Recent Blog Posts
$80 Million Settlement Keeps Medical Device Manufacturer Clear of Civil and Criminal Charges
A medical device manufacturer under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for defrauding doctors and putting the health and safety of patients at risk recently pleaded guilty to a charge of selling an adulterated medical device. OtisMed also agreed to an $80 million settlement to release it from other criminal and civil charges… Read More »
FDA Releases List of the 60 Most Serious Medical Device Recalls of 2014
Surgical devices with components that may detach during use. Monitors, meters and pumps that may administer an incorrect dosage or deliver false results. Ventilators that may stop working mid-use. Surgical packs, filters and wound gel exposed to bacterial and viral contamination. These are just a handful of the reasons the U.S. Food and Drug… Read More »
Milwaukee Judge Refuses to Reduce $25 Million Medical Malpractice Judgment Despite State Cap of $750,000 on Noneconomic Damages
A woman who lost all four limbs because emergency room physicians failed to inform her she might have an infection that could be treated with antibiotics was awarded $25.3 million by a Milwaukee County jury. Two-thirds of that award ($16.5 million) was meant to compensate the woman for her pain and suffering and loss… Read More »
Twenty Percent of Indiana Trucks Found with Brake System Violations During Surprise Inspections
Earlier this year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in conjunction with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), conducted a series of unannounced roadside inspections of trucks and buses across North America. Of the 7,701 commercial trucks inspected in the U.S., over 15% were discovered with out-of-service (OOS) violations for brake adjustment or… Read More »
Pelvic Mesh Manufacturer Hides Info on Defective Product: Jury Responds with $50 Million in Punitive Damages
The latest result in the ongoing litigation over transvaginal pelvic mesh devices has yielded the largest verdict by far. Even before this case reached a verdict, at least one medical device manufacturer had already thrown in the towel and agreed to settle the thousands of cases filed against it for more than $800 million…. Read More »
NOSSCR Director Explains Growth in SSDI Claimants
Last August, the Executive Director of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR), Barbara Silverstone, had a commentary published in The Hill’s Congress blog (SSDI: The truth behind media and political mischaracterizations). Her commentary is an excellent explanation of the Social Security Disability process and a defense of the need for the… Read More »
Alcohol a Suspected Factor in Fatal Indianapolis Head-on Collision
Two people died and another person was sent to the hospital following an Indianapolis car crash earlier this month. The accident occurred near the intersection of Fall Creek Road and Sand Key Lane on the northeast side of the city near the Geist Reservoir in Hamilton County. The head-on collision occurred around 10:30 at… Read More »
Retail Giant Wal-Mart May be Liable to Tracy Morgan for Truck Accident Injuries
On June 7th, actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike when the Mercedes Benz Sprinter limousine bus he was riding in was rear-ended by a semi tractor-trailer owned and operated by Wal-Mart. Morgan was severely injured in the accident, suffering several broken bones and being transported to the hospital… Read More »
Independent Study and Insurance Industry’s Own Testimony Belie Need to Cap Damages in Medical Malpractice
Earlier this year, the Florida Supreme Court stuck down the state’s law imposing caps on noneconomic damages (pain and suffering) in wrongful death medical malpractice cases. The court in Estate of McCall v. U.S. held that the law was unfair, arbitrary and unconstitutional. In addition, the court took great pains to deflate the argument… Read More »
Indiana Eliminates Medicaid Spend-Down, Eases Eligibility for Aged, Blind and Disabled
Beginning June 1st, individuals applying for Medicaid in the aged, blind or disabled categories will be automatically enrolled in the program, provided they have received a determination of eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Technically, Indiana is transitioning from a 209(b) state to 1634 status. In plain English,… Read More »
