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Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Beyond Auto Accidents: Seven Overlooked Scenarios That May Qualify for Personal Injury Claims
'Most people associate personal injury law with vehicle accidents, but the law recognizes a broader duty of care across many types of environments and relationships'— William P. Morrow OPELOUSAS, LA, UNITED STATES, July 22, 2025 / / -- While auto collisions remain a common cause of personal injury litigation, legal professionals at Morrow Law Firm in Opelousas, Louisiana, are highlighting a broader range of circumstances that may also give rise to valid injury claims. Many individuals are unaware that incidents outside of car crashes—often occurring in everyday settings—could entitle them to compensation under Louisiana law. Led by William P. Morrow, John Michael Morrow, Jr., and Stephen M. Morrow, the firm handles a wide range of injury-related matters, with a focus on helping clients understand their legal rights after being harmed due to negligence. According to William P. Morrow, a significant number of personal injury cases originate from situations that are not commonly associated with legal action. 'Most people associate personal injury law with vehicle accidents, but the law recognizes a broader duty of care across many types of environments and relationships,' said Morrow. 'When that duty is breached and harm results, the injured party may have a claim.' Morrow outlined several scenarios where individuals may be entitled to a personal injury settlement, despite no vehicles being involved: 1. Unsafe Property Conditions Slip-and-fall incidents in grocery stores, broken staircases in apartment complexes, or unmarked hazards in public buildings can result in serious injuries. Property owners are responsible for maintaining safe premises. If injuries occur due to neglected maintenance or inadequate warnings, a premises liability claim may apply. 2. Dog Bites and Animal Attacks Injuries caused by domestic animals—most commonly dogs—are often compensable when the owner fails to control the animal or fails to warn others of known risks. This includes incidents occurring on private property or in public spaces. 3. Injuries on the Job Workplace accidents that go beyond routine workers' compensation coverage may also result in personal injury claims, particularly if third-party contractors, equipment manufacturers, or property managers contribute to unsafe conditions. 4. Defective Products Injuries caused by unsafe consumer products—ranging from electronics to appliances to tools—may involve product liability claims. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers may be held accountable for design flaws, inadequate warnings, or defective components. 5. Assault or Negligent Security Injuries resulting from criminal acts in locations such as parking garages, hotels, or apartment complexes may be linked to negligent security. When property owners fail to implement reasonable security measures in high-risk areas, resulting injuries may lead to liability. 6. Medical and Pharmaceutical Harm Negative outcomes stemming from medication errors, incorrect prescriptions, or failure to disclose known side effects may lead to personal injury claims under medical negligence or pharmaceutical liability standards. 7. Recreational and Public Venue Injuries Amusement parks, recreational facilities, concerts, and sports venues may carry liability when a patron is injured due to poor design, crowd mismanagement, or faulty equipment. Legal responsibility can extend to organizers, operators, or property owners. Each of these scenarios involves different legal frameworks, timelines, and evidence requirements. Morrow emphasized the importance of professional legal evaluation following any injury, regardless of whether it initially appears to warrant legal action. 'In many cases, individuals delay seeking legal advice because the injury did not happen in a way they associate with traditional claims,' Morrow stated. 'That delay can affect evidence collection, legal options, and ultimately the outcome of the case.' Louisiana law imposes strict filing deadlines, often referred to as prescription periods, for personal injury claims. These timeframes can vary based on the nature of the injury and the parties involved. Timely consultation with legal counsel is necessary to preserve rights and identify potential liability before the window for filing closes. Morrow Law Firm continues to provide legal representation for individuals across Louisiana who have experienced harm in a variety of settings. The firm advises that even seemingly minor incidents may have legal significance when examined in the full context of duty of care and negligence. The attorneys at Morrow Law Firm—William P. Morrow, John Michael Morrow, Jr., and Stephen M. Morrow—have represented clients in personal injury cases across Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Alexandria, and other regions throughout the state. The firm remains committed to clarifying legal pathways and holding accountable those whose actions—or inaction—result in preventable harm. Morgan Thomas Rhino Digital, LLC +1 504-875-5036 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
NHS facing £27bn bill for maternity failings in England
The NHS could be facing a £27.4bn bill for maternity failings in England, an NHS annual report has revealed. It comes after several hospital scandals caused hundreds of babies and women to die or suffer life-altering conditions sparking a record number of legal claims. The potential bill for maternity negligence since 2019 is £27.4bn, according to an NHS Resolution report, the organisation that handles negligence claims for the NHS trusts in England. Hospital scandals in England have prompted health secretary Wes Streeting to launch a national investigation into NHS maternity services. The new rapid investigation will look at 'systemic' failures in maternity and neo-natal units 'up and down the country', which are leaving women and babies at a 'considerably higher' risk than they should be. The probe will focus on the 10 'worst performing' maternity services in England in a bid to drive urgent improvements to safety for pregnant women and their babies, Mr Streeting said. The NHS Resolution report which was published on Thursday revealed in 2024/25 the NHS paid out £3.1bn in compensation and associated costs overall. But because claims take some time to be reported and settled, and some claims are settled with multi-year payments into the future as Periodical Payment Orders (PPOs), the estimated 'annual cost of harm' for NHS schemes was £4.9 billion. This means almost £5 billion in compensation costs is currently incurred by the NHS in England each year for incidents that could be avoided. The estimates cost of harm from maternity incidents in 2019/20 was £5.7bn, £5.1bn in 2020/21, £8.2bn in 2021/22, £3.4 in 2022/23 and £2.5bn in both 2023/24 and 4024/25, the Guardian reported. This estimated cost is far higher than the NHS budget of £18bn for newborns over the past six years. Jeremy Hunt, the former Conservative health secretary, told the Guardian: 'It should be a matter of national shame that we now spend more on maternity litigation than the total cost of running maternity services.' However, compensation for maternity negligence only accounts for a fraction of the total £17.4bn sum, with a large share going towards legal costs. Over the past six years £24.6m has been spent on legal fees for claims that did not result in damages. Liberal Democrat hospitals spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller said these figures show how much damage the crisis in maternity services is causing the NHS. She told the newspaper: 'The crisis in our maternity services is being laid bare through the trauma that so many families have to deal with.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'This government inherited an unacceptable situation where too many families have suffered due to failures in maternity care and the NHS has been paying billions for its mistakes, rather than fixing them. 'We are committed to breaking that cycle and providing mothers and babies with safe, compassionate care once and for all. That is why we have announced a rapid national maternity investigation to identify where things are going wrong and identify solutions.' A spokesperson also said it is setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, rolling out a digital system to better identify safety concerns, and a new training programme to help prevent avoidable injuries at childbirth. An NHS England spokesperson said: "We recognise that too many women and families are not receiving the high-quality maternity care they deserve, and we are committed to changing this. "We are taking immediate steps to strengthen maternity services, including closer oversight of underperforming trusts, and will work with the independent investigation to ensure we learn from its findings and deliver the comprehensive changes that women and families need and deserve.' NHS Resolution said: 'The high cost of compensation arising in maternity comes from a small number of very serious incidents resulting in brain injury to a baby at birth. These incidents are devastating for families and reflect the need to make provision for life-long and complex care needs. 'NHS Resolution is committed to supporting the Government's action to drive improvements in maternal and neonatal safety. 'Our Early Notification Scheme enables an earlier investigation of compensation entitlement than has been possible in the past and for learning to be shared back more rapidly with NHS trusts. Additionally, our Maternity Incentive Scheme provides financial incentives to NHS trusts to embed safety standards. We continue to evaluate and enhance these programmes to improve outcomes for families and reduce preventable harm."
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Bishop Auckland care home 'ignored fall prevention advice'
A woman died from a fall after a care home failed to take prevention measures despite repeated advice, a coroner has said. Patricia Heaviside fell a number of times while she was living at Howlish Hall in Bishop Auckland between February 2023 and December 2024, but hip protectors and a sensory mat were never coroner for County Durham and Darlington Rebecca Sutton said there had been "reluctance" among senior members of staff to pay for the equipment. Howlish Hall has been approached for a comment. Ms Heaviside died on 26 December 2024 at the age of 85 after breaking her death was the consequence of a fall she suffered in her room at Howlish Hall Care Home on 4 October, an inquest found. She had surgery and was moved to a different care home on 3 December, due to "ongoing family concerns". 'Wouldn't want to pay' A document published by the coroner on Thursday, known as a prevention of future deaths report, said Ms Heaviside had suffered a number of falls while she lived at Howlish Hall. In August 2023, the Community Falls Service advised the home manager to place a sensor box in her room and said she should use hip protectors, which could be purchased by the family. "The home did not follow these recommendations and did not inform the family of the option to purchase hip protectors," the coroner said. A social worker attended the home on 27 September 2024 after the family reported concerns. According to the report, the deputy manager had told the family the month before that the owner of Howlish Hall "probably wouldn't want to pay for a sensor mat"."The home staff assured the social worker that they had a sensor mat that they would place next to [Ms Heaviside]'s bed, but this was not done," assistant coroner Sutton said. She added she had received evidence there had been a "reluctance" from the care home owner to "provide adequate resources for falls prevention equipment". A response outlining action to be taken has to be submitted to the coroner by 5 September. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
CTV News
13 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
B.C. woman sues after father's brain found years after his death, cremation
A B.C. woman says she needed up having her father cremated without his brain, after the vital organ was allegedly mishandled after his death. A Victoria, B.C., woman is taking legal action after her father's brain was found sitting in a hospital fridge over two years after he died. Mandy Large is suing the B.C. Coroners Service and the Vancouver Island Health Authority for negligence and for breaching their duties of care. Her father, Philip Peter Billy, was 55 when he died in Nanaimo on Feb. 27, 2022. His brain was removed for examination during an autopsy and was never put back, Large said. 'They were cleaning out a fridge at Royal Jubilee Hospital and they found my dad's brain in a jar,' she told CTV News Vancouver Island. In an email chain Large shared with CTV News, a coroner confirms her claim. 'When (Billy's brain) was received by Royal Jubilee Hospital it was misplaced in a fridge and not returned to the body. It was found now while the fridge was being cleaned out,' coroner Emily Lefler wrote to Large on Oct. 1, 2024. The coroner's service and the health authority said they cannot comment while the matter is before the court. In April 2022, the notice of civil claim says Billy's body was moved from Nanaimo to Victoria, where Large said he was to be cremated. Billy's brain remained at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, and Large said she doesn't know why. A month later, the coroner's service said the brain and body had been reunited, according to the notice of claim. 'But it didn't happen,' Large said, though she didn't know that at the time, so she went ahead with cremating her father. 'My dad being cremated without his brain, it just meant that he was… in the spirit world without a brain,' said Large, who is First Nations. Her email exchange with Lefler suggests a miscommunication led to the alleged mishandling of the brain. 'Royal Jubilee staff were the ones that misplaced the brain and told us it was with the body when it was not,' the coroner wrote. Large describes her father as a gentle giant with a soft voice and a good soul, despite enduring residential school and having a hard life. 'I found some peace in my dad passing away – for him – because he no longer had to struggle,' she said. 'My dad didn't get to die with dignity… He was wronged even after his passing by these systems that are put in place.' She hopes the lawsuit ensures other families don't suffer in the same way. 'What happened to my dad greatly affected me emotionally and mentally and it still affects me today,' she said. His brain has been cremated and reunited with the rest of his remains, she said.
The Independent
20 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Parents of man who died in Colorado jail say nurses, deputies ignored his pleas for 15 hours
The parents of a man who died alone in a Colorado jail cell after an ulcer burned a hole in his digestive tract and left him in what they said was excruciating pain for about 15 hours filed a federal lawsuit Monday, accusing the jail's nurses and sheriff's deputes of ignoring his cries for help. The lawsuit blames them, local government officials and Southern Health Partners for failing to stop the death of Daniel Foard in 2023 by taking him to the hospital. Foard, 32, was a cook at a brewpub and user of fentanyl who was arrested for failing to appear in court. After being segregated and monitored for withdrawal from the synthetic opioid, he began vomiting and complained of stomach pain after being put in a regular jail cell, it said. The lawsuit alleges Southern Health Partners — the Tennessee-based company they contracted with to provide health care at the La Plata County jail — has tried to maximize its profits at the jail by only having one nurse on duty at a time, leaving it to medically untrained deputies to monitor sick inmates. The company holds hundred of contracts at jails around the country and the lawsuit alleges that is has been involved in lawsuits related to the deaths of at least five other jail inmates nationally. The company's lawyer, Shira Crittendon, said she had not seen the lawsuit and declined to comment on it. The sheriff's office referred questions about the the lawsuit to a county spokesperson. In a statement, the county said it had not analyzed the allegations in the lawsuit and does not comment publicly on active litigation. Autopsy found Foard died because of an ulcer Foard was found dead in the jail on Aug. 17, 2023, six days after he was arrested. An autopsy found Foard died as a result of a hole created by an ulcer in his small intestine, which caused inflammation of the tissue lining his abdomen. Such ulcers can let food and digestive juices leak out of the body's digestive tract. Fentanyl was found in Foard's blood but the autopsy report did not name that as a cause of his death. Dr. Michael Arnall ruled Foard's death was due to natural causes. On Aug. 15, 2023, even though Foard had collapsed several times and had trouble standing, he was moved out of an area where he could be more easily observed for problems with his withdrawal and put into a regular jail cell, staggering as we went, the lawsuit said. The day nurse ignored a deputy's concern that he was very unstable, according to the lawsuit brought by lawyers Dan Weiss, Anna Holland Edwards, John Holland and Erica Grossman. After a deputy delivering breakfast on Aug. 16, 2023 saw that Foard repeatedly fell while trying to get his tray, the jail's day nurse came to check on him, it said. She recorded that Foard reported he had sharp, shooting pain that was a '10' on a scale of one to 10, but she did not call for a doctor or send him to the hospital, it said. The nurse moved Foard to an empty cell where he could be monitored but didn't tell deputies what he was being monitored for and didn't order any follow up care or check on him, it said. He vomited all day and was moved to another cell and then a third because they had all become so messy with vomit, it said. Surveillance video showed him crawling to the final cell, where it said he continuously called out for help and yelled that he needed to go to a hospital, saying he was vomiting blood. The lawsuit claims that no one responded to his pleas but one deputy could be heard on surveillance video telling him to 'try to hit that drain' with his vomit to keep the cell from becoming dirty. Another nurse, working the evening shift, only walked by his cell and glanced inside, but did not assess him or provide care as he was pleading for help, the lawsuit said. When she did enter his cell around 10 p.m., Foard was dead, it said. She told state investigators that vomiting was normal for people withdrawing from fentanyl. State authorities investigated Foard's death The day shift nurse later told a state investigator that it was not unusual that Foard would not have had his vital signs checked for 12 hours because of the number of inmates the jail's nurses need to provide care, according to a report from an investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigations. She also said she didn't think there was anything different she could have done based on Foard's symptoms. The bureau's findings were forwarded to the 6th District Attorney's Office, which would decide whether any criminal charges were warranted in connection with Foard's death. It's not known whether the office decided to pursue any charges. A telephone message and email sent to District Attorney Sean Murray were not immediately returned. In a statement, Jim Foard and Susan Gizinski said they want everyone to know about their son's ordeal both to hold those they say are responsible for his death accountable and to change how inmates are treated at the jail. 'Just basic training in having compassion for others would be a great start. But adding more staff is critical too,' they said.
