Hopefully this post on Restore Your Dignity will draw some attention to the topic and make other states think twice before taking similar action.

• Experience: Make sure the firm has extensive personal injury experience, including negotiating with insurance companies, achieving out-of-court settlements with opposing attorneys, and litigating successfully in court.
• Representative case results achieved by the firm: Some sites list the results of their cases, providing valuable insight into how your case might be handled.
• Compassionate tone: The language on the site must be easy to understand, informative, and reflect the ability of the firm to understand how you feel and work with you in a manner that makes you comfortable.
• Fee structure: An injury attorney often does not require you to pay until your case has been won. If the site does not indicate this structure, make sure you ask about it before coming in for an initial consultation. And, if there is a charge for that first visit, keep looking-many attorneys offer a free initial consultation, particularly in cases of personal injury.
• Make good use of the first visit by coming prepared to explain the details of your accident-and to ask questions, including the following:
• What options do you recommend for my case? Not all cases require a court trial, particularly when your case is relatively uncomplicated. You need to carefully weigh the options presented by the attorney to ensure you are not exposed to undue stress during your case.
• What types of resources do you use to help prove my case? The attorney should have access to experienced accident investigators, medical experts, and expert witnesses as needed to support your case.
• What can I expect when I have questions or concerns? Depending on the complexity of your case, pursuing an accidental injury case can take a long time. You want to be sure you can get timely answers to your questions as you go through the process.

Take the time to make the right choice
Do your research so you have the best chance of finding an attorney who can remove much of the pain and confusion while ensuring you get the best possible resolution for your case.
In New York, state accident laws can be very complex. Your New York injury attorney must understand how local laws address such issues as proving liability, determining degree of fault for all involved parties, and the amount and type of compensation that can be pursued. Make sure the attorney you select has extensive experience.

If you use this product, check your box because the lot number for the affected product is 9239028831.  We will have more news on this as it becomes available.

The advisory was released after an FDA investigation of the effects of combining Prilosec and Plavix found that their combined use reduces the effective of Plavix by almost 50%. The FDA will now require new warnings on the label for Plavix, Prilosec and other heartburn medications that work the same way by inhibiting the CYP2C19 enzyme, which interacts with Plavix.

Plavix is a blood thinner that prevents platelets from sticking together and forming clots.  It is a blockbuster medication, generating over $6 billion annually for Bristol Myers Squibb.  Prilosec and other stomach acid drugs are often prescribed in tandem with Plavix to combat upset stomachs, a common side effect of Plavix.

Whats scary about this is that Plavix is usually only prescribed to patients who have a very high risk of heart attacks or strokes.  Reducing it’s effectiveness by 50% can be a death sentence for these patients.  If you know anybody who takes Plavix, warn them about this immediatly.  Everyday they do not know this they are putting their life in danger.  If they have any adverse affects while taking Plavix and a stomach acid inhibitor while taking Plavix, they should contact a lawyer to discuss their options.  According to the FDA, Zantac, Pepcid, Axid, Mylanta and Maalox are safe alternatives to Prilosec and its generics for Plavix patients. 

Many of you may better know ezetimibe as the active ingredient in the cholesterol drugs Zetia and Vytorin, which have combined for $21 billion in sales since 2003.  To emulate its effectiveness with a vitamin that can be purchased in any supermarket or drug store for under $5 seemed like a long shot.  But niacin not only held its own against ezetimibe, it outperformed it. According to the studies’ lead investigator, Allen Taylor:

“The results are very clear…niacin was superiour”

Unlike the other drugs featured on this site, no one will argue that ezetimibe is dangerous.  It has even been shown to be an effective drug, but the 21 billion dollar question is this: is it better than the inexpensive and easily obtained niacin?  The overwhelming evidence says no.

Leggio sent a letter to Proctor & Gamble, Drucacell’s parent company, asking to speak with them about the high levels of lead and mercury.  However, instead of responding Proctor & amble forwarded Leggio’s letter to Sleepy Hollow officials to remind them that in 2003 they agreed to protect the Fortune 500 company from future claims.

This is a sad example of a company doing whatever possible to avoid being responsible for dangers they caused.  Both of these chemicals can cause health problems other than tumors including:

• tremors
• mood swings
• irritability
• nervousness
• insomnia
• muscle atrophy
• headaches
• loss of cognitive function
• hypertension
• reproductive problems
• memory loss

Mercury can even affect the kidneys and lungs in higher concentrations and is potentially fatal.  Leggio has said that he is, “not the type of person who would pursue a frivolous lawsuit,” but he and seven other people who lived near the plant would like to talk to Proctor & Gamble officials, “as soon as possible.”  Hopefully Proctor & Gamble will atleast grant them that.

This is the strongest signal yet that the United States government considers this a serious problem.  Hopefully this will lead to action in an attempt to remedy the situation.  We will be on the lookout for more news next week during the visit, but until then you can read up on the dangers of defective Chinese drywall here.

I also would like to use this space to remind our readers that if you know anyone with diabetes, you should take it upon yourself to warn them of just how hazardous Avandia can be to their health.  You could be saving their life.  Also, speaking to an avandia lawyer and discussing your options is always a good idea.

So while it may seem that Yaz is safer due to it containing a third less estrogen, taking it three more days a month neutralizes that advantage.  The real problem is that since Yaz contains less estrogen Bayer has taken that as a go ahead to market it as a type of “lifestyle pill” instead of the potentially harmful drug that it is.  For more information about the dangers of Yaz and Yasmin read our previous article.

To combat this Medicaid has come up with a list of eight “never events”.  These are situations that it will not repay the hospitals or doctors to correct, because they are preventable and should not occur.  They are:

• Vascular catheter-associated infection
• Catheter-associated urinary tract infection
• Surgical site infection-mediastinitis after coronary bypass graft surgery
• Hospital acquired injuries
• Foreign object left in patient after surgery
• Death/disability associated with air embolism
• Death/disability associated with blood incompatibility
• Pressure ulcers

If any of those injuries occurs to a hospitalized patient, it is now up to the hospital to correct it, not Medicaid.  Hopefully this will alleviate some of the stress on Medicaid’s budget and incentive caregivers to do a better job, because they will now have to pay out of their own pockets to fix their mistakes.  If you or a loved one has suffered from one of these “never events” you should contact a lawyer to help you consider your options.