The National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) has recently voted on the recommendation that new motorcycles should have anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and electronic stability controls (ESC). Federal requirements already mandate that all new cars must have ABS and ESC. While some motorcycle manufacturers already include this technology in their bikes, it is not a federal requirement. With potential changes on the horizon, some motorcyclists may wonder if these technologies can help them.
What constitutes a surgical error?
Depending upon a patient's medical needs and best course of treatment, surgery may be prescribed by a medical team to provide that individual with relief from an illness or ailment.
While some surgical procedures have been refined to allow patients fast recovery times and minimal discomfort, others require individuals to submit to arduous procedures and significant medical trauma. When New Jersey residents agrees to submit to a surgical procedure, they should know exactly what they are in for and what to expect once their procedure is over.
Do you have to submit to an independent medical exam?
If you have been receiving benefits for a work-related disability, you may be asked to submit to an independent medical exam, or IME.
Can you refuse an IME? Can you get a second opinion? What are your rights under New Jersey workers' compensation regarding independent medical exams?
Brain injuries are not unique to specific types of accidents
There are certain types of injuries that may exclusively be experienced in certain contexts or during certain events. For example, a New Jersey resident will only suffer a bite injury when they are attacked by a dog or other animal, and they will only experience hyperthermia when they are exposed to extreme heat. However, broken bones, bruises, and other more common types of injuries can happen in many different ways, such as from falls, trips and motor vehicle accidents.
Another relatively common type of injury that can be suffered in many different ways is a brain injury. Past posts on this blog have discussed the severity of symptoms that victims of brain injuries may experience and the costs that victims may have to endure in order to work toward recovery. This post will touch on how pervasive brain injuries are and the diverse ways that they can happen.
Typical recovery time for different injuries
We all heal at different rates. We each have different pain thresholds. Your bone fracture or concussion will not be the same as the next person's.
But doctors - and employers and insurance companies and lawyers - rely on statistical averages to gauge how long you can expect to be "out of commission" for a particular injury. In a personal injury case, the medical bills and the amount of lost time from work will determine the bulk of your compensation.
Watch for impaired drivers over the holiday weekend
With Labor Day weekend coming up soon, it's nearly the end of summertime festivities in New Jersey. Kids go back to school, beaches become sparse and parents get ready for another the impending autumn and winter months. Many see Labor Day weekend as the last hurrah of summer and want to celebrate as such.
Let the beach days and barbecues commence, but do so safely. The holiday weekend is one of the most dangerous times for impaired driving all year long. Nearly half of all deadly crashes over the Labor Day holiday involve some kind of impairment, whether alcohol or drug-related.
Understanding large trucks to prevent damaging accidents
At their most basic levels, large trucks and commercial vehicles are pretty similar to their smaller counterparts. Personal vehicles and big trucks have engines that make them move and wheels on which they roll. They have compartments for drivers and passengers to sit in and they have storage spaces in which cargo and other items may be carried.
However, the sheer scope of a large truck makes its operation a more difficult task than that of a small sedan or sport utility vehicle. Because large trucks are so big and may carry so much in them, they can reach incredible weights when fully burdened with goods. As such, a heavy truck can take a lot of space, up to two football fields' worth of length, in order to come to a full stop.
Nursing homes are failing to provide adequate staffing
It is a major decision to choose whether to place an aging parent into a nursing home. The understanding is that they will receive a high level of care while residing in a comfortable facility.
New data indicates an unfortunate reality among nursing homes in New Jersey and throughout the country. Many of these facilities are significantly understaffed, especially on weekends. An inadequate number of nurses and other staff members has led to needless suffering among these facilities' residents.
Nursing home group faces repeated charges of neglect
A Philadelphia area nursing home, St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare, was cited for extreme neglect and had its license revoked last September. The Pennsylvania Department of Health found the facility was not providing proper wound treatment and nursing care. St. Francis won an appeal against the license revocation and now is operating with a provisional license.
The nursing home is also facing a wrongful death lawsuit after a resident allegedly died from complications of bed sores. Two nursing homes in New Jersey are owned by the same party who acquired St. Francis in 2014.
Fatality rates are up among expectant mothers
Although expectant mothers may elect to have their children at home or at birthing facilities that offer more comfortable options, hospitals are still a popular choice among women who are preparing to bring new lives into the world. This is because problems can arise during the birthing process and hospitals are generally well-equipped with personnel and equipment to face these challenges head-on. However, in New Jersey and other states throughout the nation, more and more mothers are dying, despite their admittance into hospitals for giving birth.
This terrifying fact arises from the failure of all hospitals to put into place important monitoring practices that can help doctors, nurses and other staff members stay ahead of life-threatening problems for their patients. For example, post-birth bleeding can be a major issue for some women and when hospitals monitor how much blood mothers are losing they are able to treat them faster for potentially life-threatening conditions.
