Cleveland Personal Injury Law Blog

Sure, you know when you're on the road that you're always taking a chance you'll end up in a car accident -- but what about when you're trying to take a swim at the local gym?

That's what happened to several shocked patrons of a Centerville gym after a driver accidentally drove his car straight through the wall of an LA Fitness club. The car landed in the club's pool, but only one swimmer and the car's driver suffered any injuries -- and those were minor compared to what could have happened.

When people in Ohio find themselves unable to care for their elderly loved ones, they may turn to a nursing home or other care facility for assistance. The costs associated with elder care can be substantial, but paying high fees does not always protect elder residents from neglect and abuse. One Florida case that emerged amid the devastation of Hurricane Irma drew attention to the mistreatment of older people held in nursing homes. In 2017, 12 patients at one home died in the heat after the hurricane disabled the air conditioning at the home. Now, four people are facing charges of aggravated manslaughter in the case.

Following a two-year investigation, one nursing home administrator and three nurses were charged by local police. Police say that they collected over 1,000 pieces of evidence at the Rehabilitation Center of Hollywood Hills in addition to interviewing 500 people and seizing 55 computers containing facility documents and information. The nursing home patients began dying three days after the hurricane hit the facility. There were approximately 150 people housed there during the storm. Despite the sweltering heat and rising temperatures, workers at the facility failed to evacuate any residents. They were forced to remain despite the presence of a fully operational hospital directly across the street.

Just about the time that the leaves start to turn, and the warm scent of pumpkin spice fills the air everywhere you go, insurance companies report an increase in dog bite claims.

Ohio ranks third in the nation for such claims -- which cost at least one insurance company $123 million in 2018 alone over 3,280 dog bites. Of course, that figure pales in comparison to the estimated $1.1 billion that particular insurer paid out over the last decade.

Nursing homes often try to cut as many costs as they can -- often at the expense of the patients they're supposed to protecting.

In particular, nursing homes will often skimp on staff as much as possible during the night -- putting as few nurses and aides on staff as they can legally get away with having. From the nursing home's perspective, the evening is the perfect time to reduce staff hours. After all, most of the patients are in their beds, asleep.