A recent ruling by the US District Court for the District of Maryland may have implications for future liability and negligent action lawsuits. The court dismissed claims brought by a deceased worker’s family which alleged that his death resulted from prolonged exposure to a substance containing a powerful carcinogen. The story goes back to the […]
In September, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued a landmark report that characterized incorrect medical diagnosis as a huge blind spot in our health care system. No one truly knows how many people have their medical care compromised by wrong or delayed diagnoses, but it’s clear that […]
Consider the bright colors and the adventure of flying you get without being stuck in a cramped middle seat—that might be why hot air ballooning, either as a passenger or as a spectator, makes a lot of people happy. From the famous Albuquerque festival in October, which draws thousands from all over the world, to […]
You may have read about IKEA offering free wall-anchoring repair kits for their chests and dressers after two children died. In all, IKEA recalled about 27 million items. The fact is, every 24 minutes a tip-over accident involving a TV or other furniture injures a child in the U.S. That’s one child dying every two […]
By now, most of us could recite chapter and verse with regard to drinking and driving—in short, don’t do it. However, have you ever considered how sleeping medications affect your driving skills? If you take prescription drugs to help you sleep, you could be as impaired the morning after taking a sleeping pill as if […]
Cybersecurity has become a part of our everyday world, even for those of us whose computer knowledge doesn’t stretch beyond web surfing and social media. Everyone, it seems, knows the basic precautions against hackers: the need for antivirus protection and anti-malware software, and employing long strings of characters to create tough-to-crack passwords. But have you […]
Having been a wrestler in high school, the sport is near and dear to my heart. But the practice of wrestling does carry risks. (I myself had to switch to boxing after developing a back injury.) For example, in Ohio, a high school wrestler suffered a stroke while actively practicing for a national competition. And […]
Abbott Laboratories was recently ordered to pay $23 million in punitive damages to a child whose family claimed Abbott’s drug Depakote caused the Minnesota girl’s birth defects. It is the first time that a verdict has been found against the drug company for that medication. A St. Louis, Missouri, state-court jury awarded the additional, punitive […]
On May 12, 2015, Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC), the stretch of tracks that run from Washington, DC, to Boston, suffered one of its worst accidents ever. Amtrak Train 188 derailed and overturned in Philadelphia’s Port Richmond neighborhood, killing eight people and injuring over 200. More than 240 passengers were on the train at the time […]
Summer is the time when many of us like to go boating. But remember, every time you are out on the water, make sure you “Wear It!” Wear your life jacket, that is. Always wearing your life jacket was the focus of this year’s Safe Boating Week (May 16-22, 2015) and also the focus of […]