Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer - Miscellaneous

Government Creating Legal Immunity for Swine Flu Vaccine Makers

Jessica Smagacz — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:55:53 GMT

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, federal officials and vaccine makers are going to be immune from lawsuits that result from any new swine flu vaccines. This comes from a document signed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

Think back to the last time the government went on a major vaccine campaign against a new swine flu. There were thousands filed where people claimed they suffered side effects from shots. Now, the government is getting a head start to prevent this. The government has protected vaccine makers against lawsuits when they were for the use of childhood vaccines since the 1980s.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Swine Flu has caused about 263 deaths so far. “But those are people who sought health care. It’s likely that more than 1 million Americans have been sickened by the flu, many with mild cases.”

The regular winter flu vaccine has been approved by the FDA this past Friday. The government has not faced a new swine flu virus since 1976.

What are you feelings about this move to protect the makers of new vaccines for swine flu?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

Tragic Car Crash Takes life of one Georgia Man

Jessica Smagacz — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:56:41 GMT

Independentmail reported recently that a man died yesterday as a result of a tragic car accident.

This car accident took the life of Terry A. Ramey, 42 of Clayton, Georgia.

Karl E. Addis, the Oconee County Coroner, said that Ramey was a passenger in the front seat of a car but he was not wearing his seat belt. He died of a head injury.

The car accident occurred on Unity Church road about three-tenths of a mile from Cleveland Pike Road.

The other details to this tragic car accident are currently not available.

Our thoughts are with Ramey’s family and friends.

Do you know what do to if you are in a car accident? As our past post discussed, here is what you need to know if you are in a car accident:

Immediately call the police. When the police arrive, they know exactly what to do. The police will also create a police report after interviewing all witnesses and determining who is at fault.

Make sure everyone else is safe.

Gather information. You must get the other driver’s information such as the vehicle’s VIN number, insurance information, and license plate number.

Seek medical attention/help. Car accidents can cause serious injuries, even injuries that do not arise until much later after the car accident. It is important to see a doctor to evaluate your condition.

If you have a camera, take pictures of the cars involved in the accident.

Call/seek an attorney.

According to Ezine articles, there are several things you MUST not do after you are in a car accident:

Admit fault; leave the scene; wait for insurance companies to contact you or take too much time to call an attorney; sign anything without knowing what the papers say or means.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

Georgia To Begin Operation Zero Tolerance Campaign

Jessica Smagacz — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:17:01 GMT

Georgia law enforcement agencies will kick off their annual Fourth of July crackdown on drunk driving tonight, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The crackdown on drunk driving is part of an operation called Operation Zero Tolerance campaign. There will be more than 500 police agencies across Georgia taking part in this campaign.

Bob Dallas, the director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety said, “if you plan to party this July Fourth, remember there are so many simple ways to prevent tragedy.”

Here are some important tips suggested by Bob Dallas:

· Store taxi cab company numbers in your cell phone
· Arrange for a sober driver
· Take a mass transit
· If you are the designated driver, remind your passengers about open container law and not allowing alcohol to be consumed in your car

As part of this initiative, traffic enforcement officers will be patrolling Georgia’s highways all summer, looking for speeders, impaired drivers and any drivers violating seat belt and child restraint laws.

Please be safe while driving and plan ahead if you are celebrating the 4th of July!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

Hotel TV Falls on One Year Old

Jessica Smagacz — Mon, 25 May 2009 09:45:57 GMT

Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that this past Friday, a television set fell on top of a one year old girl at a Cherokee County motel in Georgia.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said that she suffered a fractured skull. After this television fell on the child, she was airlifted to the Children’s Health Care of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.

Her name is not available. Authorities say that the incident occurred at the Hamilton Inn on Wade Green Road around 11:30 a.m.

The little girl’s mom, Shabrinka Hartly of Acworth, 19 years old, “told deputies a 32-inch television apparently fell off a hotel room dresser onto the girl.”

This incident is still under investigation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

FDA Tobacco Regulation Approved by Senate

Jessica Smagacz — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:00:36 GMT

In March, I posted a blog about FDA and the possibility that they may be given the power to oversee the tobacco industry.

NewsInferno just reported that the Senate Panel approved this. After the House voted to grand FDA tobacco product oversight in April, the bill moved to the Senate. The Senate panel backed the legislation yesterday, so the bill will move on to the full Senate and then if it receives approval, eventually it will make it to President Obama for approval (that is after the House and Senate have disagreements and have to work out the issues to come to an agreement and final bill).

On one side there are the Senators from tobacco-producing states that have made a promise to fight the bill. President Obama supports this bill.

This Bill passed with a 298-112 vote in the House and the Senate panel, 15-8.

If the Bill passes, FDA will have the authority to set nicotine levels in tobacco products, make larger warning labels as a requirement, and try to stop any new flavored cigarettes.

According to NewsInferno, “the law was introduced in response to a Supreme Court decision from 2000 that said the FDA didn’t have the authority to regulate tobacco without an act of Congress.”

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

Wide Receiver Stallworth from Cleveland Browns Hits & Kills a Pedestrian

Jessica Smagacz — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:36:14 GMT

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reported that wide receiver Donte Stallworth, 28 years old, from the Cleveland Browns hit and killed a pedestrian with his Bentley earlier this Saturday morning. This occurred on a busy causeway between Miami and Miami Beach.

He was headed for the beach when the tragic accident occurred. He hit Mario Reyes, a 59 year old, at 7 a.m. “Reyes was taken to a nearby trauma center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.”

Apparently, Reyes was near a sidewalk but it is unclear if he was crossing legally.

AJC reports that Stallworth is cooperating and no charges have been filed. As part of routine procedure, blood was drawn for drugs and alcohol. These results can take anywhere from three days to three weeks, reported Miami Beach police spokesman Juan Sanchez.

Right now, “police would not say where Stallworth was coming from or where he was headed, and Sanchez didn’t have anymore information about Reyes.”

The property records in Miami-Dade County show that he owns two condos on Biscayne Blvd. in Miami not far from where the accident occurred.

The team said, “We understand the seriousness of this situation, but will not have any further comment at this time as this is an ongoing investigation.”

Stallworth did sign a seven-year contract worth 35 million dollars with the Browns as a free agent but hardly played because he had an injury.

Our thoughts are with Reyes family in this time of tragedy.

Pedestrian safety is very important. According to the Pedestrian Safety Campaign, a pedestrian is killed or injured every seven minutes. This is definitely an issue that affects all of us.

We as Americans do walk places and it can be anywhere from a stroll around the corner, walking to a friend’s house or to work, or to exercise. Because of this, we need to be careful when we are walking. Each year, thousands of pedestrians are injured or killed.

Right now the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is “working to make a difference and make walking safer. FHWA created the Pedestrian Safety Campaign Planner in collaboration with national and local pedestrian safety advocates to educate pedestrians and drivers about ways to improve pedestrian safety.” For more information, click here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

FDA may Regulate Tobacco

Jessica Smagacz — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:01:18 GMT

NewsInferno reported this past Thursday that the FDA may be given the power to oversee the tobacco industry. This legislation is still in the proposal stage, in a 39 to 13 House vote that now requires Senate approval before it is presented to President Barack Obama.

If the legislation passes, FDA will be able to regulate tobacco products (cigarettes, advertisements, and product designs).

Is this too much for FDA right now? They already oversee human and animal medicines, medical devices, cosmetics, and many foods.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Democratic Representative Henry Waxman said, “Regulating tobacco is the single most important thing we can do right now to curb the deadly toll of tobacco.”

“The legislation states that the bill’s oversight would save $75 billion in healthcare costs by reducing teen smoking.”

From the other side of the debate, people feel this adds new responsibilities to the FDA and more room for error. FDA “cannot seem to handle the industries it is currently charged with: like the peanut butter salmonella outbreak and last year’s heparin contamination.

Texas Republican Representative Joe Barton said, “The FDA is the wrong agency at the wrong time to give this type of responsibility.”

What do you think? Can FDA handle this responsibility?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections Released by HHS

Jessica Smagacz — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:52:24 GMT

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a plan to establish a set of five year prevention targets to reduce health care-associated infections (HAIs). HHS is also hoping to possibly eliminate HAIs with this prevention plan.

The plan lists several areas in which HAIs can be prevented. Additionally, it outlines cross-agency efforts to reduce health care costs and save lives.

What are HAIs?

Health care-associated infections are those infections patients can get while undergoing surgical procedures or medical treatment. HHS says that HAIs are very much preventable.

Mike Leavitt, HHS Secretary said, “This plan will serve as our roadmap on how the department addresses this important public health and patient safety issue.”

The action plan also names opportunities “for collaboration with national, state, tribunal and local organizations.”

Check out the plan and instructions for submitting any comments on this plan here.

The cost of treating HAIs is enormous and also takes a “tremendous toll on human life.” The center for Disease Control and Prevention made an estimate that about 1.7 million HAIs occurred in hospitals in 2002 in the U.S. and were associated with about 99,000 deaths. They also estimate that HAIs add about 20 billion dollars to healthcare costs each year.

HHS is welcoming comments from the public on the new action plan in order to strengthen and share opportunities. They plan on holding meetings in the spring of this year. Check out the HHS website to keep posted.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

FDA to Open 3 offices in China

Jessica Smagacz — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:09:34 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in China this week to open three offices as a plan to improve the safety of U.S. imports. Bloomberg reports that according to Michael Leavitt, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, “A U.S. plan to allow quality testers in China to certify the safety of food and drugs exported to America will take many years to complete. Still, this is a major step for the FDA.

This is the first of several overseas offices (for FDA) with the goal of regulating the safety of imported food and medicine. The branch just opened in Beijing and in the next couple of months, FDA will open offices in Shanghai and Guangzhou. The New York Times says the opening of an inspection office in Beijing follows “a string of scandals involving contaminated Chinese-made toothpaste, pet food, drugs and milk.” See our past post on High Level of Lead Found in Toys from China.

These three new offices will work with the Chinese agencies to inspect products set to go to the U.S. The U.S. has imported more than $321 billion worth of goods from China last year.

However, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), according to Andrew Jacobs of the New York Times, said in a recent report, “FDA’s oversight and enforcement efforts have not kept in pace with the growing number of food firms. As a result, FDA has little assurance that companies comply with food-labeling laws and regulations.”

Safety for us as consumers is highly important and when we see FDA opening inspection office overseas, it seems like a good sign. But when the GAO is reporting a lack of sufficiency and organization, FDA needs to implement stronger organization to become more effective.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz

Nationalization of US Banks-Bush's New Plan

Jessica Smagacz — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:17:01 GMT

Today President Bush announced a change to the $700 billion plan to help financial firms. The government's new plan includes investing $250 million of taxpayer's money into private banks.

According to a USA Today article, executives of the country's biggest banks met Monday at the Treasury Department to discuss this new plan. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told these bank CEOs they had to accept the government stock purchases to help make the US economy better.

President Bush claims the role of the government is limited and temporary. These stock purchases will quickly give banks cash to fill in the holes created by the financial crisis and encourage banks to lend to each other and to businesses and consumers. Some of the Banks in line for government investment: Citigroup, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, State Street, Merrill Lynch, Bank of New York Mellon and Goldman Sachs.

For the entire article, go to this site.

If you are investor, check out this posting to get more information about making sure you are not a victim of securities fraud.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jessica Smagacz