All Topics

• Medication Errors Cause Patient Harm

  Staff Writer | July 21, 2006 11:38 AM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  Yesterday the Institute of Medicine issued a press-release concerning its report on medication errors. According to the Institute of Medicine, Medication errors are among the most common medical errors, harming at least 1.5 million people every year, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. The extra medical costs of treating drug-related injuries occurring...

• Ohio State Database Exposes Confidential Information

  Staff Writer | April 20, 2007 11:37 AM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  According to the on-line edition of Computerworld, a database containing social security numbers of approximately 14,000 current and former employees at Ohio State University has been the most recent source of possible identity theft. This situation apparently involved foreign thieves from three different countries hacking into an Ohio State University database containing sensitive employee...

• Would You Feed Your Dog or Cat Rat Poison?

  Staff Writer | March 23, 2007 3:41 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  According to the Associated Press, scientists have found rat poison in recalled dog and cat pet food manufactured by the Menu Foods Corporation. Recently, the Menu Foods Corporation issued a product recall of certain dog and cat food because something in the pet food had been causing kidney failure or worse. Now we have been informed that a derivative of rat poison has been found in these...

• Public Records Containing Social Security Numbers Readily Available in Arizona

  Staff Writer | March 01, 2007 9:48 AM | 2 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  Yesterday News Channel Five reported that some county records containing social security numbers and other confidential information are readily available for inspection by anybody with internet access which unfortunately presents criminals with an invitation to commit identity theft. How would you feel if your social security number has been published on the internet because it has been...

• Channel 12 News Reporter Victim of Identity Theft

  Staff Writer | July 03, 2006 6:42 PM | 1 CommentPhoenix, AZ

  Well Rick DeBruhl, a news reporter with Channel Twelve News in Arizona just became an apparent victim of identity theft and decided to write a story about it in the Arizona Republic. His story presents an interesting variation of typical identity theft problems which unfortunately have been popping up more and more frequently. Apparently, this news reporter's identity on E-Bay was stolen and...

• Liability for Failure to Prevent Risks of Criminal Activity

  Staff Writer | April 30, 2007 5:02 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  I read today that a female Circle K clerk in Tucson filed a lawsuit against her employer alleging that the company provided negligent security which allowed a customer to abduct and sexually assault her. According to the newspaper article in the Arizona Daily Star, Circle K should have known of "criminal dangers" at that store. . . . [T]he company should have staffed at least two employees...

• Preventing Spinal Cord Injuries

  Staff Writer | August 10, 2006 6:39 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  According to the Arizona Governor's Council on Spinal and Head Injuries, in the United States, about 10,000 people each year suffer from a spinal cord injury. The Governor's office defines a spinal cord injury as, a severance or injury to the spinal cord, which may result in partial or total paralysis of the arms, legs or both and may also impair vital functions.The Governor's Council suggests...

• Recent Safety Recalls Highlight Continuing Fight for Accountability

  Staff Writer | August 21, 2007 10:05 AM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  Have you heard about recent recalls of tainted pet food involving food safety? How about toy recalls involving possible lead paint exposure? Have you heard about even more toy recalls involving choking hazards for small children? How about laptop computer batteries recalled due to a fire hazards? After hearing about all of these recalls, do you believe that consumer products are safer or more...

• Insurers Profits Rising Based on Bad Business Practices?

  Staff Writer | August 10, 2007 9:00 PM | 0 CommentsPhoenix, AZ

  A recent article in the on-line publication Bloomberg suggests that anti-consumer insurance industry practices have led to a stark increase in insurance profits in recent years. According to Bloomberg, consumers have been bearing the burden of bad-faith insurance industry practices:Insurers often pay 30-60 percent of the cost of rebuilding a damaged home -- even when carriers assure homeowners...

• Automobile Theft Can Lead to Identity Theft

  Staff Writer | July 22, 2007 8:00 AM | 1 CommentPhoenix, AZ

  Arizona leads the nation in reported cases of identity theft. According to the Arizona Republic, metropolitan Phoenix also ranks fourth in the nation in reported cases of automobile theft as well. Considering these statistics together raises some concerns for drivers in Phoenix who leave various personal documents inside their cars. The Republic cautions that based on identity and auto theft...