Houston, Texas attorneys focused on personal injury and wrongful death cases involving maritime and Jones Act claims, car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents and other common causes of personal injury and wrongful death.  Vujasinovic & Beckcom, L.L.P brings results to the injured and their families.  Contact our Houston law offices today for help with your personal injury case.

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News

Investigations seek cause of fatal crane collapse in Houston

Four workers were killed and several more injured when an industrial crane collapsed at a LyondellBasell refinery in southeast Houston on July 18, 2008.  The crane is owned by Deep South Crane & Rigging. 

Read more:  http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5896374.html

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Navy helicopter crash kills 3 in Texas

Three crew members died in a fiery Navy helicopter crash near Corpus Christi, Texas, a military spokesman said, and a fourth is hospitalized in critical condition.

The Navy MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopter crashed in a field about four miles south of Corpus Christi on Wednesday just after 8 p.m. It caught fire after impact, said Ed Mackley with the Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command.

Copter wreckage came to rest near guide wires of a 1,000-foot TV tower for Public Broadcasting System affiliate KEDT, according to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Authorities refused to tell The Associate Press whether the Sea Dragon collided with the tower.

A witness reported a huge fireball and booming noise shortly after the crash. Rescuers found bodies of three crew members about 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, Mackley said.

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Texas DOT worker critically injured by judge is transferred

A transportation worker critically hurt after a car driven by District Judge J. Manuel Banales slid off a highway ramp and hit him was transported to an Austin hospital for more surgery.

Authorities said Martin Garcia, 34, a Texas Department of Transportation worker, was fixing a directional sign on the ramp to southbound Interstate 37. He was crouching by a heavy-duty pickup when he and the truck were hit on June 5 by Banales' Cadillac Deville. Police said Banales and Garcia were taken to Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial.

Garcia remained in the hospital until Wednesday afternoon when he was transported to Brackenridge Hospital in Austin for surgery related to pelvic injuries, highway department spokesman Cliff Bost said.

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Navigazione Montanari S.p.A. and Pelican Offshore Lawsuit - Settlement Jones Act case with injured mooring master

According to published reports, Pelican Offshore Services and Navigazione Montanari S.p.A. of Italy have settled a Jones Act lawsuit brought by an injured mooring master.

The settlement is reported as being $1,975,000. 

The reports indicate that the injured mooring master was hurt off the coast of Corpus Christi while on board the M/V VALTAMED.  He was participating in offloading operations while the vessel was lightering.

The injury occurred when the operator of the crane hoisted up and back on the crane's hook while it was still attached to the side rail.  The rail broke and a metal bar flew across the deck and hit the mooring master.

The mooring master suffered a closed head injury, double vision, eye fractures, headaches, and other associated injuries.

The defendants denied all the allegations.

The ship was owned by Navigazione Montanari S.p.A. of Italy and the crane operator was employed by that company.

The crane operator had not been certified or trained to operate cranes.

The case was styled Bryan D. Wise v. Pelican Offshore Services and was pending in Jefferson County, Texas, Judge Milton Shuffield presiding.

Want to know more about maritime injury cases? 

We strive to provide the best, most professional, and most effective representation to workers in the offshore industry.  We are based in Houston, Texas.  We represent offshore workers all over the world.

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  What is the Jones Act?

3.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

4.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

5.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

6.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

7.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

8.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

9.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

10.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

11.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

12. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

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Head Injuries Increase Dramatically After Motorcycle Helmet Law Repeal

Pennsylvania motorcyclists suffered large increases in head injury deaths and hospitalizations in the two years following the repeal of its motorcycle helmet law, according to a University of Pittsburgh study. Even after accounting for increases in motorcycle registrations that occurred during this period, study authors noted a 32 percent increase in head injury deaths and a 42 percent increase in head injury-related hospitalizations, raising concerns about motorcyclists' safety and the impact of this trend on health care costs.

Pennsylvania repealed its universal motorcycle helmet law in 2003. Under the current law, only motorcyclists under 21 and riders with less than two years experience who have not taken a safety course are required to wear helmets.

"Our study shows that since the repeal of Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet law, helmet use has gone down, while head injuries from motorcycle crashes have gone up, even after increased motorcycle registration," said Kristen Mertz, M.D., M.P.H., study lead author and assistant professor, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. "We looked at both head injuries and non-head injuries to get a clearer picture of the impact of the helmet law repeal. The relatively large increase in head injury deaths and hospitalizations after the repeal suggests that the law was protecting riders."

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Explosion in Vanderbilt Texas Injures Several Workers

According to the Chronicle, a helicopter responded to pick up victims. 

The explosion is the third such plant explosion in the Houston and surrounding area over the past few months.

One wonders whether all of the recent explosions are just random coincidence, or instead, if they are the result of a culture of lax safety encouraged by the Texas legal system, in which contractors are given very broad legal protections when injured workers are hurt or killed.


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Children's Product Industry Put in Regulatory Bind

The $33 billion-plus U.S. children's product industry faces increasing state efforts to regulate its products while Congress wrangles over federal rules that won't be in place in time for this year's holiday shopping season.

That could fuel consumer worries about another slew of safety recalls and leave many makers of children's products uncertain about how to comply with a proliferation of state standards and a federal framework that still is uncertain.

Mattel Inc., which had to recall millions of toys last year because of problems that included potentially deadly high-power magnets, said it supports tougher federal standards that give the industry clear and uniform rules.

"Some states have passed extremely restrictive laws that, depending on how they are implemented, may make it impossible to sell many safe toys in these states," said Mattel spokeswoman Lisa Marie Bongiovanni, who said the company supports uniform national standards of regulation. "Fifty different state standards will create a confusing patchwork of regulations, limit certain toys sold in some states, drive up costs for consumers and will not substantively increase toy safety," she said.

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Officer on motorcycle killed when struck by truck wasn’t wearing helmet

The off-duty Galveston police officer who was killed when his motorcycle was struck by a car that crossed into its path was not wearing his helmet at the time of the fatal accident, officials confirmed Sunday.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Jeff Wyers’ wife, whom he had married the night before, remained in the hospital Sunday, but had her medical condition upgraded from critical to serious.

Officers who worked the accident scene said Crystal Robinson Wyers was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

The couple was traveling southbound on state Highway 146 in north Texas City Saturday afternoon when a truck pulled out from a convenience store and struck the motorcycle. The driver of the truck was not cited, Texas City Police Chief Robert Burby said.

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Wharton wreck leave 2 dead, 3 hurt

The Houston Chronicle is reporting today that two people were killed and three others were hurt in a traffic accident in Wharton County today. 

Apparently, the wreck happened just south of the city of Wharton on FM 1301. 

Read More About Wharton wreck leave 2 dead, 3 hurt...

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Galveston police sergeant killed in motorcycle accident

According to various news sources, including KHOU, a Galveston police officer, newly married, was killed and his new wife was badly injured in a motorcycle accident in Galveston near Highway 146 and Avenue T.

Apparently, the intersection where the officer was killed is known for being particularly dangerous.

There have been more than 10 fatal accidents in that section of the highway in the past seven years.

Of course, the Texas legislature basically gives complete and total immunity to the state for highway design, regardless of how dangerous it is, so the State and TXDOT don't have much of an incentive to change anything to make the highway safer.



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Houston Chemical Plant Explosion Injures Six People

The Houston Chronicle is reporting today that the Goodyear plant exploded, sending at least six workers to local area hospitals.

The explosion was reported to the Houston Fire Department at 7:36 a.m.

Read More About Houston Chemical Plant Explosion Injures Six People...

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Huntsville Helicopter Crash Kills Four People

The Houston Chronicle is reporting today that four people have died in a tragic helicopter crash inside the Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville, Texas. 

Apparently, the air ambulance went down around 2:45 a.m.

The company that owned the helicopter, PHI Air Medical, identified three of the victims as pilot Wayne Kirby; flight nurse Jana Bishop, and flight paramedic Stephanie Walters.  The story does not identify the fourth victim.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families.

We hope also that PHI will provide the answers the families need as to why such a tragic accident occurred.  Determining why such crashes occur is so important because it allows companies to take steps to avoid such crashes in the future.

Read More About Huntsville Helicopter Crash Kills Four People...

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Injured Halliburton offshore welder / mechanic obtains settlement for back injury

Our law firm was hired by a Halliburton Energy Services employee to represent him after he suffered a serious back injury while working offshore.

The worker was a mechanic / welder.  He and three other Halliburton workers were working on a jack-up rig owned by Rowan Companies.

They were doing welding work and had called a specialist welding company called Cajun Cutters in to assist.  The welder Cajun Cutters sent to assist did not do his job properly, and as a result, our client suffered a severe back injury.

Our client incurred more than $150,000.00 in medical bills and lost wages. 

We were able to obtain a settlement for him valued at more than ,000.00 in net recovery to him (complete waiver of the lien and more than $350,000.00 in his pocket.

To read more about maritime law, please visit our firm websites at www.vbattorneys.com or www.themaritimelawyer.com

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Jones Act and Maritime Injury Book

We are pleased to announce the coming publication of a new book written exclusively for people injured offshore.

The working title of the book is "The Complete Guide to Jones Act and Maritime Injury Claims." 

We anticipate the book will be published and ready for shipment in late June or early July 2008.

This is a book that the offshore employers, cruise ship companies, and the insurance companies DO NOT want you to read. 

Why?

Because we expose their tricks and secrets and defenses and provide real, practical advice for winning your injury case.

Stand-by for more details.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

Read More About Jones Act and Maritime Injury Book...

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Pill Ingredient Could Prevent Brain Damage After Head Injury

A common component of the contraceptive pill (progesterone) could improve the neurologic outcome for patients with severe head injuries, according to a study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as that caused by traffic accidents, falls and sporting injuries, is a major cause of death and disability. A number of 'neuroprotective' drugs have been shown to prevent nerve-cell death in animal models of traumatic brain injury, but these findings have not been translated into trials involving people with head injuries.

Progesterone is a female hormone used in the oral contraceptive pill. Preliminary animal and human studies suggest that progesterone could be a useful and safe way to treat acute severe traumatic brain injury, but its neuroprotective effects are unclear. Now, Chinese researchers have shown that progesterone can improve the neurologic outcome of patients with this kind of brain injury for up to six months.


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Texas drivers who fail to buckle up face fines in 'Click It or Ticket' campaign

Andy Foote too often has heard the excuse from accident victims not wearing their seat belts: "I was just going to the grocery store."

That is, if they live to talk about it, said Foote, the city of Beaumont's Emergency Medical Services manager.

Foote said most motorists wear their belts while traveling on a highway but are neglectful on those short jaunts.

It's those absent-minded motorists - as well as any others in Texas negligent about wearing their belts or properly restraining their children - that are part of a nationwide law-enforcement focus until June 1. The effort - as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Click It or Ticket campaign - kicked off Monday.

Read More About Texas drivers who fail to buckle up face fines in 'Click It or Ticket' campaign...

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More Mexican candy recalled due to high lead levels

An El Paso distributor has voluntarily recalled another type of Mexican candy because of high lead levels.

Mexican Specialty Products El Loco, Inc., is recalling JOVY brand of Acirrico Sour and Hot Powder, manufactured by Procesadora de Alimentos Cale, S.A. de C.V.

The candy is made of orange grains, packaged in white plastic containers with a red, shaker-style lid. The label has red letters and a picture of a red chile above the product's name, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

DSHS tested the product and found it had lead levels from 0.2 to 0.4 parts per million. Levels above 0.1 parts per million are considered a health hazard by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Wrong Way Driver Kills Woman in Head-on Collision

A woman is dead and two men are in the hospital after a fatal accident on Highway 288.

The accident happened in Manvel early Friday morning when a man driving a pickup truck turned onto the highway heading the wrong direction.

The man struck another pickup truck head-on, flipping the vehicle over and killing its female driver on impact.

The two men were sent to the hospital in serious but stable condition.

It is unknown why the man was driving in the wrong direction.

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Family Sues After Deadly Cement Truck Accident

The family of a mother killed three weeks ago when a cement truck landed on her SUV at Highway 183 and Stemmons Freeway is suing the company and the driver.

A husband is without his wife and a five-year old is without a mother. Now the family has filed a lawsuit against the Dallas company and the driver they say is responsible.

"This is not someone you would expect to be operating a 25-ton cement truck," said Mark Werbner, the attorney representing the Gamez family.

The accident happened when the driver of a cement truck reportedly swerved and lost control, then slammed into a barrier and landed on Maria Gamez's SUV. Maria did not survive, but her daughter, five-year-old Angelica, was pulled to safety by firefighters.

The family's attorney claims the driver was reckless and shouldn't have been behind the wheel with his history of driving infractions.

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Baxter, Supplier Say Heparin Taint Was Deliberate

Baxter International Inc. said its blood thinner heparin, linked to 81 deaths, appears to have been deliberately contaminated.

The drug's main ingredient was contaminated before reaching the Chinese factory of Baxter's supplier, Scientific Protein Laboratories, executives of both companies testified at a U.S. House hearing today. The Food and Drug Administration suspects the contamination was deliberate, though there isn't proof, according to the agency.

Baxter recalled heparin, used to prevent blood clots, in January of this year after reports of harmful side effects. Since January 2007, 81 people have died after allergic reactions, the FDA said on April 21. Tainted heparin made by other drugmakers has been found in more than a dozen countries since Baxter's recall, and regulators have said they don't know how it was introduced.

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One dead, one injured after tragic accident with cement truck

Trapped inside a flattened SUV filling with cement, a 5-year-old girl remained calm as she tried to make sense of a horrific accident that killed her driver and critically injured her on Friday afternoon.

 Dallas rescue workers toiled frantically to free the trapped girl amid the mangled wreckage after a cement truck fell on the SUV that the girl was riding in, shutting down State Highway 183 for hours.

Cement from the truck began to pour into the vehicle and onto the 5-year-old girl as she was trapped inside.

"The cement truck was loaded with over 50,000 pounds of cement. It made the extraction of the child more difficult," Cpl. Janse said.


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Lawmakers look at injured worker ruling in BP deaths

Relatives of those killed in the 2005 BP plant explosion urged lawmakers today to undo a Texas Supreme Court liability ruling made last year.

The decision by the state's highest civil court prevented a BP contract worker from suing the company after the refinery blast. Judges ruled that the worker couldn't sue because he was already covered by a workers compensation policy.

Critics say the ruling wrongly expanded liability protection for businesses under the workers' comp law.

The Supreme Court has agreed to reconsider the case -- but regardless of what happens, accident victims and their families say the Legislature needs to address the matter.

They contend some workers hurt in the BP explosion -- which killed 15 people -- wouldn't have been able to sue if the court's ruling had been in place.

Some 4,000 lawsuits were filed after the BP refinery explosion.

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Dallas Cement Truck Accident Leaves 1 Dead

A cement truck crashed on top of a car and a motorcycle on Friday afternoon in Dallas, resulting in one fatality.

The accident happened along northbound I-35E, near the intersection of Highway 183, near Texas Stadium.

According to police in Dallas, the cement truck was trying to avoid another vehicle in the southbound lanes. The truck flipped over the median and into northbound traffic, striking the motorcycle first.

Officials shut down both highways while fire and rescue crews were on the scene to determine if there were any survivors and clean up the mess. Debris and liquid could be seen on both sides of the highway. The highway closures created major traffic backups in all directions.

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Jury says U-Haul must pay $84 million to injured man

Amerco's U-Haul International Inc. must pay $84 million to a 74-year-old man who was injured when the truck he rented ran over him, a jury said.

The man, Talmadge Waldrip, parked the truck on a "slight incline" and the parking brake failed, said his attorney, Ted Lyon, in a phone interview. Waldrip said U-Haul failed to maintain the truck, causing the accident.

"The truck's parking brake did not work at all," Lyon said. "He stepped out of the truck and it rolled right over him."

A Dallas court found U-Haul negligent and awarded Waldrip $84.25 million, including $63 million in punitive damages. The verdict is the 11th-largest jury award this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Read More About Jury says U-Haul must pay $84 million to injured man...

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Texas health groups awarded $33 million for brain injury research

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced Tuesday that the Department of Defense awarded a $33 million grant to a group of Texas medical institutions known as Mission Connect to further traumatic brain injury research.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will lead the five-year research project, which will aim to standardize traumatic brain injury models, improve diagnosis techniques and develop new treatment strategies for soldiers returning to the United States after service, said Matt Mackowiak, a spokesman for Sen. Hutchison.

Other involved institutions include Rice University, the Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. While each school has its own stake in traumatic brain injury research, the grant offers them a chance to collaborate with one another and share ideas.

"The era of one scientist doing something by himself is over," said Dr. Alex Valadka, a neurosurgeon for the UT Health Science Center. "This consortium involves everyone from rehab doctors, psychologists, radiologists to researchers in different areas ranging from nanotechnology to stem cell research."

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Suit alleges defective seatbelts in Nissan caused injuries

While driving his 1997 Nissan Pathfinder, Michael Guillory was hit by a vehicle that failed to stop at a stop sign.

Although he states he was properly wearing his seatbelt, Guillory believes he was injured because the Pathfinder failed to protect him and the seatbelt unlatched and failed to restrain him.

Guillory filed a product liability suit against Nissan on March 10 in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas.

The lawsuit states that another vehicle, driven by Jeffrey Moon, disregarded a stop sign and crashed into Guillory's vehicle. The plaintiff says his injuries are a result of the Nissan being "not reasonably crashworthy, and not reasonably fit for unintended, but clearly foreseeable, accidents."

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Implantable Medical Devices May Expose Patients To Security, Privacy Risks

Some medical devices such as implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers are now equipped with wireless technology, allowing for remote device checks and freeing patients from repeated doctor visits. But this convenience may come with unanticipated risks. A team of researchers from three leading universities has demonstrated that patients' private medical information could be extracted and their devices reprogrammed without the patients' authorization or knowledge.


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Reebok Fined $1M for Faulty Bracelets

Athletic shoe and apparel maker Reebok has agreed to pay a $1 million fine for importing and distributing charm bracelets that contained toxic levels of lead and resulted in the death of a 4-year-old boy.

The civil penalty is the largest ever for a violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and follows a 2006 recall of 300,000 of the Chinese made bracelets, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Tuesday.

The previous record fine of $600,000 was paid by Winco Fireworks in 2005 for importing dangerous fireworks from China, according to an agency spokeswoman.

The bracelets were provided as free gifts by Reebok International Ltd. with the purchase of various styles of children's footwear. In March 2006, the company learned that a 4-year-old boy from Minneapolis died after swallowing the bracelet's heart-shaped pendant. There were no other deaths or injuries reported, a CPSC spokeswoman said.

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5 killed when logging truck rams into SUV in East Texas

Five people starting a vacation trip were killed, including a 7-year-old girl, when a logging truck plowed into their SUV after they failed to yield at an intersection, authorities said.

Another girl riding in the car, 13, was in critical condition following the early Monday accident on a rural East Texas highway, Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Stephanie Davis said.

Davis said the SUV was trying to make a left turn onto U.S. 190 when it was struck by the logging truck before skidding into a pickup.

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FDA Calls for More Foreign-Drug Inspectors

The Food and Drug Administration needs more inspectors and a comprehensive computer database to better track products entering the U.S. from foreign sources, a top drug-safety official told lawmakers.

The FDA focuses its inspections on domestic companies, with about 1,200 inspections conducted annually in the U.S. Meanwhile, only about 300 foreign facilities are inspected each year. The latter number amounts to only about 10% of the firms shipping prescription drugs or their ingredients into the U.S., said Janet Woodcock, acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The small number of foreign inspections seemed particularly relevant during the hearing amid concerns about the blood thinner heparin and its imported ingredients. Two weeks ago, the drug was linked to four deaths and adverse reactions in about 350 patients. Millions of patients take the drug every year to avoid potentially life-threatening blood clots.

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Widow blames benzene for husband's leukemia, sues four refineries

The wife of a deceased refinery worker has filed suit against four oil companies, claiming her husband was negligently exposed to benzene.

Representing the estate of Arthur Watson, Olevia Watson filed suit against Total Petrochemicals USA, Atlantic Richfield Co., BP Amoco and BP Products North America on Feb. 26 in the Jefferson County District Court.

According to the plaintiff's petition, Arthur Watson was employed by Fina in Jefferson County, Texas. "During his employment he used and was exposed to toxic and carcinogenic benzene and benzene-containing products."

"As a result of such exposure, Arthur Watson developed leukemia from which he died a painful and terrible death on Sept. 13, 2006," the suit said.

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Judge rules that BP deal didn't violate victims' rights

A federal judge has rejected claims that the government violated the rights of victims of the deadly explosions at Texas City’s BP refinery in 2005 when the government agreed to a deal in which BP pleaded guilty to criminal charges and was fined $50 million.

Attorneys for the victims — who said they weren’t properly consulted about the plea deal — said they plan to appeal the judge’s decision. Meanwhile, the judge has yet to rule on the victims’ other complaints, which suggest that the $50 million fine is too lenient.

The victims argued that the plea deal violated their rights under the Crime Victims Rights Act of 2004. They said they should have been notified and had a chance to weigh in on the deal before it was brokered.

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Jones Act Wrongful Death Case Filed Against Blessey Marine

A Jones Act seaman's wife has filed a lawsuit against Blessey Marine, his employer, for the wrongful death of the seaman. 

The seaman was killed by lighting on August 2007.  According to the lawsuit, Blessey Marine ordered the man to work outside in inclement weather.  The lawsuit claims that Blessey Marine violated industry standards.  The wife is seeking compensation for the loss of her husband.

What is the Jones Act?

The Jones Act allows injured seaman, or their heirs if they are killed, to bring a lawsuit against their employer.

To find out more about the Jones Act, please contact our law firm at www.vbattorneys.com by going to the contact section of the main website.

You can request a free copy of our book, "The Truth About Offshore Injury Cases." 

The book explains offshore injury cases, including Jones Act cases, and explains the entire process of a legal case for an offshore injury or death, including what to do in the early stages of the case, how to handle the insurance companies, whether and when and how to go about hiring a lawyer, and what to expect during the case

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USDA recalls 143 million pounds of beef

he U.S. Department of Agriculture on Sunday recalled 143 million pounds of frozen beef from a California slaughterhouse, the subject of an animal-abuse investigation, that provided meat to school lunch programs.

Officials said it was the largest beef recall in the United States, surpassing a 1999 ban of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats. No illnesses have been linked to the newly recalled meat, and officials said the health threat was likely small.

The recall will affect beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006, that came from Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., the federal agency said.

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Accident Claims Lives Of Three Central Texas Teenagers

Three Central Texas teenagers died and five people were injured when a pickup truck slid across a highway outside Austin and slammed into an oncoming car.

Texas Department of Public Safety officials say rain was a factor in Saturday’s crash.

The wreck occurred on the same highway where three Central Texas educators were killed in a crash in rainy conditions last year.

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Fentanyl Pain Patch Recalled

On February, 12th, 2008, all 25-microgram-per-hour patches that expire on or before December, 2009 sold in the U.S. were recalled by Johnson & Johnson. 
The recall includes Duragesic and Sandoz brands, both of which are manufactured by the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Alza Corporation. 

The recall occurred as a result of the potential for a cut along one side of the drug reservoir where fentanyl is stored in gel form, causing a leak of the gel. As fentanyl is a dangerous opioid drug, patients and caregivers who come in contact with a leaking patch may have difficulty breathing, or potentially be victims of a fatal overdose. 

This recall follows a 2004 recall of five lots of 75-microgram-per-hour patches for leaking defects.  Many other lots, of all sizes, that were not recalled suffered from leak defects as well.

In addition to reports of leaking patches, the FDA has investigated deaths and life-threatening side effects in patients who never should have been prescribed the patch. 

Fentanyl pain patches are approved for moderate to severe chronic pain.  They should be prescribed only to patients who are accustomed to powerful narcotic drugs.  The reports of improper prescribing of the patch prompted. the FDA in December of 2007 to issue its second Public Health Advisory regarding fentanyl pain patches. 

The Public Health Advisory stated that "reports indicate that doctors have inappropriately prescribed the fentanyl patch to patients for acute pain following surgery, for headaches, occasional or mild pain, and other indications for which a fentanyl patch should not be prescribed."

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Hoosier Marine Hit With Lawsuit By Injured Worker

An employee of Hoosier Marine has sued the company, claiming that he was injured when he fell from a 15-foot pile of cover tops on a barge. 

According to the lawsuit, Hoosier Marine was negligent in failing to adequately train the employee and also in failing to provide a safe place to work.

The case is filed under the Jones Act and general maritime law.

The Jones Act and general maritime law protect "seaman" against negligence, unseaworthiness, and other carelessness and recklessness of their employers and possibly others involved in offshore work. 

Unlike many state law legal claims, the Jones Act can be very favorable to injured seaman.

However, the Jones Act and general maritime law is very complicated.  Most lawyers have never handled and will never handle a Jones Act or offshore injury case.  So if you choose to pursue a Jones Act or general maritime law claim, choose your lawyer carefully.

Protect Your Legal Rights

Injured offshore?  Interested in protecting your legal rights?  If so, feel free to call us for a free, no-obligation consulation about the Jones Act, general maritime law, and your case. 

Or, visit our websites to learn more about your legal rights and what we can do for you:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com

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Victims angrily object to plea deal in deadly BP plant blast

In often angry and bitter words, workers injured in BP PLC's deadly 2005 plant explosion as well as the families of those killed have called on a federal judge to reject a plea agreement that would end a criminal probe of the accident.

Several relatives of workers killed in the accident have asked to speak during a court hearing Monday in which a federal judge could decide whether to accept the plea agreement, which proposes the London-based company pay a $50 million (€33.62 million) fine for its role in the Texas City explosion.

BP and the Department of Justice have defended the plea agreement, saying it is the harshest option available in assessing criminal punishment for the blast, which killed 15 workers and injured more than 170 others.

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Ardisam Tree Stand Manufacturer Fined for Dangerous Tree Stands

Ardisam, Inc. of Cumberland, Wisconsin, is paying $420,000 to settle a suit by the Consumer Product Safety Commission alleging that it failed to report personal injuries suffered by hunters using its tree stands when the stands unexpectedly detached from trees.

The company allegedly became aware of at least nine injury incident reports as early as 2000, the company did not report the matter to the CSPC until July, 2004 when it recalled the tree stands, which were marketed under the names “Big Foot” and “Lite Foot”. Under federal law, manufacturers, distributors and retailers are required to immediately report to the CPSC information about products that could create a substantial risk of injury or that create an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. In making the settlement, the company did not admit that it violated the law in this case.

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Alaska says punitive damages are warranted in Valdez oil spill

A brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court says Exxon violated a social contract it had entered into with the state of Alaska when the tanker Exxon Valdez hit a reef in Prince William Sound in 1989 and spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil.

Thus the oil company should be subject to punitive damages for the environmental catastrophe, state lawmakers and four former governors said in their friend-of-the-court brief.

The high court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in Exxon's appeal on Feb. 27.

"Punitive damages are appropriate here because Exxon acted recklessly and violated its solemn vow to the people of Alaska to protect Alaska's marine ecology and marine-based economy," the brief states.

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OSHA issues fine to Dallas company after spectacular blast

Federal regulators fined a Dallas company $6,300 in connection with a spectacular acetylene gas explosion last summer that sent metal canisters flying into the air.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration assessed the fine to Southwest Industrial Gases, a welding gas distribution facility.

But the government citations don't conclude that the violations caused the blast.

The Dallas Morning News reports the citations issued this week say the company exposed workers to serious hazards that were likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

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Man With 'Popcorn Lung' Sues Kroger

A suburban Denver man believed to be the only consumer to develop "popcorn lung" from regular servings of microwave popcorn filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming injury from the artificial butter flavoring that previously sickened only popcorn factory workers.

Wayne Watson's attorney, Kenneth McClain, said the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court names Kroger (KR) and two of its divisions: grocery store King Soopers' parent company, Dillon Cos. and food distributor Inter-American Products.

A spokeswoman for Kroger said the company does not comment on lawsuits.

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Auto Recalls Increase in 2007

Automakers recalled nearly 15 million vehicles for repairs at dealerships last year, the government reported Thursday, an increase of about 30 percent over 2006.

Automakers issued 588 separate recalls involving 14.5 million vehicles in 2007, or about 30 percent more vehicles than the previous year, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2006, the industry recalled 11.2 million vehicles as part of 490 individual recalls.

Car makers frequently ask owners to bring their vehicles to dealerships to fix faulty parts and address potential safety problems. Recalls have become more common as many companies build vehicles that share common platforms and components and respond more quickly to deal with potential safety hazards.

Recalls have been more common since the federal TREAD Act was enacted in 2000 to help spot safety defects earlier. The law responded to the recall of more than 10 million Firestone tires in 2000.

The industry set a record of 30.8 million recalled vehicles in 2004.

Read More About Auto Recalls Increase in 2007...

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Another Worker Dies at Texas City BP Plant

The Houston Chronicle reports that yet another worker has died at the Texas City BP plant.

How many fathers, husbands, sons, and daughters will lose their lives at the Texas City BP plant before something is done to meaningfully increase safety?

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Victoria Bus Crash - Driver had 19 previous citations

According to the Houston Chronicle, the driver of the bus that killed one and injured many more in Victoria, Texas recently had a number of previous moving violations.

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Plane Crash in Alaska Kills Five People

Newspapers are reporting that a plane crashed in Alaska today, killing 5 of the 10 passengers aboard, including the pilot.

You can read about the story here.

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National Maintenance & Repair Sued by Injured Offshore Worker

National Maintenance and Repair Inc., is being sued by an employee who claims to have been injured while working aboard their barge. While fitting a gunwhale on the barge, Matthew Peters was injured and is now seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

He claims that National Maintenance was negligent and failed to provide him a safe workplace, failed to properly warn him of the dangers of his job, failed to supervise the work being done and failed to provide the proper equipment for the job.

Peters claims he suffered head and body injuries as a result of his employer’s negligence. He is suing for lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, medical expenses and mental anguish.

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Injured Worker Brings Case Against Diamond Offshore

A former crew member of Ocean Champion, is suing Diamond Offshore in a Jones Act lawsuit.  The injured worker, claims the negligence of Diamond Offshore Co., his former employer. Seals was injured back in 2006 and is now seeking damages in the excess of $75,000.

The Jones Acty was enacted to protect the rights of seamen who may be injured while working at sea. Jones Act allows seamen to hold employers responsible for providing them safe conditions to work under.

Seals claims that his employer’s negligence was the cause of his injury, although the lawsuit does not specifically list how he was injured. He claims that Diamond Offshore Co. was negligent in providing a safe work place and failed to maintain a seaworthy vessel.

Seals is seeking damamges for medical expenses, loss of earnings, loss of earning capacity, disfigurement, physical pain, and mental anguish.

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Scissor Lift Lawsuit

Vujasinovic & Beckcom was retained by the family of a worker who felll from a Genie GS 1930 scissor lift.  The worker sustained a serious and permanent brain injury as a result of the fall.  Genie manufactured the scissor lift.  Rental Service Corporation ("RSC") rented the scissor lift. 

If you have any information as to incidents or lawsuits involving Genie scissor lifts or scissor lifts provided by Rental Service Corporation, please contact Vujasinovic & Beckcom.

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Insurance Company Gouges Man Who Lost His Wife to a Medical Mistake

This story explains how insurance companies use ERISA to cheat their own customers.  It is the story of how one man has stood up to the insurance companies.

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General Mills Recalling 5 Million Frozen Pizzas

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Alcohol May Have Caused Fatal Crash in Houston, Texas

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Houston Truck Accident - Family members hire Houston law firm Vujasinovic & Beckcom to represent them for father's death in truck crash

Houston, Texas

The mother and 18 year old daughter of a cement truck driver have hired Vujasinovic & Beckcom, a Houston personal injury and wrongful death law firm, to represent them in their claims against a dump truck driver and company.

Their father / son, who worked for Redi-Mix cement company, was killed when a dump truck crossed the center line and struck his cement truck head-on.

According to Mr. Beckcom, "Houston, Texas has one of hte highest rates of truck crash injury and deaths in the United States, and our firm handles a lot of these cases. Our aim with these cases is to provide fair and appropriate compensation for the families and also to ensure the truck companies operate safely and follow the appropriate federal regulations.

Read More About Houston Truck Accident - Family members hire Houston law firm Vujasinovic & Beckcom to represent them for father's death in truck crash...

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Texas Trucking Accident - Vujasinovic & Beckcom Law Firm Uncovers Horrifying Facts in Case Against Victoria Trucking Company

Houston, Texas -- Vujasinovic & Beckcom has been prosecuting a truck accident lawsuit against a Victoria-based trucking company, in which one of the company's drivers allowed the over-sized load on the flatbed trailer of his tractor trailer to strike a pick up truck legally parked on the shoulder of US 59 in Montgomery County, Texas, killing a two year old child in the pick up truck. This truck crash happened on October 26, 2006. Through discovery efforts, the firm recently discovered that the trucking company driver tested positive for cocaine on the day of the crash. Testing documents reveal the driver admitted using cocaine the night before the crash. The firm further determined that the trucking company's top managers were told by their field manager that the load on the truck was illegal because it was 40,000 pounds over weight and over five and a half feet over wide.

According to sworn testimony by the trucking company's field manager, after he told the managers of this extreme safety risk, the managers told him to ignore the safety hazard and to send the truck on its 250 mile route from Berclair to Woodville, Texas. The firm further determined that at the time the trucking company hired the driver, it knew that he had a criminal record including three felonies (all of which were drug or alcohol related), a driving record including a DWI, and that his commercial drivers license was revoked. The law firm further determined that the trucking company ignored a comment on its website in which a motorist told the company that its drivers -- including the driver who killed the young boy -- were driving so unsafely that it was likely they were going to "kill someone," yet the company took no action in response to this warning.

Finally, the law firm discovered that the trucking company falsified the trucker's logs before producing them to the law firm in this litigation, based on a comparison to the drivers logs that were provided to the investigating Troopers at the time of the official DPS investigation. The case is pending in State District Court in Jim Wells County, Texas, and is set for trial in June of 2008.

If you have any information on this truck crash or on the driving and safety habits of trucking companies, please contact us.

Read More About Texas Trucking Accident - Vujasinovic & Beckcom Law Firm Uncovers Horrifying Facts in Case Against Victoria Trucking Company...

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Ford Recalls 1,500 Explorers and Mountaineers

Read More About Ford Recalls 1,500 Explorers and Mountaineers...

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Deadly cribs - Missteps Delayed Recall of Killer Cribs

The Chicago Tribune reports that a series of missteps led to delays and problems in the recall of deadly Simplicity, Inc. baby cribs.

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Houston Bus Crash Kills One, Injures Another

The Houston Chronicle reports today that a school bus and a passenger car collided, killing one of the car's occupants.

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Texas Man Killed in Truck Accident

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Texas Man Dies in Workplace Accident

The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of Heath Bice, 28, of Bartlett, Texas.  Bice was working at a TECO-Westinghouse Motor Co. plant when he sustained an injury to his chest and abdomen and died.  The Round Rock firefighters who responded to a call found Bice unconscious, performed CPR, and used a defibrillator until paramedics arrived, but to no avail.

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Mexican Trucks Set to Operate on Texas Highways

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration can proceed with a plan to open the U.S. border to long haul Mexican trucks as early as next week after an appeals court rejected a bid by labor, consumer and environmental interests to block the initiative.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco late on Friday denied an emergency petition sought by the Teamsters union, the Sierra Club and consumer group Public Citizen to halt the start of a one-year pilot program that was approved by Congress after years of legal and political wrangling.

The Transportation Department welcomed the decision and said in a statement that allowing more direct shipments from Mexico will benefit U.S. consumers.

The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement approved broader access for ground shipments from both countries but the Clinton administration never complied with the trucking provision. A special tribunal ordered the Bush administration to do so in 2001.

"This is the wrong decision for working men and women," Jim Hoffa, president of the Teamsters, said in a statement after the court ruling. "We believe this program clearly breaks the law." The Teamsters represents truckers that would be affected by the change.

The emergency stay was sought on grounds the administration's pilot program had not satisfied the U.S. Congress' requirements on safety and other issues. But the appeals court ruled otherwise.

SAFETY ASPECTS

The administration plans to start the program on September 6. Transportation Department officials hope to receive final clearance early next week from the department's inspector general's office, which is reviewing its safety aspects, and finalize details with Mexican authorities.

The Mexican government must grant reciprocal access to U.S. trucks under NAFTA. That provision is not expected to be a problem, regulators said.

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Product Recall - Warming Throws Recalled Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), International Home Fashions Inc. (and sister company Bilt-Safe Technologies), of Black Mountain, N.C. and Ningbo Veken Elite International Trading Company Ltd., of China, are voluntarily recalling about 37,100 Classic Beauty Rest Electric Warming Throws. unching, folding or tucking of these electric throws can cause them to overheat, resulting in smoldering, melting, fire and burn hazards.

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Mattel Recalls More Dangerous Chinese Toys

The Wall Street Journal and other news sources are reporting that toy maker Mattel issued recalls for millions of Chinese-made toys that contain magnets that can be swallowed by children or could have lead paint. The recall includes 7.3 million play sets, including Polly Pocket dolls and Batman action figures, and 1.5 million die cast cars that contain lead paint.

Read More About Mattel Recalls More Dangerous Chinese Toys...

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Three People Killed in Post-Crash Car Fire in Houston, Texas

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that three people were killed when their car burst into flames after being struck.

It appears clear that an intoxicated driver caused the initial crash. One wonders, however, why the car itself burst into flames? Most cars are supposed to be designed so that they do not catch fire following a collision.

Below is an excerpt from the story:

HOUSTON -- A driver was charged Sunday in connection with a fiery crash that killed a family of three, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Houston police said Juan Felix Salinas, 41, was three times over the legal limit of intoxication when he slammed his van into a Toyota Corolla on the East Freeway near
McCarty Street at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
The car burst into flames upon impact, investigators said.

Shermery Williams, his wife Tenisha and her 2-year-old son, Xavier, were killed instantly, police said.

"They were just a happy little family, just starting out," said Robert Williams, Tenisha Williams' father.

The couple was married on July 7.

"She was married to the one guy that really understood her," Robert Williams said.

Tenisha Williams' mother said she tried to call her daughter at least 20 times, but never got an answer.

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Mattel to Recall More Toys

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Chinese Tires Recalled - Again!

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A tire importer said Thursday it would recall 255,000 Chinese-made tires it claims were defective because they lack a safety feature that prevents tread separation.

The recall involves half the number of tires that the importer, Foreign Tire Sales Inc., had identified in June as possibly posing a risk.

The models involved are steel-belted radial replacement tires for pickups, vans and sport utility vehicles that consumers bought from early 2004 through mid-2006, Foreign Tire Sales said.

The small company, based in Union, was ordered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in June to recall as many as 450,000 tires that it bought from Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. since 2002.

"Consumers should know that the affected tires meet all federal motor vehicle safety standards. But we went the extra mile by testing them and determining that they did not meet our standards, which are more rigorous," Richard Kuskin, president of Foreign Tire Sales, said in a statement.

Hangzhou Zhongce said it fully cooperated with NHTSA and "has not found any evidence that the ... tires at issue contain any structural defects or are missing any safety features."

The recall is among a series of recent problems involving imports from China. Products including toys, toothpaste, seafood and pet food have been recalled.

Information on the tire recall was to be posted at Foreign Tire Sale's Web site, . Consumers can also call a toll-free number, 888-899-9293.http://www.foreigntire.com

The recall applies to Westlake, Compass and YKS brand tires in these sizes and models:

_Size LT235/75R-15, models CR861 and CR857, with a DOT number beginning 7DT5FTS.
_Size LT235/85R-16, models CR860, CR861 and CR857, with a DOT number beginning 7DT2FTS.
_Size LT245/75R-16, models CR860, CR861 and CR857, with a DOT number beginning 7DT3FTS.
_Size LT265/75R-16, models CR860, CR861 and CR857, with a DOT number beginning 7DT4FTS.
_Size LT31X10.5 R-15, models CR857 and CR861, with a DOT number beginning 7DT6FTS.

Although Foreign Tire Sales did not make the tires, it is responsible for the recall, under U.S. law.

NHTSA ordered the recall after Foreign Tire Sales told the agency that some of Hangzhou Zhongce's tires were made without a safety feature, called a gum strip, that helps bind the belts of a tire to each other. Some of the tires had a gum strip about half the width of the 0.6 millimeter gum strip Foreign Tire Sales expected, the importer said.
It said it contracted for Hangzhou Zhongce to provide gum strips, but the manufacturer changed the design without informing Foreign Tire Sales.

Hangzhou Zhongce has denied that, asserting that the design did not include a gum strip. It also called the basis for the defect determination by Foreign Tire Sales "highly questionable."

The manufacturer has also told NHTSA that it has received just 11 claims for property damage from the nearly 450,000 tires purchased by Foreign Tire Sales, a rate it called "extremely low." The repairs averaged $1,722, "which is consistent with minor fender well damage," Hangzhou Zhongce said.

Hangzhou Zhongce also said it paid just 1,540 warranty claims for such items as ride disturbance and sidewall issues, which are not related to the alleged defect.
The details of the recall come a month later than Foreign Tire Sales had initially expected. Company spokesman Andrew Frank attributed the delay to gathering information from the manufacturer.

"The recall was complicated," he said.
Tread separation was what prompted the nation's largest tire recall, which involved 17 million Firestone tires in 2000.

Foreign Tire Sales alerted federal authorities of potential problems after it became embroiled in litigation involving the tires and Hangzhou Zhongce.

Foreign Tire Sales said it became concerned about Hangzhou Zhongce tires in October 2005 amid an increase in warranty claims. It began talks with the Chinese company, then commissioned its own tests.

It sued Hangzhou Zhongce in U.S. District Court in Newark on May 31, charging that its tests found that the tires may fail earlier than tests provided by Hangzhou Zhongce showed.

Foreign Tire Sales was sued May 4 by the families of two men killed when a van they were riding in crashed near the town of Jim Thorpe, Pa., in August 2006. The driver and another passenger in the van are also suing.

Hangzhou Zhongce said it made three of the four tires on the van, but they were not the recommended size for that vehicle. The fourth tire, a Michelin, was the proper size, but mismatched tires pose a risk, the Chinese company said. The company added that it has not yet been allowed to examine the vehicle and does not know if the accident was caused by tire failure.

Foreign Tire Sales does not have a warehouse. It has tires shipped directly to distributors, who in turn send them to retail outlets.
---
On the Net:
Foreign Tire Sales: http://www.foreigntire.com
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

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Fisher-Price Recalls Dora the Explorer Dolls

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Fisher-Price Recalls Dora the Explorer Dolls

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Fisher-Price Recalls Dora the Explorer Dolls

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Evenflo Ordered to Pay More Than $10M in Car Seat Lawsuit

A jury has ordered Ohio-based child safety seat maker Evenflo Co. to pay $10.4 million to the parents of a 4-month-old boy who died of head injuries in a car crash. The district court jury awarded $3.7 million in punitive damages to Chad and Jessica Malcolm on Thursday, a day after deciding the Livingston couple should receive $6.7 million in compensatory damages for the death of their son, Tyler. Evenflo, based in Vandalia, Ohio, has lost at least three cases over its car seats, for a total of $19.6 million, according to the couple's attorney. The company said it would appeal the latest verdict to the state Supreme Court.

Matt Gouras, Associated Press, Dayton Daily News 7/30/07

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Pacifiers Recalled Due to Choking Hazard

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dara Linda’s Baby Bling and Jewelry Design, of Davie, Fla.; Bling Toes, of Cherry Valley, Ill.; Baby Bling Things, of Appleton, Wis.; PeaNaPod Bling and Accessories, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; and MJM Crystal Designs, and of Boca Raton, Fla., are voluntarily recalling about 1,000 Pacifiers. These pacifiers fail to meet federal safety standards for pacifiers. The pacifiers’ crystals can separate easily, posing an aspiration and ingestion hazard to young children.

http://cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07254.html

Other Product Recalls this Week
http://www.cpsc.gov/

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Bridge Collapse Kills 7

At least seven people were killed and 60 injured as a Minneapolis bridge jammed with evening rush-hour traffic collapsed into the Mississippi river, crushing vehicles or plunging them 60 feet into the water.

Three sections of the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed at about 6.05pm local time. A large lorry caught fire, and flames and black smoke billowed into the sky.

The US Department of Homeland Security ruled out terrorism and suggested mechanical failure as the cause of the disaster. The bridge had recently been closed for maintenance work. Workers were repairing the 40-year-old bridge’s surface as part of improvements along that stretch of the interstate highway at the time of the collapse. An engineering assessment in May last year recommended monitoring of “fatigue cracking” on the girders.

By 1 am (0700 BST) today, all search efforts had been called off as it was too dangerous for emergency services to work in the dark. Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said searchers did not expect to find any survivors when work resumes at daylight. Fifty vehicles remain in the river according to some reports.

'Cars started flying and I saw water coming up'

Minneapolis dispatched every ambulance in the city to the scene last night as local hospitals went on a disaster footing. Sixty people have been take to hospitals in the area and the death toll could rise, Minneapolis Fire Chief, Jim Clack said. Dr. Joseph Clinton, the emergency medical chief at Hennepin County Medical Center, said his hospital treated 28 injured people, including six who were in critical condition. At least one of the victims had drowned, Dr Clinton said.

Local television stations showed live footage of injured people being carried up the riverbank. Dozens of rescue vehicles were on the scene and divers were searching through the Mississippi for survivors. Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that were not completely in the water.

A large, burning lorry and a school bus clung to one slanted slab, while an unknown number of vehicles were submerged. The bus had just crossed the bridge before it failed but local media reported that the children had managed to escape from the bus through the back door.

Witnesses said that they heard a rumbling sound as the bridge collapsed. “First I heard this huge roar,” Leone Carstens, a nearby resident who watched the drama unfold from the window of her 18th-floor apartment, said. “I was at my computer. Initially I thought, ‘Wow was that an airplane?’ ”

Ramon Houge, from the neighbouring city of St Paul, was on his way home from work and was driving on the bridge when heard a rumbling noise before seeing the ground collapse and cars go down.

He said cars reversed as best they could and he parked in a construction zone and was finally able to turn around and drive off the bridge. “It didn’t seem like it was real,” he said.

Gregory Wernick drove over the bridge shortly before the collapse. He stopped to get a drink nearby and heard commotion so he went back. “I figure I crossed about ten minutes before it happened,” he said. “That’s just too close to call.” He was standing about 200ft (61m) away on top of a parking ramp with large group of people. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.

Television pictures showed that sections of the road leading to the bridge had also collapsed, in places crushing cars and lorries, some of which were ablaze. About 20 cars on top of each other could be seen in one image, below where the bridge had stood. They were partly buried under rubble and mangled steel. Huge chunks of the bridge jutted out of the river at odd angles, in places surrounded by cars half submerged in the water.

A truck driver also escaped uninjured after his vehicle was cut in half. One witness said she saw people in the water.

Police were telling people to leave the area amid fears of several burning vehicles in the area. A firefighter on the scene said that everybody from the north side of the bridge was pulled from the scene alive and that at least 100 vehicles were involved in the accident.

The road was carrying bumper to bumper traffic when the 500ft steel arch bridge collapsed. The bridge, built in 1967, had stood 64ft above the river.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation told local media that 200,000 cars use the bridge every day.

Read More About Bridge Collapse Kills 7...

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Truck Accident Causing Brain Injury Results in $3 Million Dollar Verdict

Truck - pedestrian accident results in $3,000,000.00 verdict for pedestrian

The pedestrian was riding his bike south on the highway when a truck veered off the road and rear-ended him.

The pedestrian was thrown from his bicycle and suffered a traumatic brain injury, separated shoulder, fractured ribs, hand, leg, and other injuries.

The pedestrian's medical bills totaled $170,000 and his past and future lost wages totaled $250,000.00.

The truck driver and truck company denied responsibility, claiming that the pedestrian had came out in front of the truck.

The jury gave $3 million including $1 million in punitive damages.

Plaintiff’s expert witnesses in this case included Jack Sink, life-care planning, Athens, Ga.; Kendrick Richardson, accident reconstruction, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; and Samuel Macomson, neurosurgery; Michael Hawkins, trauma surgery; and Michael Tucker, orthopedic surgery, all of Augusta, Ga.

Defendant’s experts included William J. Kluge, accident reconstruction, Raleigh, N.C.; and Harry D. Smith, biomechanical engineering, San Antonio, Tex.

The case is called Hill v. USA Truck, Inc., U.S. Dist. Ct., D.S.C., No. 8:06-cv-01010, Jan. 25, 2007.

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Hasbro Easy-Bake Oven Recalled

Hasbro Inc., the world’s second-largest toymaker, recalled about one million Easy-Bake Ovens after receiving reports of serious burns and 278 incidents of children getting hands or fingers caught in openings. The company, based in Pawtucket, R.I., had offered repair kits for the ovens in February after receiving 29 reports. It decided to recall the toys after learning that part of a 5-year-old girl’s finger had to be amputated because of a severe burn, a spokesman, Wayne Charness, said. People should stop using the ovens and contact Hasbro for instructions to exchange the toy for a voucher, the company said. Ovens sold before 2006 are not part of the recall.

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Helicopter Crash in Phoenix Kills Four

PHOENIX - Two news helicopters collided and crashed Friday while covering a police chase on live television, killing four people on board.

Both helicopters went down in a park in central Phoenix and caught fire. No one on the ground was hurt.

TV viewers did not actually witness the accident because cameras aboard both aircraft were pointed at the ground. But they saw images from one of the helicopters break up and begin to spin before the station abruptly switched to the studio.

Television station KNXV reported that it owned one of the choppers. The other was from KTVK. A pilot and photographer aboard each chopper were killed.

Within a minute, other stations with helicopters in the area began reporting news of the crash.

KNXV reporter Craig Smith, who was among the dead, was reporting live as police chased a man driving a construction truck who had fled a traffic stop and was driving erratically, hitting several cars and driving on the sidewalk at times.

Police had blown the truck's tires, and the man eventually parked it, then carjacked another vehicle nearby.

As police closed in, Smith said, "Oh geez!"

After the picture broke up, the station switched to the studio and then briefly showed regular programming, a soap opera, before announcing that the helicopter had crashed.

The two choppers came down on the grass lawn in front of a boarded-up church at the park. Firefighters swarmed to the area as thick black smoke rose from the scene.

Mary Lewis said she was stuck in traffic with her four grandsons and was watching the helicopters. She turned to talk to the children, then saw a fireball in the air when she looked up again.

"I looked up and I see this 'boom,' and I see one of the helicopters coming down, and I said 'Oh my God,'" Lewis said. She said she went to the crash site to help, but there was nothing she could do.

"It's nothing there," Lewis said. "Just burned-up stuff."

Barbara Cochran, president of the Radio-Television News Directors Association in Washington, said the association does not track fatalities among helicopter news pilots, but she could not recall another example of two news choppers colliding while covering a story.

"The news directors at the stations are members of our association, and our heart really goes out to them in a situation like this," she said. "These pilots, they are very professional. They combine the skills of pilots and skills as journalists. It's something that's very, very sad."

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Gerber Baby Cereal Recalled for Choking Hazards

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Offshore Drillers Transocean and GlobalSantaFe Agree to Merge

Transocean, GlobalSantaFe to Merge
By KEVIN KINGSBURY
July 23, 2007 7:47 a.m.

(From the Wall Street Journal)

Transocean Inc. and GlobalSantaFe Corp. have agreed to a merger in the oil-drilling sector among firms with a combined market capitalization of $48 billion.

The deal, set to close by year-end, also includes