The 114,000 tonne cruise ship that capsized near the Italian coast has injured dozens of passengers and crew members, with the death toll reaching 11.

An Italian crew member suffered a broken leg and was still waiting for help on Sunday morning, nearly 36 hours after the luxury cruise liner hit the rocky ocean floor. At least three Filipino employees and a Peruvian man were also injured in the crash. More information about crew members' injuries is expected as reports from Italy are released.

About 25 people are still unaccounted for as rescue crews work around the clock to look for survivors. Word on whether the missing are passengers or crew members has not be announced.

Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic event.

For six years now, Anderson County's AnMed Health Medical Center has been a part of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program.

The VPP was established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to recognize companies that have made extra efforts to make the workplace environment safer. Companies a part of the Voluntary Protection Program have employee injuries and illnesses lower than the Bureau of Labor Statistics averages in their respected industries.

In order to be recognized by OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program, a rigorous evaluation by OSHA safety and health inspectors must be done of the workplace. AnMed is the only hospital in the state to be recognized and only one of 13 in the country.

If you have been injured on the job due to an unsafe work environment, contact the Charleston workplace injury lawyers of the Steinber Law Firm at 843-720-2800.

Police have identified the victim that died after being overcome by toxic fumes last month in a Wisconsin manufacturing plant.

The 55 year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene after his coworker's wife found the men unconscious at the Vivid Image Inc. plant. Law enforcement believes the men were mixing two or more chemicals together when the fumes overcame them. Emergency responders say there was a strong chemical odor when they arrived at the scene.

The second man, 65, is in the hospital with serious injuries and is currently in critical condition. OSHA is expected to investigation the accident.

Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the victim.

Contracting company Kellogg, Brown, and Root has been under fire recently after the General Inspector for the Department of Defense found nearly a thousand soldiers and government employees had been exposed to sodium dichromate. The inspector blames KBR for not complying with safety and health standards which led to employees being exposed to a known carcinogen for five months.

Sodium dichromate can cause cancer as well as skin and breathing problems. It was used as an anticorrosive compound in an Iraqi water treatment plant soldiers were securing to restore water services. The Oregon National Guard has filed a lawsuit against KBR, claiming the company knowingly exposed servicemen to the toxic substance. KBR denies these allegations.

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse after being exposed to toxic substances while working, contact the Charleston workplace inury lawyers of the Steinberg Lawfirm at 843-720-2800 today.

On February 4, 2011, a Charleston police officer suffered minor injuries after he was hit by the car of a suspect. The suspect was evading arrest after a drug bust and attempted to run over several law enforcement officers in his Sedan. Officers were forced to fire on the suspect in an attempt to end his rampage.

The officer who was run over has recently been released from the hospital and is in good condition.

Accidents on the job can occur unexepectedly and cause emotional and physical damage. If you have been injured on the job and would like to discuss workers' compensation, please contact the Charleston workers' compesation lawyers of the Steinberg Law Firm at 843-720-2800.

A man was killed while repairing valves in a manhole at Jade Ramey Construction LLC on January 5, 2011.

The accident occurred as three men were working to replace valves on a raw-water pipeline when they were all taken over by fumes while inside the manhole.

Two of the men were inside the hole when the fumes began and a third worker tried to help them out, but was also over taken by the gas. The three men were sent to the hospital where one of the men, age 62, was pronounced dead.

Construction accidents can cause serious injury to all invovled, our thoughts are with the friends and family of the victim.

Oklahoma's Workers' Compensation Court judges are out of control when it comes to deciding the payouts for cases, according to Oklahoma state Rep. Lewis Moore. Reforming this practice for the betterment of Oklahoma business practices will be a top priority come February, when the Legislature convenes.

 “There are some things we can do and there are some things employers can do with certified work place medical plans and that kind of thing to lessen the risk,” Moore said. “But employers have done all they can do. They need help to reduce the cost of work comp. So that if you’re hurt, lets get you fixed so you can go back to work.”

The issue was brought to a State Senate vote in 2009, where legislators voted to bring the issue to the floor.

If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, contact the Charleston workers' compensation lawyers of The Steinberg Law Firm at 843-720-2800 to learn more about your rights.