Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer Blog

According to a courierpress.com news report, a 47-year-old man from Loogootee, Indiana was recently injured while on the job in Daviess County. Reportedly, the man was working with others to release pressure on a gas line when the pipe being worked on hit the man in the upper arm. According to the article, the pipe's threading gave way and, when combined with the pressurized gas, moved out of position, striking the man and resulting in a compound fracture of his left arm.

Thankfully, the man was stabilized and flown to Evansville hospital for further treatment. More details surrounding the incident were not made available; however, a more thorough investigation into the matter will undoubtedly take place. It is important for all work-related accidents and injuries, especially those involving pressurized gas, to be investigated in order to determine whether or not negligent action of some kind may have taken place.

If it is determined that negligence played a role in this man's injury, he may be able to seek compensatory damages from the party deemed responsible for the incident. On the job injuries affect Pennsylvania residents much more often than they should. All instances of such injuries should be thoroughly examined by an experienced Central Pennsylvania injured at work attorney who will fight to ensure that the rights of the injured are not infringed upon in a court of law.

Continue reading "Pressurized Gas Pipe Injures Loogootee Man in Daviess County, IN" »

The personal injury law firm of Anapol Schwartz is happy to announce the launching of its nursing injury news website: http://www.nursing-injury-news.com. In dedicating over 30 years to helping those injured while on-the-job and due to the negligence of others, Anapol Schwartz is at the forefront of assisting injury victims receive full compensation for work-related injury, illness, assault and abuse. The debut of Anapol Schwartz’s nursing injury website aims to provide updates on nursing injury news; serving as a valuable legal resource for nurses who have been hurt at no fault of their own while trying to do their job and help others.

The new nursing injury website hopes to help nurses better understand what qualifies as injury in the nursing profession and the possible legal avenues one may take to hold negligent employers accountable for their oversight or disregard. The website provides information about bed transfer injury, hazardous substance injury, equipment and appliance injuries, physical assault, physical exertion, slip and fall injuries, workers compensation, unsafe working conditions, MRSA infection, and much more.

Nursing injuries may occur at a hospital, medical facility, or at a private residence. Such injuries can take place for several different reasons, many of which circulate around unsafe working environments, improper training by staff members or employers, or various other types of negligence or reckless action on the part of a nurse’s employer. To learn more about nursing injury and what legal options may be available to you if you’ve suffered a nursing injury, please visit http://www.nursing-injury-news.com or call (866) 735-2792 for a free consultation with one of the skilled nursing injury attorneys at Anapol Schwartz.

Chemical plant employers and managers have the responsibility of ensuring that employees who dedicate their lives working for them are protected from exposure to dangerous levels of chemicals, gases, and other toxic materials. Most of these components are harmless if handled in certain quantities, with specific protection, after receiving adequate training, and when following proper procedures.

A recent startribune.com article discusses the death of a West Virginia chemical plant employee. After being exposed on January 23, 2010 to phosgene, a major industrial chemical that is poisonous at room temperature, the worker died the next day. As a result, the chemical plant has shut down while the federal Occupation Health and Safety Administration investigates a series of leaks, three of which were reported over the weekend and one of which went unnoticed for a full week. A plant spokesman said that the plant is reviewing operating procedures and that there is no immediate plan to start-up production.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, phosgene poisoning varies based on the amount of phosgene that a person is exposed to, the route of exposure, and the length of time in which an individual is exposed. Serious damage can be done to the eyes, nose, skin, throat, and lungs from phosgene gas and liquid exposure.

Continue reading "Worker at Chemical Plant Killed by Phosgene Exposure" »

Located just south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Three Mile Island, the scene of the worst nuclear disaster in United States history, is again making headlines, this time for a radiation leak that forced the evacuation of 150 workers. According to an english.cctv.com article, workers were generally exposed to low levels, although one worker was found to have been exposed to 16 millirems of radiation, which is the equivalent of about three X-rays worth. Reportedly, the leak did not pose a threat to public health or safety.

While there was no further mention of worker illness, any illnesses that do arise could result in the power plant being held accountable. Employers have an obligation to provide their employees with safe working environments, even in a place such as a nuclear power plant. In the event that an employee falls ill because of hazardous conditions in the workplace, the employee may have the right to seek compensatory damages from their employer. Such compensation can assist with costs associated with an accident or illness, such as medical bills, loss of wages, and physical therapy fees.

Continue reading "Three Mile Island Radiation Leak Causes Workers to Evacuate" »

A recent article from gazette.net reported that a Giant Food Store was evacuated after multiple customers and employees (approximately 14 all together) complained about feeling sick and having trouble breathing after smelling gas within the building. Six of the sick individuals, two Giant customers and four employees, were taken to local hospitals in Maryland for evaluation. According to the article, no gas leak was discovered on the premises and officials are still not sure what made the individuals sick.

After evacuating the building shortly after the several reports of people feeling ill, a hazardous materials team responded and investigated the possibility of a gas or Freon leak. However, these possibilities were cancelled out, with no other explanation discovered or provided. As a safety precaution for people within close distance to the area in question, police temporarily closed off certain access points to the shopping center where the Giant Food Store is located. Many other surrounding businesses were also evacuated and others were left to make their own determinations whether or not to evacuate.

Continue reading "Shopping Center Evacuated: Employees and Customers Feel Sick after Smelling Gas" »

The website ldnews.com reported that a year after the Conshohocken fire, which left 400 people homeless, there has been little or no progress in court according to a lawyer for the former tenants. The lawsuit contends that a construction worker who was welding on an adjacent construction site accidently set off a blaze that torched 200 upscale units. The lawsuit claims that the developer and other parties were negligent, along with the owners of the building who did not have sufficient fire protection.

A Montgomery County judge has ordered the developer and the tenant’s lawyers to negotiate but the tenants’ lawyer stated that has been “fruitless.”

While the rules regarding the maintenance and safety at construction sites are strict, many sites are not as safe as they could be. The reality is that many construction site accidents can be prevented if the employer implemented smarter and enforceable safety practices. Insuring that all workers are properly trained in the operation of machinery and that the site is properly managed under OSHA and local standards can help increase construction site safety. No matter how stringent the safety standards are regarding construction, it remains one of the most dangerous of all occupations, with all construction laborers being at risk every day while on the job.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Accused of Starting Massive Pennsylvania Apartment Fire" »

An industrial explosion at the ConAgra Foods Plant in Garner, North Carolina that killed two workers and injured many others in June is still an incident that has many industrial workers concerned over the safety of their future. A wral.com report stated that approximately 300 workers were in the plant at the time of the explosion, many of whom were exposed to toxic fumes released from ammonia leaks. Thirty-eight individuals had to be transported to local hospitals for serious injuries resulting from the explosion, and three firefighters suffered from ammonia inhalation.

According to the article, district chief for Wake County EMS stated, "It's not just a matter of fire or any chemical exposure, but certainly with the structure collapse, there's the issue of the safety of going in." In any explosion, structure integrity is always a serious issue, but it is not the only concern that involved workers have to deal with. Exposure to toxic substances in the workplace can have long-lasting effects on a person’s well-being, putting an individual who has come in dangerous contact with an environmental toxin at risk of organ damage, cancer, severe burns, and many other calamities.

Fortunately in this incident, the ammonia toxic fumes were contained enough that the surrounding community was not threatened. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials kept a close watch over the air quality near the plant soon after the explosion to ensure that the toxic chemicals did not endanger people in the surrounding areas.

Continue reading "Industrial Explosion Exposes Workers to Toxic Ammonia Fumes" »