On Monday we wrote about the terrible tragedy in Sacramento where a truck collided with a United Cerebral Palsy bus carrying seven adults with cerebral palsy. One of them died (along with the truck driver and an assistant on the bus), and the rest required treatment for their injuries. Passengers were treated for many injuries, including head trauma, a broken lower back, a broken arm, broken extremities, abrasions and contusions. Considering that people with cerebral palsy have delicate physical conditions, the fact that most of them survived is remarkable. UCP spokesperson Steve Horton said that the organization has always used buses equipped with plenty of seatbelts and wheelchair restraints. If you are responsible for someone with cerebral palsy, here are some things to keep in mind when searching for proper seat restraints. Adherence to law. Federal law requires that all special needs car seats adhere to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
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July 27, 2012Truck Hits Bus Carrying People with Cerebral Palsy
July 23, 2012A Ford F250 truck drifted into oncoming traffic and crashed into a United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) bus head-on. The bus was carrying seven adults with cerebral palsy home from day programs in addition to an assistant and the driver. The accident took three lives: Jeffrey Richard Rivas, 52, the driver of the Ford truck Sara Rae Johnson, 35, an assistant with UCP Laura Sue Weiderholt, 48, who died of broken bones and head trauma “We’ve been here 56 years in this greater Sacramento area, this is the first time we’ve had something this traumatic happen,” said Steve Horton, spokesperson for the UCP. He said that UCP operates several buses that travel up to 4,500 miles a day. “Our entire UCP family is saddened and shocked and trying to do the best thing for everyone involved,” he said. Authorities are still investigating the crash and what caused Rivas to drift into…
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Iowa Gives Parents $3.75 Million for Cerebral Palsy Birth
July 18, 2012Martha Fountain was 20 years old when she went to the University of Iowa hospital to give birth to her son. The medical staff decided to give her Pitocin, a hormone-based drug intended to speed up delivery. Unfortunately, the drug has an adverse effect in some women that causes excessive contractions that can restrict blood flow to the baby’s brain during pregnancy. The medical staff continued to administer Pitocin even after observing “significant trauma” to the baby’s head due to the difficult birth. Fountain was in labor for 28 hours and eventually delivered via cesarean section. Her son, now five years old, suffers from cerebral palsy and other cognitive impairments. She and her husband sued the hospital for negligence that resulted in her child’s condition. The hospital argued that other factors caused the issues. The state of Iowa agreed to a $3.75 million settlement, avoiding a trial in which Fountain…
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