Two more individuals who were seriously injured when a temporary stage collapsed at the Indiana fairgrounds last week have died from their injuries, bringing the number of total fatalities to seven. In the wake of these two tragic deaths comes an article in this morning’s Indianapolis Star that raises an interesting question, “Should the Indiana […]
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Indiana Government Adds Insult to Injury By Denying Responsibility and Failing to Promptly Compensate Victims of State Fair Catastrophe
Sunday August 14 at approximately 8:49 p.m. EDT, a wind gust estimated at 60 to 70 mph caused the Main Grandstand Stage at the Indiana State Fair to collapse, killing five people and injuring another 45. Since the accident, the Indiana Government has steadfastly denied it has any responsibility for what happened. Governor Mitch Daniels […]
Rapoport Law Offices, P.C., Selected to the American Association for Justice Leaders Forum
The American Association for Justice has selected Rapoport Weisberg Sims & VanOverloop to be a member of its exclusive Leaders Forum. According to AAJ’s website, the organization’s mission “is to promote a fair and effective justice system—and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by […]
Illinois surgery centers and infection risk
One of the primary risks of surgery is the possibility of a post-operative infection. Medical malpractice occurs when health care facilities fail to maintain proper standards of care. In the case of infection-control problems, the situation is severe in at least one type of Illinois facility. Same-day surgery centers are growing in popularity in the health care […]
Medical malpractice and hospital reputation
A good rating from patients may hide serious flaws in the care provided at a hospital. A recent review of Medicare data has shown that many of the hospitals that received top marks from patients had a higher rate of death among patients suffering heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia. Victims of medical malpractice may confuse friendly […]
Salmonella scare leads to turkey product recall
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to search for the source of a salmonella outbreak that has killed one person and left more than 70 others seriously ill. After an internal investigation, Cargill has decided to recall 36 million pounds of potentially contaminated products made from fresh and frozen ground turkey. In addition, the […]
An eye on worker health and safety
Many industries rely on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to make the workplace safe for their workers. Unfortunately, a surprising number of construction and other workplace accidents occur because PPE were not used properly, or at all. According to a recent survey, roughly 9 out of 10 safety professionals acknowledged that they had witnessed workers […]
Campers mourn victim in tragic drowning accident
A 15-year-old Illinois boy drowned during an organized swim held at his camp in Michigan. The tragic death occurred despite the presence of camp counselors and lifeguards. The boy was one of 15 young men swimming in water roughly 10 feet deep when he went under. By the time lifeguards were able to pull him up some […]
FDA medical device approval process under fire
A series of high profile recalls led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to seek recommendations for how the medical device approval system could be improved. Recently, defective product recalls involving Medtronic defibrillators and DuPuy artificial hips have drawn significant attention to how the FDA grants approval for medical devices. These and many other medical devices were […]
Police investigate cause of bus-semi collision
A semi truck struck the back of a coach bus, igniting a fire that covered both vehicles. The fatal accident claimed the life of the truck driver and injured 30 people on the bus, including 7 who required hospitalization. Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the early morning accident. Moments before the accident, the bus had […]
NTSB investigates collision at Logan International
A Boeing 767 carrying 204 passengers struck the tail of a smaller plane carrying 74 passengers while the planes were taxiing at Logan International Airport. The airplane collision took both planes out of service and is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB joined the investigation due […]
Cheap lettuce and trucking accidents
Of the many provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed in 1994 was one granting Mexican and Canadian truckers the right to carry goods into and out of the United States. After seventeen years of delays and disagreements, the provision might finally take effect despite continued concerns over funding and trucking safety. President […]
On anniversary of accident, NTSB calls for culture change
Distracted driving has led to countless accidents in recent years. Few were as impactful as the collision between a tour boat and a barge that killed two and put 35 more in the water in Philadelphia one year ago. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is using that accident as part of its campaign to bring national […]
Combating fatigue among air traffic controllers
Overnight shifts can prove challenging for workers in many professions. For U.S. air traffic controllers, the consequences of falling asleep on the job can be deadly aviation accidents. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reached an agreement with air traffic controllers in an attempt to help them stay alert on the job. The new policies were […]
Tort reform and the McDonald’s hot coffee incident
Tonight on HBO, an important topic affecting the rights of injured people will receive a different kind of publicity. The documentary drama, Hot Coffee, covers the highly misunderstood product liability case against McDonald’s, as well as several other noteworthy cases demonstrating how Americans’ access to the civil justice system has changed over recent years. Tort reform is examined […]
Most wanted list unveiled by the NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board has released its list of critical transportation issues affecting safety for 2011. The list highlights ten key areas to focus on to reduce accidents, save lives and lessen the hazards of driving, flying, riding trains or taking other public transportation. While the list is intended to place an emphasis on […]
Criminal charges in fatal truck accident case
The April accident that claimed the life of an Indiana construction worker led to an arrest on Wednesday. The driver in the fatal tractor-trailer accident is being accused of causing a death while operating a vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance. A blood test conducted by authorities after the incident revealed the presence of marijuana […]
Early result in contaminated blood thinner litigation
Significant litigation has arisen in connection with Baxter International Inc. and its supplier, Scientific Protein Laboratories. The defective product claims stem from contaminated heparin, a blood-thinner, distributed to patients all over the country. The drug allegedly became contaminated during a portion of the supply chain that occurred in China. Officials at Baxter International claim that the contaminant, […]
Rapoport Law Offices, P.C.’s victory featured in The Bureau of National Affairs Product Safety & Liability Reporter
The Bureau of National Affairs Product Safety & Liability Reporter has published an article explaining recent decisions by federal appellate courts concerning the rights of people injured by defective medical devices. One of the cases featured is Bausch v. Stryker Corp., 630 F. 3d 546 (2010). In Bausch, a woman alleged she was injured after an artificial […]
RV driver killed in collision with semi truck
Mechanical difficulties forced a Canton man and his family to pull their RV to the side of the road on Monday. While the 35 year-old driver of the RV worked under the vehicle to make repairs, a semi truck collided with them on the shoulder of Interstate 39. The resulting injuries cost the RV driver his life […]
