Category: Personal Injury

Mar 16, 2013 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

Often when we’re talking about spring break safety in Tuscaloosa, it’s a warning to pace yourself with the booze or to always have a designated driver. Those things are important. But our Tuscaloosa personal injury lawyers want you to recognize that you may face danger just about everywhere, as more than a dozen spring break revelers recently learned while relaxing in Gulf Shores. According to reports, about 15 to 20 college students from Texas, were spending a sunny afternoon on the deck of a beach house, situated on the sand near the city’s West Beach area. Suddenly, the floor collapsed from underneath them. The call came into emergency crews that a number of those who had fallen had severe neck and head injuries. A number also had broken bones. Six of those who had fallen were rushed to the hospital. Thankfully, officials say the injuries are not expected to be life-threatening. That in itself appears to be nothing short of a miracle, given the fact that there were also reportedly people under the deck as well. Neighbors said the home had been packed for several days with spring breakers. Spring break isn’t the only time this sort of thing has been known to happen. Just last year at a home in Colorado, 15 people were out on a second-story deck when it collapsed. Amazingly, no one was seriously hurt. A similar incident in a nearby town injured a dozen people – two of them critically – occurred just a few […]

Feb 5, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

A transit bus recently caught fire in Birmingham with three passengers on board, culminating in an explosion that rendered the vehicle totally destroyed.  While our Birmingham burn injury lawyers have learned no one was hurt, it’s a fitting coincidence that the incident happened in the midst of National Burn Awareness Week, Feb. 3-9. The fact is, this was a dramatic example of the burn risks that are all around us. The American Burn Association (ABA) notes that the most common type of burn injuries are attributed to scalding, usually in the home or in assisted-living situations. The most vulnerable individuals are babies, young children, elderly adults and people with disabilities. When these vulnerable individuals sustain a scald injury, they are more likely to have to be hospitalized. They have a greater likelihood of complications, such as infection, and they tend to have a longer, tougher recovery.

Jan 7, 2013 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

On December 29, 2012, the News Sentinel reported on an Alabama man who had recently been fitted with a bionic hand. The advanced medical device has allowed him to return to work just one year after he lost his limb in an industrial accident. Our Tuscaloosa injury attorneys are glad to hear that this man is recovering, and now thriving, after such a serious injury. In the United States, around 1.7 million people live with limb loss according to the National Limb Loss Information Center. Around 20 percent lose their limbs as a result of traumatic accidents. Many are faced with having multiple prosthetic limbs over the course of their lives. The story of the Alabama man with the bionic hand provides hope that advances in medical technology will allow more people who lose limbs to get their mobility back, provided that they can cover the costs of paying for medical advances.  The Bionic Hand According to the News Sentinel, the Alabama man fitted for the new bionic hand is one of just a few thousands who has the Touch Bionics i-Limb model. The prosthesis is one of the most technically advanced devices available and it is controlled by the muscles that would normally control the human hand if it had not been amputated. Each of the fingers of the hand can move independently and can bend at the joints so it is possible for the user to grab objects just like a normal human hand.

Dec 20, 2012 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

Shopping for gifts, entertaining guests and decorating are all hallmarks of the holiday season. In doing all of these activities, there is a good chance that you will be visiting grocery stores, department stores, big box stores and shopping malls — probably more so than at any other time during the year. As you make your way to the mall and other retail outlets, it is important that you do everything in your power to stay safe. Our injury attorneys in Birmingham have some advice to help you avoid some potential dangers so you don’t fall victim to a holiday shopping accident.  Staying Safe at the Shopping Mall This Season Whether you are in a grocery store, department store, mall or other shopping venue over the holidays, there are certain things that present a risk to your safety and that could result in injury. Knowing about the risks and using a little bit of extra caution can go a long way towards avoiding injury. For example, some of the common sources of danger or potential risks to be aware of include:

Dec 19, 2012 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

The holiday season is a time for hosting parties and inviting guests into your home. When you have people over, you want to make sure that they have a good time and enjoy the celebration. However, you also have a more important responsibility — making sure that your guests are safe and that they do not present a danger to themselves or to others. Our injury attorneys in Tuscaloosa want to remind hosts and hostesses of their obligations when they invite guests into their home this holiday season. We also have some tips for those hosting parties to help ensure that the guests are safe and that the host doesn’t become legally liable for injury. Your Obligation To Your Guests When you invite people to your home for the holidays, you have an obligation to make sure that your house is reasonably safe. You should correct any hidden dangers or hazards that exist on the premises, or in the alternative, warn your guests of any hidden dangers or hazards. This means if you have a sidewalk that is prone to getting slippery; a loose or wiggly railing; broken steps or any other potential hazards in your home, you may want to fix them before inviting guests. If there are things you can’t fix, let your guests know of the problem so they aren’t in danger of hurting themselves while visiting.

Nov 6, 2012 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

If you need another reason to put the phone down and pay attention behind the wheel, FOX Business is reporting that texting drivers could soon by paying more for car insurance. Our Tuscaloosa personal injury lawyers have blogged about the risks associated with texting while driving. Studies show drivers using a hand-held cell phone are four times more likely to be involved in an accident. While those who are text messaging are at 23 times greater risk for a crash, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.  In Alabama, drivers are prohibited from texting while at the wheel. The law makes it a primary offense, which means a motorist can be stopped and ticketed. The Governors Highway Safety Association reports 39 states now ban texting and driving. Alabama also prohibits drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone while driving.

Oct 30, 2012 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

A 94-year-old Decatur woman died over the weekend after rolling downhill away from a nursing home during an apparent fire drill. As we reported in October on our Alabama Injury Attorneys Blog, the recently passed trust-fund amendment was championed by the nursing home industry as a way to avoid drastic cuts that could lead to short-staffing and neglect in nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout Alabama. While we await all the facts and circumstances of this particular case, here’s what we know: The elderly woman was hospitalized Wednesday after her wheelchair rolled downhill outside the Country Cottage Living Facility. A relative said she developed pneumonia after the accident, although cause of death has not yet been determined.

Oct 25, 2012 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

According to officials with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Halloween is the most dangerous day of the entire year for pedestrian accidents in the United States. To no surprise, a majority of these accidents involve children. Our Tuscaloosa pedestrian accident lawyers are asking parents to take the proper safety precautions and to talk with their children about safe traveling habits to help to keep our little ghost and goblins safe during their trick-or-treating adventures. We’re also asking homeowners and drivers to make sure that they keep a lookout for our young ones on All Hallow’s Eve. Burns and trips and falls are all common causes of accidents on Halloween. Luckily for homeowners, a little preparation and thought can go a long way toward protecting our children from harm. Medical professionals with the Tuscaloosa Surgical Center offer homeowners, parents and pedestrians some important safety tips. Keeping Kids Safe: -Make sure that each child has a flashlight or is wearing bright or reflective clothing. You want to make sure that they’re easily seen by motorists.

Oct 20, 2012 - Medical Malpractice by Cross & Smith

In a recent Alabama Supreme Court decision, Boudreaux v. Pettaway, the state’s high court upheld a $ 4 million medical malpractice/wrongful death claim. In 2006, a 32-year-old mother, who had previously undergone gastric bypass surgery, arrived at Springhill Memorial Hospital in Mobile complaining of vomiting and abdominal pain. She died during an exploratory laporotomy.  The estate of Paulett Pettaway Hall sued Dr. Randall Boudreaux and other defendants, including Coastal Anesthesia for wrongful death and medical malpractice.

Sep 26, 2012 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

A new warning has been issued about the risks of child injury involving backyard trampolines. On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported nearly 100,000 children a year are injured on these trampolines. “Pediatricians need to actively discourage recreational trampoline use,” said Michele LaBotz, MD, FAAP, co-author of the report. “Families need to know that many injuries occur on the mat itself, and current data do not appear to demonstrate that netting or padding significantly decrease the risk of injury.” Birmingham personal injury attorneys understand children are most at risk for injury by dangerous or defective products. Each year, the Consumer Products Safety Commission recalls more than 100 defective products marketed to children — including clothing, toys, cribs, strollers and highchairs.