San Bernardino Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Proper care for preeclampsia is a must

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Birth Injury on Monday, February 18, 2019.

Expectant parents in California should be able to enjoy the months leading up to a birth without worry and focus on welcoming their new loved one into their family. However, the reality is that there can be health conditions that develop and require vigilance on the part of pregnant women but also their physicians. Preeclampsia is one of these conditions.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, preeclampsia may limit the amount of blood flow to the placenta. This, in turn, reduces the amount of nutrition and oxygen that is delivered to the baby. One of the hallmark symptoms of preeclampsia is an elevated level of proteins in the mother's urine, making routine checks on protein levels during prenatal visits highly important.

Bike accidents and brain injuries

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Brain Injury on Tuesday, February 12, 2019.

When it comes to bike accidents, all sorts of consequences may arise in the wake of a wreck. From the loss of life and broken bones to financial challenges and emotional hardships, the ramifications of bicycle accidents can be overwhelming for victims and their loved ones. Sometimes, a bicyclist is responsible for the accident, which may involve a vehicle or may only involve the bicyclist. In other instances, a reckless driver may cause the crash after slamming into someone who was riding a bike. Moreover, brain injuries one of the more concerning consequences associated with bike accidents.

In order to avoid brain injuries, many bicyclists wear helmets, which can be very helpful in this regard. However, helmets certainly do not prevent all injuries and many bicyclists have struggled with various setbacks even though they were taking every precautionary measure to protect their safety. When a bicyclist sustains a head injury, they may suffer in a number of ways, whether they are unable to work, struggle to pay injury-related expenses or struggle with mental issues following the accident. Sometimes, a bicyclist may not even realize that they sustained a head injury in the crash since symptoms can take a long time to show up.

Recovering from a job-related burn

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Workplace Injuries on Sunday, February 10, 2019.

People sustain many different types of injuries in workplace accidents, such as broken bones. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that there are less common injuries which can be just as devastating. For example, workers may be burned while on the job, and burns can cause an incredible amount of pain, bring on financial problems due to hospital bills and result in missed work. If you have been burned on the job, you may be going through a number of challenges in your personal and professional life and it is pivotal to concentrate on recovering.

There are many ways in which a worker may be burned on the job. For example, someone who is employed in the food industry may be burned while working near hot oil or hot surfaces. Those employed in the construction industry may sustain burns in a number of ways, and even an office worker may be seriously burned after spilling hot coffee on themselves, for example. Some burns are relatively minor and do not disrupt life significantly, but other burns may be very serious, leading to permanent disfigurement and even a permanent inability to return to the previous position.

What are possible sources of dirty hospital air?

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Medical Malpractice on Friday, February 8, 2019.

We want our California hospitals to be a place of treatment and healing. We would not want to go to a hospital only to end up sicker than when we first came in. And yet if proper hygiene is not observed or if there is a problem with facility upkeep, there is the possibility that pathogens and infections could get loose in the air. The result is that patients may endure longer hospital stays or otherwise healthy people may become ill.

There are a number of ways hospital air can become contaminated. Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine lays out several issues the staff of any hospital or medical facility should watch out for. Keeping on top of potential causes of hospital air pollution can prevent unnecessary sicknesses and infections.

Who is liable if someone dies on a boat?

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Wrongful Death on Saturday, February 2, 2019.

Riding on a boat on waters off the coast of California should be an enjoyable time for you and your family. You want to be confident that your boating experience will be free of tragedy. Sadly, this is not always the case, as accidental deaths can occur if a person falls off a boat and drowns or by sustaining an injury on the boat itself. In such a situation, you may wonder who should be held liable for the wrongful death of your loved one.

BoatU.S. defines the duty of a boat operator to provide reasonable care to passengers of the boat. A boat operator is mandated to provide reasonable safety, to make sure that proper effort is exerted to give passengers a safe ride. But boat guests have their responsibilities as well. Passengers cannot act carelessly while on a vessel. However, if they do not know about hidden dangers on the vessel, such as defective equipment that can cause injury, the ship’s operator should inform them early on.

Can blows to the head have future consequences?

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Brain Injury on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

It is not surprising if, after taking a blow to the head, you feel lucky if you do not suffer any health problems following your injury. Indeed, some head injuries can be minor with no ill effects afterward. However, this is not always the case. Following a head injury in California, a person might suffer from something as serious as an intracranial hematoma and not know it until symptoms develop later on.

The Mayo Clinic explains that intracranial hematomas take place when blood pools in the human skull. When a person takes a blow to the head, a blood vessel can break and blood will collect, perhaps in the brain tissue itself or under the skull. In time, the blood can put pressure on the brain. Symptoms can show up right away, but in some cases an intracranial hematoma will evidence itself later.

All forklift operators should follow these tips

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates on Tuesday, January 29, 2019.

If you work in a warehouse setting or in the construction industry, you may operate a forklift from time to time. Even if this isn't your job, there may be situations in which you're in close proximity to a moving forklift.

Although forklifts make many tasks easier, it's critical to remember one thing: A mistake of any kind can result in a serious workplace accident.

Proper protection of trenches could prevent tragedy

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Construction Workers' Accidents on Friday, January 25, 2019.

Trench accidents are among the most frightening and deadly things that can happen during a California construction project. Because of this, OSHA has a very specific set of rules to govern these dangerous types of site excavations.

Thanks to regulations and improvements in engineering, trench accidents have become less frequent than they once were. However, unknown conditions, natural disasters and negligence on the part of certain responsible parties ensure that the problem is not completely eradicated.

There could still be time to get help

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Workers' Compensation on Sunday, January 20, 2019.

In a previous post, we mentioned that some injuries what happened on the job might take some time to manifest symptoms. By the time that you started to notice that something was wrong, it could feel like it was too late to ask for help. If you have this feeling, it could be worth it to ask about options anyway. At Kampf, Schiavone & Associates, we make a point to analyze each California work injury case on an individual basis to determine all of the legal avenues open to our clients.

Many workplace injury accidents are dramatic, such as those caused by negligent operation of equipment, ladder falls or other industrial accidents. These would probably give you immediate symptoms, but that is not always the case.

When is it too late to file for workers' comp benefits?

On behalf of Julie Killian of Kampf, Schiavone & Associates posted in Workers' Compensation on Friday, January 18, 2019.

Dealing with an injury at your workplace has the potential to be a confusing and stressful process in California. They would probably be questions of what happened, where it happened and who is responsible.

As described on FindLaw, what you do in the first few days after an accident would probably be the most important. However, even if you felt you did not do everything you could or should have immediately following an injury, you could still have options.