$1.25M Settlement Reached for Young Boy’s Death

$1.25M settlement after seven year old boy killed in bus accident

A $1.25 million settlement approved Monday by Lackawanna County Judge Trish Corbett ended a lawsuit stemming from the death of a 7-year-old boy who was run over by a bus at a Wyoming County camp.

The money came from two insurance companies:

• Travelers Property Casualty, which represented First Reform Episcopal Church of New York City. The church had rented Camp Lackawanna from the Lackawanna Presbytery so New York City youngsters could spend a week enjoying the outdoors in a religious setting.
• Pacific Employers, which represented the driver of the bus and Suburban Transit Co. of New Brunswick, NJ, and Coach USA Inc., Houston, which rented the vehicle to the church.

The suit says two buses rented by the church arrived at Camp Lackawanna several hours late. The first, […]

Calvary Charter Bus Crash Under Investigation

Bus crash could have been due to driver being distracted by GPS

Authorities are continuing to investigate a tragic February 2 charter bus crash that injured more than 30 Pennsylvania high school students and chaperones.

The accident happened when a Calvary Coach bus slammed into a bridge overpass in Boston. The 35 occupants were returning home to the Philadelphia area after a visit to Harvard University.

Investigators – including a collision reconstruction team – are conducting a thorough examination of the vehicle that could take up to six weeks to complete.

The top of the bus struck the bottom of a low bridge. The collision sheared off a portion of the roof, causing injury to passengers. At least four were hospitalized for serious personal injuries.

Following is from the Boston Globe:

State Police said Sunday that the crash injured 35 passengers, […]

Hospital Patients Given Wrong Medicine On Discharge

Three out of four patients go home from the hospital with the wrong prescriptions or a lack of understanding about their medications.

That’s the disturbing conclusion of a new study from Yale-New Haven Hospital.

The chief researcher, Dr. Leora Horwitz, who also practices at the hospital, said health care providers “do a relatively poor job of educating patients about their medications.”

Medical malpractice mistakes involving medication errors cause injuries to more than 1.3 million persons a year.

This is from the New Haven Register:

A recent study [Dr. Horowitz] led looked at 377 patients at Yale-New Haven Hospital, ages 64 and older, who had been admitted with heart failure, acute coronary syndrome or pneumonia, then discharged to home.

Of that group, 307 patients – 81 percent – either experienced a provider error in their discharge medications or had no understanding of at least one intended medication change…. […]

Iraqi Vet From Carbondale Wins $3.7 Million for PTSD

A Pennsylvania federal judge has awarded $3.7 million to an Iraqi war veteran who said Veterans Affairs doctors failed to properly treat his post-traumatic stress disorder.

U.S. District Judge James Munley issued an order January 16 in favor of Stanley Laskowski III and his wife Marisol.

Laskowski was treated at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Plains Township.

Since October 2001, approximately 1.6 million U.S. troops have been deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Evidence suggests that many returning service members suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and traumatic brain injury.

This is from the Times Leader:

Laskowski, of Carbondale, filed suit against the VA in 2010, alleging physicians there were grossly negligent in the care they provided him for PTSD he developed during a tour of duty in Iraq with the U.S. […]

Top 10 Tips for Safe Air Travel

Last year was the safest year for air travel in more than 60 years, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

In 2012, there were 23 fatal airliner accidents – including both passenger and cargo flights – resulting in 475 fatalities and 36 ground fatalities worldwide. Those figures are well below the 10-year average of 34 accidents and 773 fatalities.

When only passenger flights are considered, the news is even brighter. There were 11 accidents involving passenger aircraft – the lowest total since 1945 and under the average of 16 accidents per year.

People who are injured in a Pennsylvania airplane crash – or the families of people who are killed – might have a right to sue for financial compensation.

Following is from the ASN news release:

2012 marked the longest period without a fatal airliner accident in modern aviation history. […]

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, with another 27 percent reported as strains or sprains; […]

PA Cheerleaders Warned of Injury Risk

By now most young athletes and their parents in Pennsylvania are aware of the risk of sports injuries, particularly concussions in football.

Less appreciated are the risks that cheerleaders face – but the American Academy of Pediatrics hopes to change that.

The AAP has issued a policy statement urging coaches, parents and school officials to take steps to make sure cheerleaders get the same coaching, care and protection as quarterbacks and point guards.

In recent years, cheerleading has gone from exhorting crowds at football games to a year-round activity that combines acrobatics, dance and gymnastics.

Participation has skyrocketed. From 1990 to 2003, the number of U.S. cheerleaders age 6 and older increased from 3 million to 3.6 million, according to the AAP.

Unfortunately, the injury rate has also soared. Since 2007, there have been 26,000 cheerleading injuries in the U.S. […]

7 Ways to Fast-Track Your Sandy Insurance Claim

Claim your insurance protection for damage done by Hurricane Sandy

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, thousands of Pennsylvanians are filing insurance claims under homeowners, auto, health and even life insurance policies.

Many will face long waits and daunting paperwork.

Some insurance slowdowns are inevitable following a disaster of Sandy’s proportions. Damage estimates range from $7 billion to $50 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal.

But by taking a few simple steps Pennsylvania residents can improve the odds of their claims getting fast-tracked for approval:

• Do your homework. Take pictures or video of the damage. Before-and-after photographs, purchase records and contractor estimates for repairs are especially valuable.
• Hurry up and file your claim. “Experts say that many homeowners hesitate because they aren’t really sure if they have enough damage to merit a claim—or at least a claim that is more than the value of the policy’s deductible,” the Wall Street Journal reported. […]

Sandy Death Toll in PA Reaches 12

At least 12 people in Pennsylvania have died as a result of Superstorm Sandy, while two other deaths have been unofficially linked to the storm.

The variety of causes – falls, fires, poisoning, even suicide – is a stark reminder that tragedy can strike in different ways.

Following are summaries from the Philadelphia Inquirer of the fatalities:

• Four people died, including a 90-year-old woman in Upper Merion Township, from carbon-monoxide poisoning from portable generators.
• An eight-year-old child died when a tree limb struck him outside his family home.
• A Berks County man was killed when a tree crashed onto his house.
• Two Lehigh County residents died from exposure to the cold.
• Two people were killed in vehicle accidents related to the storm.
• An 88-year-old Wayne County woman fractured her neck and died when she fell down the stairs in her home, […]

Tips for Preparing for Disasters

Here at Munley, Munley & Cartwright, our prayers and best wishes are extended to the victims of the storm Sandy and their families.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvanians are doing their best to return to work, school and normal routines.

According to the Associated Press:

The storm that did so much damage along the coast before it drenched Pennsylvania was blamed for at least nine deaths in the state. It was more than a mild inconvenience for the million-plus who lost power and the countless others whose homes were damaged by blowing rain and falling trees, but it was not the disaster for the state that some had feared.

Gov. Tom Corbett said there were no reports of major flooding as the center of the weather system drifted west and its winds diminished to 10 mph or so.

Power outages were the storm’s most damaging byproduct, […]

Boy Scouts Sex Scandal Includes Pennsylvania Men

Several men from northeastern and central PA convicted regarding Boy Scouts sex scandal

Several Pennsylvania men were named in files released by the Boy Scouts of America detailing how the organization dealt with allegations of child sex abuse.

The documents – made public after an Oregon judge ordered their disclosure in a lawsuit involving a man who said he was molested by a scoutmaster and that the BSA did nothing about it – have caused a national furor. They identify more than 1,000 leaders and volunteers banned from the group after being accused of sexual or inappropriate conduct with boys.

Included are the names of several men from Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania associated with the BSA who have been convicted of child sex abuse or investigated by police, according to PAHomePage.com:

Marcel Cinquina who heads up the Boy Scouts of Northeastern Pennsylvania says the organization has increased safety measures to protect children. […]

Accidental Shooting of Costumed Girl Is Grim Call For Halloween Safety

Scare reminds us to be extra careful on Halloween

It sounded too bizarre to be true, but the outcome was terribly real.

A nine-year-old girl was shot outside her western Pennsylvania home during a Halloween party by a relative who thought she was a skunk.

According to the Scranton Times-Tribune:

New Sewickley Township police say the girl was over a hillside and wearing a black costume and a black hat with a white tassel. Chief Ronald Leindecker says a male relative mistook her for a skunk and fired a shotgun, hitting her in the shoulder Saturday night.

Leindecker tells the Beaver County Times that the girl was alert and talking when she was flown to a hospital in Pittsburgh, about 30 miles away. Her condition was unavailable.

Leindecker says the man hadn’t been drinking and he doesn’t know whether charges will be filed. […]

Pennsylvania School Bus Drivers Win Safety Honors

Congratulations to those Pennsylvania students and bus drivers who won School Bus Safety awards at a recent ceremony in Harrisburg.

Twelve elementary and middle school students and six drivers from across the state were honored in the 2012 Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Poster Contest and Driver Safety Competition. The events were part of School Bus Safety Week from October 22-26.

This year’s poster theme was “Stand Back from the Yellow and Black.” It stressed the need for students to stay a safe distance from the bus so drivers can see them while loading and unloading. The dozen winners were chosen from among 475 public and private school student entries.

The driving competition tests bus drivers’ knowledge of safety rules and safe operation of their buses.

“Parents trust school bus drivers to take their children to and from school every day – and do it safely,” said State Police Safety Supervisor Richard Koontz in a DOT press release. […]

Steeler Says New Football Helmet Liner Protects Against TBI

A new “concussion reduction” football helmet liner holds the promise of reducing brain injuries – and one believer is Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

“I haven’t had any ringers, spots, blackouts or anything like that since I started wearing it,” said Harrison in a USA Today story on the new protective headgear.

This is hopeful news for participants in all sports, but especially for young football players. High school football accounted for the greatest number of severe injuries of all fall sports in 2011, according to a sports injury research study at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Many of these were Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) caused by a violent impact to the brain. There were two deaths – both caused by hard hits.

The new helmet liner is made by Unequal Technologies. It is one-eight inch thick and includes a layer of Kevlar, […]

New Jersey Bus Driver Arrested after Causing Death of Passenger

The driver of a New Jersey Transit bus has been charged with vehicular homicide in the death of a passenger at an intersection in Passaic last month. The collision occurred after the man exited the bus and tried to cross in front of it as the driver accelerated through the intersection, according to a news report. Documents filed in the case allege that the bus driver ran a red light, hit the passenger and refused to stop despite that fact that passengers were yelling for her to stop. The driver has been a New Jersey Transit driver for 25 years.

Bus Accidents Are Common

Bus accidents are far more common than most people realize. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were more than 11,000 bus accidents across the country in 2008, injuring about 24,000 people. For those who depend on buses for transportation, […]

Take the Time During National Fire Prevention Week to Protect Your Family Against Fires

Residents of Pennsylvania are urged to take the time this week to participate in National Fire Prevention Week.  Fire Prevention Week, celebrated Oct. 7-13, has been set aside through a Presidential Proclamation as a time “to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from fires, and we honor the courageous first responders who put their lives at risk to keep us safe.”

According to the National Safety Council, in 2010, there were 3,100 unintentional deaths related to fire, smoke and flames.  Many of these fires resulted in death, serious injuries and destroyed homes.

The National Safety Council offers the following steps for families to take to prevent fires:

• Have properly working smoke alarms
• Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year
• Place smoke alarms on each floor of your home and in each bedroom
• Plan a family escape route and practice it once a month
• Install a home sprinkler system
• Place fire extinguishers throughout your home and make sure everyone in the house knows how to use them

One key theme of the week is to “Have 2 Ways Out!”  According to Firehouse.org, […]