The health legislation concerns still keep going and going. The Democrats have celebrated that the bill created in the Senate Finance Committee would not increase the deficit, but it may not actually provide coverage for every American as previously promised. Yes, the bill will cover the expensive and possibility the sickest patients, but it will pose an insurance risk to other people by making them pay even more in health care coverage. This will lead to people once again not being able to afford coverage and then again having not everyone receiving health insurance coverage. The health care reform was supposed to provide health care coverage for as many if not all Americans. This does not seem to be the case since health insurance will increase their costs for those with insurance making those with insurance unable to afford it. This means less injuries and health problems for those that are covered by the new health care reform and unaffordable insurance and more injuries and problems for people that already had health insurance. This seems like the bill will not actually be able to deliver what was once promised. Patients and proper health care should come first, but yet again, money and profits are still being put first. We need to make sure that not only is every American able to afford coverage but that this coverage will provide proper medical care and less malpractice and injuries for patients.

For more information on the new health reform debate, you may visit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/08/AR2009100801732.html

If you or someone you love feels like you have not received proper medical care, please contact a malpractice lawyer right away. They will help you advocate for your rights to receive proper medical care.

According to a report from Connecticut, many nursing homes and their staff and services are in serious danger of being cut and even closed completely due to Medicare rate adjustments and other cuts as part of the health care reform. The president of the American Health Care Association even sees many nursing homes closing because of these cost cuts. The U.S. Census Bureau shows that 1.85 million people are now being taken care of in the nation’s 16,000 nursing homes and this is up from 1.79 million in 2007. This is clearly not the time to be cutting nursing home funding and closing nursing homes. Despite these figures though, many nursing homes, including twenty-four in Connecticut are being cut and closed due to rising costs and the challenge to keep big nursing homes running. Many people that are getting older, are disabled, and need the nursing home care are now turned away because of heavy debts and other problems. Many businesses are struggling due to the recession, but it may not be the best idea to include these types of cuts in health care reform especially since more people than ever need the care.  We need to still remember people first and money second. If we do not help this long term care crisis, there will more injuries, problems, and improper health care not only now but every day all over the U.S. long into the future.  

For more information on this nursing home crisis, you may visit this page.

If you feel that your loved ones have been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact a nursing home abuse lawyer right away. They will help you advocate for the rights and care of your loved ones and help you get them what they need.

Many teens especially in this country consider it a right to have their own car when they are old enough to drive and have passed their test. A new study reported by MSNNBC,  from researchers at a Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Companies though finds that one in four teens that drive their own cars are more likely to get in an accident than those that share a car. This study also found that parents who set clear rules and guidelines about driving are less likely to get into a car accident. This is why it is important both as a parent and a teen to know about driving safety and to know the rules and guidelines you should follow as a teen driver. Some of these rules may include:

• Signing a contract with a parent about responsible driving

Signing a contract with parents will let both teens and parents know the rules and guidelines and are prepared to face the consequences if that contract is broken.

• Choosing a car that your teen can handle driving

Choosing a car that is the right size and type for your teen and one that have received plenty of practice on and know how to use will help make them safer.

•  Not using a cell phone while driving

Cell phones being used while driving just create more distractions and result in even more accidents than those that do not use cell phones while driving.

• Not allowing Teens to have passengers at night

More accidents can happen at night with teens and it is a good idea to eliminate more distractions but not having passengers after 9pm.

• Making  sure Teens have plenty of sleep before Driving

If your teen has not gotten plenty of sleep and rest before driving, have them ride with a group or offer to take them where they need to go.

These tips for both teen drivers and their parents, can help make for less teen driver statistics and help your teen not to be that one in four teens in a car accident.

For additional information on teen driving safety, you may visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33022087/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

http://www.dot.gov/safety.html

If you or your teen driver has been in a car accident and feel you may need your rights heard, please contact a personal injury attorney right away. They will help you get your rights heard and the care you deserve.

These days ATVs have become very popular especially among young teens and young adults. Unfortunately, if you do not know how to properly operate one or drive one, injuries can and will happen. Many people get injured in ATV accidents every day. It is important to have the proper training and know how to drive an ATV before using it to help you and your loved ones avoid serious injuries or accidents.

Here are some safety tips for riding and driving ATVs from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

• Wear a helmet and protective gear and clothing
• Do not ride tandem (or two on one ATV)
• Do not ride on the payment
• Do not let children ride on adult ATVs
• Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Many injuries caused on ATVs are head injuries. Wearing a helmet that is certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation may help prevent serious head or other injuries. Wearing protective gear and clothing will help protect against burns or abrasions to the skin.  Most ATVs were only made for one rider. Having more than one rider causes the weight to be off balance which makes it harder to control an ATV. It is best to ride with no passengers for overall safety. Other injuries and even deaths have occurred when riders drive ATVs on paved roads, they were not designed for this kind of pavement and they can collide with other vehicles easily.  Children have been involved in many deaths and injuries when riding on adult ATVs and more likely to get injured on an adult ATV if they are less than sixteen years of age, than on an ATV made for youth.  As with driving any vehicle or operating machinery, ATVs should not be driven while under the influence of alcohol or drugs because timing and judgment can be impaired causing more injuries and accidents.

For these reasons and for the safety of yourself, your loved ones and other drivers, it is important to follow these ATV safety tips. They really just might save your life.

If you or a loved one has been injured in ATV accident and would like your rights heard for your medical needs and other expenses, please contact a personal injury attorney right away. They will help you advocate for the rights of you and your loved one.

For additional information on ATV safety, you may visit: http://www.atvsafety.gov/safetytips.html

Today is September 11, 2009. The United States will never forget this day.  In West Chester, Pennsylvania, not far from where I went to College at West Chester University, there will be a special gathering.   For the second straight year, people will gather to honor Mike Horrocks, a friend, Marine, United Airlines colleague and football teammate.  Mike was a person of principle and integrity whose life ended too soon on September 11, 2001.  Many of us from West Chester remember Mike as a tremendous athlete, competitor and leader from his playing days at West Chester from 1981 to 1984 when he was our quarterback.  Mike’s leadership and sheer determination was the catalyst leading to one of the biggest upsets wins in West Chester football history – the 1983 upset over the heavily favored Delaware Blue Hens in Mike’s first career start.Each year thousands of students, athletes and faculty attend various events at West Chester University.  However there is presently an absence of anything tangible at West Chester to connect those people with Mike’s story and its tragic ending on 9/11/2001.  Sadly, with the passing of time, it will only be a few short years until Mike’s name and the legacy of those he represents is completely forgotten at West Chester.

To ensure that Mike’s name and legacy are never forgotten at West Chester University, we have conducted fundraise the last two 9/11 anniversaries.   We plan to construct a permanent memorial and establish a perpetual scholarship in Mike’s honor at West Chester University.  

This memorial and scholarship will serve many purposes – but two come quickly to mind:

 1) To the thousands who will attend events at West Chester in the coming years and decades to come, it will serve as an important reminder of the senseless loss of Mike and nearly 3,000 others who tragically died on 9/11/2001; and

2) For those of us who knew Mike as a teammate, friend, Marine and colleague, it will be a place for us and our families to come and remember him and the short time we spent with him in our lives.

We have had tremendous suppport for this memorial.  But, we are still short of our fundraising goal. 

All generous donations will make certain we “Never Forget.”  Information regarding donations is available at tonight’s donation tables.  Make Donation checks Payable to “Mike Horrocks Scholarship Endowment” and return to the donation table or mail to:

 West Chester University Athletics

Sturzebecker, HSC

West Chester, PA 19383

Credit card donations may also be made by calling 610 436-2557.  Donations may be made in a single installment or in equal monthly installments charged to credit card. 

Donations will be received by a 501(c)3 organization and earmarked for a special fund in honor of Mike Horrocks and will be tax deductible.

For additional Information call 610-436-2557.

For additional information on Mike Horrocks and the statue, you may visit:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20090911_Former_teammates_honor_their_fallen_leader__A_statue_for_Mike_Horrocks__pilot_of_Flight_175.html

A graveside subpoena has kept a New Jersey man from his final resting place, and now members of his family are venting their outrage. Unfortunately, the family of the late Harold St. John is the most recent victim of the corporate legal machine.

In a desperate attempt to gain some ground in an ongoing lawsuit, the Chrysler Automobile Company demanded the body of Harold St. John be removed from his funeral service so additional tests could be performed. His remains have unfortunately become part of the legal tug of war surrounding a lawsuit Harold St. John’s exposure to asbestos while working for his father’s auto shop.

Harold St. John was diagnosed with Mesothelioma, a rare disease that is most commonly linked to asbestos exposure. While installing brake liners in his youth, Harold was constantly exposed to the dangerous chemical. As a result of his illness, he sued both Chrysler and Honeywell.

According to the family, the removal of the body was completely unwarranted. Chrysler’s claim was that the body needed to be removed in order to attain tissue samples, and discover the cause of death. However, Harold had undergone several extremely painful biopsy procedures to provide sufficient tissue samples while he was still alive.

Thus, the family has been left confused, only able to speculate why the Chrysler Corporation would get a court order for the remains of their father the day of his service.

“They waited until we all left, I don’t get it,” stated his son.

“The have all the evidence they need,” reports his late wife. “It’s a stall tactic. They’re ruthless.”

(WCBS-2, Cranbury, New Jersey)

Indeed, it would seem that respect for the dead and mourning don’t apply when it comes to Chrysler’s corporate agenda.

WASHINGTON (AP) _ About 677,300 IKEA and Green Mountain Vista window blinds and shades were recalled in the United States on Thursday after a young child choked to death.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said a 1-year-old girl from Greenwich, Conn., died in April when she got caught in the inner cord of a set of IKEA Roman blinds over her playpen.

The agency also received a report of a 2-year-old girl from Bristol, Conn., who nearly died in June on the beaded-chain loop hanging from a set of Green Mountain Vista shades. The girl’s neck was deeply bruised, but she was saved by her older brother.

The recall includes about 670,000 IRIS and ALVINE Roman blinds, manufactured in India and distributed by IKEA Home Furnishings. They were sold at IKEA stores nationwide between July 2005 and June 2008. Another 4.8 million blinds were sold outside the country.

The blinds can be returned to any IKEA store for a full refund.

Also recalled are about 7,300 insulated blackout roller shades and insulated Roman shades manufactured in China by Green Mountain Vista Inc. The shades were sold around the country by Country Curtains, Plow & Hearth, The Linen Source, Sturbridge Yankee Workshop, Ann & Hope, The Sportsman’s Guide, Target.com, The Curtain Shop of Maine, and the Solutions catalog. They were available between June 2005 and September 2008.

Green Mountain Vista shade owners should check to see if the tension device is attached. If not, contact the company for a free repair kit and installation instructions.

For more information on the Green Mountain Vista shades, call (800) 639-1728.

Contact a defective product attorney in New Jersey

Contact a defective product attorney in Pennsylvania

So much for the Holiday Spirit. As you shop for your kid’s holiday presents this season, you risk buying a toy that contains an already banned plastic linked to children’s illnesses. That’s because “a new federal ban on the use of the controversial chemical phthalate in teethers, pacifiers and other children’s products won’t apply to goods already in warehouses or on store shelves, federal safety regulators said yesterday.” – Annys Shin, The Washington Post

Unfortunately the Consumer Product and Safety Commision has decided to allow the makers of child toys and products containing a banned plastic to remain on the shelves. This means that, various companies, including manufacturers in China and other third will countries, will be allowed to sell their products containing the controversial chemical as long as they are manufactured before the date the ban takes place (February 10^th, 2009). Most of these products are already on shelves for the holidays.

The ban, which was passed in August as part of a landmark product safety law, is supposed to remain in effect until a panel finishes a scientific review of phthalates. Although testing is still taking place, a scientific consensus has already formed that demonstrates this plastic’s hazard. Studies have shown that phthalates, “…have been shown to change hormone levels and cause birth defects.” Phthalates have negative effects on individuals of all age, however, in particular, “Young infants are more vulnerable to the potential adverse effects of phthalates given their increased dosage per unit body surface area, metabolic capabilities, and developing endocrine and reproductive systems.” – Sathyanarayana

The ban is supposed to remain in effect until a panel finishes a scientific review of phthalates. With studies showing the adverse effects of phthalate on the body, it is clear that this decision violates the direct purpose of the law. If consumers will not be able to tell what products were made when, and which products contain phthalates, than the ban will have little to no effect in helping consumers protect themselves. As Rachel Weintraub of the Consumer Federation of America puts it, “How will parents know whether the rubber ducky they’re buying was made today and not in March?’”

Here are some tips to parents prevent your child from exposure to phthalates. First, look for the common names of phthalates on ingredient lists, which is usually an abbreviation with a “P” on the end, such as DEHP, DINP, DBP, DEP, and DIP. Second, when purchasing toys for your child after this holiday season check to see that it is manufactured after the date of February 20^th, 2009. This assures that the ban has taken effect, and that the toy is phthalate free. For more information on phthalates and how to recognize which products contain them, please visit the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition profile page on phthalates.

Contact a defective product lawyer in PA

Contact a defective product lawyer in NJ

Aged tires have been linked to hundreds of vehicle deaths across the country.

You may be thinking, “My tires are brand new…this doesn’t apply to me.”

Unfortunately, that may not be the case.  Those “brand new” tires may have sat on the shelf for up to 10 years before they were put on your car.

However, for each year a tire sits on a shelf, it becomes less elastic and prone to tread separation on the road.  Tire experts claim that any tire over six years of age is expired and should not be sold to consumers.

A recent ABC investigative report shows the seriousness of this issue.  Major tire retailers such as Sears were caught selling tires up to 15 years old.  When questioned on the dangers of these tires, investigative reporters were assured they were safe and sent on their way.

This same report shows a professional driver attempting to control a vehicle with old tires after the tread separates from the wheel.  Not surprisingly, this condition resulted in a crash every single time.

Clearly, your “brand new” tires may be an accident waiting to happen.

How to Check the Age of a Tire Manufactured after 2000

To find the age of a tire made before the year 2000, you must first locate the “DOT” number on the sidewall.

In this picture, the last 4 digits represent the week the car was manufactured and the year.  So in this case, the last two digits are 00, which means the tire was manufactured in the year 2000.

How to Check the Age of a Tire Manufactured Before 2000
In the case of a tire manufactured before the year 2000, you will find only 3 digits at the end of the DOT number.  These three digets stand for the week and year that the tire was made.

In this case, the tire was made on the 40th week of the year 1998.

These numbers will only apply to the years 1990-1999, as tire age regulations did not exist before this time.
I was sold expired tires as new.  What should I do?

First and foremost, if your tires are still intact, I would ask the store to replace them as soon as possible.  Driving on these tires can be deadly and immediate action must be taken.

However, if you or a loved one has been injured as a result of aged tires, you may have a case against the manufacturer.  For further information or a free legal consultation, call (856) 833-0600 in NJ or (215) 567-2380 in PA.  You can also fill out the form on the left side of the page for immediate help.

A scathing report issued by the Asbury Press reveals that New Jersey day care centers are among the nation’s worst regarding proper inspections/safety personnel, slow response times and releasing violations to the public.

According to the report, New Jersey has only 27 inspectors to watch over 4,290 public day care centers.  However, this figure does not include the thousands of private day care centers operating within the state. 

In addition, the report found that New Jersey inspectors take an average of 7.4 days to respond a complaint that falls just shy of child abuse.  The report further states that 61 New Jersey day cares have over 33 violations each and account for 26% of reported incidents.

Linda K. Smith, Executive Director of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, has called on the State of New Jersey to clean up their act regarding child safety.  “If there is going to be an error made, the error needs to be in favor of the safety of the child.  These children cannot speak for themselves,” warns Smith. 

When choosing a day care, I would encourage families to personally interview members of the facility, as well as other parents who use the same day care.  Ask the parents how often their child comes home with unexplained cuts, bruises or injuries and how forthcoming the facility is when an accident happens.

Alternatively. if your child has been injured or abused at a New Jersey day care center, you may have legal rights against the facility.  To immediately speak with an NJ personal injury and accident attorney, call (856) 833-0600 or fill out the case evaluation form on the left side of the page for a free consultation.

Related New Jersey Legal Information:

Medical Malpractice in New Jersey

Defective Products in New Jersey

Birth Injuries or Birth Defects in New Jersey Hosptials

ATV, Quad or Yamaha Rhino Accidents in New Jersey