Cincinnati Injury Blog

Bird electric scooters cause crashes

On behalf of Joe Levine of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in personal injury on Thursday, August 16, 2018.

The latest transportation app innovation, Bird electric scooters, has begun service in Cleveland and 32 other American cities. There are already reports of these scooters causing pedestrian accidents and other personal injury.

These devices can go up to 15 mph. Users locate the scooter, unlock it with their phone, drive it to their destination and then leave it. Users must be at least 18 and are supposed to ride in streets and bike lanes, park by bike racks and supply and wear their own helmet when required by law. The scooter company will furnish a free helmet for riders who pay for its shipping.

Food chain blamed for foodborne illness

On behalf of Joe Levine of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in personal injury on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

Eating at a fast food restaurant that takes insufficient precautions may be the first step to a doctor's office or, ultimately, the courthouse. Unsafe food may be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.

Ohio officials are investigating a Chipotle Grill in Powell, Ohio, where dozens of customers claimed they became sick after eating there at the end of July. The Delaware County General Health District was contacted by 683 people about the outbreak. Numerous customers reported on a food poisoning website that they had symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and fever.

Changes coming to Social Security disability

On behalf of Joe Levine of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in social security disability on Thursday, August 2, 2018.

Workers with disabilities rely on Social Security as a financial safety net for meeting their needs. But, there may be changes on the horizon which may make Social Security Disability Insurance eligibility more difficult.

An executive order now gives the president the power of hiring SSDI administrative law judges and other federal ALJs outside federal civil service rules. The Court found that the federal government used a hiring process that was unconstitutional because ALJs must be appointed by the president, federal department heads or the courts.

The status of medical marijuana under workers' comp.

On behalf of Jennifer Porter Tinsley of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in workers' compensation on Wednesday, July 25, 2018.

Medical marijuana was legalized for specific health conditions in Ohio under a new law, HB 523. However, the state's workers' compensation laws do not allow reimbursement for the use of medical marijuana for treatment of workplace injuries.

The state's Pharmacy Board licenses retail dispensers and registers patients and their physicians who prescribe cannabis. It also has a list of conditions where the administration of medical marijuana is allowed. These include traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, or pain that is chronic, severe or unmanageable.

Drive safely this Labor Day weekend

On behalf of Jennifer Porter Tinsley of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. on Tuesday, July 24, 2018.

The Labor Day weekend is a time when people try to get in one last trip during the beautiful summer weather. High traffic on this three-day holiday puts drivers at an increased risk of being involved in an accident.

Drivers should do their own part to help keep the road safe. Even if you are driving in the safest manner possible, there is a still a chance that you will be hit by another vehicle. Here are some tips that might help you get to your destination without issue:

Hearing loss may qualify for Social Security disability

On behalf of Jennifer Porter Tinsley of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in social security disability on Thursday, July 19, 2018.

Workers with a disability may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits that help pay for daily financial needs such as medical bills, housing and food. Inability to work because of hearing loss may be a qualifying disability if an applicant meets strict eligibility requirements.

Hearing loss, alone, does not qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. The Social Security Administration evaluates hearing loss according to eligibility requirements contained in its blue book.

De-icer contains high radiation amounts

On behalf of Joe Levine of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in personal injury on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.

It is often ironic and dangerous that products intended to improve safety and convenience can cause personal injury. According to a recent report, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources identified one of these potentially defective products. A de-icer product being sold to consumers contains high levels of radiation that are unacceptable, according to an ODNR study.

ODNR found that samples of the de-icer AquaSalina had levels of radium 226 that were, on average, 300 times higher than US EPA Safe Drinking water limits. Some samples had ranges as high as 500 times background radiation in radium 226 and 228. Samples of this product were tested by ODNR after being purchased from stores.

Crash injuries may not appear immediately after a collision

On behalf of Joe Levine of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. on Monday, July 9, 2018.

After you're in a car crash, one of the things you may notice is that you feel okay. You may not have any significant pain or bruising. Since that's the case, you probably feel like going to the hospital isn't necessary, but stop and think before you make that decision.

There are injuries known as delayed-onset injuries. They're delayed because of several factors. First, you have adrenaline and endorphins pumping through your body as a result of the collision, meaning that your own body is masking the very injuries that threaten it. Second, the body requires time to send out the "pain signal." If you have suffered an injury to your head or neck, it may have trouble doing so in an appropriate manner.

SSD cost estimates lower than anticipated

On behalf of Joe Levine of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in social security disability on Thursday, July 5, 2018.

After 35 years of steady growth, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) rates are expected to drop for Ohioans and the rest of the country. However, this may not guarantee a rosy future for SSDI recipients or applicants according to a recently-released report from the Social Security Trustees.

The large increase in Social Security Disability (SSD) payments over the last 35 years had three causes. Laws enacted in 1984 were the first reason. Congress expanded the definition of disability and granted greater participation in the decision-making process on eligibility and benefits to applicants and health-care providers.

How many times can a dog bite?

On behalf of Joe Levine of The Law Offices of Arnold S. Levine, L.P.A. posted in personal injury on Friday, June 29, 2018.

A dog bite, under certain circumstances, can be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit in Ohio. Different laws govern liability and damages.

According to law coming from years of court cases, known as the common law, a dog has one free bite. In other word, a plaintiff bringing a common law action must prove that the dog's owner knew that the dog was vicious and was negligent in controlling the animal. The dog, or more accurately the owner, escapes responsibility for the first bite.