Personal Injury Poisoning

Brien Roche

Poison injury is a ongoing problem throughout the United States.

Personal Injury Poisoning-Preventions

There are a number of things that can be done to prevent poison injury such as:

• Storing your medicines and household products in their original containers.
• Lock these products away from children.
• Use child resistant packaging.
• Read the label before using any medicine.
• In addition do not mix any household products unless you are fully aware of their chemical parts as they may not react as you expect.
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm in your home.
• Also keep available to you a phone number for a poison control center that can provide prompt info.  One such entity is the National Capitol Poison Center that can be reached at 1 (800) 222-1222.

Call, or contact us for a free consult.

Personal Injury Poisoning In The Home

The most dangerous poisons that exist in our homes are such things as:

• Medicines, whether they be prescription or non-prescription.
• Pesticides.
• In addition windshield washer solution.
• Anti-freeze.
• Drain cleaners or toilet bowl cleaners
• Lamp oil or furniture polish
• Finally gasoline or paint thinners

Steps To Take

If you or a family member is injured by what you perceive to be a potential poison, there are several potential courses of action:

• If you are splashed in the eyes, then rinse with water for 15 minutes.
• Spills on the skin should be dealt with by rinsing with water for 15 minutes.
• In addition if you have breathed in a poison, get fresh air.
• If you swallowed a potentially dangerous product, drink a glass of milk or water.

Most potential poison injury cases can be dealt with at home. Call, or contact us for a free consult.

Personal Injury Poisoning-Chemical Injuries

Chemical exposure injuries may be defined by the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). MSDS has info about chemical products and how to work with them. This sheet is a result of laws dealing with the OSHA and the Hazard Communication Standard. These require companies that deal with chemical products to develop, update and distribute the Material Safety Data Sheet. Furthermore any personal injury attorney handling these types of claims must be familiar with this.

MSDS

In looking at the MSDS it is important to review the parts list of your product to make sure all of the parts add up to 100 percent.  There may be “inactive” parts which could be the true cause of injury.

In addition there are a number of private agencies that publish standards or guidelines for chemical labeling and info.  Some of these are the American National Standards Institute and the American Society for Testing and Materials. Also the the Chemical Manufacturers Association and the National Paint and Coatings Association publish guidelines.

Labelling Flaws

Common flaws in labeling of chemicals are found in:

• Failure to fully describe the nature of the hazard.
• Failure to fully describe how to avoid the danger that is posed.
• In addition not setting forth early warning symptoms that may indicate excess exposure.
• Failure to explain the need for required air flow.
• Burying the needed hazard info either in the instructions or on the Material Safety Data Sheet.
• Finally failing to describe possible interaction with other chemicals.

Personal Injury Poisoning-Toxic Algae

Toxic algae has become a problem in many lakes and water fronts throughout the U.S. In a September 27, 2013 article in The Washington Post, it is reported that at least 21 states closed lakefront beaches and issued public health advisories during the prior summer.
Toxic algae is a result of nitrogen and phosphorus runoff. It is seen most in farm communities.  These chemicals come from the farmland. They spill into the waterways during moderate to heavy rains. In addition, urban sewage overflows can send human waste into the storm water system during heavy rains.  This was true in the District of Columbia. The sanitary sewer system had been connected to the stormwater sewage system. As a result during a heavy rain, the sanitary sewer and the storm water became mixed. This allowed some of the human waste to flow into the Potomac River.

Environmental Lawsuits

Environmental groups have taken some steps to try to control the flow of nitrogen and phosphorus.  One suit filed in U.S. court in Louisiana sought to compel the EPA to draw up a plan. The plan was to limit the flow of such pollutants into the Mississippi. This also impacts the Gulf of Mexico. The court granted that request. The U.S. is now under court order to come up with such a plan.

The lakes that are most effected by the runoff are in farm states. States such as Iowa have high nitrogen and phosphorus levels in their lakes.

Injury to Humans

The algae known as blue-green algae can produce nerve toxins. These toxins can attack the human skin. They have been linked to at least one death.  Children tend to be most at risk for this exposure.

Call, or contact us for a free consult. For more information on poison injury and product liability  see the other pages on this site and also see the pages on Wikipedia.