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The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck Takes Over Suit Against Tractor Trailer Owner, Operator For Devastating Crash
The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck now represents a woman who suffered a serious traumatic brain injury on May 28, 2008 when her vehicle was rear-ended by a flatbed tractor trailer truck in Stonington. At the time of the collision, the woman was stopped behind another vehicle that was waiting for oncoming traffic to pass before turning left onto Elm Street. Our client was also intending to turn left and had her brake lights and left turn signal activated. The tractor trailer (above) crashed into the woman's VW and forced it into the vehicle in front of hers, causing heavy front- and rear-end damage to the car (below) and serious head injuries to the woman, who at the time was pastor of a Congregationalist church and a part-time book editor. Witnesses told police the truck did not slow before slamming into her car.
The suit against the truck owner and operator alleges common law and statutory negligence and recklessness claims for the operator's unreasonable speed, his failure to keep a reasonable and proper lookout or a reasonable distance between the his truck and the woman's vehicle, and his conscious disregard of other motorists in the operation of the tractor trailer. As a result of her permanent injuries, the woman has been unable to return to work. 
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| Studies Show "Hands-Only" CPR is Often Enough to Save Lives
The Washington Times reported that "More bystanders are willing to attempt CPR if an emergency dispatcher gives them firm and direct instructions - especially if they can just press on the chest and skip the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, according to new research. The two new studies conclude that 'hands-only' chest compression is enough to save a life. They are the largest and most rigorous yet to suggest that breathing into a victim's mouth isn't needed in most cases." Read more. |
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Study: Medical Errors Cost Nearly $20 Billion Per Year
The Wall Street Journal "Health Blog" reported that medical errors cost the US $19.5 billion in 2008, according to a study released last month by the Society of Actuaries. The costs include both medical costs and those linked to lost productivity. The Hill reported that the dollar figure cited is "likely low," according to consultants at Milliman, who crunched the numbers. Jonathan Shreve, an actuary for Milliman who co-authored the report, said, "We used a conservative methodology and still found 1.5 million measureable medical errors occurred in 2008." More than "half of those costs were associated with just five avoidable medical injuries: pressure ulcers; post-op infections; mechanical troubles with devices, implants or grafts; post-laminectomy syndrome; and hemorrhages." |
Study: Medical Error Disclosure Program Reduces Claims, Costs
In a recent New York Times "Doctor and Patient" column, Pauline W. Chen, MD, discussed the ramifications of a medical error disclosure program in which a hospital handles "patient injuries by initiating discussions with patients and families, conducting internal investigations, and offering apologies with offers of compensation should those investigations reveal medical errors." A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine details the experiences of the University of Michigan Health System which, since 2001, has followed such a policy. In the study, "researchers analyzed the number of claims and lawsuits filed against the hospital system between 1995 and 2007, comparing data from before and after the policy took effect." The study found that "there were actually fewer lawsuits and claims after the hospital began its disclosure with compensation program." |
NTSB Calls For Curbs On Distracted Boating
The National Transportation Safety Board has "urged the Coast Guard to tighten restrictions on cellphone use by its officers" and has "asked the Coast Guard to issue a broad safety advisory to the entire maritime industry warning of the risks from cellphones." USA Today reported Coast Guard statistics show that out of 4,730 reported boating accidents last year, 1,084 - or more than one in five - involved either "operator inattention" or "improper lookout." |
Study: Distracted Driving is Leading Cause of Pedestrians' Injuries and Deaths in NYC
Although use of hand-held cell phones while driving is illegal in New York City, a newly released report on pedestrian safety by NYC's transportation department "found that driver inattention was the most frequent cause for cars to collide with and seriously injure or kill pedestrians in New York City last year." Among the findings in the The New York City Pedestrian Safety Study and Action Plan:
- Driver inattention was cited in nearly 36% of crashes resulting in pedestrians killed or seriously injured.
- Pedestrians accounted for 52% of traffic fatalities from 2005-2009.
- 2009 was the safest year on record in New York City history, with traffic fatalities down by 35% since 2001. |
Loose Pets = Distracted Driving
A recent study by AAA indicates that "lap dogs and other pets left unrestrained inside moving vehicles pose a major distraction that could be deadly."
Fifty-five percent of the drivers polled said they have pet their dog while driving, and 21% said they held the dog in their lap. Seven percent said they have given food and water to their dog while driving, and 5% have played with their dog while behind the steering wheel. Only 17% said they used a restraint system for their pet. According to Motivation Design LLC, a company that manufactures pet travel products, including restraint systems for pets, an 80-pound dog unrestrained during a crash at 30 mph exerts 2,400 pounds of force in a vehicle, creating a danger for the dog and anyone in its path. Another problem: "dogs inside wrecked vehicles often become territorial and protective of their owners when police and emergency-responders try to rescue injured occupants, sometimes leaving authorities no other option than to shoot the animal." Read more.
Bottom line: make sure pets are safely restrained in moving vehicles. |
CDC, NFL Partner to Fight Concussions
 This season, a new poster on concussion in sports will be displayed in NFL locker rooms nationwide. The poster highlights the importance of recognizing a concussion, taking time to recover, and not returning to play too soon. As the fall sports season begins, take time to talk with coaches, parents, and athletes about concussions in sports and the steps to take to help prevent, recognize, and respond to these serious injuries. Learn more about concussions here. Click here to get the NFL Player Poster. |
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Enjoy our Award-Winning Newsletter!
The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck is proud to be named a Constant Contact Email Marketing All Star for 2009. | | Prescription, OTC Drug Recalls Way Up
CNNMoney.com reported: "Recalls of prescription and over the counter drugs are surging, raising questions about the quality of drug manufacturing in the United States." The FDA "reported more than 1,742 recalls last year, skyrocketing from 426 in 2008, according to the Gold Sheet, a trade publication on drug quality that analyzes FDA data," although the drug repackager Advantage Dose "accounted for more than 1,000 of those recalls." CNN also notedthat two "bills introduced this year would impose stricter regulations on the industry, and give the FDA authority to mandate recalls." |
| Taser Maker Settles Product Liability Claim
The Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel reported last month that a man "permanently injured after he was shocked with a Taser nearly four years ago will receive a $2.85 million settlement from the stun-gun maker, the first time Taser International has settled a product-liability case, according to court documents. However, the company did not admit to any liability for the anoxic brain injury Steven Butler, 49, suffered after being shocked." The company tried to seal the court documents that divulge the dollar value of the agreement" but the judge denied the request. |
Recall Central
To read about recent recalls and product safety news from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, click here.
Get the latest recall information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration here.
The Dept. of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service regulate meat, poultry products and processed eggs. Check their recalls here.
Click here for Food and Drug Administration recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts.
For updates on the peanut products recall click here. |
Egg Recall Shows Problems in US Food Safety Oversight
The NY Times reported that "some consumer advocates say the huge egg recall highlights a broader and continuing problem at the heart of the nation's largest food recalls: a highly complicated and often dysfunctional food safety system." While the "FDA oversees the safety of eggs still in their shells...the Agriculture Department regulates liquid eggs that are used in industrial food production," and has responsibility "for chickens and the grading of eggs for quality." Yet, neither the FDA nor the Agriculture Department inspected either farm. |
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Proudly Serving Connecticut and Rhode Island
The trial attorneys at The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck, LLC represent individuals in all types of personal injury cases throughout the state of Connecticut and the state of Rhode Island, including, in Connecticut: New London County, New Haven County, Middlesex County, Hartford County, Tolland County, and Windham County; and in Rhode Island: Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Providence County, and Washington County.
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