December

The 5800 series intra-aortic balloon catheters were recalled by manufacturer Teleflex on December 22 after patients reported that it got “stuck in sheath.” If a user can’t move it forward or backward, it leads to a delay in therapy. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the U.S. FDA issued a class 1 recall because these catheters have the potential to cause serious health issues, even death. Millions of peo [...]

Contractor Bruce Hardy was working on a dam project at the Holtwood Dam on December 16 when he was struck and killed by a piece of construction equipment. The York Daily Record reports that the man was stuck against the side of an excavation site in Lancaster and was then hit by a piece of swinging equipment. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor show just how dangerous construction sites can be. In 2008, [...]

Richard and Kristin Holmes, of West Chester, Pennsylvania were killed in a car collision on a snowy road in New York, 11 miles from Utica on December 28. Philly.com reports their car skidded sideways into an oncoming vehicle. Their two daughters were passengers in their vehicle but were not seriously injured. The driver of the other vehicle was also survived the crash. According to police, both the winter weather [...]

A hit-and-run accident victim who was rear-ended on December 22 was able to help police in Chester County, PA catch the hit-and-run driver who was also allegedly speeding as well as driving while intoxicated. According to an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the victim led police to the driver who was also driving without a license. In this case, the driver broke many laws. He drove under the influence of alco [...]

On December 6, teenager Bruce A. Mutter was struck and killed by a car while waiting for his school bus in Newark, DE. According to The Delaware County Times, the driver, Malcolm Deshields, is facing criminal charges for the death of Mutter. Police are still investigating the accident and if Mr. Deshields is found responsible for causing this tragic pedestrian accident, he can be held liable for having done so, b [...]

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), on average, approximately 28 percent of December car accidents nationwide involve drunk drivers. However, this number increases to 40 percent on Christmas and New Year’s, making alcohol and holiday travel a dangerous and sometimes deadly combination. The percentage of fatal traffic accidents involving alcohol is highest over New Year’s Eve a [...]

Philly.com reported that Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry suffered from a chronic brain injury that might have influenced his mental state and behavior before he died in December 2009. Doctors performed a microscopic tissue analysis of Henry’s brain that showed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Co-directors of the Brain Injury Research Institute at West Virginia University announce [...]

A man working as part of a construction company at Calise & Son’s Bakery in Lincoln, Rhode Island, was rushed to the hospital after an accident partially severed his leg on December 29. According to an article, the local Fire District Chief said that the victim is 50-years-old, and was working on a hole in the ground that was getting ready to be filled with concrete when he was injured. The man was taken to [...]

On December 15, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the window covering industry recalled more than 50 million Roman-style shades and roll-up blinds because of the risk children may be strangled by the cords. According to an article by the Associated Press, the CPSC said five deaths and 16 near-strangulations from Roman shades have been reported since 2006, while three deaths connected to roll-up bli [...]