On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Workers' Compensation on Friday, May 17, 2013
According to a new report from the AFL-CIO, 13 workers were killed each day in the United States in 2011 as a result of work-related injuries, and another 137 people per day are killed as a result of work-related illness and disease. Although workplaces have become safer overall in the United States since the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the report indicated that the overall committment to workplace safety has diminished in recent years, putting workers at risk.
The report said that while the job fatality rate has consistently been on the decline for decades, the past three years remained steady in the number of workers who are losing their lives because of workplace injuries or illnesses. According to the most current data, North Dakota had the highest job fatality rate in the country, while Pennsylvania had the lowest. The report was based on data from both the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
On April 26, a 24-year-old Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, man was killed while riding his motorcycle in Westtown Township. Police said the deadly accident occurred when the motorcyclist was traveling north on SR 202 and was hit by a white Dodge Ram coming from the opposite direction that took a left at Stanton Avenue.
The accident victim's father, who was fighting tears during the interview, said that his son's girlfriend had been following his son in a car. She saw accident lights and soon realized that it was her boyfriend who had been hit when she recognized his helmet. The father said the family has been overcome by grief following the motorcycle accident.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, May 9, 2013
According to reports, a two-vehicle accident in Northeast Philadelphia early this morning left a total of 13 people injured. The accident involved a 15-passenger van that flipped onto its side after allegedly being struck by a car at the intersection of Torrerdale Avenue and Rhawn Street around 5:15 a.m.
Law enforcement authorities said 12 of the injured people were passengers in the van and the thirteenth was the female driver of the car, who was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. Police did not reveal the identities of anyone involved in the accident or information on where the 15-passenger van was headed.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
When servicemen and women return from fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, most are aware that they are at risk of suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of the traumatic experience they have been through. However, a lesser-known danger affecting military service veterans is fatal motor vehicle accidents.
In fact, research shows that military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan face a 75-percent increased risk of getting into a fatal car accident after returning home than civilians. The risk is especially high for servicemen and women who are still in their uniforms in the months immediately after their return. Those who have served multiple tours during the wars face the highest risk, research shows.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Brain Injuries on Thursday, May 2, 2013
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years, you have heard about the thousands of lawsuits that are currently pending against the National Football League. In the lawsuits, former players acuse the league of covering up the dangers posed by multiple concussions, and they say they now suffer brain injuries as a result.
The issue of brain injuries in athletics -- especially football -- has been thrust into the spotlight since then, and many organizations are now taking steps to better protect their players. For example, the NCAA has made many changes to rules in recent years aimed at protecting football players from brain injuries.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Burn Injuries on Monday, April 29, 2013
A recent op-ed article written by a seasoned firefighter explained just how catastrophic burn injuries can be. The firefighter wrote about his experience visiting a colleague who was severely burned on the job. The firefighter said that after years in the field, he should have been familiar to the damages caused by burn injuries. But he said visiting his colleague reminded him just how serious the injuries can be.
The firefighter wrote that even though it appeared his colleague had suffered only minor first- and second-degree burns, which were accompanied by redness and some blistering, the colleague ended up having to be admitted to a burn unit for four days for extensive treatment of his burns. Out of this experience, the firefighter said he learned to never underestimate a burn injury.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Brain Injuries on Thursday, April 25, 2013
According to reports, the National Football League Alumni Association is working with a medical company to develop a possible treatment for traumatic brain injuries. If all goes as planned, the treatment will be tested on retired NFL football players, many of whom have suffered brain damage because of repetitive concussions on the field.
The treatment would involve a drug to treat depression that is now in the early stages of human trial. The drug seemed to be able to stimulate the creation of new brain cells, which could potentially help repair brain damage that was formerly believed to be irreversible.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Police have determined that a bus crash involving a tour bus that was traveling from Philadelphia to New York was caused by a tire blowout. A total of 14 passengers were injured when the crash occurred in New Jersey on Interstate 29 near mile marker 59 just before 3 p.m. on Saturday.
According to reports, the driver was not able to control the bus after the tire blowout and the bus swerved off of the road and down into an embankment. Luckily, no one was severely injured or killed in the bus accident. So often, charter bus accidents like this one end in tragedy. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, April 18, 2013
While on the road, have you ever noticed yourself drifting off? Head bobbing? Yawning frequently? According to a recent study performed by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, drowsy driving is an even bigger problem than people originally imagined.
The researchers provided the over 100 study participants with vehicles equipped with high-tech sensors to monitor their driving habits. The participants then used the vehicles for all of their normal driving during 2003 and 2004.
On behalf of Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Tuesday, April 16, 2013
A Bucks County student is attempting to adapt to life in a wheelchair after a bus accident in February left his paralyzed from the chest down. The accident occurred in Boston and involved a busload of Philadelphia-area teens who had been on a tour at Harvard University.
The accident occurred on Feb. 2 when the charter bus careened into an overpass on a Boston road. More than 40 people were injured in the accident after the roof collapsed on the passengers. The 16-year-old Neshaminy High School sophomore suffered the most serious injuries.
