June 23, 2011 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Update on Wisconsin Teen Motorcycle Accident

Two lawsuits filed for 2010 crash that killed motorcyclist

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Insurance Claims on Thursday, June 23, 2011.

A motorcycle/car collision last year left one young man dead and a driver injured. Now, representatives for both have filed lawsuits relating to the crash. The disputes include the motorists’ insurance companies.

The 17-year-old motorcyclist reportedly collided with a car driven by an 18-year-old man on U.S. Highway 45 near Jacob Avenue in Oshkosh in June 2010. The motorcyclist died several days later after apparently amassing significant medical expenses.

After the car and motorcycle collided, the car apparently was sent into a tree, causing injuries to the driver, including a broken jaw, facial lacerations and broken teeth.

The families of both men have filed lawsuits. The motorcyclist’s father has sued the driver of the car and his insurance company, Auto-Owners Insurance Company. In the wrongful death lawsuit, he is reportedly seeking medical and funeral expenses, plus the loss of companionship of his son. According to the the Northwestern, the motorcyclist’s medical expenses totaled over $146,000.

The driver of the car filed his own lawsuit against the motorcyclist’s insurer, American Family Mutual Insurance Company. His personal injury lawsuit asks for damages relating to expenses and pain and suffering, according to reports.

Court dates for the lawsuits have not been set yet.

There were no criminal charges or any citations filed after the accident. The Northwestern indicates both motorists were going over the speed limit of 45 m.p.h. The State Patrol reportedly reconstructed the accident before deciding not to file any charges. Authorities reported that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.

Source: The Northwestern, “No criminal charges in June 2010 motorcycle crash killing Oshkosh teen, but two civil lawsuits filed,” Jennifer K. Woldt, 22 June 2011

If you or your family needs legal representation following an accident, contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

June 9, 2011 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Milwaukee Facility Negligence Lawyers Share Disturbing Story

Nursing home resident left outside in extreme heat dies

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Thursday, June 9, 2011.

When people decide a family member should live in a nursing home, they have every right to expect that person will be cared for and never put in harm’s way.

A resident of the Sunrise Care Center in Milwaukee is dead after being left unattended in the record heat on Tuesday afternoon. It’s not completely clear if the man’s death was heat-related, but he did have a high fever the evening he died. The fatality might very well be a case of nursing home neglect.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the 69-year-old man asked to go outside in the mid-afternoon so he could enjoy the weather. He was allegedly left outside, unattended by caretakers, for over three hours. During that window, the city reportedly saw a record high of 97 degrees.

The man reportedly had a history of medical problems. The medical examiner’s office is reportedly performing an autopsy to see what caused his death. The health department would not comment on the death until a cause was found.

According to reports, the man’s temperature read 101.4 degrees at 8 p.m. the evening of his death. No one would say with certainty if that was a direct result of being left outdoors. The situation is still being investigated, and the nursing home’s administrator says they are conducting an internal investigation as well.

After the man died, health officials in the city took the opportunity to remind residents of the dangers of being out in extreme temperatures. A spokeswoman put it best when she said, “Extreme heat is real.”

It’s not worth taking any risks.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Nursing home death investigated,” Sharif Durhams, 8 June 2011

Do you need legal assistance from a Milwaukee personal injury attorney for a case of nursing home abuse? Contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. today for a free initial consultation.

June 2, 2011 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Local News from Milwaukee Wrongful Death Attorney

Milwaukee County man accused of killing infant son

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, June 2, 2011.

Milwaukee County police might expect a few traffic deaths over Memorial Day weekend. But nothing could likely prepare them for learning how a three-month-old infant died over the holiday.

A 25-year-old man is charged with killing the boy after hitting him in the head with a video game controller. He has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide for the baby’s wrongful death. He could end up in prison for 60 years if he’s convicted.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the criminal complaint indicates the man changed his story about what exactly happened. The complaint reportedly says the man was driving the boy home when he began crying. The man initially claimed that upon returning home, he threw the baby in the air to calm him, but he hit his head on a coffee table. However, he later altered that story, claiming he hit the child in the head with a Wii video game controller.

After failing to calm the baby, the man reportedly picked him up, started shaking him and threw him against a couch at least twice, once on the couch cushions and once on the back of the couch.

According to reports, the baby died of blunt force trauma to his head.

Most parents will do anything to protect their children. However, injuries such as this are sadly common. It was not reported whether any members of the boy’s family intended to file a wrongful death lawsuit, but it is entirely possible.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Father accused of striking, killing infant,” 1 June 2011

Do you need legal assistance from a Milwaukee personal injury attorney? Contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. today for a free initial consultation.

April 22, 2011 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Milwaukee I-94 Attorneys Share Sad News

Fatal car accident on I-94 in Racine County; Disabled car hit

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 22, 2011.

A tragic SUV-car accident took the life of a Minnesota woman and injured five other people this morning on southbound I-94 in Racine County. The fatal accident occurred at about 2:30 a.m. this morning.

According to the Racine County Sheriff’s Department, a Chevy Impala had become disabled in the center lane of the Interstate. The driver called for help, but before the police could arrive to help, an SUV with Minnesota plates crashed head-on into the back of the Chevy.

The female driver of the SUV was ejected from her vehicle by the force of the car accident, and the SUV was crushed up against the median wall. The driver was pronounced dead on the scene. The other car was forced across the roadway and landed in a roadside ditch.

Three of the injured were passengers in the SUV. The other two were in the Chevy Impala. All five were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

A flat-bed truck was needed to carry away the crushed SUV. A tow truck pulled the Chevy out of the ditch.

The fatal car wreck forced the closure of I-94 southbound for hours this morning as accident reconstruction teams attempted to determine the cause of the crash and crews worked to clear the wreckage. The State Patrol has now reopened the freeway.

It is unclear as of yet why the driver of the SUV failed to see the disabled vehicle, although it had not been pulled to the side of the road. Police have not ruled out any potential cause yet, including drunk driving, distracted driving or driver fatigue.

Please drive safely.

Source: TMJ4-TV 4 Milwaukee, “Woman Dead In Crash That Shut Down I-94 in Racine County,” Tom Murray and Jay Sorgi, April 22, 2011

For a consultation, contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

April 6, 2011 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Blog Update from Fatal Injury Lawyers

Parents of toddler file wrongful death case against H&P Industries

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Wrongful Death on Wednesday, April 6, 2011.

This blog update from fatal injury lawyers with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. involves local business H&P Industries. On January 5, Hartland-based H&P Industries announced a recall of all of the alcohol prep pads, alcohol swabs and alcohol swabsticks it manufactures under the brand name Triad Group. Some of the over-the-counter medical products are suspected of being contaminated with a deadly bacterium, bacillus cereus. At the time, it was not believed there had been serious injuries from the contaminated alcohol wipes and swabs.

On Tuesday, the parents of a two-year-old Texas boy filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Wisconsin company, claiming that Triad alcohol wipes contaminated with the bacteria were used on their son during treatment at a hospital. He died from a bacillus cereus infection.

“After the FDA recall…[t]he mother of this little boy who died realized that the reason for the recall was because of contamination with the exact same bacteria that killed her son…and that’s when the connection was made,” said the family’s attorney.

According to the attorney, the FDA repeatedly asked H&P Industries to stop production of the tainted alcohol wipes, and an FDA inspection found numerous problems at the plant that could lead to contamination, including plumbing issues. It also found that the type of material used in the pad and the foil wrappers were potential sources of bacillus cereus contamination in both sterile and non-sterile alcohol prep pads.

In addition to the product recall, the U.S. Marshals Service and the FDA recently seized materials from H&P Industries in connection with the ongoing investigation. At least two other product liability lawsuits have been filed against the company.

Sadly, the attorney representing the toddler’s family says theirs is not the only personal injury or wrongful death claim he is aware of. His firm has been receiving five to ten contacts a day from others affected by tainted alcohol wipes and lubricating jelly thought to have been manufactured by H&P. More lawsuits involving injuries to children or adults are likely.

Sources:

WITI-TV Milwaukee, “Family of dead toddler files lawsuit against Hartland’s Triad group,” Beverly Taylor, April 5, 2011
Press release, “Triad Group Issues a Voluntary Nationwide Recall of All Lots of Alcohol Prep Pads, Alcohol Swabs, and Alcohol Swabsticks Due to Potential Microbial Contamination,” January 5, 2011

Do you need legal help from a Milwaukee personal injury attorney? Contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. today.

March 23, 2011 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Local News Story from Milwaukee Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

Milwaukee dementia home cited for nursing home abuse in death case

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Wednesday, March 23, 2011.

This local news story from Milwaukee Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Ric Domnitz chronicles how last March, an 85-year-old resident at Michele Home, a nursing home in Milwaukee that specializes in the treatment of people with dementia, was strangled to death by another resident. Now, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has cited the nursing home for numerous safety violations, including failure to protect residents from physical abuse in connection with the man’s wrongful death.

Michele Home, which is a community-based residential facility operated by Frontida Inc. and licensed by the state, was also cited for failing to notify the state when incidents occurred that involved injuries to residents which resulted in hospitalization, as well as failing to implement temporary service plans for residents, failure to appropriately supervise the residents, and failure to manage the behavior of residents known to be dangerous. The citations appear to indicate a pattern of incidents amounting either to negligent care our outright nursing home abuse and neglect.

The 85-year-old victim, a man with advanced dementia, was apparently attacked on March 7, 2010, by a then-58-year-old fellow resident when the older man bumped into a table where the younger man was seated and knocked over a glass of juice. The older man died two weeks later

The younger resident was not arrested or removed from the home after the March 7 strangling incident. On March 27, police were called to Michele Home after he allegedly attacked another patient. He was moved to another facility after the second attack. Michele Home was also cited for failing to report that police were called to the facility on that occasion. The nursing home has been fined $6,200 and ordered not to house dangerous residents without proper resources.

Alzheimer’s advocates say Wisconsin lacks legal standards to protect dementia patients from nursing home abuse or neglect

According to Tom Hlavacek, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter, Wisconsin has no legal standards for care facilities that house such patients, no clear definition of what constitutes a dementia treatment facility, and no requirement for nursing home workers to be certified in dementia care.

Hlavacek says there have been attempts to pass legislation that would establish standards for the care and safety of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, but those attempts have been unsuccessful.

He also points out that housing patients of very disparate ages (the victim of the strangulation was 27 years older than the alleged perpetrator) and diverse needs can create a dangerous mix.

The alleged attacker had criminal convictions for disorderly conduct and felony theft. Frontida’s website does not mention that it houses correctional clients or emotionally disturbed individuals, which is outlined on the DHS website.

A spokesperson for Frontida did not respond to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s requests for comment.

Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, “State cited group home for numerous violations,” Jesse Garza, March 20, 2011

Do you need legal help from a Milwaukee personal injury attorney for a nursing home abuse case? Contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. today.

September 27, 2010 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Award News from Milwaukee Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

WI Nursing Home Pays $2.25 Million in Wrongful Death Suit

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Monday, September 27, 2010.

A large company that runs The Willows nursing home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, recently agreed to pay $2.25 million plus an undisclosed amount for costs to settle a wrongful death and nursing home abuse lawsuit stemming from the death of one of its residents. This settlement marks one of the largest ever payouts in a wrongful death suit between a nursing home resident and nursing facility in Wisconsin. The suit was filed by the husband of Cynthia Wilms, who died in 2007 from complications from an infection that went untreated by The Willow staff, according to the wrongful death suit.

Wilms was admitted to The Willows Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in 2007 after having undergone elective hip replacement surgery. She was scheduled to have a short stint at the facility while she was undergoing rehabilitation for her new hip. Instead of staying at the facility for a short period of time and returning home to her husband of 50 years, she died from a severe infection. The 72-year-old wife, mother, grandmother and piano teacher grew sicker and sicker from a surgical wound that had developed into what is a usually treatable staph infection. The suit claims that the nursing home, which was later found to be chronically understaffed, did nothing to help Wilms treat her infections or even call a doctor to provide care.

A news report published about the case detailed that the facility failed to do anything about the woman’s condition even as “drainage from the wound soaked her clothes and bedding so regularly that her husband took her stained underwear and slacks home every night to wash them.” Wilms’s husband expressed that he filed the wrongful death lawsuit in the first place to ensure that people in other nursing homes get better care than was provided to his wife. He expressed that he would never want this to happen to anyone else.

Source: Capital Times, “Nursing homes pays wrongful death suit; victim’s family hopes to educate others,” 09/27/2010

Need legal advice from a Milwaukee personal injury attorney? Contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. today.

June 24, 2010 by Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.

Celebrity News from Milwaukee Wrongful Death Lawyer Blog

Joe Jackson Files Wrongful Death Suit Against Dr. Conrad Murray

On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, June 24, 2010.

According to several reports, Joe Jackson, the father of late pop-star Michael Jackson, has planned to file a wrongful death suit against his son’s former personal doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray. The suit allegedly claims that Murray had consumed alcohol the night he administered a lethal dose of Propofol to Jackson.

According to legal documents served to Murray, Jackson claims that Murray had been consuming alcohol at a gentlemen’s club prior to treating Michael Jackson the same evening. The court documents stated, “On June 25, 2009, prior to treating Michael Jackson, the defendant was at a ‘strip club’ called ‘Sam’s Hofbrau’ in Los Angeles. It was reckless for him to ‘drink’ prior to administering anesthesia to Michael Jackson. He concealed his conduct from Michael.”

Representatives for Dr. Murray commented that Joe Jackson’s claims are “utter nonsense.” His defense is confident that these charges will be dismissed. They expressed that Murray barely had time to shower in the weeks leading up to Jackson’s death, so how could Murray have had time to go to a gentleman’s club.

According to Wikipedia, Propofol, distributed by AstraZeneca and also referred to as Diprivan, acts as a short-acting, intravenously administered hypnotic agent. It is mostly used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, sedation for mechanically ventilated adults and procedural sedation.

Jackson reportedly served Dr. Murray with court documents on March 27, 2010. However, due to California law, Joe Jackson must wait 90 days before bringing the suit to court. The 90-day waiting period will be up tomorrow, June 25, the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death.

If you need legal help from a Milwaukee personal injury attorney for a wrongful death case, contact Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. today.

« Previous Page