Pool Injuries and Your Legal Rights

Posted on February 15, 2016
Since pools can be particularly dangerous – especially for children who are at particular risk of drowning – they receive special attention in premises liability cases. They can be considered an “attractive nuisance,” meaning that pool owners might be held responsible for injuries if their pool is not safeguarded well to prevent intruders from trespassing and using the property unsafely. Pool injuries may be caused and worsened by a variety of problems, including:   Equipment malfunctions, like poorly constructed diving boards Insufficient maintenance by the owner, like not cleaning out drains Too many harmful chemicals added to the water Lack of adult supervision Unmarked water depths Lack of first aid available Doors or fences to the pool being left open

Pool Safety to Prevent Personal Injury

Posted on February 15, 2016
Pool Safety to Prevent Accidents and Wrongful Death With late spring approaching, Memphis area home owners are preparing to open their swimming pools, including setting the water and chemical levels, gathering toys, and cleaning off the patio furniture, But if you own a pool or have a swimming area on your property, there are also some important safety issues to consider. “Attractive Nuisances” – A Pool Owner’s Responsibility Pool owners can be responsible for injuries occurring on their property. Even if someone sneaks in to use your pool without your permission, that person’s safety may be part of your responsibility according to the law. Pools can be considered an “attractive nuisance” for children who, not knowing better, might sneak onto
By: Darrell Castle If you’re like me, you walk outside and immediately start breaking into a nasty sweat. That’s because summer weather is here in Memphis and it’s launched a full-fledged assault! So it’s time to reevaluate how you’re going to keep your children — and other children in your neighborhood — safe from injuries that can ruin their summer — or worse! I want to talk to you about two types of accidents in particular. Trampoline Safety Trampolines have always been popular, especially in the summer. Kids are out of school and looking to play outside. What better way than jumping up and down on a trampoline (besides swimming of course)? However, accidents do happen quite often, which is
The danger of defective car parts is scary By: Darrell Castle Missouri authorities claim a FedEx driver was crushed by his own truck while making deliveries. Blame is being pointed at a possible brake defect. The 52 year old driver was outside of his truck when it began to roll down an embankment, crushing him between the houses. The driver was transported to the hospital where he later died as a result of his injuries. A truck accident lawyer Memphis, TN trusts can tell you this is one of the most tragic accidents they’ve seen, as are any accidents of this size and consequence. These FedEx trucks are massive and can do very serious damage. The family of this driver
Every few months we hear about a tragic accident in which someone dies after being ejected from a car. These accidents are so horrifying, so unexpected and extreme, that we assume they’ll never happen to us. Indeed, there are many things we can all do to protect ourselves from being ejected from a car. We should always:   Wear a seat-belt, and position it correctly on our bodies. Never drive with the door off the car, as is popular with some off-road vehicles. Have our vehicle regularly inspected. Only buy airbags or get airbag repairs from the dealership or dealership-approved companies, who will inform you about recalls.   But ejection can still happen, and it doesn’t have to involve heavy

Does Poverty Cause Bad Decisions?

Posted on February 15, 2016
A new study suggests that people in poverty can’t help it – at least, not as much as the public might think. The study, published in the journal Science, details how poverty causes a strain on the mind. Being poor and dealing with all the pressures that come with poverty takes a lot of brainpower and can exhaust people. As a result, they have less energy to make wise choices, which means they might stay in poverty longer because of bad decisions. In fact, researchers say poverty can even lower a person’s IQ level by 13 points. It impairs the brain the same way it might to lose a full night of sleep. What’s even more incredible: those lost abilities
According to a recent Census Bureau report, the nation’s poverty rates have remained steady for the last year. Nationwide, that rate is 15% – a very high figure affecting over 46 million Americans. The consistent rate has been hailed as somewhat positive news, since at least it’s not an increase like people expected. Experts predicted the poverty rate would increase. After all, it’s increased four times in a row in recent years, to some of the highest rates in the last half-century. Since it didn’t increase this time, some economists and politicians are hailing the news as a sign the nation is recovering from its devastating recession. And if they’re right, that’s great. But as a bankruptcy lawyer in Memphis,
By: Darrell Castle WREG News Channel 3 reported a story this week about power morcellators. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first warned the public about power morcellators early last year. And around that same time, I wrote an article about it. In the article, I talked about a woman named Debra and her story about battling aggressive cancer after her power morcellator procedure. What is a power morcellator? Many women suffer from uterine fibroids and the symptoms that come with them. These are benign tumors that grow in a woman’s uterus. They come in different sizes — some small and some as big as a baseball. These fibroids are very hard. So some surgeons will use power morcellators —
We’ve all either done it or have seen another driver do it – pull over to the side of the interstate, that is. Sometimes we have a flat tire or want to help out someone who does. Sometimes we just need to rest. However, when pulling over to the side of the road, especially on the interstate, do so with extreme caution. A 20 year-old man in Knoxville pulled over along the interstate to help the driver of a broken-down car. There were two people inside the pulled-over car, a young engaged couple. As they were pulled over, another interstate driver plowed into the two cars, killing two of the people and sending one to the hospital. The driver of

Pradaxa and Heart Attacks

Posted on February 15, 2016
Pradaxa is a blood thinning medication used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Now it has also been associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. Studies in 2011 and 2012 showed Pradaxa’s connection to cardiac arrest as a result of serious bleeding events. After analyzing seven clinical trials, researchers determined that the heightened risk of heart problems connected to the drug are “significant.” Most anticoagulant (blood thinning) medications have the potential side effect of bleeding problems. Pradaxa, it appears, may be worse than others. In a January 2012 report, physicians warn that medical providers should use caution when prescribing the drug because of these very serious risks. If you or