HensonFuerst Attorneys support Oprah’s No Phone Zone–a pledge to help end distracted driving by committing to drive as responsibly as possible. This means:

1) NO TEXTING while driving, which is illegal in North Carolina anyway. As of December 1, 2009, it is unlawful to text while operating a vehicle, or to send or receive email.

2) Avoid using the phone while driving. It is illegal for all school bus drivers and all people under age 18 to use cell phone while operating a vehicle–no cell phone use at all.

3) If you must use a cell phone (and you are not under 18), safety guidelines suggest pulling over to the side of the road, OR use only a hands-free device.

Remember that when you use a cell phone, your brain becomes distracted. So even if you have both hands on the wheel, you may run into situations where your reaction time is slowed (or you make poor driving decisions) because you are using the phone.

To sign Oprah’s No Phone Zone pledge, visit her website here: Oprah’s NO PHONE ZONE!

HensonFuerst supports safe driving. As personal injury lawyers who deal with the aftermath of car wrecks, we know that even a split second of distraction can lead to tragedy. Make the safe driving pledge today!

The Wake Forest Care Center has been rocked by another blow to its reputation.  According to an article on the website for WRAL, a nursing assistant was arrested and charged with sexual assault on a resident who was “physically helpless.”

The accused man, 42-year-old Michael Lee Brodie, was charged with sexual assault, and is being held at Wake County jail on $75,000.00 bond. The victim is getting help from a group of experts, including a physician, a psychiatrist, and a therapist.

This is not the first challenge for this facility. Ever since North Carolina began a star rating program of adult care programs in 2009, Wake Forest Care Center has ranged between 0 stars and 1 star (out of a potential 4 stars). Although the facility is currently rated with 1 star, it received demerit points for “noncompliance with the rules related to resident care and services.”

To read the full story, go to the WRAL website.

At HensonFuerst, we believe in protecting people who are most vulnerable. We fight against poor treatment, abuse, and neglect of residents of nursing home and assisted living facilities. If you believe someone you love has been hurt while in the care of a nursing facility, call us. We’ll fight to help them regain their dignity and their safety.

Former NFL players are now filing worker’s compensation claims with the NFL.  The claims are for problems associated with dementia.  Repeated trauma to the head over an NFL career is now starting to manifest itself as players age.  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125856098

Two Raleigh emergency vehicles collided on their way to the scene of a North Carolina shooting.

According to NewsObserver.com, the Raleigh emergency vehicles crashed into each other at Creech Road and Slippery Elm Drive. The drivers of each emergency vehicle were taken to WakeMed in Raleigh and treated for minor injuries.

The Raleigh shooting victim was also taken to WakeMed with a gunshot wound to his leg.

Read more.

What precautions should Raleigh emergency vehicles have to take to avoid accidents to keep everyone safe? Do you think emergency responders have enough training?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Raleigh auto accident, the Raleigh auto accident lawyers at HensonFuerst Attorneys can help.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a voluntary recall of 217,000 Graco-brand cribs due to risk of infant suffocation, strangulation, and brain injury.

The cribs involved are LaJobi-manufactured Graco wood full-sized, “drop-side” cribs. A full list of model names and numbers can be found on the CPSC website here:  Graco Crib Recall Information (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10212.html).

The cribs were sold in retail stores nationwide between February 2007 and March 2010.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and contact LaJobi to receive a free hardware retrofit kit that will immobilize the drop side. CPSC urges parents and caregivers to find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

For additional information, contact LaJobi toll-free at (888) 842-2215 anytime, or visit LaJobi’s Web site.

There have been reports of at least six children falling when the drop side failed, and at least one child suffered a mild traumatic brain injury (concussion). If your child was injured by a Graco crib and you have questions about your options, call the compassionate lawyers of HensonFuerst. If you have questions, we have answers. Let us help you protect your child.

Yes, it has happened again. Toyota has recalled another car: the 2003 Sequoia SUV is being recalled for a problem with its vehicle stability control system. This recall comes a week after Toyota recalled 2010 models of the Lexus GX 460 because it also had stability control issues.

If your model Lexus or Toyota has not yet been recalled, consider yourself lucky. Chances are, you (like me) are unable to relax because you are waiting for the next trickle of bad news.

Come on, Toyota–tell us all the bad news right up front. Don’t you know that it is less painful to rip the bandage off in one fast tug?

If you have been injured in a car wreck due to a Toyota malfunction, call the lawyers at HensonFuerst. We’re here to help.

To read Toyota’s recall information, click here:  Toyota recall page.

The SmartMoney Magazine website published an eye-opening list of “10 Things Nursing Homes Won’t Tell You,” which was adapted from a book by Jonathan Dahl and the editors of SmartMoney.  Everyone related to a nursing home resident should visit the site, read the list, print it, study it, and post it somewhere visible.

So I don’t give everything away, I’ll include 5 items here (with our own commentary).

1. “We’re careless about the drugs we give out.” Some nursing homes have been cited for unnecessary drug use, use of antipsychotic medications among residents who are not psychotic, and overdosing residents so that they are easier to care for. We have seen this locally, when Britthaven of Chapel Hill nursing home was reported to be the subject of investigation when residents were given narcotic medications without a prescription, leading to the death of one patient.
2. “If it’s not in the care plan, we’re not gonna do it.” The federal government requires a care plan for each resident, which outlines how the resident should be cared for. Even if something is on the care plan, nursing homes can neglect the promised duties… but if a particular aspect of care is not on the plan, forget about it. Don’t assume anything.
3. “‘Neglect’ is our middle name.” When nursing home residents are neglected, they can suffer from dehydration, pressure sores, malnutrition, disease, and sometimes death.
4. “We use physical restraints on your loved ones.” Restraints are allowed as a method of last resort to keep a loved one safe or protect others. But that doesn’t mean that use of restraints isn’t abused, and can lead to depression, agitation, bruising, and other physical problems.
5. “Fines? Go ahead–give us your best shot.” When a nursing home doesn’t meet standards, it can be fined… but that doesn’t mean that the money will ever be collected. The facility can appeal the the citation and fine, or find other ways to avoid paying. Plus, corporations that own and operate nursing homes at the highest levels (because there are often shell companies that are the “face” of each facility) are usually so flush with cash that a little fine is barely noticed.

Want to read the rest of the list? Check out the original article here: SmartMoney Magazine.

HensonFuerst is an avid supporter of nursing home residents and their families. Our lawyers have been involved in some groundbreaking litigation that have made residents safer, and we continue to work for the benefit of the “little guy” against corporations who abuse and neglect senior citizens. If you think your loved one is being abused in a nursing home and you don’t know what to do, contact HensonFuerst. If you have questions, we have answers.

Young athletes are suffering more and more sports injuries, everything from brain injury to broken feet.  Of most concern is the increase in mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), what used to be known as concussion.

According to an article from the University of California, San Diego Health System:

Sports concussions are especially problematic in those under 18 years of age because of “second-hit” or “second-impact” syndrome. If an athlete returns to play too soon and has not allowed the brain to fully heal, then a second blow to the head could result in a life-threatening situation.

There is an organization that has launched an educational campaign to raise awareness and promote prevention of injuries in young athletes. STOP Sports Injuries was created by a coalition of organizations, corporations, and medical professionals. (The all-volunteer medical steering committee includes Dr. David Martin of Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC.)

The website offers educational tools for parents, coaches, athletes, and healthcare providers…concussion and injury-specific information…and injury prevention resources for specific sports, including baseball, basketball, cheerleading, dance, running, soccer, and many others.

Check out the site: http://stopsportsinjuries.org. The brain you save could be your own… or your child’s.

HensonFuerst Attorneys remain committed to combating brain injury. We are proud supporters of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC). If someone you love has suffered a brain injury and you are wondering what to do next, give us a call. If you have legal questions, HensonFuerst has answers.

There are a lot of articles about what to do if you are injured at work.  However, you don’t see many articles about what “not” to do.  So without further delay, if as an injured worker you want to skrew up your claim beyond repair, perform items 1 through 5 and you’ll be well on your way:

1.  Don’t report the incident.  Besides, everybody at your job is busy and you don’t want to stir something up by bothering them.
2. Wait to go to the doctor.  There’s no need to rush.  Surely your hurt back will feel better in a week or 2.  Heck, while you’re at it, why not give it a month before you go just to make sure you’re really hurt.
3. Tell the doctor you’re fine.  When you do make it to the doctor, just tell him that you’re basically ok and just need some pain pills.  After all, nobody likes a whiner.
4. Speak freely to the insurance adjuster no matter what.  The claims adjuster assigned to your case is just doing her job.  There is no reason not to tell her everything, answer every question she asks, and also, make sure it’s recorded.
5. File a hearing request without the assistance of a lawyer.  Surely you don’t need a lawyer.  Go ahead and have your hearing, and then, if you lose, see if an attorney can fix it at that point.

The 2010 HensonFuerst PSA (Public Service Announcement) Contest received a bunch of truly outstanding entries from local high school students. The theme of the year is Bicycle Safety.

We have 18 talented finalists. Please go to our voting page (http://www.lawmed.com/contest/vote.php) and submit your vote for the best. All entries are about 28 seconds long, so it will take less than 9 minutes to watch them all.

The winning PSA will be aired on local television, and the winner can choose a prize of a new Mac laptop with movie-making software or a $1,500.00 gift card to a local electronics store. The winner’s school will also receive a donation from HensonFuerst.

So, you can see that the stakes are high! You could help shape the career of a budding director. Vote today!

http://www.lawmed.com/contest/vote.php