By The Mandell Law Firm on June 28, 2011 -
America’s Independence Day, celebrated on the Fourth of July, is a day for picnics, parties, and fireworks. While many families go to professional fireworks displays, many other families choose to have their own backyard fireworks event. In order to prevent your family’s fireworks fun from causing serious injury, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) offers the following fireworks safety tips:
Choose an area for fireworks that is away from buildings, lawn furniture, wood or leaf piles, and other flammable objects.
Keep a large bucket of water or a running hose handy to put out any sudden fires.
One adult should be in charge of lighting the fireworks, and everyone else should stay several feet away from the fireworks-lighting area. Do not let small children light or handle fireworks.
Set a good example for kids by never picking up a lighted firework and by never aiming fireworks at a person or animal.
Light only one piece of fireworks at a time. Do not try to re-light fireworks that refuse to go off.
When fireworks are finished, soak them thoroughly with water before throwing them in a trash bin.
Nearly 40 percent of fireworks injuries each year happen to kids under the age of 15, but people of any age can suffer burns or other serious injuries, especially if they’re not careful. Putting safety first can help ensure your family ends their Fourth of July festivities with a show – not a trip to the emergency room.
The CPSC is responsible for regulating fireworks safety in the U.S., but defective fireworks may slip by inspectors. If you or someone you love has been injured by a defective fireworks display, call the experienced San Fernando Valley accident attorneys at The Mandell Law Firm today for a free consultation. Our number is 818-886-6600.
By The Mandell Law Firm on June 20, 2011 -
Distracted driving occurs whenever a driver’s attention is divided between the responsibility of driving and another item or event. Common distractions include cell phones and other devices; talking to someone inside the car; eating, drinking, or doing personal grooming tasks; and watching something outside the car rather than paying attention to the road.
Distractions can take many forms, but the riskiest types are those that distract the driver’s brain, hands, and eyes all at once. For this reason, texting on a cell phone is one of the most dangerous kinds of distracted driving. Many U.S. states, including California, have banned texting while driving for precisely this reason. California also requires drivers who want to talk on a cell phone to use a hands-free device, such as a headset, instead of holding the phone while talking.
In California, drivers under age 18 may not use a cell phone at all while driving, even if they use a hands-free device. This prohibition helps protect younger drivers, who are at a much higher risk of suffering an accident caused by distracted driving. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), 16 percent of all teenage drivers killed in car accidents in 2009 died in crashes that were found to have been caused by distracted driving.
If you have been injured in a car crash that involved a distracted driver, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced car accident attorneys in the San Fernando Valley at The Mandell Law Firm. We diligently use our legal resources and practical experience to fight for the compensation our clients deserve from negligent parties. Call us today at 818-886-6600 for a free consultation.
By The Mandell Law Firm on June 16, 2011 -
San Fernando Valley medical malpractice lawyer Robert Mandell of The Mandell Law Firm obtained a $2.25 million verdict for a patient who suffered an anoxic brain injury during eye surgery. The case, Tseng v. Mazzocco Ambulatory Surgery Center, established that the Ambulatory Surgery Center was negligent in allowing the anesthesiologist to leave the sedated patient unattended and with nurses who were not trained or licensed to care for a patient who had received anesthesia.
During trial proceedings for the San Fernando Valley eye surgery malpractice case, Mr. Mandell described how both the Ambulatory Surgery Center and the anesthesiologist were aware that the plaintiff was diabetic and had a severe, preexisting kidney disease. Nevertheless, the anesthesiologist left, and was permitted to leave by the Ambulatory Surgery Center, the surgery room after the patient was given anesthesia. As a consequence, the patient suffered an anoxic brain injury because no one knew that he had a reaction to the anesthesia and went into a deeper state of sedation than was intended, causing him to be deprived of oxygen.
What is even more shocking about this particular case is that it was proven that the anesthesiologist has a history of leaving sedated patients in the surgery room with nurses who are not trained or licensed to monitor or assist patients who have received anesthesia. In addition, Mr. Mandell helped prove that the Ambulatory Surgery Center knew about and allowed this to happen on many occasions before.
In committing over 30 years to protecting the rights of those harmed by another person’s negligence or oversight, Mr. Mandell and his legal team at The Mandell Law Firm continue to help individuals and families obtain compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills, and other damages. To learn more about the firm, visit http://www.mandellaw.com/ or call 818-886-6600 if you have questions about your particular medical malpractice or personal injury case.
By The Mandell Law Firm on June 13, 2011 -
Police are investigating three separate car accidents that occurred in the Angeles National Forest recently, leaving four people dead, according to an article in The Contra Costa Times. Two of the victims were from the San Fernando Valley area.
A North Hollywood man lost his life when the truck he was driving swerved off the road and rolled over. He was killed instantly. His passenger, a 64-year-old man from Panorama City, was taken to a nearby hospital with severe injuries. Unfortunately, his injuries proved fatal, and he passed away later that day. The accident took place on Big Pines Highway, north of Big Rock Creek in the national forest.
Another driver died in a car accident on Highway 2 on a stretch of road that had only recently been reopened after extensive repairs. Rescue workers found the driver, a Pasadena resident, dead at the scene after his car had apparently run into an embankment.
The fourth driver lost in a fatal accident in the national forest recently was a 49-year-old resident of Monterey Park, whose car swerved off the Angeles Crest Highway and rolled down the mountainside. He also died before rescue workers could reach him.
Summer means more opportunities to enjoy nature, but it also means a higher risk of car crashes when more people are using the roads. If you have been injured in a car accident, the experienced San Fernando Valley car accident lawyers at The Mandell Law Firm can help. To learn more, call 818-886-6600 to schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our highly skilled attorneys today.
By The Mandell Law Firm on June 6, 2011 -
A 50-year-old woman lost her life recently after being severely injured in a pedestrian accident at the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Platt Avenue in Woodland Hills, according to an article in The Los Angeles Daily News.
Police report that the woman was crossing Platt Avenue in the marked crosswalk when a driver turned the corner from Victory Boulevard onto Platt Avenue, hitting the woman in the crosswalk. The woman suffered severe injuries in the accident. She was taken to a local hospital, but died not long after the accident. The driver stopped at the scene and spoke to police officers. He did not receive a citation at the time, but police are still investigating the San Fernando Valley pedestrian accident.
Pedestrian accidents are a risk in any highly-populated area, but they are a special concern in California, which has one of the highest pedestrian accident rates in the nation, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Nationwide, nearly 13 pedestrians are struck by cars and killed each day, or one pedestrian about every 107 minutes. Pedestrians who are not killed in an accident may still be severely injured, which can leave them with permanent disabilities and staggering medical costs.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you have certain legal rights under California law. The experienced Woodland Hills pedestrian accident attorneys at The Mandell Law Firm can help you understand your rights and options and fight for any compensation you may deserve. To learn more, call The Mandell Law Firm today at 818-886-6600 for a free and confidential case evaluation.
