Birmingham Injury Law Blog

Category: Wrongful Death

Airport Panel Falls on Family

On Friday, March 22, a flight information panel at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport fell on a family, killing a ten-year-old boy and injuring his mother and two siblings. Luke Bresette, of Overland Park, Kansas was killed when the sign at the newly renovated Birmingham airport fell.  Bresette was taken to Children’s Hospital of Alabama where he was pronounced dead.  Bresette’s two siblings were also taken to the same hospital, but their condition is unknown. ...

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed in UAH 2010 Shooting

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed over a shooting rampage at the University of Alabama in Huntsville that killed three staff members and wounded three others in 2010. On February 12, 2010, Amy Bishop, a biology professor who was distraught over being denied tenure at UAH, went to a meeting room in the biology department and opened fire, killing three biology department colleagues and wounding three others. In September, Bishop pleaded guilty to the crime and received a life sentence w...

Prescription Painkiller Overdoses Surpass ‘Street Drugs’

Illegal drug use is a significant problem in this country.  However, according to TodayHealth.com, a growing prescription drug epidemic is eclipsing the illegal drug problem and is killing approximately 15,000 people in this country every year, which is more fatalities than  heroin and cocaine overdoses combined. One sister describes the tragic story of her brother’s demise from his addiction to the powerful painkiller Vicodin.  Aaron, her brother, was a popular athlete in hig...

Energy Drinks’ Health Danger Probed by Food and Drug Administration

A very popular beverage in this country today is the energy drink, a  beverage which supposedly provides the consumer with  mental or physical stimulation. There are many different brands of energy drinks, and all usually contain large amounts of  caffeine, herbal extracts, amino acids and other stimulants. Energy drinks are used by consumers of all ages, but research has shown these drinks to be particularly attractive to the younger set, with  approximately 66% of the ...

Elderly Woman Dies After Wheelchair Fall

When our elderly parents or other relatives become too infirmed to live on their own and we are unable to provide the day-to-day care they need, we often turn to assisted living facilities to provide for these loved ones.  Assisted living is a combination of housing, supportive services, personalized assistance and healthcare designed for the individual needs of those who need help with daily living activities and also instrumental activities of daily living. It is the long term care opt...

Pharmacy Tied to Meningitis Outbreak May Have Broken State Law

The investigation into the compounding pharmacy, the New England Compounding Center, at the center of the fungal meningitis outbreak has discovered  the company may have violated Massachusetts state regulations by both producing and distributing large quantities of the contaminated steroid compound. Compounding pharmacies, according to Massachusetts law, are licensed to only produce medications to fill single prescriptions for individual patients, not to produce large quantities of medi...

Family of Three Killed in Birmingham Crash

A controversial subject in the news today is that of police pursuits.  Yes, society does want criminal apprehended, but, no, society does not want innocent bystanders or law enforcement officers hurt in the process.  Unfortunately, this at times, is difficult to accomplish, and a recent tragic collision in Jefferson County this week highlighted just how dangerous a police pursuit can be. A Hanceville family of three was killed instantly in a horrific crash when two suspects fleeing...

Cabaret Sued by Family of Teen Killed by Drunk Driver

Many states have dram shop laws which regulate both the distribution and sale of alcohol by imposing liability on bars, clubs, restaurants, liquor stores or convenience stores that sell alcohol to those individuals who are noticeably intoxicated or to minors.  When a drunk driving accident occurs, it is not just the driver who will be held liable, but the company that served alcohol to the intoxicated driver as well.  The reason for this liability is the idea of foreseeable harm that might be...

Mom Says Her Late Daughter’s Memory Alive Through Organ Donorship

The loss of a child, no matter what age, is most undoubtedly the most difficult loss a parent can suffer in his or her life.  The loss affects parents in different ways.  Some are bitter, sorrowful and never seem to get over the loss of their child.  However there are those parents who, even though they miss their child, move on and make the decision to let their child help others live by the donation of the child’s organs.  When Monica Chambless of Bay Minette, Alabama,...

Alabaster Rock Climber’s Fatal Fall Blamed on Failed Knot

One of the most exhilarating and arduous sports is that of rock climbing.  Rock climbing is both a physically and mentally challenging sport, one that tests a climber’s endurance, agility, strength and balance.  A rock climber needs to have knowledge of proper climbing techniques and also the usage of climbing equipment to be safe in this strenuous sport.  Last year in Virginia, unfortunately, one rock climber’s equipment failure led to his falling to his death near the Blue ...

Archives