Pennsylvania Injury Attorneys Blog

In an ironic twist of fate, the annual Operation CARE Campaign that reminds motorists to drive safely as they travel during the Memorial Day weekend was cancelled after a fatal accident occurred Thursday evening at the location of the event.

The event was planned to take place at the Welcome Center on Pennsylvania’s Interstate 70 in Donegal, Washington County. According to the Post-Gazette.com, two people were killed when the tractor trailer in which they were riding struck another eastbound tractor trailer and careened into the Welcome Center. Their truck then struck two parked tractor trailers before catching fire. State police said the Welcome Center remains closed.

Operation CARE, or Combined Accident Reduction Effort, is a nationwide program by AAA and the state police designed to reduce accidents through enforcement, education, and the media.

The Insurance Research Council (IRC) recently released a report showing that approximately one in seven motorists are uninsured. The percent of uninsured drivers had been on a decline for four years before rising to 14.3 percent in 2008 and 13.8 percent in 2009.

According to Elizabeth A. Sprinkel, senior vice president of the IRC, is quoted as saying, “The leveling trend in the percentage of uninsured motorists is an unfortunate consequence of the economic downturn and illustrates how virtually everyone is affected by recent economic developments.”

The IRC estimates are based on the frequency of claims made by individuals who are injured in accidents caused by insured motorists compared to claims made by individuals injured in accidents caused by insured drivers.

Central PA’s news station CBS 21 reported two tractor trailer accidents on Interstate 81 this week that have attracted the attention of fellow truck drivers.

The first accident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning when a tractor trailer driver fell asleep at the wheel, lost control of his truck, and scattered hundreds of plastic bottles across the road way. According to the article, I-81 was shut down for nearly 5 hours.

The second accident occurred Tuesday afternoon when a tractor trailer negotiation a right turn onto the entrance ramp of I-81 rolled on its side, blocking both lanes of traffic.

CNN.com has reported that the roof of a northeast Idaho mine collapsed on Friday, trapping a mine worker inside the Lucky Friday Mine. Rescue efforts are underway to free the man who became trapped when a 10-by-20-foot section of mostly rock fell on him, over 6,000 feet below the earth’s surface. Another man who was working in the same part of the mine was able to escape unharmed. The trapped miner has not been heard from since the collapse. Phil Baker, president and CEO of the Hecla Mining Co., is quoted in the article as saying, “We’re doing everything we can to reach the employee and will continue to make every effort, as long as it takes.” The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined. Representatives from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration are on the scene. Lucky Friday has been in operation since 1942 and is described on Hecla’s website as a “deep underground silver, lead, and zinc mine”. Our firm has deep roots here in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania. So our thoughts and prayers go out to the miner and his family. We’ll continue to monitor this situation.

The New York Times has reported that in the next few weeks a special master will be appointed to oversee the James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Fund, a multibillion-dollar fund created to provide financial compensation to those who became sick from the toxic fumes, dust, and smoke following the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The special master will decide how to distribute at least $2.8 billion in compensation to rescue workers and other people who say they have developed illnesses after being exposed to the toxic debris. According to the article, the special master will be responsible for creation of the rules and procedures of the program, as well as approving the size of individual compensation packages. In the article, Carolyn B. Maloney, a Democrat from New York, is quoted as saying, “This is a vitally important position. We need someone who will run a compassionate and efficient program for those who were injured by the toxins at ground zero.” There are significant guidelines for the fund. Anyone who files a claim with the fund must waive their right to sue any entities that ran the rescue, recovery, and cleanup at ground zero, including private contractors and the City of New York. Also, claimants cannot appeal the fund’s decisions. The program will also provide $1.4 billion over a five year period to monitor and treat injuries from exposure to toxic dust and debris at ground zero. Although right now there is little evidence linking cancer to the dust and smoke that engulfted the ground zero area, if medical data emerges to show a link during this period of monitoring, people with those cancers will be eligible for coverage. The bill was named after James Zadroga, a New York detective who participated in the rescue efforts at ground zero and later developed breathing problems. He died in 2006.

A truck tire and a portion of the wheel assembly broke loose from a tractor-trailer on I-75 in Ohio Monday morning, smashing into a mini-van, killing the driver. Witnesses say they were shocked to see the tire bouncing dozens of feet into the air before striking the driver side of the mini-van. The tire came off a truck going northbound and could have been traveling at upwards of 70 miles per hour. The tire then crossed the median and went across several lanes, nearly missing at least 2 other cars. Traffic cameras in the area have provided police with footage of the accident. According to police, he didn’t realize he lost a tire until he was miles away. Although the rear of the truck was smoking, police are still trying to determine if the driver should have known that he lost a tire. Central Pennsylvania is a major thoroughfare, providing quick routes for many of the country’s trucking companies and transportation lines. If you have been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer and have been injured, you may entitled to compensation. Contact the truck accident attorneys at O’Connor Law for a free review of your case.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that Greenstone LLC, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., recalled one lot of its depression medicine, Citalopram, and its prostate drug, Finasteride, because the wrong labels may have been put on the bottles. Bottles of Citalopram may contain Finasteride, used to treat prostate problems and baldness in men. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not touch Finesteride, as it can be absorbed through the skin and can cause abnormalities to developing fetuses. The recall includes Citalopram 10 mg tablets in a 100-pill bottle and Finasteride 5 mg tablets in a 90-count bottle. Consumers can identify the recalled bottles because both have the lot number FI050058-A on the label. The FDA advises that if you have taken the wrong medication, you should immediately contact your doctor. Consumers should return any medicine with those lot numbers to their pharmacist. If you or a loved one is taking Celexa or Propecia and think you may have a mislabeled bottle, you may have a case. Contact the attorney team at O’Connor Law for a free review of your case.

Nearly 2,000 motorcycle enthusiasts revved their engines along with the staff of O’Connor Law at the Reading Super Swap 2011 on March 27 in Reading, PA. The motorcycle and parts swap is an annual indoor showcase that took place at the Greater Reading Expo Center.The event was sponsored by the law offices of O’Connor Law. Over 200 motorcycles were displayed, from classic rides to re-cycle cyles to new models. Attendees received door prizes and cash awards were given for custom bikes.In support of the event, the staff of O’Connor Law wore t-shirts with the Super Swap logo, as shown in the photo below.

As spring comes to Pennsylvania and motorcyclists take to the road, the team of O’Connor Law wants you to be safe and enjoy the ride!

This week, CNN reported the story of a Colorado woman who is six weeks pregnant and was prescribed an antibiotic, but was mistakenly given a cancer drug that is also used to induce early abortions. The mistake happened at her local pharmacy. This situation raises the question: how closely do you look at the label when you pick up your prescriptions?

According the the CNN article, the National Patient Safety Foundation reports that about 3 billion prescriptions are filled at neighborhood pharmacies each year, and nearly 30 million of those prescriptions are dispensed improperly. CNN offers 3 tips for picking up your prescriptions.

Write down your prescription information. When you give the pharmacist your prescription, you won’t have a record of what your doctor prescribed. So write down your prescription information so you can make sure you get the right medication.

CNN.com recently posted an online article about a growing concern of nearly anyone who has visited a hospital emergency room: extended wait times that can lead to suffering and possible fatalities.

The reporter detailed the heart-wrenching story of a couple who brought their 2-year-old daughter to a California emergency room and were forced to wait nearly 5 hours before being seen, despite their constant complaints and the quick decline of their daughter’s health. By the time they were seen it was too late: what had been initially diagnosed by the triage nurse in the ER as a virus and a rash turned out to be the 2-year-old’s liver failing due to a strep A infection. After being transferred to 2 other hospitals, the child was able to be saved, but lack of oxygen to her limbs required surgeons to amputate her left hand, some fingers on her right hand, and both legs below the knees.

The article notes that according to a report from the Government Accountability Office in 2009, ER wait times continue to increase. The report says that the average wait time to see a physician is more than double the recommended wait time in some cases. Research done by Press Ganey Associates, a group that works with health care organizations to improve clinical outcomes, found that in 2009, patients waited on average for six hours in emergency rooms. Nearly 400,000 patients waited 24 hours or more.