Personal Injury
Colorado Children and Pool Safety
Tragedy struck a Colorado family recently. According to a story on Denver’s Fox 31, a four year old girl drowned in a pool at a private residence in Windsor a few days ago. The girl was attending a birthday party at the time.
With the arrival of summer’s heat comes the returning call for child swimming pool safety. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children ages one to four have the highest rate of drowning, with the majority of deaths happening in home swimming pools. These shocking figures and the sad story above make pool safety essential to all families.
January is One of the Riskiest Months for House Fires
While you’re making your New Year’s resolutions, consider adding “check our household fire safety” to the list.
January is one of the worst months for house fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). While the number-one cause of house fires year-round is still cooking-related accidents, the addition of various heating methods in the winter months further increases the risk of fire. And when temperatures tend to plummet in January, the risk goes up accordingly. Burn injuries can cause severe pain and result in permanent disabilities, as many experienced Colorado Springs injury lawyers have seen.
Fireplaces, wood stoves, chimneys, and space heaters can all pose a fire risk. You can help reduce this risk for yourself and your family by taking a second look at your household’s fire safety rules this January. Here are some places to start:
Six Ways to Reduce Fireworks Injury Risks
Fireworks are the premier event of Fourth of July celebrations all over Colorado, and for many Coloradoans, they’re also a family tradition. However, fireworks injuries can cause serious harm or even death. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), over 9,600 people suffered injuries that required emergency room care in 2011 after failing to use fireworks carefully or using defective fireworks.
If you’re injured by fireworks this holiday season, the skilled Colorado Springs burn injury lawyers at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. can help you defend your rights. You can help reduce your risk of injury and the risk of injuring those you love by following a few safety tips. Here are six ways to help reduce the risk of fireworks injuries this Fourth of July:
Education is Key in Colorado Pool Safety
For many Colorado families, summer means hanging out by the pool or relaxing in the hot tub. While poolside fun can mean great family memories, it can also cause serious injuries if an accident occurs or swimmers are not properly supervised.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), about 75 percent of those injured in pool and hot tub accidents each year are children age 15 or younger. Educate kids about the risks of swimming pools and hot tubs, and teach them how to protect themselves and others in order to preventing injuries.
When teaching kids about pool safety, it’s important to cover both the pool rules and the practical skills they need to protect themselves and others when swimming. Teach young children to never approach the pool without supervision and to never go in the water unless a responsible adult is watching them. Also, remind them to stay in shallow water unless they have the swimming skills to handle deeper water.
Kids or Elderly Adults Traveling Alone? Here’s How to Keep Them Safe
Summer is on its way, and with it come plenty of opportunities to travel to visit family, go on vacation, or to tackle other tasks. Many travelers through Colorado and the U.S. each year are children and elderly adults, both of whom may face particular risks when traveling alone.
Children and elderly adults may need to travel alone for several reasons – to visit family, for medical reasons, or for other purposes. If your child or an elderly family member must travel alone by plane, train, or bus this year, consider the following safety tips:
Traumatic Brain Injuries Seen as Number-One Risk Factor for Dementia
A study published in JAMA Neurology recently suggests that the number-one risk factor for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) – not the existence of amyloid plaques in the brain, once thought to be the defining factor of these diseases.
The study followed 61 men and women, ages 65 to 90, who had varying degrees of mental impairment and/or had been diagnosed with dementia. From time to time, the patients were given tests that tracked their memory, organization, and problem-solving skills. Their brains were also scanned using an MRI to check for vascular damage characteristic of TBI and a PET scanner to check for amyloid plaques in the brain.
What Can I Expect After a Colorado Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) may have lingering effects that last for months, years, or even the rest of an injured person’s life.
The long-term consequences of a TBI depend on the severity of the injury and what part of the brain was injured, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some of the more common long-term symptoms suffered by TBI patients include:
- Problems with thinking, including memory and concentration;
- Issues with sensation, like experiencing garbled or confusing touch, taste, and smell sensations;
- Difficulty with language, including communication, expressing thoughts or feelings, and understanding written or spoken messages from others; and
- Problems with emotions, such as irritability, depression, anxiety, or personality changes.
Make the Season Bright, Not Burned: Tips for Preventing Holiday Burn Injuries
Burn injuries are notoriously dangerous and painful, and can even be deadly. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1.1 million burn injuries in the U.S. each year require emergency medical care, and about 4,500 are fatal.
The holidays often pose an increased risk of fire or burn injuries, especially when candles, holiday lights, and extra cooking and baking become part of the festivities. Here are some simple ways you can help reduce the risk of a burn injury hurting you or someone you love this season:
Winter Snow and Ice Are a Major Source of Colorado Slip and Fall Injuries
Winter is coming, and in Colorado, this means snow and ice, both of which can easily cause slip and fall accidents that result in serious injuries.
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), about half of all slip and fall injuries are to the lower extremities – the legs, ankles, and feet. Sprains, strains, dislocated joints, and torn muscles or connective tissues are among the most common injuries suffered. Fractures are also common, as are injuries to the arms and hands.
During winter, slip and fall accidents can occur not only on icy or snowy sidewalks outdoors, but also on surfaces indoors. Snow that gets tracked in on people’s shoes and boots can easily melt, leaving puddles that pose slippery hazards to those in the area.
Understanding Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries
About 1.7 million U.S. residents suffer a traumatic brain injury each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Severe traumatic brain injuries are a contributing factor in over 30 percent of fatal accident injuries. Whether due to a car accident, workplace accident, slip and fall, or other incident, a traumatic brain injury can permanently change a person’s life – or even end it.
Severe traumatic brain injuries are generally sorted into one of two categories: closed and penetrating. Closed traumatic brain injuries cause movement of the brain inside the skull, which leads to injury. Concussions are a well-known type of closed traumatic brain injury. The second type of traumatic brain injury, penetrating injuries, are caused by an object penetrating the skull, such as a bullet or a fragment of metal or glass.