Auto accidents caused by drivers 15 to 20 years old killed 5,623 people nationwide in 2009. Now, imagine if 2,014 lives could be saved across the country every year. Sound far fetched? It’s not as hard as you might think. All states have to do is adopt seven simple rules for teenage drivers, according to the National Safety Council.

Auto accidents caused by California teenage drivers happen fast. What would you do you were injured in an auto accident? You need a car accident lawyer in Bakersfield on your side. You need the Law Offices of Mickey Fine. Serving the Los Angeles area and the rest of California, the experienced attorneys at our law firm have helped many accident victims, including working with them to decide whether to file an auto accident lawsuit in California. Car crashes can be extremely complicated. Allow us to help you cut through the red tape and get the settlement your rightfully deserve. Contact a Los Angeles auto accident attorney who puts people first. Contact the Law Offices of Mickey Fine. http://www.mickeyfinelaw.com

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By ADAM K. JONES

You may have been injured in a car accident. Perhaps you sustained a sports injury. You may be coping with pain from a lifetime of being active. Whatever the cause, you’re hurting and need prescription pain medication.

Prescription medicine can do wonders for people who otherwise might be immobilized by pain. Unfortunately, over the past decade, overdose deaths from painkillers have gone through the roof, according to a report in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alarmingly, some people who don’t really need pain medication are obtaining prescriptions from doctors, according to the CDC, which cites “pill mills” as a reason why the supply of prescription pain medication is larger than ever.

Personal injury lawyers in Massachusetts and elsewhere often hear from families who lost loved ones due to medical malpractice. In some cases, a doctor negligently prescribed a painkiller. Prescription pain medication (opioid or narcotic pain relievers) includes drugs such as Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin (oxycodone), Opana (oxymorphone), and methadone. When used as intended, these drugs can help people get back on their feet. When abused, these painkillers become dangerous drugs.

When you hear “dangerous drugs,” you might think of illegal street drugs like heroin or cocaine. Prescription painkillers, however, cause more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined. Simply put, Vicodin can be just as dangerous as heroin if it is abused. A big part of the overdose problem is that some people are using painkillers for nonmedical reasons.

According to the CDC, in 2010, 12 million people in the United States reported nonmedical use of prescription painkillers in the past year.

Prescription drug abuse has attracted headlines over the past few years. While the cause of entertainer Whitney Houston’s death is not yet known, investigators did find multiple prescription drugs inside her hotel room, including Xanax, an anti-anxiety agent, and amoxicillin, which is used to treat infections. Michael Jackson, who died in 2009, reportedly was addicted to painkillers.

While there are a few well-known names linked to painkiller abuse, thousands of people die each year without getting the kind of attention reserved for celebrities. Nevertheless, the pain felt by their friends and family is profound.

Nearly 15,000 people in the United States died in 2008 due to prescription painkiller overdoses, according to the CDC. This number represents a significant increase in the number of deaths compared to 1999, when 4,000 people were killed by these drugs.

In some cases, a prescription painkiller lawsuit is necessary for families of victims to get justice after losing a loved one. Litigation may lead to an improvement in the way prescription painkillers are prescribed, thus reducing the number of people who misuse, abuse, or overdose from these drugs.

If you or someone you know is seriously injured or your loved one died from a prescription drug overdose, don’t hesitate to contact a pharmaceutical injury attorney in Massachusetts. Many personal injury lawyers in Massachusetts, including the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone, provide free case evaluations. To learn more, contact the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone by visiting the firm’s website at http://www.marksalomone.com, or call 1-800-WIN-WIN-1.

About the author: Adam K. Jones writes about personal injury law and search engine
marketing trends for Big Voodoo Interactive. Adam covered legal issues for newspapers and
magazines for 20 years. In 2006, he began working in the SEM industry. Since then, he has gained an expertise in search engine optimization, conversion optimization, PPC advertising, and social media marketing.

A federal agency responsible for investigating auto accidents recently recommended banning the use of cell phones while driving, including hands-free cell phone devices. The National Transportation Safety Board made this dramatic recommendation published on the front page of the New York Times based on safety concerns. “It’s about not being engaged at the task at hand,” NTSB chairman Deborah Herman said, referring to talking on a cell phone while driving, even while using a hands-free device. “Lives are being lost in the blink of an eye.”

Distracted driving injures and kills thousands of people every year nationwide and in Michigan. Such accidents happen fast, as Deborah Herman noted. She added, “You can’t take it back, you can’t have a do over, and you can’t rewind.” Rebuild your family’s future with a rock-solid Michigan injury attorneys in your corner. Rely on the Law Offices of Goodman Acker. Serving clients throughout Michigan, an experienced Detroit distracted driving attorney at our firm can devote their time and attention to fighting for your rights. We understand the state’s complex cell phone laws. We use that knowledge to get accident victims the compensation they rightfully deserve. Put the power of a Michigan car accident lawyer behind you. Contact the Law Offices of Goodman Acker.

In Michigan, it’s illegal to text while driving. Nationwide, 35 states ban texting while driving. In addition, nine states prohibit the use of hand-held phones. No states completely restrict drivers from using cell phones while driving. That should change, Herman said. She compared using a cell phone while driving to drunk driving. “It’s going to be very unpopular with some people,” Herman said, referring to the idea of completely banning drivers from using cell phones. “We’re not here to win a popularity contest. We’re here to do the right thing.”

A total of 5,474 people died in 2009 in America in distracted driving accidents and thousands more were injured. If you or a loved one sustained a serious or fatal injury due to a distracted driver in Michigan, take action now. Contact a law firm who will fight for your rights. Contact the Law Offices of Goodman Acker. We’re on your side.

How rescue workers respond to an emergency at an offshore drilling facility in the Gulf of Mexico can make all the difference. That’s why the U.S. Department of State and other government officials recently held a seminar focused on preparedness and response procedures related to the energy sector in the Gulf of Mexico region. Government representatives from the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States met to discuss a wide range of topics, including preventive regulatory frameworks, safety standards for floating production units and best practices in oil spill containment.

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What would you do if you sustained a serious injury on an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico? What if you couldn’t work for weeks or months? What if your insurance company refused to cooperate? You need an experienced Louisiana maritime lawyer on your side. You need the Law Offices of William Gee III. We want to work with you and help you decide the best course of action, including whether to file an offshore drilling injury lawsuit in Louisiana. We understand how complicated such cases can be, especially for people dealing with such a disaster for the first time. Allow us to put our knowledge to work for you. Contact an offshore attorney in Louisiana who puts people first. Contact the Law Offices of William Gee III.

Merck, the pharmaceutical manufacturer, recently pleaded guilty to a criminal charge and paid $950 million to resolve a series of fraud cases related Vioxx, a dangerous drug taken off the market in 2004 due to a substantial heart risk. The charge was due to Merck’s marketing of Vioxx to treat rheumatoid arthritis before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it for that purpose in 2002, according to a New York Times article.

Are you dealing with health problems caused by Vioxx or another dangerous drug? For residents of Oklahoma, you have options. You can contact an Oklahoma dangerous drug attorney who believes every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. You can count on Hansen Dirani & Associates Law Offices. Serving clients throughout Oklahoma, our attorneys can help you decide the best course of action, including whether to file a dangerous drug lawsuit in Oklahoma. We understand the law. We know how big corporations think. Often, drug companies will do anything to avoid paying victims the money they rightfully deserve. Allow us to put our knowledge to work for you. Contact an Oklahoma dangerous drug lawyer who puts people first. Contact Hansen Dirani & Associates Law Offices.

Pharmaceutical companies are prohibited from marketing drugs for “any uses except those that the Food and Drug Administration has determined are safe and beneficial,” the New York Times reports. “When a pharmaceutical company ignores F.D.A. rules aimed at keeping our medicines safe and effective, that company undermines the ability of health care providers to make the best medical decisions on behalf of their patients,” Tony West, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s civil division, said in a statement.

Don’t suffer because of a drug company’s reckless behavior. Take back control. Contact an Oklahoma attorney who fights for justice. Contact Hansen Dirani & Associates Law Offices.

By ADAM K. JONES

A new report reveals some troubling evidence that taking cholesterol-controlling drugs known as statins to prevent heart disease may lead to serious side effects, such as diabetes.

Some doctors say people who are healthy should avoid statin use and focus on exercise and diet to improve their health. Some healthy people with higher cholesterol levels take statins as a preventative measure.

Dr. Rita Redberg, professor of medicine and director of women’s cardiovascular services at the University of California, San Francisco, wrote in the Wall Street Journal that statins do not prevent heart disease. They also fail to extend or improve life.

“And they come with considerable side effects,” Redberg writes in the Journal. “That’s why I don’t recommend giving statins to healthy people, even those with higher cholesterol.”

Baycol See:Baycol Lawsuit is one of a number of statins prescribed to patients to block the production of cholesterol in the bloodstream. According to the website for the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin (www.farrin.com), the North Carolina personal injury lawyers note that Baycol has been linked to kidney failure, muscle damage, and at least 100 deaths since it was introduced to the market.

Redberg wrote that statins “undeniably harm some people.”

“Besides increasing the risk for developing diabetes, statins can cause memory loss, muscle weakness, stomach distress, and aches and pains.”

Before taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, you should consult with your physician. Evidence shows that some people who already have heart disease can benefit from using statins.

If you or someone you know has experienced statin side effects, it’s prudent to speak with a personal injury lawyer about your legal rights. The North Carolina personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin describe in their website how new drugs sometimes are introduced to consumers before they are fully tested.

“Unfortunately, people are seriously injured or even die when corporations recklessly market products or fail to determine how safe their products are for the public,” according to a dangerous drugs page on the Farrin website.

A new study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that millions of women taking statin medications appear to be at a slightly higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, which is the disease celebrity cook Paula Deen announced she is suffering from.

The findings raise concerns for the study’s co-author, Dr. JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, according to a report in the Chicago Sun Times.

The American Diabetes Association reports that nearly 26 million people living in the United States, or 8.3 percent of the population, suffer from diabetes.

If you need to learn about your legal rights, call the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin at 1-866-900-7078, or reach the firm by completing the online contact form.

About the author: Adam K. Jones writes about personal injury law and search engine marketing trends at Big Voodoo Interactive. Adam covered legal issues for newspapers and magazines for 15 years. In 2006, he began working in the SEM industry. Since then, he has gained an expertise in search engine optimization, conversion optimization, PPC advertising, and social media marketing.

A tragic multi-car accident in Florida resulting in the deaths of 10 people and injuries to nearly two dozen people has been attributed in part to poor visibility. But questions linger after the fatal incident: A few hours before the deadly highway crash in Gainesville, authorities closed – and then reopened – the highway due to a three-vehicle crash.

In a chilling 911 call, someone involved in the multi-vehicle accident described extremely poor visibility. The caller told a 911 operator she could not see much more than a couple of feet in front of her.

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Teenagers have the highest car accident rate of any group in the United States, and a recent study reveals just how dangerous new teenager drivers can be.

Philadelphia accident lawyers Flager and Yockey urges parents of teen drivers to take note of a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Researchers found that teen drivers are about 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month of driving than they are after a full year of experience driving on their own. Furthermore, the young drivers are nearly twice as likely to become involved in an auto accident as they are after two full years of experience, according to the study.

At the Law Offices of Flager Yockey, the personal injury lawyers in Philadelphia, PA., have seen the impact of serious car accidents first-hand. A car accident involving a teen-ager can be particularly traumatic, and result in significant losses, both emotional and financial. According to information on the law firm’s website, www.flageryockey.com , there are more than 30,000 fatal car accidents and millions of injuries due to car wrecks each year in the United States.

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Questions about hip replacement devices recently have surfaced. A recent hip implant recall involved products made by DePuy Orthopaedics Inc.:See hip replacement lawsuit

DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System (launched in 2003) See
DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System (launched in 2004)

Other manufacturers of potentially defective hip implants include:

Sulzer Orthopedics, which announced a recall of the company’s Inter-Op acetabular shell for hip implants.
Zimmer Holdings, manufacturer of the Zimmer Durom Hip Cup, or Zimmer Durom acetabular component. Zimmer suspended sales in 2008 due to a defect in which the device failed to bond properly with the existing bone in patients.

Hip replacement side effects

Symptoms of a defective Inter-Op acetabular hip implant involve:

Groin or anterior trochanteric pain
Thigh pain
Difficulty in rising from a seated position

Symptoms of a defective DePuy hip device:

Hip area pain
Walking difficulties
Swelling in the area of the hip

Symptoms of a defective Zimmer Durom Hip Cup:

Pain in the hip due to grinding of loose metal socket
Stiffness
Limping

Source James Farrin Law

By JIM DANKO

A MARTA bus accident in Atlanta on Jan. 23 resulted in more than a dozen injuries, according to media reports.

The public transportation bus apparently struck a tree around 7:20 a.m. near Nathan Road and Brownlee Place in the city’s southwest side. The injury victims, including the bus driver, were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment, a MARTA spokeswoman told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In total, 19 people, including the driver, were treated for injuries, although the extent of the injuries was not yet known.

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