Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday celebrated today- the 5th of May! The date is observed to recognize the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862.
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is heavily celebrated. Our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton want to help you celebrate safely. Here’s how to have an unforgettable and safe Cinco de Mayo:
Plan Ahead
All-terrain vehicle-related injuries are a huge problem across the United States, and we see more children affected than adults. According to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, the major risk factors for young riders also are entirely preventable.
Their studies show that the injuries children sustain from ATV-related accidents are frequently more severe than injuries received from motor vehicle crashes.
Researchers reviewed data from 16 published studies conducted from 2000 to 2010 on the epidemiology and risk factors among ATV-related injuries in American children.
Data from 2013, the most recent reporting year from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, showed that there were an estimated 99,600 ATV-related injuries in the United States that required at least emergency department treatment. Of those, approximately 25 percent were in children under 16.
The factors that appear related to the relatively high rates of death and injury for children are more powerful machines, younger drivers and lack of safety equipment and risky driving behavior. The most common causes for ATV injuries among young riders are vehicle rollover, collision with a stationary object and ejection from the vehicle.
One of the biggest dangers is when children are given free rein to use an adult-sized machine, like an ATV. The truth is that ATVs are often driven by children too young for a driver’s license, and allowing them access to these machines that are prone to flipping over and rolling is just not a good idea. It is very easy for kids to lose control of these machines, as ATVs can reach speeds above 50 MPH. Most parents would not allow their child to drive a car at that speed, and cars are outfitted with airbags and seat belts, where ATVs are not.
ATV accident victims can suffer severe injuries and even wrongful death. Traumatic brain injuries are common for ATV accident victims, and these injuries usually require long-term medical care.
Nearly two dozen visitors to Six Flags America in Bowie, Maryland, were stuck on a roller coaster when it stalled Thursday.
A spokesman for Prince George’s County Fire Department said firefighters rescued all riders on board the Joker’s Jinx coaster four hours after crews arrived to rescue them.
Six Flags issued a statement about the incident:
Joker’s Jinx did not complete its regular ride cycle causing it to stop at a safe location on the track. The Prince George’s County Fire Department is onsite to assist in getting the riders safely off the ride. The safety of our guests is our highest priority and the ride will be closed for a thorough inspection before re-opening.
The ride has had this problem before when it became stuck in 2014. The rescue took hours.
Roller coasters, while thrilling, are the most dangerous rides at amusement and theme parks. Each year, roller coaster and theme park injuries account for 9,000 emergency room visits.
If an amusement park’s negligence results in an accident, whether it be a roller coaster stalling or a slip and fall accident, injury victims may be entitled to financial compensation from the amusement park owners for their suffering.
Shaquille O’Neal has bought new furniture for the family of a 5-year-old Atlanta girl who survived a dog attack that left another child dead.
According to reports, the girl returned home this week after being hospitalized since the Jan. 17 attack. The two children were walking to a bus stop when they were attacked by two dogs. One died from his injuries. The dogs’ owner has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct.
O’Neal met the family at an Atlanta furniture store and picked up the tab for new items. The family said that the former NBA star and current TNT analyst has been involved with the family since the attack.
This may come as a surprise, but nearly 4.7 million Americans are attacked by dogs every year. These attacks result in 800,000 people requiring medical treatment for their injuries. Sadly, the dog attacks that result in fatalities usually involve innocent children.
It is true that most dogs go through their lives without delivering harm to anyone. However, most does not mean all and traumatic dog attacks do happen. If a victim survives a dog attack, they are usually left to deal with painful, permanent scarring to the face and body.
Drivers should anticipate an increase in motorcycle traffic on Florida roads, as thousands of motorcyclists ride into Daytona for the 76th annual Daytona Bike Week March 10-19.
With that said, Florida has the most motorcycle crash fatalities in the nation, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
According to the most recent crash data, Florida saw a 30 percent increase in motorcycle deaths in 2015, the highest on record. Motorcyclists accounted for 20 percent of motor vehicle fatalities in the state, yet motorcycles account for only 3 percent of registered vehicles. In 2015, 606 people died and 9,045 were injured in motorcycle crashes on Florida roads.
The top counties for motorcycle fatalities are:
Motorcyclists lack the protection offered to drivers of cars and trucks. Collisions that would cause minor injuries to a car or truck driver can be fatal to motorcyclists. That is why the fatality rate for motorcyclists in accidents is six times the fatality rate for passenger vehicle occupants.
Manzana Products Co. Inc. is voluntarily recalling three different types of Trader Joe’s apple sauces because of the potential presence of glass pieces.
The three applesauces recalled are:
Each apple sauce is packaged in a 24-ounce glass jar, and customers can find the “best before” date stamped on the top of the lid.
The recall was initiated after the company received customer reports of glass found in some of these products.
The company said that all products have been removed from store shelves and destroyed.
Customers who have purchased the products listed above should not consume them. They may return them to Trader Joe’s for a full refund or throw them away.
Call Manzana Products Co. Inc. at 707-823-5313 with any questions.
Swallowing glass can pose serious health concerns. Sharp foreign objects, like glass, can cause laceration, puncture or other physical injury to someone’s teeth, jaw, tongue, perioral tissue, pharynx or esophagus. Once swallowed, glass or any foreign body can also cause injuries to the stomach, intestine or rectum while passing through the lower gastrointestinal tract. In some cases, the foreign matter cannot be passed and requires surgery.
Another concern of swallowing a foreign object, like glass, is the choking hazard. If a shard of glass is caught in a person’s throat, this can result in hypoxic brain injury or asphyxia related death.
A Kentucky woman claims a slippery deck near a hot tub on a Miami-based cruise ship caused her to fall.
The woman filed a complaint on Feb. 13 against Carnival Corp., doing business as Carnival Cruise Lines Inc., alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, the woman claims that on Feb. 26, 2016, she suffered serious physical injuries when she slipped and fell while exiting the Jacuzzi onboard the Carnival Fascination. She holds Carnival Cruise Lines Inc. responsible because they failed to warn the her regarding the slippery surface while exiting the Jacuzzi.
If you were injured in a cruise ship accident, you are not alone. Countless cruise ship passengers are injured every year, usually do to the negligence of a cruise line or its employees. Sadly, most of these injuries are 100 percent preventable. Slip, trip and fall accidents make up the majority of these incidents, resulting in a plethora of injuries including head injuries, broken bones, and spinal cord injuries. In most cruise ship slip, trip and fall cases, financial compensation can be sought by filing a personal injury claim.
While there are numerous ways a slip, trip and fall accident can occur, negligence is usually a contributing factor. The key to gaining a successful outcome for your claim, is proving negligence and showing that the negligence caused injuries to the victim.
A Carnival passenger alleges he was injured because he slipped on a deck that was wet with rain.
The man filed a complaint on Jan. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Carnival Corp. alleging negligence.
According to the lawsuit, the man alleges that he sustained physical injuries when he accidentally slipped and fell due to a deck wet because of rain. The man holds Carnival Corp. responsible because they failed to warn the man of the hazardous condition of the lido deck.
All areas on a cruise ship that see a high volume of foot traffic must be must be free of dangers, and that includes any wet or slick surfaces that could result in slip, trip or fall injuries. Cruise line companies could be responsible for slip, trip and fall accidents that occur because of hazards employees create. Dangerous or hazardous conditions include slick or slippery surfaces and a failure to warn passengers of the wet area or failing to undertake reasonable safety precautions.
If a cruise line creates a dangerous condition or does not work to remedy the situation in a reasonable amount of time, they could be liable for all injuries they have caused. This negligence on the cruise ship’s part could mean you are entitled to recover financial compensation for your injuries.
The most wonderful time of the year is also among the deadliest.
According to an analysis by the Associated Press and the USA Today Network, unintentional shootings spike in the U.S. during the holidays.
The analysis determined that 32 people were killed nationwide and 59 injured over the past two years from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day — which is the most likely day for accidental shootings each year.
The victims were mostly male and young, with a median age of 19. Nearly half the shootings were self-inflicted, and most occurred in their own homes.
The AP and USA Today Network looked at holiday shootings after an earlier investigation found that accidental shootings involving children happen far more often than federal government statistics show.
Based on incidents compiled by the Gun Violence Archive, they found that more than 320 minors were killed by unintentional shootings over a 2½ year period that ended June 30.
Several factors contribute to the increase:
A man was arrested after a selfie with a handgun in the bathroom of an adult entertainment club went wrong on Friday.
St. Petersburg police said that the 34-year-old man went to the bathroom at Club Lust to take a selfie with the gun.
Somehow, the gun went off and the bullet went through to the women’s restroom next door.
Police said that the man tried to run. He was arrested and charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possession of Xanax and possession of marijuana less than two grams.
It is unknown if anyone in the women’s restroom was injured by the bullet.
Gun violence is a huge problem across the United States. In fact, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, someone in America is killed by gunfire every 15 minutes. While the Second Amendment allows people the right to bear arms, handling guns carelessly can result in real serious harm to innocent bystanders.
Guns should never be used or handled in a joking manner. Injured victims of gun accidents have the right to seek financial compensation for all damages. Our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you recover the full amount for all medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering related to a gun accident. If you lost a loved one in an accidental shooting, we can help you file a wrongful death claim.
Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog