News reports indicate the accident occurred on an unlit street. Is Ms. Harper another victim of the early school day in which children are forced to wait for buses or walk to school in the early morning hours before the crack of dawn. One life lost is enough but this is happening often enough around the Tampa Bay area, that I dare use the word epidemic.

I understand that parents and children have some responsibility, but they have no choice regarding when the school day starts and many times, no options regarding transportation.

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control has recently published a study trying to identify strategies for preventing Child pedestrian accidents in the future. This advocacy group is working with other agencies in trying to implement these strategies and prevent these tragedies from occurring.

About the Law Offices of James W. Dodson

The Law Offices of James W. Dodson, a Florida based wrongful death legal firm, has successfully handled Florida pedestrian accidents & personal injury cases for over 20 years in Pinellas County, Pasco County, Manatee County, and throughout Florida.

As reported in the New York Times, the elevator became stuck between floor 11 and floor 10.  Young Jacob tried to jump to floor 10 and lost his footing.  The elevator is maintained by the New York Housing Authority and numerous residents have lodged complaints over the past 12 months.

There almost certainly will be an investigation into the maintenance of the elevator to see if this tragedy could have been prevented.  Although, I understand, the children probably became frightened and possibly panicked, but they should have stayed were they were and waited for help.  I certainly am not blaming the children, but I am saying that something like this could serve as a reminder to review elevator safety with our own children. 

Otis Worldwide, one of the largest elevator companies in the world has published elevator safety tips that can be reviewed with family.  Although a tragedy like this is likely an anomaly, we should all be cautious of the potential hazards elevators pose.

Reuters reports that a study done by the University of Arizona College of Medicine has found that there may be a link between over-the-counter cold medications and deaths to children under the age of 2. The report, published in the August 2008 edition of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, studied unexpected infant deaths in 2006. After eliminating the deaths caused by trauma or suffocation, the research group focused on the remaining deaths. Specifically, they studied 21 cases of unexpected infant deaths that had autopsy data available. Nearly half (10 of the 21) had evidence of cold medications in their systems.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been investigating the dangers of cold and cough medications administered to children under 2, and has issued several public health advisories, the most recent in January of this year, that warn of potential dangers of cold medicines, especially “serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur.”

Researchers indicate the combination of decongestants, antihistamines and cough suppressants can affect a child’s heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.

The Law Office of James W. Dodson, P.A., is dedicated to protecting children from danger and the negligence of others, and strongly encourages all parents to read the labels of all medications carefully, as well as consult with your pediatrician before administering any type of medication to your child.

About the Law Office of James W. Dodson, P.A.

The Law Office of James W. Dodson, a Tampa Bay auto accident law firm, has over 20 years experience in helping clients to recover from injuries and rebuild their lives. They specialize in personal injury cases in the Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater areas.

The St. Petersburg Times reports the incident is still under investigation, due to the fact that there were at least seven other swimmers in the pool, when the child drowned. The Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Doug Tobin, commented that the parties involved believed someone else was watching the child.

Drownings are tragic, even more so when they involve a child. My associate Sean Conahan, a strong child safety advocate, and myself regularly represent injured children. Sean recently wrote an article for his Hispanic clients titled “Protegiendo a los niños en la piscina,” published in the July 2008 edition of Mi Barrio Latino, a Pinellas County magazine.

About James W. Dodson, P.A.

At The Law Office of James W. Dodson, P.A., has over 28 years of combined experience handling Florida child injury cases and lawsuits. We also understand that every client is unique and that each wrongful death lawsuit will have a unique set of circumstances to consider.