2009 February Archive

An article by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development reported that seven valley hospitals had considerably higher death rates than other state averages, particularly for specialized surgeries or treatments. Receiving the poorest marks were Sierra View District Hospital in Porterville and Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

The report surveyed 384 hospitals in 2006 and 2007. Procedure death rates were compared to average death rates from brain surgery to acute stroke treatment. Receiving “worse” than average death ratings was Sierra View Hospital for patients suffering from hip fractures, acute stroke, and a procedure for clearing carotid artery blockages.

Sierra View received “worse” than average death ratings — four total — for patients suffering from acute stroke, hip fractures and a procedure for clearing blockage from the carotid artery (carotid endarterectomy). The other hospitals receiving poor marks for higher than average death rates, are Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno (pancreatic resection), Corcoran District Hospital, Hanford Community Medical Center, Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia (acute stroke) and the currently closed University Medical Center for Brain Surgery.

John Zelezny, spokesman for Community Medical Centers, said, “We do a lot more benchmarking and we do like to get results of these kinds of studies and go back and look at them and figure out exactly why the results show the way they do. So we do welcome these kinds of studies.”

Victims seeking to hold property owners and occupiers responsible for the resulting tragedies may file premises liability lawsuits. The extremely experienced and knowledgeable wrongful death lawyers in Los Angeles at Panish, Shea, & Boyle have a proven success record defending personal injury victims and consumers. They have won many major cases on behalf of their clients. Please do not hesitate to call them at 1-866-992-1700 for a free consultation.

The Los Angeles CBS channel 2 website reported in an article on January 21, 2009 that warnings were being handed out at three southern California schools over worries of salmonella contamination. According to Sweet Success Fundraising Inc.; based in Ontario, the peanut butter was distributed to three schools.  Fremont Elementary in Alhabra, 93rd Street Elementary in Los Angeles, and Barstow Intermediate School in San Bernardino County, are the schools in question.

The cookie dough comes in three pound tubs at a cost of $14 each. Sweet Success claims that 170 of the tubs are contaminated. State officials say that no reports of illness or personal injury in California that have been tied to the cookie dough.

Reports by the California Department of Public Health said that the frozen cookie dough may have been prepared with peanut butter that was willingly recalled by the Peanut Corporation of America.  No “use by” dates or lot codes were used in the packaging.

Health officials said that the Peanut Corporation of America recalled some of its peanut butter made at its Blakely, GA processing facility. This facility had been labeled as a “potential” for contamination with salmonella and sold to Sweet Success after December 8.

Serious and sometimes fatal infections can be caused by the salmonella bacteria, particularly in the young, elderly, and people with a weak immune system. Healthy individuals who become infected can experience the following symptoms: diarrhea, fever, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramps. Officials ask that anyone who purchased this cookie dough can call Sweet Success for a full refund at 909-947-5800.

If you or a loved one has become sick from eating contaminated food, you need the help of the experiened Los Angeles product liability lawyers at Panish, Shea, & Boyle. The firm’s attorneys are consistently recognized for their work in consumer law; including several leadership roles in major nationwide consumer litigation, and repeated nominations for national lists of the nation’s biggest verdicts and most influential trial lawyers. Please call 1-866-992-1700 for a free consultation.

The first deadly commercial plane crash since 2006 occurred last night, Thursday, January 12, 2009, when a commuter plane fell into an eastern Buffalo suburban home, according to an Associated Press news story. The fiery crash killed 49 aboard and one person in the house.  Two others were also in the home but survived with minor injuries.

The crew of the Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., became aware of significant ice buildup on the wings and windshield right before the plane began pitching and rolling violently, leading to its flaming crash. Officials have stated that the cause of this aviation disaster has not been determined just yet; however, ice on a plane’s wings has been responsible for many major air catastrophes in the past.

Official reports state that the plane was new and had a clean safety record. The plane went through a “severe pitch and roll” experience after positioning its flaps for landing, said Steve Chealander, spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board.

Doug Hartmayer, a spokesman for Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, which runs the airport, said: “The plane simply dropped off the radar screen.”

One witness who drove to the site said, “All we were seeing was 50- to 100-foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit.”

The report confirmed a 9/11 widow was on board the plane.  She was heading to Buffalo for a celebration of what would have been her husband’s 58th birthday.

Continental Airlines said relatives and friends of those on Flight 3407 can call a special family assistance number, 1-800-621-3263 for information.

The attorneys at Panish, Shea & Boyle are highly accomplished in complex aviation disaster cases.  Our attorneys have taken leadership roles in many high-profile plane crash cases. We represent clients throughout the U.S. and the world and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Please contact us for more information.

On January 11, 2009 it was reported that a 39 year old woman was hit and killed by a Metrolink train in Burbank. According to Armen Dermenjian, a Burbank police lieutenant, the woman was struck sometime around 6:25pm at the Buena Vista and San Fernando Boulevard crossing. Police are investigating the tragic California Metrolink train accident and urge the public to call Burbank police at 818-238-3000 with any information regarding this incident.

Be it an Amtrak or Metrolink train, there is one thing certain- we stand no chance against them. It is nearly impossible to stop a loaded rolling train traveling at a moderate speed in time to avoid an accident. The public needs to take every necessary precaution at all times when crossing an intersection. This also includes the city and train company taking all proper steps to ensure a safe crossing.

Times are changing fast and what used to be country land is now turning into city blocks with many of these dangerous train crossings. With a population of more than 4 million, and growing, in Los Angeles, the likelihood of railroad accidents greatly increases.

Fortunately railroad accidents happen only rarely, but when they do occur, they usually result in grave injuries or death. If you or a loved one has been involved in a train accident, you will need the services of a skilled Los Angeles train accident attorney from Panish, Shea & Boyle. We are a very aggressive and experienced plaintiff’s law firm devoted to representing victims throughout the nation. We represent those that have been catastrophically injured, be it physically or financially. Please call 1-866-992-1700 for a free consultation.