October 20-26 is National Teen Driver Safety Week. In conjunction with the safety initiatives of the week, the National Safety Council has released a list of things for parents to be aware of in helping keep their teen drivers safe. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of […]
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Understanding The Risk Of Distracted Driving
Illinois is among the large majority of states to have enacted a ban against texting and driving. Legislation forbidding the practice is one means of combating the number of serious car accidents involving this form of distracted driving. It is not enough to stop the practice, however. It is important to gain the public’s acceptance that texting […]
Accident Investigations Await Government Restart
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal body with a number of safety-related responsibilities. It is charged with investigating all civil aviation accidents, as well as significant accidents in railroad, marine and highway transportation situations. It also conducts safety studies, puts forth safety recommendations and assists the victims of transportation accidents and their families. […]
Lindsey Seeskin Appointed Chair of the Young Adult Division of Anshe Emet Synagogue
Rapoport Weisberg Sims & VanOverloop is proud to announce Lindsey Seeskin has been elected as Chair of Anshe Emet Synagogue’s Young Adult Division. The nonprofit group serves Jewish adults in their 20s and 30s in the Chicago community and offers social, educational and volunteer opportunities. The Young Adult Division currently has nearly 1,000 members.
Victims May Not Be Told About Medical Mistakes
Most people realize that there is a possibility they will not get a good result when going to a hospital. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to identify when the bad result was caused by preventable medical error. Doctors and hospital staff are not always forthcoming about mistakes that cause a patient harm. According to recent research […]
Hospital Acquired Infections And Medical Malpractice
Going to a hospital with one medical problem and acquiring one or more problems while there is hardly an unusual occurrence. Hospital acquired infections are a common problem in certain health care facilities. Some of the most common pathogens are antibiotic resistant and have been known to cause serious medical problems, even death. One of the measures […]
How To Address Medical Malpractice Errors
The recent estimate regarding fatal medical errors should serve as motivation for people interested in patient safety. There were roughly 34 million hospital admissions across the United States last year. Given the estimate provided by the Journal of Patient Safety of 210,000 to 440,000 deaths caused by medical errors, that translates to a 0.6-1.3 percent fatality […]
New Research About Fatal Medical Errors
Several studies have been conducted to understand the scope of medical mistakes in the U.S. health care industry. Recent research suggests the problem is much larger than previously thought. It suggests that medical mistakes are the third most common cause of death in the country, following heart disease and cancer. According to the research appearing in the […]
New FDA Rules Could Protect Medical Device Recipients
For some, receiving a new medical device leads to a vastly improved quality of life. For those who receive defective medical devices, the results can be painful or even fatal. The problems involved with faulty medical devices have long been complicated by the difficulty in identifying which patients received devices that ended up failing. The U.S. […]
How To Combat Distracted Driving
The increased popularity of cell phones, text messaging and portable electronic gadgets has increased the potential for drivers to become distracted. In response to the rise in distracted driving accidents, automakers and the makers of phones and cell phone applications have offered potential technological solutions to the problem. While additional gadgets and apps may help combat […]
Safety Leader Defends Proposal To Lower Limit For Drunk Driving
The National Transportation Safety Board voted unanimously in support of a proposal to lower blood alcohol limits for drunk driving from .08 to .05 last May. The group contended that adoption of a lower standard would save between 500 and 800 lives every year by reducing drunk driving car accidents. Since that proposal, no state has […]
Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Still Taking Its Toll
Eleven months after headlines broke all over the nation about a fungal meningitis outbreak caused by contaminated injections, the fallout continues for victims and regulators. The illnesses shined a light on compounding pharmacies and the role they play in the health care industry. The pharmacies exist under a different regulatory scheme than other drug manufacturers. With the […]
Study Finds Texting Common Among Distracted Drivers
The use of personal electronic devices has coincided with an increase in the number of accidents attributed to distracted driving. The connection between texting and car accidents has led to texting bans in 41 states, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. A recent study conducted in the first state to pass a texting ban, Washington, showed […]
Sacred Heart Hospital In Chicago Has License Revoked By State
Sacred Heart Hospital has had its license revoked by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The hospital had been closed since July 1, following an FBI raid. The State determined that the facility was “not fit, willing and able to provide a proper standard of care.” The FBI raid concerned questionable billing practices as well […]
Chicago Far From Safest Driving City In America
Allstate America recently released its annual report of America’s Best Drivers. In that report, it uses car collision data to rank the 200 largest cities in America in terms of safe driving. The drivers in Chicago placed 150th out of 200. The size of the city is clearly an issue, however. Among cities with populations greater than one […]
Traffic Fatality Data Shows Improvement In 2013
Early numbers show that traffic fatalities will likely drop in 2013. After a steady decrease in deadly traffic accidents from 2005 to 2011, fatal crashes rose in 2012. Preliminary data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration led the organization to predict a 4.4 percent drop in fatalities compared to 2012. While some of that can […]
Will Increased Speed Limit Lead To More Accidents?
The speed limit on rural interstates in Illinois will be raised to 70 miles per hour next year. Critics of the change suggest that increased speed will inevitably lead to an increase in car accidents. A representative of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said that increased speed limits lead to people driving faster, which means […]
Attorney David Rapoport Guest on Radio Show ‘Your Legal Rights’
Last night, attorney David E. Rapoport of Rapoport Weisberg Sims & VanOverloop was the guest attorney on the KALW Public Radio show Your Legal Rights live broadcast Call-A-Lawyer Night. The topic of last night’s show, “A Discussion of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Cases,” included an informative discussion as well as listener participation when on-the-air listeners were invited to […]
Safe Driving In Congested Areas – Part Two
For some, driving in traffic is a regular occurrence. For others, driving in cities or during rush hour is a nerve-wracking and unusual event. Regardless of your level of familiarity with city driving, there are several things you need to keep in mind to reduce the likelihood of a car accident. Driving in heavy traffic requires […]
Safe Driving In Congested Areas – Part One
Another holiday weekend is approaching. According to the AAA, the upcoming Labor Day weekend will see a spike in the number of people traveling 50 miles or more. With increased road traffic comes an increase in car accidents. Anyone planning on being on the roads from August 29 to September 2 should be prepared to deal […]
