Injury Prevention

Every day we represent injured clients in legal matters. Many of our cases also hold valuable lessons for how to prevent the injuries we see. Our attorneys participate in a variety of injury prevention activities, including speaking engagements and community outreach on topics related to safety and injury prevention for infants, children and older adults.  Learn more.

How you can protect your loved ones?

Domestic Violence Prevention

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  Domestic Violence Project Today!
• FAPA - the Attorney's Checklist
• Victim Resources

Infants — Injury Prevention

•   To lower the risk of SIDS, put your baby on his or her back to sleep.  This is the sleeping position recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).  Remember the slogan “back to sleep.”  The AAP also recognizes the importance of “tummy time” to help avoid positional plagiocephaly (head deformity), and to encourage the development of specific motor skills.  This is done while baby is awake.

•   Ensure that your baby’s car seat is age/weight/height appropriate and properly installed.  Your baby should be belted into a rear-facing safety seat in the back seat until at least one year of age.  It is recommended that babies ride in the center of the back seat.

•   Keep small objects and plastic bags away from your baby.  Usually, if an object can fit through a toilet paper roll, it is too small for babies!

•   Adult beds are not an ideal place for a baby to sleep because of several hidden dangers.  Babies can suffocate in soft bedding and can become trapped between the bed and a wall, headboard, footboard, or bed frame.

•   Use a new crib that complies with current safety standards.  Ensure that the sheets fit tightly, and that no more than two adult fingers fit between the mattress and the crib.  Remove any object from the crib that may cause suffocation—including blankets, unworn clothing, and bumpers when the baby becomes able to move around in the crib.  If a soda can fits between the slats of a crib, your baby can get caught and suffer injury.

•   Observe fall prevention strategies, including never leaving your baby alone on a high surface such as a couch, bed or changing table.

•   Do not allow anyone to smoke around your baby.  Interestingly, it is recommended that even if folks don’t smoke around the infant, smokers should wear a smoke-free overshirt or robe when handling the baby to protect the baby from carcinogens in smokers’ clothing.

•   Insist that anyone who is going to hold your baby wash hands to lower risk of transmission of disease such as colds and flu to your baby.  Wash your hands after changing your baby’s diaper.

•   Do not drink hot beverages or eat hot foods while holding your baby.

•   Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.  Test and maintain them, and change their batteries at the spring and fall time changes.

•  Ensure that all caregivers have had CPR training and have your checklist of critical information such as emergency contact information.

•  Click here for window fall prevention tips. 

Toddlers — Injury Prevention

•   Ensure that window latches operate properly and keep furniture upon which a child could climb away from windows.  Be aware of bleachers through which toddlers may fall.  Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs as stair falls can cause severe trauma.

•   Ensure that your toddler plays with toys that are age appropriate and do not pose a choking risk.  Keep small refrigerator magnets away from your toddler.

•   Keep dangerous household items out of reach of toddlers:  household cleaners, medicines, knives, poisonous plants, etc.   Ensure that cabinets have safety latches.

•   Secure tall or heavy furniture that could be tipped over by a child.  Children may open drawers that can cause furniture to tip over.  Use a strap or other tip-over restraint to anchor furniture to the wall.  Do not leave heavy or sharp objects on desktops, vanities or other furniture.

•   Keep hot items such as coffee, tea or dishes away from your toddler.  Use the back burners of the stove and keep handles turned in.  Keep table cloths away from a toddler who may pull and cause hot items to fall.  Keep appliance cords away from toddlers who can pull the appliance and cause it to fall (e.g., hot coffee, crock-pot, waffle iron, iron, etc.).  Children should be kept away from cooking in the kitchen. 

•   Child-proof all electrical outlets.  Keep blinds and drapery cords away from toddlers as children can be strangled.

•   Reduce drowning risks by using toilet locks.  Keep children away from water, including buckets of water.  Toddlers are top-heavy and can drown in as little as one inch of water.  Never leave your children unattended around water such as swimming pool or stream.  There are also doorknob covers that work kind of like “child-proof caps” to keep kids out of (or in) rooms.

•   While in the bathroom with toddlers:  (1) set the hot water thermostat no higher than 120 degrees; (2) test the bathwater temperature and stir if necessary to eliminate hot spots; (3) keep the hot water faucet out of reach of your child; and (4) never leave your child unattended.

•   When shopping, protect against shopping cart tip-overs and falls. Shopping cart injuries send over 23,000 children to the emergency room each year. Many of these injuries are serious or life threatening, and many involve concussions, other head and neck injuries, and broken bones. The August 2006 edition of the journal Pediatrics reports on this important issue. To reduce the risk of these injuries, use alternatives to standard shopping carts whenever possible. These include wagons, strollers, or the plastic mini-cars or trucks attached to the front of carts in some stores. These alternatives keep children much closer to the ground. If you must use a standard cart, never leave children unattended or allow them to stand up. Always supervise children closely in stores and parking lots, use seat belts and restraints provided, and pay attention to any cautions or instructions. Never allow a child to ride in the main grocery basket of a cart, or to ride outside the cart.

•   If your child is between the ages of 1 and 4 and/or under 40 lbs., he or she should be belted into a child safety seat when riding in the car.

•   Inform others who may supervise your children about hidden dangers in the area.

•   Click here for window fall prevention tips.

Children — Injury Prevention

•   If your child is under the age of 12, he or she should ride in the back seat.  If he or she is between the ages of 4 and 8 and weighing up to 80 lbs., he or she should be belted into an approved booster seat.

•   Do not expose your child to second-hand smoke as it can cause children to suffer from

pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infections, and asthma.

•   Closely supervise children on playground equipment, and watch that their clothing does not become tangled in the equipment.

•   To reduce the risk of sex abuse, carefully choose those with whom you leave your child.

 •   Teach your children to avoid strangers unless you have given permission for them to talk to someone.  It is necessary, however, to teach your child how to get help if he or

she is lost.

•   Consumers should take extra care when purchasing a vehicle; ensure that the vehicle has “pull up-push down” switches or auto-reverse technology. If purchasing a vehicle with the rocker or toggle switches, it is better to select a vehicle with the switches mounted in the vertical position rather than in the horizontal position such as on an armrest. If a vehicle has power windows, use the child-lock feature if available. Do not leave the key in the ignition when away from the vehicle; power windows only operate when the key is in the ignition. Supervise young children when they are in the vehicle.

•   Firearms should be stored unloaded and locked away from children with a trigger-lock and in a locking cabinet.

•   Teach children about the dangers of electrical wires, matches and fire.

For additional information, visit www.kidpower.org, www.missingkids.com, and www.safekids.com.

•  Click here for window fall prevention tips. 

Teens — Injury Prevention

•   The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons have issued formal policies recommending that children under 16 not be allowed to drive ATVs under any circumstances.

•   If a serious injury occurs (especially a loss of consciousness) in sports or otherwise, immediately seek medical attention.

•   Require that your teen inform you of where they are going, with whom, and when they will return.

•   Work with your teen to learn safe use of the internet.

•   Your teen should take a driver safety course.

•   Teach your teen about the dangers of tobacco, drug and alcohol use.

•   Teach your teen about the risks associated with sexual activity.

•   Teens should observe workplace safety.

For additional information, visit www.safeteens.com, www.safekids.com, and www.teendriving.com.

Elders – Injury/Abuse Prevention

An alert friend or family member can detect danger signs of abuse by looking for: 

•   Unexplained injuries such as bedsores, pressure sores, cuts, bruises, burns or fractures.

•   Emotional changes, anxiety, depression or sudden change in behavior.

•   Malnutrition, dehydration or ongoing infections.

Families can take a number of steps to prevent elder abuse:

•   Frequently maintain contact with elders to monitor for any signs of abuse.

•   Ensure that any caregivers—whether family or otherwise—are qualified to provide care.

•   Visit with caregivers on a regular basis to ensure that they are providing proper care.

•   When selecting a long-term care facility, collect as much information about the facility as possible.  Visit the facility several times, and obtain a copy of its most recent inspection survey.

•   After narrowing a search for a facility to fewer than six, contact the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman (in Oregon, 800-522-2602; in Washington, 800-562-6028) to obtain additional information on particular facilities.

Automobiles — Injury Prevention

•   Wear your seat belt.  The shoulder belt should be positioned across your collar bone, and the lap belt low across your lap.  The safest position is to be seated normally while traveling, not slouching, turning or leaning to the side, or with your feet up, etc.

•   Get in the habit of checking the headrests for all the vehicle’s occupants.  Generally, headrests offer the best protection when they are raised to fully cover the back of your head.  However, do not raise a headrest beyond its intended extension. 

•   Drive defensively.  Never tailgate. 

•   Avoid distractions, such as maps and cell phones.  A recent study has found that cell phone users are four to five times more likely to have crashes than non-users, and that hands-free cell phones are not significantly safer than hand-held phones.

•   Check the operation of all your lights, the aim of your headlights, and your tire pressure.

•   Get tune-ups as recommended by the manufacturer.

•   When selecting a car, review safety data available from the NHTSA at http://www.safercar.gov/.  Consider choosing a visible color, such as white or yellow.  Choosing a safe vehicle may also reduce the cost of insurance.

•   When renting a car, check the lights and signal operation, mirror and seat position, and tires before driving.  Also take a few minutes to become familiar with the car’s controls and handling before you drive it.      

Dogs — Injury Prevention

•   Teach children basic safety around dogs and review regularly:

•   Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.

•   Do not run from a dog and scream.

•   Remain motionless (e.g., "be still like a tree") when approached by an unfamiliar dog.

•   If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (e.g., "be still like a log").

•   Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.

•   Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.

•   Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.

•   Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.

•   Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.

•   If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult, who should report the bite to the animal services agency in your area. 

•   For additional information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/biteprevention.htm.

Injury Prevention Activities of Our Firm's Attorneys

Vangelisti Kocher LLP attorneys volunteer on a monthly basis to represent victims of domestic violence in court in their efforts to obtain restraining orders under Oregon’s Family Abuse Prevention Act. These cases are coordinated through the Domestic Violence Project of Legal Aid Services of Oregon. 

Google Ad Words™ Campaign, Injury Prevention Tips.

Hidden Dangers Brochures. Please contact us to request copies. Topics include car window controls and elder abuse prevention.

Scott Kocher works with the City of Portland to resolve bicycle and pedestrian safety hazards.

Vangelisti Kocher LLP is a Partner in the Everyday Heroes Campaign. This effort by the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services recognizes people who help stop elder abuse by reporting abuse, and raises awareness of the need to report and prevent elder abuse.

February/March 2005, Oregon State Bar Bulletin, Vangelisti, R. J., Author, A Senior Duty:  Why not mandatory reporting for elder abuse?

Infant and Toddler Safety Classes.  Richard Vangelisti presents to various groups of new parents on infant and toddler safety tips. Contact us for more information.

June 11 , 2008 - Scott Kocher and Richard Vangelisti presented the Oregon State Bar Continuing Legal Education seminar for attorneys on Bicycle Law and Injury Prevention for Advocates and Riders.

April 18, 2008 - Richard Vangelisti presented a lecture titled Litigating Elder Abuse and Neglect Claims to a meeting of the Oregon State Bar Elder Law Section.

January 24, 2007 - Richard Vangelisti presented a Multnomah Bar Association CLE seminar for attorneys on litigating elder physical abuse and neglect cases against nursing homes, and on strategies for preventing elder abuse. 

October 12, 2006 -- Elder Abuse Prevention, Legal Aid Services of Oregon.  Richard Vangelisti presented to a group of advocates for elders on actions they can take to prevent elder abuse.

Speaking and Public Outreach

We invite you to contact the firm if you would like to discuss having one of our attorneys present to your group on a topic related to safety or injury prevention.