic laws, staying awake behind the wheel, putting their cellphones down while driving and paying close attention to the surrounding traffic.
Passengers on a New York bus were jolted from their early morning lull when the bus they were riding in rear-ended a semi truck in front of them. The bus accidentoccurred on Tuesday morning, Oct. 18, 2011. Continue reading
American Academy of Pediatricians declares bumper pads dangerous
Infants are not only the most valuable thing in our lives, but they are also the most vulnerable. They cannot take care of themselves or understand their surroundings. Infants rely on their parents to take care of them and prevent harm from coming to them.
Even the most careful parent cannot protect their children from an unknown harm that could result from a dangerous or unsafe product. For years, bumper pads have been placed in infant cribs under the assumption that they helped prevent harm. The American Academy of Pediatricians declared bumper pads dangerous in their most recently published safety guidelines. Continue reading
New York resident found dead in home, mauled by pit bull
Pit bulls have been considered one of the most dangerous breeds of dogs, and those who own them – or any other animal that could act violently – are taking a risk. Owners may be liable for the damages that their pets cause, especially if they have prior warning of the animal’s propensity for violence.
One dog owner’s negligence may have led to the death of his New York City roommate late last week after his violent pit bull viciously attacked the 46-year-old. The attack was so violent that the resident could not survive the injuries to his arm and leg. A city marshal discovered the body lying on the kitchen floor when he went to the Upper East Side apartment to forcibly evict the two men. Continue reading
Nordica USA pays $214,000 penalty, continues to deny withholding defect
Dangerous products should not be placed on consumer shelves at all. They should not ever enter into the stream of commerce where they could cause injury to a purchaser. We all know that mistakes do happen, and that sometimes a dangerous product does make its way into the mainstream population.
When this happens and the manufacturer becomes aware of the defective product, it is their duty to make the consumer aware that the product could cause them harm. Longtime ski-maker Nordica USA agreed to settle allegations that the company was aware of a defect in one model of skis that could cause serious injury to the user. Continue reading