In the past two weeks, two fatal accidents occurred on Highway 2 in Kalispell. Although there has been an increase in recent Flathead Valley car accidents, the Montana Highway Patrol reported impaired accidents are down 35 percent.

Sergeant Jim Sanderson of the Montana Highway Patrol says they’re doing the best they can to make sure the roads are safe for drivers.

“The patrol has taken a very proactive stance on impaired driving,” said Sanderson.  “We’ve introduced A-RIDE schools to all patrol officers and most other agencies, which is Advanced Roadside Impaired Driver Enforcement, and we follow that up with a drug recognition expert program.”

To avoid an accident in the Flathead Valley, drivers should:

• Never operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or prescription drugs; 
• Avoid texting and driving;
• Safely use headlights;
• Remember to use flashers and turn signals;
• Pull over and rest if you are tired;
• Obey all safety laws; and
• Lookout for pedestrians, bicyclists and other motorists.

The Bozeman car accident occurred on Secondary Highway 205 and Valley Center spur.

A woman in a Subaru wagon sustained an injury to her face but was talking and coherent, Montana Highway Patrol Sergeant Patrick McLaughlin said. She was taken to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. The second occupant of that vehicle was also taken to the hospital.

For updated information on the Bozeman crash, visit KAJ18

ANDERSON, BLIVEN & EVANS, a Kalispell law firm with three attorneys who represent personal injury clients, aggressively represents the victims of car accidents in Bozeman and other towns in Montana including Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Kila, Lakeside, Polson, Missoula and throughout the state of Montana.

For Montana residents injured in a car accident, we provide a free consultation to discuss your case. For most car accident cases, in Bozeman, Kalispell, Missoula or elsewhere, we represent car accident clients on a contingency basis. We aggressively represent our clients rights to reach a fair and just outcome, inside or outside of the courtroom.

Montana Highway Patrol Trooper James Handy said the vehicle  was carrying three women when it rolled near mile marker 136. The driver and the passengers were all transported to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula; one was taken there by Life Flight.

The crash is still under investigation.

“We’re not sure yet, there may have been another (vehicle involved) but they might not have even known it,” Handy said.

For more information on the Drummond Car Accident, please visit the Missoulian.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a rollover car accident in Montana, contact the personal injury attorney of ANDERSON, BLIVEN & EVANS, P.C. for a free consultation. Our Montana attorneys will discuss your car accident without charge.

If you or a family member has been seriously injured in an Interstate rollover crash, you may be entitled to advance payment of medical expenses, lost wages and other damages. Our Kalispell attorneys have handled thousands of car accident cases. We aggressively represent victims of car accidents throughout Montana, including Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Whitefish, Kila, Libby, Missoula, Sanders County, Great Falls, Billings, Bozeman and Butte.

According to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Patrick Herman, the male occupant of a gray Nissan Sentra died, and the female occupant is in critical condition after the collision with a white minivan in the Highway 2 crash. The two passengers in the minivan, both men, were taken to receive medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries, Herman said.

The driver of the car was killed on impact, with Lieb adding that a female passenger was critically injured in the Kalispell fatal car accident and was taken by Alert Helicopter to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. The driver of the mini-van in the Kalispell car accident is hospitalized with serious injuries.

More information on the fatal Kalispell car accident can be found at the following news sources:

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/two_dead_after_head_on_crash_on_highway_2/33851/

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/head-on-collision-near-glacier-airport/-/14594602/20468964/-/cucuyaz/-/index.html

ANDERSON & BLIVEN, a Montana law firm with three Kalispell Lawyers, has helped thousands of clients and their families who were seriously injured in accidents like the Kalispell car accident described above.

Injured victims, and their spouses (in some circumstances) may be legally entitled to advance payment of medical expenses, lost wages and medical care.

If you or someone you know has been seriously injured or hurt in  a Kalispell car accident, our lawyers will provide a free consultation to discuss your case. In cases of serious injuries we can even visit you. Call now for a free consultation at (406) 755-6828

Emergency crews responded to the accident near East Missoula at mile marker 108 at roughly 1:30 p.m.

Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Paul Pfau confirmed what witnesses said after the accident: The driver of the Nissan was going too fast for conditions.

“The car was going a little too fast for conditions with bald tires,” Pfau said. “It hydroplaned on the bridge deck, hit the bridge guardrail and bounced into traffic, where it was T-boned by another vehicle,” Pfau said.

Dave and Theresa Scott were traveling from Twin Falls, Idaho, to Spokane, Wash., when the accident occurred in front of them. The couple pulled over to see what they could do to help.

“We didn’t know if anyone was calling 9-1-1,” Scott said. “The rain was coming down pretty hard. We were one of the first who pulled over.”

Pfau said the driver of the Nissan was cited for driving too fast for conditions.

For more information click here

Our office has three Montana attorneys who practice personal injury law for injured Montanans. If you or someone you know has been injured in a Missoula car accident, contact the personal injury attorneys at ANDERSON & BLIVEN for a free case evaluation.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or worse in a Montana or Missoula car accident, you may be entitled to advance payment of medical expenses, lost wages and other damages. Each case is different and depends on the facts. Our Kalispell lawyers aggressively represent and fight for the rights of innocent victims of car accidents in Montana.

The pickup was heading west on Interstate 90 when the driver lost control and rolled through the median and into oncoming traffic.

Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Wade Palmer says he believes all five people were taken to the hospital, but there’s no immediate word on their conditions.

For more information, click here

If you or a family member has been injured a car accident or a rollover accident in Montana, contact the attorneys of ANDERSON, & BLIVEN  for a free consultation. If you have suffered injuries from a Kalispell car accident, you may be entitled to advance payment of medical expenses, lost wages and other damages.

The Montana Attorneys of ANDERSON & BLIVEN help individuals injured in Montana car accidents. Representation is usually based upon a contingency basis depending on what our firm can do for you. For personal injury cases, consultations are free.

A local Kalispell Montana, woman has reported that the HCG Diet resulted in her gallbladder having to be removed because of pain caused by the HCG diet. (HCG is the acronym for human chorionic gonadotropin)  She reported that her procedure was performed at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell Montana. Her surgeon indicated the gall bladder swelling requiring removal was likely the result of  HCG and the HCG diet.   She further reported knowledge of others in Montana have either swollen gallbladders or gall stones in Flathead County and surrounding Montana areas.  There are many reports of problems with HCG and gall stones for men and swollen gallbladder attacks in women on the internet.

MedHelp is an example of web post lists that help others who have had experienced similar complaints about gallbladder problems connected with the HCG diet. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Weight-Loss-Alternatives/Devoloped–Gall-Stones-because-to-HCG/show/1603458  www.livestrong.com further claims “the HCG diet can precipitate gallstones, according to the National institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases.

www.livestrong.com further claims “the HCG diet can precipitate gallstones, according to the National institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases.  http://www.livestrong.com/article/216858-hcg-diet-risks/  Symptoms include pain in upper right side and in the right side of the shoulder and stomach pain.

The pictures posed above and below are scars remaining from the gallbladder surgery performed at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.  There are many side affects from loss of your gallbladder, including scarring, very restrictive diet.

The function of the gallbladder is to store bile then release it into the small intestine, as and when required for digestion. Right after surgery nausea, vomiting and fatigue are side effects right after surgery.  Additional include bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, and indigestions.

Long term side effects, include a very restrictive diet, diarrhea after eating a meal, irritable bowel syndrome and phantom pain.

The FDA AND FTC DEEMS HCG DIET FRAUDULENT AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS: Side effects reported by others in the Flathead County Montana greater area, are likely occurring in other areas of the state, Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls all have these treatments available.

On December 6, 2011 the Food and Drug administration sent out warning letters to HCG companies that they are violating federal law by selling drugs that have not been approved, and by making unsupported claims for the substances.

“There are n0 FDA-approved HCG drug products for weight loss.”

Regardless of the FDA warning, the Montanan’s health care costs and losses for an ineffective product is a Statewide issue that should be addressed.

The first issue is under Montana Law is the deceptive advertising that claims HCG is an effective weight loss product.  “Any advertiser who makes health claims about a product is required by federal law to back them up with competent and reliable scientific evidence.” according to David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.  FDA press release 12/6/2011 www.fda.gov.   Montana imposes stricter laws for false or misleading claims under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Montana has adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act for false adversing.  Sec.  30-14-101 to 224 MCA.

Misleading claims have been made through advertisements throughout the Flathead Valley that the HCG diet is an effective weight loss tool without the required Food and Drug Administration warning for prescription use. Throughout Montana many have been provided with pictures, brochures and other antidotal evidence that the diet actually works.  There are clinics where the drug is administrated without show or advising clients what is being injected and without the proper warnings.

Failure to warn and properly inform Montanans’ about the HCG facts before they expend thousands of dollars on a risky diet plan is another form of violating Federal Law and the Montana Deceptive Practices Act.  According to the FDA:

“Hcg has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity.  There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or “normal” distribution of fat, or that it decreases hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.”

 www.fda.gov Some medical providers may claim that they use a prescription form of the HCG drug “off label”.  HCG is a hormone that is produced by the human placenta during pregnancy.  HCG is approved by the FDA as a prescription drug for the treatment of female infertility.

The FDA is aware that sometimes the HCG hormone is prescribed for off label use.  However, the required warning label must be provided.  “The ‘off-label’ use of products usually presents greater uncertainty.  FDA has received reports of serious adverse events associated with the use of HCG injections including cases of pulmonary embolism, depression, cerebrovascular issues, cardiac arrest and death.

Moreover,  some many marketers on the internet including here in Montana have become sauvey to the fact that the product may cause harmful health effects by making even more medications or therapies to counter-act the side effects.  The FDA has strait up stated “HCG DIET PRODUCTS ARE ILLEGAL”

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm

As a result Montanan’s seeking a quick easy weight loss program beware.  It it seems too good to be true it probably is.  Before you shell out your hard earned money on Montana HCG retailers, clinic or any other weight loss product or program check out the FDA website for dangers and recalls. Not only does the U.S. Government warn Montanan’s that the HCG diet doesn’t work, it also warns that any use for weight loss is potentially dangerous.  The result could be no weight lost and an expensive hospital bill.  You may also have a Montana legal claim for damages from resulting adverse health effects suffered by those in widespread areas of Montana.

If you live in Montana and feel you have been mislead or injured by an HGC product or diet program and are stuck with medical bills as a result, call Anderson, Bliven and Evans, Trial Lawyers PC. Toll free 888-757-6828

Authored by Scott L. Anderson Attorney at Law serving all of Montana.

FDA’s Elizabeth Miller Talks About Illegal HCG Weight Loss Products. – YouTube

HCG: Dangerous to Dieters – YouTube

A Three Car Crash in Victor Stopped Traffic on Highway 93

The accident was first reported a few minutes after 1 p.m., Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lath Keith said.

A pickup truck was in the southbound lefthand lane, stopped to turn into the Axmen Propane in Victor, when it was rear-ended by a utility truck. The collision sent the pickup into the northbound lane, where it was struck by a white SUV, Keith said.

The white SUV rolled numerous times, crossing Highway 93 and ending up on the southbound side of the highway in the ditch heading west.

“The scene was so spread out,” Keith said.

“Both impacts were probably near highway speed,” he said.

The male utility truck driver was transported to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula for a compound fracture. The two occupants in the white SUV were taken to Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital in Hamilton.

Keith said that the accident was technically a four-car accident, although the fourth car was not struck. He said the fourth car was not impacted, as it swerved to avoid the head-on collision. He said the individual in the fourth car is now a witness in the accident.

Shortly after the accident occurred, Keith said they blocked Highway 93 off for two reasons: first for safety and second to see what exactly took place. Highway 93 was blocked for almost two hours from Bell Crossing to Victor Crossing.

For more information on the crash, visit the Missoulian

For more than 18 years, the Montana attorneys of the Montana law firm have represented injured innocent victims of car accidents in the Flathead and Mission Valleys.

If you or someone you know in the Flathead or Mission Valleys has been injured in a car accident, you may be legally entitled to lost wages, advance payment of medical expenses and other damages. Contact the Montana attorneys of the Montana law firm ANDERSON & BLIVEN P.C. for a free case evaluation.

The charges stem from a Jan. 19  Kalispell caraccident where West allegedly ran a red light in his sport utility vehicle and smashed into another car.

According to a court document, when Kristy Elrod entered the intersection of Reserve Drive and U.S. 2 on a green light, West T-boned her vehicle.

The crash ejected Derrick Hayward, one of Elrod’s two passengers. Hayward flew approximately 63 feet before landing in the road. Hayward was hospitalized for several days after the Kalipsell car accident with a lacerated liver and other injuries.

A witness reported hearing a crash and running around the corner of a gas station to see a man running away from the SUV. She told him to stop, to which he responded, “I can’t do this,” and kept running.

For more information on the story, click here

For more than 18 years, the Kalispell lawyers of the Kalispell law firm, ANDERSON & BLIVEN P.C. have been aggressively representing innocent victims of Kalispell car accidents.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls or Montana car accident, contact the Kalispell attorneys of ANDERSON & BLIVEN, P.C. for a free case evaluation. You may be entitled to advance payment of medical expenses, lost wages and other damages.

Car accidents in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Lakeside and other areas of the Valley are common this type of year.

Ice and snow create slippery conditions which can lead to car accidents in the Flathead Valley.

“If you can obviously afford studded snow tires, that’s the way to go, but if nothing else, have good safe all-season tires and know that your tires are in good shape,” said Tow Operator Dirk Meyer. “That’s 90 percent of safe winter driving…just have good tires and give yourself a little extra time.”

Some other common sense  tips to avoid Kalispell car accidents include:

• Drive slower on snow and ice; 
• Give adequate room for the car in front of you to slow or stop;
• Use 4 Wheel Drive if available on your vehicle;
• Shift into a lower gear to prevent higher speeds and to use more torque;
• Use a de-icer windshield wiper fluid; and
• Change windshield blades every winter.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Flathead Valley car accident, contact ANDERSON & BLIVEN for a free car accident case evaluation. 

Injured parties of a Kalispell car accident may be legally entitled to advance payment of lost wages, medical expenses and other damages. Insurance companies spend millions every year training their adjusters to pay as little as possible. The Kalispell lawyers of ANDERSON & BLIVEN have combined over 30 years of experience aggressively representing innocent car accident victims.

Call (406) 755-6828 for a free case evaluation.