Glick Law Firm, P.A.

The length of time that big rig truck drivers spend behind the wheel trying to make it to their destination on time has long been a topic of debate in the trucking industry. Many truckers and activists claim the federal regulations that went into effect in the past four years with the goal of reducing trucking accidents have actually made matters worse. How long truckers can drive, how long they can rest and how they should log their time have fueled debate among safety advocates and trucking companies.

For over 60 years, truckers have been guided by rules that prohibited them from driving more than 10 hours without an eight-hour break and banned them from driving more than 60 hours in a seven-day period. Drivers were required to keep logs of their driving and resting times.

In the late 1990's, Congress created the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to oversee the trucking industry and reduce the annual number of traffic fatalities involving large trucks and buses; it is estimated that 5,000 people are killed in trucking accidents yearly in the United States. The new regulations state that truckers can now stay behind the wheel for an 11-hour period but must rest 10 hours before driving again. Also, truckers can now drive 77 hours in a 7-day period.

For years, drivers have claimed logs are routinely falsified, so there is push now for electronic monitoring devices in trucks that would automatically record drive/stop times. Truckers are not happy about this; one veteran trucker actually had to pull over just 40 miles from his destination because he had driven the maximum of 11 hours already that day. The new law required that he "hang out" for ten hours before driving the last 40 miles of his trip.

One mother, whose son was killed, along with three friends, when a tired trucker fell asleep and rolled his rig over the teenager's car on a Maine highway in 1993, created Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT). Daphne Izer actually sympathizes with the drivers who work long hours, are stuck on docks for hours waiting to be weighed or unloaded and are not getting paid for that lost time.

Although the logs and electronic monitoring devices are efforts to keep truckers rested and safe, the number of truck-related deaths in the United States is not decreasing. We continue to hear stories in the news such as the 46-year-old truck driver with no violations on his driving record who fell asleep as he sped toward vehicles that were slowing for construction on a crowded South Carolina interstate killing a young mother and her 13-year-old daughter.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a truck accident, please visit the website of the experienced truck accident lawyers at the Glick Law Firm, P.A., serving residents of Boca Raton and surrounding areas in south Florida.

Anyone who has ever worked aboard a vessel knows that the marine environment can be extremely hazardous. Marine employment requires training, skill, and care. However, even the most careful and experienced seaman cannot always guard against equipment failure or the negligence of others.

If you are a member of a crew of a vessel including a cargo ship, a ferry, a casino boat, a long-liner, a tug, a jack-up rig, a drilling ship, or any other means of carrying persons or freight across water, you could be a seaman who is entitled to the benefits that Congress and the General Maritime Law provide.

Seamen are not covered by any type of workers’ compensation statutes like those that exist for land-based workers. To compensate seamen and their families for a seaman's personal injuries or death, the Courts and Congress have developed a patchwork of remedies available to seamen who become sick or injured during their employment aboard vessels. Maintenance and Cure, the Jones Act, and the Un-seaworthiness doctrine are laws and legal concepts that require specialized knowledge of maritime law.

Seamen can also obtain the protection of maritime law for illnesses developed after their employment for exposure to asbestos or hazardous chemicals.

A seaman is also entitled to damages for the un-seaworthiness of a vessel, maintenance and cure, and Jones Act damages. These remedies are only applicable to seamen and do not apply to land-based workers. Most attorneys are not experienced with these laws designed to protect seamen. Our attorneys are fully qualified to help the seaman navigate his way through the patchwork of remedies to insure that the seaman receives proper medical attention and is fully compensated for his injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed at sea around Boca Raton Florida or anywhere in the world, please contact the Marine Accident Attorneys at The Glick Law Firm, P.A., serving residents of Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

The electrodes, fillers and metals used in welding produce fumes that can create hazardous situations for welders when they are not properly addressed in the workplace. Safety considerations have long been crucial in preventing adverse effects from welding.

Correct ventilation and air filtration are absolutely necessary in welding, and there are a variety of products available to enhance and ensure worker safety. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is called for when working with metals and materials that pose the greatest hazards to worker health. Some materials require extra precautions to ensure that workers are not exposed to potentially hazardous conditions.

Welding smoke is a mixture of very fine particles and gases that includes substances such as chromium, nickel, arsenic, asbestos, silica, cadmium, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, cobalt, copper and selenium. These substances are derived from a combination of the base metal, filler metals and welding rods, and from rod coverings.

Welding should not be attempted on parts filled with polyurethane foam, due to the generation of toxic gases caused by the thermal breakdown of the polyurethane foam. However, if repair welding is absolutely necessary, the foam must be removed from the heat-affected area, including all residue, prior to welding so that the torch is not touching any of the polyurethane foam.

When welding any type of material, you should know the toxicity of the materials involved in each welding job and verify that there is adequate ventilation to prevent exposure to metal fumes to the welder and nearby workers.

Welding and Parkinson's Disease

Research shows that long-term and heavy exposure to welding fumes can result in the early development of Parkinson's Disease. Occupational exposure to manganese fumes emitted when filler materials are burned during welding has been related to the development of early Parkinson's Disease in some welders. Manganese is a known risk factor for Parkinson's and welding rods contain manganese, which is vaporized during the welding process.

Parkinson's is caused by the progressive destruction of nerve cells that control muscle movement. In some people, the disease progresses quickly; in others, it does not. Although some people become severely disabled, others experience only minor motor disruptions. Tremor is the major symptom for some patients, while for others, tremor is only a minor complaint, and different symptoms are more troublesome. Some other symptoms of PD include depression, memory loss, slowed thinking, difficulty swallowing and chewing, speech changes, urinary problems and constipation, sleep problems, and excessive sweating.

Even the simplest welding project can lead to fumes like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and ozone, all of which can be hazardous. Using proper ventilation and respiratory protection is key in helping to prevent the effects of the welding rod fumes.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to welding rod fumes and has suffered any of the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale or West Palm Beach, Florida, please contact the Glick Law Firm, P.A. today to schedule your free initial consultation.