Britax Recalls 14,000 Infant Safety Seats

Britax Child Safety Inc. is recalling certain Chaperone restraint systems for infants because the harness adjusters may detach from the seat.  The affected seats were built between September 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011 – 14, 220 of which were sold in the United States. If the adjusters – which are used to tighten and loosen belts to keep the child in the seat – were to break, the child would not be properly restrained during a crash.  These types of defects have the potential to be serious and even fatal. If you own one of these sets, please discontinue use and find appropriate contact information for the company here.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of a product defect, contact us at 888-354-9880 or here  to see how we can help. G. Grant Dixon III, attorney and founder of Dixon Law Office, has the experience  to ensure that your case is handled properly.

Johnson & Johnson Recalls Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. is recalling one lot of Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion as sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. These products, based upon a small testing sample conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, show that they exceed the specifications for common bacteria. If you are using this lotion, stop use immediately. Additional product information and next steps can be found here.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of the use of a defective product, Dixon Law Office  can help. We have the experience to handle these types of claims. Contact us at 888-354-9880 or here  to see how we can assist you.

Race for ACES

Friends,

Dixon Law Office is one of the title sponsors for the First Annual Le Tour de Burbs Rally to raise money for ACES. When teens need counseling and support, there is often a gap in available, affordable services even when insurance covers the visits.  ACES—Adolescent Counseling, Education and Support—is a non-profit organization that helps fill that gap.  The organization’s objective is to provide resources that may prevent adolescents from making decisions that could derail their futures when they are most vulnerable. They serve adolescents in Cook County’s Lyons and south Proviso townships.

The RACE for ACES will be held the afternoon of September 18, 2011 and is open to everyone.  Families, teams and individual cyclists are welcome but you don’t even have to ride to participate. There will be games, food and fun for everyone.  There will be bike decorating for kids, warm up exercises and a free bike safety check for riders.  As part of the event, the La Grange Theater is showing the classic movie, “Breaking Away” at 7:00 p.m.  There will be a great raffle with major prizes including a new bike from the Wheel Thing. Come out and support us!

To sign up go to our website www.raceforaces.com.

Thank you for your support!

Dangers of Acetaminophen to Kids

The dangers of acetaminophen in children has been known for years but parents often don’t know there is any risk.  They assume that because the medicine is available over-the-counter, it is safe.  Often labels are so confusing it is difficult to determine the right dose and even when they do, the labels frequently don’t explain the risk.  Overdosing of acetaminophen can cause simple problems like an upset stomach.  In serious cases, overdosing can cause nausea, vomiting, kidney failure, even death.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently published a guide on the safe use of acetaminophen in kids.  “The need for this guide shows what a poor job the drug companies do at informing consumers,” said G. Grant Dixon III, founder of Dixon Law Office.  Grant has spent decades holding drug companies responsible for the defective products they sell.  Most recently, he was one of the few lawyers in the country to take on the manufacturer of Zicam.

The results speak for themselves. Dixon Law Office has secured millions of dollars in compensation for victims and their families from corporations big and small. If you or a loved one has been injured because of a defective product, or a product that was not properly made, designed, or maintained, contact Dixon Law Office by email or call (888) 354-9880. We can help.

When a Dog Attacks

At Dixon Law Office, we recently met with the family of a young girl who was at the home of a friend.  She was just sitting on the couch.  Suddenly, the dog of the family she was visiting, got lose.  The dog then attacked the young girl.  The vicious attack left her permanently scarred physically.  She will likely bear emotional scars for the rest of her life as well.

According to State Farm Insurance Company, more than 60% of all victims of dog bites are children.  The State Farm report also notes that attacks
are not limited to a particular breed.  As one of the largest insurance companies in the world, State Farm says, “We believe there are good dogs and bad dogs within every breed, just as there can be responsible and irresponsible owners of each breed. Under the right circumstances, any dog might bite.”

Dixon Law Office founder, G. Grant Dixon III, agrees.  “Most of the victims of animal attacks are innocent children,” he said.  He continued, “we have represented people attacked by all types of dogs.  Pit bulls get the most attention but terriers, Labradors, and all sorts of breeds have all caused serious injuries to clients we have represented.“

If you or your child has been attacked by a dog, call us at Dixon Law Office.  We have years of experience handling animal attack cases and can get you and your family the compensation you deserve.  We are here to help.

Serious Injuries from Bus Crash, Serious Results

When a pedestrian is crossing the street, they assume they are safe.  “This woman was doing exactly what she was supposed to do.  She was crossing with the light and in the crosswalk.  The bus driver just blew it,” said G. Grant Dixon III of the Dixon Law Office.   The bus driver made a left turn into the crosswalk, striking the woman. Witnesses described how the woman went flying and laid unconscious on the ground.

Sadly, the woman was very seriously injured.   She was hospitalized for days, missed three months of work, endured more than two years of therapy, and left with permanent pain.  Her entire life became ruled by pain.

After retaining Dixon Law Office, the staff immediately began its work of showing how terrible the conduct of the driver was.  Investigation revealed the driver was fired after the incident and had a number of prior problems with her employer.

After a lawsuit was filed, the work continued.  “We filed motions claiming that the lawyers and witnesses for the bus company  had hidden evidence four times in this case alone,“ Grant said.  They continued to fight the case all the way through trial.

The trial result was impressive.  Grant and his team were able to secure a verdict of more than double the last offer.  Grant continued, “all my client wanted was to be sure her medical bills were paid and some compensation for her life of pain.  I am proud that we were able to do that even though the bus company fought us every step of the way.”  She and her husband were so happy with the representation, they recorded a video for Dixon Law Office, available here.

Dixon Law Office staff has tremendous experience in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving bus accidents.  We understand the severe injuries caused by these accidents, and we know how to handle the insurance companies. Please call our office at 708-354-9880 to schedule an appointment or contact us online. Your consultation is free.

Thankful

We at Dixon Law Office are a thankful bunch.

We are thankful to live without pain.  Every client comes to us with a story.  That story always ends the same: pain.  Inevitably, someone did something seriously wrong.  That wrong caused our client to get hurt.  It may have been the driver that ran a red light and hit the bicyclist.   It may have been the truck driver who was speeding.  It may have been the doctor who did not run that test.  It may have been that employer who removed the guard from the machine.  In each case, the victim ends up hurt or killed.  For those that survived, that hurt leads to a life lived in pain.  We are thankful to live without pain.

We are thankful to work where we do.  Every day, we have the privilege of helping clients who work in very difficult conditions.  Many of our worker’s compensation clients are forced to work in dangerous places.  The construction site is not safe because the boss will not supply safety equipment.  The manufacturing plant is full of tripping hazards.  The office worker is forced to work in a chair that is painful to her back.  They all have bosses that illegally threaten them if they refuse or complain.  Many work on but end up with serious injuries.   We are thankful to work where we do.

We are thankful for today.  For all of our clients, the day they were hurt just another day.  They neither expected nor believed that the day would end any differently than the day before.  But it didn’t.  For them, the day ended very differently.  For them, that day ended like no other.  A catastrophic injury.  Amputation.  Pain.  For some, death.  We are thankful for today.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed because of the fault of someone else, call us at Dixon Law Office.  We have the training and experience to get you the compensation you deserve.  Our results prove it.  Call us today at 708-354-9880 or contact us by email.  We are here to help.

Truck Crashes – Trucks Must Follow the Same Rules of the Road

Some of the most horrific and tragic crashes involve large trucks and semis.  Many of these trucks weigh more than 80,000 and cause tremendous damage when involved in a crash.

Well-established regulations require trucks to follow the same rules of the road as other drivers.  Section 392.2 of chapter 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations is part of the Federal regulations that govern trucks.  It says:

Every commercial motor vehicle must be operated in accordance with the laws, ordinances, and regulations of the jurisdiction in which it is being operated. However, if a regulation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration imposes a higher standard of care than that law, ordinance or regulation, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulation must be complied with.

That means that truckers have to follow the driving rules of the State in which they are driver OR the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules, whichever is HIGHER.  According to G. Grant Dixon III, founder of the Dixon Law Office, “these strict rules are there to make sure trucks are operated safely and when they are not, the driver and his employer are held responsible.”

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a trucking accident, call us at Dixon Law Office.  Our expert staff has years of experience handling all kinds of trucking crash cases.  We will hold the company responsible and fight to recover the compensation you need to pay medical bills and to cover lost income and other expenses.  For a free consultation, please call 708-354-9880 or contact us online.

Powerless

This past Monday, a strong thunderstorm rolled through the Chicago area leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.  Hundreds-of-thousands of people were left without electricity, telephone, or cable television.  We at Dixon Law Office were not spared from the damage.  Electricity and our internet connection were severed for two days.  Because of advanced planning, we had a back-up generator that kept the phones and computers running.  Still, the storm reminded us of how much of a disruption to our normal lives a storm like this can cause.

During that time, we were reminded that what brings clients to our door is a storm of a different type.  For nearly all our clients, they did nothing to cause the trauma in their life.  They were victims of another person’s poor choices.  Our clients walked out their doors that day thinking it was just another day.  For most of them, that day ended with pain and trauma.  Sadly for many others, they never came home again.

When speaking with our clients, they often express how they feel powerless.  If they had the power to stop the pain, they would.  If they had the power to bring back that amputated limb, they would.  If they had the power to turn back time, they would.  If they had power to alter the course of that car or change that doctor’s actions, they would.  But they are powerless.

One of the greatest privileges we have at Dixon Law Office is to help those powerless people.  While we cannot stop the pain, regrow a limb, turn back time, or change that doctor’s actions, we can hold those who do wrong accountable.  The system is not perfect.  But when we can look at our client and say we have held the wrongdoer responsible, we know we have given power to the powerless.

If you or a loved one has been left powerless because of the wrongs of another, call us at Dixon Law Office.  We can help give power back to the powerless.

Car Seat Safety – Children Under 1 Year Old

Before you take your new baby on the road, make sure you have a safe car seat.  According to the National Highway Transportation Safety
Administration, children less than 12 months old should be in a rear-facing car seat.  Seats that are removable or have multiple positions  may
not be fit to use on your small child.   NHSTA recommends referring to the owner’s manual of the seat to see if your child will fit.  When installing your seat, consult both the manual of the seat manufacturer as well as your car.  Also, many local police and fire departments will help you install the car seat properly.   If you have any questions about car seat safety, call us at Dixon Law Office.  We are here to help.

Pool Safety – Drain Covers Recalled

Summer is pool season.  Whether you swim in a neighborhood pool or one in your backyard, you assume the pool has been designed and maintained properly.  Sadly, that is frequently not the case.  The Consumer Products Safety Commission has announced a recall of more than 1,000,000 pool drains and covers.  The recalled drain covers were incorrectly rated to handle the flow of water through the cover, which could pose a possible entrapment hazard to swimmers and bathers.  “The flow through these covers is so strong, just being next to them can suck a swimmer in and cause them to be trapped.  Once trapped, the swimmer can drown and die,” Dixon Law Office founder G. Grant Dixon III said.  Grant should know.  As a trial lawyer, he has represented injured victims for nearly his entire career and successfully handled nearly every kind
of case imaginable.  If you or a loved one has been injured or killed at a swimming pool, call us at Dixon Law Office.  Our experience will get you the compensation you deserve.

June is National Safe Driving Month

June is National Safe Driving Month. At Dixon Law Office, we have represented hundreds of clients who have been injured in automobile accidents.  In 2009 alone, nearly 5,500 people died from accidents caused by distracted driving.  Every single one of these deaths is preventable.  If you pledge to not drive distracted – keep your eyes on the road and use Bluetooth devices – Motorola will give you 50% off any device of theirs that you buy. Great program!

Dixon Law Office adds DuPage County Office

Dixon Law Office has recently added a second office, expanding into DuPage County, Illinois.  Grant Dixon, founder of the firm, said, “It was important to us that we have an office that is easy for our clients in DuPage County to get to.”  The new location is at 3 Golf Avenue in downtown Clarendon Hills.  It is conveniently located near all the train station.  The new office serves all communities in the area including Hinsdale, Glen Ellyn, Naperville, Willowbrook, Wheaton, and Lombard just to name a few.  Grant continued, “Helping clients in DuPage County and around the country is our mission.  We hope this new location will let us be of service to even more people.” 

If you or a loved one is in need of an aggressive and tough lawyer to handle your case, call Dixon Law Office at 888-354-9880 or stop by one of our offices.  We are here to help.

Consumer Safety Website Launches

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission has launched a new website to help consumers. The website is called www.SaferProducts.gov.  With the new website, “consumers will have open access to product safety information that they have never seen before and the information will empower them to make safer choices,” said Chairman Inez Tenenbaum, chairperson of the CPSC. On the Report tab, consumers report any problems they have with a product they already own. On the Search tab, consumers can check products to see if there are any reported problems or recalls.  “This website makes more of the amazing data the CPSC has available to the public and hopefully will encourage manufacturers to report unsafe products more quickly,” Dixon Law Office founder Grant Dixon said. 

The website can be found at www.SaferProducts.gov

Doing Good: Stranger donates kidney to save life of young boy

When Chris Doing saw Nathan Saavedra’s face, he knew he had to help.   Little Nathan is just a toddler but suffers from prune belly syndrome, a severe birth defect that leaves its victims without the normal stomach wall and is accompanied with a host of medical problems.  In Nathan’s case, he needed a kidney or he would die.  Chris Doing didn’t know Nathan but helped anyway.  Chris gave a kidney to the little boy who will now see this Christmas and many more.  That is Doing Good.  Read the full story at  http://www.happynews.com/news/12232010/stranger-kidney-boy-life.htm

Boy Saves His Sister’s Life and Becomes a Superhero

On November 27, 2010, 9 year-old James ” JT”  Stone opened the child-proof lock on his parent’s bathroom to let his little sister Lily go into the bathroom.  Unbeknownst to JT, Lily decided she wanted to blow out the candle on the counter.  She climbed up the cabinet and onto the counter.  As she sat there, she tried to blow out the little flame.  Instantly, her hair, face, and arms caught fire.  JT heard his sister’s screams first and got to Lilly just before their mother did.  Thinking quickly, he grabbed a wet towel that had been left on the floor by an older cousin.  He wrapped his sister in the towel, dowsing the flames.

JT’s courage saved his sister’s life. “This young man did something most kids twice his age wouldn’t have the forethought, or capability, or understanding of performing,” said St. Louis Firefighter Shawn Bittle.   The group presented JT with a Hero Award for what he did.  He got a plaque, and a special tour of a firetruck.

“When you look at the superheroes, that’s their job to save lives,” said JT’s father, “and nobody will ever know how much of a hero he is to me. If it wasn’t for him I may not have my baby.”  “I’m thankful that I knew what to do to save her,” he said.

To see the video and read more about JT’s act of heroism, see this link, http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-9-year-old-boy-hailed-hero-120510,0,1461390.story

Ties that Kill

For more than 20 years, manufacturers have known that the pull cords on window shades and blinds kill children.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission received reports of 130 strangulations involving window blind cords in just the 9 years from 1991 through 2000.  Nearly all of those involved strangulations to infants getting tangled on the outer pull cords.

Ten years later, children are still dying and manufactures seem to be doing nothing about it.  This week, big box hardware store chain Lowes to recall about 6,000,000 Roman shades and 5,000,000 they sold in the last 10 years.  The reason: pull cords are still killing children.  If you have purchased any shades or blinds from Lowes since 1999, you should contact the Window Covering Safety Council for a free repair kit at (800) 506-4636.

As the saying goes, those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  Apparently, the manufacturers of shades and blinds don’t know their history.  More likely, they just don’t care.  If you have ANY blinds with pull cords on them, cut the pull cords.  Call he Window Covering Safety Council or find them on the web at www.windowcoverings.org.  It might save a parent from the worst of all traumas, losing a child.

Safest Cities, Statistics Don’t Tell the Whole Story

When one thinks of the most crime-riddled city in the US, few would put St. Louis, Missouri even close to the top.  Still, the Associated Press is reporting that St. Louis is the most dangerous city in the US.  The report is based on a study issued by the FBI on crime in the US.  While true, St. Louis has the most reports of crime in the US, the FBI tells people accessing the study, “The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual reporting units from cities, metropolitan areas, states, or colleges or universities solely on the basis of their population coverage or student enrollment.”  Seems like the FBI does not even think we should be using the stats for that purpose.  Interesting that the FBI shows so many reports in St. Louis but not much else can be gleened from it other than that.  You can read the AP story at this link, http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hjbTudvgLq379jbYawS7w_WOFUjA?docId=22c9981f4ca34807ba7ac8dc07726067