Monday, January 18, 2010

Out of Control Tanker Crushed Three Vehicles, 2 Injured

A speeding tanker crashed and rolled over three cars and injured two people on Route 2 in Lincoln, Tuesday, January 12, 2010, according to the Boston Globe.

Nancy James quickly turned and looked in her mirrors and made a sharp left turn when she saw the out of control tanker. The tanker continued up the road and crushed her vehicle and two others at 9 a.m. in the westbound lanes at Crosby's corner.

Police reported that the driver of the tanker, identified as 47-year-old John Revene, suffered sever injuries in the rollover crash. Revene was transported via trauma helicoptor to be treated at Massachusetts general hospital.

Nancy James was miraculously unscathed when the tanker crushed her 2007 Toyota Avalon, and damaged every part of the vehicle except the drivers side. A witness of the crash pulled Nancy out of her dilapidated vehicle to safety. Another driver, 52-year-old Elizabeth Buchanan, was traveling in her 2006 Toyota Matrix when the back of the tanker rolled over her vehicle.

Elizabeth survived with minor injuries and was taken for treatment at Emerson Hospital. Police reported that 48-year-old Christiana Rabich, was driving her 2000 Chrysler minivan when the tanker struck and crished the van with the cab of the tanker.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) officials examined the tanker to make sure the vehicle was working properly and found no mechanical issues. The tanker had been carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel at the time of the crash. The tanker, which was owned by Trans-Spec Truck Services Inc., reportedly stated that they had never had an accident like this occur involving one of the company trucks.

Investigatores reported that the truck driver was driving the wrong route when the accident occured.

Route 2 was colsed until 11:30 a.m. and traffic was diverted traveling both directions. The accident caused authorities to close Route 2 and divert traffic heading both directions. The investigations continues.

This article was provided by Bridget Horn of http://www.NewYorkInjuryNews.com
http://www.personalinjurynewsblog.com/personalinjury/out-of-control-tanker-crushed-three-vehicles-2-injured/

If you or someone you know has been injured due to an accident with an 18 Wheeler, please do not hesitate to call Murphy Law Firm at 225-928-8800. Don't Be A Victim Twice!

http://www.batonrougeinjuryaccidentattorney.com/18-wheeler%20accidents.html

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Chemical Restraint Alleged In Nursing Home Deaths

We've been following the issue of nursing home abuse for some time. As a matter-of-fact, yesterday we wrote that a Brooklyn nursing home was ordered to pay $19 million in damages to a family whose love one allegedly died as a result of abject neglect. Now, ABC World News is reporting that a California nursing home used chemical restraints - drugs - to silence residents. In some cases, this practice was fatal.

It seems the practice was ongoing since at least 2003 at the Kern Valley Nursing Home, said ABC. Nursing Director, Gwen Hughes would chemically restrain complaining or annoying patients with strong anti-psychotic medications, said ABC. Hughes' practices were so intense that three residents at the nursing home died, added ABC.

Jerry Brown, California Attorney General, said that Hughes had a patient medicated for "glaring" at her; another patient was chemically restrained for tossing a milk carton, according to ABC. Brown said, "In a couple cases, elderly people were actually held down, restrained against their will, and given excessive amounts of medicine to keep them quiet," quoted ABC, which added that patient were seen "drooling, dehydrated, and dangerously thin." Worse, Hughes was previously terminated from another California facility for over-dosing patients, said ABC.

On a number of occasions we have written about the dangerous issue surrounding the dosing of medications to the elderly, specifically antidepressants, anti-pyschotics, and sedatives. Sometimes these medications are given for seemingly pointless reasons and, on occasion, these medications appear to be linked to falls and other accidents in the elderly. Science Daily recently reported that such accidents among the elderly are "significantly" linked with these drugs - sedatives to help patients sleep and drugs used to treat mood disorders - citing a study conducted by an expert in "pharmaceutical outcomes research" out of the University of British Columbia. The study was published in the November 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

We also recently wrote that the Chicago Tribune broke with an expose on how some powerful psychotropic drugs are given to nursing home residents in Illinois without consent and valid psychiatric diagnoses. Some have suffered from a variety of adverse responses that include, said the Tribune, "tremors, dangerous lethargy, and a higher risk of harmful falls or even death." The Tribune said it found 1,200 violations affecting 2,900 patients since 2001, all involving psychotropics; however, it is believed that the figures are higher given the dearth of regular investigations. According to the Tribune, some sites only inspect once very 15 months, and generally only conduct spot checks.

Yesterday, three officials from Kern appeared at a hearing on elder abuse charges from 2003 to 2007 and included Hughes; administrator Pamela Ott, and Dr. Hoshang Pormir, staff physician. said ABC. All three, who pleaded not guilty, face up to 11 years of prison time, said ABC, adding that the preliminary hearing is scheduled March 9, 2010. Debbie Gayle Hayes, a former pharmacist at Kern accepted a plea bargain only if she can testify for the prosecution.

When seniors are abused - emotionally, physically, financially, sexually, or through neglect - the risk of death increases by more than double, according to a recent study, said Medicine net recently. Sadly, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data, anti-psychotics that are inappropriately prescribed, kill 15,000 nursing home patients annually, said ABC.

This article was provided by NewsInferno.com
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/17922#more-17922

If you or someone you know has a family member that has been abused or neglect while staying in a nursing home, please call the personal injury attorneys at Murphy Law Firm at (225)928-8800 or visit our website at http://www.batonrougeinjuryaccidentattorney.com/medical%20malpractice.html