Articles Posted in Personal Injury

According to recently released data from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the recent surge in popularity of energy drinks have led to a corresponding surge in emergency room visits. The popularity of the caffeinated drinks caused the number of ER visits associated with consumption of the beverages to double between 2007 and 2011.

The typical person affected by the energy drinks was unsurprisingly a teenager or young adult. People between the ages of 18 and 25 accounted for most of those admitted to emergency rooms. The next largest group was those between 26 and 39. Alarming to some researchers was the boom in admittances associated with those over the age of 40. ER visits by those older than 40 increased by a massive 279 percent during those four years, from 1,400 to 5,200 ER.

Males were more likely to be admitted for problems associated with the energy drinks, with men accounting for two-thirds of ER visits during that four-year span. Despite this, the number of women admitted after consuming energy drinks doubled during the same time span, indicating a steep rise in female interest in the drinks.

Data showed that while a little over 40% of the ER visits involved energy drinks mixed with other substances, the majority, 58%, were for energy drinks alone. Of those instances involving other substances, alcohol was the most commonly seen. After that, prescription drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall were also found.

The problem with energy drinks is the vast amount of caffeine and other stimulants contained in the beverages. Caffeine acts as a stimulant to both the cardiovascular and central nervous system. This means that the drinks can cause a major increase in heart rates and drive up blood pressure to dangerous levels in certain cases. According to one cardiologist, for those with underlying heart conditions, the drinks can quite literally be deadly.

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According to a recent report out of Raleigh, NC, pedestrians can expect some changes the next time they try to cross the street. One stretch of Hillsborough Street, a busy road through the Research Triangle, along with a few other heavily trafficked roads, now have newly installed buttons that clearly say “Wait” before it’s time to cross rather than the typical chirping crosswalk signs.

Safety experts say the changes are being made to help reduce instances of distracted walking. Experts are hoping that the crystal clear message on the crosswalk signs helps pedestrians pay closer attention before they cross the street. The different speed beeping noises previously used at the intersection did little to prevent occasional jaywalking. The hope is the new crosswalk system will help pedestrians stop putting themselves in danger by ignoring crosswalks or walking while being absorbed by other technology.

The changes have been implemented in the Research Triangle given its reputation as a notoriously dangerous place for pedestrians. According to a recent report, 400 pedestrians are hit and injured by drivers in the Triangle each year. Wake County manages to rank second in the state for the number of collisions each year involving pedestrians. First place, sadly, belongs to Mecklenburg County.

The new crosswalks are part of a campaign launched late last year called “Watch For Me NC” which is so far focused on communities in the Triangle area. The program works with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help reduce the number of pedestrian injuries.

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According to a recent Associated Press report, a terrible train crash in eastern North Carolina led to an entire town being evacuated as toxic chemicals were released into the surrounding area.

Authorities say that an evacuation order was issue for between 300 and 400 residents of Bladen County, NC after a CSX train derailed around 3:30 in the afternoon on Saturday. The train was carrying several chemicals, including some cars that were full of ammonia. As the CSX train was crossing a small bridge above a creek the structure gave way and at least 10 train cars fell into the stream.

Emergency responders realized that the overturned train was carrying toxic chemicals and that one of the derailed cars contained ammonia. Ammonia is a potentially explosive substance that can cause serious respiratory problems to those exposed. Given the risks associated with the chemicals, police evacuated hundreds of residents in close proximity to the crash site.

The evacuation order has since been lifted after CSX’s hazardous materials team determined the area was safe. The transport company says it intends to pump out the ammonia from the damaged car over the coming days and that residents in the area will be safe.

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Sad news out of York County today after it was revealed that one person is dead and another two were injured at a paper plant just south of the Charlotte metro area.

The terrible workplace accident took place around 1:30 in the morning on Tuesday of this week at the Resolute Forest Products plant in Catawba. The plant is located along Highway 5 near the Lancaster County, border.

Emergency Management officials in the county told WBTV that three contractors were doing maintenance on a decommissioned tank outside the main production area when an accident happened. The official said he believes that some type of chemical leaked into the tank while the men were still inside of it.

Two of the men were able to escape the tank but the third man was not so lucky and died. One of the two who escaped suffered serious injuries and had to be taken to a local hospital to receive treatment.

An investigation of the plant and the accident have been turned over to the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Department. Local law enforcement officials will help in the Department of Labor’s investigation and in piecing together what exactly went wrong.

The same plant saw a serious injury back in May of last year when a worker was severely burned and three others were injured after a chemical leak in a different part of the paper plant. The chemical, known as white liquor, was used to process wood chips and ended up burning the four employees after it leaked out of its holding area.

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In a bit of good news for hospital patients in North Carolina, the federal government’s new reimbursement procedures may help to force doctors to provide better care. New Medicare regulations that began at the end of last year are designed to reduce payments to those hospitals with higher-than-expected readmission rates for heart failure, heart attack and pneumonia. The penalties could be big enough to cost some hospitals millions of dollars and will likely send a clear message to physicians that caring for patients properly the first time around is of the utmost importance.

Though the penalties only apply to a limited set of conditions, this is expected to change to include several other serious health conditions. Hospitals will then have a real incentive to work hard to reduce the number of patients who have to return soon after a discharge, a widespread problem that has yet to be properly addressed.

Experts in the medical field suggest a lack of coordination among healthcare providers is to blame for the high rate of readmissions. Hospitals often fail to identify which patients are at a high risk for complications, which leads to large numbers returning for further medical treatment. Minimal help for patients who have to make the transition from hospital to home is also to blame.

These hospital readmissions are not only costly in terms of unnecessary pain and even death for innocent patients, but financially costly as well. The Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that such readmissions cost the government nearly $26 billion a year. The CMS has said that hospitals need to implement better discharge planning, more home-based follow-up procedures and provide quality patient education.

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The parents of two kids who were sickened by an E.coli outbreak linked to the recent Cleveland County Fair have sued the company that put on the event according to this article. According to court records, the complaint was filed last week in Gaston County on behalf of a 5-year-old girl and an 18-month-old boy. The children, who are not related, along with their parents are listed as plaintiffs.

The suit claims that both children attended the Cleveland County, NC fair on October 4 and both became violently ill only a few days later. Each ended up being diagnosed with E.coli. Both children eventually developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure.

Officials have pinpointed the origin of the E.coli outbreak to the petting zoo located on the fairgrounds. They believe that rainy weather allowed the bacteria to spread away from the animals. The outbreak was not limited to the two children, instead, 106 people became sick, including a 2-year-old from Gastonia who ended up dying as a result.

In their suit, the families claim that the company who operated the fair created an environment that was especially susceptible to an E.coli contamination and either knew or should have know of the risks associated with placing the petting zoo where it did. The suit also says that the operator failed to limit the spread of animal waste which is what led to the 100+ illnesses.

The fair’s director, Calvin Hastings, said earlier that they tried to prevent problems with E.coli by taking steps like adding hand-washing stations and posting signs reminding people to wash their hands. Hastings has also said until a plan has been developed to ensure safety, no more animal exhibits will be allowed at the fair.

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