Recent Blog Posts
The Anatomy of a Chemical Burn
In workplaces across the country, employees utilize a wide variety of chemicals and other substances in the course of doing their jobs. While some chemicals are relatively safe, others present serious dangers, including the possibility of chemical burns. If you have suffered a chemical burn on the job, it is important to seek treatment right away and to know your rights regarding workers’ compensation.
Hazardous Chemicals
A chemical that can cause serious burns is typically a strong acid or base. Some of these substances can be found in the average home, such as drain cleaners, chlorine bleach, and ammonia. In an industrial setting, however, there are countless types of chemicals that may be used for a wide variety of applications, including many highly concentrated acids and alkaline solutions.
When a hazardous chemical comes into contact with a person’s skin, the chemical may begin to eat away at the skin at the point of contact. The severity of the burn will depend on a number of factors including the type and concentration of the chemical and the length of the contact with the skin. A “superficial injury” is one that causes damage to the top layer of skin. A “partial thickness” or “dermal injury” is an injury to the second layer of skin, known as the dermis. The most severe type of such burns is known as a “full thickness injury,” and results in damage to the top layer of skin, the second layer of skin, and subcutaneous tissue.
Study Suggests Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD May Be Linked
Each year, approximately 1.7 million Americans are diagnosed with some type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI. A sudden blow to the head typically causes such injuries. It is a little more difficult to pin down the number of people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as many are never diagnosed or seek treatment. Experts estimate that somewhere around 8 percent of American adults—or more than 24 million—are afflicted with PTSD.
Those who develop PTSD are often the victims of rape or assault or soldiers who have witnessed intense combat situations. A recent study, however, suggests that TBI victims may also be more likely to develop PTSD than the average person. Such a link could have an effect on accident cases that involve head and brain injuries.
Examining the Relationship
For many years, scientists have suspected that a link may exist between traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. In one study, researchers examined combat veterans who had been in close proximity to an explosion during their deployments. Subjects who suffered a TBI in the line of duty were found to be two times more likely to develop PTSD than those did not suffer a TBI. The team could not explain why, however.
Understanding Comparative Fault
When an auto accident occurs, it is important to determine who was at fault. The determination of fault is typically relied upon to establish which party is responsible for covering the resulting damages. In some cases, fault is fairly clear. For example, a driver who crashes into another vehicle that is stopped a red light is probably at fault. In other cases, fault is more difficult to determine, as both drivers may have played a role in causing the accident. If more than one party is at least partly to blame for an accident in Illinois, liability for any damages or injuries sustained may also be shared.
Pure Contributory Negligence
There are three basic types of comparative fault models in use throughout the United States. Each addresses how damages may be affected when a personal injury plaintiff shares in the responsibility for causing the incident in which he or she was injured. The first is called “pure contributory negligence” and is only used by four states and the District of Columbia. The pure contributory negligence rule provides that an injured party may not receive any compensation whatsoever if he or she shares any responsibility for the accident. The defendant could be 99 percent at fault, but if the injured party is held responsible for the remaining portion, no damages can be awarded.
Solar Eclipse Causes Eye Injuries
Last month’s solar eclipse was, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Many thousands of people purchased glasses designed to allow them to watch the eclipse without risking injury to their eyes. Unfortunately, not all of the specialty glasses performed as intended, and there have been reports of eye injuries caused as a result.
One couple who bought eclipse glasses on Amazon has now filed a class action lawsuit against the company. They claim that the glasses were faulty and caused them to sustain eye injuries. The couple said they experienced headaches and vision impairment after watching the solar eclipse while wearing the glasses. Amazon had issued a recall on the glasses on August 10, but the claimants said they were not informed of the recall. They want Amazon to cover the costs of monitoring the damage caused by the recalled glasses.
How Adrenaline Can Mask Pain After a Car Accident
Getting into a car accident is frightening, confusing, and stressful. A thousand thoughts run through a person’s head after they have been involved in a crash. Is anyone injured? Should I call the police? Am I at fault? While you are surveying the situation following a car crash, it is important to check yourself for injuries. Car accidents can cause soft tissue damage, concussions, whiplash, spinal cord injuries, and broken bones. Many individuals are quick to conclude that they are not injured after an accident even though they may be. The reality is that car accidents can be very dangerous. Americans spend more than 1 million days in the hospital due to car crash injuries, and it is estimated that 20-50 million people are injured or disabled in car accidents each year.
You May Be More Hurt Than You Realize
It is important to understand the way adrenaline affects a person’s body following a car accident or other potentially traumatic event. Adrenaline, also called epinephrine, is known as the “fight or flight” hormone. After a frightening or dangerous event, adrenaline floods a person’s bloodstream. The hormone raises the individual’s heart rate, dilates the pupils, and increases sweat production. The purpose of the hormone is to prepare the person to deal with the hazardous circumstances.
Drugmaker May Pay Illinois in Opioid Lawsuit
In 2016, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit against an Arizona pharmaceutical company for deceptive marketing of a particular opioid drug. The suit alleged that the company intentionally sold the fentanyl-based drug to doctors emphasizing off-label uses.
Opioid prescriptions are believed by many to be driving the nation’s opioid abuse epidemic. In Illinois, specifically, there is also concern about doctors repackaging and selling opioid medications to patients with workers’ compensation claims.
A Settlement Could Be Forthcoming
The attorney general’s lawsuit addressed the prescription drug Subsys, a medication which the company’s website touts as a fentanyl spray designed to alleviate “breakthrough cancer pain.” Madigan claimed, however, that the company did not market the drug to cancer doctors, instead focusing on physicians who prescribe large amounts of opioid medications to their patients. In a statement, Madigan said that the company’s focus on profits resulted in a disregard for patient health and FDA guidelines.
Studies Shed Light on the Impact of Legal Marijuana on Car Crashes
There are currently eight states—plus Washington D.C.—in which recreational marijuana has been legalized. A substantial number of other states have decriminalized low-level possession of marijuana, implemented legal medical marijuana programs, or both. Illinois is one of those that has done both. The increasingly lax laws regarding marijuana use have led many to wonder what the impact will be on public safety. Two recent studies that seem to contradict each other offer a fairly reasonable insight into the effect of legalized marijuana on the rate of car accidents.
More Accidents
The first study was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and looked at insurance claims for crashes filed between 2012 and 2016. In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize recreational cannabis use for adults over the age of 21. The researchers looked at those two states along with Oregon and compared their accident claims with neighboring states that did not legalize recreational use. The study estimated that crash rates were about 3 percent above what they would have been if marijuana had not been legalized. While the increase is not dramatic, it is statistically significant, according to the study.
Fatal Crash Live-Streamed on Instagram
The temptation to send a quick text, answer a call, or type on a cell phone while driving affects many of us. Some drivers are even using social networking websites like Facebook and Instagram while behind the wheel. It is a habit that is proving again and again to be fatal. In the most recent, horrifying example, a young woman now faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol after her distracted driving cost her sister her life.
A Tragic Set of Circumstances
The 18-year-old was driving a car in Los Banos with her younger sister and a friend when the driver decided to live-stream on Instagram. The girls filmed themselves talking and laughing before the crash occurred. In the video—which has since been removed from the social media site—the driver can be seen taking her eyes off the road constantly, driving with one hand, and even juggling a phone call and a drink while driving.
Appeals Court Upholds Verdict Against Amusement Park for Water Slide Injury
There is nothing quite like a ride down on a water slide on a hot summer day. Of course, there are some dangers associated with water parks, but lacerations and torn ligaments should not be among them. A Chicago woman suffered these exact injuries on a waterslide at Six Flags Great America in 2011. A Lake County jury awarded her $1.5 million last year, and just last month, an Illinois appellate court upheld that verdict.
A Scary Situation
According to court documents, the woman was riding the Wahoo Racer at the Hurricane Harbor water park—a section of Six Flags Great America—when she was injured. On that particular slide, riders descend face-first on a mat, beginning in a tube and ending in an open-air segment. The woman said that “she felt a blunt force in her hands and her right ankle” as she rode down. As the woman reached the bottom, the water was red with blood, park employees testified. She realized that her hands were bleeding, and she was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors performed surgery on her hand.
Sports Waivers and Releases of Liability
With summer in full swing, more people are getting outdoors and enjoying life outside. Many people in Illinois belong to various sports teams, clubs, and organizations. When you join a sports club team, you may be required to sign a waiver or release of liability. A waiver is, in essence, a contract with terms that address your right to seek damages if you are injured by your participation in the sport or activity.
Exculpatory Agreements
An exculpatory agreement is a contract where the parties agree to an express assumption of risk where a party consents to relieve another party of liability. An example would be a waiver signed by those planning to participate in club or recreational sports leagues. While most such sports are relatively safe, there is always the possibility for injury. The league and its officials are likely to require a waiver or an exculpatory agreement to ensure they are not held liable for reasonable injuries that may occur.
