Distraction Blamed for Amtrak 188 Wreck

Last year, eight people were killed and more than 200 were injured in the derailment of Amtrak 188 near Philadelphia.

For nearly a year, investigators couldn’t determine what led to the tragic accident. The train’s engineer, Brendan Bostian, was known for his attention to safety. He was cleared of any suspicion that he may have been using a cell phone or that he may have been intoxicated at the time. Yet somehow, the train was traveling at more than twice the posted speed limit when it entered a sharp curve and derailed.

This week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released the conclusion that radio reports of a nearby train that was struck by rocks distracted Bostian, who was likely concerned about the condition of the other train’s engineer or the possibility that there were people on the tracks. […]

Medical Errors the 3rd Leading Cause of Death

A recent study from Johns Hopkins found that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more lives than any other medical condition except cancer and heart disease.

Unfortunately, this problem is kept out of the public eye because the CDC’s mortality statistics, which rely on death certificate data, don’t capture things like communication breakdowns or errors in judgment that can lead to a patient’s death. As a result, medical mistakes are under-reported. This new study, based on eight years of hospitalization records,  calls for a better way to track medical errors in order to better protect patients.

As personal injury lawyers, we know that there are seemingly endless numbers of things that can go wrong during a patient’s care. Missed or mistaken diagnosis, unnecessary procedures, poor communication, electronic medical record inconsistencies, prescription mishaps, […]

Amtrak Crash Near Philadelphia Kills 2, Injures 30+

Two rail employees dead, over 35 passengers injured in tragic Amtrak crash

AMTRAK CRASH – Safety practices are coming into question after an Amtrak train struck a backhoe, killing two rail workers who were on the wrong track at the wrong time.

Almost one year after Amtrak train 188 derailed near Philadelphia in the deadliest train wreck in Amtrak’s history, another fatal Amtrak crash occurred just outside Philadelphia on Sunday morning. The crash killed the backhoe operator and supervisor,  and wounded more than 35 passengers.

The train was headed from New York to Savannah. GA, when it encountered the equipment on the track. The engineer applied the brake but in not nearly enough time to avoid a collision, as the locomotive was traveling at 106 miles per hour (in a 100 MPH zone).

The train’s inward-facing and outward-facing surveillance video has been obtained and will be under investigation, […]

New Rules Give Patients Better Access to Medical Records

A recent article in the New York Times explains new guidelines issued this month that aim to give patients easier access to their own medical information.  In our view, this is an extremely important development, because having access to medical information allows people to take control of their own healthcare, and to find and fix potentially dangerous errors in their records.  After a car accident that results in injuries, or an illness requiring hospitalization, it is important that people be informed about their care.

As the article notes, patients have long had the right to view their own medical records, but they frequently face obstacles that prevent them from exercising that right.

“Jump Through Hoops”

One of the most frequent complaints received by the Department of Health and Human Services is the difficulty patients experience in obtaining copies of their medical records. […]

Poorly maintained fields increase concussion risk

When it comes to concussions, does it matter what type of field the athletes are playing on?

Head injuries and life-threatening conditions such as CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in athletes, especially football players, have been getting lots of (long overdue) attention in recent years. In an effort to help protect players,  we’ve seen sports leagues, coaches, trainers, medical professionals, and equipment manufacturers work to make the games safer — a better helmet design, teaching safer tackling techniques, greater enforcement of game rules, and earlier detection of head injury to avoid repeated blows. Little attention has been paid to the actual playing surface, even though 1 in 5 concussions involve a head-to-surface collision.

A recent study by the Concussion Legacy Foundation urges athletic organizations and groundskeepers to treat the field with the same care as they would any other piece of valuable equipment or safety technology, […]