Archive for April, 2012

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24
Apr

Texas Man Electrocuted By Low Hanging Powerline

April 24, 2012

A recent study has shown that electrocution causes a significant number of on-the-job deaths in the United States. In fact, it’s the fifth leading cause of occupational injury deaths. The accidents have been determined to happen almost exclusively to men, with a large majority occurring in the south as weather begins to warm.

An accident Tuesday left a man hospitalized after he suffered an electric shock in McLennan County, Texas. Channel 25 News reports that the incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. on Wolf Creek Road, about two miles outside the town of Lorena. Officers with the local police department say that the man was working on top of a shed at a local residence when he accidentally made contact with a live electrical wire dangling from above. Rescue crews were called to the scene, but The Heart of Texas Electrical Company had to shut power to the line off before paramedics could approach the man to load him onto a stretcher.

He has been taken to a local hospital to be examined for further injuries.

Common injuries resulting from an accident such as this include:

  • mild to severe burns,
  • cardiac and respiratory arrest,
  • and cognitive and neurological damage.

The Texas Burn Injury Lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers specialize in electrical injuries and say that the most important thing to do if you or someone you know is electrocuted is to seek medical attention immediately by calling 911.

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17
Apr

Pool Safety Important To Remember As Weather Warms

April 17, 2012

With the weather warming up, children are flocking to local pools. However, swimming carries many dangers, and Safe Kids USA estimates that 745 children died from drowning in 2008 alone.

KVUE News reports that a 3-year-old Austin child suffered critical injuries around 3:00 p.m. Saturday at a backyard pool off of Lost Creek Boulevard. Reports indicate that the child was rushed to Dell Children’s Hospital for treatment.

The Texas Brain Injury Lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers say that brain damage is the most common type of injury that results from drowning and near-drowning accidents due to a lack of oxygen making it to the brain. Brain injuries also are common in diving accidents due to the impact of the head hitting the bottom of the pool. They suggest these tips to help prevent such accidents:

  • Install fencing at least four feet high around the pool area.
  • Make sure the gate is locked when the pool is not in use.
  • Install a pool alarm to alert you if someone falls in.
  • Remove all toys from the pool area.
  • Never leave a pool cover partially open.
  • Adhere to diving rules.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is also working to battle this problem by promoting a campaign called Pool Safely. The agency says the campaign educates both children and adults on what they can do to stay safe and save lives near pools and other bodies of water.

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10
Apr

Cigarette Manufacturers Will Soon Have To List Chemicals In Products

April 10, 2012

Cigarettes are known to contain preservatives and harmful chemicals. Yet manufacturers of tobacco products aren’t required to list those chemicals. Instead, the manufacturers are only required to provide a warning that the product may cause cancer and other health problems.

However, that could change if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) passes new guidelines for the tobacco industry. According to KVUE News, the FDA is considering forcing manufacturers of tobacco products to list any additives on the outside packaging of a pack of cigarettes.

Dr. Lawrence Deyton, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, told reporters that “cigarettes are the only mass-consumed product in this country for which consumers don’t know what’s in them, until now.”

The agency made the announcement Friday, adding that cigarettes contain more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco products, and that at least 93 of them are harmful to a person’s health. The change will be implemented next year.

The move comes after a 2009 law change gave the FDA a large share of power when it comes to controlling the marketing and manufacturing of tobacco products and is being seen as a first step in tighter regulation of the industry as alternative tobacco products have begun to emerge.

The Texas Defective Product Lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers hope that the new warnings will deter people from picking up the habit of smoking and will encourage current smokers to stop.

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3
Apr

Drunk Driver Responsible For Fatal Austin Car Crash

April 3, 2012

A drunk driver is responsible for a fatal two-vehicle crash Saturday that occurred on the north side of Austin, Texas. Reports from KVUE News indicate that the accident happened around 7:00 a.m. at the intersection of northbound MoPac frontage road and Steck Avenue.

Reports from officers with the Austin Metro Police Department who responded to the scene say that the 20-year-old driver of a Chevrolet pickup was driving at a high rate of speed when he blew through a red light and struck a Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by a 57-year-old Austin man. The driver of the F-150 died at the scene of the crash.

The driver of the Chevy pickup truck was taken to a local hospital to receive treatment of minor injuries. It was there that staff noticed a smell of alcohol on his breath. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the man had a blood alcohol content of .19 percent, more than double the legal limit of .08 percent.

The intoxicated driver was placed under arrest and now faces charges of intoxicated manslaughter.

This was the 17th fatal traffic accident this year in Austin.

That is why the Texas Car Accident Lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers ask that we all do our part to reduce this number and make Texas’ highways safe for all by not drinking and driving. Instead, call a cab or friend to get you home safely.

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