Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Paint Stripper Responsible for More Deaths as EPA Fails to Ban Methylene Chloride

June 21, 2018 | Shawn Collins

If you need another reason why Scott Pruitt should be removed from his position at the EPA, just look at the recent news about some paint strippers that contain a deadly chemical called methylene chloride.

Methylene chloride can kill within minutes and long-term exposure has been linked to liver cancer and lung cancer. Over 60 families have lost loved ones because of this chemical. In the last days of the Obama administration, the EPA proposed banning methylene chloride, but after Scott Pruitt took over at the EPA, the agency reversed course and pulled back from that position. Now apparently, it plans to lightly regulate the chemical instead of banning it.

Meanwhile, unsuspecting consumers are dying after buying and using paint strippers. The solvent in the paint strippers, methylene chloride, can cause heart attacks and turn to carbon monoxide in the body. It is supposed to be used with a respirator and special gloves, but even these precautions did not protect Drew Wynne, a 31-year-old from South Carolina who died last October after being overcome by fumes while refinishing a floor. He is not alone. Since 1980 more than 50 accidental deaths have been linked to methylene chloride exposure.

Cheerleading and Concussions: The Hidden Dangers in this Popular Sport for Girls

June 15, 2018 | Shawn Collins

Cheerleading has long been a popular sport for girls, with football games and cheerleading being a Friday night staple in this country. Recently, a lot of focus has been put on the dangers of concussions in football, but very little attention has been paid to the concussion dangers involved with cheerleading. And that may be putting our children in danger.

Today’s cheerleading is very different from that traditional image of sideline cheering on a Friday night under the lights. As competitive cheer grows in popularity, it is changing the face of the sport. More and more, cheerleading is becoming a serious athletic sport, combining expert level gymnastics, dance, high-flying jumps, and technically difficult stunting and basket tosses. And that is making cheerleading more dangerous.

Just how Dangerous is Cheerleading?

Medical Malpractice Can Cause Cerebral Palsy

May 16, 2018 | John Risvold

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that results from damage to the brain. CP can lead to problems with movement, posture, and muscle coordination. Additionally, CP can shorten the lifespan of a child and require that the child have around the clock care.

Cerebral palsy is often caused by insufficient oxygen to the brain, also known as hypoxia, or insufficient oxygen to the body, known as asphyxia. Premature delivery or trauma during birth have also been known to cause CP. This life-altering condition can be caused by medical malpractice. If a doctor, nurse, or hospital fails to properly monitor or treat a mother and her fetus, significant damage can occur.

However, just because a baby is born with cerebral palsy, it doesn’t always mean that medical mistakes have been made. There are times when doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals act with the greatest care while attending to mother and baby, and there are still negative outcomes.

Surgical Mistakes that Should Never Happen But Often Do

May 15, 2018 | John Risvold

About 80 times each week, patients undergoing surgery experience mistakes that safety advocates say never should happen. They’re called “Never Events,” but these events are happening far too often and costing patients significant pain and suffering. The types of surgery errors being made include:

· surgical instruments such as sponges or needles are unintentionally left behind in the patient;

· the wrong procedure is performed;

As Nursing Home Needs Grow, Elder Abuse and Neglect Follow

May 11, 2018 | John Risvold

By 2050, people age 65 and older will make up 20% of the total U.S. population. The fastest growing group of American’s are those 85 years old and up. According to the last census in 2010, there were 5.8 million age 85 or older. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be 19 million people aged 85 years or older. Moreover, 1 in 8 people age 85 or older resides in a nursing home or long-term care facility. As the need for skilled nursing home care grows, so does the rate of elder abuse and neglect.

As the population ages, more and more Americans are needing long-term medical care. Annually over 8 million people receive support from the following long-term care services:

1. Home health agencies (4,742,500);

What You Should Do If You Slip and Fall in a Store

May 10, 2018 | John Risvold

Slip and fall accidents in stores or restaurants can be more than just embarrassing, they can lead to very serious injuries. These falls can be caused by uneven surfaces, dangerous flooring materials, or spills on the floor. Stores and restaurants have an obligation to keep you safe from dangerous conditions on their property. Many times, the restaurant or store knew about the dangerous condition that caused your fall but did nothing to keep you safe.

If you slip and fall in a store or restaurant, here is what you should do to make sure that you are protected:

Call an Ambulance or Seek Medical Attention

Are Surgery Centers Safe? New Studies Say They Are Not

May 9, 2018 | John Risvold

An investigation by the USA Today Network and Kaiser Health News has uncovered evidence that more than 260 patients have died since 2013 after outpatient procedures at surgery centers across the country. Dozens of people – including children as young as two – have died after routine operations, such as colonoscopies and tonsillectomies.

The investigation revealed:

· Surgery centers have dramatically expanded their business by taking on increasingly risky surgeries. The results have been tragic. Investigators found that at least 14 patients have died after having spinal surgeries that were typically reserved for the best hospitals and surgeons.

Why Won’t the FDA Protect Women by Banning Essure and Pelvic Mesh?

May 8, 2018 | Shawn Collins

Apparently, once a medical device gets approved by the FDA to go on the market, it is almost impossible to take it back off, even if the device has proven to be dangerous or even deadly, according to Michael Carome from the public watchdog group Public Citizen. In fact, the FDA has only withdrawn a total of two products from the market, ever.

This incomprehensible situation is proving injurious and even fatal for some women. One group of these women, known as E-Sisters, are women who have been implanted with the permanent contraceptive device called Essure. In 2017 alone, the FDA received 12,000 reports of adverse effects from women with Essure, ranging from bleeding, bloating, and pelvic pain to rashes, tooth loss, joint pain, and fatigue associated with an allergic or autoimmune reaction. Madris Tomes, a former FDA analyst, tracked more than 26,000 total adverse reports about Essure, including eight deaths. In addition, there may be as many as 32,000 more complaints made to the manufacturer of Essure that were never officially reported to the FDA.

Shortly after Essure went on the market, independent research began challenging the safety and efficacy of the device. One study found that women who had Essure needed follow-up surgery ten times as often as women who had their tubes tied. And the surgery to fix the problem is not a simple one. In fact most surgeons recommend a hysterectomy as the best way to remove Essure.

7 Ways to Avoid Backyard Dangers

May 2, 2018 | John Risvold

As summer approaches and children finish school it’s important to check your yard to make sure that it is free from serious hazards that could injure children. Some of the most common backyard hazards include playsets, zip-lines, trampolines, and fire pits. These quick steps will help you make sure that your backyard is safe and fun for the summer:

1. Survey your yard for safety hazards 2. Check play structures like playsets, treehouses, zip-lines, and trampolines for wear and tear, if they look unsafe, they probably are. 3. Use caution when grilling or having bonfires. Flames can spread quickly and cause serious injuries. 4. Always supervise children playing or hanging out in the backyard to make sure they are safe. 5. Never start a fire without an adult present. 6. Use all play equipment properly – don’t stand on swings, jump off of trampolines, or jump out of trees. 7. Make sure that all play structures have proper safety equipment and instructions on how to properly use the structure.

Safe and fun backyards will make your summer more enjoyable. If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a dangerous condition in a backyard or at someone’s home, the attorneys at The Collins Law Firm have experiencing helping victims just like you. Contact us today to learn how we can help.

Choosing Brains over Brawn: School Districts Replace Tackle Football Program with Flag Football

May 1, 2018 | Shawn Collins

Last week, in a surprising but welcome move, Naperville’s School District 203 announced that beginning next year, the middle school tackle football program will be replaced with flag football. Naperville’s School District 204 made a similar decision earlier in April. The announcements came after several seasons of decreasing participation in the sport and growing parental concern about their children’s safety, particularly with regard to concussions.

The personal injury lawyers at The Collins Law Firm applaud this decision. For a while now, we have been following the discussions surrounding football and the emerging studies on the long-term health effects of sustaining concussions, and we feel that it is time to take action to protect children.

Moved by a similar concern for children’s safety, Illinois state representative Carol Sente proposed the Dave Duerson Act in January of this year. Under her bill, children under 12 would be barred from playing tackle football. The bill is named for former Bears standout, Dave Duerson, who was diagnosed before his death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma.