Federal regulators have taken action against interstate commercial bus and truck drivers who use cell phones. From now on, the drivers will face a federal fine of $2,750 if they pick up the phone while behind the wheel of their commercial vehicle. The U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the rule last month in...
Read MoreGeneral Personal Injury
Keep These Tips in Mind When Buying Christmas Toys
With 20-days and counting until Christmas, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has some advice to help keep the holidays safe and injury-free. So far in 2011, there have been 34 toy recalls, which is down from 46 recalls this time last year. The number of toy recalls due to lead is also down...
Read MoreChildren are Suffering Severe Injuries from Swallowing Magnets
Every household has them, whether in toys or on the refrigerator. They are magnets and they are hazardous to children, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In addition to being a choking hazard, once inside the stomach, the magnets can cause internal damage. If a child swallows two or more magnets, they...
Read MoreDo Electronic Medical Records Lead to Malpractice?
Electronic medical records have meant convenience to medical professionals, but research shows that they might be endangering patient safety. In a story at aboutlawsuits.com, experts hoped electronic and digital medical records would reduce medical and prescription errors. However, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found that electronic medical software could be at the root of...
Read MoreAssaulted Bicyclist Tells His Story to DC Council
How concerned are DC-area bicyclists about their safety on the streets? They are concerned enough that they introduced the Assault of Bicyclist Prevention Act of 2011 to the Washington, D.C. Council. As part of their efforts to raise awareness of what they deal with on DC streets, a bicycle commuter testified before the Council...
Read MoreAirport Worker Suffers Burn Injuries in Explosion
As the holiday travel season approaches, airport safety is at the top of everyone’s mind. Earlier this month, a suitcase on its way from Washington, D.C. exploded at O’Hare and injured an airline employee. In a report at chicagoist.com, there was an industrial battery packed inside the luggage, which accidentally discharged. Emergency personnel, including a...
Read MorePolice Arrest Virginia Teens in Halloween Assaults
Halloween was especially frightening for two young assault victims in Virginia last month. According to cbsnews.com, a mob of Virginia teenagers attacked a 15-year-old and 17-year-old as they trick-or-treated around Dale City. A spokesperson for the Prince William County Police Department said the group of five teens had a handgun when they approached the two...
Read MoreThere is Falling Plaster in Union Station
Commuters at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station might have thought the sky was falling last month, but it was only plaster from the ceiling. It turns out the August 23 earthquake dislodged some of the plaster, which eventually fell to the ground. A piece of the plaster injured a restaurant worker late last month. As...
Read MoreYoung Victim Unidentified in DC Pedestrian Accident
A pedestrian accident involving a Buick and a small boy left the boy with serious injuries late last month in Northeast DC. Unfortunately, no one can identify the small victim and DC police need the public’s help. According to a report at wusa9.com, the victim is an African-American male weighing about 85 pounds and...
Read MoreTree Limb Falls and Kills DC Man
A one-in-a-million type of accident claimed the life of a 35-year-old Washington, D.C. man late last month. As reported at wusa.com, a branch broke and fell from a tree just as the man walked underneath it. The falling branch hit the man on the head and he died at the hospital around 6:20 a.m.,...
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