Study: Falls can be deadly for seniors

Nearly 8,000 older Americans who fell and banged their heads died from brain injury in 2005, according to a government study released yesterday. Another 56,000 elderly people had to be treated in hospitals for brain injuries caused by falls, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in the Journal of Safety Research. "Most people think older adults may only break their hip when they fall, but our research shows that traumatic brain injuries can also be a serious consequence," said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. In 2005, traumatic brain injuries accounted for half of the nearly 16,000 deaths from falls among seniors, the CDC found. Each year, 1 in 3 Americans age 65 and older will suffer a fall, and 30 percent of such falls cause injuries requiring medical treatment. (Reuters)

DOVER - Delaware prison officials botched the execution of a murderer who was put to death three years ago, lawyers challenging Delaware's use of lethal injection said in court papers filed yesterday. Lawyers representing Delaware death-row inmates in a class-action lawsuit say Brian Steckel was executed in 2005 without the proper anesthesia. They are seeking to have Delaware's use of lethal injection declared unconstitutional. Prison officials noticed that the anesthetic being administered to Steckel before he received doses of two lethal chemicals began leaking into tissue surrounding the needle in his arm, the lawyers said. (AP)

SAN ANTONIO - A van loaded with vacationers on their way to Mexico rolled over on a highway southwest of San Antonio, killing two people and injuring 13 others, police said. The rear right tire of the 15-passenger van blew out and caused the 3 a.m. crash, said Lieutenant Steven Tellez, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety in San Antonio. It wasn't clear how many of the 15 from the Fort Worth area were wearing seat belts, he said. The crash occurred on Interstate 35 about 30 miles southwest of San Antonio. A 15-year-old boy and a 55-year-old man were killed, he said. All the injured were taken to a hospital. A hospital spokeswoman said she did not immediately know their condition. (AP)

MILWAUKEE - Pushing and shoving broke out yesterday among some of the 2,500 people hit hard by recent floods who lined up outside a county office in hopes of collecting free food vouchers. Some residents told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they heard they could get free vouchers to replace food lost in recent floods and power outages. However, the Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center was only taking names for a voucher program. There were no serious injuries or arrests, police said. (AP)