Wichita Personal Injury Lawyer - All Topics

Caldwell Man Killed In Crash With Semi-Truck

Chrissie Cole — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:28:00 GMT

A Caldwell man was killed late on U.S. 166 late Friday night after his vehicle collided with a semi-truck, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Russell Engel, 46, was transported to Via Christi-St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, where he died from the serious injuries he sustained in the crash.

The accident happened when Engel crossed the centerline and struck a semi going the opposite direction, said the Highway Patrol.

The truck driver, 31, was not injured in the crash. The investigation into the accident is ongoing.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Boy Struck By Car In Crosswalk Accident

Chrissie Cole — Sun, 17 May 2009 08:40:00 GMT

A boy, 7, was injured in a pedestrian accident when a Ford Taurus proceeded through the crosswalk at Mauring and Ridgeway despite a crossing guard wearing a reflective vest and displaying a stop sign.

Following the accident, Wichita Falls Police Department released a news statment urging motorists to exercise extreme caution when driving through school zones.

The boy suffered a cut to his lip and bruise to his leg when he was thrown to the ground. An ambulance transported him to the hospital as a precaution.

Officers are closely monitoring the school zones, said Officer Harold McClure, a public information officer with the WFPD.

Officer McClure also said motorists need to be on alert for flashing lights indicating school zones and also when they come upon intersections; they need to be aware that a crossing guard may be there to help the children cross.

Failure to obey a crossing guard is a ticketable offense.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Notebook Computer Batteries Recalled By HP

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 14 May 2009 23:42:00 GMT

Hewlett-Packard Co., in conjunction with the U.S. Product Safety Commission (CPSC), voluntarily recalled Lithium-Ion batteries used in Hewlett-Packard and Compaq notebook computers because they can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard.

To date, 70,000 notebooks have been recalled. The company has received two reports of the batteries overheating and rupturing, resulting in flames/fire that resulted in minor property damage. There have not been any reported injuries.

The recalled batteries are used with various HP and Compaq notebooks. Below are the notebook models that may contain a recalled battery:

HP Pavilion

Compaq Presario

HP Compaq

dv2000
dv2500
dv2700
dv6000
dv6500

dv6700
dv9000
dv9500
dv9700

A900
C700
F700
V3000
V3500

V3700
V6000
V6500
V6700

G6000
G7000

6720s

Batteries subject to the recall will have one of the following bar code labels (^ in the code can be any letter or number):

62940^^AXV^^^^

65033^^B7U^^^^
65033^^B7V^^^^
65033^^BGU^^^^

65035^^B7U^^^^
65035^^B7V^^^^
65035^^BGU^^^^
65035^^BGV^^^^

67059^^V8U^^^^
67059^^V8V^^^^

The recalled batteries should be removed from the notebook immediately. Consumers can contact HP to determine if the battery is included in the recall and to request a free replacement.

The AC adapter can be used to power the computer AFTER the battery has been removed. Consumers should only use batteries obtained from HP or an authorized reseller.

Consumer Contact: For more information, visit the HP Battery Replacement Program Web site or call (800) 889-2031 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Wichita Teen Killed; Sun May Be Factor In Crash

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:06:00 GMT

A 15-year-old Wichita boy was struck and killed while running in a crosswalk. According to Wichita Police, the sun’s glare apparently kept the driver from seeing the teen in the road.

He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:04 p.m., about 21 minutes after the accident. His name has not yet been released, pending family notification.

The Wichita man, 35, who was driving the car that struck him was coming west on Douglas through a green light at Rock Road. The boy had run north at the crosswalk at Douglas, police said.

Douglas is five lanes wide including the turn lane and the speed limit is 40 mph. The angle appears to have played a role in the accident.

“The driver did not see the teen crossing the crosswalk as he approached,” police said.

Police are still investigating the crash no citations have been issued at this time.

This is the sixth traffic fatality in Wichita so far this year. Four of which have involved pedestrians.

At Douglas and Rock, there have been two serious pedestrian or bicycle accidents from 2003 through 2007, according to Kansas Department of Transportation records.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Harry and David is Recalling Their Giant Cashews Because of Undeclared Peanuts and Other Nuts

Jenny Albano — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:33:01 GMT

Harry and David, in conjunction with the FDA, is recalling around 2130 boxes of their 4.oz Harry and David Giant Cashews because because they may contain mixed nuts. Consumers who have an allergy to these nuts (peanuts, almonds, pecans and/or Brazil nuts) may have a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

Harry and David is recalling all 4 oz. boxes of Giant Cashews with lot codes 2507 MSL 15:00 through 2507 MSL 18:00 and a use by date of 6/28/08. The lot code and use by date are ink jetted on the bottom of the box. Affected boxes also can be recognized by the price sticker on the bottom, or lower portion of the back, of the box. The price sticker states "Nuts Mixed Nuts Box 4oz". These products are packaged in 4 oz. paperboard boxes with bags of metalized film containing nuts inside. The boxes are olive green with a pale green design in the background.

The recalled product was sold nationwide in Harry and David Stores beginning November 16, 2007. So far the company has not received any reports of illness.

The problem happened when there was a product changeover. When the cashews were being packaged, some of the mixed nuts, which were packaged right before the cashews, got mixed in with the product.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Medical Couple May Have Contributed to 56 Overdose Deaths

Jenny Albano — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:52:11 GMT

A doctor and his wife are thought to have caused the overdose deaths of at least four patients by prosecutors. The couple will remain in jail because they are a flight risk, a federal magistrate ruled Friday.

Dr. Stephen J. Schneider and his wife, nurse Linda K. Schneider, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to counts including conspiracy, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, health care fraud, illegal monetary transactions and money laundering.

The couple has not been charged with killing any of their patients but they are still being held in prison because they pose a danger to the community. U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Bostwick stated that even if Schneider was ordered to not practice medicine there was no way the court could police that stipulation.

The clinic that the Schneider's work in has been under investigation for a few years by the feds and in September was raided. Prosecutors claim that the couple continued to commit fraud while they knew their clinic was being investigated.

According to the indictment, 56 of the doctor's patients have died from accidental prescription drug overdoses in the past five years. However, the indictment alleges that only four of the deaths were directly caused by drugs prescribed by Schneider's clinic in Haysville, south of Wichita.

According to Linda's sister there are five doctors at the clinic that treat patients and insurance companies frequently put Schneider's name on the patient records even if he did not treat them and they were not his patients.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

RC2 Recalls Children's Feeding Seats Due to Fall Hazard

Jenny Albano — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:04:05 GMT

The RC2 Corp., in conjunction with the CPSC, is recalling about 100,000 The First Years Newborn-to-Toddler Reclining Feeding Seats because the restraining straps can pull out of the waist strap slots, which poses a fall hazard to young children and toddlers.

The First Years Newborn-to-Toddler Reclining Feeding Seat can be adjusted between reclining and upright positions. The seat includes a tray, reversible cushion and a three-point safety belt. One side of the seat cushion has a sewn-in label at the top which says "the first years by Learning Curve." This recall includes all feeding seats except those with an "R" stamped inside a raised circle located on the far left and right of the back of the seatback or those with waist strap slots that are nine inches apart.

So far the company has received 38 reports of the straps of the chair pulling out or nearly pulling out of the waist strap slots and there have been 12 reports of young children falling out of their First Years Newborn-to-Toddler Reclining Feeding Seats.

The product was available in retail stores across the U.S. from October 2006 to November 2007. The chairs were manufactured in the United States.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Toy Rakes Recalled for Lead Hazard

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:30:51 GMT

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores announced a toy recall of children's toy rakes, made in China. The surface paint on the handles can contain excessive levels of lead paint, a violation of federal lead paint standards.

The recalled toys have a tag attached to the handle that says "Robbie Ducky Garden Collection Rake."

Consumers are advised to take the recalled toys away from children immediately and return them to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Jo-Ann Stores Inc. toll-free at (888) 739-4120, option 7, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email them at guest.services@jo-annstores.com, or visit the firm's Web site at www.joann.com.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Wichita Woman Injured In Car Accident

Tom Warner — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:40:18 GMT

A Wichita woman was injured in a car accident last week when the van she was driving collided with a pickup truck. The crash occurred on highway 254 when the driver of the pickup attempted to pass the van.

The pickup was driven by a 16-year-old from Benton.
The driver of the van, Elaine Hauser, 62, of Wichita, then lost control, causing the van to roll two full turns before coming to rest in the field beside the highway.
Hauser was taken to St. Francis Hospital in serious condition, with facial cuts and cuts to the head. The driver of the pick-up was not injured.

Authorities said the wreck happened around 11:45 in the eastbound lane of 254 between El Dorado and Wichita.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Tom Warner

Wichita Woman Killed in Devastating Collision

Chrissie Cole — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 20:45:58 GMT

A Wichita woman on her way home from work, was killed in a horrific two-vehicle collision on Friday morning.

The woman, 36, of Wichita, was traveling south in her 2002 Honda Accord on US 81 around the curve when authorities believe she over-corrected, causing the vehicle to "power slide," (also know as drifting light) which left her car sideways on the roadway.

A man, 71, of Wellington, driving a Dodge Caravan, struck the Accord broadside. The force of impact tore her vehicle into two pieces. The front portion of the car was completely torn away.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. The man was taken to Sumner Regional Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole