Personal Injury
Thousands Injured in Fireworks Accidents Around Fourth of July
Consumer safety experts are warning that playing with sparklers and other fireworks during the July 4 holiday can result in serious burn injuries. According to a news report in The Associated Press, fireworks sent more than 5,000 people to the emergency room in the 30 days around the Fourth of July in 2012. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that about 60 percent of the estimated 8,700 people treated for injuries in 2012 were hurt between June 22 and July 22.
Here are some of the highlights of the most recent CPSC fireworks injury study:
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Medical Transportation Company Under Scrutiny after Oklahoma Helicopter Crash
A patient was killed in a recent helicopter accident in southeastern Oklahoma en route to a Tulsa medical facility. According to The Associated Press, the helicopter accident occurred near the Choctaw National Health Care Center. Officials have not stated if the patient died because of injuries sustained in the crash or from a previous medical condition. The helicopter’s flight nurse was transported to a Tulsa hospital in stable condition. The pilot and a medic suffered minor injuries, and it is unclear if any other helicopter occupants were injured. The accident is the third deadly crash involving an EagleMedLLC helicopter in Oklahoma since 2010.
The executive director of the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems has stated that EagleMed’s accreditation will be reviewed following the crash. This fatal Oklahoma helicopter crash occurred less than four months after two people were killed in an Oklahoma City helicopter crash on February 22, 2013. Prior to that accident, a helicopter pilot and nurse were killed in a helicopter crash in Kingfisher on July 22, 2010.
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Preventing Boating Accidents in Oklahoma This Summer
In addition to the natural Oxbow and Playa lakes, Oklahoma has more than 200 man-made lakes. There are more lakes created by dams in Oklahoma than in any other state in the United States, and many of them are great for boating. If you are going out on a boat this summer, it is important that you exercise caution. Boating can be dangerous, and collisions often result in devastating injuries.
Here are a few ways in which you can reduce your chances of being involved in an Oklahoma boating accident:
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How Alcohol Awareness Month Can Save Lives
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) declared April as Alcohol Awareness Month back in 1987. Every April, the Council strives to increase the public’s understanding of alcohol dependence and attempts to reduce the stigma that prevents individuals and families from seeking help. This April, the NCADD and its affiliates will release information and resources about alcohol and alcoholism to help those individuals who are struggling to break free from the clutches of addiction.
The theme of Alcohol Awareness Month this year is “Help for Today. Hope for Tomorrow.” NCADD will employ a multitude of media strategies, events, and awareness campaigns. The goal is not to penalize or chastise those suffering from alcoholism, but to foster an environment that helps alcoholics seek out support. Alcoholism is a chronic and progressive disease that can prove injurious not only to the health of the drinker, but also to others if the individual ends up driving a vehicle while under the influence.
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How are Amputation Injuries Suffered in Car Accidents?
Victims of Oklahoma car accidents often suffer devastating injuries that require extensive treatment and time away from work. Most injuries, such as lacerations and bone fractures, can heal over time if treated properly. There are a number of injuries, however, that could last a lifetime. In some of the most devastating Oklahoma accidents, victims may lose one or more limbs.
The Oklahoma City amputation injury lawyers at the Maples Law Firm understand that these types of trauma are not common, but they can occur any time there is a high-speed collision. The force of an accident can be so severe that the victims are crushed inside or trapped by the bent metal and broken glass. In these types of crashes, it is possible for someone to lose a leg, arm, foot, hand, toe, or finger.
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Is the Insurance Company Really Your Friend?
If you watch enough advertisements, you may be left with the notion that insurance companies are your best friends in times of crisis. They all say they want to protect you and save you money. The truth is that insurance providers are highly profitable corporations that have it in their best interests to protect their bottom line. To remain profitable and to keep their board members happy, insurance companies train their adjusters to deny personal injury accident claims. They simply have more to gain from denying your claim or by low-balling you.
If you have been involved in an Oklahoma car accident, there are a number of ways in which you can protect yourself when dealing with an insurance company. Before you even call an insurance provider, make sure you have all of the crash details in front of you. Every time you deal with an insurance company, you should reference the same information. If you contradict yourself, it can be used against you. When you do call an insurance company, make a request that they do not record the conversation. You have nothing to gain by having your call recorded, but they can use the recording to their advantage.
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Human Error to Blame for Oklahoma Train Accident
Three crewmembers from Union Pacific were killed in a fatal Oklahoma train accident involving a head-on collision between two trains. According to a news report in the Associated Press, the fatal train crash occurred just east of Goodwell, 300 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. Officials say the collision triggered a “diesel-fueled fireball” that badly burned the remains of the victims. In addition to the three fatalities, one worker jumped to safety while only suffering cuts and bruises.
Investigators, based on preliminary reports, state that the signals were working properly and that one of the trains should have pulled onto a side track. Therefore, experts believe that human error may have been a factor in the accident. They are trying to determine if the negligence of an operator or a supervisor at the communications center contributed to the crash.
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Driver Killed in El Reno Train Accident
A man was killed in an Oklahoma car accident involving a collision between a vehicle and a train. According to a news report in The Associated Press, the fatal train accident occurred at the intersection of Elm Street and Radio Road in El Reno. Officials say the victim was the sole occupant of the car at the time of the collision. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
According to the Annual Railroad Safety Statistics report by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), there were 11,142 train accidents and incidents in the United States in the year 2009. In those accidents, 695 people were killed and 7,925 were injured. In Oklahoma, 11 fatalities and 64 injuries resulted from train accidents during that same year. Between the years 2005 and 2009, 68 people were killed and 467 were injured in Oklahoma train accidents.
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Woman Killed in Oklahoma Boating Accident
A 52-year-old Ardmore woman was killed over the Memorial Day weekend in a boating accident. According to a KXII news report, the fatal OK boat accident occurred at Lake Murray in Ardmore. Officials say she was ejected and fatally injured when two boats collided. The eight other people involved in the incident were not injured. Authorities are currently investigating if the 34-year-old driver of the other boat was drinking at the time of the crash.
An important part of safe boating is remaining sober. Oklahoma boaters who operate while under the influence of drugs or alcohol put everyone on the water at risk. Boating under the influence is one of the leading causes of fatal boating accidents nationwide. Since Memorial Day weekend of 2011, Oklahoma has adopted a state law that lowered the legal blood alcohol limit for boat operators from .10 to .08 percent. Boat operators who are under the influence must submit to an alcohol test and they may be held accountable for the damages they cause.
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Officials Urging OK Dog Owners to Prevent Attacks by Securing their Pets
Animal control officials in Bryan County are urging dog owners to secure their pets after two pit bulls mauled a 92-year-old man to death in his own yard. According to a news report in the Durant Democrat, the fatal dog attack occurred on South Walnut Street in Mead. The elderly man was seen lying in his yard with multiple bites all over his body. He later died in an area hospital. The two pit bulls that belonged to a neighbor were taken into custody. It is not clear if the dogs’ owner has been charged or cited.
The American Humane Association reports that there are 238 dog bite-related fatalities each year in the United States. About 24 percent of these deaths involving humans are caused by unrestrained dogs off their owner’s property. The city of Durant requires pets to be secured, but the municipal ordinance does not specifically state how an animal must be restrained.
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