0
24
Jan

Speed, Intoxication, and Distractions To Blame In Missouri Wrongful Death Case

January 24, 2012

A combination of distracted and intoxicated driving is to blame for the death of a 38-year-old mother and wife who was hit and killed in September of 2010. According to stltoday.com, the accident happened at around 5:00 PM on Gravois Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri.

Toxicology reports from samples taken after the accident show that the 28-year-old driver of the 2004 Mazda Tribute responsible for the accident had Freon, oxycodone, and marijuana in his system when he plowed through a gas station and hit the woman. Witnesses said the man was also on his cell phone at the time of the accident.

Police executed a search warrant in November 2010 to obtain the man’s phone records to determine if he was using the phone at the time of the crash. While no comment was made on the subject by police, they did charge the man this past Saturday with first-degree involuntary manslaughter.

The woman’s husband also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver this past April, seeking damages of more than $25,000 for the family’s loss, claiming the driver’s speed, intoxication, and carelessness in using a phone while driving is responsible for the woman’s death. The driver responsible for the accident settled out of court with two individuals in 2000 after a similar accident.

The Missouri wrongful death attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers may be able to help you if you have lost a loved one in an accident caused by another person’s negligence.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
17
Jan

Taking Two Or More Medications Increase Chances Of Falling

January 17, 2012

New data from a study conducted in New Zealand shows that taking two or more prescription medications increases the risks of being a victim of slip and fall accidents for working-age adults. According to an article by MedPage Today, use of hypertensives and cholesterol-lowering drugs presented the highest risks of falls to users.

The study examined 335 patients, between the ages of 25 and 60, who either died or were seriously injured and hospitalized following an unintentional fall while at home. Researchers also took into account some 352-control subjects whose records were randomly selected. Nurses then interviewed theses patients with a questionnaire and gathered information from records to collect data for the study.

They concluded that patients using two or more prescription medications had an increased risk of suffering from a serious fall of more than 10 percent. While numerous types of medications were examined, including: bronchodilators, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, and psychotropics; hypertensives and lipid-lowering medications were the only two types to show any connection to falls in this particular study.

Although researchers recognize the study has it’s limitations, they also say the research warrants a closer examination, “…that can disaggregate the effect of drugs relative to underlying conditions, as well as examine the effects of specific drugs, dosages, and their possible interactions.”

The Indiana slip and fall accident attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers urge patients taking several medications at one time to be fully aware of the side effects each medication has and also be cautious of dangerous drug interactions.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
10
Jan

Four Injured In Missouri Crash Being Blamed On Speed And Alcohol

January 10, 2012

Four young adults from St. Clair, Missouri, are lucky to walk away from a single-vehicle accident they were involved in early this morning that is being blamed on alcohol and excessive speed. According to KSDK 5 News, the crash happened as the vehicle was cresting a hill along Peacock Road in Franklin county.

Troopers believe the 19-year-old driver of the 2002 Volkswagen may have been attempting to perform a hill-jumping stunt in the vehicle when he drove the car at breakneck speeds over a steep hill along the rural road. Troopers with the Missouri state highway patrol say that the automobile went soaring through the air and collided with a tree. That impact made the vehicle roll several times before it came to rest in a ditch.

Speed is directly related to fatality rates in car crashes. The faster you are driving, the greater the impact. The greater the impact, the less chances of survival you have. Excessive speed was proven to be a contributing factor to one-third of all fatal crashes in the United States by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

This is why the Missouri auto accident attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers ask that motorists be mindful in obeying all posted speed limits when driving. If you have been injured in an auto accident at no fault of your own, contact an experienced attorney today.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
3
Jan

St. Louis Area ER Units Get New Online Check-In System

January 3, 2012

We all know how miserable sitting in the emergency room waiting area can be if you are injured. New technology may alleviate that problem at St. Louis, Missouri, area hospitals soon enough.

KMOV 4 News reported yesterday that five emergency departments across the city now offer an online check-in service called InQuicker. Patients can now go to the website and select the emergency center they would like to visit. The patient is prompted to fill out and submit their paperwork online, at which point their place in line is held at the hospital. The system then gives the patient an estimated time at which to arrive at the hospital where they can be seen almost immediately.

The service is new to the St. Louis-area, but has been used in other cities across the nation for years. It is expected to greatly increase patient satisfaction at participating units.

The new system was created by SSM Health Care and will only work with facilities in their network. Participating emergency departments include:

  • SSM St. Mary’s Health Center
  • SSM St. Clare Health Center
  • SSM DePaul Health Center
  • SSM St. Joseph Health Center
  • SSM St. Joseph Hospital West

The Missouri personal injury attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers know how vital it is for accident victims to receive the care that they need as fast as possible. The firm hopes that the newly implemented system will allow patients to receive care in a quicker and more efficient manner.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
27
Dec

Accidents Across Missouri Leave A Teen Dead And Others Injured

December 27, 2011

A 13-year-old girl died as a result of a car crash early Tuesday morning in St. Louis, Missouri. According to KSDK 5 News, the accident occurred at approximately 12:30 AM along the northbound lanes of Interstate-55.

Police are saying that weather conditions on area roads may have played a part in the crash that killed the teen from Maryland Heights, Missouri. They believe that the 28-year-old male driver of the vehicle she was riding in lost control of the vehicle on the wet, slick asphalt just before hitting a bridge support beam. The driver, along with several other passengers ranging in age from 11 to 30-years-old, were all taken to area hospitals to be treated for serious injuries.

Similar conditions were attributed to another set of accidents in the state along I-70. Police stated the accident occurred when a refrigerated box truck traveling westbound on the highway crashed through a median and collided with two vehicles after crossing the eastbound lanes. Two individuals were taken to a local hospital to be treated for what was described as “minor injuries.”

The Missouri auto accident attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers believe that taking immediate action after a car accident is the best way to ensure that the insurance companies give you the compensation you need. As stated in a recent ad, you may not be able to change what happened, but you can change what happens next. Contact an experienced lawyer today.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
20
Dec

Missouri Baby Dies From Rare Infection Found In Milk Formula

December 20, 2011

According to KY 3 News, the infection has been linked with a bacterium that has been found in some commercial milk formulas in the past, which led to the death of an infant.

The baby boy was born earlier this month and everything seemed normal until he became ill when he was a week old. The couple rushed the infant to the Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, where he died of complications two days later. It was determined that the child died from an infection of a bacterium known as cronobacter sakazakii. The infection is known to cause meningitis, and in extreme cases, death.

An Administrator of the Laclede County Health Department, Charla Baker, told the parents that the infection has been linked to formula powders in the past. They have since sent two samples of the formula along with the water used to prepare it to be tested.

In the meantime, the Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are working on the case to determine the source of the bacteria.

The Missouri Defective Product Attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers encourage you to contact them today if you or a loved one has been caused harm by a faulty or unsafe product.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
13
Dec

Distracted Driving The Cause Of Missouri Bus Crash Last Year

December 13, 2011

The dangers of distracted driving were made clear by the case of a Missouri teen who was killed in an car accident last year. KSDK 5 News reported that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident investigation determined the 19-year-old driver was distracted by 11 text messages in the 11 minutes prior to causing a crash that killed him and another student, and left 38 others injured.

Deborah Hersman, Chairman of the NTSB, stated yesterday that phone records made it clear that the young man driving the pickup was manually, cognitively, and visually distracted at the time of the accident due to the fact he had sent six text messages in received five messages in the moments before he rear-ended a tractor-trailer. The crash set off a chain reaction of events, in which, a school bus rear-ended the pickup truck and another school bus smashed into the first one.

The American Journal of Public Health mentioned in a recent article that studies show a dramatic rise in the danger texting poses behind the wheel. In fact, there has been a 28 percent increase in fatalities that stem from texting while driving from 2005 to 2008.

The Missouri Auto Accident Attorneys with Cofman Townsley advise drivers not use their cell phones at all while behind the wheel. This is the best way to ensure that you are not a hazard to yourself or others on the road.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
6
Dec

Missouri Law Enforcement Aims To Make Roads Safer And Better

December 6, 2011

Some Missouri-area law enforcement agencies are using their efforts to make the state’s highways safer and improve the quality of the roads. According to KMOV News, funds received from traffic tickets for speeding and DUI’s is now being funneled into local budgets for improvements to area roads.

The city of St. Ann, Missouri, says that it has raised approximately $2.8 million this year alone in court fee and fines from traffic tickets issued by the city’s police department. St. Ann Police Chief, Bob Schrader, says they can attribute a large chunk of that extra cash to officers cracking down on speeders along a seven-mile stretch of I-70 that has been declared a “Travel Safe Zone” by the state. These areas are categorized by the state as having a high number of accidents and fatalities and can carry double fines for any infraction. Road improvements, raises for city employees, and a new $25,000 laser speed gun are slated to use the extra income next year.

The Creve Coeur Police Department is looking to put some funds back into their local budget as well by conducting DUI checkpoints over the next week as a part of the Holiday DWI Enforcement Campaign aimed at taking drunk drivers off of the road.

The Missouri Auto Accident Attorneys with Cofman Townsley urge drivers to watch their speed and obey limits to not only avoid getting a ticket, but to also possibly save your life or that of another motorist.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
29
Nov

New Study Attributes PTSD In Soldiers To Inner Feelings Of Guilt

November 29, 2011

A study by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) has collected data that shows the main reason returning soldiers suffer from mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is because of internal conflicts and feelings of shame and guilt.

KSDK News reported last week that the study pulled its data from nearly 2, 600 returning Marines and Sailors. Researchers found that the soldiers were more scarred by their own inner moral dilemmas than by the actual sights of combat. Most servicemen reported what is referred to as “survivor’s guilt.” This is a feeling of guilt and shame for living through an attack in which others died, or for witnessing/participating in the accidental killings of innocent civilians.

The idea of “moral injuries” is fairly new to the world of psychiatry, but is under close examination by the VA due to the fact that half of all men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan that are being treated have been diagnosed with PTSD. Symptoms can include nightmares, numbness to the world, mood swings, violence, and suicide.

The only way to overcome the disorders, says psychiatrist, researcher, and retired Navy Captain, Bill Nash, is for the soldiers to forgive themselves.

The Missouri Veterans Benefits Attorneys with Cofman Townsley are here to help any veteran get the benefits they deserve for serving their country. We are available to answer any question you may have about your case by filling out a free initial consultation form.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
22
Nov

FDA Revokes Approval Of Avastin For Treatment Of Breast Cancer

November 22, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, announced last Friday that the agency has revoked its approval of the drug Avastin for treatment of breast cancer patients. KSDK 5 News reported last week that Hamburg confirmed the decision was made based on a lack of evidence that the drug improves patient survival rates on top of the serious side effects the drug may have.

Avastin received “accelerated approval” in 2008 for the treatment of breast cancer after the drug’s manufacturer, Genentech, Inc., cited promising results found in a 2005 early clinical study of the drug. The FDA required that Genentech to provide a double blind study with results showing improved survival rates of patients. Unfortunately, the results of the study found patients taking the drug had lower survival rates. Patients treated with placebo and Taxotere, another cancer drug, lived for 31.9 months on average; whereas patients treated with Avastin and Taxotere lived for 30.8 months at a low Avastin dose and 30.2 months at a high Avastin dose.

The drug is also known to have a serious side effect known as Gastrointestinal (GI) perforation, a condition in which a hole develops in the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine. Symptoms include pain, nausea, vomiting, and could result in death.

The Missouri Drug Injury Lawyers with Cofman Townsley encourage patients to research any drugs their doctor recommends them to take before starting a regimen of medication. If you have suffered from a drug injury, contact a lawyer immediately to evaluate your case.

[?]
Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Close
E-mail It