- Ben Burnside | June 25, 2007 7:00 AM |
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Workplace InjuriesA lot of people have heard of an injured worker getting a "rating," sometimes referred to as a "disability rating," for their work-related injury. However, you may not know what this rating is exactly, how you get it, or how much money the insurance company has to pay you because of it. This post gives a brief overview of ratings in the North Carolina Workers' Compensation System, and shows...
- Dan Deuterman | June 22, 2007 5:44 PM |
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Workplace InjuriesA San Diego Tribune article shows how California's workers' compensation reform once again is hurting the little guy, including those whose job is to keep us safe.It points out the case of California Highway Patrol officer Gary Hoag's uphill battle to receive physical therapy for his left leg, medical care for his right leg and psychological counseling.Since a series of changes to the workers'...
- Dan Deuterman | June 21, 2007 8:54 AM |
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MiscellaneousGrilling out is a favorite summertime ritual.Fire just seems to make food taste better. But you also have to be careful when you're cooking out, and I'm not just talking about making sure you don't burn your burgers.Every year, grill fires result in nearly $27 million in property losses, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In addition, grilling negligence or defective grills causes dozens...
- Dan Deuterman | June 21, 2007 8:27 AM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsThe Arizona Supreme Court has agreed to review a lower court ruling that affects how companies within a distribution chain can be sued in defective products lawsuits.The state's Supreme Court agreed last week to review a lower court decision that would no longer allow all parties in a distribution chain to be sued equally in a products liability cases. The is expected to issue its ruling in...
- Dan Deuterman | June 19, 2007 5:19 PM |
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Workplace InjuriesPeople seriously injured in industrial accidents will enjoy better workers compensation benefits under a bill passed by the Connecticut Senate, according to a recent article by the Connecticut Post. The bill is designed to give worker's compensation commissioners more flexibility to extend benefits for injured workers. According to the Connecticut Post, bill supporters say it would mean, for...
- Dan Deuterman | June 19, 2007 5:08 PM |
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Wrongful DeathThe parents of a California teenager who died after inhaling an aerosol dust remover have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against 3M Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for selling the substance. The suit says both companies knew 3M Dust Remover was popular among teenage inhalant abusers, but continued selling it for years without adequate warnings or other deterrents. When inhaled, dust remover...
- Ben Burnside | June 15, 2007 9:00 AM |
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Workplace InjuriesI recently blogged about helpful links for the injured worker on the North Carolina Industrial Commission website. However, I left out an important free resource that can help injured workers find out if their employer has workers' compensation insurance, and find out who the insurance company is. The NC Workers' Compensation Act requires most employers who regularly employ three or more...
- Dan Deuterman | June 14, 2007 4:12 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsI posted yesterday about possible fertility problems in men taking Viagra. Now, there's conflicting health news out of Argentina that Viagra may be helpful in combating jet lag. All this research makes it sound like Viagra is either dangerous or a wonder drug.The Argentine study, conducted at Universidad Nacional de Quilmes in Buenos Aires, induced jet lag in hamsters by turning on and off the...
- Dan Deuterman | June 11, 2007 8:52 AM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesA recent study of retired NFL players found those who experienced at least three concussions during their careers had triple the risk of suffering from depression than those players who had no concussions. The study of 2,500 retired players, conducted through UNC-Chapel Hill Center for the Study of Retired Athletes and published in the journal of American College of Sports Medicine, said the...
- Dan Deuterman | June 07, 2007 8:58 AM |
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Automobile AccidentsMake note of today's date as you read this blog.On average, 119 people are killed in car crashes each day, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That totals 43,443 deaths in a single year. Over at the Two Cities Two Wheels, a blogger writes about an interesting report that the Insitute put out. The report is called "One Day of Crashes" and it provides details about the 119 ...
- Joel Davis | June 06, 2007 2:55 PM |
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MiscellaneousFederal law prohibits creditors from garnishing Social Security disability and veterans' benefits payments to cover bad debts, but the practice is pretty widespread as a recent article from The Wall Street Journal revealed.But at banks like Wachovia and others, the standard practice is to freeze the customer's account when a garnishment order is received.
- Dan Deuterman | June 05, 2007 1:34 PM |
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MiscellaneousScientists have said there is no link between childhood vaccines and autism, but the theory will soon be tested in court.In the past six years, more than 4,800 claims have been filed against the federal government alleging that a child contracted autism as a result of a vaccine, according to a recent AP article. The first test case from among those claims is being heard now in the U.S. Court of...
- Dan Deuterman | June 05, 2007 11:20 AM |
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MiscellaneousOver at the blog of Bachus & Schanker, fellow Injury Board Members, the discussion continues about the safety of Heelys and other wheeled sneakers.Blogger April Armani provides some links to a how-to-manual on safe "heeling," and she also talks about the move among some retail stores to ban sneaker skates.
- Dan Deuterman | June 05, 2007 9:08 AM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesResearchers may have discovered breakthrough treatment for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) with the hormone progesterone. Emory University has been conducting research on how progesterone helps speed the healing process of the brain. TBI has become a common injury of American troops in Iraq and, unfortunately, was what ABC news anchor Bob Woodruff suffered after a bomb explosion while reporting...
- Dan Deuterman | June 04, 2007 9:28 PM |
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MiscellaneousThose wheeled sneaker skates that are so popular among kids are also very dangerous, according to a recent study in the June edition of Pediatrics.Kids worldwide have been injured while wearing roller shoes. Sneaker skates have caused at least one deathHeelys and other brands of roller shoes are being blamed for a variety of injuries in kids, including broken wrists, arms and ankles; dislocated...
- Dan Deuterman | June 04, 2007 11:25 AM |
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Wrongful DeathThe AP is reporting that a California judge has dismissed the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of Natalee Hollaway against two brothers who are suspected to be involved in her disappearance and apparent death.The judge cited lack of jurisdiction as the reason for the dismissal.The parents of Natalee Holloway cannot sue in Los Angeles because the case has no California connection and...
- Dan Deuterman | June 04, 2007 9:00 AM |
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Workplace InjuriesHere's a story about an worker in Kentucky who suffered a catastrophic injury at work and now faces the dilemma of pursuing his case through the state's workers' compensation system or through the courts.William "Billy" Parker lost both arms in a recent accident and now has to decide whether to accept a WC payout or sue his employer. The article reports "... the law is so strict, the Kentucky...
- Dan Deuterman | June 04, 2007 8:12 AM |
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Workplace InjuriesMany high school and college students will be reporting to summer jobs and internships today.Summer internships and jobs are a great way for young people to gain experience and earn money. But young workers must remember that they too can be hurt at work.According to the Salem-News in Oregon:Every six minutes in the United States a teenager is injured seriously enough on the job to go to an...
- Dan Deuterman | June 01, 2007 1:42 PM |
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Wrongful DeathA recent investigation by the Houston Chronicle revealed that that $17 million in workers' compensation benefits have been denied to families of workers killed on the job. Under Texas law, when a worker is killed on the job, and does not have a spouse, dependents or any family members that can prove they were financially dependent on the worker, the death benefit money is moved to the Subsequent...
- Dan Deuterman | June 01, 2007 11:00 AM |
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Workplace InjuriesIn a truly startling case, an undocumented worker who was maimed in a chainsaw accident at work was arrested and deported just before a hearing on his workers' compensation claim.Edgar Velázquez told a reporter that he believes his employer called immigration agents to court.One year ago, Edgar Velázquez slashed his face open with a chainsaw while working for a Warwick tree service company....
- Dan Deuterman | June 01, 2007 8:40 AM |
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MiscellaneousThanks to Injury Board Staff Writer Shannon Weidemann for this great series of tips on how to avoid becoming the victim of a dog bite or dog attack.As this posting points out, children are most likely to be the victims of dog attacks.If you or a loved one has been biten by a dog and you would like to speak to an attorney about your rights, please use the contact form on the right.
- Dan Deuterman | June 01, 2007 2:31 AM |
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Workplace InjuriesSix workers were hurt today in a construction accident in Maple Grove, Minn., when the building where they were working collapsed. One man was trapped in the rubble, but he was eventually freed.The injuries aren't believed to be life-threateing.The accident happened as the workers were pouring concrete on the third floor, which collapsed down into the second. The construction site is for a new...