4 telltale signs of nursing home abuse and neglect
Putting a loved one in a nursing home may be the right choice for your family, but you likely still have concerns about abuse and neglect. The National Council on Aging states that among Americans 60 and older, at least one in 10 have experienced some form of abuse. Identifying...
Continue ReadingBedsores are often an early indicator of nursing home neglect
If your elderly mother, father or grandparent lives in a nursing home, you rely on staff to provide adequate care. After all, your loved one likely needs some assistance managing both everyday tasks and medical conditions. Unfortunately, though, nursing home neglect may be more common than you suspect. The National...
Continue ReadingTurning down your music may save your life
Thanks to an aggressive South Carolina Department of Transportation campaign, most Palmetto State motorists recognize the risks of distracted driving. Maintaining focus, though, is about more than stashing your smartphone until you reach your destination. Researchers have found a link between music volume and car wreck risk. To boost your...
Continue ReadingCar wrecks and back injuries
Were you injured in an auto wreck? You are not alone. Approximately 3 million Americans each year are seriously injured in car crashes. Some of the most severe injuries involve the neck and back. Spinal cord injuries may result in partial loss of nerve or motor function, even paralysis. The...
Continue ReadingNursing home abuse, neglect cases often go unreported
Even as the number of elderly adults in the U.S. continues to rise, recent studies show that cases of neglect, abuse and financial manipulation by caregivers remain all too common. Last summer, a study by the Department of Health and Human Services revealed that an estimated 1 in 5 emergency...
Continue ReadingFiling an insurance claim after a car crash
There are many steps to take after a collision, which can be confusing and overwhelming. This is especially true if there were injuries involved or if there is some confusion as to who was at fault. South Carolina residents may wonder how best to communicate with their insurance companies after...
Continue Reading3 tips for staying active after an injury
Suffering an injury due to someone else’s negligence in South Carolina is devastating. If you are the type of person who stays active, your injury downtime can be frustrating. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to find ways to stay active and keep in shape...
Continue ReadingTips for making your motorcycle more visible
Riding a motorcycle comes with a fair share of risks. One of these dangers is the fact that drivers often do not see you. Motorists tend to only look out for other cars or bigger trucks. Many times, they do not notice motorcycles. This can easily lead to collisions, which...
Continue ReadingFederal data shows many nursing home staffing shortages
One of the biggest reasons for nursing home neglect is not that the staff doesn’t care. It’s that they just do not have enough people on staff. Try as they might, they can’t get everything done and they can’t offer proper care to every single person in the nursing home....
Continue ReadingWhen you’re driving, don’t think about anything else
Have you ever gotten home in the car with no memory of the drive there? Have you ever zoned out behind the wheel and then suddenly realized that you passed your exit and you don’t know where you are? It happens all the time. You’re supposed to think about driving,...
Continue ReadingHow many falls are on the same level?
Many people assume that you need to be at a height to get injured in a workplace fall. This is a myth. You can get seriously injured in a slip-and-fall accident on the same level. Some people have even passed away from their injuries. Do not assume you do not...
Continue ReadingStudy links car color and accident risks
Your odds of getting into an accident may all come back to the color of car that you buy. A study found that specific colors saw higher or lower accident rates, indicating that drivers may be unknowingly putting themselves at risk when they pick out their next vehicle. The study...
Continue ReadingExamples of disabilities after a car accident
When they get involved in a serious car accident, the first thing that many people ask the medical professionals is how long it will take them to recover. They want to know when they can get out of the hospital, when they’ll feel like normal again and when they can...
Continue ReadingMalnutrition can have a serious impact on the elderly
If your loved one is getting neglected in a nursing home or assisted living facility, they may not be getting all of the nutrients that they need every day. This can lead to malnutrition, which can have a drastic impact on their health. Depending on their mental and physical capabilities,...
Continue ReadingWhat is ‘microsleep?’
When a driver dozes off for even a second, catastrophic consequences can ensue. They can swerve into another lane or fail to stop when the vehicle ahead of them does. They may not see a pedestrian or bicyclist entering their path. There’s a term for brief episodes of dozing off,...
Continue Reading4 infants injured when car crashes into day care facility
Not all car accidents involve a collision between vehicles or even with a pedestrian. People going about their day at home, work or elsewhere can become the victim of a careless or reckless driver. Earlier this month, a woman ran her car through the wall of a Columbia day care...
Continue ReadingFast-food workers face violence, many other dangers
People who work in fast-food establishments are on the front lines — literally. They regularly interact with customers (and non-customers) at the counter and in drive-thru lanes. Most of these interactions are unremarkable. Too often, however, they are violent. Just this month, surveillance video captured a young McDonald’s employee being...
Continue ReadingAre assisted living facilities safe for people with dementia?
As the American population ages, there’s been considerable growth in the assisted living industry. Approximately 40 percent of the people in assisted living facilities have dementia. Unfortunately, the people who work in many of these facilities aren’t trained or equipped to properly care for them. This can be dangerous for...
Continue ReadingWhat are ‘social host liability’ laws?
If you’re involved in a car crash with a drunk driver who’s returning from a holiday party, can you hold the hosts of the party responsible along with the drunk driver? Fortunately, South Carolina has “social host liability” laws that apply to both adults and minors. This means if someone...
Continue ReadingProgram seeks to cut hospital readmissions by nursing homes
The federal government is taking steps to try to reduce the number of nursing home patients who return to the hospital within 30 days after their previous stay with a program they’ve recently implemented. Based on readmission rates over the next year (from Oct. 2018 through Sept. 2019), nursing homes...
Continue ReadingDo dementia patients live longer in care facilities or at home?
If you have a loved one who’s suffering from dementia, it’s likely becoming increasingly more difficult to care for them and ensure their safety at home. They may wander away — sometimes even taking the keys to the car and driving hundreds of miles — if they aren’t watched constantly....
Continue Reading13 injured when South Carolina school bus goes down embankment
A field trip ended in multiple injuries on Oct. 19 when a school bus went off the road as it was headed southbound on U.S. 25, about 4 miles from Ware Shoals. The bus reportedly struck a fence and utility pole and then fell down an embankment. Twenty-nine children were...
Continue ReadingChanges in reporting shed light on nursing home staffing issues
All of us who have loved ones in nursing homes are concerned about the staffing levels. We know that patients in an understaffed facility are more likely to suffer injuries because someone isn’t always available to help them when they want or need to move. There are more likely to...
Continue ReadingHow social media can derail your workers’ compensation claim
Workers’ compensation is a crucial benefit for workers who are injured or sickened on the job and for their families. Workers’ comp provides income while they are getting medical treatment, recovering and unable to work. Obviously, employers and insurers have a vested interest in making sure that people receiving this...
Continue ReadingNursing home evacuations during storms — stressful but necessary
If you have a loved one in a nursing home in the path of a storm, you want assurance that they’ll be safely evacuated if necessary. However, those evacuations can be highly stressful and frightening to elderly people. Further, the accommodations in the facilities to which they’re moved are often...
Continue ReadingTips for driving in a school zone
Drivers always need to be cautious in school zones. However, now that the school year has started again, it’s particularly crucial not just to obey all posted signs and crossing guards, but to keep your eye out for kids who might run into the street unexpectedly. According to Safe Kids...
Continue ReadingThings you can do to avoid becoming a pedestrian statistic
Pedestrians rarely come out on the winning end of a pedestrian-versus-vehicle encounter. As pedestrians, we can’t control drivers who are reckless or negligent. You may have been taught that pedestrians always have the right of way. However, don’t count on drivers always giving you that. Nonetheless, there are a number...
Continue ReadingWhat should you look for when choosing a nursing home?
Choosing a nursing home for a loved one is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Unfortunately, some people don’t take the time to adequately research their options. A hospital may inform you of the imminent discharge of an elderly family member who will need care you can’t...
Continue ReadingHow parents can reduce distracted driving among teens
All new teen drivers know that using their phones to text, talk, check social media or post photos or videos is dangerous. They need to keep their attention on their driving and their eyes on the road. However, many of them use their phones while driving anyway. In fact, in...
Continue ReadingReport: Nursing home staffing levels have been overstated
If you have a family member in a South Carolina nursing home, you’ve likely been concerned at times about whether there were enough qualified staff members available to provide the level of care and personal attention your loved one needs and deserves. A recent study by The New York Times...
Continue ReadingFamily sues nursing home for death of elderly man after fall
The family of a World War II veteran is suing the Cherryville, North Carolina, nursing home for his death in January 2017, a week after suffering a fall in which he broke his leg. The 98-year-old grandfather, who had once been a Teamsters union leader, had been living in Carolina...
Continue ReadingHow do you treat a ruptured disc?
There are many kinds of back injuries that can take place on the job, but understanding the most common and how to avoid them could help you significantly. From herniated discs to strain from overworking the joints, back injuries can happen at almost any time and to anyone. One of...
Continue ReadingProving a slip-and-fall case in a nursing home
Leaving a loved one in a nursing home is hard enough, but realizing that there was danger you didn’t know about is devastating. When you place a loved one in nursing care, you expect him or her to receive care and to be monitored for safety. You don’t expect to...
Continue ReadingSummer driving: The risks you face each day
Summer is a great time to go out and have fun with family and friends, but it’s also a threat to those on the road. Summer driving isn’t just dangerous because there are more people on the roads. The addition of teens with new licensing, the possibility of dehydration and...
Continue ReadingOffice hazards: A potentially dangerous environment
Even though an office seems like safe environment, there are still some hazards that could lead to you suffering serious injuries. Yes, some parts of an office-based life are more comfortable than working in construction or industry, but in some ways, an office is just as dangerous. Take for example...
Continue ReadingWoman files lawsuit after nursing home misses infected wound
Nursing homes have an obligation to keep their patients safe. When they do not, they’re violating more than just the promises they’ve made to families. They’re violating the law. Take, for example, this case involving a man who passed away in May 2015. He had fallen and had to be...
Continue ReadingIs distracted driving very dangerous?
You may not believe that distracted driving is very dangerous, but it can become a life-threatening risk in just moments. As of April 1, 2018, 189 people have been killed as a result of distracted driving in South Carolina. The good news about this is that it’s 59 fewer deaths...
Continue ReadingUsing social media the right way to avoid nursing home abuse
It can be fun to use social media to share your life with others. It’s important, though, to realize that what you share isn’t always legal or allowed. For instance, if you are working at a nursing home and want to share a picture of a resident, it’s not legal...
Continue ReadingAgent blows the whistle on dangerous training site
Even in retirement, this former Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) agent is pushing for a South Carolina training site to be probed for potential health hazards. According to the March 11 news, he wants to see a deeper investigation that would look into the number of health hazards law enforcement...
Continue ReadingReporting injuries helps keep workplaces safer, so you stay safer
Workplace accidents happen all the time, but many of them are avoidable. Imagine if placing a single guardrail could prevent someone from falling into a piece of machinery or if a sign could alert someone to danger. Just changing one thing in the workplace could be the difference between life,...
Continue ReadingAmtrak will likely pay out for latest crash
If you recall the recent news, you may remember an Amtrak train that collided with a freight train parked on the tracks in South Carolina in early February. This train crashed as a result of being routed incorrectly, but still, Amtrak is facing scrutiny. According to the news from Feb....
Continue ReadingSlip-and-fall accidents can harm nursing home residents
Although you probably think of nursing home accidents as problems with getting the wrong medications or injuries as a result of falling on the way to the restroom or getting out of bed, the truth is that slip-and-fall accidents happen everywhere in these facilities. From front entryways where residents and...
Continue ReadingDrivers: Beware of pedestrians to prevent injuries and deaths
Pedestrians are in a difficult position. When they’re on the roads, they typically have the right of way. They also have no protection against vehicles. As a result, even if they are in the right, a traffic accident can cause serious or fatal injuries. In 2013, there were 4,735 people...
Continue ReadingRecognizing elder abuse is vital to protecting your loved one
Identifying elder abuse is the first step to stopping it. Elder abuse isn’t always easy to identify. Sometimes, the elderly are unable to communicate about the abuse. Other times, they don’t want to reach out to others for help or to feel like a burden. When an elderly person goes...
Continue ReadingCancer could develop after exposure to chemicals
You’ve worked in the industrial sector your entire life. Yes, you’ve come into contact with some dangerous chemicals during that time. You’re familiar with some of the risks in the workplace today, but you didn’t always know as much as you do now. In some jobs, there’s a risk of...
Continue Reading22-year-old man killed in highway accident on Interstate 85
Traffic accidents are common, and it’s not unusual to see vehicles on the side of the road with rescue workers working hard at the scene. It’s a tragedy that people focus on things other than the drive when they’re behind the wheel; it puts them and others at danger. Many...
Continue ReadingWhat should the air quality be like at work?
Indoor air quality is of the utmost importance in work environments. When there is poor air quality inside a workplace, employees could suffer from illnesses or diseases as a result. Indoor air quality doesn’t just refer to the number of toxic chemicals or particles in the air. The quality of...
Continue ReadingMultiple people hurt when pickup hits local hayride
Imagine going out on Halloween night to enjoy a local hayride. You and your kids pile into the ride, not worried about a thing. Then, out of nowhere, a vehicle collides with you. Everyone is thrown from the trailer, and now the once enjoyable night has become the scene of...
Continue ReadingThe elderly are at their mercy; hold nursing homes accountable
The elderly are easy targets for those who would abuse them. They are dependent on those around them in many ways, which means that they’re easy to take advantage of. The most common form of abuse is medical abuse, in which the medical providers or caregivers don’t give the right...
Continue ReadingYour heart attack may be compensable under workers’ compensation
It was a busy day at work, and you were on your feet much more than usual. You normally take it easy on the job, because you haven’t been feeling well lately. With the added stress of the upcoming holidays, you figured you just felt unwell because of stress. It...
Continue ReadingBe aware of the way pressure ulcers form
There are many risk factors of bedsores you should be familiar with if you have an elderly or aging loved one in a hospital or long-term care facility. Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers or pressure sores, develop when there is prolonged pressure placed on the skin. For example, if...
Continue Reading2 accused in crash that resulted in 2 deaths
Imagine driving down the road. You’re minding your own business, but that doesn’t stop a crash from taking place. Before you can move out of the way, a person on the opposite side of the road attempts to pass too closely to your vehicle. He hits you head on, causing...
Continue ReadingPreventing dehydration makes the elderly healthier
When your loved one is in a nursing home or hospital, it’s important that he or she is drinking enough fluids. If he or she is not, then the nurses or doctors there should be willing to use an IV to make sure that your loved one does not become...
Continue ReadingWorkers’ compensation or disability: Which is right for you?
Workers’ compensation is a benefit provided to you if you’re hurt on the job. It is designed to be an alternative to taking your employer to court and suing for damages. Workers’ compensation insurance instead pays for medical bills and other needs until you can work again, be retrained or...
Continue ReadingAre injured workers getting addicted to opioids?
If you get hurt on the job and require surgery or treatments for pain, you may be interested to know that the rate at which doctors are prescribing opiates has dropped. With a war on opiate abuse coming to a head in the United States, only those who truly have...
Continue ReadingAre adults with disabilities suffering from abuse?
Many adults with disabilities in South Carolina are depending on others for their daily living requirements. Some of these adults are receiving care at nursing facilities, and just like any other person at a nursing home, these adults are at risk of being abused or neglected. According to statistics from...
Continue ReadingThe deadliest days of summer are upon us in 2017
Once school’s out for summer, plenty of teens get behind the wheel and learn to drive or continue on their adventure learning what it means to hold a license. After Memorial Day, parents need to recognize and talk to their kids about the 100 deadly days of summer, the days...
Continue ReadingWatch out for these 3 signs of nursing home negligence
When you place a loved one in a nursing home, it’s important to know that he or she is being cared for. If you find that your loved one is not being taken care of, you may be in a position to file a medical malpractice or nursing home neglect...
Continue ReadingA South Carolina deputy is killed during boat training exercise
A 30-year-old Anderson county sheriff’s deputy died after being struck by a boat propeller in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 1, 2017. A captain with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said that the man had been participating in a training drill on Lake Hartwell at...
Continue ReadingWhat to do if you have an accident during Memorial Day weekend
Memorial Day weekend is the first big summer holiday (even though summer hasn’t begun yet). Nevertheless, it is ubiquitous for road trips. AAA estimates that nearly 40 million people will travel at least 50 miles away from home over the weekend. With more cars on the road, drivers have to...
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