Richard J. Serpe, P.C. Blog

10 Tips to Prevent Motor Vehicle Accidents

So, what do you think the most dangerous thing on the road is?  Distracted drivers?  Sleepy drivers?  Speeders?  Drunk drivers?  Elderly or inexperienced drivers?  What do you think about these tips to prevent accidents?

Read More about "10 Tips to Prevent Motor Vehicle Accidents"

Appeals court upholds $16 million verdict against Allstate in drunk driving accident case

In March 2000, Wayne Davis Jr. drove pickup legally drunk and crossed the center line on highway hitting a compact car head-on.

Read More about "Appeals court upholds $16 million verdict against Allstate in drunk driving accident case"

How should hospitals handle mistakes? Medical malpractice and the top 5 ways to avoid it!

The message you hope to never send.  Kenneth Sands, MD, SVP of Health Care Quality and Paul Levy, President & CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston had to send just that after the correct procedure in their hospital was done on the wrong place on the patient.  Luckily, the patient was ok but what happens next time?  Medical malpractice is far too common in this country and finding ways to avoid such medical crisis is imperative. 

Read More about "How should hospitals handle mistakes? Medical malpractice and the top 5 ways to avoid it!"

Finally, is there an upside to the ever climbing gas prices in the United States?

The continued rising gas prices seem to have a positive side:  Traffic deaths around the country are down significantly much like they fell during the Arab oil embargo nearly 30 years ago.  The National Safety Council reported a near 10 percent drop in motor vehicle related deaths through May 2008 compared with the first five months of 2007, including a drop of 18 percent in March and 14 percent in April.  Early numbers released by The Associated Press show some states have reported declines of over 20 percent. Thirty-one states have seen declines of at least 10 percent, and eight states have reported an increase, according to the council.

Read More about "Finally, is there an upside to the ever climbing gas prices in the United States?"

Should Virginia be allowed to require drivers to decide on organ donation? N.J. licenses to require organ donation decision makes state first in the nation!

In five years, New Jersey residents seeking driver’s licenses will have to decide whether they want to become organ donors under a new first-of-its kind law.  Organ donors names will be maintained in a statewide registry and drivers who opt out of the program will have to indicate they were informed of the program before receiving their license.  The hope from lawmakers and program supporters in NJ is that the decision will move the organ donation discussion out of the hospital emergency room and into the home.   

Read More about "Should Virginia be allowed to require drivers to decide on organ donation? N.J. licenses to require organ donation decision makes state first in the nation!"

Distracted drivers – what are they doing?

We all know about those drivers who zip around town while busy with their phone or blackberry or – yes, it’s happened – their laptop.  But do you ever wonder what the rest of the distracted drivers on the road are up to while they’re out causing auto accidents?

Read More about "Distracted drivers – what are they doing?"

Do you wear your seatbelt at night?

If you were going to drive in a situation with less visibility, a greater chance of encountering an impaired driver, and a higher probability you’ll be tired and distracted – would you be more or less inclined to take one extra step towards safety?

Read More about "Do you wear your seatbelt at night?"

Fly Ash/Battlefield Golf Club at Centerville- environmental concern to residents?

I recently was advised by one of my environmental experts about the presence of fly ash at the Battlefield Golf Club and the concerns of the residents of the surrounding communities about the resulting health hazards the fly ash will cause.  Additionally I had the opportunity to read the newspaper article which appeared in The Virginian-Pilot on March 30, 2008 concerning the matter.  I have represented victims of toxic torts and environmental contamination across the country over a period of several years and would like to speak with the citizens impacted by this problem. 

Read More about "Fly Ash/Battlefield Golf Club at Centerville- environmental concern to residents?"

EPA proposes stricter health standard for airborne lead

The EPA has proposed a change in the standard for airborne lead stating that the current standard, which has held for some 30 years, does not protect children.  Although many strides have been made in lead pollution levels in part due to banning lead from gasoline, the levels as allowable today are unacceptable and leave our children at risk.

Read More about "EPA proposes stricter health standard for airborne lead"

Motorcycle Safety Programs

Motorcycle safety, or lack thereof, has made headlines throughout the years with notable accidents like the 2006 wreck involving Ben Rothlisberger, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Not all crashes make national news but have no doubt that serious accidents involving motorcyclists (as the driver or the victim) happen every day.

Read More about "Motorcycle Safety Programs"

Proving Lead Poisoning Damage Requires Solid Experts, Testing, and Argument

Read More about "Proving Lead Poisoning Damage Requires Solid Experts, Testing, and Argument"

Can you help prevent hospital infections?

Few things scare patients more these days than the possibility of acquiring a hospital infection while undergoing a simple operation or routine hospital stay.  Patients who ordinarily wouldn’t think twice about a short hospital stay are now nervously eyeing their nurses and doctors, wondering about the cleanliness of their hands and their gowns.

Read More about "Can you help prevent hospital infections?"

FDA Says Heparin Tainting was Deliberate

You’ve probably heard about the problems that Baxter has been having with tainted heparin, and the 81 deaths that have been blamed on this contaminated product.  The latest news is that horrifying – the contamination may have been deliberate.

Read More about "FDA Says Heparin Tainting was Deliberate"

Click It for Safety

You’ve probably seen those infernal traffic checkpoints in your home town, slowing down traffic and causing drivers to quickly buckle their seatbelts.  They are “Click It or Ticket” checkpoints, an education and enforcement program supported by the federal government and actively followed in Virginia.

Read More about "Click It for Safety"

Are red light cameras making our roads less safe?

While driving around other parts of Virginia you might have seen cameras set up at intersections with traffic lights.  They are red light cameras, and are intended to catch motorists who speed through the lights after they’ve turned red.  Sounds good, right?  Not so fast.

Read More about "Are red light cameras making our roads less safe?"

Keeping kids safe… when the car isn’t moving

Do you know what a “non-traffic motor vehicle accident” is?  Most people think of car crashes that cause injuries and fatalities on the road, but they don’t think about accidents caused by backovers, frontovers, and power windows.

Read More about "Keeping kids safe… when the car isn’t moving"

What’s going on at the FDA?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been in the news a lot lately, but not for good reasons.  Consider the latest news about Baxter’s drug heparin – heparin may be linked to 4 deaths and over 350 reports of adverse effects from the blood thinner.  As Baxter and the FDA try to determine if heparin is responsible for the deaths, troubling facts have come to light that cast the FDA in a poor light.

Read More about "What’s going on at the FDA?"

Oh those pesky bad driver fees

If you’ve been complaining about those pesky abusive-driving fees, then boy do we have some news for you.  As we speak Virginia House and Senate members are working to iron out the differences in their two bills, both of which will repeal the abusive-driving fees.  The main difference right now is whether or not drivers who have been asked to pay the $750 to $3,000 fees will get a refund.

Read More about "Oh those pesky bad driver fees"

DWT – a new acronym for distracted drivers

We all know that distracted drivers are a problem.  Who hasn’t glanced over at another vehicle zipping by, only to see the driver munching on a burger, putting on lipstick, or yapping on their cell-phone?  No amount of public awareness about the dangers of distracted driving seems to affect these drivers.  While some people think more aggressive public education campaigns can change bad driving habits, others are looking to the law.

Read More about "DWT – a new acronym for distracted drivers"

Virginia’s Traffic Fatalities Top 1,000 for 2007

For the first time since 1990, Virginia’s traffic accident fatalities have topped 1,000. A head-on collision that resulted in a three fatalities in Lynchburg on Saturday December 29 bumped the number of deaths on Virginia’s roads up to 1,002.

Read More about "Virginia’s Traffic Fatalities Top 1,000 for 2007"

How Safe are You in an Accident?

Nobody wants to be involved in a car accident, but should it happen to you – how would your vehicle perform? There are 2 main sources of crash test information in the United States. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a nonprofit research and communications organization funded by auto insurers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) whose mission is to “save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity.”

Read More about "How Safe are You in an Accident?"

Happy HoLEADays Video

With all of the toys being recalled because of lead, Sierra Club has created a cartoon video that is worth a look!  Click on the image below to see the video: 

Read More about "Happy HoLEADays Video"

You Can't Rule Out Every Other Source of Lead Paint, Nor Should You Try

Typically your lead poisoning case will involve an obvious source of lead that resulted in the exposure that caused the lead poisoning. In most cases, this will be the target of your investigation and, with liability, the named defendant in your case.  Almost invariably, the defendant in the case will point to the ubiquitous nature of lead in an effort to spread the blame.  Many years of working on lead poisoning cases has taught me the proper strategies of how to respond.

Read More about "You Can't Rule Out Every Other Source of Lead Paint, Nor Should You Try"

Product safety – keeping up with recalls

If you are shopping for toys and gifts for your children this holiday season, you may be concerned about recalls – especially recalls involving excessive levels of lead. Fortunately, there are several websites you can check to make sure that the toys your little one is playing with have not been recalled – yet.

Read More about "Product safety – keeping up with recalls"

Don't Judge a Case Solely by How Much Lead is in the Blood

Lawyers with lead poisoning cases frequently attempt to equate the amount of lead in a child’s blood with case value.  Blood lead is typically measured in micro grams per deciliter.  In 1991, a national, federal standard of 10 was set by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  However, most health departments would not begin to investigate cases until a child’s level hit 20, and would not give a child medication to lower their lead levels (which medication has its own risks) until levels reached the 40’s or above (these cases are referred to in the field as “chelation cases”, a reference to the type of medication that is administered).  The higher the blood lead level, the greater the risk of severe injury, including brain swelling, coma, and death.  The question then arises as to whether there is some sort of fixed relationship between blood lead level and case value. There is no clear association.  In a recent case I handled here in Virginia, one and only blood test was 26 micrograms per deciliter -- a modestly high level, but one that did not justify chelation therapy. Far more important are the problems that a child has developed as a result of lead.  So, how low can you still prevail?  Look at the absolute lead level as one, and not as a definitive factor in a case.

Read More about "Don't Judge a Case Solely by How Much Lead is in the Blood"

Have you tested your kids for lead?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) projects that about 6,700 Virginia children under age six will be affected by elevated levels of lead in their blood. Have you tested your child to be sure he or she isn’t one of them?

Read More about "Have you tested your kids for lead?"

Spirit of Nantucket cruise ship grounded in Pungo, Virginia Beach Nov. 8

Read More about "Spirit of Nantucket cruise ship grounded in Pungo, Virginia Beach Nov. 8"

150,000 Virginians May Have Brain Injury

In Virginia, straight off the news wire concerning brain injuries:An article released in the Virginia Pilot articulated the "silent epidemic" of traumatic brain injuries.  This is a fascinating article.  The article begins by referring to the epidemic that is affecting our troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Explosions and the like present a significant danger of a brain injury.However, the article then gives service to a more widespread problem referring to the 150,000 Virginians that may have brain injuries mostly resulting from car, motorcycle, truck, and other accidents.  The General Assembly, Virginia's legislative body, has taken notice and its concern can be heard within the walls of their offices.  This is an awesome article.  Also, there are laywers out their who can help with this horrifying medical condition. 

Read More about "150,000 Virginians May Have Brain Injury"