February 3, 2012

A 50-year-old Salt Lake City, Utah, construction worker was injured this past Monday in an on-the-job accident. According to reports from FOX 13 News, the man was hurt at approximately 11:00 in the morning at the Altaview Concrete gravel pit at 500 South 6800 West in West Valley City, Utah.

A spokesman for the West Valley Fire Department, Fire Chief Bob Fitzgerald, stated that the man was driving a bulldozer along the edge of the gravel pit when he got too close and went over. The bulldozer rolled approximately 40 feet down the hillside before coming to rest at the bottom of the pit. The man was ejected from the machinery and a piece of the equipment landed on top of him.

The man was swiftly airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Mining workers, like those at the gravel pit, face some of the most dangerous working conditions there are today. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data shows that the number of fatal work injuries in the private mining sector rose from 99 in 2009, to 172 in 2010. That is a 74 percent rise in deaths in one year within that particular industry.

The Utah workers’ compensation attorneys with Robert Debry & Associates work hard to fight for the rights of accident victims who suffer from on the job injuries. If you have been injured, contact an experienced attorney today.

January 27, 2012

State lawmakers in Utah are arguing the debate on teenage use of cell phones behind the wheel and just how dangerous the activity can be. According to KSL 5 News, The Utah legislature’s transportation committee will examine a bill today that could possibly ban teens from being able to talk on or use cell phones while driving.

Senator Ross Romero is sponsoring the bill and says he was inspired to do so by the stories of parents and teenagers from across the state who had lost friends and loved ones in fatal distracted driving accidents.

The law will make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18-years-old to operate a handheld cellular device while operating a motor vehicle. Using a device would be considered a primary offense and would be punishable by a $50 fine that would not stay on the offender’s permanent record.

The only exceptions to the rule would be if the teen is calling their parents or if they are making an emergency call. Experts estimate that teens are involved in more than 200,000 crashes per year because of texting and driving.

The Utah auto accident attorneys with Robert Debry and Associates think that this law would be of great benefit to keeping inexperienced teenage drivers, and other motorists on the road around them, safe from the dangers distracted driving can pose.

January 20, 2012

A patch of black ice on a Utah highway is being blamed for a multiple-vehicle accident that injured four people, one of whom is listed in critical condition.

An earlier report from The Salt Lake Tribune said that the chain of accidents  started at around 3:00 AM in the eastbound lanes of I-84 near Tremonton, Utah.

A spokesman for the Utah Highway Patrol, Corporal Todd Johnson, stated that a tractor-trailer slid and jackknifed when it hit an icy patch and was then hit by a second tractor-trailer. A third big rig  plowed into the wreckage that was now stretched across the highway.

The 34-year-old driver of the first truck suffered critical injuries to the face and head. The driver and passenger in the second truck complained about chest and back injuries. The driver and passenger of the third truck suffered non-life threatening back injuries as well. All of the victims are recuperating at area hospitals.

At around 4:00 AM, as crews worked to clean up the scene of the accident, an SUV approaching the scene too fast lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a Box Elder County sheriff’s pickup truck.  No one was injured.

The Utah Truck  Accident Lawyers with Robert Debry & Associates understand just how dangerous black ice can be. That’s why they would advise motorists to slow down in winter conditions and be cautious of shaded areas in the road, as they tend to be slicker.

January 13, 2012

The family of a Salt Lake City, Utah, teen who suffered permanent injuries after being hit by a car while crossing a street is filing a lawsuit for her injuries. According to KSL News, the lawsuit alleges that the Granite School District, Salt Lake County and Utah Departments of Transportation, and the Unified Police Authority all, “Failed to properly maintain and operate the speed limit sign beacons within the reduced-speed zone,” of the school.

Reports showed that flashing yellow lights attached to a speed limit sign, marking the area as a 20 MPH school zone when flashing, were not working and on when the accident happened at 7:30 AM at the intersection of West and Magna. That is when a driver going at “speed greatly exceeding the reduced limit” was unable to stop in time for the 12-year-old girl crossing the street on her way to school. The girl was seriously injured and is still in the process of recovering.

The article added that the lawsuit states, “The girl’s family is seeking an undisclosed amount of money for pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses, and impaired earning capacity.”

The Utah pedestrian accident attorneys with Robert DeBry & Associates urge parent’s to keep their children out of danger by teaching them the importance of safely crossing streets. Teaching them to always stop and look twice before entering the street–even in a crosswalk–may save their life one day.

January 6, 2012

Expiration dates are all around us. On food, credit cards, coupons, and even prescription drugs, all these items are only to be used before a certain date rolls around. Now, it is being discovered that many parents don’t realize their children’s car seats also have an expiration date.

KSL 5 News told the story of a woman who was getting ready to have twins. In order to save some money she thought she would use a car seat she had bought several years before in 2003. That is when she noticed the “best if used by” date on the underside of the seat.

Experts say that the seats are required to have an expiration date because the parts break down over time. A representative for SafeKids of Northeast Florida, Lesley Seaton, explained these breakdowns by saying, “The shell inside, that we can not see, can be broken down and worn out. The harness strap itself that holds the child in safely can be frayed and torn, but look okay.”

These breakdowns could cause the seat to malfunction in the event of a crash, and may not properly restrain the child in the seat.

This is why the Utah auto accident attorneys with Robert Debry and Associates would like to encourage all parents to check for expiration dates in either the product’s user manual or on the seat itself. Doing so will truly increase the safety of your child in the case of a crash.

December 16, 2011

A 24-year-old woman is still listed as being in stable condition at Intermountain Medical Center after being struck and pinned beneath a Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bus Monday morning. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the woman was struck in a crosswalk at 3650 S. 3200 West by the Route 41 bus as it made a left turn at 10:35 AM.

West Valley Police spokesman, Sgt. Mike Powell, stated it appeared the driver did not see the woman in the crosswalk and confirmed he was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian. UTA spokesman, Gerry Carpenter, told the press that the driver had also been placed on administrative leave pending review.

The woman was upgraded to serious condition Tuesday after undergoing surgery to repair the two badly broken legs she suffered after being hit and run over by the bus. Powell said that the woman is now expected to make a good recovery, but doctors are unsure if she will make a full recovery.

UTA has reportedly had an extremely high rate of accident involving pedestrians this year. The agency has reported a total of 10 accidents so far, seven of which resulted in deaths.

The Utah Auto Accident Attorneys with Robert Derby and Associates have handled cases involving all kinds of vehicles, including buses. If you have been injured in a collision with a bus that was no fault of your own, contact us today. Our experienced team of attorneys offers free consultations to clients who want to discuss the options available in their cases.

December 9, 2011

A 68-year-old Salt Lake City, Utah, man in a wheelchair narrowly escaped death after being hit by an SUV in a crosswalk thanks to the quick actions of six bystanders. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the accident happened at around 9:00 AM in the intersection of Redwood Road and 1000 North.

Witnesses stated that the man was attempting to cross the street in his electric wheelchair when a 63-year-old driver of an SUV making a left off of Redwood hit him with her vehicle. The impact trapped the man and his wheelchair under the front bumper of the vehicle. It took half a dozen bystanders to lift the vehicle enough to pull the man to safety. His rescuers then noticed he had become detached from a breathing apparatus and was not getting enough oxygen, so they hooked him back up to the machine and waited with him until paramedics arrived.

The man had taken a turn for the worst at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray Thursday afternoon and was last listed in critical condition. Investigators have not said whether the woman driving the SUV who hit the man will face charges in connection with the accident or not.

The Utah Auto Accident Attorneys with Robert Debry & Associates would like to remind drivers to remember that pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks with signals on. Also, always be vigilant in urban areas where people may attempt to cross streets without crosswalks as well.

December 2, 2011

We all love homemade foods, especially around the holidays. But, a new story about a Salt Lake City, Utah, man and his cheese may change your tune a little. In a story released by KSL News yesterday, it was stated that the man known as “Mr. Cheese” to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food was cited and fined for manufacturing and selling cheese to area businesses out of his West Valley home. What’s the problem you may ask? The cheese is believed to have caused thousands of cases of salmonella infections statewide.

Authorities say they began investigating the man after a Salmonella outbreak in the area had been linked back to queso fresco in a Mexican restaurant. Between 40 and 80 claims had been filed in connection with the outbreak before authorities tracked the man to his home. There they found cheese being manufactured without the proper sanitation equipment, licenses, or permits. Authorities fined the man $500 for breaking the Utah Dairy Act, which regulates the manufacturing of cheese in the state.

The Division of Regulatory Services issued a statement days later recommending consumers not to purchase or ingest foods that are unlabeled and to exercise caution when purchasing food items from door-to-door vendors or in places where food is not normally sold.

The Utah Defective Product Attorneys with Robert Debry & Associates have experience handling cases against manufacturers or suppliers who provided unsafe products. See when and why you should contact them if a defective product has harmed you by watching this video.

November 18, 2011

A 19-year-old woman died as the result of a car crash Friday morning on the outskirts of Cottonwood Heights, Utah. According to KSL News, the accident happened at around 4:30 this morning along South Wasatch Boulevard.

A spokesman for Unified Police Department, Lieutenant Justin Hoyal, stated their preliminary investigation determined that the driver lost control of the Chevy Malibu before the vehicle rolled and burst into flames. When emergency crews arrived at the scene, the vehicle was consumed with flames. The driver was able to pull herself from the wreckage before the car was fully engulfed, but her passenger was not and perished in the fire.

Investigators say an autopsy will reveal if the young woman died from injuries or as a result of the fire. Although they say drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the crash, they have determined speed was.

Research by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has shown that speed is the number one contributing factor in one-third of all fatal crashes–accounting for 42,000 lives in a year’s time and a cost of $150 billion to taxpayers.

The Utah Auto Accident Lawyers with Robert J. Debry & Associates have decades of experience helping victims of car accidents get the care that they need. If you have been hurt in a car crash no fault of your own, contact us today by filling out a free initial consultation form.

November 11, 2011

A radical change of direction has occurred in policy concerning handling of vehicles involved in accidents. According to KSL News, the changes in law and new statewide signage come after 21 Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) troopers were injured while responding to accidents in a year’s time.

At a press conference held Thursday, officials from the Utah Department of Transportation and top officials from the UHP displayed new signs that will go up across the state asking motorists involved in minor fender benders to move to the nearest off ramp exit before calling police. The new signs coincide with a new law that took effect in July requiring the same action.

Officials believe the measures should make roadways safer for both accident victims and the officers and troopers who respond. The idea for the changes from the current way of doing things, which is sit next to a busy highway waiting on an officer to respond, came after seven troopers were injured in a six-week time frame while on accident calls.

The law is only applicable on state highways and interstates where the UHP patrols.

The Utah Auto Accident Lawyers with Robert Debry & Associates ask that motorists be mindful of the new signage and law by moving to an off-ramp if involved in an accident. If you see an officer responding to vehicles that have not moved, try to move into the left lane to avoid an accident. Following these simple steps could save a life.