The New York Times recently reported about a new study that shows when one children’s injury occurs in a household, siblings are also at risk.  According to the article, there is that a condition called “post-traumatic arousal” and is an indicator of a re-occurring injury, not only in one child, but in their brothers and sisters, too.

If children’s injuries happen to one child, does it pass on to their siblings?

Keep your kids free from children's injuries this summer!

Post-traumatic arousal is part of of post-traumatic stress disorder, which can unbalance kids and might cause them to overreact if a children’s injury happens to one of their siblings.

Dr. Brian D. Johnston, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, studies large groups of children around the country.  He and his team have discovered that if a child is severely hurt — with an injury requiring hospitalization — then all children in that household are at high risk of getting hurt for the next three months.  Johnson’s research shows that medical treatment was necessary in nearly 20 percent of the families who’s son or daughter sustain a children’s injury or re-injured themselves badly enough in the following months.

Car accidents and drowning seem to be the biggest causes of wrongful deaths for kids 12-years-old and younger.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a report two years ago saying that 9.2 million children received emergency room care every year for injuries unrelated to abuse in the time frame of 2000-2006.  This was the leading cause of fatalities in young boys and girls, with close to 12,000 wrongful deaths each year occurring from these types of accidents.

Personal injuries that are considered non-life threatening and send kids into the emergency room are most often from slip and falls, interaction with animals and insects, or being hit (or getting hit) with a hard object.  So, as a parent, should you be worried that if one child slips and falls down the stairs, another one is going to do the same?  Not necessarily.  The injuries reported in the study were all varied from one another — a little girl gets burned and her sister drops something on her foot, not the same exact injury for both kids.

The best course of action to take is to practice vigilance, regardless or not if children’s injuries are contagious among siblings.  If one of your children get injured, then be on the lookout for another injury coming in the next one to three months.  It may never arrive and that’s a good thing, because you were keeping track of your children every step of the way.

With the arrival of summer, children’s injuries are likely to increase as kids have more unsupervised free time on their hands.  Avoid injuries before they happen by knowing where your kids are playing, who they are playing with, and what hazards might be associated with their fun activities.

As the saying goes, “it is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.”

Contact us anytime if your child was hurt.  We are here to take your call day or night at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE Consultation with a personal injury lawyers in San Diego or click here to submit your case for a FREE Online Review.  Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe nothing until we recover money at the end of your claim.

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Usually the number of children’s injuries goes up during the summer season, but adults can sustain catastrophic injuries while playing sports or taking part in recreational activities if they do not come properly prepared.

Tips for avoiding personal injuries this summer.

“Summer is what we call trauma season,” says Matthew Denenberg, division chief for pediatrics at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Deneberg has assisted parents and children who come in with injuries from boating, swimming, and burn injuries.  Each year, it seems the same mistakes keep getting made.

So what can you do?  Here are some helpful tips, courtesy of Serious Accidents, to stay personal injury free this season!

1.  Teach your children how to swim. Experts used to take the stance that children should not take swimming lessons until their 4th birthday has passed.  Now others are starting to disagree with that statement.  As a parent, when your son or daughter learns to swim should be at your discretion, but sooner is better than later.

If you have a home pool and a child too young to be in it by themselves, put fencing around the water and install an in-pool alarm system.  If kids are in the pool, never leave them alone and put ones who have trouble swimming in a life jacket.

2.  Keep lawns clear of rocks, dirt, and other heavy objects. When mowing the lawn, go over your yard and clear it of any debris that could get caught in the mower.  Rocks that get sucked up into the blades can shoot out and cause brain injuries if they hit someone in the head.

3.  Tell children that cars are not things to use for play. Car accidents can happen even when the car is not running.  Children can suffer hypothermia and overheat when left in a hot car.  They can also crawl under cars when you are not around and get hurt when a driver starts up the vehicle.  Tell your kids that unless you are in the car with them, they should stay away from it.

4.  Fire is to be handled by adults. Grilling, barbecuing, or setting up a camp fire can be a lot of fun — just make sure an adult is in charge of it.  Also be sure you are wearing protective gear, do not get too close to the flames or the fuel source, and always remember to turn off the gas if you are using a propane stove or grill.  Keep matches and lighters out of reach from children’s hands.  When leaving camp sites, douse your fire with a mixture of water and dirt.

5.  Wheels should always be companied by protective gear. Even for short rides on a bike or all-terrain vehicle (ATV), helmets are a must.  Every year, over 500,000 people receive emergency room medical treatment for injuries that happened during a bicycle accident.  ATVs are growing in popularity, as are accidents related to their usage (with children accounting for nearly 33 percent of all ATV-related injuries).

If you are curious about more tips to keep you and your family safe, check back with Serious Accidents throughout the summer.  You can also get more suggestions from a great site call “Emergency Care For You.”  This summer, have fun and be safe!

If your child has suffered an injury because of the carelessness of someone else, you should contact our bilingual law firm to find out if you are eligible to recover a settlement.  Dial 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE Consultation with a personal injury lawyer 24 hours a day, seven days a week or click here to submit your case for a FREE Online Review.

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From what our firm’s San Diego car accident lawyers have learned, one student was transported to a hospital for medical treatment as a precautionary measure, but that everyone else looks to have sustain only minor personal injuries.

Car accident involving a school bus injured eight people in Oceanside.

A school bus rolled over after being hit by a car in Oceanside. (Source: San Diego Union Tribune)

“There were a lot of minor bumps and bruises and scrapes, possibly a broken bone,” said Steve Lombard, a spokesman with the Oceanside Unified School District, in regards to the accident which happened along North El Camino Real at North Douglas Drive just before noon.

Our San Diego car accident lawyers have learned that an 81-year-old Betty Hoke was in her white Toyota Corolla, exiting the Laguna Vista mobile home park and merging into traffic.  The Toyota began moving parallel to the school bus until Hoke allegedly made an unsafe lane change into the bus.  As she did, the Toyota caught the left rear tire of the bus, which spun the vehicle out of control and caused it to rollover onto one side.

“It looks like that person merged right under the bus, which sent the bus out of control,” Oceanside police Sgt. Jeff Brandt said.  “A set of wheels went right over the top of the car.  You can see the tire tread marks up over the hood of the car.”

A total of 23 students — who were a part of a cross-age tutoring program — were on board the bus at the time of the accident.  All of those students sustain children’s injuries were taken to two nearby hospitals and the rest who were not hurt were returned to El Camino High School.

Our firm’s San Diego car accident lawyers want to share a fact with you: on average, 142 people suffer wrongful deaths from school-related car accidents each year.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that those riding in school vehicles accounted for close to 8 percent of fatalities on the road in 2008.

This unfortunate bus-car accident seems to have rekindled the debate as to whether or not school buses should be retrofitted with lap and shoulder seat belts.  Do you think we should buckle up our children when they are on a school bus?

If your child has suffered an injury because of the carelessness of someone else, you should contact our bilingual law firm to find out if you are eligible to recover a settlement.  Dial 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE Consultation with a San Diego County car accident lawyer in Oceanside 24 hours a day, seven days a week or click here to submit your case for a FREE Online Review.

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According the U.S. Department of Transportation, hyperthermia causes about 27 fatal children’s injuries each year — making hyperthermia the number one non-crash-related cause of death to children in the U.S. 

Hyperthermia & children’s injury prevention tips from Ray LaHood.

Whereas hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops, hyperthermia (a.k.a. heat stroke) occurs when your body temperature is too high.  Hyperthermia often causes children’s injuries when they are left in cars during hot days.  Car temperatures can nearly double the outside temperature on hot, sunny days.

“On a day when the temperature outside is 86 degrees, the temperature inside a car can quickly reach 135 or even 150 degrees!  And research indicates that leaving the windows open a crack does little to reduce this oven effect,” according to the official blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood.  And if you think that you would never “be one of those parents” who left a child in a car, LaHood wants you to check out this Pulitzer Prize-winning article by The Washington Post’s Gene Weingarten.

“Look, the fact is these are accidents,” LaHood said in his blog.  “But they are deadly and they are entirely preventable.”

Here are eight safety tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that you can take to prevent a hyperthermia accident or children’s injuries in your car.

1. Never leave a child unattended in a car.
2. Don’t let your children play in an unattended car and teach them a car isn’t a play area.
3. Never leave infants or children in a parked car, even if the windows are partially open, the engine running or the air condition turned on.
4. Make a habit of looking in your car — front and back — before locking the door and walking away.
5. If you’re driving your kids to daycare, have your spouse call to double-check that everything went well.
6. Ask your daycare provider to call you if your child doesn’t show up.
7. Always lock your doors and trunk and keep your car keys out of your children’s reach.
8. If you see a child alone in a hot car, CALL THE POLICE.  If they are in distress due to the heat, get them out ASAP.

Warning signs of hyperthermia include: red, hot and moist or dry skin; no sweating; a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse; nausea; or strange actions.  The best way to treat hyperthermia is to cool the child rapidly and dial 911 immediately.  For more information, visit the NHTSA’s Keeping Kids Safe website.

If your child has suffered an injury because of the carelessness of someone else, you should contact our bilingual law firm to find out if you are eligible to recover a settlement.  Dial 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE Consultation with a personal injury lawyer 24 hours a day, seven days a week or click here to submit your case for a FREE Online Review.

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That was the case last week when serious children’s injuries were the result of a pit bull attack on a two-year-old San Bernardino boy, reports the Los Angeles Times.  The boy is currently in critical condition after sustaining major injuries in the dog bite attack.  Thankfully, he is expected to live.

A dog bite attack leaves a two-year-old boy with critical children’s injuries.

A two-year-old boy is in critical condition after a dog bite sent him to the hospital. (Source: Science Blogs)

This little boy is lucky to be alive after the pit bull’s mauling and luckier still that the attack did not escalate into a wrongful death, which is always a likely possibility with these cases.

The dog bite accident occurred while the boy and the animal were in the backyard of their San Bernardino home.  The boy sustained a major brain injury and head trauma, requiring surgery at the Loma Linda University Medical Center.

“We don’t know why the dog attacked,” said Lt. David Harp of the San Bernardino Police Department.  Local detectives are continuing to investigate why the dog bit the child and what other factors were involved in setting the animal off.

From our experience as personal injury lawyers in San Diego, we can tell you that dogs bite when you least expect it.  Even the best behaved animals can get scared or nervous, then attack with violent intensity and hurt humans in the process.  Children between the ages of five and nine are the ones who are injured the most in dog bite attacks.  Owners have been taking note and keeping on eye on their animals, as well as their children.

Though research suggests dog bite statistics involving children are going down, attacks like this remind every parent and every pet owner to be vigilant when kids and canines come in contact with each other.

Call us now at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE consultation with an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer or click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.  We work on a contingency basis, so there is no fee until we recover money on your behalf.

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A school bus fire in Los Angeles caused two minor personal injuries in the form of smoke inhalation as reported by KTLA.  The fire broke out during a field trip taken by third graders at Flory Academy, a science and technology magnet school in the Moorpark section of Los Angeles.

No serious personal injuries reported during a school bus fire in Los Angeles.

The class was traveling south on the Hollywood Freeway (Route 101) at Universal Center Drive around 9 a.m. when the bus caught fire for unknown reasons.  An auto accident was not the cause of the fire, but Los Angeles Fire Department crews were dispatched to the scene.

Smoke started to pump out of a vent by the bus driver and teachers moved the children to the back of the bus with parent volunteers.  When the smoke continued to come out the vent even after opening a window, emergency exits were opened, and the all passengers of the bus were evacuated.

Thankfully, the 24 students on board, as well as teachers, chaperons and the driver managed to escape.  No serious children’s injuries were reported in conjunction with the fire, but medical treatment was given to two passengers who complained of breathing in heavy smoke.

Firefighters shut down the entire freeway and blocked the flow of traffic while containing the flames and extinguishing the blaze in about 11 minutes.

Our firm’s auto accident attorneys know that school buses are inherently dangerous due to the fact that they lack seat belts, but recently there have been a rise in school bus accidents where children were on board.  This law firm is open to suggestions when we ask the following question:  how can we make school buses safer for our children?

If you are injured in an auto accident, contact our San Diego law firm at (800) 655-6585 for a FREE consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney. You may also click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.

You owe nothing until we win your case.

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Our auto accident lawyers know that reckless driving is a top cause of auto accidents in the United States.  In New York alone, there were over 15,000 auto accidents in the state in 2008 and this new piece of legislation is hoping to reduce those numbers in upcoming years.

Sponsors of Elle’s Law in New York seek harsher consequences for reckless drivers.

Elle Vandenberghe was hit by a reckless driver in New York on her way to preschool. Her mother, Heather, is attempting to get Elle's Law passed, which would punish reckless drivers worse. (SOURCE: New York Daily News)

Last September, Elle Vandenberghe, was on her way to preschool.  While she was walking on E 82nd St. and York Ave., she was hit by a driver who was backing up to find a parking spot.  The pedestrian accident left the three year old brain damaged.

“Elle’s Law” would create vehicular assault in the third-degree, a new crime that would result in a felony which would carry a sentence of four years in prison not to mention suspension of the driver’s license for seven years.  The New York law would apply to a driver who violates traffic laws causing personal injury to a pedestrian.

Jose Castaneda, a Bronx resident, was driving along when he saw a parking spot and backed up the wrong way through a crosswalk to grab it.  Instead of grabbing the parking spot, he accidentally hit Elle, causing her children’s injuries that will likely be with her the rest of her life.

Her mother wasn’t thrilled about the initial punishment– Castaneda was issued a ticket — and called for justice.

“One of the things that added insult to injury is the realization that nothing really happened to the man who had done this: just a traffic ticket,” Heather Vandenberghe told the New York Daily News.

Vandenberge doesn’t want to put more emphasis on legitimate auto accidents where someone jaywalks or jumps into traffic.  With Elle’s Law, she only wants to punish those whose reckless driving causes personal injury to innocent pedestrians.

Our auto accident lawyers in San Diego know that pedestrians are hurt all the time because there’s no telling when a car is going to seemingly come out of nowhere.  When they do, rarely does it end well for the pedestrian.  If approved, the New York law could stop some drivers from doing anything too reckless behind the wheel.

Call us now at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE consultation with an experienced San Diego auto accident lawyer or click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.

If you decide to call us, there is no fee until we win your case.

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Celebrity parents breathed a sigh of relief as the 1-year-old son of Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson was unhurt in a minor car accident yesterday afternoon, according to a story on TMZ.  The pop singers’ son was only shaken up a bit, but escaped any real physical harm from the collision.

The son of Fall Out Boy member Pete Wentz was in a minor car accident.

Pete Wentz's 1-year-old son was involved in a minor fender bender that caused no personal injuries. (Source: TMZ)

Wentz and Simpson’s son, Bronx Mowgli Wentz, was in the backseat of a black Lexus SUV that was being driven by his nanny at the time of the car accident.  While driving along Los Angeles’ Coldwater Canyon the car was involved in “a very minor fender bender” says a rep for the musician.

No one had to go to the hospital for medical treatment, and Wentz’ rep went on to say that in terms of personal injuries, everyone involved in the accident is “fine.”  In fact, the only a small amount of property damage was sustained to the front of the Lexus.

The Fall Out Boy member rushed to the crash site and took the young boy into his care soon after the accident occurred.  Thankfully, this car accident ended on a good note rather than a tragic one.

What can you do to make sure your kids are safe during a car accident?  Our firm’s San Diego car accident lawyers have a few suggestions:

• Make sure seat belts are worn by everyone in the vehicle.
• Tell your children to keep their hands and feet inside the car at all times.
• Young children (under the age of 12) should always sit in the back seat and very young children should be buckled up in a specialized car seat.

If you are injured in a car accident, contact our San Diego law firm at (800) 655-6585 for a FREE consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer. You may also click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.

You owe nothing until we win your case.

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Our car accident lawyers know that school buses aren’t the safest vehicles to transport children.  Yellow school buses rarely come with seat belts to prevent certain children’s injuries, and if there are school bags and lunch boxes littered within the bus, kids can be hit by these loose objects on the bus causing other personal injuries.

School bus accident causes children’s injuries in Campo.

According to officials for the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the school bus accident happened at about 8:15 a.m. in the parking lot of the Golden Acorn Casino.  The casino itself lies on the Campo Indian Reservation along Interstate 8 between Campo and Boulevard.

The students on the bus were fifth graders from Sunrise Elementary School, a school in a Yuma, Arizona school district.  The youngsters were on their way to a field trip in Balboa Park when the bus ran into a light pole and then into another private vehicle.

According to casino spokesperson David Baggerly, the freak bus accident occurred while everyone was “stopping for a minute to stretch”.  The cause of the crash, however, has not been determined as an investigation is currently underway.

Eight students were taken to Sharp Grossmont Hospital, and three more were taken to Alvarado Hospital for medical treatment.  All total, the California Highway Patrol reported that a total of 45 people were involved in the bus accident.

Children are already at enough of a risk when they venture away from the safety and security of the school because they aren’t in a familiar setting.  Our car accident lawyers in San Diego want to remind authorities in school districts of that when it comes to transporting children to field trips, extra money be spent to send children to field trips in bus coaches which come equipped with seat belts and underneath storage.

Call us now at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE consultation with an experienced San Diego car accident lawyers or click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.

You pay nothing until we win your case.

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Our firm’s personal injury attorneys in San Diego have just learned from Reuters that 1.8 million toy dart guns have been recalled by Family Dollar Stores over product liability concerns.  The toy weapons, which were sold from September, 2005 to January, 2009, in U.S. outlets were found to have caused two cases of asphyxiation.

Toy dart guns recalled after product liability was linked to two wrongful deaths.

1.8 million toy dart guns recalled due to the wrongful deaths of two children. (Source: CPSC)

Unfortunately, wrongful death occurred in the users of the toy guns.  Details from a press release showed that breathing problems can arise if children place small pieces in their mouths.

So far, data shows that a 9-year-old boy in Chicago and a 10-year-0ld boy in Milwaukee choked on the smaller, pliable plastic pieces that come with the toy.

Both of the children’s injuries proved to be fatal and ignited a voluntary recall by Family Dollar stores in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on May 17, 2010 when Henry Gordy International — the importer of the toys — refused to do their own recall.

The discount-chain store were given the exclusive rights to sell the China-manufactured toys for $1.50, making them easily accessible and affordable for families.

Our firm’s San Diego personal injury attorneys encourage you to participate in this recall by contacting Family Dollar at (800) 547-0359 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Call us now at 1-800-655-6585 for a FREE consultation with an experienced San Diego personal injury attorney or click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.

There is no fee until we win your case.

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