The cribs’ drop-sides can detach, creating a space where a young child could become entrapped or fall out of the crib.

ANY Pottery Barn Kids drop-side crib is included in this recall, regardless of the model number.

Be sure to check the Pottery Barn website for an inclusive list of their drop-side models as all are included.

If you have one of these cribs on hand, even if you aren’t using it, be sure to contact PB’s recall hotline at (877) 804-3487 for free fixed-gate conversion kit. Remember to check that garage pile—it’s illegal to resell (or attempt even attempt to) a recalled product, whether you were aware of the recall or not.

If your child has suffered a serious injury as a result of a defective product, not only must you deal with exhausting medical procedures, but you must also consider the long-term effect these injuries have on you and the rest of your family. Please contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free initial consultation to discuss the options you may have.

Unfortunately, doctors nationwide have had to administer millions of vaccines since then. The inoculation for rabies may have come a long way technologically, but it can still be very painful and expensive.

Bites from strange animals are the most common reason for people to require the vaccine. It’s very important to report ANY bites received from a strange animal and to seek medical attention immediately. If the animal is with another person, be sure to get that person’s contact information (here’s why).

No matter how well you supervise your children at the park or how sturdy your neighbor’s fence is, you may not be able to prevent dog bites all the time. So how do you deal with it when it happens?

Aside from reporting the bite, seeking medical attention, and getting the animal owner’s contact information, there may be other steps you want to take. For truly serious bites, you may want to consult an experienced attorney to try and negotiate some sort of settlement before speaking to an insurance adjuster. Even if you don’t think you have a case, you can always request a copy of my free book, An Insider’s Guide to Dog Bite Claims in Virginia.

Dog bite claims in Virginia can be tricky, because so much will depend on where the bite happened. Virginia as a whole is a “one-bite” state, which means that the dog’s owner may be protected from liability, unless they have known dangerous propensity of the dog, meaning they know the dog has bitten someone before, etc.
BUTthat’s just for Virginia as a whole. You could still show that the dog owner was negligent in allowing the dog to bite.

For example, many counties and municipalities have “leash laws,” meaning that dog owners must keep their animals on a leash, and can be considered negligent if they aren’t doing so. Leash laws will differ by city, so you will want to check with your local law enforcement.

Dog bites can be a tricky area of the law to deal with. If you or a loved one is experiencing the aftermath and added medical expense of a dog bite, contact The Parrish Law Firm for a free initial consultation before you speak with an insurance adjustor.

Typically, the best way to protect your family and guests (and give those EMTs a break on the holiday) is to attend a public fireworks display. Check here for a listing of local pyrotechnic shows.

If you do choose to put on your own display, make sure you a) check out your municipality’s rules regarding fireworks ( they may not be allowed within your city limits) and b) observe the following safety rules.

Kids shouldn’t play with fireworks.
When is the last time you were talking to parents of your kids’ friends and someone said “And then we gave the kids some weapons-grade explosives, and MAN did they have a BLAST.”
Exactly. And if you choose to give them sparklers, make sure they are well-supervised. Sparklers can reach temperatures of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt gold. From the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a Fireworks Safety Quiz.

Buy legal fireworks
“Legal” in this sense means that they have a label with the manufacturer’s name and ignition instructions. Illegal fireworks account for a fair amount of fireworks injuries. On this note, don’t try to make your own fireworks.

Keep water and sand nearby
It’s like keeping a fire extinguisher near the kitchen. You will also want to soak all used fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them in the trash can.

Point fireworks away from homes
…and brush, leaves, and anything else that’s flammable.

Think about your pets
You’ll want to keep track of any outdoor pets to make sure they don’t get in the way of any fireworks, but consider the indoor creatures as well. Animals have very sensitive ears, and can become scared and even attack if they perceive themselves to be in danger. Any animal bites legally need to be reported, and can affect your home insurance rates just as a fireworks mishap could, so be sure you keep the animals away.

Know the first aid basics
There should be a first aid kit in every home anyway, but it’s worth repeating. If someone is injured by a firework, immediately go to a doctor or the hospital.

If it’s an eye injury caused by a firework, don’t allow the victim to touch or rub it, as this could cause more damage. Cut out the bottom of a paper cup, place it around the eye to protect it from further irritation, and seek medical attention.

If the firework burns someone, remove any fabric (clothing, etc) from the affected area and run cool (NOT COLD) water over it. Get to the doctor.

Fireworks are meant to be fun, and are a traditional part of American celebrations. Enjoy the holiday safely!

The six-year-old leaned against a window screen while visiting a friend’s house. The screen was pushed out of the window frame and the child fell through the window.

He was then airlifted to INOVA Fairfax Hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition.

The incident has been ruled an accident by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office.

While falling through an upstairs window may seem to be an isolated type of incident, similar accidents have happened in Loudoun recently, most notably in April.

Fortunately, in that case (a 2-year-old fell through a 2nd floor window, again by leaning on the screen), the child only suffered minor injuries.

Accidents happen. But you need to be careful leaving windows open in the home, especially if there are children present.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that in the US, about 12 children under the age of 10 die each year, and over 4,000 are treated in the hospital for window-related fall injuries (that doesn’t even take into account accidents caused by window coverings).

Things to keep in mind when it comes to windows:

1. Screens are not made to support human weight. Even a very small child—they’re meant to keep bugs out, not people in.

2. Supervise children closely. Do not allow them to play near windows—even if the window is closed. Keep in mind that window glass isn’t usually made to support the weight of a person either.

3. Consider installing landscaping under windows that may cushion a fall, as a last-ditch effort.

4. Don’t serve alcoholic beverages too close to windows. Grown-ups fall, too.

4. If you have children, consider installing a window guard.

5. Remember, even if you don’t have children, you are likely responsible for any accidents that happen in your home. While most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover these kinds of accidents, the claims process can be long and tricky. Not to mention that insurance adjustors can be difficult to deal with (even going so far as to hide evidence in some cases) and your premiums will likely skyrocket.

In the long run, it’s best for everyone to take the basic precautions to prevent these kinds of things from happening in the first place.

The study compared teen accident rates between Virginia Beach and Chesapeake counties, two adjacent Virginia counties with differing school start times.

Robert Vorona, a sleep doctor at the school, compiled data on drivers between 16 and 18 in the two counties. In Virginia Beach, high schools start at 7:20 a.m., and in Chesapeake, 8:40 a.m.

While the time difference was seemingly minimal, the crash data was drastically different.

Among students who started school very early in Virginia Beach, there were 65.4 car crashes for every 1,000 teen drivers. In Chesapeake County, there were just 46.2 crashes per 1,000 teen drivers.

That’s a 40% higher crash rate where school starts a little over an hour earlier.

While the study didn’t take into account the times of the car crashes, this is not the first time school start times have been linked to crash rate.

A 2008 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine showed a 16% decrease in accidents when a Kentucky school pushed start times back.

Falling asleep at the wheel is obviously dangerous, but for a new driver, merely being tired can have just as poor an effect on their driving.

To anyone who has ever lived with a teenager, this need for sleep isn’t news. The average teen needs 9.25 hours of sleep and typically can’t fall asleep until 11, so it’s no wonder that later start times help.

While several lobbyist groups pressure schools to adopt earlier start times, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your teens are getting enough sleep.

Try turning off cell phones, computers, etc an hour or two before your teen needs to go to sleep so they can start winding down.

Avoid too many caffeinated beverages—and avoid caffeine entirely after 4 p.m.

Consider going over your teen’s daily schedule with them. When alarms start to go off at 6 a.m., and extracurriculars run until 6 or 7 p.m., it can be hard to find time to juggle homework and a social life. Learning time management strategies from a young age ensures they can make time for sleep well into their adult life as well.

If your teen still didn’t get the necessary amount of sleep, don’t let them bike or drive to school. They may hate it, but at least they won’t be a hazard to themselves or others on the road.

Hill brought her son to the Virginia Commonwealth University dental clinic to get several teeth capped. According to the Lewis/Hill family, Jacobi’s pediatrician had cleared him for sedation. When a breathing tube was removed, Hill suffered a cardiac arrest. He was rushed to the VCU Medical Center, however staff were unable to revive him.

VCU has declined to give interviews, but released the following statement:

Virginia Commonwealth University wants to understand what happened in connection with the tragic event involving a pediatric patient. Our internal investigation continues, and we are awaiting the results of the autopsy conducted by the Virginia Office of the Medical Examiner. We have been in contact with the patient’s family, and will continue to be available to them. VCU complies with requirements governing the administration of general anesthesia during dental procedures, and professional emergency care is immediately available in our dental clinics and facilities.

Crystal Lewis is still trying to find answers a week later. She said her oldest son, Keyon Hill, had the same procedure earlier with no problems.

While the autopsy was performed Thursday, the state medical examiner’s office told the Richmond Times-Dispatch it could take weeks to determine the cause and matter of death. The Virginia Medicaid Agency is currently investigating the death.

This is a truly unfortunate and tragic accident. Our thoughts are with the Lewis family as they work through the complexities of the investigations into Hill’s death.

If the investigations rule that the VCU clinic was responsible for his untimely death, Hill’s family may be able to bring a Wrongful Death suit.

According to Lynchburg officials, the child was playing in the yard while the his mother and a babysitter were inside.

William Faust, Animal Warden, states that a medium-sized, mixed-breed dog bit the child several times, causing numerous puncture wounds, however no serious lacerations.

Animal control officers impounded the dog so it can be evaluated for disease. However, they have not been able to determine the cause of the attack.

The child was lucky, in this case, because officers were quickly called to the scene and able to apprehend the attacking dog. This is not always the case.

If the dog had not been found, the toddler would need to be tested for a battery of diseases, including rabies (the test for which can be very painful).

As of Wednesday, officers had not yet been able to speak with the dog’s owners.

In this case, the child’s injuries were very minor. However, in another situation, he may have been entitled to larger damages, including having his medical bills covered by the dog owner’s (or their insurance company).

In fact, in Virginia, most homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies will cover their dog, regardless of the breed or the location of the attack.

When dealing with your (or someone else’s) insurance company, it’s best to know exactly what your rights are. Remember, you are not always required to give a statement to a claims adjustor right away.

For more information on dog bite claims and dealing with the resulting insurance claim messes, request a free copy of my book, “The Virginia Dog Bite Book.”

Even if you haven’t been bitten by a dog, or are simply a dog owner, it never hurts to be informed of your rights ahead of time.

Typically, if an owner is present when their animal attacks, they will feel guilty and be more willing to work with you. Get all the information you can from them—their contact and insurance information, as well as the dog’s medical history.

Dan Roman, of Lovettsville, VA, learned this the hard way. When his daughter Maya was bitten by a dog named Hunter in the park on Sunday, Roman was shaken, but didn’t get the contact info he needed.

Roman told the Frederick News Post that his four-year-old daughter stopped to pet a leashed dog, sitting with a couple at an outdoor table at Beans in the Belfry. When his daughter stopped to pet the dog, he lunged and bit her.

“It wasn’t a real hard bite at all,” Roman said. Roman said the dog had tags on his collar, and that the owners were very upset (and bought Maya a brownie) and assured him their dog was current on shots.

However, a day later, the puncture marks from the bite were slightly infected. Because the dog bite was not reported at the time of the incident, there is no way of knowing if the dog was actually current on his shots. Maya will have to undergo treatment for rabies as a precaution, which will involve a very painful intramuscular shot of serum.

Dog bite claims can be tricky. Before you speak with an insurance adjustor or hire an attorney (believe it or not—you may not need to!), contact The Parrish Law Firm and request your FREE copy of the Virginia Dog Bite Book.

According to the CDC motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. Some of the car accidents involving teenage drivers may be due to lack of driving experience, but all too common, teenage drivers often do not take the privilege of driving seriously or fall to peer pressure and drive in an unsafe manner. To help reduce the number of teenagers dying in car accidents, many driving monitoring devices have flooded the market promising to assist parents with monitoring their teenage child’s driving behavior and/or whereabouts.

A new driving monitoring device that claims that its use could reduce your “child’s chance of being in a crash by up to 62%” is called tiwi. In addition to tiwi operating as a GPS device so a parent can monitor where their teenager is located, it also monitors and records seatbelt usage, aggressive driving behavior, and speeding. Basically, this monitoring device will provide real-time verbal feedback to the driver to correct their driving behavior as well as real-time reporting to the parents of unsafe driving. Another interesting feature about the tiwi is that it can be used as a communication device as the driver may use it to call emergency services and the parent can call the unit to speak to the driver.

Since the tiwi device is in clear view on the windshield and can be clearly heard by all in the vehicle, the creators of tiwi believe that it will help teenage drivers avoid peer pressure to drive unsafely because they will have an excuse to follow the law and their parent’s rules. The tiwi will be watching!

For more articles on the tiwi system:

• HowStuffWorks – How the Tiwi System Works
• KING5 – TIWI technology helping parents monitor teen driving
• Edmunds – How To Keep Tabs on Your Teen Driver; Good Parenting vs. Privacy Invasion and the Tools to Use

If you, your family, or friends are injured by the negligence of another party, contact the Parrish Law Firm to discuss your case. The Parrish Law Firm used to work for the insurance companies. Let us put our experience to work for you!

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The Parrish Law Firm
10620-C Crestwood Drive – Manassas, Virginia 20109
(571) 229-1800

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]]> http://blog.theparrishlawfirm.com/tiwi-claims-to-make-teenage-drivers-safer-manassas-personal-injury-attorney/feed/ 0 http://blog.theparrishlawfirm.com/uab-tests-software-designed-to-prevent-dog-bites/ http://blog.theparrishlawfirm.com/uab-tests-software-designed-to-prevent-dog-bites/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:51:37 +0000 admin http://blog.theparrishlawfirm.com/?p=1925 University of Alabama-Birmingham researchers are testing software designed to train children in dog bite prevention. The program, called Blue Dog is already on the market in some areas.

The study is geared to children between the ages three and six. “This is not a small problem,” said David Schwebel, professor and vice chairman of the psychology department at UAB.

“Dog owners love their dogs and think their dogs are very safe,” Schwebel said. “A huge portion of dogs are safe. But if they get provoked the wrong way, they will bite.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, dogs bite about 4.5 million Americans per year, with several further cases going unreported.

Children can be especially susceptible to dog bites., according to the CDC. Dogs don’t typically “just snap,” according to an ABC News report, and a number of common behaviors can get children bitten. Hugging tightly around the neck, tail-pulling and ear-touching are just a few of these habits.

The nonverbal Blue Dog software program presents children with choices to make in various situations involving dogs. In one scenario, a dog is eating. The child selects whether to play with the dog, or to leave it alone.

In another, the child chooses whether to play with its own toy or with the dog’s toy. If the child makes the wrong choice, the Blue Dog will exhibit typical warning behavior—growling and baring teeth. The computer tells the child they have made the wrong choice without actually showing the consequences. When the dog growls, the cartoon child will, however, appear scared, reinforcing to the child they made the wrong decision.

UAB researchers are hoping to see the child exhibit safer interactions with dogs after playing the game, for example petting the dog on the back instead of the face.

If you or a child you know has been bitten by a dog, you probably have a lot of questions about what the next move should be. Before you speak with an insurance company, know your rights. Request a copy the Insider’s Guide to Dog Bite Claims in Virginia from the Parrish Law Firm.