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Galveston County Man Dies After Being “Tazed” by Police

Scott Kappes — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:45:57 GMT

An unidentified man died Sunday night after police officers used a Taser to subdue him during a struggle. According to reports, the now deceased individual was “tazed” by La Marque police after refusing to cooperate and resisting the officers’ attempts to take him into custody.

La marquee police responded to a call about a man rolling around in a ditch in 2600 block of Main. On arrival police found the apparently intoxicated man made an attempt to take him into custody. Officers struggled with the man in an attempt to make the arrest. During the struggle one officer used a Taser on the man.

An ambulance was called by the officers to evaluate what was at the time called a non-life-threatening injury the man sustained during the struggle.

While in route to Southeast Memorial Hospital the man’s heart stopped. The ambulance was then re-routed to Mainland Center Hospital in Texas City where the man was pronounced dead.

The series of events leading up to the man’s death are being investigated by Galveston County officials and the district attorney’s office. It is not yet clear if the use of the Taser played an integral role in the man’s death.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Paxil Mixed with Depression

Robert Binstock — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:47:41 GMT

Managing depression and bipolar disease is not easy to say the least. Researchers looked at whether there was a benefit to adding either Wellbutrin or Paxil for people who are already taking a mood stabilizer.

The depression did not go away with the addition of an antidepressant. Manic-depression or bipolar illness is a mood disorder. The manic state comprises grandiosity, hyperactivity, distractibility, impatience, irritability, impulsivity and a decreased need for sleep. This lasts from a few days to a few months. After this, a person will go to the end of another extreme and experience depression, hopelessness, and low self-esteem.

Depression can be one of the most awful illnesses there is. It can be horrible to experience if you have depression, but also if you are witnessing it first hand. People with depression often say things they do not mean. They go on rages that put people around them in constant fear. There are also times when a depressed person is constantly feeling down and crying all the time.

The purpose of this study is to show that there are different interpretations of depression and the medications involved in helping contain it. In this case, doctors seem to say not to stop taking Paxil because it could risk a destabilization of one's mental health.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Binstock

Taser Maker Issues New Safety Warnings

Scott Kappes — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:26:31 GMT

Taser International has issued new warning to police agencies throughout the nation to not shoot at the suspect’s chest. The company said that striking a suspect in the chest can in extremely rare instances poses a risk of an adverse cardiac event.

This is the first time that Taser has ever admitted that there may be any risk of cardiac arrest associated with the use of its 50,0000-volt stun gun.

Officials from Taser were quick to point out that the bulletin does in no way state that Tasers can cause cardiac arrest, but rather advises law enforcement authorities that controversy can be avoided if officers aim for other areas of the body.

Over the past several years the safety of Tasers has been questioned and numerous critics claim that the devices are much more dangerous than the manufacturer has lead people to believe.

Earlier this year a 27-year-old Texas City man died from cardiac arrest after being tazed by La Marque police during an altercation. Just last week the officers involved in the incident were cleared of any wrongdoing by a Galveston County grand Jury.

This will likely continue to be a hot topic in the years to come with strong convictions guiding each side of the issue.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Actos and Avandia(2)

Ashley Davis — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:13:44 GMT

The FDA has recently announced that there will now be a “Black Box” warning on the Type 2 diabetes medications Actos and Avandia due to their connection to increased risks of heart attacks and heart-related deaths. If you have taken or been prescribed Avandia or Actos, you may be at risk.

Type 2 diabetes is a very serious and potentially life threatening disease which affects about 18-20 million Ameicans. It is also the leading cause of coronary heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and limb amputation.

The increased warning advises health care professionals to be more cautious in checking for signs of heart failure in their type 2 patients who have taken Avandia or Actos. Negative side effects associated with these drugs are:

Excessive, rapid weight gain
Shortness of breath
Swelling of the extremeties or organs

If you or someone you know has taken Avandia or Actos and are experiencing any of these symptoms, then contact your physician immediately and be aware of the risks.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ashley Davis

Emilio Upgraded to Fair Condition

Scott Kappes — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:22:00 GMT

Today it was announced that famous Tejano singer, Emilio Navaira, was upgraded to fair condition. The good news comes over three weeks after he was seriously injured when his tour bus struck a barrier on Interstate 610 after playing a show in Houston.

The news of the accident spread quickly throughout the Tejano community and has been met with a tremendous out-pouring of support and concern for the Grammy-winning star.

Officials at Memorial-Hermann-Texas Medical Center announced Wednesday that his condition had improved from critical to fair condition. They said more details on his condition would be provided at a news conference with his Dr. Alex Valadka and the singer's wife Maria Navaira on Friday

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Lawsuits Filed Over Digitek Recalls

Scott Kappes — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:28:33 GMT

Two weeks after Actavis issued a recall for its heart medication Digitek, or digoxin, the first lawsuits have been filed. Very little information has been made available on this recall other than that some tablets may be twice as thick and therefore contain twice the active ingredient as intended. It is unclear how many batches may be affected or which particular batches are affected.

In announcing the recall, Actavis said the double-strength tablets pose a risk of toxicity in patients with renal failure. The right amount of digoxin can strengthen a weak heart and calm fluttering heartbeats. Too much digoxin can make you nauseous, depress your blood pressure, slow down your heart rate or kill you.

Several reports of injury and illness have been reported in association with the recall. Plaintiffs are seeking damages over alleged injuries as well as compensation for monitoring for possible future health problems.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Judge Dismisses Case Due to Chantix Induced Psychotic Episode

Scott Kappes — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:35:20 GMT

A federal judge has dismissed the case of a 25 year-old California man who charged the cockpit of a plane on Thanksgiving forcing an emergency landing in Fargo, North Dakota. Prosecutors asked for the interfering with an airplane flight crew charge to be dropped against Andrew Smith after psychiatric exam revealed that Smith was suffering from psychotic disorder caused by Pfizer's smoking cessation medication Chantix.

Reports of adverse effects associated with prompted an FDA investigation of the drug. The FDA issued an warning that drug could be linked to serious psychiatric disorders and possibly even suicidal acts. No causal relationship has officially been established but the FDA has said that a link cannot be ruled out at this time.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

First Yamaha Rhino Rollover Trial Underway

Scott Kappes — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:21:27 GMT

A Texas jury has been given the task the of determining whether Yamaha Motor Co. is responsible for damages caused by their allegedly defective Rhino ATV. The jury’s decision will have monumental ramification that will echo throughout the nation and set a precedent that may be cited in future similar cases.

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of individuals that have been injured while using the Yamaha Rhino ATV. The lawsuits claim that the Yamaha Rhino’s design is flawed and makes the Rhino more susceptible to roll-over accidents than other similar vehicles.

The landmark trial which, began last week, involves the death of a 13-year-old boy, Forest “Eddie” Ray, who was tragically while operating a Yamaha Rhino ATV.

The lawsuit alleges that Yamaha chose to skimp on the cost of producing the vehicle and these money saving choice resulted in a defective and dangerous product being sold to the public. Specifically the lawsuit claims that Yamaha failed to equip the Rhino with a rear differential that would have made the vehicle much safer.

The plaintiffs argue that the presence of a rear differential would have prevented the ATV from rolling over when Ray made a turn from grass onto a paved road; however, according to testimony of a Yamaha engineer the Rhino is designed be an “exclusively off-road vehicle.”

The defense also argues that the 13-year-old was left unsupervised and was not wearing a helmet or a seatbelt at the time the accident occurred. Yamaha claims that the Rhino is intended for use only by drivers 16 and older and that drivers and occupants are always encouraged to wear safety belts and protective gear.

Yamaha contends that the Rhino met all safety standards, and in fact had been delayed from the market to ensure that these standards were met.

It will be very interesting to see where the jury comes out on this case. They will undoubtedly be faced with difficult decisions that will take careful deliberation, and hopefully in the end justice will be served.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Scott Kappes

Increased Warnings for Tylenol

Ashley Davis — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:59:31 GMT

According to a U.S report, Johnson and Johnson are increasing the warnings on their product Tylenol to reduce the risk of liver injury. Tylenol contains Acetaminophen which is used to reduce pain and fever is said to have a connection to people with liver injuries. The report from the FDA recommends eliminating Acetaminophen from over-the-counter combination products, such as Tylenol cold.

Since the late 1990’s. liver injury has been a known risk of acetaminophen, but efforts to educate consumers and revise prescribing information have been unsuccessful. From 1990 to 2001, Acetaminophen has been linked to 458 deaths and 26,000 hospitalizations. The drug is a leading cause of acute liver failure among consumers who abuse it.

The FDA’s center for drug evaluation and research recommend lowering immediate-release tablet strength to no more than 325 milligrams from the current 500 milligrams and reducing the single adult dose 650 milligrams, from 1,000 milligrams. They also urged decreasing the maximum daily dose of all acetaminophen to 3,250 milligrams from 4,000 milligrams.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ashley Davis

What is a Shoulder Pain Pump?

Ashley Davis — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:30:14 GMT

A shoulder pain pump is a small device developed recently to deliver pain medication directly into the shoulder joint through a small flexible plastic tube called a catheter. According to a recent study published by The American Journal of Sports Medicine in the intra-articular pain pumps is identified as cause of a condition known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis. There are currently other studies being conducted to confirm these findings.

So what is Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis? It is a specific type of chondrolysis that is associated with pain pumps and shoulder surgery. It is a loss of cartilage in the shoulder after shoulder surgery. PAGCL is associated with the use if an intra-articular pain pump catheter implanted in the shoulder joint by the shoulder during shoulder surgery. The symptoms of PAGCL includes:

Shoulder pain both at rest and in motion
Stiffness of the shoulder
Weakness of the shoulder
Clicking, popping or grinding
Limited range of motion

If the pain pump has affected you or a loved one then contact the office of Reich and Binstock for an evaluation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ashley Davis