Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Retail chains that carry nail guns may offer misleading information about the gun’s safety - that is, if they offer any safety information or advice at all.

According to Occupational Health and Safety Magazine, a study by researchers at Duke University uncovered some unsettling news about the sale and purchase of nail guns. Researchers conducted a study in which they visited 217 home-improvement stores that sell directly to contractors or retailers. The researchers, posing as contractors or “weekend warriors” planning a construction project, asked store employees about the nail guns available and whether the guns had any safety issues the users should be aware of.

At almost three-quarters of the stores, however, researchers received misinformation about the safety risks posed by nail guns, such as information that the nail guns were safe to use despite stories of users who were injured by the same nail gun. At 59 percent of the stores, researchers received no safety information at all, even when they asked specific questions about nail guns and safety issues related to particular types of nail gun. The researchers concluded that the salespeople didn’t have access to the safety information customers need, and that the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) would be wise to create safety standards for nail gun use.

Construction accidents caused by defective tools or by someone using a tool incorrectly can cause lasting damage to a worker’s health and way of life. If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, the experienced Missouri construction accident attorneys at Page Law can help. Call 314-322-8515 today to schedule a free consultation.

As St. Louis car accident injury attorneys, it is our duty to do everything possible to spread awareness about motor vehicle accident prevention and other driving safety tips. We recently added a video on our YouTube channel called, “Distracted Driving is Like Driving Blind” that highlights the dangers of texting while driving. The video can also be viewed below:

What is so poignant about this video is its emphasis on how a driver who texts is not really focusing on the road. A driver sending or reading a text message on their cell phone is distracted on a visual, manual, and cognitive level. By taking their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off what they’re doing, drivers who text or talk on a cell phone significantly increase the chance of a car crash occurring.

The video also highlights that text messaging can wait until another time when a driver isn’t operating a vehicle that weights thousands of pounds. Texting and driving just isn’t worth it and whatever needs to be said or read can wait. If you don’t agree, consider that in 2009, 448,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents that were reported to have involved distracted driving, according to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, 995 distracted driving-related collisions that resulted in fatalities involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction.

Although Missouri only bans texting while driving for motorists 21-years-old and younger, play your part in helping prevent auto accidents in Missouri.

Don’t text and drive! Be safe on the road, everyone!

The Missouri House of Representatives recently passed a bill that requires high school athletes to “sit out” a game if they show symptoms of a concussion or a similar traumatic brain injury. Before the student can play or practice again, he or she must sit out at least 24 hours and be cleared to play by a licensed physician or health care professional.

The purpose of the bill is to protect high school athletes from compounding a Missouri traumatic brain injury by ensuring a concussion has time to heal before the student risks another blow to the head. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even a mild bump or blow to the head can result in a concussion. Common symptoms include dizziness, nausea, headache or head pain, blurry or double vision, and concentration or memory problems.

When an athlete suffers a second traumatic brain injury before the first has had time to heal, the athlete faces a significant risk of permanent brain damage. Keeping students out of the game and having them evaluated by a health care professional can prevent more serious brain injury.

Traumatic brain injuries like concussions can have a lasting impact on a person’s life, especially if the injury is severe. If you or someone you love has suffered a concussion or other brain injury, the experienced Missouri traumatic brain injury attorneys at Page Law may be able to help. For more information or to schedule a free and confidential consultation, call Page Law today at 314-322-8515.

Over four million Americans suffer dog bites each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and at least 800,000 of these injuries require medical attention. In Missouri, the law protects those who are bitten by aggressive dogs by allowing dog bite injury victims to hold the dog’s owner accountable for the dog’s actions.

Missouri’s dog bite statute applies to any dog “that bites, without provocation, any person” who is on public property or who is legally on someone else’s private property - including property owned by the dog’s owner. For instance, a dog that bites a person in a public park is covered by the law, and so is a dog that bites a guest in its owner’s home. The Missouri dog bite law applies to any dog that bites a person under these conditions; even if it’s the first time the dog has ever bitten anyone or acted aggressively.

In addition to facing a fine under the dog bite statute, the owner may be held liable for damages related to the injury itself, such as the cost of medical care, rehabilitation, and pain and suffering caused by the dog bite injury. If you or someone you love has suffered a dog bite, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Missouri dog bite attorneys at Page Law. We will examine your case carefully and can help you hold dog owners responsible for their animal’s actions. To schedule a free and confidential case evaluation, call Page Law today at 314-322-8515.

Lawmakers in Missouri are once again considering a repeal of the state’s motorcycle helmet law, according to a recent news report from KSPR. If passed, the bill would allow motorcycle riders over the age of 21 to choose whether or not to wear a helmet when they ride. Younger bikers and passengers, however, would still be required to wear helmets.

Currently, Missouri law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets when they ride. However, several advocacy groups have backed the bill, claiming that motorcycle helmets hinder riders as much as they help. For instance, those who want the helmet law repealed argue that it is more difficult to see and hear what’s going on through a motorcycle helmet, and that driving safely can prevent as many injuries as wearing a helmet. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, motorcycle helmets prevent up to 37 percent of crashes from becoming deadly, when safe driving may not have saved those motorcyclists if they were not wearing helmets.

Even the safest motorcycle riders cannot prevent every accident. Since bikers’ bodies are more exposed, their injuries in a crash are often more severe than the injuries of those who travel in cars. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, experienced Missouri motorcycle accident lawyer John Page can help you protect your rights and seek compensation for your injuries. To learn more or to schedule a free consultation, call Page Law today at 314-322-8515.

A medical products manufacturer recalled iodine wipes due to FDA worries that the pads have been infected with an organism called Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, according to Examiner.com. The organism has caused very serious infections in humans, including meningitis in newborn infants, pneumonia in patients with breathing problems, and a illness commonly called the flesh-eating disease.

The wipes are used to prepare for surgery and to prevent infections in cuts and burns and are packaged under the names Cardinal Health, Medical Specialties, Triad, VHA, North Safety, Triad Plus, and Total Resources. The recall was issued after one skin infection was reported, though that infection was not life-threatening.

Before the recall of iodine pads, in February, executives with the medical products manufacturer notified customers, vendors and employees that they were no longer producing alcohol wipes or lubricating jelly, which had also been contaminated. There is currently an FDA investigation, as well as lawsuits pending against the company. One of those lawsuits is from a couple whose two year old died from bacterial meningitis after surgery. The couple blames the death on infected alcohol wipes.

Manufacturers have a duty to make sure their products do not harm consumers. If a customer is injured by a negligently manufactured product, the company that manufactured the product can be held liable. If you or a loved one has been injured by a recalled medical product in Missouri, contact the St. Louis product liability lawyers at Page Law today at 314-322-8515. You may be entitled to compensation for all injuries you have suffered as a result of that dangerous product.

According to the FDA, although drinking fruit and vegetable juices can be very healthy, there have been reports foodborne illness outbreaks due to drinking juice that hasn’t been pasteurized. Although drinking such juices won’t cause a problem for most people, children, the elderly, or people with health problems are at a higher risk of contracting a foodborne illness.

Fortunately, the vast majority of all fruit and vegetable juices sold in grocery stores are properly treated to kill bacteria. Since 1999, if juices are not pasteurized, the manufacturers are required to label the juice as such. However, juice sold by the glass that is fresh squeezed is not required to have such a warning.

In order to protect your children, elderly, or infirm family members from the hazards of unpasteurized juice, always read the labels of all juice you purchase. If it isn’t clear from the package, ask an employee. It’s especially important to ask about juices sold in refrigerated cases of grocery stores, health food stores or farmers’ markets.

It is important to be aware of the symptoms commonly associated with foodborne illness, especially on the occasion that you or a family member drink unpasteurized liquids or eat a questionable meal. Typically, foodborne bacteria will cause illness within one to three days of consuming the food or drink, but it can also occur as soon as 20 minutes or as late as six weeks.. Some symptoms of foodborne illness include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, headaches and body aches.

Food manufacturers have a duty to make their products safe for consumers. If you have contracted a foodborne illness due to unsafe food practices or another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to legal compensation for your illness. Contact the Missouri personal injury attorneys at Page Law at 314-322-8515 to learn more.