National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims

Every day 6 people die on Canada’s roads. This year Canada will hold its fourth annual "National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims", on November 23, 2011. 

This international day of recognition was first held in 1993 in the United Kingdom by a British charity called Road Peace. It was created to commemorate the victims of vehicle accidents and the journey of their loved ones who must cope with the emotional and financial consequences of preventable accidents.

On October 26, 2005, the United Nations adopted a resolution for governments to mark the third Sunday in November each year as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. This internationally recognized date provides an opportunity to highlight the consequences and costs, and the measures we can take to prevent car accidents.  This day is a reminder to governments and society of our responsibility to make roads safer.  This year will mark Canada’s 4th annual celebration.

In BC, distracted driving caused approximately 35% of the 279 traffic accident deaths that occurred in 2011. According to The National Day of Remembrance website:

• Drivers who use hand held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.
• Even when you are using a hands-free phone, you are less likely to be aware of the driving environment around you. This can lead to a slowed response to a critical event or worse — you may not detect it at all.
  
• It doesn't take very long to create the conditions for a crash. Another study found that in 80% of the crashes examined, the driver had looked away from the road in the 3‑second period prior to the crash.

This year, Klein Lyons is pleased to support the “Show You Care with Coats”. This  fundraiser and awareness campaign has been organized by Drop It And Drive, a local advocacy group that brings education to the community on the perils of distracted driving.

Join us on November 29, 2011 at Sullivan Heights Secondary School in Surrey. The event activities will educate, bring awareness to distracted driving, and give recognition to those who have lost their lives.  

Drop It And Drive is seeking donations of new or gently used winter coats to represent and honour the 98 lives lost in British Columbia. Donations will go to Surrey Urban Mission and The Front Room (South Fraser Community Services Society) with non-perishable food donations for the Surrey Food Bank.

Location

Sullivan Heights Secondary School
Lower Parking Lot
6248 144 Street, Surrey, BC V3X 1A1

Date

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Time

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

About

98 Coat Salute, Young Drivers of Canada Car and Track, Veteran Fire Fighter Greg Drew, founder of Jammin’4 Jay Charitable Society.

Coats can be dropped off before November 29th at Klein Lyons and labeled ‘Show You Care With Coats.’ Coats and food donations will be accepted at the event.

Join Klein Lyons and MADD for Project Red Ribbon

Class Action for Canadians with DePuy Hip Implants

By Jason Murray

In recent years, many patients who have received "metal-on-metal" hip implants have started to experience harm from metal debris and metal ions released into their bloodstream and tissue surrounding their implant. Klein Lyons recently filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of a Vancouver man, Ted Wilson, against the manufacturers of the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular Hip Systems and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing Systems.  The suit was filed as a class action for people implanted with these products in Canada who have suffered injuries when their hip implants failed.

Although he initially recovered well from hip replacement surgery with a DePuy ASR implant, in the year that followed, Mr. Wilson began to feel increasing pain in his hip. He began to rely upon a cane and, a short time later, crutches to move around. While on vacation the pain became excruciating. Back in Vancouver, Mr. Wilson underwent two surgeries to remove the implant, treat the consequences of its failure with a temporary implant, and to install a new, more permanent, implant.

A metal-on-metal hip implant is one in which both the ball and socket of the product are made of metal. Many surgeons recommended metal-on-metal hip implants to physically active patients because they believed that the metal was durable enough to last longer than alternative implant systems that integrate ceramic or polyethylene.

But patients are now appearing with symptoms of "metallosis" which has been found to cause problems such as pseudotumors, soft-tissue masses relating to the affected joint. Medical literature has also identified cardiomyopathy, thyroid dysfunction, and neurological changes resulting from metal-on-metal implants. In order to combat the problems associated with metallosis, patients must often undergo new hip implant replacements and additional surgery to remove the threat of metal release and to repair soft tissue and muscle damage.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that patients with metal-on-metal implants should be aware of potential symptoms that may indicate that their implant is not functioning properly, including pain in the groin, hip or leg, swelling at or near the hip joint or a limp or change in walking ability.

The class action lawsuit, filed in early October 2011, alleges that the implants have an unreasonably high failure rate when compared with other, similar devices. DePuy is part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. The lawsuit alleges that the DePuy ASR hip implants employed an all metal design, and had a distinctive shape. The distinctive shape is said to make the implants less suited for fixture to the hip bone, causing metal components to grind against each other and releasing metal debris into patients’ bodies. Health Canada issued a recall notice in August 2010.

If you or someone you know has suffered from DePuy ASR hip implant side effects, please call Klein Lyons 604-874-7171 or fill out a confidential online free consultation form.

Ringing In 2012 With New Offices!

We are pleased to announce we are moving around the corner on December 28, 2011 to our new bigger and brighter offices.

Please update your records.

Suite 400
1385 West 8th Avenue
Vancouver, BC  V6H 3V9

Holiday and Moving Hours

Dec 26: Holiday Closure
Dec 27: Holiday Closure
Dec 28: 8 am – 3 pm
Dec 29: 8 am – 5 pm
Dec 30: 8 am – 12:30 pm

Supporting Women to Self-Sufficiency

The Dress for Success Corporate Challenge during the month of October was a huge success.  The event raised over $18,000, which translates into providing 120 woman with support in The Dress for Success Vancouver Professional Women's Group. This program then provides ongoing support to help each woman build a successful career.

 Klein Lyons would like to thank everyone who helped us achieve our own company goal. Check out www.facebook.com/Kleinlyons for more community events and worthwhile causes.