Halifax Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

June 30th, 2011

Nova Scotia Brain Injury Claims: New Blood Test May Help Brain Injury Victims

A recent article in Internal Medicine News reports that researchers at Orlando (Fla.) Regional Medical Center has identified a protien that they say accurately distinguishes between mild and moderate traumatic brain injury. If the research is validated it may lead to a blood test that can help health care providers accurately identify when patients have suffered a brain injury and require further treatment.

Current Testing Problematic

Most emergency medical responders use the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to assess patients with head injury. The problem is that the GCS test can be influenced by alcohol or drugs, some prescription medication, other injuries, or hypoperfusion. The test was never designed to be used as an emergency department tool.

Continue reading →

June 27th, 2011

Hot Coffee: The Truth About the MacDonald’s Coffee Case

by John McKiggan

When people I meet for the first time find out I am a personal injury lawyer almost invariably the conversation ends up with them mentioning the lady who spilled hot coffee on herself and sued McDonald’s for $3 million.

Unfortunately there is a stunning lack of public understanding about the real facts of the McDonald’s coffee case. That misunderstanding is fueled by corporate interests who want the public to belive that there is a “problem” with people being able to recover compensation for their injuires.

The insurance industry wants to increase it’s profits by limiting access to justice and the rights of innocent victims to receive full and fair compensation for their injuries.

Continue reading →

June 10th, 2011

New Brunswick Car Accident Claims – Did Auto Insurers Make “Enormous” Profits By Overcharging Consumers in N.B.?

by John McKiggan

I noticed this report today and I thought I would pass it along.

New Brunswick’s Insurance Board is holding hearings investigating whether Pembridge Insurance – owned by All State Insurance, has overcharged consumers.

Paula Elliot, an actuary hired by the province to review rates charged by the insurance company, suggested Pembridge made enormous profits in New Brunswick between 2004 and 2008 and would make too much again last year unless its rates are reduced by at least 3.6 per cent and a rebate offered on the difference.

Continue reading →

June 9th, 2011

Child Safety: Sunny Days and Kids in Cars

by John McKiggan

Yesterday was the first sunny day we have had in what seems like months. I actually had to roll the windows down in my car driving home it was so hot.

By coincidence, Kids and Cars sent me a public service announcement yesterday reminding car owners of the dangers of leaving children unattended in cars.

So that’s probably why this story Child in car on hot day: What was mom thinking? caught my attention today. Fortunately the child in this story wasn’t hurt. But things could easily have turned out differently. Tragically so.

Continue reading →

June 3rd, 2011

Nova Scotia Car Accident Claims – Insurance Review Recommends Improvements to NS System

by John McKiggan

The consultant hired to conduct a review of Nova Scotia’s auto insurance system has recommended improvements to help benefit consumers.

The Atlantic Provinces Trial Lawyers Association was asked to sit on the Board that reviewed the insurance legislation: McKiggan Appointed to Provincial Insurance Review Committee

My colleague Ray Wagner and I proposed a number of improvements to Nova Scotia’s insurance scheme that have been adopted and recommended to the government for implementation.

Continue reading →

June 1st, 2011

New Cycling Safety Rules in Effect Today Designed to Reduce Nova Scotia Bicycle Accidents

by John McKiggan

Today new legislation comes into effect to promote the safety of cyclists in Nova Scotia.

The law includes specific requirements for both drivers and cyclists including:

Car drivers must leave at least one metre of space when passing a cyclist;

Continue reading →

June 1st, 2011

Child Safety: N.S. to reduce speed limits in school zones – Kids and Cars Canada

by John McKiggan

The Department of Transportation has announced plans to introduce legislation this fall to reduce speed limits in school zones from 50 km/h to 30 km/h.

The goal of the new limits is to protect students and make roads safer.

Bill Estabrooks, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal stated:

Continue reading →

May 31st, 2011

Can Cell Phones Cause Cancer?

by John McKiggan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified cell phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic” placing it in the same category as gasoline exhaust, and the pesticide DDT.

An international panel of 31 scientists and health experts reviewed dozens of previously published studies and concluded that there was “limited” evidence of a link between cellphone use and glioma and acoustic neuroma, a cancer that develops in the nerves leading from the ear to the brain.

WHO recommended:

Continue reading →

May 31st, 2011

Child Safety: Preventing Burn Injuries at Home

by John McKiggan

75% of burns and scalding injuries happen in the home. Water doesn’t have to be boiling (100 degrees C) to be a serious danger. At a temperature of 68 degrees Celsius water can cause third degree burns in less than one second!

“What’s a Third Degree Burn?”

Third degree burns happen when all three layers of the skin are destroyed. Third degree burns require immediate medical attention. Treatment and recuperation requires skin grafts and can require months of painful rehabilitation.

Continue reading →

May 28th, 2011

Cyber Bullying: Keeping Your Child Safe Online

by John McKiggan

Bullying has been a problem that every generation has had to deal with.When I was a kid the “class bully” was usually a big child who used his physical size and strength to intimidate or hurt smaller or weaker classmates.

The explosive growth of texting and social networking sites like Facebook, My Space and Twitter allows any child to participate in a new form of bullying: “cyber bullying”.

What is it?

Continue reading →