E. Michael Grossman's Personal Injury Blog

Trucking Fatalities Hold Steady

As reported yesterday in the Dallas Morning News...

Truck crackdown sought as fatalities hold steady...

"WASHINGTON – Two advocacy groups called for tougher federal regulations on trucks while releasing a study that shows U.S. fatalities from truck accidents holding steady at 100 a week.

The Truck Safety Coalition and Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways said the latest numbers show that Wyoming, Arkansas and Oklahoma are the deadliest states for truck crashes, based on the number of fatalities per 100,000 residents in 2005.

In 1999, when the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was created, 5,380 people died in crashes with big trucks, said Joan Claybrook, chair of Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways. In 2005, it was 5,212, she said.

"That figure has barely budged," she said.

The families of truck crash victims this week are lobbying Congress and the Bush administration to create stricter rules."

"Texas was roughly in the middle of the pack, with 2.2 truck crash deaths per 100,000. That's 23rd in the nation."

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Trucking Accident Attorney

Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2006

In June 2006, 51 percent of motorcyclists in the United States used DOT-compliant helmets, a 3-percentage-point increase from the 2005 rate. However, 2005 was considerably lower than the year 2000 where over 70% of cyclist wore helmets.  This information was published in a report by NHSTA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

Source: Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2006 ─ Overall Results  NHSTA

The reports goes on to say that states where motorcycle helmet use is not required by law, the percentages are considerably less.  At this time, the state of Texas does NOT require the use of motorcycle helmets.  As a result, Texas state does NOT take advantage of state funded incentives offered to those states requiring seat belt and helmet use.

"The U.S. Department of Transportation is working with states to promote seat belt use, providing more than $123 million in 2006 incentive grants to states with primary seat belt laws. The DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also coordinates the national Click It or Ticket law enforcement campaigns, which mobilize thousands of police agencies across the country to vigorously enforce state belt laws." -- from NHSTA Press Release dated Nov. 28, 2006

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Seat Belt and Motorcycle Helmet Use Stats

In a press release issued in November 2006, the NHSTA shared results of the US DOT Seat Belt and Motorcycle Helmet Use Statistics Report.

"More Americans must take steps to protect themselves on America’s highways to reduce rising fatality numbers, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters said today while releasing a study announcing slight changes to the seat-belt and helmet-use figures from 2005 to 2006.

Citing new data from the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), Secretary Peters said that seat belt use in the U.S. now stands at 81 percent, down slightly from the 2005 use rate of 82 percent. She noted that in the West, belt use climbed from 85 percent to 90 percent between 2005 and 2006; and it rose from 82 to 83 percent in the South. However, in the Northeast, belt use fell to 74 percent, down from 78 percent; and in the Midwest it dropped to 77 percent from 79 percent."

Source: NHSTA

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Crashworthiness

"Crashworthiness is the ability of a structure to protect its occupants during an impact. This is commonly tested when investigating the safety of vehicles.

Depending on the nature of the impact and the vehicle involved, different criteria are used to determine the crashworthiness of the structure. Crashworthiness may be assessed either prospectively, using computer models or experiments, or retrospectively by analyzing crash outcomes. Several criteria are used to assess crashworthiness prospectively, including the deformation patterns of the vehicle structure, the acceleration experienced by the vehicle during an impact, and the probability of injury predicted by human body models. Injury probability is defined using injury criteria, which are mechanical parameters (e.g., force, acceleration, or deformation) that correlate with injury risk. A common injury criterion is the Head Injury criterion (HIC). Crashworthiness is assessed retrospectively by analyzing injury risk in real-world crashes, often using regression or other statistical techniques to control for the myriad of confounders that are present in crashes."

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crashworthiness"

E. Michael Grossman respresents client injured as a result of accidents due to crashworthiness.

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Series of Tractor Trailor Accidents Ties up I35

A tragic accident occurred on Tuesday when an 18 wheeler lost control after a flat tire separated from the rim.  The resulting sparks caused the trailer to catch on fire. The driver was injured. 

As a result of the backup, a separate 18-wheeler was rear-ended by another tractor-trailer, causing both trucks to catch on fire. But to make matters worse, one of those trucks was hauling ammunition.  Firefighters had to back down from putting out the fire(s) because some of the ammunition was exploding!  See the Star Telegram for details...

Posted by E. Michael Grossman Texas 18 wheeler accident attorney

Fatique-Alyzer!

Soon there may be a way to test doctors, pilots and truck drivers for fatique. Researchers have discovered a important link between drowsiness and increased activity of an enzyme that is known for breaking down starches.  This discovery could lead to a simple test that can tell whether truck drivers, medical providers, pilots and other workers are fatiques or sleep-deprived.

In the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at Washington University call their work "the first step in developing an effective method for detecting sleepiness in vulnerable populations" - a major goal cited by safety advocates.

More information is provided In a recent article posted by

Next, a fatigue-alyzer?
Scientists find a link between sleepiness and an enzyme that could lead to a test for drivers, doctors, pilots
BY BRYN NELSON
Newsday Staff Writer

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas 18 wheeler accident attorney

Tumbles and Falls Leading Cause of Injury-Related Death for Seniors

A recent report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, shows that a leading cause of injury death for individuals over 65 is tumbles and/or falls.  This article was published recently in the Washintgon Times relating to this topic.

Accidental falls a leading cause of death over 65
By Joyce Howard Price
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
November 17, 2006

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Wrongful Death Attorney

Industrial Accident

Every year more than 6,000 employees in this country die from injuries sustained in the workplace according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. Another 50,000 die from illnesses caused by exposure to workplace hazards. In addition, six million workers suffer non-fatal workplace injuries at an annual cost to US businesses of more than $125 billion.

Industrial accidents may result in severe personal injuries such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, quadriplegia, paraplegia, fractured necks and death. In addition, many industrial workers are exposed to long term inflictions such as exposure to harmful and hazardous chemicals.

In recent news...

Local Worker Dies In Industrial Accident
Source: http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/4906616.html
(December 13, 2006)—An employee of LJT-Texas in Temple died Wednesday in an accident at the steel tubing manufacturing plant, Temple Fire & Rescue said. Crews responded to the accident just before 9 a.m. Wednesday at the plant at 3601 Eberhardt Rd.Justice of the Peace David Barfield pronounced the worker, who was in his early 30s, dead at the scene. The identity of the worker and details about the accident were not released. The plant houses three tube mills and employees about 70 workers.

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Industrial Accident Attorney

Regulating the Trucking Industry

According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, thousands of motorist are killed each year by large trucks -- those weighing more than 10,000 pounds. 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, tractor-trailers and semis fall into this category.

In 2003 alone, large trucks accounted for 8 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes and 4 percent of all vehicles involved in injury and property-damage-only crashes.

Some of the most common causes of trucking accidents are:

• Tire Failure
• Speeding
• Sleepy drivers
• Fatigue caused by strenuous schedules imposed by trucking companies
• Brake failure, brake over-heating
• Faulty mechanical components
• Poor safety and road-worthiness tests performed on the trucks.

Leading paragraph from The New York Times article series discussing deregulation.  This one applies to the trucking industry and regulation on drivers hours.

As Dorris Edwards slowed for traffic near Kingdom City, Mo., on her way home from a Thanksgiving trip in 2004, an 18-wheeler slammed into her Jeep Cherokee.

The Bush administration has installed trucking officials, including Duane W. Acklie, left, and David S. Addington, in influential posts to advance its agenda of loosening regulations on the industry.
The truck crushed the sport-utility vehicle and shoved it down an embankment off Interstate 70. Ms. Edwards, 62, was killed.

The truck driver accepted blame for the accident, and Ms. Edwards’s family filed a lawsuit against the driver and the trucking company.

In the course of pursuing its case, the family broached a larger issue: whether the Bush administration’s decision to reject tighter industry regulation and instead reduce what officials viewed as cumbersome rules permitted a poorly trained trucker to stay behind the wheel, alone, instead of resting after a long day of driving.

After intense lobbying by the politically powerful trucking industry, regulators a year earlier had rejected proposals to tighten drivers’ hours and instead did the opposite, relaxing the rules on how long truckers could be on the road. That allowed the driver who hit Ms. Edwards to work in the cab nearly 12 hours, 8 of them driving nonstop, which he later acknowledged had tired him.

Government officials had also turned down repeated requests from insurers and safety groups for more rigorous training for new drivers. The driver in the fatal accident was a rookie on his first cross-country trip; his instructor, a 22-year-old with just a year of trucking experience, had been sleeping in a berth behind the cab much of the way.

Rollover Quick Facts

Rollovers are dangerous incidents that have a higher fatality rate than other types of crashes.  33% of all passenger fatalities occur from rollover crashes.

• You are 75% less likely to be killed in a rollover crash if you are wearing your seat belt.
• About 10,000 people die each year in rollover accidents.

Posted by E.Michael Grossman, Texas Rollover Accident Attorney

High School BasketBall Player Killed in SUV Rollover Accident

A high school girls basketball player was killed and seven others were injured Friday when the sport utility vehicle the team was riding in slid on an icy patch and partially overturned, officials said.

Isaura Puentes, 14, a member of the Paducah High School junior varsity team, was killed when she was partially ejected and pinned under the vehicle, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Wayne Beighle said. She was not wearing a seat belt, he said.

Source: KRISTV.com  Read the full story: http://www.kristv.com/global/story.asp?s=5756567

Posted by E. Michael Grossman Texas Automobile Accident Attorney

Automobile Rollovers and Prevention

Automobile rollovers can usually be prevented if vehicles simply stick to traveling at a decent speed.  The fact is that most rollovers happen when a vehicle is traveling too fast or tries to negotiate too sharp a turn – which is usually made necessary by driving too fast.

Rollovers are one of many different types of automobile accidents.  They happen when the base of a vehicle, including the wheels, loses contact with the road and turns on its side or roof.  Most often the result is a violent jarring and tossing about of the vehicle and its passengers.

A skilled driver may sometimes prevent a rollover even when it seems inevitable, by stopping the turn and driving the car on two wheels until the side that’s up in the air has had the time and opportunity to come back down to the road.

While all cars are susceptible to rollovers to some extent, those with a higher center of mass are more susceptible, especially when they are traveling fast.  Sport-utility vehicles and mini-vans are especially susceptible to rollovers.  Trucks also can often turn over when taking tight corners and of course, trains can roll over after derailing.

To prevent rollovers some four-wheel drive pick-up trucks have reduced steering capacity.  But this creates problems with parking and taking very sharp turns.

It doesn't happen often, but rollovers sometimes occur when a vehicle has hit a very large obstacle with one of its wheels while maneuvering over a bumpy road or uneven terrain.
In any accident there is the inherent problem of safely removing the passengers, namely those that are trapped or badly injured.  In a rollover situation, the problem is often exacerbated because the vehicle is often upside down and its doors are often blocked.  Cars and trucks don’t have emergency exits on their roofs or by way of a window, such as in the case of a bus, tram or trolleybus.

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Automobile Rollover Accident Lawyer

Father and Daughter Killed in SH-130 accident

"A father and daughter were killed Thursday when the station wagon they were riding in was hit by a pickup truck that ran a red light. The accident happened just after noon at the intersection of State Highway 130 and East Parmer Lane, in Northeast Austin. Nelson Taylor, 45, a Dell employee and his daughter, Andrea Taylor, 20, a music student at Huston-Tillotson University, were both killed. After the pickup truck driver ran the red light, his vehicle T-boned the smaller Subaru station wagon, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper said.The driver of the pickup and its three passengers were examined at the scene. Their injuries were minor. The truck driver could be cited for running a red light. The DPS investigation into the crash continues, but they do not believe the incident was alcohol-related."

Source: News 8 Austin Staff

Head-on collision kills two in Texas

"A 23-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman died in a traffic accident Thursday along Texas 6 near Pine Forest Drive in west Houston. The two were swerving around traffic in a Camaro when they crossed the median and collided head-on with a northbound van carrying three people, two of them young girls. All three in the van survived. Details were unavailable." Source: Houston Chronicle

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Automobile Accident Lawyer

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from Grossman Law Offices!

Something fun to check out!  The History of Thanksgiving and Celebrations

Thanksgiving Travelers Message

In a press release issued yesterday by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Thanksgiving travelers are urged to slow down, buckle up and drive Sober!

According the press release, during the Thanksgiving holiday last year, DPS troopers wrote 14,686 tickets for speeding and 3,358 tickets for no insurance. They wrote 2,138 tickets for no seat belts and 298 tickets for child restraint violations. DPS has a no-warnings policy for seat belt and child restraint violations.

Thanksgiving travelers should expect to see plenty of Highway Patrol troopers out on Texas roadways. Troopers will be looking for drivers who are speeding, driving while intoxicated or who are not properly restrained, or have passengers who aren’t buckled up.

Source: Texas Department of Public Safety

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Personal Injury Attorney

Two children injured in Automobile Rollover Accident

Yesterday, two children were injured  in a rollover accident ner North Main, Texas. The two children, ages four and five sustained head injuries and scalp lacerations. They were not restrained. The children are being treated at Texas Children's Hospita.

An Automobile Rollover is a type of vehicle accident, where a vehicle turns over on its side or roof. This happens when the center of mass ends up outside of the vehicle area of contact with the ground defined by its wheels.

The main cause for rolling over is turning too sharply while moving too fast. The force of inertia (acting in the direction opposite to the one it is turning) is combined with the force of gravity (acting downwards). When the combined force as applied to the centre of vehicle's mass falls outside of the rectangle formed by the wheels, the vehicle starts to turn over. A skilled driver may stop the fall by stopping the turn. It is possible to drive the car then on two wheels for some time.

All cars are susceptible to rollovers to various extents. Generally, the higher the center of mass is located, the higher the vehicle is and the faster it goes, the more likely it is to roll over. SUVs are particularly notorious for rolling over.  Trucks can often roll over when doing sharp turns and trains can roll over after derailing.

Some four wheel drive pickup trucks have reduced steering capacity to prevent rollover. This creates problems with parking and negotiating very sharp curves.

A vehicle may roll over for other reasons, for example when hitting a large obstacle with one of its wheels, when manoeuvring over uneven terrain, etc.

After the rollover the vehicle may end up lying on the side or on the roof, often blocking the doors and complicating the escape for the passengers. Large passenger vehicles such as buses, trams and trolleybuses that have doors on one side only usually have special windows with handles to pull to use the window as an emergency exit or glaziers fixed near the windows for cutting the glass and making an improvised exit in case of a rollover. Some have emergency exits in their roofs.

SOURCE:From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SOURCE: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=4781952

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Automobile Rollover Attorney

If you Drive a Motorcycle, You Need Motorcycle Insurance

An article by James Hunt

Automobile insurance is very important. Most people know this and understand
this. Insurance is meant to protect you, your property as well as other people and other property that you may damage in an accident. There are different kinds of insurance that cover different things but even the most basic insurance is better than none at all.

Since insurance is so important to motor vehicles, you should also know that it is important to motorcycle riders as well. More and more people are filling the roads with motorcycles. It is a great, fast way to travel. Many people enjoy the open road and the freedom. Many people find it cheaper than driving a car. Whatever the reasons for driving one, if you have a motorcycle, you need motorcycle insurance.

The good news is that more and more auto insurance companies are offering coverage to motorcycles now so it is not as hard or as expensive to get insurance. You can find free quotes from many common auto insurance companies.

You can get quotes online from many places like Progressive. Types of motorcycle coverage vary by state so you will have to look it up for your state to know exactly what kind of insurance is available to you and required by law.

Your coverage can also vary according to how your motorcycle is classified, just like with automobiles. There are cruisers, limited production cruisers, street sports, high performance, touring and more types. How your motorcycle classifies will affect your insurance as well as the other factors.

Your driving record can also affect your rates. There are some states that do not offer motorcycle insurance such as Massachusetts, Washington DC and New Jersey. You must check with the laws in your area. Most insurance companies can tell you the laws for your state if you do not know.

James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest.

Read more at www.motorcycle-insurance-guide.info

Posted by E. Michael Grossman, Texas Motorcycle Accident Attorney

El Paso Motorcycle Accident

"A 20-year-old El Paso man died Thursday night from injuries he received crashing a motorcycle his parents say he'd been driving only a couple of months. Myles Anderson, a University of Texas at El Paso student, on Thursday afternoon was driving a black 2006 Suzuki motorcycle east on Interstate 10 near Walnut Street in Central El Paso, police said.

As traffic slowed, Anderson's cycle struck the back of a black 2006 Jaguar, police said. He was taken to Thomason Hospital, where he later died. Anderson, a graduate of Cathedral High School and a resident of a small apartment complex at 700 Mundy, was an aspiring photographer who was studying at UTEP to eventually work as a museum curator, family members said.

He will be cremated and memorialized Sunday at a private ceremony, his parents said. No charges are expected to be filed as a result of the accident. Anderson's death was the 39th traffic death of the year in the city, compared with 45 at this time last year, police said. It was also the eighth motorcyclist's death of the year, compared with nine at this time last year."

Article by Darren Meritz may be reached at dmeritz@elpasotimes.com. Source:  El Paso Times

Posted by: Texas Motorcycle Accident Lawyer, E. Michael Grossman

Deer Causes Motorcycle Accident

"A Texas man was hurt in a motorcycle accident Saturday on State Highway 34. Herbert Turcious, 43, of Houston, Texas, was injured when a deer struck the 2006 BMW motorcycle he was driving, according to the Arkansas State Police. Turcious lost control of the motorcycle and it skidded into a southbound ditch, police said. Turcious was taken to St. John's Regional Medical Center in Springfield, Mo., via air ambulance, police said."  Read Source: The Baxter Bulletin Online

Pedestrian Accident Report

In 2004, 4,641 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States — a decrease of 15 percent from the 5,489 pedestrians killed in 1994. On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 113 minutes and injured in a traffic crash every 8 minutes. There were 68,000 pedestrians injured in traffic crashes in 2004. Most pedestrian fatalities in 2004 occurred in urban areas (72%), at nonintersection locations (79%), in normal weather conditions (89%), and at night (66%).

Accornding to NHTSA, there were 424 fatal pedestrian accidents in the state of Texas in 2004.  That's 11.8% of all traffic related fatalities in the state for that year. 

For more information regarding Texas Pedestrian Fatalities, visit us at texas-wrongful-death-lawyer.net

More Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to NHTSA, 4,008 motorcyclists were killed and an additional 76,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States in 2004 — 8 percent more than the 3,714 motorcyclist fatalities and 14 percent more than the 67,000 motorcyclist injuries reported in 2003!

The state of Texas had the 3rd largest number of motorcycle accident fatalities, second only to California and Florida. There were 285 reported motorcycle fatalities in Texas in 2004.  58.5% were NOT wearing a safety helmet!

"NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,316 motorcyclists in 2004. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 671 lives could have been saved.

Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists.

This means for every 100 motorcyclists killed in crashes while not wearing a helmet, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn a helmet."

Source: NHTSA

Learn more about motorcycle accident information at http://www.texasmotorcycleaccident.com

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to a October 2001 report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) motorcycle accidents are increasing.

Some notable finding about these single vehicle motorcycle crashes:

• More motorcyclist fatalities occur on rural roads
• High blood alcohol levels are a major contributor to motorcycle fatalities
• Half of the fatalities are related to negotiating a curve prior to the crash
• In almost 2/3 of motorcycle fatalities speed was a factor
• Over half of fatalities occur at night

Source: Fatal Single Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes (NHSTA)

Michael Grossman represents motorcycle accident cases in Texas. For more information regarding motorcycle accidents visit the website at http://www.texasmotorcycleaccident.com/

Semi Accident in Plano, TX

A semi tractor trailer ran a red light Wednesday morning in Plano, TX killing a woman and closing the westbound service drive for state Highway 121 at Custer Road. The female driver of a Ford Focus was caught under the tractor-trailor and burst into flames.

In the U.S. in 2003, there were 4,669 fatal crashes involving large trucks, compared to 58,512 fatal traffic accidents in total.  California had the most fatal big truck accidents with 5,725, followed by Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania.

Visit Texas18WheelerAccident.com for more information on tractor-trailor accidents in Texas.

Medical Malpractice

Some examples of medical malpractice claims include some common injuries that may be the result of hospital error or negligence: birth injury, such as Erbs palsy, cerebral palsy or other types of brain damage; failure to diagnose, as in cancer (such as lung or breast cancer) or appendicitis, in a timely manner; medication errors, like when handwritten prescriptions are illegible, when abbreviations are used on the prescription and when two drugs with similar spellings are confused; wrongful death, meaning when a patient dies as a result of medical negligence or hospital errors; nursing home abuse – when the elderly receive improper care or are otherwise abused, physically, mentally, psychologically or financially in a home for the aged; and defective drugs or products – when the patient was not warned about the dangers of the product or if the product does not meet safety standards.

There are some interesting statistics about medical malpractice suits filed each year in the U.S.: there were 2,696 total serious disciplinary actions in 1999, but it’s estimated that many times more, injuries and deaths are caused by doctors’ negligence.  Estimates say that as many as 98,000 patients may be killed each year in hospitals alone as a result of medical errors.  Meanwhile, less than 1% of the nation’s doctors face any serious state sanctions each year.

Grossman Law Office represents clients who fall victim to medical malpractice. Visit our website for more information.

Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury (SCI) can happen any number of ways, including an accident (automobile collision, for instance), a sports injury, a fall, etc.  An injury is the result of direct impact on the spinal cord, which consists of the nerves that connect the brain to nerves in the body.  Any injury to the spinal cord could mean the interruption (often permanent) of messages between the brain and the rest of the body.  In other words, if you can no longer walk after an SCI, it is because your body has lost the ability to be told by your brain how to walk. 

There are approximately 11,000 new cases of spinal cord injury in the U.S. each year.  The annual incidence rate is roughly 40 cases per million population, not including those who die at the scene of the accident.  In July 2005, there were about 250,000 people in the U.S. living with an SCI.

Grossman Law Offices represents clients who have received a spinal cord injury as the result of an accident.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents are about the saddest accidents that occur on our city streets every day.  The victims are the largely nameless, faceless people you never hear about on the evening news because there is no sensationalism or angle for what happened to them.  Simply, they were hit by a vehicle of some sort and suffered an injury, often severe, sometimes fatal.

Every year in the U.S. an estimated 100,000-plus pedestrians are involved in traffic accidents.  More than half of these result in death and of those, about half occur between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.  Sadly, this is when children are on their way home after having just gotten out of school.  Statistics show children and the elderly are in fact the two groups most at risk of being involved in a pedestrian accident.  The majority of deaths and injuries incurred in these tragic accidents are due to a negligent or careless driver.

Grossman Law Offices represent pedestrian accident cases.  Give us a call for a free consultation.

Boating Accident on Lewisville Lake

A fatal boating accident claimed the life a man on Lewisville Lake near Pier 121 Marina Tuesday October 11th. 

According to the US Coast Guard, boating accidents continue to be a major cause of accidental injury and death in the United States. The 4,904 boating accidents reported in 2005 resulted in 676 fatalities, 3,363 injuries and $35,038,306 in property damage.

Approximately seventy percent of all fatal boating accident victims drowned (484 out of 676). Approximately 90 percent of the victims who drowned were not wearing a personal flotation device (PFD or life jacket). Overall, fatal accident data show that approximately 431 lives could be saved each year if boaters wore their life jackets.

Grossman Law Offices represents families and victims of boating accidents.  To learn more visit our website,

Scaffolding Accident in Grapevine

Three people were injured on the job when a scaffolding collapsed at a construction site in Grapevine Wednesday of this week.  The accident occurred at the Gray Wolf Lodge.

Construction work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. Construction workers are exposed to a wide variety of hazards and face a greater risk of work-related injury or fatality than employees in any other U.S. industry. Recent labor statistics from Bureau of Labor Statistics Injuries, Illnesses & Fatalities (IIF) division demonstrate this. Findings show the largest number of fatal work injuries in 2003 was in the construction sector!

"An estimated 2.3 million construction workers, or 65% of the construction industry, work on scaffolds frequently. Protecting these workers from scaffold-related accidents would prevent 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths every year, at a savings for American employers of $90 million in workdays not lost. In a recent BLS study, seventy-two percent of workers injured in scaffold accidents attributed the accident either to the planking or support giving way, or to the employee slipping or being struck by a falling object. All of these can be controlled by compliance with OSHA standards."  Source: OSHA.gov

You can download A Guide to Scaffold Use in the Construction Industry  (pdf) form the OSHA website.

Grossman Law Offices represents workplace injury cases such as scaffolding accidents.  Feel free to visit our website for more information.

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is not a specific illness or set of symptoms but rather an amalgamation of acute health and wellness related issues encountered by people who spend much of their time in buildings, be it offices, factories, homes, hospitals, etc.

You can’t tell a building is sick without spending time in it.  But you may be able to sense a sick building when you or others inside experience symptoms associated with acute discomfort including headache; eye, nose or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors.    The cause or symptoms are not known and most of the complainants report relief soon after leaving the building.

Causes of sick building syndrome can include the following, each of which may contribute to or exacerbate the symptoms: inadequate ventilation, chemical contaminants from indoor sources (such as adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, copy machines, pesticides and cleaning agents), chemical contaminants from outdoor sources (such as pollution from motor vehicle exhausts, plumbing vents and building exhausts), and biological contaminants (such as bacteria, molds, pollen and viruses).  Other factors that may play a role include inadequate temperature, humidity, or lighting.

Grossman Law Offices represents clients who may have received injuries as a result of sick building syndrome.  For more information visit us on line at Texas-Workplace-Injury-Lawyer.com 

Construction Accidents

The most dangerous jobs in the country in 2000 included construction workers in 7th place. Construction workers have 27.6 fatalities per 100,000 employees as compared to other occupations in total averaging 4.3 deaths per 100,000 employees.

There are a number of different types of construction accidents:

• fires and explosions;
• exposures to toxic chemicals;
• environmental hazards;
• work-related transportation accidents;
• slips and falls;
• electrocutions;
• machinery-related accidents;
• traumas from contact with heavy objects

Grossman Law Offices represents clients who have been injured in construction accidents.  For more information, visit us on line at Texas-Workplace-Injury-Lawyer.com 

High School Senior Injured in Automobile Accident

A Waxahachie High School senior of Forrestion, TX suffered head injuries in an automobile accident.  The student, a sixteen year old girl was not wearing a seat belt when she attempted to cross the northbound lanes for Highway 287 and collided with another vehicle.  She was thrown from the vehicle, and as a result suffered life-threatening injuries.  Source: WaxachachieDailyLight.com

40,000 people die each year in car accidents and car crashes are the leading cause of death for people under the age of 35. Safety belts can prevent death in about half of these accidents.

Life-saving advice

• Always wear lap and shoulder belt.
• Never place shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back.
• Always use rear-facing child seats for children under 20 lbs and 1 year old.
• Always use forward-facing child seats for children 20-40 lbs and over 1 year old.
• Never place rear-facing child seat in front seat of vehicle with passenger side airbags.
• Always attempt to place children 12 years and under in back seat.

Oil Refinery Accidents

The petrochemical industry is one of the most intense industries in the world today, with a tremendous capacity to affect both national and international economies in the event of a catastrophic accident. It's also one of the most hazardous industries in the world in terms of product flammability, volume of processes, and extreme operating conditions.

Read more...

Grossman Law Offices represents clients who have been injured in Oil Refinery Accidents.  Visit InjuryRelief.com for more information.

Head and Neck Injuries

Head and neck injuries are by far the most tragic injuries that a person can suffer. Spinal cord injuries occur in approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people per year in the U.S. About 10,000 of these are permanently paralyzed and many of the rest die as a result of their injuries. Most neck and spinal cord injuries occur to young healthy individuals. Males between 15 and 35 years old are the most commonly affected.

Read more...

Grossman Law Offices represent clients who have received head and neck injures through automobile accidents, workplace injuries and premises liability injures.

Texas Airplane Crash in El Paso

A single-engine plane crashed yesterday at El Paso airport. The pilot died from the crash.
Air traffic was temporarily delayed.

Source: http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=5473488

Grossman Law Offices represents clients and families of airplane crash victims. Visit the Texas Wrongful Death Lawyer website for more information.

Oil Refinery Accidents

The petrochemical industry is one of the most intense industries in the world today, with a tremendous capacity to affect both national and international economies in the event of a catastrophic accident. It's also one of the most hazardous industries in the world in terms of product flammability, volume of processes, and extreme operating conditions.

Given the fact that most refineries in the United States are more than 25 years old, many still with their original fire protection systems, the owners and insurers of major refineries worldwide are increasingly concerned about fire and explosion safety at today's oil and gas refineries. Oil drilling, regardless of the location, is a dangerous and risky enterprise. Injuries are frequent and fatalities are common.
 
Citizen watchdog groups, such as the ones listed on refineryreform.org have taken an active role in making sure that refineries comply with environmental laws.  It is their view that refiners should not receive new permits if they are violating environmental laws and that communities should be given a meaningful chance to review permit applications. Some believe that refiners should support the cost of monitoring for air contaminants and that they should be responsible for the care of victims of air pollution.

Safety and health professionals, working with process, chemical, instrumentation, and metallurgical engineers, try to assure that the potential physical, mechanical, chemical, and health hazards are recognized and provisions are made for safe operating practices and appropriate protective measures. These measures may include hard hats, safety glasses and goggles, safety shoes, hearing protection, respiratory protection, and protective clothing such as fire resistant clothing where required. In addition, procedures should be established to assure compliance with applicable regulations and standards such as hazard communications, confined space entry, and process safety management.

A new U.S. Coast Guard rule which was implemented on July 17, 2006, requires operators of oil and gas and sulfur operations on the Outer Continental Shelf to report all accidents that have any potential to be serious. This amends the previous requirement that only catastrophic accidents have to be reported.

Because oil refinery accidents tend to be catastrophic, these safety measures cannot mitigate all of the hazards. It is the responsibility of the oil company to provide a safe working environment for employees and to assure the safety of surrounding communities.

Grossman Law Offices represents wrongful death cases, such as deaths resulting in oil refinery accidents.

Toxic Mold

When we rent from a land lord, when we buy a house, when we visit a business, or when we go to work- these are all places we expect to be safe and healthy. But sometimes there live in these buildings, mold of a degree of toxicity from an aggravation to your allergies to down right deadly. And the people who owned the buildings ignored the signs of mold infestation or failed to have their premises checked.

This can mean one or more things. It means that if you buy a house with the mold, you were lied to and your safety ignored. It means your employer failed to make your work environment safe. It means the business you frequent has put your health at risk We will discuss now, toxic mold and the liability of each of these real estate owners .

What is Toxic Mold? Toxic mold is a variety of molds that produce a substance known as mycotoxin. Toxic mold, as well as other not so toxic molds are created in warm, moist and stagnant conditions. A perfect place is a building. Stachybotrys chartarum is the most common.

If a building has mold in it, it means one thing: there is a water leak somewhere. This leak can come from the plumbing, or a leaky roof. This means mold is preventable, or at least it can be stopped early.

What affect does mycotoxin and toxic mold have on your health? Most common are mild to moderate allergic effects. Toxic effects are skin, lung and other respiratory infections. Another severe effect can be systemic fungal infection, which can take years to treat.

All-in-all the affects of toxic mold on your health can be dangerous and costly, resulting in hospitalization or even death. If you suspect that your illness is caused by mold, it is important that you find medical attention.

Furthermore, if you recently purchased a home and suspect mold, it is important you find out if you purchased the home with the mold as the seller may have a liability. Also, landlords are required to inspect their property to ensure it is safe and habitable. The same can be said about your place of employment and any other public place. If you suspect mold to be causing your allergies or the more severe symptoms of toxic mold, it is important to see both a doctor and a qualified attorney.

Your landlord, your employer, the businesses you frequent and even the person you bought your house from may have a liability in your illness. A qualified attorney can help you get to the source of your medical problems and seek damages for the result of your illness.

Grossman Law Offices represents premises liability cases such as toxic mold exposure. Visit our website to contact us for a Free consultation.

Occupational Stress

In this busy, busy world, stress is a part of everyday life. There is traffic, quibbles with family and friends and all the frustration that has become so synonymous with the 21st century. However, what about the un-necessary and un-warranted stress caused by your work environment? Co-workers who are abusive, bosses who are abusive- all of this can be too much to handle and you know what, you do not have to!

There are several types of harassment that may be encountered in the workplace. There is sexual harassment, which has so many ugly faces. Then there is just plain disrespect and deplorable working conditions. Some people think they have to put up with it, entertaining thoughts like “But I can’t find another job. This job pays well. Nobody else will hire me.” However, they do not have to and they should not put up with this abuse. Let us talk first about your employer’s responsibility to make sure you are safe from abuse of the physical and psychological types.

Your employer has the responsibility to make sure that you are safe and comfortable in your work environment; just the same, they have to make sure their customer’s are safe. Furthermore, when we think of safety, we usually do not think of it on terms of psychology. New research shows that psychological stress can consequently cause physical ailments. If that is not harm then I do not know what is.

Your employer has the responsibility to make sure they and no one else with their company abuses you in any manner. To that end, let me explain a few examples of abuse that cause unnecessary stress.

Sexual Harassment is an insidious form of abuse that often goes un-punished. It can be repeated attempts by a person to become romantically or sexually involved, even after you have made it clear you are not interested or that you do not like the suggestion the person is making.

Another form of sexual harassment is a person who has a supervisory position or another position that can fire, promote or demote you,  tells you if, or unless you perform one sexual act or another, they will: 1. fire you. 2. They will promote you. 3. They will make your stay at the company difficult or otherwise give or take something away during your career. Another less known aspect of sexual harassment is gestures, or inappropriate touching that you have made clear is unwanted.

Further, there is harassment from co-workers or others based on your religion, race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, or sexual preference. These are discriminatory remarks and are of the utmost illegality.

To conclude, harassment and work place stress can be any interaction with fellow workers that is unnecessarily negative abusive or in any other way violates your rights to a safe, (Remember this means psychologically too.), healthy workplace. It is no fun to dread going to work because of the unnecessary stress and torments you may face. You shouldn’t have to…

It only takes one request for another’s inappropriate behavior to cease before it becomes harassment and unnecessary stress. If you or somebody you know, whether in the past or currently, are in an unnecessarily stressful work environment or you  feel you are being harassed, it is important that you seek legal counsel from an attorney. Only they can ensure all of your rights are protected and that you are compensated for the pain you encountered during this or any period as the result of workplace stress and harassment.