Alternative Rx

Nov 1, 2007 8:05 PM CDT

Breathing ‘Butter’ Vapors Leads to Lawsuits

Even some of those allegedly affected with the problem could hardly believe it: Breathing in vapors from butter flavoring commonly used on microwave popcorn can cause a debilitating lung disease. But now that diacetyl—a chemical used to create an artificial butter taste in the flavoring—has been identified, many believe, as…

Oct 31, 2007 3:35 PM CDT

Suits Target Chemical Used in Medical Tests

Plaintiffs lawyers are filing lawsuits against companies involved in the manufacture of a contrast dye used to help capture images for medical tests. The suits claims the heavy metal, gadolinium, can cause a disease called nephrogenic system fibrosis that hardens the skin, the Recorder reports. The Food and Drug Administration…

Oct 30, 2007 10:30 AM CDT

Traffic Cameras Mean More Rear-Enders

Just as authorities thought they would, traffic cameras encourage motorists to put on the brakes rather than speed through intersections on red lights. But, in an unintended consequence, they also significantly increase the number of rear-end accidents, reports the Miami Herald. As some motorists slam on the brakes, fearful of…

Oct 29, 2007 4:33 PM CDT

Victims Seek 9/11-Style Fund in Bridge Case

Victims injured by a Minneapolis bridge collapse earlier this year are asking the government to establish a 9/11-style compensation fund to cover their medical expenses and pay a currently unspecified capped amount of damages. In exchange, they would agree not to sue over their injuries. The fund, which would be…

Oct 26, 2007 10:18 PM CDT

Tort Reform Red Flag Raised in Alabama?

A recent $50 million jury verdict in the case of a man burned to death when his water heater exploded will only fuel tort-reform efforts in Alabama, according to an editorial. The Alabama Press-Register opinion piece acknowledges that jurors must have felt sympathy for the family of Richard Krantz. But,…

Oct 24, 2007 4:28 PM CDT

Schoolyard Bully Costs FL School $4M

In a verdict that should serve as a warning to school administrators elsewhere, a Florida jury has ordered a private school to pay $4 million to a 12-year-old whose arm was broken by a school bully. The incident has left the now 16-year-old victim with a permanent injury that prevents…

Oct 23, 2007 9:13 PM CDT

PI Lawyer’s Tips on Food Safety

Contracts, compliance and having the right people in charge are critical components of an effective program to prevent customers from getting sick from food products, says a well-known personal injury lawyer. Speaking to an anticipated audience of CEOs in the cover story of the current issue of Food Safety magazine,…

Oct 22, 2007 5:17 PM CDT

Lawyer’s Fame-Claim: Model Client

A 23-year-old model who filed suit yesterday against her 54-year-old billionaire ex-boyfriend, over “bizarre and unnatural sex acts” allegedly performed at his 51,000-square-foot New York City mansion when she was 16, is in capable legal hands. “Literally!” exclaims New York magazine in a gossipy rundown on Maximilia Cordero’s legal representation…

Oct 18, 2007 6:47 PM CDT

Judge Allows Some Thrombosis Suits Against Airlines

Airlines that fail to act properly in response to a passenger complaint may be sued if the person develops deep vein thrombosis as a result, a federal judge has ruled. Judge Vaughn Walker of San Francisco decided Friday that claims for the potentially fatal blood clot are permitted in cases…

Oct 16, 2007 10:26 AM CDT

Nifong Seeks Legal Fees in Civil Suit re Rape

Mike Nifong, the disgraced former prosecutor who is now being sued for pursuing rape charges against three former Duke lacrosse team players, has asked North Carolina to help him with his legal defense. Because the civil litigation by the exonerated defendants arose out of his work as Durham County prosecutor,…

Oct 15, 2007 11:49 PM CDT

American ‘Unlawful Combatants’ Abroad?

As efforts continue to address controversial killings of civilians in Iraq by private American military contractors, some United States officials reportedly are asking whether such conduct could put the U.S. in violation of international treaties. If so, it may be that those responsible for the killings could be characterized as…

Oct 15, 2007 6:46 PM CDT

Tips for Preventing Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment has been in the news lately, raising awareness of the issue. So now is the time to prevent problems in your own workplace, experts advise. An up-to-date written sexual harassment policy, appropriate training and encouraging discussion of the issue can go a long way to prevent it, reports…

Oct 15, 2007 5:00 PM CDT

Bondage Case to Define Too-Unsafe Sex?

Both the victim and the perpetrator are dead. But the estates of two men who died as a result of a dangerous sexual practice are involved in a cutting-edge tort case that could help define what adults can and cannot consent to do. Adrian Exley, a 32-year-old British stripper known…

Oct 11, 2007 9:39 PM CDT

Families of Dead Iraqis Sue Blackwater

In an unusual effort to hold a private military contractor in Iraq civilly liable for alleged wrongdoing, the families of three dead Iraq civilians and one survivor of a recent Baghdad shooting sued Blackwater USA and its affiliates in federal court in Washington, D.C., this morning. Filed by the Center…

Oct 11, 2007 7:13 PM CDT