TriMet defends itself as best it can, and yes, the transit agency has been undergoing a top-to-bottom safety review to try to increase safety and awareness. Still, it sure seems like there is more bad news than good. A recent column by the Oregonian’s Joseph Rose illustrates one of these bad incidents. A TriMet driver got stuck in a turn in a crowded intersection. The culprit was an illegally parked vehicle that made the turn tricky. With assistance from a passenger, the driver successfully maneuvered the bus around the turn, and the only casualty was a parked car that was scraped five times in the process. The scraped car was legally parked. The driver was aware she hit the car but did not leave a note or wait for authorities; instead, she continued on her route.

The driver allegedly reported the incident to TriMet, and a TriMet truck later appeared at the intersection to investigate. By then, however, the scraped car was gone. Also, the driver supposedly said she was unsure she had hit a car, but witnesses saw her get off the bus and look at the damaged vehicle before getting back on the bus and driving away.

TriMet policy states that drivers cannot make turns around illegally parked cars without approval. Drivers must also report any and all scrapes or accidents, and they must remain at the site until released by a supervisor or dispatcher. This particular driver did not seem to follow the rules. Why is TriMet bothering to investigate its safety procedures and implement new rules when some bus drivers don’t seem to care about existing policies and procedures?

The accident happened late at night as the bus made an illegal left turn. The bus entered a crosswalk and ran over five pedestrians, killing two. Though a grand jury found driver Day innocent of criminal wrongdoing, it did cite her for six traffic violations. Day has not returned to work at TriMet since the accident and has been receiving workers’ compensation. The agency has been analyzing its safety procedures since the accident and has implemented a number of changes to increase safety.

Families have up to a year to file a tort claim notifying their intent to file for wrongful death and up to six months to sue for damages for injuries. For more information, see this article from the Oregonian.

The following is a guest post by George Williams, lead blogger for Denver accident lawyer Daniel R. Rosen.

Ruth Bascom was known as Eugene, Oregon’s “Bicycling Mayor” during her term as the city’s first female mayor from 1993 to 1997. A powerful voice in favor of bicycle trails, Mayor Bascom commuted to City Hall on her bike quite often during her term. She also chaired both the Eugene Bicycle Committee and the Oregon Bicycle Advisory Committee. Two years ago, the 84 year-old Mayor was forced to give up cycling due to her age.

On August 11th, Mrs. Bascom was involved in a car accident north of Burns, Oregon that has left her in critical condition. KMTR reports that her husband, who was behind the wheel at the time, suffered only minor injuries. KMTR summarizes the crash:

On August 11, 2010 at approximately 4:30 p.m. a 2009 Toyota Prius driven by John Bascom, age 85, from Eugene, was southbound on Highway 395 near milepost 56 when he reportedly fell asleep. The car traveled across the northbound lane, off the highway and struck several road side boulders and trees.

Jeff Wright, a reporter for The Register-Guard, brings us more details on the Bicycling Mayor’s condition:

Former Eugene Mayor Ruth Bascom is in intensive care at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend after suffering multiple bone fractures, including a neck fracture, in a car accident near Burns, state police and family members said Sunday.

Wright also reports that Mrs. Bascom so far seems free of signs of paralysis, which is a distinct worry with spinal injuries. Mr. Bascom is quoted as saying that he thinks his wife’s injuries were caused by a combination of deploying airbags and his wife’s brittle bones.

We wish Mrs. Bascom, as well as her family, the best as she recovers from this accident.

Source: “Former mayor injured in crash,” The Register-Guard, 08/16/10
Source: “Former Eugene Mayor Ruth Bascom seriously hurt in accident,” KMTR, 08/15/10

The Law Offices of Daniel R. Rosen, PC is a Denver-based personal injury firm with 10 offices throughout Colorado. Dan Rosen has over 25 years experience as a Colorado personal injury lawyer, specializing in car and motorcycle accident cases. He personally handles every single case that comes across his desk. Call 303.454.8000 for a free consultation.

Many hospitals have adopted new safety measures in order to curb hospital infection rates, and the decline in MRSA rates indicates those measures have been effective.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is still more work to be done but that the results are encouraging. The CDC reported earlier that there were some 90,000 cases of MRSA across the nation in 2005.

For more information, see this article in USA Today.

The voluntary recall is the first for Valley Meat Co., which has been in business for some 50 years. The brands in the recall include Butcher’s Cut, RPQ, Hearst, IQF, and Bigger Valley. For a full listing of the recalled products, see the recall information here. The beef products were sold at a number of grocery stores, including Safeway and Vons. For more on this story, see this Los Angeles Times article.

The majority of the illnesses were in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, but people from all parts of the country were affected. People started getting sick in April, with illnesses continuing through late July. The outbreak involved two different and rare strains of salmonella: Salmonella Hartford and Salmonella Baildon. Investigators suspect Taco Bell locations received tainted lettuce and/or tomatoes.

Though the Nap Nanny has a harness, infants can sometimes hang over the side, which can be dangerous, especially if the recliner is placed inside a crib or something similar. Anyone with a first-generation Nap Nanny (ones that do not come equipped with D-rings) should stop using the recliner and contact Baby Matters for a replacement. Those with the D-ring-equipped Nap Nanny should review instructions on how to properly use the harness.

For more information, see this article.

This was not the first ruling against Mogen. Mogen still owes $7.5 million as a result of a 2007 Massachusetts judgment. Mogen, it seems, has gone out of business, so it is doubtful any of the money will be collected.

The New York case was filed by anti-circumcision attorney David Llewellyn of Atlanta. Llewellyn has successfully won a number of circumcision cases. For more information, see this article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The CPSC became aware of a strangulation hazard associated with the tents. The tent is made of a white fabric mesh and fits over playards. It is supposed to keep out insects and other objects or critters and also prevent the child from climbing out. If the clips that attach the tent to the top of the playard are removed or break, however, the child inside can get caught between the frame of the playard and the metal base of the tent and strangle.

If you have one of these portable tents, stop using it and contact Tots in Mind for replacement clips.

Be safe!

Singh managed to survive but the road to recovery has been long and painful and incomplete. After three days in critical care, Singh moved to the University of Washington Medical Center, where he waited 11 weeks for a heart transplant. During that time machinery kept him alive. The heart transplant was successful, but Singh must take several dozen pills every day, and he has battled numerous medical setbacks. Singh will never be able to return to his former life.

Singh and Providence sued the device manufacturer, and in May 2008 Singh was awarded $41.1 million.

Providence chose to use part of their settlement proceeds to establish a $2.18 million fund devoted to improving patient safety. It was named Singh Family Fund for Patient Safety and Quality in Singh’s honor. The aim of the fund is to provide training and programs to reduce medical errors and promote safety.

See this article for more on Singh’s story.