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Monthly Archives: September 2015
Truck Drivers Tend to Extend the Concept of Distracted Driving
Sep 25, 2015 - Truck Accidents by Cross & Smith
Anything from adjusting the radio to grabbing some pretzels is common behavior for many drivers, especially when commute times are long. Of course, any behavior that takes a driver’s attention from the road or hands off the wheel can lead to accidents. However, it is not uncommon for a Tuscaloosa truck wreck lawyer to see cases of severe injuries caused by behind-the-wheel activities that only semi drivers are likely to do. Living Life Behind the Wheel Can Lead to Unusual Distractions Most people engage in countless activities every day, but they perform a limited number of tasks while driving. While typical driver distractions probably involve cell phones, food or drink, truck drivers generally have hands-free devices and other equipment in their semis to help keep their hands on the wheel. That said, however, long-haul truck drivers may be in the cabs of their massive vehicles for more hours than they spend anywhere else. They still have to get things done, so they sometimes find creative ways to accomplish those tasks while on the road. In addition to using cell phones and CB radios, the following are some of the more common trucker activities: • Reaching in a pocket or reaching to the floor • Looking at paperwork • Smoking-related activities • Looking in mirror while using a toothpick • Making grooming and clothing adjustments Of course the list does not stop there. In January 2015, Reuter’s reported a massive traffic shutdown near Tuscaloosa after a trucker veered off the road, […]
Read MoreSurgical Errors: Never Say Never
Sep 11, 2015 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith
Back in 2012, John’s Hopkins reported that surgical “never events” occur at least 4,000 times per year. These are errors that should never happen because they are easily preventable when surgical staff members take common-sense precautions. At the time, the report was major news within the medical community and our Tuscaloosa personal injury lawyers believed that knowledge of these issues would prevent them in the future. Unfortunately, current reports show that some of these easily-preventable issues still exist today. Some Never Events Still Happen Today Three years after the Hopkins report, JAMA Surgery states that three of these events are still prevalent: • Retained surgical items: Many items are used in surgery and anything from sponges to surgical tools are still being left inside of patients. Taking inventory before surgery begins and again before closing the incision can easily help prevent this type of error. • Wrong site surgery: This type of error can happen most often when a patient has more than one similar site, such as limbs or eyes and the surgeon operates on the healthy site by mistake. A common way to prevent such an accident is to carefully review the patient’s records prior to surgery and then mark the correct surgical site directly on the patient. • Surgical fires: Most surgeries require the use of the “fire triangle,” which is essentially a fuel source (ranging from alcohol-based skin preparation to the patient’s own skin or hair), an igniter (such as a laser) and an oxidizer (commonly […]
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