The down escalator leading out of the Scottrade Center was packed with people last Thursday when, according to witnesses, the bottom steps collapsed. The escalator sped up and then suddenly slammed to a halt.

There were 13 people injured, and five were taken to a local hospital. Although rescue workers had to cut some trapped passengers free of the mangled escalator, none of the injuries were serious, St. Louis Fire Department officials said.

It is unclear what caused the escalator collapse at this time. Officials from Missouri’s elevator safety unit said the escalator was inspected in August and was found to be in working order with no violations. Inspectors said they will investigate the accident and try to determine the cause of the escalator’s failure and the state fire marshal has also decided to look into the accident.

Captain Bob Keuss of the St. Louis Fire Department told local media that it appears that the rails on the side of the escalator which support the steps collapsed and caused the steps at the bottom of the escalator to buckle, but it is unclear why those rails failed. Some witnesses say that the escalator came to a sudden stop because a passenger at the top hit the “emergency stop” button when they saw there was a problem, which may have prevented more serious injuries from occurring.

Similar escalator accidents have occurred in the past at other sports arenas and stadiums In 1994, 43 fans were injured in an escalator accident at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, when an overcrowded escalator to the upper-deck jerked backwards, throwing passengers to the bottom landing. More recently, at a Colorado Rockies game in 2003 at Denver’s Coors Field, dozens were injured due to an escalator malfunction that was blamed on overcrowding and a disconnected or missing safety switch.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are approximately 30 elevator or escalator deaths and more than 17,000 serous personal injuries each year. Elevator accidents are the more common cause of the reports, accounting for nearly 90% of the deaths and 60% of the reported incidents where passengers suffered a personal injury.

Mark Tiburzi, 53, was severely injured in a Missouri truck accident on July 15, 2008, which killed three people and injured 14. The crash was caused by truck driver Jeffrey D. Knight, 49, who now faces involuntary manslaughter charges in St. Louis County.

Prosecutors claim that Knight got distracted while reaching for a cell phone, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In addition, they say that Knight was in violation of truck driving regulations because he drove longer than the maximum hours allowed over an eight-day period.

As a result of the injuries suffered in the accident, Tiburzi was left permanently disabled and unable to walk or talk. He now requires nursing home care.

Following a bench trial last month, U.S. Magistrate Judge David D. Noce awarded $13.8 million to Tiburzi and another $4.2 million to his wife, Cheryl. Noce found that Knight’s negligence was the most likely cause of the accident, awarding the damages against the truck driver and the company he was driving for, Holmes Transport, Inc.

There are also at least two other truck accident lawsuits pending against the driver and trucking company, brought on behalf of other victims of the fatal crash.

DeWayen and Suzanne Blankenship filed the medical malpractice lawsuit against Saint Louis University, which provided medical services through SSM Glennon Children’s Medical Center, and several other defendants for the wrongful death of their son in 2002. All of the defendants except St. Louis University were dismissed from the case before trial.

The Blankenships took their son, Dylan, to Cardinal Glennon on June 26, 2002 after finding him to be feverish, lethargic and having trouble breathing. The hospital discharged him later the same day, failing to diagnose a bacterial infection. The baby was taken back to the hospital by ambulance the next day when his condition worsened, and he died six days later after treatments were unsuccessful.

The Missouri malpractice lawsuit alleged that the hospital’s infection misdiagnosis prevented the baby from receiving proper treatment the first time they took him in.

Following a one week trial, Saint Louis University was found medically negligent for the misdiagnosed blood infection on August 17, and the parents were awarded $6,080,000, according to a statement released by the family’s medical malpractice lawyer. The lawsuit was filed on July 1, 2005, before a new Missouri damages cap of $350,000 on non-economic damages went into place, meaning that it will not be affected by the Missouri damages cap.

Infectious bacteria can create toxins that damage nearby cells. Untreated, bacterial infections can spread throughout the body through the bloodstream, a condition called bactermia. There are a large variety of types of bacteria which can cause bacterial infections and a wide range of symptoms, from salmonella food poisoning to common sinus infections.

Most bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, but it is important that the diagnosis and treatment come as early as possible. Left unchecked, many can be fatal. But even if the infection is not fatal, delayed treatment can lead to permanent damage and injury.

The California Zicam class action lawsuit was filed in federal court on behalf of lead plaintiff Barbara Sample, and others who purchased Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel products while in California or from a California source within the four years before June 23, 2009. The Missouri class action was filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court on behalf of Gwendoly West and all residents of St. Louis County who purchased the recalled Zicam products during the year before the FDA warning.

On June 15, 2009, the FDA warned consumers to stop using the popular over-the-counter nasal products, which were marketed to treat the common cold, after receiving more than 130 reports of Zicam side effects involving people losing their sense of smell. Matrixx Initiatives was also warned at the same time that they would no longer be permitted to market the homeopathic products until they submit data establishing the safety and effectiveness for FDA review.

The Zicam class action lawsuits allege that zinc gluconate, the single active ingredient in Zicam Nasal Gel, is toxic to the tissue inside the nose and is responsible for causing users to lose their ability to smell or detect odors.

Although they voluntarily issued a Zicam recall last month, Matrixx Initiatives continues to state that their product is safe and indicates they intend to “vigorously defend each of the recently filed lawsuits.” It is their position that the zinc contained in Zicam, which has been blamed for the smell loss reported in users, is not deposited far enough up the nose or in large enough amounts to cause nerve damage.

On Thursday, the FDA released a report from a May inspection that points out that Matrixx Initiatives did not turn over consumer complaints about Zicam Cold Remedy nasal swabs and gels as required by federal regulations. The inspection discovered about 800 consumer complaints, and inspectors estimate that 3.6 out of every 100,000 users have experienced Zicam problems with loss of smell. The inspector also notes that reports peaked in 2004, with 6.7 people complaining for every 100,000 units sold.

Damage to ability to smell, known as anosmia, is a very serious side effect that causes significant loss of quality of life. It can also be potentially life-threatening, as victims may be unable to smell dangerous fumes, smoke from fire or food that has gone rotten.

The two class action lawsuits over Zicam follow other complaints filed on behalf of individuals during the weeks after the recall. Those Zicam lawsuits were filed on behalf of individuals who allege that their ability to smell was affected by Zicam, as opposed to the economic loss claims covered by the Zicam class action lawsuits filed for all individuals who purchased the potentially dangerous cold remedy.

The cerebral palsy lawsuit was filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court in Illinois last week, as a result of the birth which occurred on January 9, 2005.

According to The St. Clair Record, Haley’s mother, Linda Overmeyer, alleges that Dr. William Keenan failed to appropriately resuscitate the child, ensure that she was properly intubated or properly monitor her.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement control and muscle coordination, which is also commonly associated with seizures, sensory impairments and cognitive limitations.

The condition is caused by brain damage which is suffered by a baby before, during or immediately after birth. While a brain injury resulting in cerebral palsy can occur in the absence of a medical mistake, hundreds of cerebral palsy malpractice lawsuits are filed every year pointing to specific failures or mistakes made by doctors or medical staff which could be responsible for the brain damage.

Haley Overmeyer’s lawsuit alleges that the doctor, who was an employee of St. Louis University and Memorial Hospital, failed to follow the appropriate standard of medical care, which could have prevented the permanent disability.

Although the condition is incurable, a number of cerebral palsy treatment options are available, such as physical therapy, surgery, medication and assistive technology, which can help individuals with cerebral palsy live a more independent life. However, the life-time medical expenses to care for a child with cerebral palsy can be in the millions of dollars.