Happy Summer Solstice! Today marks the longest day of the year and the first official day of Summer.
Did you know Emergency Room visits go up roughly 20% in the Summer months due to common "Summertime injuries?"
Now is a great time to unwind and get outside but it's important to know some basic Summertime injury facts and prevention tips beforehand to make it as enjoyable as possible.
Lawn mowers: These are the major cause of foot and ankle amputations to
children. Do not operate a riding mower when children are present. Do
not let your children ride on a mower, even with an adult. Mowers should
not be used at dusk or night when it is difficult to see.
Adults, too, are at risk for mower-related injuries -- far more so than children, because they
are the ones operating the devices. In 2011, according to the Consumer
Product Safety Commission, more than 83,000 people were treated in U.S.
ERs for lawn mower injuries.
Never wear sandals when mowing a lawn; always be on the lookout for
other people, children, rocks and branches; and whether you're pushing or riding, watch out for
steep grades.
On the road: Car seats for young children and seat
belts for older passengers offer the best protection from injury and
death in an accident.
A sixteen-year-old carrying two friends in the
car triples the risk of a crash. Add a third passenger and the risk is
increased almost seven-fold.
Young drivers should always be aware, free from distraction and carefully monitored and taught the rules of the road.
Bicycles: Some cycling accidents are caused by high speed and user negligence,
but it's also important to check the bike each spring to make sure
brakes and tires are in good working order. If you have a child, make
sure the bike still fits him -- and make sure that the helmet still
fits, too.
And while most cycling spills are routine, bicycle-vs.-automobile accidents are also more common in the summer months (that's true for
both adults and children). Bicycle riders are required to follow the rules of the road just as automobile operators. Wear reflective gear, always wear a helmet, know the hand signals for turning and be aware of your surroundings when riding on the road.
For pedestrians: Basic advice for pedestrians
includes walking on sidewalks, using marked crosswalks, observing
traffic signals and watching for turning vehicles. To be more visible to
drivers, wear brightly colored clothing during the day and special
reflective materials at night.
Pedestrians should be extra cautious about marked crosswalks
without signal lights. They may not offer any more protection than an
intersection without a crosswalk.
Finally, children younger than 10 should not be allowed to cross
the street alone. They are often impulsive and may have difficulty
judging speed, spatial relations and distance.
Bites: Dog bites result in thousands of hospital ER visits every year, and
researchers say that children are more likely to be bitten by dogs in
the summer months. While adults are more likely to be bitten on arms or
legs, children are more likely than adults to be bitten on the head,
neck and face. Keeps dogs leashed in public areas and watch children around unfamiliar or unknown animals.
Falls: It's a generic category, but it's also the biggest one -- from jungle
gyms, to skateboarding accidents, to bare feet slipping on wet
surfaces, to run-of-the-mill face-plants on the concrete, falling onto
something hard is the traumatic event most likely to land a kid or an
adult in the ER. Seniors are susceptible year-round, while adults
climbing ladders are especially at risk in the summer.
Over the past five years, falls have
exceeded motor vehicle crashes as the top reason for a trauma
hospitalization.
Enjoy the sun, warmth and laid back ease of the Summer and stay safe!
Remember, if you or a loved one has suffered an injury or you've lost a loved one due to the negligence of another, be it an accident, fall, dog bite or property related injury, the Pisanchyn Law Firm can help. Contact us for a free consultation. There is never a fee, we only pay you the money you deserve.
Monday, June 20, 2016
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Do lawyers bend the rules when questioning witnesses by asking impermissible questions just to get the jury thinking about them?
By Jennifer Ellis, Legal Ethics Attorney in PA, USA (I am not your lawyer. Not legal advice.) via Quora.
Good
lawyers? No. Bad lawyers, maybe. Often, if a lawyer does this, it is
because they don't actually know what they are allowed to ask and what
they are not allowed to ask.
Here's the thing
about being a lawyer. Your reputation is very important. If you get a
reputation for asking improper questions it isn't going to help you with
other lawyers or the court. Judges might be more inclined to give the
other side the benefit of the doubt when you ask an improper question or
when you yourself make an objection. The legal world really is very
small. Your reputation follows you around.
The
practice of law really isn't much like it is on tv. There isn't a lot
of this, ask an improper question, OBJECTION, withdrawn.
In a criminal cases, if the prosecutor does it and if the question and the result is harmful enough, it could cause a mistrial.
In a civil case, it could cause financial sanctions against the lawyer and/or his client.
In
either case, it could create a basis for an appeal for the losing side,
if the question was asked by the opposing side and caused enough harm.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Michael Pisanchyn on KQV News
Attorney Pisanchyn on KQV News
Attorney Pisanchyn talks with KQV News about the need to get his clients, who have been sexually assaulted while in Butler County Jail, out of the facility.
An arrest warrant has been issued and charges have been filed in
relation to this case against Luis Quinones, a Trinity Services Group
employee, who worked in the prison kitchen, but has since been removed
from the prison.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Hearing Granted to Inmates Sexually Assaulted in Butler County Prison
Inmates in sex assault case get hearing to leave prison
The two Butler County Prison inmates who claim they were sexually assaulted in the prison will get their day in court.
County President Judge Thomas Doerr today scheduled a hearing for a
petition by two inmates wanting to be released after reporting a prison
food service vendor worker had assaulted them.
During the hearing, which will be June 7, the inmates’ attorney,
Michael Pisanchyn, will present a case for his clients, who allege
vendor worker Luis Quinones, 27, of Butler had inappropriate sexual
contact with them.
Pisanchyn said his clients need to be removed from the prison because that is where they were traumatized.
Following the accusations, Quinones was charged with institutional
sexual assault, criminal attempt of institutional sexual assault and
indecent assault.
Quinones, a Trinity Services Group employee, worked in the prison kitchen, but has since been removed from the prison.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Pisanchyn Law Firm Fights to Protect Sexually Abused Inmates
Two clients were sexually assaulted by prison employee while incarcerated
BUTLER, Pa. —An attorney filed a motion Friday to get his two clients out of the Butler County Prison where he claims they were sexually assaulted by an employee.“I have a feeling that they are going to have problems long-term from being assaulted in a place where they were helpless, vulnerable and had to do what this perp told them to do,” attorney Michael Pisanchyn said.
VIDEO: Watch the Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 report
He said his clients were serving time after pleading guilty to crimes like burglary and drug possession.
The motion says, “(the) incidents occurred over a period of time and despite being investigated for a length of time.”
In one case, Pisanchyn says his client could have served his sentence out of prison, but relatives requested he be held there to help him fight an addiction.
Now he says both his clients are in need of serious help.
“What they can do by coming forward is make sure that they prevent this from occurring to anyone else,” Pisanchyn said.
The identity of the prison employee is not being released at this time.
Inmates Sexually Assaulted in Butler County
Inmates accuse worker of making sexual advances
BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. —
An investigation is underway at the Butler County Prison after
inmates claimed a worker made sexual advances on them, the inmates’
attorney told Channel 11 News Friday.
Two inmates have come forward, saying they have been subjected to
sexual innuendos, advances and contact while serving their time at the
prison.
Channel 11 News learned that one of the inmates is at the prison
for violating probation after serving time for possession of drug
paraphernalia, while the second inmate is serving time on a burglary
charge.
According to documents filed by Mike Pisanchyn, the inmates’
attorney, one inmate suffers from addiction and called his family on
Thursday crying because of the alleged sexual assaults.
Pisanchyn told Channel 11 News it was a kitchen worker inside the prison who targeted both of his clients.
“I believe they’re heroes for coming forward. No one wants to talk
about this when sexually assaulted in numerous ways. Hopefully by them
coming forward, we can prevent it from happening to other people,” he
said.
The Butler County Prison warden told Channel 11 News that he became
aware of the allegations last week and said the accused employee is a
contract worker for Trinity Food Services. The warden said the worker is
banned from the prison until the investigation is completed.
Calls and emails to Trinity Food Services Friday evening were not immediately returned.
Pisanchyn said the inmates should not be forced to stay in the prison during the investigation.
“They’re in a henhouse with a fox, so we’d like to get them out as soon as possible,” he said.
A call to the Butler County District Attorney’s Office for an update on the investigation also was not returned Friday night.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Abuse Lawsuit Filed Against Glade Run Lutheran Services
Lawsuit alleging abuse, neglect of teen
ZELIENOPLE, Pa. — A family is suing Glade Run Lutheran Services, a group home in Zelienople, claiming that a 13-year-old boy was abused and neglected at the facility.
Attorneys for the boy and his family spoke Wednesday with Channel 11 News after filing the civil lawsuit.
“The thing that gets this little boy excited is the thought that
Glade Run will no longer exist,” Nick Indovina of the Pisanchyn law firm
said .
Channel 11 News has covered the residential treatment facility,
which cares for children and teenagers with severe mental health issues,
for months.
State inspectors found evidence last October of children having sex
with other children on campus. As a result, the state Department of
Human Services stripped the 56-bed facility of its license, which Glade
Run is attempting to get back through an appeals process with the state.
The campus has three additional facilities that have remained open
pending the appeal decision.
No criminal charges were ever filed, but the state mandated
changes, including firing the staff, hiring new employees and adding
security cameras.
Indovina said the changes are not enough.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday details allegations too graphic for
Channel 11 News to report about what the boy, now 15, endured from March
to July 2015 while he was being treated at the group home for severe
mental health issues.
The suit alleges that the staff failed to keep him safe from other children.
While Glade Run had yet to see the lawsuit, officials issued the following statement to Channel 11 News:
“Glade Run Lutheran Services serves our communities’ most challenging and traumatized youth, providing residential, school-based and community-based offerings to thousands throughout Western Pennsylvania each year. Many have complex mental health issues and behaviors that necessitate residential treatment for stabilization and healing. The safety of our clients remains our first priority, and we are committed to providing the safest environment for their treatment and recovery.“The provision of human services to individuals with mental health issues is not without risks. These risks include physical harm to staff and potential litigation. The privacy rights of our clients preclude us from discussing any allegation that may arise. Glade Run has a longstanding track record of more than 160 years of successful care and treatment of traumatized youth, and is dedicated to protecting the best interests of those we serve.”
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