Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Death in New York City Hospital Spurs Lawsuit

The sad death of Esman Green, a patient at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, was captured on the facility’s security camera. For a period of more than 24 hours, Green lay prone on the floor of the hospital’s psychiatric emergency room, often writhing in pain. Although several nurses appeared to have noticed Green, no medical care was extended to her during the 24-hour period. Eventually, a nurse nudged Green with her foot, but by that point, Green was already dead. Patient records were later falsified to provide a different account of the patient’s care. The $25 million lawsuit to be filed in the case will include both medical malpractice and wrongful death claims.

Has a medical error or malpractice impacted your family? Talk over your options with a highly-qualified personal injury lawyer.
Contact the attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us direct at 866-461-5791. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.

Pet Bird Causes Texas Man’s Death

Days after buying a cockatiel for his family, Corpus Christi resident Joe de la Garza succumbed to a sudden illness, dying a few days later. Surviving family members had the presence of mind to send the carcass of the bird to a veterinary laboratory for testing, where it was determined that the bird was a carrier for the deadly disease known as psittacosis (also sometimes called “parrot fever”). The Garza family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against PetSmart, and they are calling on the chain to discontinue its bird sales. According to news reports, similar incidents of animal illness and maltreatment have been reported in the past.

If you or a loved one has fallen prey to negligent business practices, we can help.
Contact the attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us direct at 866-461-5791. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.

Nebraska Family Awarded $1.2 Million in Medical Malpractice Case

When 13-year-old Ty Brandt began to experience severe abdominal pain, his parents rushed him to a West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. After several diagnostic tests, it was determined that Ty was suffering from appendicitis. Although doctors performed emergency surgery, it was too late to save Ty, and he died soon afterwards. Ty’s parents, Scott and Coni Brandt, filed a lawsuit against the two principal doctors involved in the treatment, claiming that the delayed diagnosis contributed to Ty’s death. One of the doctors was found liable by a jury, who awarded the Brandts $1.2 million in damages.

Has your family been hurt by medical malpractice? If so, you need the advice of an experienced team of personal injury lawyers.
Contact the attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us direct at 866-461-5791. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.

Metal Fragment in Sandwich Prompts Lawsuit

Granite City, Illinois resident Jason Waters wasn’t expecting to get a mouthful of metal when he bit into a breaded chicken sandwich at an area Jack in the Box, but that’s exactly what happened. The resulting injuries landed Waters in an emergency dental clinic. All told, the injuries and loss of work cost Waters more than $50,000. Waters has filed suit against the restaurant, claiming negligence in its safety and employee training practices.

Have you or a loved one been injured as a result of a company’s negligent practices? If so, we’re to help.
Contact the attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us direct at 866-461-5791. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.

Slip and Fall in Texas Wal-Mart Prompts Premises Liability Suit

Orange County, Texas resident Gwendolyn Jones was grocery shopping at an area Wal-Mart SuperCenter when she slipped and fell in an aisle near the frozen foods section. Jones has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the chain, claiming that negligent safety practices contributed to the incident. Although some details of the suit have not yet been made public, Jones is suing to reclaim the damages she incurred and her attorney’s fees.

Have you or a family member experienced a slip and fall injury? You need an experienced team of personal injury attorneys to help you determine your next move.
Contact the Calabasas personal injury attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us direct at 866-461-5791. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Deadly Commuter Train Wreck Claims 25 Lives

On September 12, a Los Angeles commuter train collided head-on with a Union Pacific freight train. The Metrolink train carrying 222 passengers was headed north in the LA suburb of Chatsworth when it struck a freight train staffed by a 3-person crew. The collision is being described as the deadliest train wreck in the United States since a 1993 Amtrak train derailment that killed 47.

By Sunday, 25 deaths had been reported, but officials fear that number could climb if more bodies are recovered, or if any of the 40 critically injured passengers currently being treated in area hospitals take a turn for the worse.

Although the recovery effort is nearing completion, rescuers reported that the overturned position of the trained slowed the process considerably, making it much more difficult than usual to find injured or deceased passengers and to move them to safety. Efforts to recover the train’s data recorders are still underway.

While an official statement on the cause of the collision has not yet been released, Metrolink representatives are claiming that human error played a factor in the collision. In the local LA media, unsubstantiated reports that the Metrolink engineer was engaged in a text messaging exchange in the moments before the crash have emerged.

Whatever the cause of the distraction, the circumstances of the wreck suggest that something had seriously impeded the engineer’s ability to safely operate the train. Three separate warnings that a head-on crash was imminent were reportedly disregarded.

Because human error appears to have been a major contributing factor in the collision, it is likely that a number of wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits will be filed on behalf of injured passengers and surviving family members in the weeks and months to come.

If you or a family member has been affected by the Metrolink tragedy, reach out and connect with our team of compassionate, experienced personal injury attorneys.
Contact the California personal attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us direct at 866-461-5791. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Metrolink Collides with Freight Train in Chatsworth

On Friday, September 12, 2008, a Metrolink train traveling from Union Station to Moorpark collided with a Union Pacific freight train traveling on the same track just as the Metrolink train was leaving the Chatsworth Station. At least 18 people are dead and more than 135 people have been injured in what has been called one of the worst train accidents in Southern California's history. Officials from Metrolink and Union Pacific are trying to understand why warning systems in place to prevent such collisions failed. The NTSB is investigating.

Have you or a family member been injured in this accident? You need an experienced team of personal injury attorneys to help you determine your next move. Contact the attorneys at The Heller Law Firm for a free consultation, or call us direct at 866-461-5791. You will hear from us either the same day or within 24 hours.