How Motorcyclists can stay safe

Here are a few things you can do to stay safe this season:

• Like it or not, wearing a DOT-approved helmet is a lifesaver.  The leading case of death in motorcycle accidents is head injury, and a motorcyclist not wearing a helmet is 40 percent more likely to die of a head injury.

• Take a safety refresher course.  Most people aren't able to cycle year-round, so brushing up on the basics is a good idea.  Not only can it help prevent accidents, it can reduce your risk of getting seriously injured if you are in an accident

• Check your T-CLOCS.  That is, check your tires and wheels, controls, lights, oil, chassis, and stand before you ride.

• Always be aware of your environment.  Be aware of other vehicles, road hazards, and traffic and weather conditions.

Leading cause of Motorcycle Accidents

Heeding the call of the open road?  PRACTICE SAFETY

It's probably no surprise that motorcycle accidents happen more during the summer months.  There are more cycles on the road, more vehicles traveling, and a higher incidence of DUI.  According to the US Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 25 times more likely to have a deadly accident on the road than those in a passenger vehicle.

What may surprise you is that a study conducted by the University of Southern California found that in accidents involving motorcycles and cars, the passenger vehicle was at fault two-thirds of the time.  The primary cause of the accident was, according to the study, motorists who failed to detect motorcycles in traffic.

Student Athlete cardiac screenings...SHOCKING STATS

Every year, there are cases of young athletes who collapse and die at practice or during a game due to sudden cardiac arrest.  According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, 15 high school athletes dies each year from cardiac-related conditions.

Although American Heart Association national screening guidelines have existed since 1996, a recent survey by researchers at Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington revealed that just 6% of athletic directors are aware of the guidelines, and only 6% of doctors surveyed fully followed the guidelines to assess cardiac risk.

Recently, a Tampa jury awarded a $2 million settlement to the family of a high-school athlete Matthew Miulli, who died during baseball practice at Alonso High School.  More important than recovering financial damages, cases like these shed light on the importance of medical screenings and exams before playing, having a coaching staff prepared to deal with emergencies, and having automated external defibrillators present and accessible at athletic events, including practice.

If you or someone who know suffered an injury during an athletic event due to the negligence of the school, staff or doctor call our experienced lawyers right away. 1-800-Now-Hurt

Boy brain-damaged by line drive gets $14.5M

A $14.5 Million settlement has been awarded to a New Jersey teenager left brain-damaged after being struck by a line drive while he was playing in a youth baseball game.  The lawsuit is against the bat manufacturer, Little League Baseball and a sporting goods chain.

"The Domalewskis are still saddened by the tragic events of June 2006, but this settlement provides them with some relief and comfort that Steven will get the care he needs for the rest of his life," said the family's attorney, Ernest Fronzuto. "He still can't perform any functions of daily life on his own."

It is every pitchers nightmare to be drilled by a line drive after a pitch.  That is exactly what happened to Domalewski....but the ball came off a metal bat.

The ball slammed into Steven's chest, just above his heart, knocking him backward.  He clutched his chest, then made a motion to reach for the ball on the ground to pick it up and throw to first base to get the runner out.

But he never made it that far. The ball had struck his chest at the precise millisecond between heartbeats, sending him into cardiac arrest, according to his doctors. He crumpled to the ground and stopped breathing.

His father, Joseph, a teacher who had been on the sideline with the rest of the team, said he and a third base coach from the other team both ran onto the field, where Steven was already turning blue.

Someone yelled, "Call 911!" Within 90 seconds, a man trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation who had been playing catch with his 9-year-old daughter jumped over the fence and started to work on Steven.

Paramedics, who were a quarter-mile away doing a CPR demonstration, got to Steven within minutes, placed an oxygen mask over his face and rushed him to a hospital. But the damage had been done; his brain had been without oxygen for 15 to 20 minutes.

"Pretty much, he died," Joseph Domalewski said in a 2008 interview with The Associated Press. "It was just so fast. The thud, you could hear. When it hit him, that seemed to echo."

Domalewski was playing in a Police Athletic League game, but Little League was sued because the group certifies that specific metal bats are approved for -- and safe for -- use in games involving children.

According to the Little League website injuries to its pitchers fell from 145 a year before the accord was reached to the current level of about 20 to 30 annually.

INDOOR TANNING just as bad as cigarette smoking and arsenic

It's tempting to try to get a little color before putting on summer tank tops, shorts, and bathing suits.  But mounting evidence suggests that indoor tanning is a threat to your health -  on par with cigarette smoking and exposure to arsenic.  Since July of 2009, the World Health Organization has classified ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds as a definite carcinogen.

Research suggests that indoor UV tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors.  The indoor tanning industry has claimed that indoor UV tanning is safer than the sun and can even protect against cancer, since a sunburn is less likely.  In fact, the Indoor Tanning Association touts indoor tanning as a good way to reap the health benefits of vitamin D.

Those who have been harmed by the effects of indoor tanning can hold businesses liable if statements made are deceptive or false, or if no warning is given to clients about the dangers.  For example, many woman aren't aware that the use of birth control while tanning increases their photosensitivity.  Manufacturers could also be held liable if it is determined that a product by design is unreasonably dangerous and causes injury.

If you or a loved one is suffering from melanoma or squamous cell skin cancers or eye damage after the regular use of tanning beds, you may be entitled to compensation by the salon and the tanning bed manufacturer.  Call our office immediately to speak with one of our experienced Indoor Tanning Bed Injury Attorneys for a free case review.  1-800-669-4878 (1.800.Now.Hurt)

RECALL ALERT: iPod, Strollers, Blender, Pampered Chef...

Is it supposed to do that?

Following is an abbreviated list of recalled items to keep you and your family safe.  Items made the list because they have a design or mechanical flaw that could potentially be harmful or deadly.  If you have a product that you feel is dangerous, call the manufacturer and report it to the appropriate government agency.  Input from consumers helps to keep products safe.  If you have been injured call Buttafuoco & Associates right away at 1-800-669-4878.

Warmer weather means it's time for recreation and relaxation, but before you go for a jog, put in the earbuds, blend up a refreshing drink, or cool off with an ice-cream cone, make sure you won't be using any of these recalled products:

• iPod Nano:  Products may overheat and pose a safety risk. Malfunction increases with age.
  
• B.O.B. single and double strollers: The stroller canopy's embroidered logo's backing patch can detach, posing a choking hazard to babies and young children
  
• Chefmate 6-speed Blender:  All units were sold at Target.  While in operation, the plastic pitcher can separate from the blade assembly, leaving the blade assembly in the base and exposing the rotating blades.  This poses a laceration hazard.
  
• Pampered Chef ice-cream dippers:  When the liquid-filled scoop is exposed to warm water, the cap and seal at the end of the scoop handle can fly off with substantial force, posing an impact injury hazard to those nearby.