According to a recent article in the press, Chiquita Brands International, Inc., is being sued for wrongful death in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit accuses the company of contributing to the deaths of five U.S. missionaries through secretly financing rebel groups in Latin America. The lawsuit claims that Chiquita's protection payments to FARC...
A 60 year-old motorcycle driver crashed his bike into the back of a car as it was turning into a driveway on Sunday near Middleburg Florida. The motorcylce accident threw his wife and him from the bike. They were taken to the Shands hospital in Jacksonville by helicopter where the driver died, but the condition of his wife was not reported. Neither had been wearing a helmet.While the...
A jury verdict came down in the medical malpractice / wrongful death lawsuit of Actor John Ritter last Friday. The lawsuit was brought by Ritter's Widow and Children. After two days of deliberation, the jury cleared a cardiologist and a radiologist of negligence. As such, there will be no damage judgment against these doctors. The family claimed that Ritter was misdiagnosed and was provided...
A crash on the I-4 exit ramp to Ivanhoe Boulevard left killed a driver and left 2 passengers critically injured this weekend. The victim was driving his Nissan Altima and attempted to exit the ramp driving too fast. The problem was made worse because recent rainstorms had left the road wet. The Altima drove off the ramp, hit a small tree, spun and hit a big pine tree. The exit ramp at...
The Orange County, Florida Health Department confirmed that two tourists were infected with the potentially deadly Legionnaires' disease. The disease is caused by a type of bacteria known as Legionella. These bacteria grow in warm water sources, including swimming pools, spas, water tanks, plumbing containers and, most famously, in building air-conditioning systems. A hotel in Orlando, near...
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has issued a study on the relatiionship of roof strength in SUV's and injuries sustained in an automobile accident involving a rollover. The study reveals that "roof strength definitely influences injury risk."All passenger vehicles currently on the market meet, some even exceed, the governmental standard for roof strength. Yet, 35% of all...
Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension is an often prescribed childrens cough suppressant that contains hydrocodone and the extened release antihistamine chlorpheniramine. The Food and Drug Administration has issued this warning because the medication is improperly being used on patients younger than 6 years old, and is being prescribed and administered more frequently than the...
The National Transportation Safety Board's Chairman has issued a statement reminding drivers how dangerous fatigue can be on the road. In the midst of National Sleep Awareness Week, officials would like to remind drivers that many times being tired and fatigued on the road can be the equivalent of, if not worse than, being intoxicated when driving. Fatigue has been found as one of the most...
Heparin sodium is medication used to thin the blood. It is often administered intravenously. It is used with patients that need kidney dialysis, many types of cardiac surgery, and many other conditions often those involving risk of blood clots. Severe injuries have been reported with this drug recently. The adverse events usually started within minutes of the administration of the ...
A test used by insurance companies to determine if plaintiffs are "malingerers" or lying has come under scrutiny recently because of its lack of reliability. Under the Fake Bad Scare virtually everyone can be a liar, say experts. For example, The test asks a person to answer true or false to 43 statements, such as "My sleep is fitful and disturbed" and "I have nightmares every few nights."...