There are millions of different toys out there, with hundreds of new ones on the shelves each year. With the holidays just around the corner, now it a good time for parents to be reminded of toy safety.
While toys are supposed to be fun and are an important part of any child’s development, scores of kids are treated in hospital emergency departments for toy-related injuries each year. Choking is a particular risk for kids ages 3 or younger, because they tend to put objects in their mouths.
Manufacturers follow certain guidelines and are closely monitored and regulated. They are required to label toys for specific age groups, but perhaps the most important thing a parent can do is to supervise play.
Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for toys:
- Toys made of fabric should be labeled as flame resistant or flame retardant.
- Stuffed toys should be washable.
- Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint.
- Art materials should say nontoxic.
Steer clear of older toys, even hand-me-downs from friends and family. Those toys might have sentimental value and are certainly cost-effective, but they may not meet current safety standards and may be so worn from play that they can break and become hazardous.
And make sure a toy isn’t too loud for your child. The noise of some rattles, squeak toys, and musical or electronic toys can be as loud as a car horn — even louder if a child holds it directly to the ears — and can contribute to hearing damage. Read more here.
If your child has suffered a critical personal injury from a defective toy, contact a Toronto personal injury lawyer with Mazin & Associates, PC for a free consultation.
Questions have been raised again about the link between brain injury and mental instability in the wake of the recent suicide of an Ohio State University football player, Kosta Karageorge, who allegedly suffered from debilitating concussions.
What is traumatic brain injury?
TBI is defined as a head injury due to blunt or penetrating trauma. TBIs have often been associated with war wounds, like soldiers in war who are exposed to explosives, and athletes, especially football players and boxers. The term “concussion” refers to a mild TBI — although doctors say they don’t consider any brain injury as simply mild.
A decision in August 2013 by the National Football League to settle with 4,500 ex-players over head injuries reflects a growing body of research showing that repeated concussions can cause permanent brain damage.
What are the signs of TBI?
Confusion and amnesia are the clinical hallmarks of the condition. Multiple concussions can lead to other health problems like post-concussion syndrome, which involves headaches, dizziness and difficulty concentrating. Epilepsy, vertigo, personality changes, Parkinson’s disease and dementia have also been linked to repeat concussions in boxers and football players.
A degenerative disease tied to repeated jolts to the brain — chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE — has symptoms ranging from dementia to altered behavior, and perhaps to ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Sufferers of CTE can have difficulty maintaining relationships and those with advanced disease can spiral into depression and substance abuse — and sometimes end up taking their own lives, said Dr. Julian Bailes, chairman of the department of neurosurgery at the NorthShore University HealthSystem and co-director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute.
TBIs are not exclusive to athletes. In fact, a new study released in September found an increase of visits to emergency rooms for TBIs by 29 percent over the last four years — with the biggest jumps coming among toddlers and seniors. Read the full story here.
If you or a loved one has experienced a traumatic brain injury, contact Brain Injury Law Firm Mazin & Associates, PC for a free consultation.
Texting while driving is considered distracted driving and is against the law. However, it’s not the only form of distracted driving that could get you a hefty fine, or worse, a serious or fatal injury.
In Ontario, it’s also illegal for drivers to talk, type, dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices.
Research shows that drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a collision than drivers who focus on the road. And when drivers take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds, their crash risk doubles.
This chart from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s Website is a good reference for which electronic devices can and can’t be used while driving.
Tips to avoid distraction
There are many simple steps you can take to avoid being distracted while you drive:
- Use your cell phone only when you’re parked, or have a passenger take the call.
- Let calls go to voicemail.
- Turn off your cell phone before you start driving.
- Identify and preset your vehicle’s climate control, radio and CD player.
- Plan your route and set your GPS before you leave.
- When you’re hungry or thirsty, take a break. Don’t eat or drink while you drive.
- Avoid other distractions like reading maps, grooming activities and tending to children and pets.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation
If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, consult a Personal Injury Lawyer right now.
Toronto Rehab is a member of the UHN family, and is Canada’s largest academic health sciences centre dedicated to adult rehabilitation and complex continuing care. Over the years, they have found new treatments and solutions for brain injury, stroke, cardiovascular disease, spinal cord injury and Alzheimer’s disease. Bottom line: they do amazing work. The stories shared by their patients are a strong testament to that.
Joanne Smith’s spinal cord injury (SCI) at 19 left her paralyzed, but it has not held her back in the least. In fact, she has led an extraordinary life. This might not have been the case had she not undertaken rehabilitation at Toronto Rehab.Joanne’s story.
Tom Wilcox was doing what he loved when he was injured on the job. He was rushed to Toronto Western Hospital for emergency brain surgery. He was later transferred to Toronto Rehab’s Brain Injury Unit where the team got him back on his feet. Tom’s story.
Kristen Cameron, an active 25-year-old hockey player and coach, was struck from behind and thrown nearly 50 feet by an impaired driver while out for a bike ride. After two weeks of critical care, Kristen was referred to Toronto Rehab’s world-renowned Lyndhurst Centre to treat her C5 complete quadriplegia, with paralysis from the neck down. Kristen’s story.
Read more Toronto Rehab patient stories here.
If you’re looking to support an amazing organization that changes lives, UHN’s Toronto Rehab Foundation is a good choice.
When you’ve been hurt and can’t afford to lose. Mazin & Associates, PC are experts at focusing on serious and catastrophic personal injury claims. Our lawyers will help support you through every step of the legal process and assist you with finding the best possible health care solutions for your recovery.
Here’s the story of how we helped one of our clients, C. Luke from Whitby, Ontario:
“In October of 2009, I was involved in a slip and fall at Walmart which seriously injured my shoulder. I was contacted by Cunningham Lindsey, which was an adjusting/insurance company representing Walmart. They asked me questions like if I had a job, to which I replied I was self-employed. They said that wasn’t good enough. They asked me what I was looking for. I asked them what they are offering me and they offered me what seemed like an OK amount. Just to be safe though, I contacted Gary Mazin who was recommended to me by a friend of mine as being a top personal injury lawyer.
I was hesitant at the beginning because I didn’t know what to do, but Gary helped me with everything. He helped me find therapy and found the best doctors for me.
In the end, I settled my case for 75, that’s SEVENTY FIVE , times what the insurance company originally offered me. Retaining Gary Mazin was the best thing I did for myself and I completely recommend him to anyone involved in an accident.”
Whiplash is a form of neck injury caused by forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck. According to the Mayo Clinic, whiplash most often occurs during a rear-end car accident and the signs and symptoms of whiplash may include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Worsening of pain with neck movement
- Loss of range of motion in the neck
- Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull
- Tenderness or pain in shoulder, upper back or arms
- Tingling or numbness in the arms
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
Some people also experience:
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Depression
Whiplash signs and symptoms usually develop within 24 hours of the injury.
Always seek medical attention as soon as possible following a car accident to ensure you receive a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Most people recover from whiplash within a few months, while some people experience chronic neck pain and other ongoing complications.
The course of treatment depends on the severity of your whiplash injury. For some people, over-the-counter drugs and at-home care may be sufficient. Other people may need prescription drugs, specialized pain treatment or physical therapy.
If you’ve been in a car accident and suffer from whiplash or another critical injury, consult a Car Accident Lawyer to help recover any compensation you may be entitled to while you focus on recovering.
Last week, the University Health Network (UHN) announced the results of a new, large-scale Canadian study that reveals that many adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) live in a long-term health setting – such as a nursing home – which may not be appropriate for their condition and younger age.
The study, led by Dr. Angela Colantonio, Senior Scientist, Toronto Rehab, University Health Network, was published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. It looked at more than 10,000 adults with TBI in four non-acute settings: home care, mental health, nursing homes and complex continuing care facilities.
“There were two striking findings in this work: First, persons with traumatic brain injury were significantly younger than other residents in nursing home settings; and, they were also more likely to be male, whereas most of the other residents were female,” said Dr. Colantonio.
Dr. Colantonio also notes that this is a result of a lack of appropriate housing or health-care setting alternatives for this population. For many individuals living with TBI, it is imperative they are in a setting with TBI rehabilitation to help them thrive.
“Providing housing for people living with visible and invisible disabilities associated with brain injury is critical in reducing the homeless population and the number of people incarcerated,” said Harry Zarins, Executive Director, Brain Injury Association of Canada. “Importantly, having housing available will also reduce the time Canadians suffering with brain injury are spending in hospitals. Hand in hand with housing is the availability and implementation of a visionary rehabilitation program.”
Read more on the UHN’s website.
We know how complicated critical illness insurance policies and claims can be. Even the most comprehensive policies may contain restrictions, complex terms and stringent procedures. It’s not always simple to understand and claim your allowable benefit.
Many Canadians are opting for critical illness insurance to bridge gaps in their health insurance coverage. Common worries include expensive drugs not being covered by medical plans and being able to pay for additional expenses such as rehabilitation costs or a spouse having to leave work to provide care.
The question is, is it worth the cost? The Toronto Star takes a closer look concluding that critical illness insurance can be worth it but you really have to understand how it works or you could be in for a nasty shock when a claim is submitted.
Glenn Cooke, a life insurance broker who runs Life Insurance Canada.com, explains that “Critical illness insurance is a great product but you have to understand the risks you are insuring and the exclusions.”
Here are three important things to know about critical illness insurance:
- You can end up paying a lot in premiums just in case you develop a limited number of conditions listed on the policy.
- An illness you think is covered may not meet the policy definition.
- A return of premium rider is a costly add-on that could double your monthly premiums and getting your money back is not a slam dunk.
You can read more about it here.
If you or someone you know has been denied Critical Illness insurance benefits, our expert critical illness insurance claim lawyer can help you.
Today marks the first official day of Spring. Warmer temperatures and melting snow mean it’s time to tweak our driving habits and our vehicles and hope that winter weather is gone for good.
Here are 5 tips for safe spring driving from wheels.ca:
- Don’t be too eager to take off your winter tires. They should be left on until the ambient temperatures stay above 7 degrees Celsius.
- We still can get some snowfall, which means the warm spring sun can melt ice and snow near the road. This melt water can freeze when the sun stops shining on it and the temperatures drop below zero. If you notice wet-looking roads and the temperatures have dropped below freezing, expect ice and slow down.
- As the weather warms it will bring out motorcyclists and cyclists. Every motorist has to practise good vision techniques and stay focused on their driving to spot these smaller road users. Looking out for and respecting these two-wheeled travellers is an important part of safe motoring.
- On the other side of the safety equation, cyclists and bikers need to ride wisely and be visible to motorists and truckers. Cyclists should wear brightly coloured clothing or safety vests, use lights, keep right and ride in single file. The laws of physics are not on the side of the smaller vehicle in a collision.
- Warmer weather brings more children outside. Slow down and pay very careful attention in residential and school zones. School kids are easily distracted by play and don’t always notice traffic. Be alert for teenagers who tend to be fixated on their texting, socializing and cellphones and, as a result, won’t be paying much attention to traffic.
Click here for 5 more tips.
Regardless of the season, if you or someone you know suffers an auto related injury, speak to a Car Accident Lawyer with a proven track-record of recovering monies for car accident victims.
Going through the process of choosing a personal injury lawyer can sound overwhelming, especially when you or a loved one has just been seriously injured.
However, selecting a lawyer as quickly as possible after an accident is very important because in many situations, there are very strict timelines to adhere to in order to preserve legal rights–otherwise, you may lose all of your rights to claim compensation.
To make the process quick and easy for you, we’ve put together a list of five important questions to ask the personal injury lawyers you’re considering.
Do I pay upfront?
Choose a personal injury lawyer that handles cases on a contingency fee basis. This way you don’t pay any legal fees until your case has been won or settled so that you can focus on your injury recovery.
How much information will you share with me?
You want a personal injury lawyer that is transparent and will keep you informed about the litigation process and overall strategy for winning.
Do you service my local area?
The best personal injury lawyer for you is one that operates in your local area. This way you can be sure they have all the right contacts and connections needed for your case.
Why should I choose you?
You want a firm that focuses specifically on personal injury cases so that you know they have the right experience and expertise.
What do past clients say about you?
A reputable personal injury lawyer will be able to provide you with testimonials and references from past clients.
