Cleveland Wrongful Death Lawyers

Many families feel a nagging sense of doubt when they move an elderly loved one into a nursing home. While many homes provide proper care and respect their residents, nursing home abuse is not uncommon and injuries are often the result. In a recent case in Atlanta, the operator of three nursing homes was charged with Medicare and Medicaid fraud based on the horrible conditions he maintained at his facilities. The court found that the services he rendered were literally worthless, and the $32.9 million he received from Medicare and Medicaid were obtained fraudulently. The case is an extreme example of the horrible conditions that some nursing home patients are exposed to when proper standards are not upheld.

While this situation was certainly extreme, many nursing homes increase profits by cutting corners and providing inadequate care. These facilities failed to provide even the most basic necessities for residents. They were not provided with enough food and were forced to live in unsanitary conditions for months on end. The food and medical vendors that contracted with the nursing homes were not paid and so stopped rendering service. Employees of the homes were forced to use their own money simply to keep patients alive and out of the filth that accumulated when trash and medical waste disposal services were discontinued.

Two young women were killed at the intersection of Ohio 73 and U.S. 127 last week. The fatal car accident occurred when the two teens failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign and their Honda Civic was struck by a tractor trailer. The intersection is considered dangerous by residents of the area, largely because of the propensity of drivers doing exactly what the teen driver in this case did. For whatever reason, it is not clear to drivers when it is unsafe to pull forward at that stop sign.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately one out of every five fatal accidents is intersection related. More than 7,000 people die at intersections in car and truck accidents every year. These accidents result in more than $40 billion in costs nationwide. Several organizations, including the American Automobile Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are conducting research into how intersections can be made safer for drivers and pedestrians.

When the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted a survey of distracted driving behaviors, the results were somewhat contradictory. An overwhelming majority, 94 percent, felt that texting while driving was a "serious threat," presumably due to an increase in the chances of a car accident. Despite that, more than 33 percent admitted to reading texts or emails in the prior month. Many among the latter group apparently favored a ban on their chosen activity, as 87 percent of survey respondents said they favor texting bans.

The willingness of drivers to accept texting bans, and to a lesser extent cell phone bans, may indicate that the efforts of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, are coming to fruition. They are largely responsible for placing distracted driving at the top of the agenda and pushing lawmakers to restrict technology that takes a driver's eyes off the road or hands off the wheel. They have gained public support for these bans despite a lack of evidence that cell phone use has increased the number of car accidents in a measurable way.

A top official at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is touting the benefits of connected-vehicle technology. He suggested that such technology could reduce car crashes by up to 80 percent. Increased automation and in-car technology have been hot button issues with the NHTSA recently. The safety group is interested in improving safety through technology while not adding to the distractions faced by drivers.

The technologies that inspired these comments include crash warning systems and devices that alert drivers when they have departed their lane. Such systems may become standard in new models soon. They may also be just the tip of the iceberg. NHTSA engineers are working on a system that would prevent a driver from operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Even more extreme is the idea that cars will drive themselves in the not too distant future. While the NHTSA has not yet commented on the possibility, Google has a driverless car project that they claim could produce a commercially available autonomous vehicle with a decade.

Cleveland residents often hear stories about medical malpractice. Even with major advances in the nation's healthcare system, medical errors are common, frequently leading to tragic results. Doctors and healthcare advocates say one of the factors contributing to medical malpractice is how the healthcare system is structured. They claim the system is focused more on how many patients are seen or procedures are performed rather than the quality of treatment given.

Medical errors occur for many reasons. Poor communication among staff, pressure on doctors to see more patients in less time and common human error all contribute to medical errors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released the results of a study of interlock devices recently. The study found that laws requiring interlock devices for anyone convicted of DUI are effective at reducing the rates of recidivism. Less drunk driving means fewer car accidents caused by drunk driving. While drinking and driving deaths have dropped substantially from just a few decades ago, they are still a significant problem. More than 10,000 people died in DUI crashes in 2010.

Supporters say interlock devices, which prevent a vehicle from starting until the driver has blown into them and demonstrated a blood alcohol content within the legal limit, prevent deaths and injuries. Opponents believe that a one-size-fits-all approach is unnecessary and expensive. There is also some evidence that recidivism rates drop only during the period that the device is in place. As soon as the required period ends, the recidivism rate returns.

West Virginia was the last state bordering Ohio to enact a ban on text messaging while driving. With 35 states joining the District of Columbia in banning the practice, it is likely only a matter of time before Ohio does the same. The evidence is overwhelming that texting while driving increases the risk of a car accident significantly. While a texting ban has passed the Ohio House of Representatives, hearings on the matter in the state Senate went nowhere. A ban would have some public support, with 95 percent of Ohio AAA members saying they favor a law that would prevent the unsafe practice of texting behind the wheel.

Opponents of texting bans have raised several concerns about the proposed measures. It is not clear how effective texting bans have been at actually preventing texting while driving. It is also a difficult crime to enforce, as many ways of using a smart phone can look like texting. Even among people who acknowledge that texting and driving is unsafe there are people who do not believe that a ban is necessary.

When the bus they were traveling on plunged through a barrier and down to the highway below, five members of the Bluffton University baseball team lost their lives along with the bus driver and his wife. That 2007 motor vehicle accident generated headlines nationwide. In response, lawmakers introduced a bill that is designed to make buses and motorcoaches safer. The Senate passed the bill this week and its supporters are hoping the House of Representatives will do the same.

Among the safety requirements that would be implemented are measures requiring seat belts, more robust seating systems, and glazing windows designed to prevent passengers from being ejected in the event of a crash. In addition, drivers would be required to receive more extensive training before getting behind the wheel. The law would address some of the problems that have been noted concerning tour buses and other, non-municipal bus lines. The safety record of these lines is significantly worse than for traditional carriers.