Wrongful death « Skolrood Law Firm Blog

Archive for the ‘ Wrongful death ’ Category

May

Virginia Nursing Home Owner Guilty Of Patient Abuse

May 10, 2012

Research shows that 2.1 million elderly Americans suffer from abuse or neglect each year. Furthermore, for every case of neglect and abuse that goes unreported to the law, there may be as many as five other cases that are not identified.

One Martinsville, Virginia, nursing home owner will pay the price for his part in perpetuating this problem after he was found guilty today of abuse and neglect of an incapacitated adult that resulted in death. According to an article released by WSLS 10 News, the man will now face a sentence of five years in prison when sentenced later this year in October.

The charges stem from an accident that occurred in February of last year at a group home for adults that resulted in a 57-year-old Parkinson’s Patient being severely burned. Court documents and testimony show that the man was left in a bathtub with scalding water that left the man with second and third-degree burns over a large portion of his body.

Caretakers failed to give the man proper treatment or take him to a hospital under the direct order of the group home’s owner. Roughly two weeks later the patient died from Sepsis and secondary infection stemming from the wounds.

The Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm say that the best way to prevent Nursing Home Neglect from occurring to your loved one is to remain active in their care. Ask plenty of questions to caretakers and doctors to better understand and to ensure that your loved one gets the care they need.

May

Medical Mistakes Affect Thousands Of Virginians Each Year

May 3, 2012

HealthGrades estimates that approximately 195,000 Americans die each year because of preventable hospital mistakes, and hundreds of thousands more individuals are hurt as a result of these accidents.

These injuries can range from something as simple as a medication error to a botched surgery. Recently, a bizarre case of hospital error occurred last month in a Virginia hospital. According to an article released by the Duluth News Tribune, a woman who had just given birth at the facility was given the wrong child, sending both sets of parents into a panic.

The accident occurred, according to hospital officials, because of an outdated card ID system the hospital had in place to identify both mother and child failed. The failure occurred when staff failed to change the child’s cards when the mother moved rooms and another woman was brought in. Failure by hospital staff to check both mother and child’s hospital ID bracelets for a match also was a contributing factor in the mistake.

The hospital stated that in response to the incident, they have installed a new ID system that has an auditory alarm that will sound if the mother and child’s bracelets do not match.

Accidents resulting in the need for a Virginia Medical Malpractice Lawyer are simply caused by negligent medical staff. If you’ve been injured under a doctor’s care, a Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer with the Skolrood Law Firm may be able to help you.

Apr

Virginia Steel Plant Worker Killed In On-The-Job Accident

April 5, 2012

A worker at a steel plant in Salem, Virginia, tragically lost his life Monday in an on-the-job accident. According to The Roanoke Times, the incident occurred around 9:45 a.m. at the New Millennium Building Systems on Diuguids Lane.

Reports indicate that workers were unloading steel tresses from a truck when one of the 8,000-pound beams shifted loose and fell on the worker. He was pinned beneath the giant piece of steel and could not free his legs. Rescue crews were called to the scene and were able to lift the beam enough to free the man. He was then taken to Carillion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, but later died as a result of the massive injuries he sustained in the accident.

Both New Millennium Building Systems and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry are investigating the accident further to determine what could have been done to prevent it.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that fatal work injuries amongst workers in the material moving industry were up by 5 percent in 2010 from previous years and accounted for roughly one-quarter of all work related deaths with 683 workers killed.

The Virginia Wrongful Death Attorneys with the Skolrood Law Firm would like to send their deepest sympathies to the family of the worker who was killed and would also like to remind the public to always obey safety regulations at your job or worksite.

Mar

Jury Rules In Favor Of Families In Virginia Tech Wrongful Death Lawsuit

March 15, 2012

A Virginia jury yesterday ruled in favor of the parents of two Virginia Tech students who filed wrongful death lawsuits against the school after their daughters were brutally murdered during the campus shootings in April 2007. According to WSLS 10 News, the parents were seeking $100,000 in damages.

On that spring morning nearly five years ago, the gunman shot victims in a dormitory on the campus. Police and school officials originally believed the shooting was domestic in nature and not a threat to other students on campus.

Meanwhile, the shooter moved to another campus building and began his spree that became the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. School officials waited two hours and 15 minutes after the first shots were fired to warn students of the danger.

The parent’s lawsuit contended that the school waited too long to warn students, and that their daughters may still be alive today if warnings had been issued sooner.

After hearing the verdict, lawyers for the parents stated they will ask the governor to waive the $100,000 cap on the judgment. They added that if the governor won’t do it, they will find a state senator or representative who will propose it to be waived during the next legislative session.

The Virginia Wrongful Death Attorneys with the Skolrood Law Firm hope the ruling will help bring a sense of closure to the families who tragically lost their loved ones.

Mar

Virginia Tow Truck Driver Killed In On-The-Job Accident

March 1, 2012

A Madison Heights, Virginia, tow truck driver died earlier this week as a result of an on-the-job accident caused by another driver’s negligence. According to reports from WDBJ 7 News, the incident took place Monday morning along Route 130 in Amherst County.

Reports from the Amherst County sheriff’s deputies say that the tow truck driver was working to load a crashed vehicle onto his wrecker. The tow truck driver was known for always being safety cautious and had followed every safety procedure while working at the accident scene, but another driver’s mistake cost him his life.

As he stepped to the side of his truck near the highway, another vehicle on the road struck and pinned him between the vehicle and his own truck. The man died at the scene.

While the driver responsible for causing the accident has not yet been charged, Amherst County investigators are looking into whether charges should be filed.

The Virginia Wrongful Death Attorneys with the Skolrood Law Firm would like to send their thoughts and condolences to the family of the man who tragically lost his life in this terrible accident. The firm would also like to take this opportunity to remind drivers to slow down, and if at all possible, move to the left lane if you see emergency crews working on the highway when you are driving. Taking these simple steps could save someone’s life.

Jan

Speed Considered A Factor In Fatal Franklin County Crash

January 26, 2011

Police are saying speed was a factor in a multi-vehicle accident in Franklin County, Virginia, on Monday that killed one and left several others injured. According to WDBJ 7 News, the accident happened just before 4:00 PM along the Booker T. Washington Highway, near Beechdale Road.

Investigators believe that a 17-year-old girl was behind the wheel of a vehicle going north, when she lost control due to excessive speed. The girl then over-corrected, sending the car into oncoming traffic, where it collided with a pickup truck and another vehicle before striking a nearby building. A 17-year-old boy from Franklin County who was the passenger in the front seat of the girl’s vehicle was killed in the crash. The girl and two other passengers in the backseat were injured and taken to a local hospital. The driver of the pickup truck that was involved in the crash, a 26-year-old man from Glade Hill, was also injured and taken to the hospital.

The National Library of Medicine considers speed to be a major contributing factor in the high number of fatal crashes seen in young drivers. They also suggest that the number of passengers in a vehicle can put a young driver at a higher risk for having an accident.

This is why the Virginia auto accident attorneys with the Skolrood Law Firm advise parents to set a limit on the number of passengers allowed to ride with your new driver.

Jan

Texting And Driving Could Become A Primary Offense In Virginia

January 19, 2012

Texting while driving may be illegal in the state of Virginia, but in order to be pulled over for the offense, a driver has to be doing something else wrong. This may change soon though according to reports from WSLS 10 News that say a new bill recently passed through the Senate would make texting and driving a primary offense, allowing officers to pull over drivers if they are caught in the act on their phones.

Senate Bill 219 was examined on Wednesday by the Senate Transportation Committee and approved by a vote of eight to five with one voter abstaining. Also approved was legislation that would make using a cellphone a primary offense for teen drivers with provisional licenses.

Sen. George L. Barker spoke to the committee in favor of the laws pointing out that drivers who text are more than 23 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those who don’t. He added that making cellphone use a primary offense would “encourage greater compliance” from drivers.

The legislation will now go before the full Senate for a vote during the next session.

The Virginia Car Accident Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm know that statistically using a cell phone will driving is more dangerous than driving drunk. That is why they ask for drivers to put their phones down while behind the wheel.

Jan

Drunk Driver Sentenced For Norfolk Crash That Killed Three

January 12, 2012

Sentencing for a 32-year-old convicted drunk driver was continued this morning in a Norfolk, Virginia, courtroom for his part in the deaths of three passengers in his vehicle at the time of a wreck. According to WSLS 10 News, the man was convicted of three counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter in connection with the August 10, 2010, accident.

Reports from the Norfolk police department show that the accident happened as the vehicle rounded a curve on East Indian River Road at over 100 MPH. The driver lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road and into a guardrail and several trees.

Three people died in the crash, while two others and the driver were injured.

Toxicology reports from tests submitted by the driver found his blood alcohol level to be more than three times the legal limit of .08. The jury, which convicted the man on the manslaughter charges, recommended a 25-year sentence to the judge presiding over the case who has final say.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) rank Virginia as the 23td safest state in our nation when it comes to drunk driving, with only 211 fatalities related to DUI in the past year which was a 13 percent decrease from the year before.

The Virginia auto accident attorneys with the Skolrood Law Firm work with victims of drunk driving accidents on a daily basis. If you or someone you know has been injured in a drunk driving accident at no fault of their own, contact an experienced attorney today.

Jan

Radford University Student Convicted In Hazing Death

January 5, 2012

The most tragic part of all wrongful death lawsuits is that, in most of the cases, the death was completely preventable. Take for instance the case of a 21-year-old Radford University student was convicted last month in the accidental overdose death of his 20-year-old fraternity brother. According to The Roanoke Times, the young man died from acute alcohol poisoning in October 2011 after a fraternity initiation ritual.

Reports and court documents show that the elder young man gave his younger fraternity brother alcohol as a post-ceremony gift. He was found dead in his home the next day with a blood alcohol content six times the legal limit at .48.

The 21-year-old man was sentenced to two years in the New River Regional Jail; one year for the misdemeanor charge of hazing and another for the misdemeanor charge of purchasing alcohol for a minor.

Six other individuals are expected to go to trial as a result of the incident as well.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that binge drinking is the cause of most alcohol-related poisonings. Also, 90 percent of alcohol consumed by those under the age of 21 is in the form of binge drinking. The patterns of binge drinking are closely linked to fatal automobile accidents as well as accidental overdoses.

The Virginia wrongful death lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm would like to urge teens and young adults to hold out on drinking for a while. If you do drink, do so responsibly.

Dec

Government Warns Parents Bumper Pads In Cribs

December 1, 2011

Most parents think they are shielding their child from getting hurt when they put bumper pads in cribs. This protective layer of quilted and padded material lining a crib is believed to keep a baby from injuries caused by trapping limbs between slats on a crib and hitting their heads. According to the Chicago Tribune though, the American Academy of Pediatrics is now saying that the pads should not be used as they may present a hazard of suffocation, strangulation, and entrapment.

Investigations found old reports to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) alleging that bumper pads have been the cause of baby injuries. The group has failed to take a stance against the products use because of inconclusive data as to whether the bumper caused the child’s death or another factor. An investigative report uncovered nearly 30 cases of infant deaths suspected to be caused by bumper pads.

The CPSC has now changed its stance after finding that although the number of sudden infant death syndrome cases had declined in the last several years, the number of sleep-related deaths from asphyxia and entrapment have increased.

The Virginia Wrongful Death Attorneys with the Skolrood Law Firm often handle cases where a family has lost a loved one due to a product malfunction. They believe manufacturers have a responsibility to release safe products onto the market. Contact us today by filling out a free initial consultation form if you have questions about the wrongful death of a loved one.

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