St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer

Six Year Old Injured From Pool Drain Dies

Jenny Albano — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:17:57 GMT

A 6-year-old whose intestines were partially sucked out from a swimming pool drain last year has died. Abigail Taylor died Thursday night in a Nebraska hospital with her parents, Scott and Katey, by her side.

Abigail was injured on June 29 when she sat on a pool drain at the Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park and its powerful suction ripped out part of her intestinal tract. She had small bowel, liver and pancreas transplants at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in December but suffered complications. The child's injury led to federal legislation to make pools safer.

After Abigail's injury, her parents campaigned for legislation to ban the manufacture, sale, or distribution of drain covers that do not meet anti-entrapment safety standards and in December Congress approved the legislation. Lawmakers in Minnesota are also considering some new pool safety regulations.

The Taylor's brought a lawsuit against the golf club and the company that manufactured the pool drain, Sta-Rite Industries which is owned by Pentair of Golden Valley, in November.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

School Bus Overturns, All Passengers Taken to Hospital

Jenny Albano — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:41:54 GMT

A school bus overturned Tuesday, October 10 on the way to a high school volley ball game. All 31 passengers on the bus were transported to the hospital.

10 of the students were flown by helicopter to local hospitals, but none of the injuries were thought to be life-threatening.

The bus was carrying students from Viburnum High School in southeast Missouri to nearby Lesterville. A woman answering phones at Viburnum High School said she did not have information about the injuries.

The bus was the only accident invloved in the accident, and the cause of the crash is unknown,

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Airlines, Cruises, Buses, and Other Mass Transit Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

MOM Enterprises is Recalling Baby's Bliss Gripe Water

Jenny Albano — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 20:41:18 GMT

MOM Enterprises, in conjunction with the FDA, is recalling Baby's Bliss Gripe Water ,apple flavor, with a code of 26952V and expiration date of October 2008. The recall was initiated because the presence of cryptosporidium was found during lab tests and after investigating the illness of a 6-week-old infant in Minnesota who consumed the product.

Cryptosporidium is a parasite that can cause intestinal infections. Most people exposed to cryptosporidium experience only mildly annoying flu-like symptoms such as dehydration, weight loss, stomach cramps or pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, but those with compromised immune systems, such as the very old, very young, or those suffering from AIDS or other similar illnesses can become quite ill and face death.

Parents of children who have recently consumed Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, and have these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Parents and caregivers who have given this product to their infants and children should be alert for diarrhea and other signs of Cryptosporidium infection.

Around 17,600 bottles of the product were sold across the country in retail stores as well as online from November 2006 to September 2007. The Baby Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, comes in a four-ounce plastic bottle which comes in a cardboard carton. The carton is labeled with "Baby's Bliss. Pediatrician Recommended Gripe Water. Apple Flavor. An herbal supplement used to ease the gas and stomach discomfort often associated with colic, hiccups, and teething."

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Man and Child Killed in Pedestrian Accident

Mark Bronson — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:56:05 GMT

A man was killed in a pedestrian accident while crossing the street with his granddaughter in the near northside of St. Louis recently. The girl suffered severe injuries and subsequently died of her injuries. Ronald Jones and his granddaughter Aryanna were crossing Kingshighway when they were hit by a southbound car.

An officer with the accident reconstruction team said it was not immediately clear if the motorist was at fault or if the pedestrians had walked into his path.
"It's undetermined at this point; we've got conflicting stories," said the officer, who did not give his name.

This tragic story reminds us that as school is set to start again it is as important as ever to be mindful of pedestrians at all times, not just in school zones.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mark Bronson

Avandia's Safety Slammed by New Study

Jenny Albano — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:44:27 GMT

A new German study, published in the Cochrane Library journal, attacked the safety of GlaxoSmithKline's drug Avandia. The study did not find much evidence to support that Avandia improved the lives of people with diabetes. The conclusion of the study was that the drug could actually more complications of the disease worse. Information for this subject was pooled from 18 trials of over 8,000 patients.

Dr. Bernd Richter of Deusseldorf's Heinrich-Heine University, who led the research, said he completed his research separately from Dr. Steven Nissen, even though they came to similar conclusions. Nissen brought the danger of Avandia to the public when he published a study stating that Avandia increased the risk of heart attack by 43%.

The German analysis found Avandia produced about the same reductions in blood sugar levels as other oral anti-diabetic drugs, but patients taking Glaxo's pill gained up to 11 pounds in body weight, and their chance of developing edema, or swelling, doubled. Avandia was also linked to heart failure and bone fractures.

GlaxoSmithKline stated that Richter's study did not give any new evidence and that the study did not look at enough research or enough patients. The company studied Avandia in over 52,000 patients, and the results showed that the drug had a similar safety profile as other drugs for diabetics. The FDA will meet to discuss Avandia's safety on July 30, and Glaxo thinks it has a good argument and evidence.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Car and Truck Accident in Missouri Leaves One Dead

Shannon Weidemann — Mon, 14 May 2007 15:53:31 GMT

A man driving a Ford Focus hit another car on Interstate 44. The collision forced him into anther lane where he collided with a semi-truck. The 21-year-old man was driving west when the car and truck accident happened.

A man from Evansville, Ind., was killed in a three-vehicle accident at 12:40 p.m. Saturday on Interstate 44 just east of the exit for the Six Flags amusement park, the Missouri Highway Patrol reported. A passenger in his car was injured.

The driver of the Focus was airlifted to the hospital but he died of his injuries. The passenger in the car was also taken to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

St. Louis Hit and Run Accident Leaves One Dead

Shannon Weidemann — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:15:20 GMT

A 19-year-old student at Southwestern Illinois Community College was killed in a hit and run accident in St. Louis on Sunday. The accident happened on I-70 near St. Louis Avenue and involved three cars.

The victim

lost control of her vehicle, a Nissan Altima, after she was rear-ended by a red Chevrolet Monte Carlo, causing her to collide with the median and another vehicle.
The driver of the Monte Carlo, which police say has tinted windows and damage to the front right bumper, left the scene.

The victim was taken to the hospital but she died from major head injuries sustained in the crash. The police are investigating the accident and trying to locate the Monte Carlo and its driver.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Worried Pet Owners Calling Vets Over Food Recall

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:38:39 GMT

The pet food recall has many worried owners calling their veterinarians in a panic wanting to know if they should be concerned. Over 90 brands of dog and cat food were recalled including large brands Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba. The recall is limited to canned and foil pouch pet food. The food was all produced at two Menu Foods plants and has been found to contain rat poison.

Menu Foods recalled 95 brands of canned cat and dog food March 16 because investigators found aminopterin, a substance in rat poison and one doctors also use to treat cancer patients, in some of the products.
Stores pulled more than 60 million cans from their shelves.
A veterinarian information service, the Veterinary Information Network, reported Tuesday that it had learned of 471 cases of pet kidney failure since the recall and that about one-fifth of the pets died.
Menu has confirmed the deaths of 16 pets.

Veterinarians want pet owners to know that should call them if their pet is exhibiting unusual behavior such as increased thirst, vomitting, or loss of appetite. Those can all be indicators of kidney failure. The recalled pet food has been blamed for many dog and cat deaths.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Major Pet Food Recall Underway

Shannon Weidemann — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:38:56 GMT

Dog and cat food that is sold all across the United States, Canada, and Mexico is being recalled. The pet food has the potential to cause kidney failure and possibly death. The maker of the food is Menu Foods.

Menu Foods told the Food and Drug Administration it received the first complaints of kidney failure and deaths among cats and dogs on February 20th.
The FDA's top veterinarian says an investigation is focusing on wheat gluten as the likely source of contamination in the wet-style food. But he says agency investigators are looking at other ingredients too.

There are over 50 brands of food affected by the recall. All the food is either canned or sold in foil packets. If your pet exhibits any signs increased drinking, not eating or vomitting, contact your veterinarian immediately. You can contact the retailer you bought your pet food from for more information as well.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Avoid Slips and Falls This Winter

Shannon Weidemann — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:37:21 GMT

Slipping on the snow and ice could give you an injury you were not expecting this winter season. It is important to avoid this type of accident.

Experts say wearing the right shoes in inclement weather is the most important factor in safeguarding against a slip and fall. They say high heels are worst kind of shoes you can wear around ice because they often have absolutely no traction.
However, shoes with rubber or rough soles are the best type of footwear because they prevent slipping and falling - and possibly a trip to the doctor too.

Here are some additional tips for staying safe outside. Be careful walking outside, keep your walkways clear by shoveling and using salt, and avoid areas where ice can build up.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann