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3
Feb

Snow Shoveling Accidents More Common Than You Think

February 3, 2012

The snow overnight has many in the Denver-area out shoveling their driveways for the first time this year. But many people don’t realize how dangerous shoveling snow can be if proper precautions are not made.

In an article released by Colorado’s 9 News this morning, it was stated that as many as 11,500 trips to the emergency room are to blame for snow removal each year in our country.

A new 17-year study published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Emergency Medicine discusses the most common health hazards associated with snow removal. They found that shoveling snow could sometimes lead to bad backs, broken bones, head injuries, and heart problems.

From 1990 to 2006, researchers examined over 195,000 cases of injuries related to snow removal. They found that the most common form of injuries were sprains and pulls in soft tissue, especially in the lower back. Some resulted more in broken hands, arms, hips, or skull bones. Heart complications were also reported in 7 percent of the cases.

While most of the injuries were adult men, more than 700 of those injured were children under the age of 17.

The Colorado Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm are here to help if you have been injured in a slip and fall accident at no fault of your own. Contact an experienced attorney today for a free initial consultation.

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1
Feb

Required Ignition Interlock Systems For All DUI Offenders?

February 1, 2012

A new law has been proposed that could possibly create a blanket punishment for all DUI offenders. According to reports from 9 News, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, introduced by a representative from Florida, would mandate that all DUI offenders have ignition interlock systems installed in their vehicles.

An Ignition interlock system is a device prohibits a car from starting without the driver first blowing into breathalyzer tube. If the driver has been drinking, the car won’t start at all. The driver then has to periodically blow into the device as they drive.

Supporters of the bill say that Colorado, where judges have required the device’s use in sentencing DUI offenders since 2008, is a prime example of the effectiveness of ignition interlock systems. The state has the second highest use of the system in the country with 17,000 devices installed on cars in the state and has seen a dramatic decrease in the number of alcohol-related fatalities in recent years. In 2010, there were only 127 deaths attributed to alcohol on Colorado highways. That’s down from 158 in 2009 and 176 in 2008.

While the device may prevent some drunk driving accidents, what about those that are still hurt in crashes from negligent drunk drivers? The Colorado car accident lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm may be able to help you if you have been injured in a crash that was no fault of your own. Contact an experienced attorney today with questions regarding your case.

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30
Jan

New Research on Kidney Transplant Medications

January 30, 2012

A new study shows that there may be hope in avoiding certain side effects caused by drugs traditionally taken after a kidney transplant. An article on MedPage Today discussed exactly how new transplant recipients who stopped taking immunosuppressant prednisone shortly after the surgery managed to avoid serious side effects the drug can have, while avoiding damage to new organs.

Prior to the last 12 years, a patient undergoing a kidney transplant was placed on high doses of the drug, and the effects were associated with increased instances of diabetes and death. In 1999, researchers began examining if lower doses over a shorter period of time would be as effective. What they found was both a decreased risk of side effects and death.

Researchers performed almost 1,250 kidney transplants over an eleven-year period with patients being taken off of prednisone after only five days. The results were astounding. The risk of patients developing cataracts was cut by nearly two-thirds, and the risk of diabetes was reduced four percent. Survival rates also jumped to as high as 71 percent.

The results have prompted researchers to call for a randomized trial between their methods of stopping use of the medication and methods of tapering patients to maintenance use of the drug.

The Colorado drug injury lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm are here to help you if you have been seriously injured by a medication a doctor prescribed to you.

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27
Jan

Denver Police Arrest Driver Involved In Monday Night Hit And Run

January 27th, 2012

Denver police believe they have captured the driver involved in a hit-and-run accident where two pedestrians were seriously injured Monday night. According to The Denver Post, investigators have not charged the 21-year-old suspect, but are holding the young woman on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury.

The accident happened at the intersection of East Colfax Avenue and Ogden Street at around 10:30 PM. Surveillance camera footage from nearby shows two people walking into the middle of the street just before they being hit by a white 2007 Kia Rio.

The victims were taken to an area hospital where they remain in critical condition. Witnesses were able to gather the license plate number and a description of the vehicle involved.

The Colorado auto accident attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm say that the law requires drivers to stop after an accident has occurred. Failing to do so is not only a criminal act, but could be used as evidence to hold that party responsible for causing the accident.

If you, or someone you know, has been seriously injured in a car accident that was caused at no fault of your own, our experienced team of attorneys may be able to help you. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.

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25
Jan

Number Of Infections In Colorado Hospitals Under-Reported

January 25, 2012

A new report by the state of Colorado’s Health Department is showing a serious lapse in hospital reporting systems. According to an article released by CBS-Denver yesterday, hospitals in the state may be under-reporting cases of serious infections stemming from nine different procedures by as much as 33 percent.

The report examined thousands of cases of health facility acquired infections (HAI) in four different categories, including:

  • Surgical site infections
  • Central line-associated bloodstream infections
  • Critical care units
  • Dialysis related infections

Each hospital in the state kept track of the number of infections reported at their facility. This number was then compared to a ratio of reported numbers from other facilities across the country in order to determine the number of unreported cases.

In an effort to correct the problem, the department has implemented a new campaign called The Patient Safety Program. The goal of the campaign is to better educate patients and staff on infection prevention and infection trends at facilities across the state. In the coming year, the campaign will add a staff member to analyze hospital’s infection reports and keep the public up to date on the latest trends. The group will continue to conduct studies on the topic of infections in these areas.

The Colorado medical malpractice attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm may be able to help you if you have been injured by an infection acquired from a hospital’s equipment, staff, or procedures.

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23
Jan

New Colorado Law Created To Fight Traumatic Brain Injuries

January 23, 2012

Legislators in Colorado are looking to protect young athletes from the dangers of traumatic brain injuries by implementing a new law to regulate how this type of injury is handled. According to reports from 9 News, the Jake Snakenberg Act now requires that all coaches in the state for sports teams undergo specialized training to recognize the signs of traumatic brain injury.

The law is named after a young football player who died in September of 2004 from Second Impact Syndrome, a condition in which the brain rapidly swells after a second concussion, before symptoms of an earlier one have healed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created the online training program, called Heads Up, and boasts that users will help users:

  • Understand a concussion and the potential consequences of this injury.
  • Recognize concussion signs and symptoms and how to respond.
  • Learn about steps for returning to activity (play and school) after a concussion.
  • Focus on prevention and preparedness to help keep athletes safe season-to-season.

Traumatic brain injuries, like concussions, can be very difficult to recognize for those without this special training, as the symptoms are not obvious to the untrained eye.

This is why the Colorado traumatic brain injury lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm encourage not only coaches, but athletes and parents of athletes to undergo the training as well. Being able to recognize that there is a problem can be the first step in protecting a young athlete’s life.

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20
Jan

Man Hits Two Pedestrians in Colorado Springs Friday Morning

January 20, 2012

Two people were hurt early this morning after being hit by a drunk driver as they walked down a sidewalk in Colorado Springs. A report from The Gazette says that the incident occurred at around 1:26 AM on Dominion Way.

Reports from the Colorado Springs Police Department say that the 23-year-old driver was intoxicated when he failed to negotiate a turn in the road and hopped a curb. The vehicle then hit several members of a group walking on the sidewalk.

One of the individuals was hit in the arm, while a 45-year-old man was knocked to the ground and suffered injuries to his head. The vehicle then sped away, hitting a light pole.

Police were only able to catch up to the man after he stopped in the center of Dublin Boulevard after his vehicle caught fire.

Investigators say charges will be filed against the man, pending the outcome of toxicology results and an accident reconstruction report.

The Colorado Department of Transportation offers a brochure that shows the cost of a first offense DUI in the state, which will cost the offender approximately $10,270. While this price tag is high, the cost of a human life is priceless.

This is why the Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm ask that you not drink and drive. Instead, call a cab or a friend to give you a safe and sober ride home.

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18
Jan

Telluride Man Ran Over And Killed By The City’s Safe Ride Van

January 18, 2012

A 52-year-old man from Telluride, Colorado, was killed in the early hours of Sunday morning after being run over by a van. According to The Telluride Daily Planet, the accident occurred at roughly 2:00 AM in front of the San Miguel county courthouse.

Witnesses say that the man was attempting to board one of the Home Safe vans, a free shuttle service offered by the city on weekends to deter people form driving drunk, when he was asked to exit the vehicle because it was full. It was then that the man lay down in front of the vehicle in the street. The driver of the van said that he did not see the man lying in front of the van as he pulled away and ran the victim over.

Telluride EMS took the man to the Telluride Medical Center, but he passed away two hours later from the injuries he suffered in the accident.

Since the accident, city officials have suspended the Home Safe service indefinitely.

The Colorado auto accident attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm understand that it is a driver’s responsibility to ensure their vehicle is clear of any obstacles. They would encourage you to contact an experienced attorney immediately if you have been injured in a car accident. They may be able to help you get the compensation you need.

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16
Jan

Drunk Driver Being Held By Police In Connection With Fatal Crash

January 16, 2012

A 21-year-old woman from Arvada, Colorado, was killed last Saturday after a drunk driver hit her vehicle. According to an article in the Denver Post, the accident happened in Westminster, Colorado, at around 3:30 in the morning at a red light at the intersection of West 118th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard.

It was there that a 25-year-old male alleged drunk driver T-boned his Porsche Cayenne into the victim’s vehicle as she drove home from work at a local bar. The impact of the crash caused the victim to be ejected from her car. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The drunk driver and his passenger fled the scene of the crash on foot, but a K9 Unit was able to track and capture both men.

A background check during booking revealed that the alleged drunk driver has three prior DUI convictions between 2006 and 2011, as well as several other driving and drug convictions.

The driver is being held pending investigation into charges of vehicular homicide, drunken driving, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, driving with license restraint, failure to give aid, and disobeying a red light.

The Colorado DUI victim attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm the difficulty in getting back on your feet after being injured by, or losing a loved one to, a drunk driver. If you have been involved in an accident with a drunk driver and were injured or suffered a loss, we may be able to help you.

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13
Jan

Fraudulent Clinical Weight Loss Trial Shut Down In Denver

January 13, 2012

Federal investigators have shut down a fraudulent weight loss trial based out of Denver, Colorado, and arrested the ringleader. According to reports from 9 News, the investigation to shut down the ring took two years and crossed 15 states before the case closed Thursday.

The man behind the fraud ring faces up to 20 years and $250,000 in fines if convicted of numerous crimes that span back two years since the Better Business Bureau (BBB) began to look into complaints of fraud by the company. Spokesperson for the BBB, Megan Miller, stated that dozens of reports were made to the agency saying that customers responded to an add in the paper looking for participants for a clinical weight loss trial.

Those who responded were told they could participate in the trial to receive weight loss pills and $300 for their time if they supplied $144 up front to the company conducting the experiments, Metacor Labs Weight Loss Study by Progenics.

Those who filed complaints said that money was sent with no response other than one pack of mystery pills.

The BBB said that they were concerned not only with the fraud being conducted, but more importantly, the unknown, and possibly untested, medications that were being distributed.

The Colorado drug injury lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm advise that taking any medication without a doctor’s consent is dangerous. If you have suffered from a drug injury, contact an experienced attorney today.

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