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Tennessee’s Caps on Medical Liability Damages
People who suffer catastrophic injuries or serious injuries due to medical malpractice often have substantial costs associated with their care. Just a brief stay in a hospital can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. Full compensation for any type of medical error includes payments for the following: Doctors’ bills and the costs of staying…
Read MoreWho Is Driving All These Commercial Trucks?
There are certain types of trucks that require certain types of licenses. Any driver who wishes to operate a semi-truck, tractor trailer, bus, or any type of commercial truck or vehicle must have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL). A valid CDL gives the driver the right to drive in all 50 states – though…
Read MoreNew Tool May Help Doctors Detect Brain Injury in Newborns Earlier
The BBC reported in September 2018 that University College London has created a new medical device that can literally shine light into the diagnosis of newborn’s oxygen and energy levels. The device, called a broadband near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), may help physicians assess whether the newborn has brain damage earlier than usual. A clinical study is…
Read MoreThe “New NAFTA” and its Effects on Safety and the Environment
Trade agreements and personal injury lawsuits don’t really go together. After all, what do tariffs and wages have to do with broken bones or head injuries, right? But there are two elements of the “New NAFTA” (currently titled USMCA, for the United States, Mexico, and Canada) agreement that we think are worth looking at. Safety…
Read MoreAre Electronic Logging Device Requirements Helping?
According to Trucks.com, the trucking industry is slowly learning to adjust to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) law effective December 2017 that requires truckers to use digital electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track the hours they drive. The FMCSA requires drivers to monitor their hours because driver fatigue is known to cause numerous…
Read MoreShould Teens Be Driving 18-Wheelers?
There’s been a recent push to put teens and young adults—ages 18 to 21—on the interstate as tractor-trailer drivers. With a driver shortage across the country, many trucking industry representatives and politicians believe that loosening federal safety rules around the legal age for interstate trucking drivers can help relieve the problem. However, safety concerns about…
Read MoreMedical Malpractice Claims for Uterine Rupture
A uterine rupture is a dangerous complication that can happen during a vaginal birth. The mother’s uterus tears, which causes the baby to slide into her abdomen. It usually occurs when a mother has developed uterine scars from a prior cesarean delivery or from another uterine surgery. A woman’s risk of a uterine rupture increases…
Read MoreElectronic Safety Systems May Not Be That Safe
An industry insurance group is warning consumers that cars and trucks with electronic driver assist systems may not always see stopped vehicles, and the systems could even steer the car into a crash if the driver isn’t paying attention. In a recent paper, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tested five driver assist programs…
Read MoreU.S. Is the Most Dangerous Place in Developed World to Give Birth
A recent article in USA TODAY highlighted some dangerous truths about giving birth in the United States. Writer Alison Young researched four years for her article “Hospitals know how to protect mothers. They just aren’t doing it.” Her article shared the news that the U.S. is currently the most dangerous place in the developed world…
Read MoreLyme Disease and Birth Injuries
As the temperature warms, residents of Tennessee love to walk in wooded trails, parks, and places with lots of green grass. Unfortunately, these areas are attractive to ticks that carry Lyme disease. According to the March of Dimes, Lyme disease can cause death and catastrophic injuries. People with Lyme disease can develop brain damage, nerve…
Read MorePedestrian Deaths on the Rise in Memphis
Commercial Appeal, part of USA Today, recently wrote that a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study reveals that pedestrian deaths are increasing. The writeup begins with the tragic profile of a 70-year old man who was killed by a pickup truck. The death has devastated the victim’s family. The older man is one…
Read MoreDispelling the Myths about Who the “Best” Drivers Are
Most people think they’re pretty good drivers. Certainly no one likes to admit they’re bad at it. As it turns out, the statistical likelihood of getting into a serious accident varies based on age, gender, career, and other factors, according to the Safety Resource Center. The SRC’s analyses of who’s “better” on the road are…
Read MoreStudy Reveals a New Risk for Children with Brachial Plexus Birth Injury
The brachial plexus is a network of nerve fibers that extend from the spine into the neck and arms. Newborns can suffer injury to any of these nerve fibers in varying degrees of severity. Injury can occur during the delivery if the birth doctors use excessive force or cause unnecessary stretching to deliver the child.…
Read MoreTow-Truck Drivers Constantly Risk Their Lives to Provide Road-Side Assistance
Tow-truck drivers perform a valuable service for stranded motorists, and they do it in all weather conditions, in all types of traffic, and on all kinds of roadways. They have one of the most dangerous jobs out there. Last year, a tow-truck driver in Michigan was killed when a city bus, which had requested assistance,…
Read MoreFDA Issues a Class I Recall for Abbott Cardiology Medical Device
The Food and Drug Administration forced Abbott to recall its HeartMate 3™ Left Ventricular Assist System. The medical device was designed to transport blood originating in the heart to the rest of the body. The main parts of the device are a blood pump and an outflow graft. The pump is inserted in the pericardium…
Read MoreSepsis, Septic Shock and Medical Malpractice Claims
According to the Mayo Clinic, sepsis can endanger a patient’s life. Sepsis is an infection complication that is more likely to occur in the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It occurs when chemicals are released into the bloodstream to fight an infection. The chemicals cause inflammation which can harm the organs or cause…
Read MoreRecognizing the Signs of Postpartum Depression
New mothers endure a range of emotions after the birth of a child: joy, anxiety, fear, overwhelming relief, happiness – the list is as varied as the families who experience childbirth. Many mothers, though, suffer from the “baby blues.” The baby blues are sadness after the birth of a child, and they are perfectly normal.…
Read MoreAnother Self-Driving Vehicle Is Involved in a Crash
Buzzfeed reported in May 2018, that another self-driving vehicle has caused a collision in Arizona. The crash follows a fatal accident involving an autonomous Uber vehicle in Arizona. As a result of the Uber wreck, Arizona’s governor halted Uber’s right to test self-driving cars on public roads. The Buzzfeed story involved a Waymo self-driving vehicle.…
Read MoreShould I Settle My Birth Injury Case?
Birth injuries can devastate newborns and families. Most families want nothing more than 10 fingers, 10 toes, and a healthy baby, so when something goes wrong, it turns your whole worldview upside down. You probably have a lot of questions for the doctors and yourself: What kind of care will your child need? What types…
Read MoreThe Key Elements of a Tennessee Birth Injury Case
A medical malpractice case is a civil lawsuit brought against a doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider. A birth injury case is one type of medical malpractice case usually brought by the parents of the newborn because a child was born with health problems that should reasonably have been prevented. Preventive measures include proper diagnosis…
Read MoreThe Flu Isn’t Gone Yet
This year has been a pretty bad one for the flu. Not only did a lot of people get the flu (even some who were vaccinated against it), but the dominant strain – Influenza A-H3N2 – was a strong one and widespread. So instead of groups of people in different regions coming down with the…
Read MoreWhat Happens When a Truck Jackknifes?
Jackknife accidents with 18-wheelers are among the deadliest and the most frightening types of crashes. Trucks that jackknife may roll over. Oftentimes, the truck sprawl causes multi-vehicle accidents as cars do their best to avoid the truck or the cargo the truck spills on the roads. Some unlucky truck drivers crash into the cab or…
Read MoreThe Do’s and Don’ts of Merging Properly to Avoid Car Accidents
Merging traffic is a major concern for every driver. When lanes merge or drivers enter a highway, the driver has no choice but to communicate in some way with other vehicles in the other traffic lanes. Communicate usually means indicating by car position, car speed, a wave of the hand, or some other method which…
Read MoreMore Than a Simple Mistake: Medical Malpractice
As the old saying goes, “Everyone makes mistakes.” And, as unfortunate as it sounds, this includes medical professionals. Contrary to what we want to believe, even our doctors and surgeons are fallible and susceptible to human error. Usually, and thankfully, the mistakes they might make are insignificant and don’t harm anyone. Sometimes though, a mistake…
Read MoreWhat is Truck “Platooning”?
Trucking companies are constantly exploring options to make their industry safer, increase freight efficiency, and reduce fuel consumption. One of these options, although not fully autonomous, takes a step toward clearing a path for autonomous vehicles in the trucking industry. It’s called “platooning,” and it has its supporters and detractors. Platooning at a glance Think…
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