Lawsuit lottery. Jackpot Justice. Runaway juries who award astronomical verdicts to the clients of ambulance chasing lawyers who have unfairly (and frivolously) sued a good doctor over a bad (and unavoidable) result. This is the narrative that the American Medical Association, in conjunction with conservative political messaging, has convinced the American public to be true. [...]
5
2011
10
2011
Crash Worthiness: How does a highly rated car stack up against a semi truck?
A recent article by AOL Auto Correspondent Kevin Ransom highlighted an ongoing highway safety issue. According to recent statistics, crashes between a passenger car and the “underride guards” on the backs of tractor-trailers prove fatal at even lower speeds. These rear guards are the primary countermeasure for reducing deaths and injuries when a passenger vehicle crashes [...]
7
2011
Check Your Pantry: Skippy Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter Recall
According to the Associated Press, the company that makes Skippy peanut butter is recalling two of its spreads that may be contaminated with salmonella. No illnesses have been linked to the recall of the Skippy reduced fat creamy and reduced fat chunky brands. Unilever United States Inc. did not specify how many jars have been [...]
10
2011
Set for Kick-Off: Political Football with Victims’ Rights
Elections have consequences. How many times have we heard that recently? Amid front-burner discussion topics such as the national debt, health care, and foreign affairs, Congress has already begun singing one of its favorite refrains: we need to end “frivolous” lawsuits to bring health care costs down. According to The Hill, the House Judiciary Committee is [...]
17
2010
Insurers Behaving Badly
The Ohio Supreme Court recently heard arguments in connection with the tragic 2007 bus crash which took the lives of seven people, including five members of the Bluffton University baseball team. In keeping with the standard insurance company practice of avoiding accountability, the university’s primary insurer, Hartford Insurance, is seeking to avoid its obligation to [...]
6
2010
City of Toledo Still Trying to Fend Off Dog Bites
The Lucas County Dog Warden Citizen’s Advisory Committee has proposed a new ordinancewhich would expand regulations on dogs and their owners. According to the chairman of the advisory committee, the goals of the proposed ordinance are to reduce dog bites by half, eliminate euthanasia based on dog breed, and penalize “irresponsible dog owners.” The proposed [...]
15
2010
A Reminder to Farmers As We Approach the Harvest: Stay Safe
A recent article in The Crescent-News highlighted the dangerous nature of farm work. There are hazards all over on a farm, from heavy equipment and chemicals to grain bins and silos.   The Centers for Disease Control states that agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries, a fact with which GTB&S attorneys are all too familiar. For example, in [...]
14
2010
82,000 Drop-Side Cribs Recalled Over Safety Concerns
In response to new rules from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, popular retailer Pottery Barn has recalled 82,000 drop-side cribs according to a recently published story. The potential safety hazard with drop-side cribs is that the drop-side rail can become partially detached, creating a gap between the rail and mattress where a baby might get [...]
26
2010
Ohio Supreme Court Tries to Deny the Rights of Injured Workers
You may be aware of the Ohio Supreme Court’s two decisions this week which upheld the General Assembly’s attempted restriction of an injured worker’s ability to bring suit for an employer intentional tort. The upshot of these decisions is that the General Assembly’s statute–Ohio Revised Code Section 2745.01–is constitutional. The question left largely unanswered by [...]
26
2010
At Least 11 People Killed in Semi Truck Crash
Tragedy struck today in Kentucky when a tractor-trailer crossed the median on I-65, striking a church van. The driver of the semi truck and several of the passengers in the van were killed. Statistically, some of the most devastating crashes involve a semi truck. Consider the following startling statistics from a study published by the National [...]