In a recent editorial, the Boston Globe called for mandatory, universal standards to regulate the use of Computed Tomography (CT) scans, due to recent reports that such scans are not only overused, but may contribute to one out of every 100 cancers in the U.S. A CT scan is a medical imaging procedure that gives [...]
The Michigan Supreme Court has held that parents cannot sign away children’s rights by agreeing to a liability waiver. The case involved a five-year-old boy who broke his leg while playing on an inflatable slide at Bounce Party, a children’s recreation center. The boy’s mother sued the center’s owner for negligence because the boy was [...]
According to a BBC report Monday, Deepwater Horizon rig worker Tyrone Benton identified a leak in one of the control pods that helped operate the blowout preventer, a failsafe device which would have shut off the flow of oil from the well in the event of a catastrophe, before the explosion. “We saw a leak [...]
The AP reported Monday that BP has now spent $2 billion in two months of fighting the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and compensating affected parties, with no definite end in sight for the disaster or a set price tag. The amount includes $105 million in claims that have reportedly been paid out to 32,000 [...]
A class action has been filed against Boston-based LPL Financial, alleging that a Nebraska broker mislead investors about variable annuities sold by the company. The annuities at issue combined a life insurance policy with mutual funds and securities investments. The objectives of such variable annuities are to defer tax gains and provide a death benefit, [...]
James City County, Virginia, home to a number of houses built with tainted Chinese drywall, has lowered the property values of such homes to $100, plus the value of the land. The county’s actions will provide tax relief for homeowners burdened with the contaminated properties. Chinese drywall can emit noxious fumes that corrode electronic components [...]
With all of the health and environmental issues surrounding the Gulf oil spill, one danger has been overlooked: methane. Methane is a colorless, odorless and flammable gas that is a major known component in the natural gas used to heat people’s homes. At high levels, it can be a serious threat to the Gulf of [...]
A newly-launched website by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes it easier for consumers and doctors to find drug safety information about recently-approved medicines. The web page, titled the Postmarketing Drug Safety Evaluations site, will set forth information the FDA collects about new drugs, either18 months after the drug’s approval by the agency [...]
The American Medical Association (AMA) has found that commercial health insurance companies inaccurately process 20% of claims, according to the third-annual report on the subject recently released by the group. According to the AMA, approximately $210 billion is spent annually to process insurance claims. While the most recent report card reflects an improvement over recent [...]
Since the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and massive oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico eight weeks ago, BP has been fighting to save their image. As time drags on, frustrations against the British oil giant have continued to mount, even to the point that CEO Tony Hayward appeared in television and print ads [...]
