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The following are news items that Lewis & Tompkins has compiled regarding issues involving personal injury, medical malpractice, legal malpractice and other matters impacting citizens in District, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland.

Police Probe Bus-Taxi Crash That Killed Calif. Man
Some child booster seats considered dangerous in auto crash
Pedestrian Hit and Killed on Connecticut Ave. in Northwest D.C.
16 Injured as Car Hits Metrobus in District
New Traffic Website Tracks Accidents, Displays on Map
Bay Bridge Accident Kills Truck Driver, Injures Two Others
Recent accidents make bus safety top issue in D.C., Austin
Police identify men killed in BW Parkway crash
Md. bridge repair work expected to cause delays
Conservative commentator Novak hits D.C. pedestrian
Mayor Returns to Work After Bike Accident
Two men indicted in street racing deaths
Deaths aboard D.C. tour bus ruled an accident
D.C. drivers most accident-prone in nation, insurance study finds
2 injured in collision between DC fire truck, car
Fenty Injured in Bike Accident
Man charged after car hits home
Seeing Red When Signals are Dark
Bus catches fire during D.C. field trip
D.C. Man Killed in Crash on Route 50
$2.3 Million Settlement Reached in '07 Accident
Months After Collision, Answers Might Be Near in Son's Death
Old Guard soldier dies in motorcycle crash
D.C. Pedestrian Safety Strategy to Target High-Crash Intersections
Driver Who Killed 8 in Race Crowd Faces an Unrelated Charge
DC police investigate hospital crash
Former UMW President William Frawley arrested third time for drunken driving
Man critically injured after collision with tractor-trailer on I-695
Experts Say Different Sports Require Different Helmets
Car, Truck Collide Head-On On Route 1 in Md., Killing 4
Maker of Vioxx Is Accused of Deception
Three D.C. Officers Injured After Store Front Crash
FDA Investigates Merck Drug-Suicide Link
Caution Urged as Bikers and Hikers Take to Trails
Wandering boy killed by dad's car in D.C.
Concerns for Kids' Safety on the Rise After Spate of Yellow Bus Accidents
2 D.C. Teens Killed When Car Flips Over Rail, Hits Trees
Street Race Longstanding Problem on Highway
Meat Recall Prompts Insurance Concerns
Upper Marlboro Collision Kills One, Injures Several Others
DC Cops Injured In Rear-End Collision Thursday Morning
Penalty license plates urged for 3-time DUI drivers’ cars
TAMPA - Behind the fight between Florida's insurance
Metro G.M. Looks Ahead, Concentrates on Safety
Muncaster Mill an accident waiting to happen
Plea Deal Rejected for Man who Killed Two in Crash
Another Fatal Pedestrian Hit-and-Run in Maryland
Another pedestrian has been killed at the notorious New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard intersection in Langley Park.
Virginia woman injured in Md. accident dies
Virginia Traffic Fatalities Reach One Thousand for 2007
Three People Are Killed In Rush-Hour Collision
Pedestrian Struck, Killed By Metrobus In Montgomery Co.
Motorist dies after crashing on Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Man Killed in Beltway Crash
WTTG Fox 5 weather anchor Tolbart lucky to be alive
D.C. Woman Injured in Car Accident
Dennis Quaid twins recovering from medical overdose
Pedestrian Deaths Reach 10-Year High
Beltway Crash With Entrapment
Driver Killed In Beltway Crash
Hit and run suspect had no license
Man Killed in Southeast D.C. Car Crash
Beltway crash injures woman, closes lanes for 30 minutes
Kids' pedestrian deaths drop, but steps urged
Skull Fractures Prompt Baby Seat Recall
Critics: ConAgra Mishandled Recall
Motorcyclist dies from crash injuries
D.C. man killed in weekend motorcycle crash in Hampton
Teens Riding in Truck Bed Killed in Crash
Is saline a solution for spine injuries?
Inmate on Work Crew Killed on I-495 in Pr. George's
Police: Failure to Yield Led to Deadly Md. Crash
Beltway Accident Snarls Rush-Hour Traffic
Legislation Aims to Increase Safety of Imported Toys and Other Children´s Products
Another Chineese Toy Recall
A popular art set is found to contain lead paint!
Pedestrian struck, killed near BWI
Collisions Kill Two, Critically Injure Cyclist
Maryland Man Who Lost Family in Fire Sues Over Lack of Smoke Alarms
Two Killed in Horrible Car Accident on the Way to the Eastern Shore
Two people died and many seriously hurt in a multiple vehicle collision on Route 404.
Three Injured at D.C. School When Stolen Car Jumps Curb
A stolen vehicle is uninsured. I hope these three victims seek legal counsel to cover their damages.
Huge Toy Recall for Led Paint
Toy-maker Fisher-Price is recalling 83 types of toys - including the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters - because their paint contains excessive amounts of lead.
The worldwide recall being announced Thursday involves 967,000 plastic preschool toys made by a Chinese vendor and sold in the United States between May and August.
Another Fatal Hit-and-Run in Maryland
Another pedestrian has been killed, this time in suburban Montgomery Couty. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene.
Poll: Americans dislike corporate misdeeds over frivolous lawsuits
Two Killed in Beltway Crash
Cell phone use by school bus drivers is widespread
Va. Courts Brace for Avalanche of Bad-Driver Cases
With $517,000 Grant, Campaign Aims To Encourage Bike-Riding to School
Another Fatal Hit-and-Run in DC
84 Year Old Woman Killed in Hit and Run Incident in the District of Columbia
22 Pedestrian Deaths in DC in 3 Months!
DC has a rash of pedestrian fatalaties.
Deadly Car Accident in Washington DC Last Night
Two people died in a horrible roll-over car accident in Washington, D.C. last night.
Group Home Provider, City Sued Over Fatality
Fairfax Students Devastated After Grad Night Crash Kills 2 Classmates, 2 Others
Major recall of Thomas the Tank Engine trains due to lead fears
LaVar Arrington Hurt in Motorcycle Accident
Woman Hit by Police SUV is Identified
Car Injures 35 Pedestrians in Washington D.C.
Tonya Bell, 35, of Oxon Hill, Md., critically injured seven people, including 2 children, and injured a total of 35 people, when she drove her car at 70 miles per hour through a street festival.
More evidence that medical malpractice "crisis" was a fiction
DC woman filed a false police report claiming that a bus hit her stroller and injured her child
Judge Hits D.C. Fire & Emergency Medical Services Agency
Disabled activists descend on D.C.
At least 2 are killed in 7-car crash near D.C.
OxyContin: Purdue Pharma's Street Drug
FDA Allows another dangerous drug to stay on the market
Small child hit by truck in Edgewater Maryland
Small child hit as a pedestrian by truck in Edgewater Maryland, causing serious injuries to the child. Hit and Run.
Teen struck by a vehicle in a crosswalk in Fairfax, Virginia
A teenager was crossing the street in a crosswalk when he was struck by a car.
Prom night leads to car wrecks
Three teenagers were seriously hurt in a post-prom car wreck in Montgomery County
Another child pedestrian hit in Montgomery County
A small child was hit by a car and seriously hurt after leaving a Ride-On Bus.
Prince George's County Police Car, School Bus Collide
Prince George's County police officer has been involved in a collision with a school bus.
Pedestrian hit by street sweeper in D.C.
Pedestrian hit by street sweeper in D.C.
Consumers Say Govt Failed to Protect them from Dangerous Prescription Drugs; Americans Back Host of Drug Safety Reforms
More on D.C.s Most Dangerous Intersections
Woman's Family Sues Over Fatal Bus Accident
Services Held for 2 Area Traffic Accident Victims
New Program Sets the Pace for Driving in D.C.
DC Duck Hits Minivan
A DC Duck, those boat/car tour machines, struck and over turned a minivan in NE Washington D.C. yesterday.
Six year old child killed in Washington D.C. by hit and run driver
Another tragedy in Washington, D.C., this time claiming the life of a 6 year old little girl. The question I have is, will the uninsured motorist insurance coverage "step up the plate" for this family?
Virginia Police Search for Hit and Run Driver
Seems these incidents happen in waves... a Fairfax gentleman was hit in a crosswalk by someone who, instead of being a decent human being and offering assistance, fled the scene leaving the man to die in the street. My question is, "will the victim's uninsured motorist insurance company step up to the plate" for this victim?
One person died in another highway collision
On April 20, 2007, one person died when their car stuck a truck parked on the side of I-495.
School Bus Involved in I-270 Collision
Three people are injured after a collision on April 12, 2007 on Interstate 270 closed down all southbound lanes near Montrose Road in Rockville, Maryland.
Pesestrian Killed in Fairfax, Virginia
A 52-year-old man is dead after being struck by an SUV or Jeep Wednesday night.
Three Killed in Fiery Car Crash in D.C.
The Medical Malpractice "Crisis" Revisited
Doctor resigns, hospital investigates questionable surgeries
New concerns about pet food recall
America's scientific and medical progress threatened by flat funding for NIH
Tort Reform Hypocrisy
Lewis and Tompkins Spring 2007 Newsletter
Family of Slain Journalist Discussing Settlement
Boy has serious head injuries after accident
Two Pedestrians Struck, Killed by Metrobus
Metro Chief Vows Better Bus Safety
DC Transit Accident Epidemic
Hurricane Katrina: 17 Months and Counting
Progressive Insurance: Art for Profit's Sake
Insurance Industry Posts Record Profits In 2006
Metrobus Hits, Kills Woman In NW
20 hurt after D.C. subway train derails
Database To Detail Doctors' Records
Five years after wife’s death, Air Force settles with sergeant
Merck Judge Refuses Class-Action Status for Vioxx
Leading Tort Reformer Files Tort Case Against State Farm
Army explores issue of living wills as more return from war in comas
Indiana Man Wins $20 Million Verdict v. Allstate
Over 5 Million Laptop Batteries Recalled for Fire Hazard
Two Former State Farm Workers Blow Whistle on Katrina Aftermath
Insurance Companies Deny Claims, Reality
TWA Flight 800: Ten Years and Nothing has Changed
Veterans Administration Theft Leads to Identity Fraud Dangers
New Technology Makes Cases Easier for Juries
Department of Homeland Security Budget Short Changes D.C, New York
New Federal Privacy Law Poorly Enforced
Study Shows Few Malpractice Suits "Frivolous"
GEICO's Advertising Blitz: What the Lizard Won't Tell You
Colossus Software: Lowball Settlements go High-Tech
National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration Releases Annual Crash Predictions
U.S. Supreme Court turns down "Pit Bull" ad appeal.
The United States Supreme Court has turned down a petition for appeal by the Florida lawyers who were told they could not run their "pit bull" ads.
Law School Offers Course to Doctors About Medical Malpractice
The University of Richmond Law School is preparing both doctors and lawyers for medical malpractice litigation by making them aware of the issues. By mixing the class the students can learn from each other and hopefully change their perspectives. "I'm shocked at what is part of my life that nobody ever taught me about," said one physician.
A.I.R. States that Medical Medical Malpractice "Crisis" is over.
Medical Patches May Be Unsafe in Heat
Some experts believe medicated patches and heat could be a dangerous combination because the heat can sometimes drastically increase absorption rates. The increased level can be toxic, but the effects depend on the drug and the patch. An increasing number of companies are offering patches, but consumers are not being warned and the problem is underreported.
OH Court Allows Wrongful Birth Claims But With Limits
The OH Supreme Court is allowing parents to sue doctors that fail to warn or screen for conditions that would cause them to seek an abortion. The court's decision seems favorable to parents, but is actually very limited because they can only recover the cost of the birth. The hospital involved in this particular case argued that they did not cause the child's condition and are therefore not liable.
Birth Control Patch Users Face Increased Risk of Clotting
Medtronic Accused of Paying Spine Surgeons to Use Its Products
A Whistle-blower suit against medical device giant Medtronic accuses executives of giving doctors generous contracts in exchange for prescribing the company's products to patients. The Justice Department has recommended Medtronic settle the matter for as much as $40 million, but has stopped short from intervening. Experts argue that the practice is at best unethical and possibly illegal. The case sheds light on the rising trend of medical recruitment, particularly in the spine implant industry.
Most Dangerous Intersections in Northern Virginia
Virginia 2004 Crash Averages
- One crash every 3.42 minutes
- One out of every 19.15 licensed drivers was involved in a crash
- 2.52 lives lost per day in crashes
- 214.45 persons injured per day in crashes
Many Causes of DC Car Accidents
One year's crashes in the District of Columbia: 18,262 Total Crashes, 8,109 Injuries, 45 Fatalities
Medical Malpractice Claims and Payouts Remain Flat in Virginia
There is no evidence to support the contention that the number of claims filed or the damages paid are the, reasons why medical malpractice rates have risen sharply.
New Pleading Rules in the Commonwealth of Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia has changed its rules for pleading causes of action effective January 1, 2006.

Police Probe Bus-Taxi Crash That Killed Calif. Man

D.C. police are investigating the cause of a fatal crash Friday night in Foggy Bottom between a Metrobus and a taxi that killed a California man and injured six others.

The bus was heading west on Virginia Avenue NW about 8:15 p.m. when it struck the minivan-taxi traveling south on 19th Street, sending the cab spinning into the intersection before it came to a stop.

Some child booster seats considered dangerous in auto crash

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on Wednesday named several child booster seats -- currently available on the U.S. market -- as potentially dangerous for young children in the event of a car crash.

In its first-ever review of child booster seats, the agency tested nearly 50 different child booster seats to see their effectiveness in protecting children in crashes.

Pedestrian Hit and Killed on Connecticut Ave. in Northwest D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Police say an 85-year-old man was killed after he was hit by a car along busy Connecticut Avenue in Northwest D.C. on Wednesday.

The crash happened on Connecticut Avenue NW south of Nebraska Avenue at around noon. The car involved came to a stop right in front of the Politics and Prose Bookstore. Because of the location, many people saw the accident. Many of them were too distraught to talk about it

For more information, follow the link below.

16 Injured as Car Hits Metrobus in District

Sixteen people reported injuries this morning after a car slammed into a Metrobus in Southeast Washington, officials said.

Metro officials said the accident took place at 11:50 a.m. when the driver of the car went through a red light and struck the bus at 16th and U streets SE. Two people were in the car, and a driver and 13 passengers were on the bus, officials said.

For more information follow the link below.

New Traffic Website Tracks Accidents, Displays on Map

Besides avoiding gridlock from area traffic accidents, D.C. metro region drivers may also want to know where the fatal accident are occuring more often and a new website does that by combining crash data with an online map service.

The Fox family spends a lot of time in the car. "We're in the car constantly, dropping from one activity to the next. My kids attend three different private schools."

For more information, follow the link below.

Bay Bridge Accident Kills Truck Driver, Injures Two Others

Traffic was backed up on both sides of the Bay Bridge this afternoon in the aftermath of a three-vehicle crash that sent a tractor-trailer truck hurtling into the waters of the Chesapeake early this morning.

The crash, shortly before 4 a.m., left the truck's driver dead and two people from a passenger vehicle hospitalized with injuries, officials said.

For more information, follow the link below.

Recent accidents make bus safety top issue in D.C., Austin

Safety experts and Texas lawmakers called for tougher enforcement of motor carrier regulations Monday as federal investigators combed for clues to what caused an illegal bus to crash in North Texas, killing 17 Vietnamese Catholics from Houston.

"As the feds sort through this crash, we'll learn what went wrong and look for opportunities to make sure that a tragedy like this never happens again," said state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, referring to the Sherman accident.

In Washington and Austin, lawmakers echoed that sentiment as two more bus crashes in Mississippi and Nevada over the weekend put bus safety back on every politician's agenda. On Sunday, three women were killed when the tour bus they were riding in rolled over, while 29 people were injured in an unrelated crash after their bus left the road in Nevada.

For more information, follow the link below.

Police identify men killed in BW Parkway crash

BELTSVILLE, Md. - U.S. Park Police have identified two men killed in a multi-car accident on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

They are identified as 60-year-old Leroy Tyler of the District, who was driving a Mitsubishi Laser, and 48-year-old Ronald Wayne Meader of Severn, who was operating a motorcycle.

For more information, follow the link below.

Md. bridge repair work expected to cause delays

Repair work will begin immediately to reinforce a Bay Bridge barrier wall that a tractor-trailer careened over during a deadly accident earlier this month, and significant delays are expected during the next two to three weeks, state officials said.

For more information, follow the link below.

Conservative commentator Novak hits D.C. pedestrian

Conservative pundit Robert Novak is anything but a conservative driver, and Wednesday morning he struck a Washington, D.C., pedestrian in his black Corvette convertible.

The syndicated columnist received a citation from police for failing to yield the right of way, after he drove away from the scene of the accident despite attempts by passers-by to stop him, Politico.com reported.

For more information, follow the link below.

Mayor Returns to Work After Bike Accident

The first thing that was different was the car. Mayor Fenty ditched the tiny Smart Car he's been using recently in favor of the black SUV, chauffered by his security detail. That was a tip that Fenty, though he returned to work today, nearly a week after suffering a serious bike accident, wasn't feeling his usual self -- perhaps not well enough to drive.

For more information, follow the link below.

Two men indicted in street racing deaths

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Two men were indicted Tuesday in the deaths of eight people watching a late-night street race in Accokeek earlier this year.

Darren Bullock, 20, and Tavon Taylor, 18, both of Waldorf, were charged with eight counts of vehicular manslaughter in connection with the Feb. 16 crash on an isolated section of Route 210. They were also charged with reckless driving and street racing.

For more information, follow the link below.

Deaths aboard D.C. tour bus ruled an accident

WASHINGTON - The deaths of two men killed aboard a D.C. sightseeing bus on the way to a Nationals game have been ruled an accident, according to a spokesperson for the chief medical examiner.

Joshua Stoll, 24, of Sterling and Michael Feiock, 35, of Centreville, both died as a result of blunt impact head trauma when they stood up on a double-decker Open Top Sightseeing bus on July 11. D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman Alan Etter says they stood up as the bus was going under an overpass.

For more information, follow the link below.

D.C. drivers most accident-prone in nation, insurance study finds

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - D.C. drivers are more likely to be in auto accidents than drivers in any other city in the country, and Alexandria and Arlington drivers follow closely behind, according to a new study.

For more information, follow the link below.

2 injured in collision between DC fire truck, car

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - A driver and a D.C. firefighter were injured after a fire truck collided with a vehicle during an emergency call for a reported fire in northwest Washington.

For more information, follow the link below.

Fenty Injured in Bike Accident

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty flipped over the front of his high performance road bike while training yesterday on Whitehurst Freeway near the Kennedy Center, aggravating an injury to his left foot suffered early this month, his spokeswoman said.

Fenty (pictured above, second from left, in a training ride in May) was at work today, but cancelled several public and private appearances because his doctor has instructed him to remain off his feet, spokeswoman Carrie Brooks said. (Update 4:32 p.m.: Turns out the mayor is at home all day today, but is keeping in touch by BlackBerry, Brooks said.)

For more information, follow the link below.

Man charged after car hits home

A Washington, D.C. man faces a reckless driving charge after his car struck an electrical cabinet, a tree and a house on Woodruff Lane Saturday night, according to town spokesman Wally Bunker.

Town police charged Terry L. Whitfield, 43, with reckless driving after he told police his foot “got stuck” on the accelerator of his 2007 black Chevrolet Corvette about 8:30 p.m., causing him to lose control of the car.

For more information, follow the link below.

Seeing Red When Signals are Dark

Let's see if everyone can follow me on this one: There has been a big storm. The power goes out. You approach a dark traffic signal.

Do you:

B ) Blow through the intersection as you please.

C ) Blow through the intersection as you please.

Bus catches fire during D.C. field trip

FREDON -- Fredon Township School student Lizzy Kenah lost her iPod, cell phone and digital camera Tuesday while on a school trip to Washington, D.C.

But it wasn't because the 11-year-old misplaced them or forgot them. The bus that had transported the students to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum caught fire while the students were on the museum tour, and most of the items the students and parents had left on the seats were destroyed.

"A lot of people lost their Nintendo DS," the sixth-grader said.

For more information, follow the link below.

D.C. Man Killed in Crash on Route 50

A 54-year-old District man was killed early yesterday when a car crossed the Route 50 median near Bowie and struck his vehicle as it headed west, Maryland State Police said.

Charles M. Mahoney of the 1500 block of Fort Davis Street SE was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the 12:10 a.m. accident.

For more information, follow the link below.

$2.3 Million Settlement Reached in '07 Accident

Metro has agreed to pay $2.3 million to settle a lawsuit filed by a man whose wife was struck and killed by a Metrobus last year.

For more information, follow the link below.

Months After Collision, Answers Might Be Near in Son's Death

Brian Gray left his family's home in Bowie and headed toward the University of Maryland's College Park campus, where he was to take the first of the term's final exams. But less than a mile from the house, as Gray turned left on that December morning, his Chevy Beretta was struck by an off-duty Prince George's County police officer in his cruiser.

For more information, follow the link below.

Old Guard soldier dies in motorcycle crash

A military police officer with the 3rd Infantry Regiment, better known as the Old Guard, died from injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash on the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington, Va., the Army announced Thursday.

Spc. Nathan Townsend, 22, of Minor Hill, Tenn., was assigned to the 289th Military Police Company, 4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

For more information, follow the link below.

D.C. Pedestrian Safety Strategy to Target High-Crash Intersections

D.C. officials are planning to release a five-year, $12 million pedestrian strategy today that includes better timing of signals, clearer marking of crosswalks and other steps to reduce accidents and injuries.

For more information, follow the link below.

Driver Who Killed 8 in Race Crowd Faces an Unrelated Charge

The Waldorf man who plowed his car into a crowd at an illegal street race three months ago in Prince George's County, killing eight people, was arrested last week on an unrelated charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

For more information, follow the link below.

DC police investigate hospital crash

WASHINGTON -- DC Police say two men who dropped off a gunshot victim at Greater Southeast Hospital Friday are responsible for causing an accident that left five people injured, including two children.

A police spokesman says the car left the hospital at a high rate of speed and ran a red light at 23rd Street, crashing into two cars

For more information, follow the link below.

Former UMW President William Frawley arrested third time for drunken driving

Ousted University of Mary Washington President William Frawley was charged with drunken driving this month in Maryland, exactly a year after the first of two DUI arrests that led to his firing.

According to court records, police stopped Frawley at 10:50 p.m. on April 10 in Montgomery County, and charged him with driving under the influence. He had a Maryland license.

For more information, follow the link below.

Man critically injured after collision with tractor-trailer on I-695

A man driving the wrong way on Interstate 695 early Monday morning collided head-on with a tractor-trailer, and emergency workers had to tear apart the car to extricate him, authorities said.

The driver, who was not identified by Maryland State Police, was undergoing surgery at Maryland Shock Trauma Center this morning and is in critical condition, authorities said.

For more information, follow the link below.

Experts Say Different Sports Require Different Helmets

"Don't forget to wear your helmet," parents tell their kids now that warmer temperatures are luring them outside to cycle, skateboard, rock climb, kayak and ride horses. And with good reason. "Helmets basically keep your skull from cracking," says pediatric neuropsychologist Gerard Gioia, director of the Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery & Education Program at Children's National Medical Center.

For more information.

Car, Truck Collide Head-On On Route 1 in Md., Killing 4

It was a routine morning for truck driver Stanley Wells. He and his helper loaded up their truck and pulled out of the headquarters of their employer, a beverage distributor, about halfway between Washington and Baltimore. They didn't get far.

For more information, follow the link below.

Maker of Vioxx Is Accused of Deception

Two teams of researchers with access to thousands of documents gathered for lawsuits over the painkiller Vioxx allege that Merck waged a campaign of deception to promote its drug, moving slowly to warn of possible hazards while at the same time dressing up in-house studies as the work of independent academic researchers.

The reports in today's Journal of the American Medical Association in effect accuse one of the world's biggest pharmaceutical makers of various forms of scientific fraud.

For more information, follow the link below.

Three D.C. Officers Injured After Store Front Crash

Two D.C. police officers and a female driver have been injured after a patrol car crashed into the front of a shoe store after colliding with another vehicle.

D.C. fire department spokesman Alan Etter says yesterday's crash shattered the storefront glass, but there was no major structural damage.

The crash happened about 6:30 p.m. as the officers responded to a call about a burglary. Their car was heading north on Minnesota Avenue in northeast Washington when it collided with a blue Chevrolet Impala.

For more information, follow the link below.

FDA Investigates Merck Drug-Suicide Link

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck's best-selling Singulair and suicide.

FDA said it is reviewing a handful of reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug.

For more information, follow the link below.

Caution Urged as Bikers and Hikers Take to Trails

BETHESDA, Md. -- As the weather gets warmer, more people are heading outside and hitting the trails, but officials are warning people to be careful when walking, hiking or biking.

Just passing a pedestrian can be hazardous on trails crowded with speeding bikers and clusters of low-speed walkers. A number of bikers and walkers have suffered head injuries and broken bones.

For more information, follow the link below.

Wandering boy killed by dad's car in D.C.

WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) -- A Washington man accidentally killed his 16-month-old son when he ran him over while pulling the family car out of its parking space in the U.S. capital.

For more information, follow the link below.

Concerns for Kids' Safety on the Rise After Spate of Yellow Bus Accidents

The iconic yellow school bus for years has been touted as the safest form of motor vehicle transportation for schoolchildren, but recent crashes and rollovers have some parents feeling less than confident about the safety of their kids.

For more information, follow the link below.

2 D.C. Teens Killed When Car Flips Over Rail, Hits Trees

Two District teenagers died Saturday night on Pennsylvania Avenue in Prince George's County after the car they were driving in flipped over a guardrail and careered into trees, police said.

They were traveling at a "high rate of speed," Officer Henry Tippett, a Prince George's police spokesman, said.

For more information, folllow the link below.

Street Race Longstanding Problem on Highway

WASHINGTON - The flat, straight stretch of suburban Maryland highway where eight street-racing fans were killed this weekend has long been a problem spot for reckless driving and underground races, according to residents and business owners in the area.

For more information, follow the link below.

Meat Recall Prompts Insurance Concerns

Middlemen who are still holding meat from Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. are nervous about whether their insurance will compensate them for the largest recall in U.S. history. For a smaller firm, the missed revenue from not selling the meat, along with the cost of destroying it and the many man-hours spent notifying customers, could be a big blow.

For more information, follow the link below.

Upper Marlboro Collision Kills One, Injures Several Others

One person died and several others were injured in an accident involving a truck, a van and a school bus on Route 301 in Upper Marlboro this afternoon.

About 1:25 p.m. on southbound Route 301/Crain Highway at South Osborne Road, a van rear-ended a truck that was slowing down for a traffic light, sending it over an embankment. A Prince George's County school bus then struck the van, sending it over the embankment as well, said Cpl. Clinton Copeland, a Prince George's County police spokesman.

For more information, follow the link below.

DC Cops Injured In Rear-End Collision Thursday Morning

Two DC police officers are recovering from injuries suffered in a rear end collision accident Thursday morning.

For more information, follow the link below.

Penalty license plates urged for 3-time DUI drivers’ cars

Get caught driving drunk three times and you’d be the not-so proud owner of a bright yellow license plate under a law proposed by Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake.

“With this, you see people with that car and you watch out for it,” he said. “We’ve got to do something to let everybody know this guy is a danger to society.”

For more information, follow the link below.

TAMPA - Behind the fight between Florida's insurance

TAMPA - Behind the fight between Florida's insurance commissioner and Allstate Insurance Co. is a mystery that could have come from a John Grisham novel.

Secret Allstate documents - known as the McKinsey documents - allegedly show how the insurance giant intentionally has made low-ball claims offers to its customers for years, netting Allstate billions of dollars in the process.

But the McKinsey documents have never seen the light of day.

Metro G.M. Looks Ahead, Concentrates on Safety

WASHINGTON -- The largest fare increases in Metro's history, track fires, burnned-out power stations, extensive delays, Metrobus and Metrorail accidents -- and that was just Metro General Manager John Catoe's first year on the job.

Muncaster Mill an accident waiting to happen

Residents of neighborhoods near an intersection of Muncaster Mill Road where a Gaithersburg man was found dead earlier this month say that the narrow, winding road is the frequent site of crashes.

For more information, follow the link below.

Plea Deal Rejected for Man who Killed Two in Crash

The victims' and the defendant's loved ones filled the courtroom Thursday, expecting Eduardo Raul Morales-Soriano to be sentenced to prison for the crash that killed a Marine corporal and his date Thanksgiving night 2006 in Columbia.

For more information, follow the link below.

Another Fatal Pedestrian Hit-and-Run in Maryland

As I blogged about on InjuryBoard, 59 year old Rosario Gonzalez was struck and killed on January 12, 2008 by a hit and run driver. Police are looking for the person who struck him. As also mentioned in this site, the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue at University Boulevard is one of the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians in the region.

If you saw anything about this occurrence, please contact the police.

Virginia woman injured in Md. accident dies

WEST FRIENDSHIP, Md. (AP) - Howard County Police in Maryland say a 62-year-old Stephenson, Virginia, woman injured when she turned her car in front of a dump truck has died of her injuries.

Police say Elizabeth Marsh made an illegal turn on Route 32 near Interstate 70 about noon Thursday. She was taken to Baltimore's Shock Trauma in critical condition.

Virginia Traffic Fatalities Reach One Thousand for 2007

Lynchburg, VA - State police have confirmed that more than 1,000 people have died on Virginia roads this year. The accident that killed three people in Lynchburg Saturday put that number over the millennial mark. That's the highest number since 1999.

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Three People Are Killed In Rush-Hour Collision

Scott Stegner and his teenage son, Sean, had dropped off the boy's grandmother at her home in Pennsylvania and were driving back to Fairfax County on Route 15 in Maryland when, according to police, a pair of headlights barreled toward them.

The Stegners died Thursday in a head-on collision with a Cadillac Escalade whose driver had lost control of her vehicle in the afternoon rush, police said. Sean's mother, a United Airlines flight attendant who was on her way to Japan at the time of the crash, arrived home just after 8 p.m. yesterday to join her three surviving children.

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Pedestrian Struck, Killed By Metrobus In Montgomery Co.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Authorities said Monday a pedestrian was fatally struck by a Metrobus in Montgomery County Monday evening.

Officials said in a news release that the incident occurred on Parklawn Drive at around 6:30 p.m. Authorities said Metrobus 2090 was traveling northbound on Parklawn Drive when a pedestrian stepped into the roadway and was struck by the bus near Twinbrook Parkway, preliminary reports indicated.

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Motorist dies after crashing on Baltimore-Washington Parkway

A motorist was killed last night when his car struck the side of a bridge on the northbound Baltimore-Washington Parkway at Route 32, U.S. Park Police said.

Battalion Chief Matt Tobia of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department said details were not available; emergency crews were trying to remove the unidentified motorist from the vehicle after the 10 p.m. accident.

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Man Killed in Beltway Crash

TEMPLE HILLS, Md. (AP) -- The inner loop of the Capital Beltway was shut down for hours Friday night because of a fatal accident.

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WTTG Fox 5 weather anchor Tolbart lucky to be alive

It was an anxious time for Catherine Tolbart of Middleton last week when she received word her daughter Gwen Tolbart had been injured in a car crash that occurred on Wisconsin Avenue in Washington D.C

Gwen, a WTTG Fox 5 Washington D.C. weather anchor and reporter, was returning home from a formal dinner around 11 p.m. when a Metrobus struck her Honda Accord.

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D.C. Woman Injured in Car Accident

D.C. firefighters and medics are on the scene of an accident in the Cleveland Park neighborhood that left a woman seriously injured.

D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman Alan Etter said the woman was apparently trying to back her car into a car port but went too far. The car crashed through a wall of the brick structure, collapsing part of it onto the car.

Dennis Quaid twins recovering from medical overdose

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The two-week-old twins of actor Dennis Quaid were recovering in a Los Angeles hospital on Wednesday after mistakenly being given a massive overdose of a blood thinning drug.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, one of the United States' leading hospitals, apologized on Wednesday for what it called the "preventable error" that led to the twins and another unidentified child being given 10,000 units of the anti-coagulant Heparin, instead of the normal 10 units given to babies.

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Pedestrian Deaths Reach 10-Year High

A fatal accident yesterday morning brought the number of pedestrian deaths in Washington to 24, the highest number since 1997, according to the D.C. Department of Transportation.

About 5:30 a.m. yesterday, Francis Joseph Ryan, 26, of the 2700 block of Sherman Avenue NW was crossing westbound at 14th and Euclid streets, in the Columbia Heights area of Northwest Washington, when he was struck by a 1994 Acura Legend.

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Beltway Crash With Entrapment

Maryland - Firefighters and Paramedics from the College Park/Greenbelt area responded to a 2-vehicle crash on the Capitol Beltway with a report of an entrapment. At about 1:50 PM, Wednesday, October 30, 2007, fire/EMS units from Branchville (Fire/EMS Station 811), Greenbelt (Fire/EMS Station 835), Berwyn Heights (Fire/EMS Station 814), and Paramedic 812 (College Park) arrived on the Inner Loop, South-Bound, on the Beltway about a mile prior to the Kenilworth Avenue exit and encountered a 2-vehicle crash involving a dump truck that broadsided the driver side of a passenger vehicle.

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Driver Killed In Beltway Crash

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Beltway has reopened after a deadly early-morning crash in College Park, police said.

It happened just after 1 a.m. in the northbound lanes before U.S. 1, police said.

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Hit and run suspect had no license

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- The truck driver charged with killing a DC toddler in a hit and run collision Sunday repeatedly violated District traffic laws.

Thirty-one-year-old Christopher Edwards, also known as Wayne Williams, is being held without bond on a second degree murder charge in connection with the death of 2-year-old Brandi Smith.

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Man Killed in Southeast D.C. Car Crash

A man died early this morning when the car he was driving crashed into a wooded area near Interstate 295 and Malcolm X Avenue in Southeast Washington, police said. The car was found at 4:30 a.m.

The driver may have experienced a medical emergency, according to police. Authorities have not released the man's name, age or cause of death.

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Beltway crash injures woman, closes lanes for 30 minutes

A woman was trapped in her car and injured during a Tuesday crash on I-495’s inner loop, about a mile from the Kenilworth Avenue exit.

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Kids' pedestrian deaths drop, but steps urged

The number of children 14 and younger who are killed as pedestrians has dropped dramatically in the past decade, but tougher safety campaigns are needed to further cut the toll, a safety advocacy group says.

According to data released today by Safe Kids Worldwide, the number of children in this age group who died as pedestrians fell 40% from 1995 through 2004.

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Skull Fractures Prompt Baby Seat Recall

Bumbo International of South Africa recalled about 1 million "Baby Sitter" seats after 28 reports of babies falling out of the seats, including three skull fractures, a government safety group announced Thursday.

Babies are at risk for serious head injuries when the seats are placed on a table, countertop, chair or other raised surface and the infants arch their backs, possibly causing them to flip out of the seats and fall onto the floor. The Consumer Product Safety Commission advised that consumers never use the seat on a table or elevated surface.

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Critics: ConAgra Mishandled Recall

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Critics say ConAgra Foods Inc.'s delay in recalling pot pies linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak increased the chance that more people would become sick, opened up the company to greater liability, and exposed a key weakness in the nation's food safety system: voluntary recalls.

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Motorcyclist dies from crash injuries

CLEAR SPRING - A 59-year-old Ellicott City, Md., man died Thursday night after his motorcycle collided with a car on Fairview Road, Maryland State Police said.

Kenneth Beane Jr. underwent surgery at Washington County Hosptial, where he was pronounced dead at 8:39 p.m., police said.

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D.C. man killed in weekend motorcycle crash in Hampton

A 29-year-old man was killed when his motorcycle crashed during the weekend at East Mercury Boulevard and King Street.

The man was from Washington, D.C., according to Cpl. Paula Ensley, a police spokeswoman. His identity wasn't released because police were trying to contact his relatives.

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Teens Riding in Truck Bed Killed in Crash

A rural tradition as old as pickup trucks themselves claimed the lives of two southwestern Virginia teenagers over the Labor Day weekend. They were illegally riding in the bed of the truck when it crashed near Hillsville. A third passenger also died.

Sgt. Michael T. Conroy of the Virginia State Police said that the third victim, 17-year-old Brianna Peak of Dugspur, Va., was in the truck's cab but not wearing a seat belt and was ejected in the crash on Sunday in Carroll County, about two miles north of the North Carolina border. Six girls were riding in the truck.

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Is saline a solution for spine injuries?

Emergency crews may one day have a potent new weapon against spinal-cord injuries -- the one used on the Buffalo Bills' Kevin Everett after a tackle seemed to leave him paralyzed.

The novel treatment, injecting cold saline in his veins minutes after the injury to lower his body temperature several degrees, has gotten some of the credit for his recovery.

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Inmate on Work Crew Killed on I-495 in Pr. George's

In the second such incident in Prince George's County in two months, a Maryland state prison inmate was fatally injured yesterday morning when he was hit by a dump truck while picking up trash as part of a work detail on the Capital Beltway.

Members of the six-man inmate crew said in interviews on the scene that Rodney Jennings, 29, and at least two other inmates were making their way to the right shoulder of the southbound Beltway in the Landover area after picking up litter on the opposite side of the road.

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Police: Failure to Yield Led to Deadly Md. Crash

Failure to yield the right of way on Route 50 yesterday morning resulted in the death of one person, vehicles bouncing off each other like pinballs and a two-hour-long traffic tie-up at Route 50 and Interstate-97 near Annapolis.

According to Maryland State Police, the four-vehicle accident was set in motion when a Toyota Camry driven by Viktor Prifti, 57, of Springfield merged from southbound I-97 to westbound Route 50 and failed to yield the right of way. Prifti veered across three lanes of traffic and was hit by a 2005 Peterbilt tractor-trailer driven by Terrance Brooks, 30, of Humboldt, Tenn.

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Beltway Accident Snarls Rush-Hour Traffic

A serious car accident involving a tractor trailer and several cars on the Capital Beltway snarled the Tuesday morning rush-hour commute. It happened shortly before 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning northbound on the Outer Loop of Interstate 495 just before the Route 5, Branch Avenue exit in Temple Hills, MD.

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Legislation Aims to Increase Safety of Imported Toys and Other Children´s Products

In response to the recent spate of recalls and safety issues involving toys and other children's products, particularly imports from China, U.S. Senator John Nelson (D - Fla.) has proposed legislation entitled the "Children's Products Safety Act of 2007" (S. 1833). This proposal would amend the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Act by imposing new testing, labeling and certification requirements for all children's products and prohibit the importation of children's products that have not been certified by an independent testing authority.

For more information, follow the link below.

Another Chineese Toy Recall

Click the link below for details.

Pedestrian struck, killed near BWI

A male pedestrian was struck and killed last night by a car on the road that loops around Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, police said this morning.

Few details of the 11:30 p.m. accident were available, but police and fire officials said the victim was pronounced dead on the scene. Police said a female was driving the vehicle.

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Collisions Kill Two, Critically Injure Cyclist

Authorities in Calvert County were investigating a collision that killed two motorists this week, several days after a 57-year-old woman was critically injured when her bicycle struck an oncoming vehicle.

In the double fatality early Tuesday, shortly after midnight, a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria driven by Gene Hall, 29, of Owings was heading east on Chesapeake Beach Road, police said. The Ford crossed the center line into the westbound lane near Jewell Road and struck a 1993 Chevrolet van.

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Maryland Man Who Lost Family in Fire Sues Over Lack of Smoke Alarms

Alleging that a Baltimore apartment building's management failed to install smoke detectors in the their where his fiancee and child died in a fire, a man has sued the manager for $52.3 million.

The suit was filed in Baltimore Circuit Court by Roy Riley Jr., 28, who said he was left homeless after the July 14 fire. His pregnant fiancee, Raheem Rasheedah Muhammad, 28, their son, Royelle Edward Riley, 9, and Muhammad's niece, Markia Summerfield, 7, who was visiting, died in the blaze.

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Two Killed in Horrible Car Accident on the Way to the Eastern Shore

A dump truck slammed into an SUV on Route 404 in Queen Anne's County this afternoon, triggering a multi-vehicle crash that left two men dead and closed eastbound traffic on a major Eastern Shore roadway at the start of the Labor Day weekend, Maryland state police reported.

Elena Russo, a state police spokeswoman, said eastbound Route 404 near Pinder Road, in Queen Anne, would be closed while police sifted through the wreckage of a crash. Before the accident happened just after 2 p.m., motorists called authorities to report that the dump truck was "swerving all over the road," Russo said.

Witnesses were following the dump truck for about two miles, and they were on the phone with the 911 center when the collision occurred," Russo said.

Russo said the dump truck slammed into the rear of a Ford Explorer, "driving the entire rear of that vehicle into the front seat." The Explorer then struck a Volkswagen Jetta, which in turn hit a Range Rover, Russo said.

The driver of the Ford Explorer died at Memorial Hospital in Easton, and a man riding in the backseat was pronounced dead at the scene, Russo said. A woman in the front seat of the Ford Explorer was critically injured and flown to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Russo said.

"Right now they think there's somebody in the backseat they're trying to get out, but they're not sure because the damage is so bad," Russo said late this afternoon.

Russo said that the road would remain closed "until further notice. They've got a lot of wreckage to pull through. There could be other bodies in that crushed Ford Explorer. They don't know."

Russo said police were urging that motorists take alternate routes.

"Anybody traveling toward the beach on that route is going to be delayed," Russo said.

Identities of the victims would be unavailable until their families were notified, she said. The driver of the dump truck was alone in the vehicle and uninjured, Russo said. The truck is owned by Schultz & Sons Salvage of Denton, she said.

Authorities won't decide whether to file charges in connection with the crash until the Queen Anne's County state's attorney's office reviews the case, Russon said.

The driver of the Range Rover was also uninjured, Russo said. The driver and two passengers in the Volkswagen Jetta suffered minor injuries, she said.

Three Injured at D.C. School When Stolen Car Jumps Curb

A student, a teacher and a security officer at a District of Columbia elementary school were seriously injured yesterday when a stolen car jumped a curb and struck them as they were leaving school.

The student suffered a fractured thigh in the incident, which occurred outside Whittier Elementary Schools at Sheridan and Fifth Streets, NW, according to Mafara Hobson, a school system spokeswoman.

Both of the teacher's legs were fractured and the security officer was cut in the incident, Hobson said. None of the injuries was believed to be life-threatening, authorities said.

Police said four youths were apparently in the car when it jumped the curb. A 17-year-old youth was taken into custody and three others were being sought.

Huge Toy Recall for Led Paint

In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, David Allmark, general manager of Fisher-Price, said the problem was detected by an internal probe and reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Fisher-Price and the commission issued statements saying parents should keep suspect toys away from children and contact the company.

The commission works with companies to issue recalls when it finds consumer goods that can be harmful. Under current regulations, children's products found to have more than .06 percent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

Allmark says the recall was "fast-tracked," which allowed the company to quarantine two-thirds of the toys before they even made it to store shelves. In negotiating details of the recall, Fisher-Price and the government agreed to withhold details from the public until Thursday to give stores time to get suspect toys off shelves and Fisher-Price time to get its recall hot line up and running.

Allmark said the recall was troubling because Fisher-Price has had a long-standing relationship with the Chinese vendor, which had applied decorative paint to the toys. Allmark said the company would use this recall as an opportunity to put even better systems in place to monitor vendors whose conduct does not meet Mattel's standards.

He added: "We are still concluding the investigation, how it happened. ... But there will be a dramatic investigation on how this happened. We will learn from this."

The recall follows another high-profile move from toy maker RC2 Corp., which in June voluntarily recalled 1.5 million wooden railroad toys and set parts from its Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway product line. The company said that the surface paint on certain toys and parts made in China between January 2005 and April 2006 contain lead, affecting 26 components and 23 retailers.

"Anytime a company brings a banned hazardous product into the U.S. marketplace, especially one intended for children, it is unacceptable," said Nancy Nord, acting chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. "Ensuring that Chinese-made toys are safe for U.S. consumers is one of my highest priorities and is the subject of vital talks currently in place between CPSC and the Chinese government."

Carter Keithley, president of the Toy Industries Association, praised Mattel's quick response to the problem, and suggested Mattel will use this setback as a lesson for not only the company but for the entire industry. However, he expressed concern about how the recall and other toy recalls will play out in consumers' minds in advance of the holiday season.

"We are worried about the public feeling," said Keithley, adding he observed how toy companies are embracing strict controls during a recent toy safety seminar in China. "We have thought all along that (consumers) can be confident in the products," he said. "But if companies like Mattel have this, then you have to ask how did this happen?"

Owners of a recalled toy can exchange it for a voucher for another product of the same value. To see pictures of the recalled toys, visit http://www.service.mattel.com. For more information, call Mattel's recall hot line at 800-916-4498.

Click this link for a full listing of recalled toys.

Another Fatal Hit-and-Run in Maryland

A fatal hit-and-run pedestrian collision occurred in Montgomery County on July 31, 2007.

Police said that shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday a 17-year-old was struck in the intesection of Redland Road and Muncaster Mill Road in Derwood.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he died.

Police said they are looking for a newer model silver BMW in connection with the case. They said the car likely has front end damage.

Police said they believe the BMW is responsible for striking the victim.

Poll: Americans dislike corporate misdeeds over frivolous lawsuits

OKLAHOMA CITY – Americans are much more concerned about corporate misdeeds than tort reform, according to a national poll conducted for the American Association for Justice, formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

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Two Killed in Beltway Crash

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Two people are dead and a serious crash is delaying morning traffic on the Capital Beltway near River Road. Authorities say the accident happened about 1:30 a-m on the Beltway's Outer Loop at River Road.

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Cell phone use by school bus drivers is widespread

Despite the widely recognized dangers, school bus drivers in most of the country are free to chat on their cell phones -- or even punch in text messages-- while transporting America's children to class and back.

In fact, only 13 states now forbid the practice, except in emergencies. And even in some of the areas where it is banned, enforcement is so spotty that citizen watchdogs and news media investigators have had no problem documenting scofflaws.

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Va. Courts Brace for Avalanche of Bad-Driver Cases

They have been trickling into courtrooms across Virginia in recent days. But this week, next week and week after week after that, thousands of traffic cases that carry steep new civil penalties will slam the state's judicial system.

All summer, the political upset has been growing over new and higher fees for the most egregious driving offenses, fees that in some cases run as high as $3,000. But the practical effect is about to hit even harder, and judges and court clerks predict an unprecedented wave of trials, appeals, strategies and anger as they begin to hear cases subject to the new law.

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With $517,000 Grant, Campaign Aims To Encourage Bike-Riding to School

Bike riding was something that Sherly Poma, 14, avoided for a long time after a childhood accident left her with a scraped knee, but you wouldn't know it watching her confidently biking around the parking lot at Alexandria's Minnie Howard School earlier this month.

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Another Fatal Hit-and-Run in DC

DC Metropolitan Police are looking for any leads into a hit-and-run pedestrian that killed an elderly woman in D.C.

Police found 84-year-old Mary Gaegler at about 5:20 a.m. Sunday in an alley behind the 5400 block of Connecticut Avenue in Northwest.

Gaegler lived in an assisted-living facility on that block and a neighbor reported seeing her lying in the alley.

They found her suffering from trauma to the body. Gaegler was struck sometime between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. She was pronounced dead at the medical examiner's office.

Police are looking for any information about why Gaegler was in the alley in her sleeping clothes, and whether anyone saw a car in the alley in the early-morning hours.

22 Pedestrian Deaths in DC in 3 Months!

Deadly Car Accident in Washington DC Last Night

Two people died Friday night after the pickup truck they were in rolled over into a wooded area in Fort Dupont Park in D.C.

The accident occurred around 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Fort Davis Drive and Southeast Massachusetts Avenue.

Authorities said a woman died at the scene and a man died on the way to the hospital.

Police said they were not sure what caused the vehicle to veer off the road and into the park.

There were no other vehicles involved in the accident.

Group Home Provider, City Sued Over Fatality

Months before Melonie Nelson choked to death on a mouthful of bologna, her caretakers documented her growing habit of devouring large quantities of food. Although one-on-one supervision had been ordered, on three occasions in the final 16 days of her life, Nelson managed to grab food from the refrigerator in the Northeast Washington group home where she lived and shove it into her mouth.

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Fairfax Students Devastated After Grad Night Crash Kills 2 Classmates, 2 Others

Students at West Potomac High School in Fairfax County have heard, repeatedly, about the dangers of alcohol. After their graduation ceremony Thursday afternoon, the school sponsored an alcohol-free, all-night party. But in the end, young drivers take the keys, and their fates, into their own hands.

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Major recall of Thomas the Tank Engine trains due to lead fears

WASHINGTON — A massive toy recall could have millions of parents taking their children's favourite toys away.

On Wednesday, RC2 Corp. recalled about 1.5 million Thomas the Tank Engine wooden railway toys in Canada and the United States, due to concerns that the paint used on them may contain lead.

Thomas the Tank Engine is a wildly popular toy among young children, especially boys.

For more information, follow the link below.

LaVar Arrington Hurt in Motorcycle Accident

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Former New York Giants and Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington was injured in a motorcycle accident outside of Washington, DC.

The Washington Post reports that Arrington sustained multiple injuries in a crash that did not involve any other vehicles. He was taken to a local hospital.

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Woman Hit by Police SUV is Identified

An Albemarle county police officer struck a woman with her SUV and now that woman is dead. The fatal accident happened Wednesday night. Thursday, Virginia State Police are investigating the incident.

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Car Injures 35 Pedestrians in Washington D.C.

woman plowed her car through a crowded street festival Saturday night, injuring about 35 people, including two police officers who drove their motor scooters into her path attempting to stop her, authorities said.

Police said seven of the victims, including two children under age 3, suffered major injuries.

Officers caught up with the driver, whom they identified as Tonya Bell, 30, of Oxon Hill, Md., near the site of the festival in the city’s Anacostia neighborhood. She was arrested and charged with aggravated assault while armed. The “armed” part of the charge refers to the car. District of Columbia Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said additional charges are pending.

Alan Etter, a spokesman for the District of Columbia fire department, said authorities believe Bell was going about 70 mph when she came through the festival.

Witnesses described an extended period of mayhem in which the driver started off slowly through some closed streets and finally hit the accelerator on the avenue running through the heart of Unifest, an annual event sponsored by a church. The car hit a stage where people were dancing, witnesses said.

Ryland Anderson, 19, and Philemon Walker, 24, told The Washington Post they were about to cross the street as the festival was winding down when the car sped past. They described strollers being flung into the air and said they saw the body of a man apparently lodged in the station wagon’s wheel well.

More evidence that medical malpractice "crisis" was a fiction

WASHINGTON, May 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association
for Justice (AAJ) today released a report revealing the medical malpractice
insurance industry has been price-gouging doctors through excessive
premiums and needlessly contributing to the growing cost of healthcare.
Written by former Missouri Insurance Commissioner Jay Angoff, the study
is based on recent annual reports from the top 15 medical malpractice
insurers as rated by A.M. Best. The report shows that these insurers
artificially raised doctors' premiums and misled the public about the
nature of malpractice claims -- asserting that a so-called "malpractice
crisis" exists. The report puts the lie to that claim.

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DC woman filed a false police report claiming that a bus hit her stroller and injured her child

After a string of pedestrian deaths involving Metrobuses, D.C. residents were shocked in February after learning of a heart-wretching accident: A bus struck the stroller Miss Rousseau was pushing, knocking her 3-year-old daughter to the ground.

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Judge Hits D.C. Fire & Emergency Medical Services Agency

More than a decade has passed since the since Tyra Hunter, a transgender D.C. woman, died. But correcting the transphobic and homophobic culture of the D.C. Fire & Emergency Medical Services Agency (FEMS) -- made evident as