Personal Injury Law Blog

A recent report published in renowned journal Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a growing problem of elder abuse within nursing facilities being committed by fellow residents of such communities. According to researchers, roughly 20 percent of those residing in these types of care facilities suffer some sort of abuse from another resident.

In 2015 alone, 35,200 people in the U.S. lost their lives after becoming involved in car accidents. This statistical projection, recently publicized by the U.S. Department of Transportation, demonstrates an increase of 7.7 percent compared to the total traffic fatalities that occurred in 2014. That year, the figure stood at 32,675 deaths.

An investigation has ensued after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received 43 complaints of faulty brakes on certain models of Harley Davidson motorcycles. Riders reported that both the hand and foot brakes suddenly failed to work, resulting in three crashes and two injuries.

The death of an 18-year old visitor to the U.S National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, has drawn renewed attention to the safety of amusement parks and other attractions throughout the United States during this busy summer season. Officials reported that the young woman from Westerville, Ohio died of an infection caused by a rare, brain-eating fresh water amoeba.

Fourth of July is right around the corner and with the holiday comes concerns over how to stay safe in the midst of the fireworks frenzy. The personal injury attorneys at Hardy Wolf & Downing want to wish all of our fellow Maine residents a safe and happy Fourth, which is why we are providing a few fireworks safety tips in anticipation of the big day.

A head-on accident on West River Road took the life of a 47-year-old Sidney woman the night of June 15. Laurie Garland was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, after her vehicle crossed the center line of West River Road and collided head-on with a vehicle containing two juveniles. Both of the juveniles suffered minor injuries and one was taken to the hospital for observation.

Another motorcycle accident in Maine has claimed an innocent life. 36-year-old Robert Locke, from Lynbrook, New York, died after being thrown from his motorcycle on Alfred’s Route 111. According to state police, the victim had joined a group of friends for a trip to New Hampshire when the accident happened.

School is finally out and the summer is on its way. Along with the graduation parties, barbecues, and summer recreation, the sunny season brings a rise in injuries. Sources ranging from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to hospital emergency rooms confirm that accidental injuries swiftly increase during the summer months, and many of those are preventable.

A head-on collision in Orrington last week sent three people to the hospital, according to the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department. Officers have not yet released the victim’s names, but report that the accident happened on Route 15, near Pleasant Hill Lane.

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in children between the ages of one and four, according to the CDC. Swimming pools cause the greatest risk of submersion injury for children in this age group.