- Staff Writer | May 29, 2007 5:55 PM |
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MiscellaneousA few months ago, I shared a concern that, despite warnings about unnecessary risks of exposing social security numbers and other personal information to identity theft, the Maricopa County Recorder's Office continued to allow unfettered access to private confidential information on its web site. Thankfully, it appears that the County has been working toward a resolution of this problem. ...
- Staff Writer | May 27, 2007 9:00 AM |
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Medical MalpracticeAs if struggling with and battling cancer is not enough, according to a researcher at Johns Hopkins Children Center, children often must also face the additional battle of having to overcome problems relating to medication errors. Children with cancer often get the wrong dose of chemotherapy or are given the drug at the wrong time, and many require treatment because of the errors, U.S....
- Staff Writer | May 24, 2007 1:19 PM |
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MiscellaneousBased upon increasing public pressure, yesterday lobbyist Michael Baroody removed his name from consideration to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In another post, I questioned whether a lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) should head an organization which has conflicting objectives. The National Association of Manufacturers lobbies on behalf of many...
- Staff Writer | May 21, 2007 4:05 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsRecently Purdue Pharma, together with three company executives, agreed to plead guilty to misleading the public in its marketing approach for the narcotic drug OxyContin. The company also agreed to pay fines and other assessments totalling $600 million dollars in one of the largest criminal penalties ever assessed against a company. According to the New York Times, Purdue Pharma mislead the...
- Staff Writer | May 19, 2007 9:26 AM |
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MiscellaneousIf you believe that you have been defamed by a public official, should you have the right to file a defamation lawsuit? The Arizona Attorney General's office has asked the Arizona Supreme Court to decide this issue. In January, 2007, the Arizona Court of Appeals allowed a developer to sue Attorney General Terry Goddard for defamation when he informed the media that the developer:committed...
- Staff Writer | May 14, 2007 4:37 PM |
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Automobile AccidentsLast week, the Arizona Legislature passed the Teenage Driver Safety Act, legislation which places driving limitations on new young drivers to help minimize risk of automobile accidents. The bill limits teens as follows:The act provides for driving restrictions from midnight to 5 a.m. and passenger limitations for the first six months a new teen driver holds a Class G driver's license. According...
- Staff Writer | May 10, 2007 5:18 PM |
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MiscellaneousTalk about a fox guarding the hen house, the Bush administration recently nominated a lobbyist and Executive Vice President of the National Association of Manufacturers to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Describing the consumer safety purposes for its existence, the CPSC:is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than...
- Staff Writer | May 08, 2007 5:00 PM |
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MiscellaneousThe Transportation Security Administration has apparently lost a computer hard drive containing personal information concerning over 100,000 employees this week possibly exposing them to risk of identity theft. According to the TSA, the hard drive was discovered missing from a controlled area and officials have called in the FBI and Secret Service to assist in the investigation to determine the...
- Staff Writer | May 07, 2007 5:00 PM |
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MiscellaneousToday in the Los Angeles Times, I read about the health insurance company Blue Shield of California which has been sued by a policyholder alleging bad faith for refusing to pay medical bills totalling $450,000 arising out of a serious car accident. According the the article, the insureds applied for health insurance, paid premiums and received an individual policy through Blue Shield of...
- Staff Writer | May 05, 2007 7:20 AM |
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MiscellaneousI read a story today about a Judge in Washington DC who has taken it upon himself to sue a dry cleaning business for a total of $65 million dollars because the business lost a pair of his trousers. This lawsuit presents a perfect example of what appears to be frivolous litigation which should be dismissed. We hear numerous stories and media attention often focuses on frivolous litigation. We...
- Staff Writer | May 02, 2007 7:30 PM |
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Medical MalpracticeAccording to the World Health Organization, healthcare errors affect one out of every ten patients worldwide. Based on this alarming trend, the World Health Organization prepared patient safety checklists to help professional healthcare providers avoid simple medical mistakes. By following the "Nine Patient Safety Solutions," the organization hopes to see substantial medical error rate...