Posts by Richard Plattner
How the Nonprofit EndDD.org Is Helping End Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a leading cause of car, truck, and vehicle accidents across America. Distracted driving includes any activity that takes the driver’s focus off driving, whether it takes the driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off of traffic. Common examples include texting while driving, talking on a smartphone while…
Read MoreWho is Liable in a Vehicle Crash Caused by a Medical Emergency?
On average, more than 6 million car accidents occur in the United States each year. Some of them have an official cause listed as a medical emergency. Medical emergencies can never be anticipated, especially when someone is driving alone. A majority of medical emergencies cannot be prevented either. This means that the driver who suffers…
Read MoreHow New Title IX Regulations Could Affect Sexual Assault Claims on College Campuses
On May 6, 2020, the United States Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos took steps to strengthen protections under Title IX for survivors of sexual assault. It requires due process on all campuses so that students can obtain an education free of sexual harassment and discrimination. This is the first time in the history of…
Read MoreWeight Loss Drugs Belviq® and Belviq XR® Withdrawn from Market after Study Shows Increased Cancer Risk
Eisai Inc., the manufacturer of weight loss drugs Belviq® and Belviq XR®, voluntarily agreed to withdraw these drugs from the market after a clinical safety study showed an increased risk of cancer associated with taking the medications. The drugs are also known by the name loracaserin. As a condition of FDA approval of loracaserin in…
Read MoreAre Autopilot Systems Truly As Safe As They’re Intended to Be?
One of the biggest safety issues when it comes to the roadways these days is distracted driving that poses serious risk for crashes, injuries, and deaths. Fully and partially autonomous vehicles are supposed to help curb that risk, but how well do they really work? Autopilot systems are coming under scrutiny, especially since a Tesla…
Read MoreNewell and Graco Baby Sleepers Can Cause Infants to Suffocate
Parents have the right to trust that when they buy a baby sleeper, their infant will sleep comfortably and wake up from their nap or sleep to enjoy the day. Parents also have the right to hold the manufacturers of these sleepers accountable for any deaths or harm that results from a defective baby sleeper…
Read MoreAuto Insurance Coronavirus Rebates & Credits – What You Should Know
Lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, and working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives. Think about it – when was the last time you actually took your car for a drive? Most of us have barely put any mileage on our cars for more than a month. It seems pretty unfair to…
Read MoreBrain Injuries – Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)
A complementary technology is being used to supplement magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests to better detect and to show the severity of brain injuries. This technology, called diffuse tensor imaging, has been around for about 20 years. According to Imagilys, “Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is an MRI-based neuroimaging technique which makes it possible to estimate the…
Read MoreBirth Injuries – Facial Injuries
Obstetricians and other doctors in the birth delivery and aftercare process should anticipate the many things that can go wrong – both in the delivery room and afterward in the hospital. There are many birth injuries that are preventable if they are treated competently and quickly. Some birth injuries affect a newborn’s life permanently. Others…
Read MoreRailroad Company Responsibility at Railroad Crossings
As a general rule, when cars or pedestrians cross a railroad track, they are crossing as the railroad company’s guest. As with property liability claims, the railroad company owes you a duty of care to ensure the crossing area is safe – in the same way businesses need to make sure their property doesn’t have…
Read MorePremises Liability for Snow, Ice and Water in Arizona
Property owners and homeowners in Arizona both owe a duty to people who are legally on their property to protect the them from preventable hazards. More precisely, a property owner can be held liable for injuries due to a slip and fall – if the owner knew or should have known of a dangerous condition…
Read MoreHow Long Will My Car Accident Claim Take?
Just as most injuries take time to heal, injury claims take time to fully prepare and document the key evidence. If you rush the process, your claim may not be successful, or you could end up accepting less compensation than you rightfully deserve. Insurance adjusters don’t work for victims; they work for insurance companies who…
Read MoreWhat Causes Chemical Birth Defects?
Birth injuries are often a result of preventable medical negligence that occurs during labor or delivery. Birth defects, however, develop during pregnancy, and may not be evident until the child is born. Many times, a birth defect is just an unfortunate anomaly that could not have been prevented; it was genetic, or related to an…
Read MoreWe Need to Talk about Safety Inspections
Over the last month, the news headlines have been dominated by Boeing: the software that failed, the regulations that were loosened, and the number of people who have died on 737 MAX crashes because of systemic failures to keep planes safe. It’s an important story, because it highlights just how much damage self-regulation with an…
Read MoreHow Many More Vape Pens Have to Explode before They’re Banned?
When Kailani Burton bought her 17-year-old son a vape pen, she did so with the best of intentions: she wanted her son to stop smoking. What she did not anticipate was that the pen would explode in her son’s mouth, forcing her to drive 200 miles from her home to the closest trauma center for…
Read MoreDeaths and Injuries Due to Medical Devices Continue to Mount
The dangers of medical devices are becoming more apparent. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) reported in February 2019, that the US Food and Drug Administration has agreed to release information, previously hidden from the public, about defective medical devices. For the past 20 years, the FDA has allowed manufacturers to provide quarterly reports…
Read MoreNew Bill Would Protect Veterans by Letting Them File Claims for Military Medical Malpractice
Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-California) has introduced legislation to help members of the military file claims against the health system for medical malpractice. Currently, it is federal policy to bar medical malpractice claims by active veterans against their healthcare providers. The bill, called the Richard Stavskal Military Medical Bill, is named after Sgt. First Class Richard…
Read MoreHashish IS Marijuana, per the Supreme Court of Arizona
Arizona’s history with medical marijuana hasn’t always been smooth, but as of 2010, it’s been legal. Under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA), qualifying patients could obtain a card that would allow them to purchase and have up to 2.5 ounces of “usable” marijuana, and to grow up to 12 plants. On May 28, the…
Read MoreKids II and Fisher Price Recall Rocking Sleepers Linked to Infant Deaths
Kids II (also called Kids2) has recalled all of models of its infant rocking sleepers due to potential deadly hazards posed to infants. The recall affects close to 694,000 units, and comes on the heels of Fisher-Price recalling 4.7 million Rock ‘n Play sleepers, which have been linked to between 10 and 32 infant deaths…
Read MoreMay is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
For many, the warm weather and open roads in and around Phoenix offer year-round joy for motorcycle riders and passengers. While riding a motorcycle may be a lot of fun and a cheap alternative to cars, there are many inherent dangers in riding a motorcycle. The odds of dying in a traffic accident, according to…
Read MoreTo Settle or Not to Settle: What Is Best for a Personal Injury Claim?
One of the most common questions we are asked is, “Should I settle my claim, or go to trial?” The truth is, in some cases, a settlement may be a better option for you than a trial would be. Today, Randall Hinsch and Nick Verderame get into the nitty-gritty of settling a case, in the…
Read MoreLime and Bird E-Scooters – Deadly and Dangerous
Electronic scooters, or e-scooters, have taken a lot of U.S. cities by storm. According to CNN, the leading makers of electronic scooters are Bird Rides, Inc., a rideshare company based in California; and Lime, which is already selling its scooters in 70 cities. The scooters are popular across America and the leading cities of Europe.…
Read MoreExploding Vape Pen Kills Texas Man
The threats posed by e-cigarettes (also referred to as a vape pens) to the well-being of consumers, have been well publicized in recent years. The recent death of a young man in Texas related to vaping has focused additional attention to the potential dangers of the practice. On January 27, 24-year-old William Brown lost his…
Read MoreThe Safety Institute Publishes Its Annual Vehicle Safety Watch
The Safety Institute’s Vehicle Safety Watch List Analytics and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Enforcement Monitoring Program alerts the public to potential vehicle safety issues on a quarterly basis. In memory of Brooke Melton, who was killed in a 2010 accident resulting from a sudden ignition failure in her 2005 Chevy cobalt, Ken and…
Read MoreCar Crashes and Truck Accidents in Arizona
A lot of times, folks ask us if there’s a difference between getting into a car accident with another passenger vehicle, like a car or SUV, and with a commercial vehicle, like a big-rig. There are a lot of differences between these two types of accidents. In the following videos, partner Randy Hinsch will discuss…
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