Popular ridesharing companies, including Uber and Lyft, differ from traditional taxi companies considerably. Because of these differences, the issue of liability in the event of an accident is controversial and confusing. About Ridesharing Ridesharing companies allow consumers to hail vehicles directly from their smartphones. A nearby driver accepts the job, and the consumer is able […]
When parents watch their teen drive away in a vehicle for the first time, they often feel a sense of worry that only a protective parent can truly know. This instinct is, unfortunately, well-founded in the long list of statistics about teen drivers and traffic crashes. While there is a certain amount of risk for […]
The latest gaming craze, Pokemon Go, has captured the imagination of a lot of folks. Called an “augmented reality” game, meaning that it blends the virtual world with the real world, it is free to use and debuted in early July of 2016. The point of the game? To “catch” Pokemon, which are electronic creatures. […]
As of this writing, Prince George’s Hospital Center’s NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) remains closed because of Pseudomonas bacteria in the water pipes. On August 9, 2016, the discovery of Pseudomonas resulted in the transfer of nine NICU babies to another hospital as a precaution. The deaths of seven NICU babies since the beginning of […]
A number of people are enamored with the high-tech car company Tesla and their cars’ promise of a completely electric driving experience. Others have taken an interest in the advanced technology available with a number of Tesla’s models, notably the Autopilot feature on the Tesla S. Autopilot is composed of a number of forward crash […]
E-cigarettes and the practice of vaping are often seen as a less-risky alternative to regular cigarettes. And they may be—for adults—but not for children. The liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes has been responsible for poisoning nearly ten thousand kids over the past five and a half years. A concentrated dose of liquid nicotine can cause […]
What would you say if you knew that a defect in some automobiles has killed more people than Takata’s airbags? To date, ten people have died because of the Takata airbag defect. But in collapsing seat back accidents during the past 15 years, 17 children have been killed—yet it seems that few people are aware […]
One of the federal organizations that helps ensure safe working conditions for all of us is the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA wants to make sure you are protected from egregious hazards, because most workplace injuries and deaths are preventable. Unfortunately, not everyone is on board with worker safety. Every […]
In an effort to bring greater transparency to the reporting of workplace injury and illness, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a “final rule” on May 11, 2016, that creates a publically-viewable database. This final rule revises OSHA’s regulations known as the Recording and Reporting of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. The new database […]
In mid-February of 2016, a Philadelphia jury socked Ethicon, Inc., a unit of Johnson & Johnson, with a $13.5 million judgment because of a transvaginal tape (TVT) product called Prolift. (TVT products are also known as pelvic mesh products.) Nearly three-fourths of the award, $10 million, consisted of punitive damages. Punitive damages mean that the […]