Bull Riders Reluctant to Don Safety Helmets
Bull riders are ten times more likely to get injured than players of major contact sports like hockey and football, but that could be changing. One of the main changes that could improve the injury rate is the swapping of the ornamental cowboy hat for a protective helmet. Since over half of bull riding injuries are head traumas and brain injuries, with spinal injuries coming soon after, helmets could make a big difference. Although some riders complain that helmets are bulky, block their vision, and are ineffectual or even harmful, the same study that showed the frequency of injury among bull riders also showed that a helmet could cut the rate of injuries in half. Currently, rodeo association rules do not require riders to wear helmets, and that's unlikely to change for a while, but the current is alternating from negative to positive, as high-profile riders are putting on helmets to keep themselves competitive. Both the bull-riding champion and the rookie of the year from 2006 now wear helmets. And the Professional Bull Riders association plans to offer scholarships to youth leagues that require helmets, once they meet the full standards applied by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). This may be too slow, and the association's reluctance may encourage many young riders to ride without protective gear. Rodeo is an essential part of Texas culture, and it will always be risky, but it doesn't need to be unnecessarily risky. If you know someone who suffered brain injury because they were encouraged to ride without a helmet, contact the Houston, Texas law firm of Kennedy Hodges, LLP today. Litigation may be the only way to inspire the rodeo associations to adopt an ethic of safety so that our favorite cowboys can take their lumps, but get up to ride again.Labels: brain injury, rodeo, Texas
Man Sues Union Pacific for Injuries from 2004 Train Derailment
A man who was injured by chlorine gas released in one of seven derailments of Union Pacific trains in Bexar County, Texas, near San Antonio in 2004 is suing Union Pacific for as-yet-undisclosed damages. We can only hope that the damages will be sufficient to make Union Pacific sit up and take notice, hopefully even put its house in order in terms of the safety of the people who live near the rail lines on which it operates. Apparently, this is a case where no one seems to be willing or able to regulate the industry to improve safety. In 2005, federal regulators began an 18-month study of railroad traffic in the county, and the regulators have passed on more fines to Union Pacific than to any other railroad. However, the work by the Federal Railroad Administration, a branch of the National Transportation Safety Board, was unsuccessful, as evidenced by the 58 railroad accidents in Bexar County in 2006, including the derailment of 17 cars in a populous San Antonio neighborhood on October 17, 2006, which sparked a personal appeal from the city to their Senator. No one seems to be able to make Union Pacific do anything. The only way to make them change is to make them want to change, and the only way to do that is to make safety unprofitable. If you have suffered as a result of a train accident in Texas, contact Jim Adler & Associates for a free consultation. Labels: Texas, train accident
Recent Death at BP Plant to Be Investigated by Same Official as 2005 Explosion
The same official who led the inquiry into the 2005 explosion at a BP plant that led to an admission of federal environmental standards will be investigating a recent death at the company's Texas City refinery. The US Chemical Safety Board team will investigate the on-the-job death of a veteran operations supervisor who suffered fatal head injuries while the team he supervised was installing a water filtration vessel. The company has reported that a chemical explosion may have been involved, while earlier reports suggested only that the death was the result of high water pressure and did not mention the presence of burns or scorching on the body or at the scene. However, lawyers for the family suggest that the worker's body was badly burned. If you have lost a loved one as a result of an on-the-job accident, contact the experienced Workers' Compensation lawyers at Marc Whitehead & Associates today for a free consultation. Labels: Texas, workers' compensation, wrongful death
Husband of Woman Killed by Tread Separation Accident Seeks $100 Million
On May 15, 2006, a Texas woman was riding in a 2000 Mazda half-ton pickup driven by a friend when one of the tires suffered a catastrophic tread separation, sending the truck into a spinning flip. She later died from injuries sustained in the auto accident. Now her husband, acting on behalf of himself, his children, and the estate of his wife, filed a product liability suit against the tire manufacturer, Cooper Tire and Rubber Company. His Wrongful Death suit asks for $100 million in actual and punitive damages against the firm for what the complaint described as "wanton and willful recklessness." The product liability complaint alleges that the tire was defective in design and manufacture, making it "unreasonably dangerous," even when used as intended. Furthermore, the complaint alleges that Cooper Tire failed to adequately test the tires before marketing them, and that there existed reasonable economic alternatives that would have made the tire safer, if they had been pursued by Cooper. Even worse, the complaint alleges that Cooper knew of the defects but concealed or failed to disclose these facts. If someone you love has been killed or seriously injured as a result of a defective product in Texas, contact the experienced product liability lawyers at Kennedy Hodges, LLP for a free case evaluation. Labels: auto accident, defective product, Texas, Tire Blowout, truck accident
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