South Carolina Personal Injury Law Firm Blog

Bloomberg reports a father of a Harvard College student has sued the college and fellows over his son's suicide in 2007. Harvard College is the undergraduate school of Harvard University.

The wrongful death lawsuit brought on behalf of the student's estate claims Harvard's health service prescribed drugs known to increase suicide risk and other side effects.

At the time of his death, the student was taking Accutane for cystic acne, Adderall for attention deficit hyperactive disorder (diagnosed by the school nurse) and Prozac for an anxiety disorder (also diagnosed by the nurse) and Wellbutrin, which also contains warnings about suicide for patients under age 25. The nurse allegedly signed the prescriptions for the drugs as a doctor.

Roche Laboratories stated in June it would pull Accutane off the U.S. market because of the reports of depression and suicide in patients. A 2004 FDA report suggested antidepressants such as Prozac and Wellbutrin might double the suicidal thoughts and actions in children and teens.

The student was valedictorian of his high school class.

A “wrongful death” is a death caused by the carelessness (negligence) or misconduct of another person or organization. The Louthian Law Firm has vast experience in pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. Call us today at 1-800-410-5656 for a free evaluation of your unique case.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Labels: WrongfulDeath

A Jersey County, Illinois, jury ruled that Thirsty's Tavern should pay the family of a 19-year-old girl who died in an alcohol-related accident, more than half a million dollars, reports the Journal-Courier.

The girl was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by a 24-year-old boy who had been drinking at the tavern for several hours before the accident. The driver was also killed in the accident.

The lawsuit claimed the young man's drinking at the tavern owned by his father, caused his intoxication which was one of the causes of the girl's death. Toxicology reports showed no alcohol in the young girl's system while the young man's was almost double the legal limit for Illinois.

Judgment limitations under Illinois' Dramshop Act will limit the award to closer to $100,000.

Vehicle accidents are the leading killer of Americans and the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to a motor vehicle accident, the attorneys at Louthian Law Firm can help. Call us for a free consultation at 1-866-410-5656.

Tavern Wrongful Death

Labels: AutoAccident, car crash, WrongfulDeath

The Watertown (NY) Daily Times reports the estate of a 54 year-old woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit after the woman died as a result of a two-vehicle accident in the town of LeRay.

The woman's car was hit by a van as she entered an intersection with a missing stop sign. The lawsuit names the driver of the second vehicle for negligence for failing to avoid the crash, for speeding, and for failing to slow down at an intersection.

The town of LeRay was also named for negligence for not properly maintaining the stop sign. The sign had been missing long enough that it should have been replaced by the town. The amount being sought in the lawsuit is not known.

If you have been in an accident, it’s important to make sure you understand your legal rights. Contact the experienced car accident attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm for a free evaluation of your case at 1-866-410-5656 or fill out our confidential online consultation form.

NY Wrongful Death Suit

Labels: AutoAccident, WrongfulDeath

The city of Phoenix has offered a $250,000 settlement to the three young children of a woman who strangled herself two years ago while in police custody at the Sky Harbor International Airport, reports KPHO news.

The city and police deny any wrongdoing on their part and offered the settlement because it would cost three times that amount if the case went to trial. The original amount sought by the children for negligence was $8 million.

The 45-year-old woman was drunk and unruly after missing her flight to Tucson where she was to attend a substance-abuse rehab clinic, according to the news report. The police arrested her and put her in a holding cell where she accidentally strangled herself while being chained to a bench.

A “wrongful death” is a death caused by the carelessness (negligence) or misconduct of another person or organization. The Louthian Law Firm has vast experience in pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. Call us today at 1-800-410-5656 or contact us online for a free evaluation of your unique case.

Airport Death

Labels: WrongfulDeath

A wrongful death lawsuit alleges a 15-year-old Autistic boy died in March when he was given a Fentanyl patch to alleviate his pain from a routine tooth extraction, reports Seattlepi.com.

Seattle Children's Hospital sent Michael home with his mother on March 9, following the extraction, with the fentanyl patch for pain, according to a civil suit filed earlier this month in Washington's King County Superior Court. Family members found him unresponsive the next morning and paramedics were unable to revive him - he was pronounced dead at his home.

The medical examiner report states the boy died from a drug overdose caused by the fentanyl patch, which is usually used for patients with chronic pain such as cancer patients, the newspaper reports.

Children's Medical Director has admitted the hospital staff erred when if prescribed the fentanyl to Michael, according to the article. The hospital now has a system in place to prevent such tragedies, which it did not have at the time Michael was given the patch.

The FDA has warned against the misuse of the patch system since 2005 and in a recent public health advisory warned against prescribing the patch in situations identical to Michael's, the article stated.

The civil lawsuit against the hospital was filed by Michael's mother.

The Columbia SC Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Louthian Law Firm have many years of experience in medical malpractice cases and we are committed to providing personal service and to obtaining fair compensation for all our clients. Call us at 1-866-410-5656 or fill out our confidential online case evaluation form.

Autistic Teen Death

Labels: medicalmalpractice, WrongfulDeath

The Southeast Texas Record reports a woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Bayer Corp., Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Bayer Healthcare LLC. The woman is claiming the birth control pills she had taken, made by Bayer, caused the death of her unborn daughter.

Candice Richardson took the oral contraceptive Yaz/Yasmin and claims she then suffered blood clotting and related injuries which resulted in her being hospitalized and her daughter being stillborn at 27 weeks. She claims the manufacturers misrepresented the pills' benefits and their adverse side effects. Richardson filed the wrongful death lawsuit on Sept. 18, 2009, individually and as a representative of the estate of her dead child.

A “wrongful death” is a death caused by the carelessness (negligence) or misconduct of another person or organization. The Louthian Law Firm has vast experience in pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. Call us today at 1-800-410-5656 for a free evaluation of your unique case.

Pill Blamed on Death

Labels: pharmaceutical news, WrongfulDeath

A Utah 4th District Court jury has awarded the family of a man killed in a traffic accident in 2006 almost $4.4 million, reports The Salt Lake Tribune.

Due to state law caps on damages against the state and the victim's share of the responsibility, the award will be reduced by almost $2 million.

The family of the Payson man sued the state Department of Transportation and a subcontractor for failing to post appropriate signs warning of traffic delays as they were working on the reconstruction of a bridge. The man was killed as he came over the crest of a hill and tried to swerve to miss the driver ahead of him who slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting cars stopped because of the bridge project. He crashed his vehicle and died 13 days later.

The jurors awarded almost $3 million for economic damages and $375,000 each for the man's wife and three children.

If you have been in an accident, it’s important to make sure you understand your legal rights. You may be able to recover money for medical bills, lost wages, funeral costs, as well as compensation for wrongful death or permanent disability. Contact the experienced car accident attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm for a free evaluation of your case at 1-866-410-5656 or fill out our confidential online consultation form.

Automobile Wrongful Death

Labels: AutoAccident, car crash, WrongfulDeath

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports a $16 million settlement has been reached in the wrongful death lawsuit between the family of a 41-year-old woman and Pioneer Drilling.

The woman died in September as a result heavy equipment flying off an 18-wheeler into her car. The equipment was being hauled to a gas-drilling site.

A 24,000-pound counterweight and a 4,000-pound spreader bar fell off the 18-wheeler and the spreader crushed the woman’s car.

Investigation found the equipment was secured by only two chains instead of the four that are required and the driver did not control his speed. Also, the truck driver was a truck driver’s helper and did not meet state and federal safety guidelines to drive an 18-wheeler by alone.

In his testimony, the truck driver admitted that he and other Pioneer employees back-dated documents showing that he was qualified to drive a week before the crash, according to the article.

After this testimony, a recess was called and the case was settled.

If you have been in a truck accident, it’s important to make sure you understand your legal rights. You may be able to recover money for medical bills, lost wages, funeral costs, as well as compensation for wrongful death or permanent disability. Contact the experienced truck accident attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm for a free evaluation of your case at 1-866-410-5656 or fill out our confidential online consultation form.

$16M Texas Wrongful Death

Labels: TruckAccident, WrongfulDeath

The Houston Chronicle reports an $80 million settlement for the families of 23 Bellaire nursing home residents who died in a bus fire while evacuating from Hurricane Rita in September 2005.

Sunrise Senior Living Services of McLean, Va., owners of Bellaire, ordered evacuation of the facility to a sister facility in Dallas the week before Hurricane Rita. While in route to Dallas, the bus caught fire and the 23 residents died, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration later determined the probable cause of the fire was insufficient lubrication of a rear axle. The axle overheated, causing a fire which quickly filled the bus with flames and heavy smoke.

The settlement includes an agreement to end a lawsuit against the nursing home’s corporate owner.

The Louthian Law Firm has over 50 years of experience pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. If you have lost a loved one and feel you have a wrongful death claim, call our experienced attorneys at 1-866-410-5656 for a free consultation

Bus Fire Wrongful Death

Labels: auto accident, AutoAccident, In the News, TruckAccident, WrongfulDeath

The Arizona Daily Star reports two Tucson sisters whose parents were murdered by their grandson in 2005 will receive $1.5 million.

The sisters filed the wrongful death lawsuit against the grandson's doctor, COPE Community Services, and Community Partnership of Southern Arizona for allowing him to remain in the care of the family instead of putting him in a mental health facility.

The physician settled with the sisters, but COPE and CPSA allowed the charges to go to trial. The jury found those organizations 50 percent responsible for the award amount, the doctor 25 percent responsible, and the grandson 25 percent responsible.

The grandson is serving two concurrent life sentences in the Arizona State Hospital.

Wrongful death cases are always emotional. You should not release anyone from liability without first know all of you legal rights. The Louthian Law Firm has over 50 years experience pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. If you have lost a loved one and feel you have a wrongful death claim, call our experienced attorneys at 1-866-410-5656 for a free consultation of your case or contact us online.


Wrongful Death Case

Labels: WrongfulDeath

The Associated Press has announced the victims of carbon monoxide poisoning in Burlington have settled out of court with the parties they named in their lawsuit.

Although not revealing the amount, the 23-year-old woman, who nearly died in the incident is said to be pleased with the settlement. The estate of her boyfriend, who died in the poisoning, also settled out of court.

In January 2005, carbon monoxide poisoning in the Redstone Apartments, which houses roughly 200 residents, killed one and sent nine others to the hospital. The investigation revealed a faulty boiler and a recalled pipe were to blame for the leak resulting in 40 times the normal level of carbon monoxide.

UVM students occupied most of the rooms of the apartment building which did not have carbon monoxide detectors at the time of the incident.

Both families sued the building and maintenance companies of the Redstone Apartments and the installers of the heating boiler and pipe.

Losing a loved one is difficult especially when that loss is due to the negligence of another person or persons. The Louthian Law Firm has over 50 years experience pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. If you have lost a loved one and feel you have a wrongful death claim, call our experienced attorneys at 1-866-410-5656 for a free consultation of your case.

Vermont Carbon Monoxide Lawsuit Settled

Labels: WrongfulDeath

Last November, Consumer Affairs reported at least 30 people had died in Rhino accidents and hundreds had been injured. The Wall Street Journal reported, in light of these statistics, the government was investigating the need for stricter regulations.

The Rhino has a unique design – a cross between a golf cart and an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), therefore, the Rhino isn’t subject to the ATV safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission calls the Rhino a UTV, or “utility terrain vehicle”, instead of an ATV, and puts the Rhino into what it calls the “emerging hazard” category.

One difference in the Rhino and other ATVs is that it has a steering wheel instead of the handlebars. There are other minor differences in the Rhino that leave it uncategorized, and thus unregulated and unlicensed. It’s neither a car nor an ATV. UTVs don’t need licenses and can be operated by anyone, including children.

While the Yamaha Rhino may not be an ordinary ATV, it is not a toy and should not be treated like one by children and teenagers.

The attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm believe when someone is injured due to a product with dangerous flaws, the manufacturer should be held responsible. If you or a loved one has been injured in a South Carolina Rhino rollover accident, call the Louthian Law firm at 1-866-410-5656 or use our online contact form.


Yamaha Rhino Classification

Labels: consumer, personalinjury, WrongfulDeath

In the wake of 46 deaths and hundreds of injuries -- many from rollover accidents -- sales of three Rhino off-highway recreational vehicles have been halted until free safety repairs can be made by Yamaha Motor Corp., the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on March 31.

The Rhino vehicles are prone to rollover at low speeds and on level ground, the CPSC stated. The CPSC has advised consumers not to use these off-road vehicles until new safety features are installed.

More than two-thirds of the fatalities involved rollovers.

"Of the rollover-related deaths and hundreds of reported injuries, some of which were serious, many appear to involve turns at relatively low speeds and on level terrain," the CPSC said in a news release.

The repairs affect the 450, 660 and 700 Model Rhino Vehicles. As many as 150,000 of these models have been sold since 2003.

At the Louthian Law Firm, we believe the manufacturers of products with dangerous flaws should be held accountable when someone is injured. If you or a loved one has been injured in a South Carolina Rhino rollover accident, call the Louthian Law Firm at 866-410-5656 or contact us through our confidential online case evaluation form.

CPSC Yamaha Rhino Press Release

Labels: consumer, products, WrongfulDeath

An Arizona jury has awarded $11 million to the widow of a 36-year-old man with traumatic brain injury who died after ingesting foreign objects at an assisted living facility.

The verdict included $2 million for the decedent, $5 million for the wife and $4 million in punitive damages. Attorneys in the case say it is the largest verdict ever awarded against an assisted living facility in the United States.

It is indeed tragic when a person with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) does not receive proper care. If you or someone you know has sustained a traumatic brain injury in South Carolina, it is important to speak with an attorney familiar with South Carolina brain injury law. At the Louthian Law Firm, you can rest assured that we will work hard to protect your interests. Call our South Carolina head injury lawyers today at 1-866-410-5656 for a free consultation.

Arizona Verdict

Labels: traumatic brain injury, WrongfulDeath

In April 2001, a woman helping out the owners of the House of Corned Beef in Cleveland, Ohio plummeted 8 feet to her death after falling through a trap door on her way to the bathroom. Her husband filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the restaurant owners and has been awarded $2.1 million in the case reports Cleveland’s newspaper, The Plain Dealer.

The first judge threw out much of the lawsuit, stating the trap door was an “open and obvious hazard”. On appeal, the majority of the case was reinstated, saying “... businesses should maintain the premises in reasonably safe conditions.” Since the accident, a citation has been issued to the restaurant by Cleveland building inspectors calling the trap door, “a serious hazard that needed to be abated.”

Neither the restaurant owners nor their attorneys could be reached for comment.

A “wrongful death” is a death caused by the carelessness (negligence) or misconduct of another person or organization – including a workplace accident. The Louthian Law Firm has vast experience in pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. Call us today at 1-800-410-5656 or contact us online for a free evaluation of your unique case.


Ohio Trap Door Wrongful Death

Labels: WrongfulDeath