A New Jersey jury has just awarded one woman $3.35 million in compensatory damages and nearly $8 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson (J&J). $11.11 million total – for one transvaginal mesh injury case. That is a huge number. Why is it so high? The case involved a transvaginal mesh device called Prolift, made by a subsidiary of J&J called Ethicon. Transvaginal mesh is implanted permanently into women to help treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. But here’s what else products like Prolift have done for women: caused severe bleeding and extreme pain led to severe and embarrassing digestive problems injured the bowels and other organs limited patients’ ability to have sex prevented some women
Why having good credit is so important By: Darrell Castle Video Transcript Hello, I’m Darrell Castle. I’m an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Tennessee and I’ve been doing a series of videos on the subject of credit. Today, we’re talking about why having good credit is so very very important. The answer to that question is because everything costs more – all these decisions we make in our life feed off each other and they tend to accelerate and snowball as they go downhill. We make decisions that might cost us our credit rating or our credit score and then when we go into a bank or a finance company to try to mortgage a
I recently wrote about some of the financial problems plaguing Stockton, CA – the largest city in US history to declare bankruptcy. The New York Times has since come out with an article depicting the last few years in that community, which have been very difficult. Because of budget cuts limiting the police force and fire department, Stockton residents have been victimized by an uptick in crime and a lack of responsiveness to non-violent acts like vandalism and theft. Foreclosures and unemployment have skyrocketed citywide. The article describes the situation for residents as a series of “indignities.” As a bankruptcy attorney in Memphis, the term “indignities” stood out to me. Many people who are the most nervous about filing bankruptcy
We should warn you ahead of time, the information below is pretty scary. As technology takes over medical facilities in the form of computerized records, smartphones, and even TV screens, doctors are doing what the rest of us do: they’re getting distracted. Yes, people in the medical industry have been reporting a serious problem with what is being called “distracted doctoring.” We’re not talking about the occasional glance at the TV screen in a dental office. We’re talking about texting while caring for a patient; checking Facebook while assisting on an operation; and making personal phone calls on wireless headsets while performing surgery. This is terrifying stuff. You put your life in the hands of a medical expert, and at
There has long been a sad link between bankruptcy and cancer. For example, a recent study showed people diagnosed with cancer in Washington state are nearly 3x more likely to file bankruptcy than people without cancer. But what causes this increased risk of financial hardship for cancer patients, and what can be done about it? First, there are a few reasons cancer patients face financial problems: Most obviously, cancer treatments are very expensive and checkups or further treatment can last for a long time. The patient may be out of work while undergoing treatment or face long-term disability and loss of income. The patient’s family might also need to lower their workload to care for the patient, which means
There’s a criminal case coming out of California right now that looks to be one of the bigger medical malpractice cases in recent memory. Basically, an orthopedic surgeon named Dr. Munir Uwaydah has been charged with fraud after telling 21 patients he would perform surgeries on them. Instead, he actually had a physician’s assistant – who had never even attended medical school – do the procedures. “All 21 patients sustained lasting scars and many required additional surgeries and suffered physical and psychological trauma as a result of their experience in Uwaydah’s clinics,” prosecutors said. Prosecutors also say many of the surgeries weren’t even necessary to begin with. In addition, authorities believe Dr. Munir Uwaydah and 14 associates, including another doctor and a lawyer,
The Memphis City Council spent 7 hours yesterday cutting . . . and cutting . . . and cutting . . . its budget. Council members approved measures like layoffs and health insurance premium increases for city workers to try to balance the budget. In total, the council has put together about $24.2 million in cuts; but as in most budget decisions, the changes are very controversial. Any cuts will affect city employees and residents and could threaten some of the benefits everyone depends on. At the same time, these tough choices might be necessary to avoid having the state take over. The council will meet again on June 25 to complete the budget. As a bankruptcy attorney in Memphis,
The Bass Pro Shop-apalooza is scheduled to open in Memphis in 2013. While the megastore may not excite everyone in the area, the city did well under the circumstances. It costs Memphis several hundred thousand dollars per year just to keep the Pyramid closed, and we all know the city could use that money elsewhere. In addition, Bass Pro Shops will most likely help revitalize the neighborhood and provide jobs, even if only for the short term. If on the fence about the project, consider this editorial on the subject.
With so many changes in the economy lately, and no end in sight to the damage done by the recession, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health groups have called on increased awareness of mental health issues. Worldwide, there is a definite link between depression and unemployment, and between economic downturn and mental health decline. Bearing this in mind, it’s very important we all stay alert and understand that many people will struggle as financial problems continue. If you know someone who seems depressed after facing job instability or unemployment, it’s important to encourage him or her to seek help. There are a number of low-cost options nationwide. In Memphis, the Church Health Center might be a good start.
Teachers and Student Loans Teachers and student loans unfortunately go hand in hand. Education degrees and certification cost a tremendous amount of money and leave many of our area teachers drowning in debt. And a relatively new Tennessee law now makes those student loans even harder to bear. If a K-12 public school teacher can’t pay their student loans, this law requires their license be denied, suspended, or revoked. The law went into effect on January 1, 2013. It’s the new normal for teachers in Memphis, where city schools would love to have experienced, well-educated teachers in the classroom. When Teachers Struggle, We All Lose This law creates a terrible cycle. If the school system struggles, it can’t pay teachers