Bloomington Personal Injury Lawyer

Man Tasered by Police Dies Five Days Later

Jenny Albano — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:06:56 GMT

A man in Chicago died five days after being tased by police outside a bar near Miami University. Kevin Piskura died just after 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 24 at the University Hospital in Cincinnati.

Oxford officer Geoff Robinson used the device early Saturday morning as he tried to break up a fight, police said. The Butler County offices of the sheriff and prosecutor are investigating the officer's actions.

According to the police, Piskura, who graduated from Miami University in 2006, was arguing with a police officer after his friend was thrown out of a bar. Apparently the officer took out his Taser gun and told Piskura to stop arguing. When he did not comply the officer used the stun gun and hit Piskura in the chest. A video from a camera attached to the Taser shows Piskura being shocked for approx. 10 seconds as he rolls around on the sidewalk.

The officer has been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Robinson has been on the force for two years, and had just taken a refresher course on Taser use a week before the incident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Topps Beef Burgers Recalled for E. Coli Contamination

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:53:14 GMT

Topps Meat Company announced a voluntary recall of more than 300,000 pounds of ground beef tainted with E. Coli O157:H7, after receiving over 22 reports of illness.

The recall was announced this week after the CDC said 21 people across eight states had become ill after eating burgers that may have been contaminated with E. coli.

According to the CDC, two cases in New York and one in Florida have been confirmed and linked to the recalled burgers, while 18 other cases are still being investigated.

Six people became ill in New York, three of which required hospitalization, according to state health officials.

Consumers are advised to discard any recalled Topps Burgers they may have in the house or return them to the store of purchase for a full refund.

According to the USDA, the recall affects 331,582 pounds of frozen beef patties that were distributed in the New York City area and across the country. They were produced in June or July and carried the phrase "Est. 9748" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

E. coli symptoms include: diarrhea (often times bloody), abdominal cramps and nausea. Very young patients and those with compromised immune systems are at a risk for kidney failure.

For more information on this topic, please visit our section on E. coli Lawsuit Information.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Barbie Accessories Recalled for Lead Hazard

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:56:38 GMT

Mattel announced a voluntary toy recall of 675,000 Barbie accessory toys, made in China, due to the surface paints on the toys containing excessive levels of lead.

This toy recall involves several Barbie accessory toys that were manufactured between September 30, 2006 and August 20, 2007. A full list of recalled Barbie toys can be found on Mattel's website. The date and product codes are printed on the largest piece of the toy sets.

Consumers should take the recalled toys away from small children immediately and contact Mattel for more information about receiving a free replacement toy.

This is Mattel's third toy recall, for more information please visit our section on Mattel Toy Recall Information.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Coal City Man Killed in Car Accident

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 02:44:55 GMT

A Clay County man, 52, died from injuries he suffered in a two-vehicle accident, on Tuesday that also sent a 17-year-old girl to the hospital.

The girl was transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries and released.

The man was driving his Ford F250 north on Indiana 159 when the girl trying to pull out of the driveway on the east side of the road, according to Clay County Sheriff's Department.

The man swerved to avoid hitting her car and ran off the west side of the road slamming into a utility pole. His truck flipped several times coming to rest on the roof. The truck struck the utility pole with such extreme force that the utility pole broke from its base.

The girl told officials she didn't see the truck heading toward her.

For more information on this topic, please visit our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

CPSC Investigating Fisher-Price Toy Recall

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 02:20:26 GMT

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating whether Fisher-Price alerted them as quickly as it should, about lead paint found in over 1.5 million toys manufactured in China, that were part of the worldwide recall announced last week.

Scott Wolfson, a spokesman for the commission, told The Associated Press on Monday that it was conducting "an active and open" investigation into the timing of Fisher-Price's disclosure. He declined to provide details, including when Fisher-Price notified authorities of the problem.

Fisher-Price, a division of Mattel Inc., has cultivated an image as role model for careful control of its manufacturing in China. However, the company's record in timely reporting of defects is checkered: Fisher-Price was fined $975,000 in March for not notifying authorities quickly enough about a choking hazard in a toy from its popular Little People product line. In 2001, it paid $1.1 million for a similar infraction regarding safety defects in its Power Wheels toy vehicles.

Under federal law, companies are required to alert CPSC within 24 hours of discovering a dangerous product defect. The required information needs to show that the defect violates federal safety standards, or poses a risk of serious injury or death.

Fisher-Price originally announced a recall of the toys on Wednesday. Popular toys included in the recall are Elmo, Diego and Big Bird, due to excessive amounts of lead.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

This article has been moved.

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:41:58 GMT

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

378 People Sick after Taste of Chicago Food Fest

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:56:06 GMT

As of Friday, there have been 278 reported cases of people becoming ill after eating hummus at the Taste of Chicago food festival believed to have salmonella bacteria contamination, the health department said.

The Chicago Department of Health has confirmed 32 reported cases of illness caused by salmonella poisoning. Officials expect that number to increase after they receive pending test results. Twelve people have been hospitalized to date, officials said.

Officials said, cucumber salad was the only dish connected to the salmonella outbreak. All reported illnesses came from people that ate at the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth.

The health department ordered Pars Cove to stop serving hummus until further notice. The restaurant is cooperating with the health department's investigation.

It was the first confirmed outbreak of a food-borne illness associated with the Taste of Chicago in at least 20 years, the health department said in a release. The 10-day outdoor festival, which ended Sunday, brings out food from more than 70 restaurants and concerts.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Study Shows Pediatricians Rarely Lose Malpractice Lawsuits

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:49:10 GMT

A new study by Indiana University researchers says pediatricians rarely lose medical malpractice lawsuits.

Despite concerns about the increase in lawsuits, the study found that claims against pediatricians have remained stable across two decades. Additionally, these types of cases tend not to make it to trial.

Sixty-eight percent of the cases brought against pediatricians in the last two decades were either dismissed or withdrawn without payment, according to the study. Approximately twenty-seven percent were settled for the plaintiff and five percent of claims went to trial and four out of five verdicts favored the pediatrician, the study found.

"What was most surprising to us and should be of some comfort to doctors is that . . . the majority of cases just go away with no payment made whatsoever," said Dr. Aaron E. Carroll, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine and a co-author of the report.

"As a pediatrician, I don't want to minimize the fact that every case is traumatic for doctors, but our data show that the reality is probably less serious than people have been led to believe," he said.

The study reviewed data from 1985 to 2005 from the Insurer Association of America, whom represents approximately one third of all malpractice claims throughout the United States. During that time, there were 6,363 claims against pediatricians.

This study is one of the first to accurately display what is happening with pediatrics and malpractice.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

FDA Recalls Veggie Booty Snacks

Chrissie Cole — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:17:43 GMT

An ongoing foodborne illness outbreak, since March, is now coming to light and the FDA warns consumers to discard any Veggie Booty snacks they have in their home.

"This stuff is good for you," says a cartoon character on the company's home page but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat Veggie Booty snack food, marketed by Robert's American Gourmet. The agency says the product may be contaminated with Salmonella Wandsworth, bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illness.

Veggie Booty snacks are generally consumed by children, parents should watch their children and seek medical care immediately if they notice any signs of illness.

The warning was issued based on 52 reports of illness across 17 states, starting in March. The majority of illnesses have occurred in children younger than 10, with most being toddlers. Most of the reports had bloody diarrhea and four were hospitalized.

On June 27, the FDA learned of the outbreak from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which had conducted an investigation of the illnesses with state and local health officials.

Typically Salmonella poisoning causes diarrhea; often with abdominal cramps and fever. Symptoms usually begin within one to four days following exposure. In persons with poor health and underlying conditions and infants, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause a life-threatening infection.

States reporting illnesses include: California (seven cases), Colorado (five cases), Connecticut (one case), Georgia (one case), Indiana (one case), Massachusetts (three cases), Minnesota (two cases), New Hampshire (two cases), New Jersey (two cases), New York (13 cases), Oregon (one case), Pennsylvania (three cases), Tennessee (one), Texas (one), Vermont (three cases), Washington (four cases), and Wisconsin (two cases).

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Toothpaste Recalled for Poisonous Chemical

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:39:10 GMT

Florida company has announced a nationwide recall of toothpaste that was imported from China and distributed to wholesalers. The toothpaste is believed to contain a poisonous chemical.

Approximately 170,000 tubes of toothpaste contain diethylene glycol, a thickening agent used in antifreeze. No injuries or illnesses have been reported to date.

Consumers should stop using the products and discard them or bring them back to their point of purchase for a full refund. The recalled toothpaste has "Made in China" on the label.

The toothpaste brands included in the recall are:
�?� Shir Fresh Mint Fluoride
�?� Shir Fresh Ice Shir Mint Fluoride
�?� Shir Fresh Cool Shir Mint Fluoride

Retailers were advised to examine inventories and notify customers about the recall.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole