Five Tips for Avoiding State Flu Outbreak

Pennsylvania has been hard hit by influenza, with one hospital setting up a special tent to treat the wave of patients.

The city of Boston has even declared a state of flu emergency.

Flu season started more than a month early this year and is now widespread in Pennsylvania and 46 other states.

In some cases, flu symptoms of high fever, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat, and body aches have been combined with a stomach virus and whooping cough.

More than 200,000 people are hospitalized for influenza each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Between 3,000 and 49,000 people die annually as a result of influenza.

The best way to avoid getting the flu in Pennsylvania is to get vaccinated.

The CDC says a vaccine is available in most places, although some parts of the country have seen spot shortages. […]

How Can a Dog’s Bite Harm You?

Of the millions of dogs that are owned by people and families in the United States, a majority are extremely friendly and loving, even to strangers, and never cause anyone harm. However, unfortunately, there are many dogs that are aggressive and attack people, often causing unsuspecting people extreme harm, both physically and psychologically.

While some dog bites may only be minor, resulting in superficial cuts, others can cause debilitating physical harm. Some of the most common effects of dog bites include:

• Lacerations (cuts)
• Broken bones
• Infections
• Disfigurement
• Scarring
• Paralysis
• Nerve damage
• Emotional / psychological harm

Often times, it is the psychological damage that a dog bite victim sustains that is the most damaging. Not only do many victims of such attacks suffer from issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder that cause lasting fear and trauma, […]

Injury Victims of Train Accidents May Often Claim Compensation

A recent train derailment in South Jersey sent some 70 people to the hospital and caused the evacuation of more than 200 nearby homes. The reason? The train cars were filled with a dangerous chemical called vinyl chloride, a chemical that wafted through the air for at least several days.

The Nov. 30 train derailment near Paulsboro, N.J.,  sent four rail cars into the Mantua Creek when the train came off its tracks on a bridge. It took officials two weeks to get the cars out of the creek, which feeds the Delaware River that provides drinking water to some 15 million people.

While no one was killed in the Paulsboro train accident, the long-term effects of vinyl chloride are such that we may not know the full damage for years. The gas reportedly causes cancer and liver damage, according to the EPA.

Mike Schade with the Center for Health, […]

Safety Precautions to Take Before Using Power Tools

Without power tools, we would be unable to complete many of the construction projects that occur throughout the country on a daily basis.  It is important though, that all people are extremely cautious when using these tools because they have the ability to cause serious injuries.  Taking the time to implement some safety precautions can help to minimize the potential damages and may keep the handler and anyone nearby safe.

Power tool safety may seem like common sense, but without spending a few minutes reviewing your familiarity with each tool and ensuring that you have properly set up the area you will be working in, you may be putting yourself in danger.  Safety precautions that you should consider taking before using a power tool include:

• Read the instruction manuals and warning.  Power tools come with safety information that is relevant to the handling of the equipment.  […]

Injury Rate From Bounce Houses Soaring

Pennsylvania parents thinking of renting a portable bounce house or moonwalk for their child’s next party might want to think again.

Every 46 minutes a child is injured in an inflatable bouncer, according to a recent study in the journal Pediatrics.

Thirty children are taken to emergency rooms each day for broken bones, sprains, cuts and concussions from bounce house accidents. Their average age is seven years old.

Most are hurt when they collide with another bouncer or fall inside or outside of the inflatable device.

Following is from a CBS News report:

Falls accounted for 43 percent of injuries, followed by stunts and collisions. Forty-four percent of the injuries occurred at a recreational setting and 38 percent occurring at home.

More than 27 percents of injuries were fractures, […]