Every few months we hear about a tragic accident in which someone dies after being ejected from a car. These accidents are so horrifying, so unexpected and extreme, that we assume they’ll never happen to us. Indeed, there are many things we can all do to protect ourselves from being ejected from a car. We should always: Wear a seat-belt, and position it correctly on our bodies. Never drive with the door off the car, as is popular with some off-road vehicles. Have our vehicle regularly inspected. Only buy airbags or get airbag repairs from the dealership or dealership-approved companies, who will inform you about recalls. But ejection can still happen, and it doesn’t have to involve heavy
A new study suggests that people in poverty can’t help it – at least, not as much as the public might think. The study, published in the journal Science, details how poverty causes a strain on the mind. Being poor and dealing with all the pressures that come with poverty takes a lot of brainpower and can exhaust people. As a result, they have less energy to make wise choices, which means they might stay in poverty longer because of bad decisions. In fact, researchers say poverty can even lower a person’s IQ level by 13 points. It impairs the brain the same way it might to lose a full night of sleep. What’s even more incredible: those lost abilities
According to a recent Census Bureau report, the nation’s poverty rates have remained steady for the last year. Nationwide, that rate is 15% – a very high figure affecting over 46 million Americans. The consistent rate has been hailed as somewhat positive news, since at least it’s not an increase like people expected. Experts predicted the poverty rate would increase. After all, it’s increased four times in a row in recent years, to some of the highest rates in the last half-century. Since it didn’t increase this time, some economists and politicians are hailing the news as a sign the nation is recovering from its devastating recession. And if they’re right, that’s great. But as a bankruptcy lawyer in Memphis,
By: Darrell Castle WREG News Channel 3 reported a story this week about power morcellators. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first warned the public about power morcellators early last year. And around that same time, I wrote an article about it. In the article, I talked about a woman named Debra and her story about battling aggressive cancer after her power morcellator procedure. What is a power morcellator? Many women suffer from uterine fibroids and the symptoms that come with them. These are benign tumors that grow in a woman’s uterus. They come in different sizes — some small and some as big as a baseball. These fibroids are very hard. So some surgeons will use power morcellators —
We’ve all either done it or have seen another driver do it – pull over to the side of the interstate, that is. Sometimes we have a flat tire or want to help out someone who does. Sometimes we just need to rest. However, when pulling over to the side of the road, especially on the interstate, do so with extreme caution. A 20 year-old man in Knoxville pulled over along the interstate to help the driver of a broken-down car. There were two people inside the pulled-over car, a young engaged couple. As they were pulled over, another interstate driver plowed into the two cars, killing two of the people and sending one to the hospital. The driver of
Pradaxa is a blood thinning medication used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Now it has also been associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. Studies in 2011 and 2012 showed Pradaxa’s connection to cardiac arrest as a result of serious bleeding events. After analyzing seven clinical trials, researchers determined that the heightened risk of heart problems connected to the drug are “significant.” Most anticoagulant (blood thinning) medications have the potential side effect of bleeding problems. Pradaxa, it appears, may be worse than others. In a January 2012 report, physicians warn that medical providers should use caution when prescribing the drug because of these very serious risks. If you or
If you have a heart condition, you may have taken Pradaxa to help reduce the risk of stroke. If you have a heart condition, you may have taken Pradaxa to help reduce the risk of stroke. Unfortunately, this drug has also been linked to uncontrollable internal bleeding. All over the country, patients who took Pradaxa have suffered from serious injuries, including bleeding to death. For some victims, even the best staff and hospitals can’t help – the bleeding is unstoppable; doctors have to stand back and watch the patient die. This is a very dangerous drug with terrifying consequences. If you’ve taken Pradaxa, you should make sure to contact a doctor immediately if you notice any of the following
If you have taken Pradaxa and experience severe bleeding, heart attack, or other cardiovascular injuries, you may be wondering if the product has been recalled and whether or not you can sue for compensation. In fact, at the time of this posting (4/09/2012), Pradaxa has not actually been recalled. The FDA is currently reviewing Pradaxa’s safety after numerous reports about its side effects. They also released a warning regarding proper storage and handling for Pradaxa. While the drug is suspected of causing serious side effects like uncontrolled bleeding, cardiac arrest, and even death, the FDA warns that benefits may outweigh the risks for patients at risk of stroke. Having not yet recalled Pradaxa, the FDA states, “At this time, FDA
How far does an establishment’s liability extend when dealing with intoxicated customers? For example, a man has been in a bar for a few hours and has had three or four drinks. The man is obviously intoxicated and has been for a while, and the bartender finally decides to cut the man off from anymore drinks. The intoxicated man then leaves the bar, gets in his car and drives off. He ends up hitting another car head on, killing the other driver. Was this the bartender’s fault? Or did the bartender do all that he was responsible to do? Did the bartender serve the man drinks even after seeing he was intoxicated? Those are all questions that would be
What is a landlord or property owner’s responsibility in keeping the premises safe? If you are injured because of a property, how do you know if you might have a premises liability case? In this video, Memphis premises liability attorney Darrell Castle offers some answers. Transcript What responsibility does my landlord have in keeping the property safe? A landlord has to keep unreasonably dangerous conditions from developing on his property. What is an unreasonably dangerous condition? Well, it might be something that has to be determined by a jury or court; but people can usually agree on what is unreasonably dangerous. An example might be: Let’s say the landlord had construction going on his property, and it’s a common tenant