North Dakota Does Not Have a Burn Injury Center – But We Should
Burn injuries are unique, in that they can cause severe physical and psychological trauma to the victim. When a person suffers a severe burn, even after the wound has healed, there is almost always a terrible scar that disfigures the skin. During the healing process, the affected area can suffer from a limited range of…
Read MoreFive Factors That Cause Truck Crashes
As you might imagine, a collision with a large commercial truck can be a devastating experience. Colliding with such a massive vehicle can cause serious injuries, significant property damage and even death. Trucking companies have a legal obligation to maintain their trucks in safe condition, and to hire qualified, safe drivers. Those truck drivers also…
Read MoreOil and Gas Industry Safety Exemptions Put Workers at More Risk
Under federal law, workers are entitled to a safe workplace free of known health and safety hazards, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Workers have rights, including the right to speak up about safety concerns without fear of retaliation, to be trained in a language you can understand, and to be provided…
Read MoreA Child Died in a School Bus Crash, but ND’s Supreme Court Won’t Lift the Damage Caps
In January of 2015, a school bus carrying 13 children stopped on a railroad track. It was hit by a BNSF Railway train. As a result of that crash, the driver and 17-year-old Cassidy Sandstrom died, and ten other children were sent to the hospital. The North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund set aside $500,000 to…
Read More4/20 “Holiday” Tied to Uptick in Fatal Car Crashes
Marijuana enthusiasts are familiar with April 20, or the shorthand 4/20. It’s an unofficial holiday popularized by High Times magazine in the early 1990s as a way to celebrate marijuana by lighting up in unison at exactly 4:20pm on April 20. But a recent study has linked 4/20 with an increase in fatal car crashes…
Read MoreBurn Injuries in the Workplace
According to the World Health Organization, about 180,000 people die each year from burns. Burns happen mostly in the home or workplace, and often should be preventable, though there are exceptions to every rule. Yet many workers suffer serious harm from burns on the job every day, and the damage done in an instant can…
Read MoreTruck Side Guard Bill Introduced After Fatal Crashes
In July of 2017, two cars slid under a jackknifed tractor-trailer in New York, killing all four occupants. A truck driver had swerved to avoid a deer and lost control of his rig, blocking both lanes of traffic on the highway. Two vehicles collided with the truck, sliding underneath, which resulted in the deaths of…
Read MoreToxic Chemicals and Oil Field Workers
Right now, the oil business is expanding after strong 2017 numbers. New demand and new technologies have spiked production all around the country, which also increases the demand for field workers. There is no doubt that the oil and gas industry has been good for North Dakota. But is it always good for workers? Oil…
Read MoreTwo Million Barrels a Day
Last year, Governor Burgum gave a speech where he challenged the energy industry to do four things: Take the Bakken to the next level Find ways to work hand-in-hand with the coal industry Create a zero-spill industry standard Produce two million barrels a day The “two million barrels” part of the challenge has been up…
Read MoreNorth Dakota’s Medical Malpractice Damage Caps Are Ruled Unconstitutional
In 1995, the North Dakota legislature capped medical malpractice damages at $500,000. Since that day, patients, attorneys and advocates have been fighting against the cap. No explanation was ever given for why the dollar amount was chosen, and no one’s ever proved that damage caps helped anyone outside of the insurance companies. The fight against…
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