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House and
Senate.
“I am truly honored by this appointment,” Attorney
Quinn said. “As a lawyer, I have seen too many children
needlessly injured or killed by situations or conditions that
could have been prevented. This Task Force represents a big step
toward making sure Pennsylvania
kids stay safe. I applaud Rep. Yudichak and others in the
General Assembly for taking a lead on this important issue.”
In addition to her work as a trial lawyer representing
seriously injured people, Attorney Quinn serves as spokeswoman
for HKQ Kids, a non-profit foundation established in 2005 by her
law firm to promote education and public
awareness of issues affecting the safety of children in
Northeastern
Pennsylvania.
The National
Center
for Health
Statistics places unintentional injury as the leading cause of
death for people between the ages of 1 and 35, causing an
estimated 91,000 deaths a year, according to the House
resolution establishing the Task Force and Advisory Committee. Unintentional
injuries are responsible for more child deaths each year than
homicide, suicide, congenital anomalies, cancer, heart disease,
respiratory illness and HIV combined.
The Task Force and Advisory
Committee were established in the memory of Katie Elise Lambert,
an Abington, Pa.,
toddler who was killed in January 2005 when an unanchored
wardrobe cabinet fell on top of her. According to the House
Resolution, the Task Force is charged with issuing a report that
includes:
- Statistics
outlining the primary causes of unintentional injury-related
deaths and disabilities to children.
- Individual
behaviors and practices that can reduce the risk of
childhood injuries and make others aware of possible injury
hazards in the home.
- Recommendations
to raise the awareness to parents and other concerned
citizens of the looming threat of unintentional injuries to
their children.
- Suggestions
pediatricians and other health-care providers can provide to
patients during routine health visits regarding safety
practices in their homes to prevent unintentional injuries.
- Information
on the cost-effectiveness of strategies to reduce injuries
to children to better inform public debate on the merits of
these interventions.
- Feasibility
of laws making it mandatory that warning labels be applied
to all assembled and ready-to-assemble furniture.
Headquartered
in
Kingston
with offices
in
Scranton
, Hourigan,
Kluger & Quinn specializes in personal-injury litigation and
offers comprehensive legal services to business and individuals.
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