Archive for April, 2012

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24
Apr

Missouri Woman Charged In Connection With Fatal Accident

April 24, 2012

University City Police have concluded their investigation into an accident that killed a 19-year-old man in February and have charged the driver responsible for his death. According to KSDK 5 News, the 30-year-old woman from Kirkwood, Missouri, faces counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and driving while intoxicated.

The accident happened around 11:15 p.m. along Delmar Boulevard on February 3. The young man had just gotten off work and was riding his bicycle home when a vehicle struck him from behind while he was waiting for a light to change. Rescue crews rushed the young man to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, but he died the following day from his injuries.

Police conducted several field sobriety tests with the driver responsible for the accident, which she failed. A Breathalyzer test indicated that her blood alcohol level was 0.262 percent, more than three times the legal limit.

The drunk driver was charged Friday and was free that afternoon, pending her next court date, after posting a $25,000 bail.

According to statistics from the non-profit organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 258 lives in Missouri were lost last year because of drunk driving. That’s more than one-third of the state’s total traffic fatalities.

The St. Louis Drunk Driving Lawyers with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers ask that we all do our part to reduce these numbers by not getting behind the wheel after drinking. Establish a designated driver for your party before drinking instead.

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17
Apr

St. Louis Tow Truck Driver Killed In I-70 Hit-And-Run Accident

April 17, 2012

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, traffic accidents accounted for two out of every five fatal work injuries in 2010. Most of these accidents occurred within the transportation industry, which had a two percent overall increase in injury accidents in 2010, making driving a commercial vehicle one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States.

These numbers resonated across St. Louis, Missouri, earlier this week when a tow truck driver was killed in a hit-and-run accident. KSDK  5 News says the accident occurred in the eastbound lanes of I-70 near Grand Boulevard around 9:00 p.m. Reports say that the tow truck driver was laying cones and flares out to block off an area surrounding a stranded vehicle when a white sedan veered off the highway and struck him. The vehicle then left the scene, but was eventually stopped and the driver arrested a short distance away.

The driver of the car is being held until detectives are able to complete their investigation into the crash, at which point charges may be filed.

The accident was close to the site where another worker was injured after being hit earlier in the week.

The St. Louis Wrongful Death Lawyers with Cofman Townsley Attorneys At Law would like to send their thoughts and condolences to the family of the worker who tragically lost his life as a result of this accident.

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10
Apr

Study Finds Nursing Home Drug Errors Often Caused By Miscommunication

April 10, 2012

A recent study in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing says that researchers at the University of Missouri discovered that drug errors in nursing homes are likely to occur because of miscommunications among staff. According to a news release from the university, estimates show that as many as 800,000 of these preventable mistakes occur each year.

Researchers found that the time when most of these medication mistakes occur is during a period of medication reconciliation. This is a time after a patient is transferred in which doctors, nurses, and pharmacists should closely scrutinize a patient’s drug regimen in order to determine any problems or discrepancies.

The study found that doctors and pharmacists are often too busy to participate in this process at nursing homes and leave the job to the nursing staff. This can become a potential problem, as a system of checks and balances is necessary for each patient. Failure to complete this could cause medication problems to be overlooked.

Researchers concluded that better communication among staff could reduce the number of adverse drug events each year.

The Missouri Drug Injury Lawyers with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers know that the transfer process to or from a nursing home or hospital is a vulnerable time period for seniors in poor health. Improving these transfers and the communication between healthcare providers will go far in reducing the number of adverse events associated with these moves.

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3
Apr

Driver’s Hand Position Could Be Dangerous In Accident

April 3, 2012

Many people are taught to hold the steering wheel of a car at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions, but new research shows that holding the wheel like this could be dangerous and lead to injuries.

According to a recent article by KSDK 5 News, the danger comes from the airbag. In the case of an accident, an airbag deploys at roughly 200 mph out of the front of the steering wheel. If a driver is holding the wheel at the 10 and 2 o’clock position at the time of a crash, the airbag is going to hit their hands and arms and send their limbs towards their face, which could cause serious injury.

Another technique that is now being called dangerous is crossing your arms when turning the wheel. Experts with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) say that the act of crossing your arms leaves you exposed to the same danger of an airbag causing your arms to hit your face in the event of an accident.

This is why the NHTSA now advises drivers to hold the wheel at the 9 and 3 position, with your arms to the side of the wheel and free of danger.

The Missouri Car Accident Lawyers with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers want you to stay safe while driving and are here to help you if you’ve been seriously injured in an accident caused by another driver’s negligence.

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