2010 August Archive

A 70-year old Shawnee woman was killed in a single vehicle crash in Oklahoma when she lost control of her vehicle. According to an article on NewsOK.com, the woman was driving northbound on a county road about five miles north of Earlsboro when the accident occurred. The vehicle caught fire and the woman was trapped inside. Officials say that the driver sustained massive injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition, it was unclear as to whether or not the deceased was wearing a seat belt.

There are a number of reasons that this Oklahoma auto accident could have happened including hazardous road conditions, debris in the road, or perhaps there was a faulty mechanical component on the car. If an investigation determines that a defective vehicle part played a role in the woman’s death, her family could hold the negligent party accountable and seek restitution. Millions of motorists place their trust in auto manufactures and designers to ensure that the vehicles they make are safe, reliable and free of defects. Should this responsibility be overlooked or ignored altogether, serious injury, or, as this accident demonstrates, death, can occur.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Oklahoma and you suspect that a defective car part played a role in causing your collision, you would be well-advised to contact the experienced Oklahoma City dangerous product lawyers at Maples Law Firm. Our dedicated attorneys have successfully handled a wide array of auto product liability cases and have acquired millions of dollars in settlements for those who have been injured or lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence. You deserve to understand your rights and the Oklahoma personal injury attorneys at Maples Law Firm have your best interests in mind. To learn more about the firm, please call (888) 429-0609 today.

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper was injured when his motorcycle lost control, causing him to slide nearly 290 feet across I-40, an article on NewsOK.com stated. The 44-year old trooper was one of two who were merging onto the highway from the Choctaw Road on-ramp. According to the report, something caused the trooper to swerve and hit the other trooper’s motorcycle before sliding across the westbound lanes of traffic. The second trooper was able to keep his bike upright.

The 44-year old man sustained abrasions, scrapes and possibly broken bones, though his condition was not included in the article. He was flown to OU Medical Center for treatment.

It is unclear exactly what caused this Oklahoma motorcycle accident. However, there are a number of possibilities including dangerous road conditions, debris, negligent driving on the part of another motorist, rider error, or a defective or malfunctioning motorcycle component. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper involved in this accident is very lucky, as many motorcycle crashes end much more tragically. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,553 motorcyclists died in 2005, 44% of which resulted from single-vehicle collisions and 56% of which were from multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents.

The Maples Law Firm is dedicated to helping clients injured in Oklahoma motorcycle crashes find justice. If you or someone you know was injured in a motorcycle accident, you deserve to know your rights and have negligent parties held accountable. Ray Maples, experienced Oklahoma City motorcycle accident injury attorney and founder of The Maples Law Firm, has handled a plethora of different types of personal injury cases and has garnered numerous favorable verdicts and settlements for his clients. You don’t have to face the emotional, physical or financial burdens of a motorcycle accident injury alone. Call The Maples Law Firm at 1(800) 429-0609 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

A 20-year old woman from Oklahoma was tragically killed when the SUV in which she was a passenger lost control and rolled over, ejecting her from the vehicle. According to NewsOK.com, the woman’s two young children, aged one year and three months, sustained minor injuries and the driver of the vehicle has been booked into the Oklahoma County jail for DUI, manslaughter, child endangerment and driving without a license. The crash occurred on the victim’s birthday.

Police are investigating the Oklahoma fatal car crash and have reported that the victim was not wearing a seat belt. According to officials, the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed; however, it is unclear exactly what caused the vehicle to lose control. If high speed or alcohol played a role in causing this tragic accident, the driver could be held liable for the wrongful death of the woman.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma City wrongful death auto accidents like this one are far too common. There are many reasons why a motor vehicle accident occurs, including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, defective vehicle components, and speeding, among others. Sadly, many of these accidents could have been prevented.

If you have lost a loved one in an auto accident due to another driver’s negligence, you may be able to file an Oklahoma wrongful death lawsuit. Motorists who endanger the lives of innocent people can be held responsible for their negligent and reckless actions. Ray Maples, experienced Oklahoma City wrongful death attorney and founder of The Maples Law Firm, understands how difficult the loss of a loved one can be. He has handled a wide variety of wrongful death cases and can help you and your family understand your rights as well as ensure that all responsible parties pay for their bad decisions. To learn more about The Maples Law Firm and how we can help, please call 1(888) 429-0609.

With more reports of nursing home abuse surfacing far too often, it is possible, depending on the circumstances and track record of the nursing homes in question, that these homes may be forced to close. Elderly abuse and neglect from nursing home caregivers is a serious issue, especially when family members already have to make a difficult decision of whether or not to put their loved one in a nursing home in the first place. While many nursing homes and elder care facilities go to great lengths to ensure the safety of their residents, there are some who consistently violate rules and regulations, subjecting their elderly residents to abusive and oftentimes humiliating treatment.

The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010. In reference to nursing home closure, there are new rules that a facility must follow when the establishment is forced to close such as:

• The administrator must notify legal representatives and other responsible parties of the residents of the facility’s closure in writing.
• The notification must include an appropriate plan for transfer and relocation of the resident based on their individual needs. Each resident’s file will be reviewed accordingly.
• After the notification deadline, the nursing home facility may not take on any more residents.
• If an administrator does not comply with the plan that has been set forth in the notification, a fine of up to $100,000 may be imposed and he or she can be barred from participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs.

If you or a loved one has been subjected to nursing home abuse or neglect, you have valid legal rights. As an important and vulnerable part of our society, the elderly should be able to live out the rest of their days in comfort, with respect and dignity. Ray Maples, founding attorney at The Maples Law Firm, understands how difficult a decision it is to place a loved one is an elderly care facility. As an experienced Oklahoma nursing home abuse attorney, Ray Maples can help victims’ families hold these facilities responsible for their negligent and despicable actions. Call Ray Maples at The Maples Law Firm today at 1(888) 429-0609 to schedule a free consultation.

During the summertime, most people tend to take more vacations, which usually means driving longer distances than in comparison to the winter months. The increased travel results in greater rates of wear on vehicle tires and engines, and potentially an increased risk of accidents resulting from tire blow-outs.

Transportation authorities have reported that women are more likely to neglect vehicle inspections, especially with respect to the condition of their tires, because they often hold preconceived notions that car maintenance is primarily the concern of a man. Unfortunately, such out-dated notions can increase the risk of danger while driving, since they inhibit women from proactively taking precautions with their vehicles.

Between 2007-2009, the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office found 881 traffic accidents that involved poor tire conditions. Thirty-two people sustained fatal injuries in these accidents. Each year, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports that 660 people die because of poor tire conditions.

Drivers should ensure that their tires are properly inflated and inspected to minimize the risk of tire blow-outs. In addition, drivers should increase inspection of tires during summer months, since tires are more likely to require replacement due to faster wear.

Nonetheless, some drivers may experience tire blow-outs due either to defective tires or over worn tires. The National Road Safety Foundation suggests that drivers should gradually reduce speed if a tire blow out occurs, and attempt to pull to the shoulder of a road as the driver firmly holds the steering wheel.

If you or a loved one is injured in an accident where a tire blow-out has occurred, it may be possible that your vehicle tires were defective. The Oklahoma dangerous products attorneys of Maples Law Firm have over a decade of experience in advocating on behalf of consumer rights against major tire manufacturers in personal injury lawsuits. Contact our office today at 1-888-429-0609, for your free legal consultation with one of our attorneys.

According to an article in the Oklahoman online, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that a Washington D.C. Metro 2009 train crash that occurred nearly a year ago was caused by a defective electrical circuit. The NTSB found that the electrical circuit did not alert the oncoming train that another train remained stationary on the track.

The train crash killed 8 passengers as well as the train’s conductor. When the stopped train became visible to the moving train, the conductor attempted to brake, but the train conductor only had 3 seconds to react, which was not enough time to avoid the collision. The entire train accident could have been avoided if the Metro’s signal system had been functioning properly that day.

NTSB authorities also discovered that the Metro employees had been previously warned of potential dangers for the trains over the course of 15 years. Warnings from the NTSB included recommendations to improve and update old cars and signal components. However, the Metro repeatedly neglected to repair safety issues affecting trains, including a faulty signal system that did not detect moving trains at least 3,000 times.

In fact, the D.C. Metro Authority normally used non-current testing systems to inspect faulty signaling systems, which often resulted in the Metro overlooking defective signals and gambling with train passengers’ lives. NTSB officials say that the DC Metro had more than adequate warnings about the train hazards, because other passengers had been injured in previous train accidents from faulty signal systems before the 2009 train crash.

In Oklahoma, safety administrators reported 832 train-related injuries and 146 deaths in train accidents during 2000-2007. Injuries from train accidents can result in costly medical expenses, not to mention long-term emotional distress. A victim should not bear the cost of these consequences when a railroad corporation is negligent despite adequate warnings of flaws in their systems.

The Oklahoma personal injury attorneys of Maples Law Firm work to ensure such corporations are held legally accountable for their reckless actions and your suffering. If you or a loved one has suffered from severe injuries resulting from a train accident, you need a strong advocate on your side. Call our office today at 1-888-429-0609 for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 51,000 bicyclists have died in traffic collisions dating back to 1932. Oklahoma, as well as the rest of the nation, experiences its fair share of accidents involving bicycle riders.

In 2006, NHTSA reported that 44,000 people were injured in bicycle accidents and 773 people died as a result of bicycle collisions with automobiles. While the state of Oklahoma has passed helmet laws to reduce the risk of bicycle fatalities and to reduce personal injury cases related to bike accidents, bicyclists should still take additional precautions to limit their risk of injuries when sharing the road with cars.

In addition to wearing bike helmets, bicyclists can make efforts to be more aware of a driver’s blind spot, which is located towards the middle of a vehicle rather than directly behind a vehicle. It is between this area and the area slightly behind a driver’s mirror, where bicycles are not always visible, which leaves a driver less time to react and avoid a potential collision.

Further, bicyclists can protect themselves from injury by following traffic laws as they ride in bike lanes, such as riding in the same direction as the traffic. When bicyclists ride against traffic, they are more likely to be hit by turning cars, because their bike is not the driver’s line of sight.

When riding during the night, bicyclists should make extra efforts to wear either reflectors or brightly colored clothing. Since road visibility greatly decreases at night, drivers experience more difficulty in avoiding accidents with bicyclists who are dressed in dark clothing without flashers.

Finally, bicyclists, like automobile drivers, should monitor their speed to help prevent Oklahoma bike accidents. Often, speeding bicyclists run through red lights nearly causing accidents along busy intersections, or these bicyclists collide with open doors to vehicles as well as vehicles turning in intersections.

Unfortunately, even by adhering to all reasonable safety precautions, reckless drivers can injure bicyclists with careless driving habits. Injured bicyclists may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. Bicyclists who have been injured by a vehicle require the legal skills and advocacy of the Oklahoma personal injury attorneys of Maples Law Firm. For your free legal consultation, contact our office today at 1-888-429-0609.

Accutane is a medication intended for the treatment of severe acne. It was first introduced in 1982 and has been used by more than 16 million patients worldwide. Citing growing competition from generics and a string of Accutane lawsuits, the makers of the drug pulled it from the U.S. market in 2009. However the medication continues to remain in use in other countries.

Throughout its history, Accutane has been linked with several severe side effects including birth defects and suicide. It has also been linked to inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease, a chronic illness that affects the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease is often characterized by the following symptoms:

• Abdominal discomfort often located in the lower right quadrant
• Bloody stools
• Loss of appetite
• Severe diarrhea
• Ulcers
• Weight loss

In severe cases, patients with Crohn’s disease may also experience the following symptoms:

• Arthritis
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Skin complications
• Stunted growth in children

Patients who develop any of the symptoms listed above should stop taking Accutane immediately and contact their physician.

Accutane and Crohn’s Disease-Related Litigation
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against Roche Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Accutane. Many plaintiffs state they developed severe gastrointestinal disorders after taking the medication and criticize Roche for not issuing sterner warnings about the dangers of the drug.

If you have experienced severe side effects while taking Accutane, you may choose to file a lawsuit to receive compensation for medical expenses and suffering. For more information about Accutane lawsuits, contact the Oklahoma dangerous drug injury lawyers at Maples Law Firm.

The latest development in the series of Accutane lawsuits occurred on February 16, 2010, when a New Jersey court ruled that Roche Pharmaceuticals must pay $25.16 million in damages to a man who claimed he developed debilitating inflammatory bowel disease after taking the medication. This came after an earlier ruling stating the company must pay the man $2.6 million in damages was overturned on appeal. Roche Pharmaceuticals maintains they will also appeal the latest results.

According to an article from the Oklahoman online, a medivac helicopter crashed during a flight to Okeene, OK to pick up a medical patient for transport. The helicopter carried a medical crew of three people, one pilot and two nurses.

Both the pilot and one of the nurses died when the helicopter crashed and burned four miles southeast of the destination. One investigator believes the third crew member may have survived because he was ejected from the helicopter as it crashed.

EagleMed is the corporation that owns the helicopter, which was a Eurocopter AS350 model manufactured in 1998. The pilot had 10 years of experience working for EagleMed.

The third crew member, the sole survivor of the helicopter crash, was hospitalized in critical condition at Oklahoma University Medical Center with orthopedic injuries. Investigators have been unable to interview him about the cause of the crash because of the extent of his injuries.

Investigators are examining clues such as helicopter scraps and charred ground, to try to determine reasons behind the helicopter crash. Authorities expect that a formal report will be completed within 6 to 9 months. However, the National Transportation and Safety Board will require another 2-3 months to issue information about the probable cause of the Oklahoma City helicopter crash.

One television reporter suggested that the third crew member warned of problems with the helicopter door. The reporter said that a piece of the helicopter door damaged the helicopter rotor prior to the crash. However, investigators have not confirmed the validity of this information.

The helicopter crash marks the fifth in a series of medical helicopter crashes in Oklahoma resulting in the severe injuries and deaths of medivac crews. Some helicopter crashes occur because of defective parts created by negligent manufacturers. Unfortunately, when a manufacturer is careless, innocent people sometimes get hurt.

In these cases, the Oklahoma wrongful death attorneys of Maples Law Firm work to get their clients the compensation they deserve for their injuries. With over a decade of legal experience, our attorneys understand the nature and complexity of wrongful death and personal injury cases. For your free legal consultation, contact Maples Law Firm today at 1-888-429-0609.