Archive for the ‘Wrongful Death’ Category
Young Wentzville Driver Killed in Three Car Crash
Michelle Hampton, a 16 year old girl from Wentzville, was killed yesterday in a three car crash. Michelle ran a stop sign and crossed into the northbound lanes of Highway 61, hitting a Chevrolet Avalanche and then running into a Buick Regal. The other drivers were not injured but Michelle was killed at the scene.
My heart really goes out to Michelle’s family. It is a terrible tragedy to lose a brand new driver in an accident. I wish them strength and courage through these hard times.
Even though it appears the accident was her fault, it is odd that the other drivers weren’t injured. This raises a serious question on whether or not the safety features in Michelle’s car functioned properly or were indeed faulty or defectively designed. If this is the case, the auto manufacturer could very well be responsible for the death of Michelle even though she ran the stop sign. Running the stop sign did not cause the injuries she sustained, but her impact with the inside of her vehicle did. If that impact could have been prevented by properly designed safety devices inside the car, Michelle may very well be with us today. It is extremely important that Michelle’s family preserve the car she was driving before it is scrapped at a junkyard and possibly important evidence is lost.
The Hampton family would be well advised to speak with an attorney experienced in fatal car accidents. He or she would know the best course of action to pursue to ensure that they can truly understand the nature of the accident and formulate an appropriate claim.
Seattle Boy Dies After Error By Hospital Staff
A painkiller prescribed to a Seattle boy after some routine dental work left him dead at only 15 years old. The boy, Michael Blankenship, suffered from autism, a brain development disorder that affects social interaction and communication. He was given a prescription for a fentanyl patch, which is a drug that the FDA warned is only to be for patients who have developed a tolerance for opium-derived painkillers. Though his dentists had not prescribed the drug to any of their other patients before, Blankenship was given the maximum dosage of 100 micrograms per hour. He was found dead the morning after he had received the prescription.
Seattle Attorney Chris Davis has filed suit against Seattle Children’s Hospital and Barbara L. Sheller, DDS for the wrongful death of Blankenship. A Seattle press release read:
[…] According to the complaint, Seattle Children’s Hospital and its doctors were negligent and reckless by failing to maintain and/or follow appropriate safeguards for the proper and accurate prescription of the powerful pain medication. The complaint also asserts that there were numerous factors present that would have shown any careful medical provider that Michael was not a suitable candidate for the drug, and that he certainly never should have been given the highest dosage available.
The tragedy has left Blankenship’s mother and brother devastated, with his younger brother so emotionally distressed that he is unable to stay in their home. I wish Chris Davis and the Blankenship family the best of luck as they battle these hard times and attempt to get the compensation that they deserve. Chris is a friend of mine and I know his expertise in children’s injury will guide them through this long, hard road.
