OSHA recently cited an Illinois construction company after an employee was seriously injured in a trench collapse accident. The employee was buried up to his waste after an unprotected trench collapsed as he was working on a residential storm sewer deeper than 5 feet. Despite being highly preventable, trench and excavation collapse accidents occur with… Read More »
Recent Pedestrian Accidents Result in Serious Injuries and Fatality
Monday night a pedestrian was struck and seriously injured by a vehicle near the intersection of 11st and University Avenue in Des Moines. The investigation is ongoing with officers looking into whether the driver of the vehicle was impaired or distracted at the time of the accident. The news follows reports that a pedestrian struck… Read More »
Anatomy of a Sex Discrimination Case
When an employee raises concerns regarding sex discrimination in the workplace, it is the employer’s job to thoroughly investigate the complaint in an effort to resolve the issue. When employers ignore signs of sex discrimination, sometimes they find themselves subject to an employment discrimination lawsuit. A recent article in the Des Moines Register details of… Read More »
New Overtime Pay Rule
This month, a new overtime rule means that over one million workers in the U.S. will see bigger paychecks in 2020. For the first time in 15 years, the Department of Labor has raised the salary eligibility threshold for overtime pay, translating into more money in Americans’ pockets. Prior to the change, federal law provided… Read More »
Common Questions Regarding Iowa Workers’ Compensation
What types of injures are covered by workers compensation in Iowa? Any injury or condition caused by work activities other than the normal building up or tearing down of body tissues are compensable as are preexisting conditions where work aggravates or worsens them. Injuries resulting from work related slips trips and falls, struck by or… Read More »
Iowa Drivers Asked to Give Emergency Crews a Brake
Law enforcement is reminding Iowa drivers to give emergency crews a brake – slow down, and move over when it is safe to do so, when they see emergency crews or highway helpers responding to car accidents or assisting stranded motorists along the highway. This reminder following yet another incident where an Iowa emergency crew… Read More »
Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders Run Greater Risk of Fatal Car Accidents
Too many motorists drive drunk despite laws in most states that set blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at 0.08. Last year over 10,000 people were killed in traffic accidents involving at least one driver under the influence of alcohol, many of whom were repeat drunk driving offenders. A third of all drivers arrested or convicted of… Read More »
2018 Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities Highest in Decades
According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2018, an average of 17 pedestrians were killed each day in traffic crashes – the deadliest year on record since 1990. Pedestrian deaths climbed over 3 percent last year with over 6,000 fatalities and many more injuries in 2018 alone. Some theorize the increase in… Read More »
Construction Workers Risk of Asbestos Caused Mesothelioma
Over a million construction workers are currently exposed to asbestos that can lead to conditions including asbestosis, where small fibers cause scarring in the lungs making it increasingly difficult to breath. Asbestos exposure can also result in the disease of malignant mesothelioma, a cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, heart, and abdomen… Read More »
SUV’s and Pedestrian Accidents
A study released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveals that over the last decade pedestrian car accident fatalities have increased. Between 2009 and 2016, many of the pedestrian car accidents involved an SUV, a 3% increase over all other kinds of vehicles. Some of the increase can be attributed to other fact that… Read More »
