Washington Injury Attorney Blog

A Consumer Product Safety Alert cites 21 deaths in warning that movable soccer goals can be dangerous to kids. The US. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that movable goals are responsible for at least 21 deaths since 1979 due to the goals falling on children. Click here to view an ABC video regarding a deadly soccer goal accident in Phoenix.

According to the web-site Anchored for Safety, there have been 34 deaths and 51 injuries since 1979 attributed to soccer goals including the death of a 22 year old man in Bellevue, Washington who died when a goal post fell onto his head causing massive head injuries. In Woodinville, Washington, a 5 year old girl was injured when a goal post bar fell on her and a 16 year old girl was seriously injured in Yakima when a goal fell on her, striking her in the head. Other injuries include broken bones and severe head and brain injury.

According to Anchored for Safety, the problem with soccer goals is their design. Goals can weigh up to 400 pounds and they are top heavy. Both the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Anchored for Safety call for anchoring soccer goals to the ground to prevent injury and death. Goals should also be re-anchored after they are moved for mowing the grass or for storage. Long term solutions include designing new goals to be tip-resistant and building them out of lighter materials.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission also provides the following safety suggestions:

• Securely anchor all movable goals at all times.
• Never climb on the net or goal framework.
• All nets should be removed when not in use.
• Anchor goals to sturdy fixtures like fence posts when not in use.
• Check all anchor hardware before use and replace damaged or missing parts.
• Disassemble goals for off-season storage.
• Use caution when moving goals.
• Instruct players on goal hazards.
• Use movable goals only on flat surfaces.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a soccer goal accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience in representing victims of serious personal injury and wrongful death. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Brain Injury , Serious Personal Injuries , Slip, Trip and Fall , Wrongful Death

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Every day, an average of 100 people across the United States are treated in emergency rooms for construction accidents involving pneumatic nail guns. In a previous posting, we highlighted some of the serious injuries and even deaths caused by the use of the coil type. In that posting, we discussed a wrongful death claim brought by a widow of a man killed while using a coil type of pneumatic gun. In her wrongful death suit, the widow claims that the contact type of gun should be banned from the market. She is not alone as forensic scientists and emergency room doctors alike believe that the sequential type of nail gun is far safer.

Injuries caused by using automatic nail guns include puncture wounds, brain and head injuries, eye injuries and fractured bones. Musculoskeletal injuries include sprains and tendonitis.

Use the following safety tips when operating a nail gun:

• Use the sequential trigger type, not the coil type of tools

• Obtain proper training in the correct use of the tool

• Carry the tool with your finger away from the trigger

• Always assume the tool is loaded

• Don't point the tool at anyone at any time

• Keep your hands out of the way

• Keep a safety zone around you, making sure co-workers do not enter it

• Disconnect the tool before trying to repair it or clear jams

• Wear safety glasses.

If you have been seriously injured while using a nail gun, contact the construction attorneys at The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in representing people who have been seriously injured or killed while working in the construction trade. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Brain Injury , Construction Accident , Serious Personal Injuries , Wrongful Death

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Researchers at the University of Washington of Seattle report that 60% of traumatic injury victims still have significant pain more than a year after the accident. The study which was published in the journal, Archives of Surgery was conducted by Dr. Frederick Rivara, MD. The study followed 3047 patients from the ages of 18-24 in 14 States. Patients were the victims of traumatic injury such as falls and motor vehicle accidents. The injuries patients received included head injuries, broken limbs, abdominal trauma. Patients suffered pain in their back, limbs, head and neck.They were asked to assess their pain on a scale from 1-10 with 10 the most severe. Traumatic injury patients scored an average of 5.5 a year after their initial trauma.

Dr Frederick commented, “I was surprised that the pain was as common and as severe as they report it to be.” The study findings encourage physicians to treat the pain as well as the injury. “Earlier and more intensive interventions to treat pain in trauma patients in needed,” is one of the conclusions of the study.

According to the American Pain Foundation, people who suffer chronic pain are at a higher risk of depression than the population at large. They also miss more days of work, are disabled and unable to function normally. Chronic pain leads to 100 billion dollars in lost income and productivity, according to the Foundation, .

If you or a loved one has sustained a serious personal injury due to a car accident, a fall on a construction site or on a business premises, you are entitled to compensation for the injuries you suffered and for your pain and suffering. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience representing victims of traumatic injury. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Brain Injury , Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Slip, Trip and Fall , Spinal Cord Injury

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The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and the Washington Traumatic Brain Injury Strategic Partnership Advisory Council launched a campaign on March 1st to “raise awareness and provide a way for people to get information about available resources” regarding Traumatic Brain Injuries. The Seattle Post Intelligencer‘s reporter, Cherie Black, wrote an excellent article about the pain and suffering that TBI victims suffer. In her PI article she told the heart-felt stories of several individuals whose lives were dramatically altered after a TBI. She also asks that you share your own stories of TBI on her blog entitled, “Brain Injuries Suck”.

The leading causes of TBI are:
• Falls (28%).
• Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (20%).
• Struck by/against events (19%).
• Assaults (11%).1
• Since the Iraq war, an increasing number of soldiers experience TBIs due to explosions.

TBI Statistics
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

TBIs contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability annually. Of the 1.4 million who sustain a TBI each year in the United States:
• 50,000 die.
• 235,000 are hospitalized.
• million are treated and released from an emergency department.

Among children ages 0 to 14 years, TBI results in an estimated:
• 2,685 deaths.
• 37,000 hospitalizations.
• 435,000 emergency department visits annually.

If you or a loved one has sustained a serious TBI through the fault or negligence of another you may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries. The Farber Law Group, a Bellevue, Washington, based personal injury law firm has more than 30 years experience in representing victims of TBIs. Call us today for a free case consultation.

For more information and resources on TBI’s, see the TBI Washington web-site, http://www.tbiwashington.org/.

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Posted In: Brain Injury

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