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Dry Drowning Warning For Parents

Eddie Farah — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:59:00 GMT

The death of a 10-year-old boy from South Carolina this week while lying in his own bed, has brought attention to the little known “dry drowning.”

Johnny Jackson had gone for a swim in his neighborhood and walked home with his mother. He seemed fine except that his mother says he soiled himself, and then started talking slowly. He was sleepy. He lay down to take a nap and about one hour later he was dead.

Parents need to understand how dry drowning works. When water gets into the lungs, and it doesn’t have to be much, a child can asphyxiate. Lungs immersed in fluid are unable to take in oxygen from the air, but even with a small amount of water, Wikipedia says the “laryngospasm reflex essentially causes asphyxiation and neurogenic pulmonary edema.”

Basically when you breath, the diaphragm contracts, increases the volume of air into the lungs from the outside. During laryngospasm the person’s larynx spasm shuts. Air does not rush into the lungs. The heart is beating the blood flowing but it is not picking up oxygen.

Dry drowning can happen when someone has forceful contact with the water, such as from high diving or a water slide. Or just from summer fun in a pool, or even from a bath.

But the signs can be delayed and doctors don't know why. Signs are extreme fatigue and strange behavior which results from a reduction in oxygen to the brain. They need to get to an emergency room and have a breathing tube inserted so oxygen can be forced into the lungs so they regain their function.

3,600 people drowned in 2005, according to the CDC. About 10 to 15 percent were dry drownings, which can occur up to 24 hours after water is breathed into the lungs.

Johnny's mother, Cassandra Jackson, just didn't know, like most of us wouldn't.

"I feel like someone reached in and grabbed my heart and just yanked it out,” she says.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Grandmother Blames Gardasil In Granddaughter's Death

Eddie Farah — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:30:29 GMT

Jessie Ericzon was 17-years-old and about to graduate from high school.

Like many girls her age, she was given the first of the three-shot series of Gardasil, the Merck drug that is supposed to protect young girls from the human papillomavirus, or HPV, that causes two types of cervical cancer and two types of warts.

That was 19 months ago.

Jessie had no health problems, but after the second shot in September 2007 she started to get bad headaches, as well as muscle aches, and joint pain, says her grandmother, Denise Melton. Last February she got the third shot in the series, two days later she was dead.

Her grandmother said after the final shot Jessie said she had a headache and went to bed. That next morning her mother found her on the bathroom floor. "Without a shadow of a doubt, I know that Gardasil is what killed her," says Melton.

An autopsy was inconclusive.

Jessie is not alone. There have been at least 43 reports of deaths following the vaccine and the CDC and FDA have collected about 14,000 adverse events including muscle numbness and paralysis, also known as Guillian-Barre Syndrome, headaches, and fainting.

Let's not forget that Merck is the same company that brought us Vioxx, and knew or should have known that heart attack and strokes would result from the painkiller which was eventually taken off the market.

Even the American Cancer Society says that cervical cancer has declined by 74 percent between 1955 and 1992, largely due to the Pap test.

No one really knows if Gardsil works to prevent cervical cancer, but parents should know that about 80 percent of women are exposed to HPV over their lifetime and their natural immunities fight it off. They should also know that if their child is injured, they have no recourse through the courts. Merck enjoys immunity from liability, as to all vaccine makers.

Melton is going to take Jessie's death as far as she can. She has written to the governor and Congress. She has a license plate that says "One Less" in reference to the Merck campaign by the same name. What she wants one less of, is young woman or girls dying from the drug that is supposed to deliver a cure. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

The Fight To Cap Payday Loans

Eddie Farah — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:11:46 GMT

PayDay Loans. If you see them you should run the other way.

Florida is among a few states that has tried to stop the abusive high interest loans.

In the average scenario, a person takes out a high interest loan with phenomenal interest rates, up to 400 percent in some cases. The average borrower ends up paying back about $800 on a $300 loan, according to The Center for Responsible Lending. One payday loan can lead to another payday loan to pay off the first, called a rollover.

A couple of bills introduced in Congress will help address the abuse on borrowers.

Already military families are protected by the cap that Congress applied in 2006. 15 states plus the District of Columbia have stopped the consumer abuse by imposing a cap in the 36 percent range.

Florida has tried payment plans but that has not slowed down the number of trapped borrowers.

But pawn shops say if S. 500 passes they will have to close their doors. The shop owners say that the average pawn loan is just $80 so the high interest is needed just to stay in business. Unfortunately the payday loan industry is a growth industry right now, so right now is the time to address this out of control experiencing a growth during these tough times.

S. 500 would put a cap of 36 percent on the interest borrowers would have to pay for these short term loans. The bill is directed at payday and car title loans. S. 500 was introduced by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin and California Rep. Jackie Speier introduced H.R. 1608, that also puts a 36 percent annual interest cap on consumer loans.

Putting a cap on the double or triple-digit annual interest rate is the only way to stop abusive payday loan flipping.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Florida Slips in Health Ranking

Eddie Farah — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:57:00 GMT

Florida used to rank 41^st in states in terms of health, now that number has dropped.

Florida was No. 45 in the latest America’s Health Ranking. That represents a partnership between United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention. Statistics in Florida come from the Department of Health.

The drop is at least partially attributable to the higher rates of uninsured people in Florida, and high incidences of infectious disease. On the flip side for positively affecting health is a low rate of air pollution and obesity. Also the number of folks who smoke has dropped by 8 percent.

Particularly upsetting is the number of children in Florida who live in poverty- that increased by 23 percent. And if you are black, you are twice as likely to have a low birth rate baby, than if you are a non-Hispanic white.

States were ranked by 22 health measures from infant mortality, to heart disease deaths, immunizations, violent crime, among other criteria. Unfortunately access to health care also falls along racial lines with 43.8 percent of Hispanics lacking health insurance compared to almost 18 percent of non-Hispanic whites.

While the healthiest state was Vermont followed by Hawaii, the states ranking lowest in the survey are all in the south - Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana.

The purpose of the report is to stimulate action by individual communities and public health professionals to improve the health of the population of the US. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Trucking Regulations Will Keep Drivers On The Road Longer

Eddie Farah — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:17:23 GMT

It was an eleventh hour rule by the Bush administration that does not keep us safer on the highways. The administration in its waning days has decided to finalize rules on just how long truckers can stay behind the wheel.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rule allows drivers of big-rigs to work for up to 14 consecutive hours, including 11 behind the wheel. They must rest ten hours between shifts and may not work more than 60 hours in a week.

If a driver takes a 34-hour break, they can then restart their weekly tally.

The older regulation limited driving time to 10 hours, but also cost the trucking industry an estimated $2.4 billion a year.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has shown that there is an increase in crashes after 8 to 10 hours of driving. The courts have already rejected the rules twice but that didn’t stop the Bush administration which finalized them.

Trucking accidents killed almost 5,000 people last year- mostly people in cars not trucks. And federal records show there were more than 400,000 large trucks involved in accidents in 2007.

The trucking industry says the rules, which have essentially been followed for the last few years, have resulted in fewer accidents. On the other side of the issue is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Public Citizen and the Truck Safety Coalition, a group that focuses on cutting down on truck accidents.

The groups filed a petition for reconsideration of the rules on December 18^th.

Public Citizen even challenged the rule in 2004, citing the government’s own studies that show performance behind the wheel declines after eight hours.

Other studies show that performance does not decline if there is adequate rest in between. More definitive testing is needed, and studies not funded by industry – on exactly how much rest is needed between trips.

The incoming administration may revisit and even overhaul the rule. Otherwise trucking companies may be able to order drivers to work grueling hours that put us all in jeopardy. Public Citizen accurately calls them “rolling sweatshops.”

We have seen too many accidents involving big-rigs that people never recover from physically or financially. Let’s keep sanity on our highways. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

State Farm Putting Profits Before People In Florida

Eddie Farah — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:34:00 GMT

State Farm property insurance wants to leave Florida for greener pastures.

After major hurricanes in 2004 and 2005, State Farm Florida, a subsidiary of the insurance giant, says it will phase out offering property insurance to 1.2 million property owners within two years.

There is just not enough money to be made in the state, says the giant which claims its losing about $20 million a month. However State Farm wants to keep offering auto insurance, life and health, since it is not having a problem staying afloat with those policies.

While Gov. Charlie Crist says no one will miss them because they charge about the highest rates in the state, but the Governor gets to live in the Governor's mansion and doesnt have to buy property insurance. For the rest of us, there will be one less competitor to keep rates down. BTW- the insurer of last resort, Citizens, set up and supported by the state, will soon have a rate freeze lifted.

Which of us can afford to pay MORE for insurance these days? These precarious times is no time for business as usual - profits before people - because too many people are hurting.

Remember- this is the insurance industry, one of the most lucrative industries. State Farm paid its chairman an 82 percent raise in 2007 amounting to more than $5 million.

And what about saving for a rainy day? In a good year, most of us look to the future and tuck extra money away. The absence of any major catastrophes helped State Farm generate a record $5.32 billion profit in 2006.

But the state insurance commissioner might say State Farm must sell all types of insurance or none in the state. Also the legislature might put the brakes on the move, allowing insurers to drop a limited number of customers every year.

Is there any wonder why most Floridians don’t feel too sorry for State Farm?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Teen Motocross Death In North Florida

Eddie Farah — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:30:41 GMT

Students at Bartram Trail High School are mourning a senior who was killed this week in a motocross track accident in Flagler County, Florida.

Bennet “Ben” Gordon Geiger Jr. was just 17 years old. He had been riding motocross for two years and was on a practice ride at the Pax Trax Motocross in Bunnell Tuesday when his landed under his motorcycle after a jump. He was wearing a helmet. Geiger was airlifted to Flagler Hospital where he died. The medical examiner is conducting an autopsy.

There was a moment of silence for Geiger during the Friday night football game with Creekside High School.

The principal says the students are in shock.

“I think one of the main thing with students this age is because it’s so final, going to class you sit down in your desk and there is the empty desk your friends was the day before, and it’s just hard to deal with that.”

Big John Scott who had Ben in his Bible study and in his high school class, said online that Ben was “Quite possibly the funniest kid I ever met. Your friends are just ruined today.”

“Riding dirtbikes must have been his biggest love, I remember him talking about it all the time. At least he died doing what he loved best. “Only the good die young,” says Nina Alvarez online.

Ben's death is all too commonplace among riders. Concussions, broken backs, extremeties, and fractures frequently occur.

According to the CDC in a 2006 report, most people injured from off-road motorcycle riding among children and teens are male. More than 23,000 young people, under the age of 19, were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for their injuries each year from 2001 to 2004. During that same period of time, 245 died. Most of the injuries were fractures to the head or extremities.

But sales are popular with thousands of racing events every year. The sport glamorizes dangerous moves that young riders feel pressure to imitate.

Matching ages and abilities on the track is one way to minimize dangers. Wearing protective clothing, high boots, helmets and gloves are recommended by the American Motorcycle Association. And making jumps more rounded is advised by one father who tried to make the sport safer for his son.

Nearly 300,000 off-road motorcycles were sold in the U.S. in 2003 alone, and that is nearly twice the sales figures for 1999. Our condolences to Ben's family and classmates.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

UNF Student Hit And Killed By Two Hit-And-Run Drivers

Eddie Farah — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:27:05 GMT

He was a 23-year-old graduate student at the University of North Florida.

Yasser Hamdy, from Egypt, was killed in a double hit-and-run early Thursday morning.

Hamdy and two friends were riding their scooters back to the UNF campus from McDonalds about 2 a.m. Traveling eastbound on Beach Boulevard, one driver struck him from behind. Hamdy was then thrown into the middle of the road. That's where a second car struck him and dragged him 60 to 70 feet, Channel 4 reports.

Hamdy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Friends of Yasser say the MBA student was a wonderful friend and person who would do anything for you and always had a smile. His classmates say they are still in shock.

Neither one of these driver stopped. That is a big mistake that can land a driver in jail for up to 15 years.

Thursday afternoon, the second driver turned himself in to authorities.

The Florida Highway Patrol would like the public's help in finding the first vehicle, reported to be a light-colored Honda, or Honda-type car. It likely sustained front-end or windshield damage when it hit Hamdy.

Crimstoppers can be reached a 1-866-845-TIPS.

Our heart goes out to his family for this senseless loss.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

CSX Train Lawsuit Follows Teen Death On Trestle

Eddie Farah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:36:00 GMT

CSX Train Lawsuit Follows Teen Death On Trestle

by Eddie Farah

A 17-year old Clay County High School football player, Wesley Whiddon Jr., who was struck and killed by a train lastmonth, was doing what many people in the Black Creek area regularly do -- fish from the railroad bridge.

Whiddon was killed May 14, when he could not escape the CSX train that rounded a corner traveling about 35 to 40 mph. His two friends managed to jump off the trestle that is suspended over Black Creek.

Now his mother is suingCSX, and its senior road foreman of engines for her son's wrongful death.

The lawsuit says that the railroad did not have the area properly closed or fenced off or adequate warning signs about the dangers of walking near the trestle. Local news, Channel 4, reports that four trespassing signs are posted at either end of the trestle.

The lawsuit also claims that the train was going at an excessive speed and that Whiddon didn’t have enough time to get away before being struck. But the conductor says he was not traveling at an excessive speed andhe thought the boys would jump off the tracks as people usually do. When that didn’t happen, he says he applied the emergency brake.

Since 1990, about 5,000 people have been killed by walking along railroad tracks and at crossings, according to the nonprofit group, Operation Lifesaver.

These unfortunate accidents remind us that train tracks are not the place for pedestrians, ATVs or cars. And trestles are never wide enough for both you and the entire width of the train, nor is a train tunnel.

This unfortunate young man and his family are suffering a loss which serves as a reminder to us all - That railroad tracks are for trains.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

14-Year-Old Dies in Stolen Car Accident

Eddie Farah — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:07:00 GMT

The driver of an allegedly stolen car that crashed into a house Saturday was just a 14-year-old middle schooler.

It happened across from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in the St. Nicholas area of Jacksonville.

It was chaos at the scene. The car could not be easily backed out because part of the house collapsed. And family of the teen killed rushed across police tape to get to the scene.

Now comes word on the identity of the driver. Patrick Holmes was driving the car that lost control around a curb from San Diego Road onto Redmond Avenue before striking a tree then sliding under the home.

Witnesses say three people scattered after the crash and may have been inside the car. Police are interviewing those suspects about a possible robbery earlier in the day.

No one inside the home was injured.

"Lots of lots of pain. It's a lot of pain. It hurts so bad because he's only 14. At 14 years old, you're still playing kickball and hopscotch and stuff like that. Now, he's in the morgue," said Holmes' cousin, Melissa Henderson tells Channel 4.

"He was just a sweet young man. It's just a tragedy that this happened to him in this kind of way, and right now we don't understand."

The family wants what law enforcement is seeking, someone to come forward to say they witnessed the incident. Call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS. Closing the case is what will help them with the answers they need the family says.

Our condolences to the family of the teen who might have turned a joy ride into his final ride. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah