Columbia Personal Injury Lawyer

Gym Safety Tips for the New Year

Pete Strom — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:15:36 GMT

With the New Year comes new promises and New Year’s resolutions. One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to hit the gym to get into shape for Spring. It’s an attraction and commitment that defies age and gender. No matter your age or gender, the reality is that we are all at risk of injury when working out.

According to a 2010 report produced by the New York Daily News, as many as 50,000 gym-related injuries happen each year. Avoid injury by following these simple safety tips:

1. Always Wipe Down Equipment before and after use. Various types of germs and bacteria live on gym equipment. From staph infections to rhinovirus, gym equipment can cause you to become ill. A 2006 study published in the “Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine” showed that viral cultures from 63 percent of gym equipment tested positive for rhinovirus, also known as the flu.

2. Always supervise your children. Many fitness facilities provide childcare on site at free or little cost. If available, take advantage of this option. If you are unable to find care for your children, always keep a close eye on them while working out. Also, household gym equipment can be very dangerous for your children. Treadmills can cause burns, head injuries, and injuries to extremities in children. Children may also sustain hand and finger injuries from using and/or playing with a stationary bike.

3. Make sure you dress properly. Most fitness facilities require proper dress to keep you safe. Make sure that your clothes are not too loose. Baggy clothes can get caught in an exercise machine and cause injuries. Athletic shoes can prevent slips and falls and protects your toes from falling weights among other things. Also, if you have longer hair, pull it back. It can also get caught in equipment.

4. If you are lifting weights, always use a spotter. A spotter will replace barbells back on the cradle if you are too tired to lift them. Without proper spotting, muscle sprains and strains are common. More serious injuries can result from improper or no spotting. In 2009, Stafon Johnson, a start tailback for a college football team, had to end his career due to an accident involving barbells and no spotter.

The gym can be a very rewarding place. By abiding by safety rules, hopefully you will be able to avoid injury and reach your fitness goals faster and more efficiently.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

There’s an App for That: New Apps Aim to Prevent Distracted Driving

Pete Strom — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:57:11 GMT

More cell phone applications are now being used to combat the distracted driving epidemic.

The applications are garnering lots praise from parents of teen drivers. “Absolutely, it gives me peace of mind,” says Jack Lavender, 50, parent of a 21-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son. Lavender is consultant in Berwyn, Pa, and uses a product called Cellcontrol to protect his children while they are driving. “They live so much on the phone and they do so much of their communication using texting. I know how dangerous it is, so for me, it’s really reassuring to know that they’re not doing it,” Lavender stated.

Parents say the applications are much needed in a time where nearly half of young drivers use cell phones to surf the Internet and more than a third use them for social networking.

Parents aren’t the only once taking notice of these new applications. Fleet managers are now starting to use these applications with their companies. On Jan. 1, a new federal regulation came into effect penalizing commercial truck and bus drivers up to $2,750 each time they are caught reaching or dialing their phone while driving.

“Driving while distracted is quickly becoming the new DUI/DWI,” states Daniel Maier, vice president of sales at Illume Software. Illume Software is based out of Needham, Mass and was found 3 ½ years ago. It produces iZup, a line distracted driving products for Android and Blackberry devices.

iZup costs $20 annually. It saves voice calls to voice mail and disables data interactions, including text messages, while driving.

Other types of technology include:

Software using GPS from the phone or Bluetooth from the vehicle to determine when the vehicle is moving,
Devices which connect to the vehicle’s on-board diagnostics port or the vehicle’s electronics or infotainment platform, that shut off the gadgets while vehicle is moving (these devices include: Cellcontrol, Key2SafeDriving and Taser International’s Protector),
Lastly devices that detect, jam, monitor, and sensors cell phones (this includes Trinity-Noble’s Guardian Angel, which locks cell phone keys when the vehicle is going over a pre-set speed).

“It is not clear that these systems are going to be widely accepted by consumers,” Russ Rader, spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, warns. “The effect of these systems on distracted driving as a whole is likely going to be limited.”

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

Cell Phones May Not Increase The Risk Of Brain Cancer After All

Pete Strom — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:06:11 GMT

Whether you carry the new iPhone 4s, Droid, or prefer to carry a basic cell phone, statistics indicate that regardless of your age or income level you probably carry a cell phone. In fact, land line usage is drastically declining, likely due to the increased flexibilty and mobility that a cell phone provides. But do we pay a price for that freedom? For the past several years, there has been much debate concerning whether cell phone usage increases your risk of developing brain cancer.

According to a study conducted by Danish Researchers published last week the answer is no. The study, which involved more than 350,000 mobile phone subscribers and is reportedly the largest study to date, found that mobile phones do not increase the risk of cancer.

The results, published on the British Medical Journal's website, coincide with a series of other studies that have reached comparable conclusions.

Scientists from the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Denmark studied people aged at least 30-years-old who subscribed to mobile phone contracts and compared their rates of brain tumor-with non-subscribers between 1990 and 2007.

Outside specialists said the great scale of the trial was remarkable.

"This paper supports most other reports which do not find any detrimental effects of phone use under normal exposures," the director of Medical Physics at Britain's Royal Berkshire Hospital Malcolm Sperrin told Reuters.

Over the summer, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that cell phone use should be classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans," placing the mobile devices in the same category as lead, chloroform and coffee.

However, approximately a month later the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection's committee on epidemiology claimed the scientific evidence increasingly pointed away from a link between mobile phone use and brain tumors. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have reached similar conclusions.

The number of mobile phones has risen exponentially since the early 1980s, with nearly 5 billion handsets in use today. There has been large debates about their potential link to the main types of brain tumor, glioma and meningioma.

We'll keep you updated.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm with offices located in Columbia, South Carolina and Brunswick, Georgia. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran's benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Safety Questioned in Wake of Accident

Pete Strom — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:06:04 GMT

Two time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday as a result of blunt trauma to the head sustained in a horrific 15 car pileup that occurred in the 11th Lap of the season finale held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The 33-year-old IndyCar star was airlifted from the track and pronounced dead at 1:54 p.m. at University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

Now, in the aftermath of the wreck, many are expressing concern over the safety of the 1.5 mile oval track. Critics further question management and the direction of the sport.

Wheldon himself was among the drivers who expressed fear about crowded conditions and super-fast speeds of up to 225 miles per hour on the Vegas racetrack, a track arguably too crowded for conditions at three wide.

Was this a race held under pressure to improve ratings and shake things up?

As reported by Greg Couch, “[t]his race had been turned into a carnival to try to save a sport. Indy racing is losing Danica Patrick to NASCAR. And IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard had said that if ratings didn't go up from this championship race, didn't beat last year's minuscule TV ratings, then he would hand in his resignation.”

It's no secret that Bernard offered up a $5 million bonus to any driver who did not compete full-time in the 2011 series. The only driver who accepted the challenge was Dan Wheldon.

“Imagine that: Cars would be going 225 mph, side by side, packed together, and an X-Games athlete, Travis Pastrana, who has NASCAR aspirations, was going to try. He hurt his leg beforehand. This isn't the ‘Price is Right,’ where you can just call someone down to participate.”

Couch points out that they couldn't get NASCAR drivers to give it a shot; top Indy racers were worried about conditions and speeds they felt were just too dangerous.

"Within five laps, people started to do crazy stuff," driver Dario Franchitti told reporters just after the accident, before Wheldon was pronounced dead. "I wanted no part of it. I love hard racing, but that, to me, is not what it's about. "I said before: This is not a suitable track. You can't get away from anybody. One small mistake, and you have a massive wreck."

Should this have happened?

The race was waved off after Wheldon's death was announced. Drivers drove a five-lap salute to their former colleague.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway president Chris Powell released a statement Monday that it was too early to decide whether IndyCar should return to the 1.5-mile oval but fully supported the decision to stop the race.

Wheldon was the first IndyCar driver to die from race related injuries since rookie Paul Dana was killed in practice on the morning of race day at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2006.

Wheldon came to the United States from England in 1999. He had won 16 times in his IndyCar career and was the series champion in 2005, the year he won his first of two Indianapolis 500 titles. Wheldon was also active in the development of the new prototype IndyCar set to be released next season.

Wheldon leaves behind his wife Susie, and his two sons, 2-year-old Sebastian, and 6-month-old Oliver.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

Strom Law Firm, LLC Announces Safety Alliance with KidsAndCars.org

Robyn Madden — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:19:58 GMT

Strom Law Firm, LLC is proud to announce our safety alliance with KidsAndCars.org. Headed by founder, Janette Fennell, KidsAndCars.org exists to spread the message about the dangers both inside and outside of your motor vehicle.

KidsAndCars.org has been successful in instituting change including:

requiring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to collect nontraffic data;
legislation requiring trunk releases to be included as standard equipment on all vehicles sold or leased in the US beginning with the 2002 model year; and
legislation requiring power window switches to pull up to close, and pull down to open on all vehicles beginning with the 2010 model year.

KidsAndCars.org was also instrumental in the passage of The Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act. Relevant provisions include:

setting a rear visibility standard which will hopefully lead to the requirement that rearview camera systems must be standard equipment by 2014;
brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) requiring automatic transmissions to have an anti-rollaway system that requires the brake to be depressed before the transmission can be shifted out of park by the 2011 model year;
stricter requirements on the maintenance of non-traffic data collection efforts by NHTSA; and
a consumer education program to provide information about the hazards to children in non-traffic situations and to make such information available to the public.

We are proud and honored to be working with such a revered organization.

Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe In And Around Your Vehicles

Every week in the United States, at least 50 children are backed over in driveways and parking lots. Many times the driver of the vehicle is a parent, relative, or neighbor.

It is dangerous to leave a child alone in a vehicle, even for a minute. Even with the window down, the temperature inside of a parked car can reach 125 degres in just minutes. A child can suffer from heat stroke or even death, before you or a loved one even discover that your child is in danger.

Over the next few months, we will be writing tips on how to avoid dangers both inside and outside of the family car in hopes to promote awareness and reduce the number of preventable tragedies.

If you need legal advice, we recommend that you seek the advice of a licensed attorney. If you have any questions about this blog and/or need to talk with an attorney, contact us today for a free, no cost consultation to discuss your legal rights. 803.252.4800. At Strom Law Firm, LLC, our South Carolina attorneys provide comprehensive legal services designed to protect your rights and your interests. Our lawyers are licensed in South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Robyn Madden

Actos Banned in France After Drug Linked to Bladder Cancer

Pete Strom — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:56:42 GMT

Should the FDA Recall Actos?

Are Actos Users At Increased Risk for Bladder Cancer?

Actos has been pulled from the shelves in France and Germany after the popular diabetes drug was linked to bladder cancer.

CBS News reported the French Medicines Agency pulled Actos in addition to the pill Competact, a drug that combines Actos and the popular diabetes drug metformin, after a government-funded study found the drugs increased bladder cancer risk.

The French agency told doctors to stop prescribing the medicine to patients. German health officials saw the French report and followed suit.

Are Americans in Danger?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently conducting an observational study designed to assess the danger of developing bladder cancer associated with use of this drug. However, no recall has been announced.

Actos was one of the top ten drugs sold in the U.S. in 2008, with sales exceeding $2.4 billion.

Takeda's vice president of medical and scientific affairs, Robert Spanheimer, told Reuters Health that the company hasn't had time to review the French study. He claimed two ongoing U.S. trials have yet to show bladder cancer risk.

Actos, or pioglitazone, makes the body more sensitive to insulin, in order to control blood sugar levels. It is prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association has more on Type 2 Diabetes.

The pharmaceutical industry has developed many life saving medications.

However, in a race to get their drugs and/or devices to market, many pharmaceutical companies ignore or do not anticipate the crippling side effects of medications or medical devices that later lead to injury and even death.

If you or a loved one have been injured or died as a result of a dangerous prescription drug, over the counter medication, herbal supplement, vitamin, or defective medical device you need an experienced pharmaceutical liability law firm willing to stand up for your rights and seek justice on your behalf.

The pharmaceutical liability lawyers at The Strom Law Firm, LLC are at the forefront of the fight to protect the public and will stand up for your rights against the big drug and insurance companies and fight to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the justice you deserve.

Manufactured by Tackeda, prescription drug Actos is typically used in the U.S. along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar levels in treating type 2 diabetics.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

NAPA Home & Garden Honey Firelite Candle: Is It Safe?

Pete Strom — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:13:36 GMT

As summer rolls on, many of us are forced to deal with pesty mosquitoes. Citronella has been used as an insect repellant for over fifty years to help keep the bugs away. If you've been in your local Target or even shopped online, you know that the decor choices and possibilities are endless. In fact, according to the National Candle Association, approximately one in five women say they use candles to decorate the yard, patio, or other exterior areas.

I was recently advised by a friend of severe burn injuries received after a NAPA Home & Garden Honey Firelite Pourable Gel Candle exploded while the owner was simply trying to light it. As you can imagine severe burns can be disabling and even deadly.

While there has not been an official recall by the Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC") and there is no proof at this point that the NAPA Home & Garden Honey Firelite Candle is defective, I feel compelled to get the message out so that anyone who currently owns and/or is looking to purchase citronella candles will be aware of the allegation. From a quick search of the internet, the candle can be purchased at Amazon as well as local retailers.

Hopefully, the victim will make a full recovery.

If you need legal advice, we recommend that you seek the advice of a licensed attorney. If you have any questions about this blog and/or need to talk with an attorney, contact our burn injury lawyers today for a free, no cost consultation to discuss your legal rights. At Strom Law Firm, LLC, our attorneys provide comprehensive legal services designed to protect your rights and your interests. Our lawyers are licensed in South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

CPSC Launches Spanish YouTube Videos

Pete Strom — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:26:21 GMT

Yesterday, the CPSC announced the release of a Spanish YouTube Channel which hosts videos ranging from safe sleep for babies to water safety and annoucements for the recall of dangerous products.

This Spanish YouTube Channel is one of several free CPSC resources developed to reach out to the largest minority group in the United States. The channel features short videos that can save lives, including powerful reenactments of incidents which involved Hispanic children.

The CPSC also offers many free resources in Spanish. Consumers can call the CPSC hotline at (800) 638-2772, sign up to receive recall e-mail alerts, report and search for injuries associated with products, and get posters and publications to share with hard-to-reach communities.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years. For more information, visit http://cpsc.gov/

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

DOT Advocating Mandatory Back-up Cameras by 2014

Pete Strom — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:24:40 GMT

An accident can happen in a split second.

Injuries that occur when a child, or even an adult, is backed over can be deadly.

The Department of Transportation ("DOT") is pushing for a new law that will require that back up cameras be made standard equipment on all motor vehicles by 2014. Safety issue experts told CBS news that as many as 50 children are hit per week, and it often happens in the car owner's very own driveway.

According to a Newsweek report generated in early 2008, approximately 101 million Americans drive a truck, van or SUV. While many Americans report that these larger vehicles may make them feel safer on the road given their size, these same vehicles suffer from decreased visibility and blind spots which cannot been seen when the driver is relying solely upon mirrors.

According to the CBS report, minivans reportedly have an average blind zone of up to 28 feet and SUVS have an average blind zone of up to 39 feet; for some trucks, the blind zone extends up to 50 feet. Even with the most cautious driver at the wheel, this blindzone can lead to innocent children being injured or killed when the person behind the wheel is unable to see them, even when the mirrors are clear. These blind zones can further lead to accidents with other vehicles. Many luxury SUVS, trucks and minivans currently offer a back up camera as an option. In the event that back up cameras become mandatory, the safety feature will become standard.

Opponents of the bill argue that a child or pet can still dart out behind you even when the backup camera shows your path is clear. Admittedly, nothing is foolproof, but at an approximate cost of $200.00 per vehicle, it is an expense I support.

Based on the proposal, drivers must be able to see directly behind the vehicle whenever the vehicle is shifted into reverse. If it becomes law, the rule will be phased in over the next four years with 10% of new cars sold expected to comply with the mandate by Sept. 2012; 40% by Sept. 2013 and 100% by Sept. 2014. As a cost-friendly alternative, the DOT could require that some vehicles be equipped with an audible warning device that would sound if it detected an object approaching.

Not much as been said about mandating the use of parking sensors in conjunction with a back up camera. The technology exists and can alert drivers to an obstacle in their path as well and its approximate distance. When combined with a back up camera, the sensors will alert a driver to an obstacle and allow them to see what is in their path.

No one can replace the loss of a child who suffers catastrophic injury or death as a result of being hit by a car or SUV, but this new legislation is a move in the right direction.

If you need legal advice, we recommend that you seek the advice of a licensed attorney. If you have any questions about this blog and/or need to talk with an attorney, contact us today for a free, no cost consultation, to discuss your legal rights. At Strom Law Firm, LLC, our attorneys provide comprehensive legal services designed to protect your rights and your interests. Our lawyers are licensed in South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom

Food Safety Bill Passes both House and Senate

Pete Strom — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:08:54 GMT

Over the past few years, there has been an increase in foodborne illnesses.

According to newly published information in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, it is “estimate[d] that foods consumed in the United States that were contaminated with 31 known agents of foodborne disease caused 9.4 million illnesses, 55,961 hospitalizations, and 1,351 deaths each year.”

Luckily, a new landmark bill passed the House and Senate last week. The bill, known as the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, will provide greater regulations on the production and distribution of food products in the United States.

Below is an overview of the bill, as outlined by Fox News:

The Department of Health and Human Services secretary would have the authority to inspect the records for food deemed to be susceptible to contamination.

The HHS secretary would have the authority to suspend the registration of any food facility deemed to be a health risk.

The bill would require food facilities to evaluate potential hazards to their food and keep records on how they are monitoring and correcting these potential problems.

The bill would require the HHS secretary to establish new standards for the harvesting of some fruits and vegetables and publish updated guidance.

The secretary would be able to collect fees for food recalls and food facility re-inspections.

The secretary would be required to draft new regulations for the sanitary transportation of food.

The secretary would be required to provide schools and other educational institutions with plans for managing the risk from food allergies and anaphylaxis in schools. Implementation would be voluntary.

The secretary would be required to increase inspection at food facilities and report to Congress annually.

The secretary would be authorized to shut down distribution at any facility regarding a contaminated or misbranded food if the facility does not do so voluntarily. The secretary would also be able to order a recall -- after a hearing is held.

The bill would encourage the secretary to investigate compliance with the act through officials at the state and local level.

The bill would require importers of food to verify that the products they are importing meet safety standards and are not contaminated.

The bill would block imported food that does not meet certain safety requirements from entering the country.

The bill would set up Food and Drug Administration offices in foreign countries to offer assistance with keeping food exported to the United States up to FDA standards.

At Strom Law Firm, LLC, our attorneys provide comprehensive legal services designed to protect your rights and your interests. Contact us today to arrange a free case review.

Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Pete Strom