Archive for July, 2009

Jacksonville Dog bites to children more frequent in summer months

Sunday, July 26th, 2009

images2 Young children are at the greatest risk for Jacksonville dog bites in the summer and are especially vulnerable to severe bites in the head and neck areas, say researchers who analyzed 84 cases of dog bites in children.

It’s not clear why children are more likely to suffer dog bite injuries in the summer, but it may be because children spend more time outdoors playing with dogs in warmer months, the researchers suggested. Or it may be that dogs are generally more irritable in hot weather.

The study found that 27 percent of dog bite injuries were caused by family pets. The most common sites of bites to the head and neck were the cheeks (34 percent), lips (21 percent), and nose and ears (both 8 percent). Sixty-four percent of the children suffered dog bite wounds in more than one location, and the average wound size was 7.15 centimeters.  Parents should teach children to not scream and run around strange dogs.  If a child is confronted by an aggressive dog they should stand like a tree.  Children should also be taught to never bother a dog while it is eating, sleeping or tending to it’s puppies.  If you or a loved one has been the victim of a Jacksonville dog attack contact the Law Offices of Henry Gare at (904) 387-6101.

Burr Oak Cemetery Answers: Task force formed

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Burr Oak Cemetery questions hopefully will be answered by the Cemetery Oversight Task Force. The head of Illinois’ newly formed Cemetery Oversight Task Force says she hopes to have a community meeting about the alleged wrongdoing at Burr Oak Cemetery.

Patricia Brown Holmes is a former prosecutor and juvenile court judge. She’s currently a partner with Chicago law firm Schiff Hardin LLP.

Holmes said Monday she wants to hear from the community about allegations that workers at Burr Oak in south suburban Alsip dug up remains and stacked bodies to resell plots.

Holmes says her father and infant brother are buried at Burr Oak. And at least two other members of the nine-member task force have relatives buried at the cemetery.

Holmes says the task force’s mission is to find out how the situation at Burr Oak developed and how to keep it from happening again. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a mortuary mistake or a cemetery scandal be sure to contact an experienced funeral home lawyer.

Jacksonville drunk driving accidents down while driving under the influence of drugs up

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

  Jacksonville drunk driving accidents have decreased but drug-use is still a problem.
The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration study reports that 16 percent of drivers on weekend nights test positive for some type of drug including cocaine, marijuana and prescription sedatives. This is the first time the NHTSA has done this study so it is hard to compare it with previous years.

Law enforcement officials are pleased that the number of drunk driving car accident fatalities has declined along with alcohol-impaired driving. Alcohol is a factor in about 20% of car accident fatalities.

Drunk driving statistics:

A driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or greater is 42% more likely to be male than female.

The hours of 1am to 3am are the hours when drivers are more likely to be drunk driving

Drunk driving among motorcycle drivers is twice that as automobile drivers(5.6% compared with 2.3%)

Pick up truck drivers have a higher rate of driving under the influence, 3.3% pick up truck drivers are DUI compared to 2.3% of auto drivers.  If you or a loved one have been injured in a  Jacksonville car accident call The Law Offices of Henry E. Gare at (904) 387-6101.

Cemetery lawsuits filed in Burr Oak scandal

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

1126875_grave_stoneAs a Florida funeral home abuse lawyer I have investigated many horrible cases of cemetery abuse but the recent Burr Oak Cemetery scandal is one of the largest ever. Six cemetery lawsuits were filed Friday by roughly a dozen families injured by the outrageous actions that have been uncovered at Chicago-area Burr Oak cemetery. The lawsuits name Perpetua and the four criminally-charged employees as defendants and seek damages for the extremely outrageous conduct. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has said that investigators have not been able to find markers for a “Baby Land” section where infants had been buried. Starting today, relatives can go only near the front entrance of the cemetery and pass along their information to sheriff’s personnel about people they are trying to locate at Burr Oak Cemetery. If you have been the victim of Florida funeral home abuse, Florida cemetery negligence or a Florida cremation mistake make sure to call an experienced Florida funeral home attorney.

Burr Oak cemetery scandal in Chicago

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

images-11At the historic Burr Oak Cemetery outside Chicago a disgusting scandal has erupted.  Four cemetery workers have been charged with dismembering bodies after police found what they called “startling and revolting” conditions at a historic cemetery near Chicago.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart says workers at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip allegedly dug up more than 100 graves, dumped the bodies into unmarked mass graves and resold the plots to unsuspecting members of the public.

Prosecutors have charged 49-year-old Carolyn Towns, 45-year-old Keith Nicks and 39-year-old Terrence Nicks, all of Chicago. Also charged was 61-year-old Maurice Dailey of Robbins. Each was charged Thursday with one count each of dismembering a human body, a felony.

It wasn’t immediately clear if they had attorneys.

Burr Oak is the final resting place of many famous African-Americans, including lynching victim Emmett Till.  If your loved one has been the victim of cemetery re-selling of their plot or grave please call an experienced cemetery lawyer.