Yourlawyer Blog

More and more cases involving people stricken with the disease known as Popcorn Lung are being filed across the country.

Law360.com reports that lawsuits continue to be filed by workers in the popcorn, flavoring, and other similar industries, claiming that their exposure to the chemical diacetyl has caused them to suffer an irreversible lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans. And the scope of the lawsuits has expanded so that it may include more people who have been impacted by chemical exposure.

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A new study has associated use of long-acting beta-antagonist (LABA) drugs like Advair Diskus with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events.

Researchers at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto say that use of  LABA drugs like Advair may be effective at treating symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) in some patients, but for others there is an increased risk of suffering a cardiovascular event that could be fatal, according to a report from AllVoices.com.

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A hidden camera has captured video of disturbing acts of abuse against a patient in a nursing home. Sadly, these types of incidents are increasingly more common at long-term and assisted-living facilities across the country.

This latest incident, according to a report in the U.K.’s Daily Mail, was recorded on a hidden camera at St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Ontario, Canada. There, four nurses and staff have been suspended with pay after they were identified in the video that shows them offering abusive care to an elderly resident who suffers from dementia.

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Environmental officials in Pennsylvania have determined over the last five years that at least 161 properties have had their water supply disrupted or permanently contaminated because of localized hydraulic fracturing (fracking) drilling.

According to an investigation launched by The (Scranton, Pa.) Times-Tribune newspaper after it logged an open-records case against Pennsylvania’s Dept. of Environmental Protection, the state does not fully report the impact of fracking drilling on private water supplies and generally does not publicize the data that it found in the records released.

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As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) weighs potential new regulations on the amount of radiation a smartphone device can emit, worries continue to grow about the potential adverse effects of being exposed to that radiation.

At a Milwaukee hospital, according to a report from WDJT-TV, one nurse says she has noticed an increased rate of brain tumors being diagnosed. Moreover, the average person who has developed a brain tumor keeps getting younger. While she doesn’t have the scientific evidence to back her observations, the nurse (identified as Nurse Laura by the source) has been echoed lately by a growing number of public health advocates who believe that increased cell phone use, especially in the smartphone era, is leading to the seemingly increased rate of brain tumors.

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Intuitive Surgical has heavily marketed the da Vinci surgical robot system as innovative system for procedures such as a hysterectomy, but women may want to think twice about it. Experts are worried about the serious, potentially fatal injuries that can occur with the robot. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating the da Vinci due to a sharp spike in injury reports and one physician group recently cautioned the public about the risks of the da Vinci for hysterectomies. Injuries associated with the da Vinci include:

• Cut Bile Duct
• Bleeding
• Adhesions
• Damaged blood vessels
• Organ damage
• Nerve injury

A hysterectomy is a procedure where the uterus, or womb, is removed. A woman may undergo a hysterectomy for several reasons, including uterine fibroids, endometriosis, uterine prolapse or cancer of the uterus, cervix or ovaries.

In March, the President of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a statement on behalf of the group regarding robot-assisted surgery for hysterectomies. The group represents about 56,000 physicians. According to the statement, the da Vinci surgical robot is not the best, nor the most cost efficient method for performing a hysterectomy. In fact, the statement pointed out that there is no good data showing that it is better than traditional surgery. ACOG warned consumers to not be swayed by aggressive advertising. He also pointed out that the success of the surgery depends heavily on surgeon’s expertise, and the da Vinci has a high learning curve during which time there is a higher risk of injury.

Last month, CNBC reported the case of several women who underwent a hysterectomy with the da Vinci. Several were severely injured and one 24-year old died after having what was supposed to be a routine hysterectomy. Her father alleges that his daughter, Kimberly McCalla, died from bleeding into her pelvis due a laceration in a main ar, tery. He is one of several people suing Intuitive over the da Vinci. The first da Vinci lawsuit recently went to trial in Washington state court, with the Plaintiffs alleging that Intuitive failed to train surgeons.

The injuries associated with the system are often serious and sometimes fatal. Some reports cite cauterizing a fallopian tube or damaging tissue and blood vessels. In some cases, the da Vinci appeared to have a mind of its own and refused to let go of patient tissue. Earlier this month, Intuitive send an “urgent medical device” notification to hospitals warning about the potential risk of internal burns with the da Vinci due to cracks in the system’s Monopolar Curved Scissors.

Health officials in Las Vegas say that 89 people contracted salmonella poisoning after eating at the popular Firefly tapas restaurant in late-April.

According to a report from KVVU-TV, the victims of the outbreak included 86 patrons and 3 employees. The restaurant was closed late last month and may reopen next week. About 12 people affected by the salmonella outbreak required hospital treatment for their symptoms.

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Federal safety officials have recommended the adoption of a stricter blood-alcohol content (BAC) that they believe will reduce the amount of drunk driving deaths nationwide.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended to states this week that they should reduce the blood-alcohol limit to .05, following a lead set by many countries in Europe that see a lower record of drunk driving deaths. Most states consider a driver to be legally drunk and unfit to operate a vehicle if their blood-alcohol level is .08, according to a report from the Associated Press (AP).

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One Baltimore-area family’s terrifying drama with new laundry detergent pods should serve as a warning to consumers everywhere about the dangers these convenient products pose, especially to children.

Laundry pods have emerged on the market as a popular alternative to traditional forms of packaging for laundry detergent. They’re small, sealed in plastic and contain concentrated amounts of detergent. They are typically stored in a plastic bag or tub. Many brands often market them through visible containers because they’re designed to catch the eye, often with colored gels and a concentrated powder detergent.

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A $40 million settlement on a class-action lawsuit has been approved between sneaker company Skechers USA Inc. and more than a half-million consumers who purchased the company’s toning shoes based on false claims about their benefits.

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