The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

The best time to learn what to do after a car accident is before it happens. A car accident is a frightening, stressful and totally unexpected event. Car accidents can happen to anyone, even the most cautious drivers can be involved in an accident through no fault of their own. If you are prepared to deal with the aftermath of an accident, whether it is a fender bender or an accident with injuries, it will allow you to cope with the consequences calmly and efficiently.

If you ever have the misfortune to be involved in a car accident you should remain as calm as possible, check for injuries and call 911. If It is possible, move your vehicle to a safer place off the road, out of the traffic, but do not leave the scene of the accident before police arrive. Notify your insurance company and try to obtain as much information from the other driver involved and any witnesses. Do not make any statements to anyone about the accident before consulting an experienced car accident attorney.

Dealing with the consequences of a car accident are sometimes more stressful than the accident itself. A car accident may leave you physically, emotionally and legally challenged.

If you live in Tuskegee, Alabama or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has been involved in a car accident, please contact an experienced car accident attorney at the Tuskegee, Alabama office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to obtain justice for you and your loved ones and get you the compensation you are entitled to.

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Have you or someone you care about been a victim of a defective consumer product? Every year thousands of American consumers are injured by defective consumer products. These unsafe or defective consumer products include cars, tires, electronics, appliances, household goods, toys, pet foods, baby car seats and strollers, vehicle parts, cosmetics, medical devices, the list is endless.

When an injury results from simply using a consumer product, it is possible to file a product liability lawsuit. When a consumer product is defective and causes an injury or death, the manufacturer, designer or distributor can be held legally responsible for that injury or death. In recent years serious injuries have resulted from the use of defective tires, faulty medical devices and cars.

Product liability laws are complicated and there are time limits involved in filing a claim. It is important to consult an experienced product liability lawyer if you or someone you care about has been injured by a defective consumer product to ensure your claim is filed quickly and efficiently.

If you live in Washington, D.C. or the surrounding area, and you or someone you love has been injured or killed because of a defective consumer product, please contact an experienced product liability attorney at the Washington, D.C. office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect your legal rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.

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If you are injured on someone else's property, the owner of the property can be held legally responsible for your injuries. Premises liability injuries can happen by slipping and falling on a broken sidewalk, falling down a poorly lit stairway, being assaulted in a shopping mall parking lot, slipping on a wet floor in a restaurant, or any number of incidents.

Determining who is responsible can depend on whether the owner of the property knew the hazardous or dangerous condition responsible for your injury existed and did nothing to correct it, or should have known the hazardous or dangerous condition responsible for your injury existed and did nothing to correct it.

Premises liability awards may compensate you for medical expenses, loss of income, loss of future potential earning capacity, pain and suffering and in the case of a fatality, the survivors may also be compensated for their losses. An experienced premises liability attorney has the expertise and knowledge to determine who is responsible for your injuries and hold them legally accountable.

If you live in San Francisco, California or the surrounding area, and you or someone you care about has been injured on someone else's property, please contact an experienced premises liability attorney at the San Francisco office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect your legal rights and obtain justice for you and your loved ones and get you the compensation you deserve.

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Defective pharmaceuticals with dangerous and often deadly side effects infiltrate our healthcare system despite efforts to protect the American consumer. When there is a question about the health benefits of a certain drug being outweighed by dangerous side effects, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will issue a warning.

Common types of drugs considered to have issues of potential dangerous side effects to consumers have included drugs used for arthritis pain, cholesterol lowering drugs, diet drugs, anti-depressants and some vaccines. Recently two nasal cold remedies, Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs were withdrawn from the marketplace by their manufacturer after a warning from the FDA there were reports of consumers losing their sense of smell after using this product.

Although side effects from the use of certain medications are commonplace, the consumption of a defective pharmaceutical will do more harm than good. Defective pharmaceutical consumption results in great pain and suffering. Lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies involved result in damages reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.

If you live in New Orleans, Louisiana or the surrounding area, and you or someone you care about has been the victim of a defective pharmaceutical, please contact an experienced defective pharmaceutical attorney at the New Orleans, Louisiana office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a consultation to obtain justice for you and your loved ones.

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When you have an automobile accident, you may need the services of an attorney. Every automobile accident is different when it comes to causes, fault and liability. This is a time when the assistance of an experienced automobile accident attorney may prove to be invaluable.

Insurance companies routinely deny or delay legitimate claims or just refuse to settle your claim fairly and honestly. An experienced automobile accident attorney will be on your side working for your best interests. The insurance company hopes your lack of expertise in dealing with the system will discourage you from getting the compensation you are entitled to.

There are over six million automobile accidents in this country every year with over three million injuries and over forty-five thousand deaths. The majority of automobile accidents are caused by drivers operating their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, driver fatigue and distractions, road rage, and hazardous weather or road conditions.

If you live in Houston, Texas or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has been injured or suffered a fatal injury in an automobile accident, please contact an experienced automobile accident attorney at the Houston, Texas office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to ensure your legal rights are protected and you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.

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A sports utility rollover accident occurs when the vehicle turns over on its side or roof usually as a result of turning sharply at a high rate of speed. All motor vehicles are capable of turning over, but sports utility vehicles with their high centers of gravity are prone to doing so at a much higher rate than other vehicles. High speeds and slick roadways can increase the probability of a rollover accident.

Rollover crashes are responsible for over 33% of motor vehicle accident fatalities. Over 10,000 Americans suffer fatal injuries annually because of rollover crashes. Many of the injured and dead suffered catastrophic injuries in the rollover crashes when the vehicle roofs collapsed.

Sports utility vehicles are three times more likely to rollover than other vehicles. Statistics show over 60% of fatalities in a sports utility crash involved a rollover. People involved in sports utility rollover accidents usually incur massive medical expenses, suffer lost wages and loss of future earning potential and in the event of a death, their survivors losses are emotional as well as financial.

If you live in Detroit, Michigan or the surrounding area, and you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a sports utility rollover accident, please contact the Detroit, Michigan office of The Cochran Firm today where an experienced sports utility vehicle rollover accident attorney can help you protect your legal rights with a no cost to you confidential consultation.

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The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are car accidents, falls, sports-related injuries and criminal assaults. Children and senior citizens are the highest risk groups for falls, and young men are the highest risk group for car and motorcycle accident and sports-related traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries are responsible for many Americans suffering permanent disability and death each year.

A traumatic brain injury is caused by a sudden violent blow to the head. The section of the brain affected usually determines the severity of the injury suffered. Traumatic brain injuries can be considered mild, which is commonly known as a concussion or severe, which can cause death.

A mild traumatic brain injury can cause a brief period of unconsciousness, a headache, slight temporary confusion and dizziness. A severe traumatic brain injury causes a persistent headache, nausea and vomiting, seizures, profound confusion, weakness in the extremities and the inability to awaken. A severe traumatic brain injury, if the victim survives, usually requires a long period of hospitalization extended rehabilitation and occupational therapy. A victim of a traumatic brain injury will require physical, psychological and financial help for months and years after they have been injured.

If you are a resident of Dallas, Texas or the surrounding area and you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury, please contact an experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer at The Cochran Firm's Dallas, Texas office today to learn about your legal rights by scheduling a confidential consultation at no cost to you.

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Automobile accidents can be caused by many factors, such as distracted drivers, drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless drivers, drivers driving over the posted speed limit, adverse weather conditions or hazardous road conditions or just plain bad luck.

The leading cause of death for Americans aged three to thirty-three is car accidents. Distracted drivers are responsible for over 50% of all car accidents. A distracted driver can be someone talking or texting on a cell phone, someone reading a map, adjusting the radio or CD player, or someone distracted by an unruly child or pet. We all share the roads with these drivers everyday and it is frightening to think about.

There is an automobile accident every 10 seconds in this country, resulting in over three million injuries and forty-four thousand deaths annually. Pedestrians do not fare any better, with over five thousand fatally injured by automobiles each year. Car accidents increase by 50% after the sun goes down.

If you live in Chicago, Illinois or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about was injured or killed in an automobile accident, please contact an experienced automobile accident attorney at the Chicago, Illinois office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights and whether you are entitled to compensation.

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utomobile accidents, falls, sports-related injuries and criminal assaults are the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries. In children and adults over 75 years of age, falls are a major cause of traumatic brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injuries contribute to many cases of permanent disability and deaths every year in the United States. The signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may be subtle or catastrophic. Some common signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury are headache or neck pain, confusion, dizziness, loss of balance, nausea or vomiting, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness. The severity of symptoms can range from mild to severe.

A traumatic brain injury can cause a wide range of functional changes that affect thinking, sensation, emotion and language capabilities. Traumatic brain injury can cause epilepsy, and an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders.

If you live in Birmingham, Alabama or the surrounding area and you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury, please contact an experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer at the Birmingham, Alabama office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights and whether you are entitled to compensation for the injury you or your loved one has suffered.

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On Friday, Roche decided to pull its brand name drug Accutane from the US market after losing at least $33 million to victims who filed pharmaceutical injury (dangerous drug) lawsuits against the company. Accutane was Roche's second-best-selling drug until the patent on the formula expired in 2002 and generic versions became available. Now, the brand name drug holds less than 5 percent of the US market.

Patients who took the acne drug and experienced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or other conditions have claimed, in nearly 5000 personal injury lawsuits, that the drug maker failed to properly warn them that the drug increased their risk for IBD. The danger became evident in pre-approval clinical trials, but, according to plaintiffs, was not made sufficiently clear on the drug's labeling. Roche had hoped that a favorable verdict in the Supreme Court case Levine v. Wyeth, decided March 4, 2009, might save them from lawsuits. Instead, the verdict established a clear burden for drug companies to warn people taking their drugs, and Roche has been unable to show it took adequate steps to warn people of this danger. Read more about Accutane, preemption, and IBD.

If you suffered serious side effects as a result of using Accutane or another dangerous drug, schedule a free consultation with the pharmaceutical injury lawyers at The Cochran Firm. Our nationwide network of lawyers and resources allows us to stand up for you against major opponents like pharmaceutical manufacturers and win.

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Cameron Thomas was awarded almost $860,000 in a premises liability lawsuit related to a fall he suffered at a sleepover in 2004. At the time of the accident, Thomas was 10 years old. He fell from the top bunk bed during a sleepover with his friend. As a result of the accident, Thomas suffered a brain injury which has led to the development of learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

The bunk bed responsible for the fall was missing its guard rail and ladder. The parents of Thomas' friend claim that they removed the guard rail because it broke. The court found them guilty of negligence in failing to make the necessary repairs to ensure that the bunk bed was safe. The damage award is intended to compensate Thomas for past and future medical expenses and loss of future earning capacity.

If you or a loved one has been injured on another's property and believe your injury was caused by the negligent actions of the property owner, you may be eligible to receive compensation under premises liability law. The personal injury lawyers at The Cochran Firm can provide you with the quality representation needed to ensure a proper recovery of damages.

Please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a consultation. We serve clients nationwide.

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Home Depot and MTD Products, Inc, are at the center of a recent defective consumer product suit after a riding lawnmower flipped and seriously injured a Collinsville, Wisconsin man almost two years ago. The man was reportedly struck several times.

The injured man has said that he followed the riding mower manual's instructions by driving it up and down slopes rather than across, as the vehicle can easily roll over. However, he allegedly felt the transmission slip and the mower began rolling backward. The mower then jerked forward and the front end came up into the air. Believing the whole thing was about to fall over on him, the man jumped from the mower. The mower then came down, the blades re-engaged, and then rolled toward the man. He was then struck several times.

Suit Complaint
The man's complaint says that there have been very high medical costs as a result of his injuries. The complaint states that the MTD lawnmower design was flawed, leading to instability on slopes, was prone to overturning when accelerating, and whose blades were exposed when the vehicle flipped. The complaint also alleges that Home Depot sold a dangerous and defective product, misrepresented to the claimant the product was safe, and failed to warn him that these types of accidents may occur.

There are several parties who may be to blame for a product's defect. It could be a design defect or a manufacturing defect that causes personal injury to occur. However, it is not your responsibility to try and figure out who harmed you or a loved one. That's the job experienced personal injury lawyers will perform so you may concentrate on things closer to home.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, please contact the experienced product liability attorneys at the Cochran Firm. We serve clients throughout the country.

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Yesterday this space blogged about a rear-end collision between two Washington D.C. trains. It occurred during the Monday night rush hour. The death toll was initially seven but now it is nine, as two passengers have died in hospital.

Debris from this crash has been removed today. The front car of the rear train was badly damaged, with about 50 of its 75 feet crushed. The driver of that train was one of the fatalities.

Investigators Find "Anomalies"

Today, transportation investigators reported finding an "anomaly" in a track control circuit. Each track section has such a circuit that receives signals and transmits them. This generates speed commands for trains on those tracks. The investigators found no problems on five of the six sections in the area of Monday’s crash, but they found “anomalies” on the sixth one. At this point, nobody is explaining what those anomalies are.

One big question is why the computerized emergency system was not activated when the rear train got too close to the front train. The system is designed to keep a certain distance between trains, to give them speed data, and to control speeds.

More Funds Needed to Replace Old Cars

Further tests were planned for today, to gather more information on what caused this fatal train accident. The House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer is planning to seek $3 billion for improvements in the Metro transit system. "Millions and millions of tourists from throughout this nation ride on this system,” he said, “as well as tens of thousands of the employees who work for this country."

The train cars involved were bought between 1974 and 1978, making them some of the oldest cars owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. They are the Series 1000 cars and there are 300 of them, making up a quarter of the total number of cars. However, they cannot all be replaced at one time, as they cost $3 million each.

If you or a loved one were among the 76 people injured in this train accident, please contact our office and we will be glad to give you a free consultation. The Cochran Firm has a nationwide presence and our Washington D.C. office can connect you to an office near you.

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Many people are seen in emergency rooms because of myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and appendicitis, two of the top five diseases or conditions associated with medical malpractice. It is no wonder than that emergency room visits generate a high rate of medical malpractice lawsuits. Nearly half of all medical malpractice incidents begin in an emergency room.

Some reasons why emergency rooms have such a high rate of medical malpractice lawsuits are they are overcrowded and understaffed, it is a high stress environment and the physicians are unfamiliar with their patient's history. Some staffers are inadequately trained, and mistakes are made with record keeping and medication administration.

Overcrowding and understaffing leads to failures to evaluate the patient in a timely manner, misdiagnoses, delayed diagnoses, laboratory errors and inappropriate medication administration.

Emergency room malpractice can lead to permanent impairment and even death. Compensation for your injuries can include damages for medical expenses, loss of wages, loss of future earning potential, long term care costs and funeral and burial expenses.

If you reside in San Jose, California and you or a family member has been the victim of medical malpractice, you should contact the San Jose, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights.

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An intoxicated bus driver that was not licensed to drive a commercial vehicle in the state of California caused an auto accident that injured at least a dozen people and killed eight. The unlicensed driver was arrested the day following the accident.

The bus overturned on its way to a casino near Sacramento. The bus driver veered off the road, lost control of the vehicle, and the roof was crushed in when it overturned. Several passengers were ejected from the bus and eight lost their lives due to the personal injuries sustained in the accident.

Auto Accidents

Auto accidents can be the result of another driver's inattention or negligence. Other causes of auto accidents are:

Defective tires
Defective vehicles
Intoxicated drivers
Exhausted drivers
Defective roads

If an auto accident occurred and was the result of a defective automobile, the manufactures of the products that caused the accident should be held responsible. If you are unsure who the responsible party of the accident is, please speak with an experienced auto accident lawyer. A lawyer will listen to you and discuss the details of the accident to find out who is responsible.

If you have been injured in an auto accident due to someone else's negligence or inattention, please contact the Sacramento office of the Cochran Firm to speak to an auto accident lawyer.

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AM2PAT, Inc. is a North Carolina plant that filled, packaged, and shipped pre-filled syringes that they knew were tainted and unsterile. These syringes were used in hospitals and homes where approximately 300 people were infected with Serratia marcescens bacteria and suffered serious personal injury. At least five people were killed due to these contaminated syringes. The Serratia marcescens bacteria is known to cause:

• Severe illness
• Permanent brain damage
• Spinal meningitis

The case was heard in Raleigh at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Two employees of AM2PAT pled guilty to knowingly shipping the unsterile syringes and for falsifying the records.

Hospitals, doctors, and nurses unknowingly administered these contaminated syringes to patients. The plant that manufactured and shipped these syringes is being sued for the personal injuries and wrongful deaths suffered by consumers of the syringes.

Suffering a personal injury or losing a loved one is devastating. You want the responsible party to be held accountable. A personal injury lawyer is available to help you through this devastating time and will work hard to get you the compensation you deserve.

If you have suffered a personal injury and are in the Raleigh area, please contact the Cochran Firm's personal injury lawyers at the Raleigh office. You can schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your case at no cost to you.

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Surgical medical malpractice results in a high number of deaths in this country annually. Half of all malpractice lawsuits each year involve surgeons.

Surgical procedures most commonly involved in surgical medical malpractice cases include cosmetic surgery procedures, LASIK eye surgery, gastric bypass surgeries, and orthopedic surgeries.

Errors can occur with the wrong part of the body being operated on, the wrong limb amputated, surgical instruments left in the body, anesthesia problems, and problems in recovery with infections and medications.

Most surgical medical malpractice involves the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the hospital staff. Patients and their family members should not have to suffer emotionally, physically and financially for the mistakes of others.

Compensation for surgical medical malpractice can include damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income, loss of future earning potential and in the event of a death, final expenses. Survivors may also be entitled to compensation in the event of a death. Protect your legal rights by consulting an experienced surgical medical malpractice lawyer.

If you live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has been the victim of surgical medical malpractice, please contact the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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A traumatic brain injury is a complex injury with varying symptoms and levels of disability connected to it. The impact on a victim of traumatic brain injury and their family is normally devastating. The consequences of a traumatic brain injury affect all aspects of a person's life, including one's personality. Traumatic brain injuries do not heal like other injuries. A broken leg will eventually heal and regain its previous function. The brain is a more complex organ and healing is a complicated process after a traumatic brain injury has occurred.

A traumatic brain injury usually happens as the result of an automobile accident, a fall, a job-related injury or a criminal assault when a sudden and violent blow to the head traumatizes the brain, nerve fibers and causes bleeding to occur.

A mild traumatic brain injury, also known as a concussion, often causes a headache and some temporary confusion while a severe traumatic brain injury can be fatal. The level of injury is not always immediately apparent to a casual bystander or the victim.

The treatment for a mild traumatic brain injury usually consists of over the counter pain medication and rest, while a severe traumatic brain injury requires emergency care and treatment at the beginning of a long road to a possible recovery.

If you live in the Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia area and you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury, please contact the Portsmouth, Virginia office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Premises liability refers to laws that hold owners of property legally liable for accidents and injuries that happen on their property. Premises liability claims can range from slip, trip and fall accidents to criminal assaults.

Premises liability accidents can be caused by falling objects, a broken sidewalk, a poorly lit pathway or mall parking lot, an injury on an amusement park ride, or a wet public restroom floor.

Determining liability depends on certain factors, such as whether the owner of the property knew of the hazardous or dangerous condition and failed to correct it, or should have known the hazardous or dangerous condition existed and failed to correct it. An experienced premises liability attorney should be consulted to protect your rights and file your claim quickly and efficiently.

Premises liability cases allow compensation for medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning potential, pain and suffering and in the case of a death, the survivors may be compensated as well.

If you live in New York City or the surrounding area and you were injured because of someone else's negligence, please contact the New York City office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced premises liability attorney at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Defective automobiles result in over 42,000 deaths each year. Automobile defects that have prompted lawsuits recently include, but are not limited to, sports utility vehicles that rollover, tire failures, seat belt failures, airbag malfunctions, accelerator controls that stick, fuel pump system defects and wiring defects that result in catastrophic fires.

Vehicle rollovers and roofs that collapse are typical automobile defects along with failed seat belts and tires. The injuries caused in these defective automobile crashes are very often devastating.

Those legally responsible for your injuries can include the manufacturer of the automobile, the manufacturer of the failed part, the automobile dealership or the distributor of the defective part.

There are complicated legal issues involved in the liability responsibility involving a defective automobile or automobile part. An experienced defective automobile accident lawyer will ensure you are properly represented and obtain all the compensation you deserve. One of the first things your attorney will do is secure the automobile involved as it is evidence and without it your case will be difficult to prove.

If you live in Mobile, Alabama or the surrounding area and you or someone you love was injured or killed in an accident involving a defective automobile or defective automobile part, please contact the Mobile, Alabama office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Exposure to asbestos fiber is a major recognized factor in acquiring a diagnosis of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that strikes the mesothelium, a thin layer of cells that line the internal organs of the body.

The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs. Over 70% of mesothelioma diagnoses affect the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen and pericardial mesothelioma affects the lining of the heart.

Exposure to asbestos fibers has been ongoing for decades, even though some employers were aware of the hazards involved. Millions of Americans have been exposed to asbestos fibers because it can be found anywhere. Unsuspecting workers have brought it home on their clothes and shoes to family members for years, causing secondary contamination and exposure.

If you have been employed as a miner, factory worker, insulation manufacturer, railroad or shipyard worker, an automobile mechanic, oil refiner worker, a steel mill employee or chemical plant worker and have experienced chest pain, back pain, coughing, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting or difficulty breathing, you may have been affected by exposure to asbestos.

If you live in Minneapolis, Minnesota or the surrounding area and you suspect you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos fiber, please contact the Minneapolis office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation, with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer, at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Nearly half of all incidents of medical malpractice occur in the emergency rooms around this country. Emergency room mistakes often lead to injuries, permanent disability and even death.

Common emergency room errors include the failure to evaluate the patient properly, misdiagnoses, delayed diagnoses, failure to diagnose, delayed treatment, diagnostic testing mistakes, inappropriate medication or the wrong dose. Reasons for these mistakes may include the emergency room is overcrowded and understaffed, the facilities are inadequate to deliver an expected standard of care and treatment, the staff is inadequately trained, and record keeping procedures and medication administering procedures are lacking.

However, none of these reasons matter to a person injured or killed by medical malpractice or negligence. If you have suffered because of emergency room medical malpractice you are entitled to be compensated for your losses. You may be entitled to damages for current and future medical expenses, current and future loss of wages, long term care expenses, rehabilitation costs and in the event of a death, final expenses.

If you live in Miami, Florida or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about was injured or died due to emergency room medical malpractice, please contact the Miami, Florida office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced emergency room medical malpractice attorney, at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Construction sites are statistically very dangerous places. Thousands of construction workers are injured on the job in this country every year. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates over one thousand construction workers suffer fatal injuries annually.

Some common causes for construction site accidents are inadequate safety procedures, negligence, defective machinery and equipment and violations of OSHA regulations. Injuries at a construction site can range from bruises and lacerations to broken bones, head and spinal injuries, severe burns, crush injuries, electrocution, loss of limbs, paralysis and death.

Falls are the most common causes of injuries at construction sites. Workers fall off scaffolding, ladders, roofs and down elevator shafts. Construction site safety is the responsibility of the owners of the property, contractors, architects and the manufacturers of the construction machinery and equipment. Although there are strict guidelines governing the workplace on a construction site, workers are seriously injured and killed every day. Construction site accidents involve complicated liability laws that an experienced attorney can explain to you.

If you live in Metairie, Louisiana or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about was injured or killed on a construction site, please contact the Metairie, Louisiana office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced construction site accident lawyer, at no cost to you, to protect your legal rights.

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There are over 5200 motorcycle fatalities every year in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says a motorcyclist is eight times more likely to be injured and thirty-seven times more likely to die in a motorcycle accident than those involved in car accidents.

The failure of other motor vehicle drivers to actually see a motorcycle on the road is said to be a major cause of accidents involving motorcycles with intersections being the most common place for motorcycle accidents to occur.

Motorcyclists can suffer catastrophic injuries from direct impact with another vehicle or with the pavement. Injuries range from scrapes and bruises to massive head injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, severe burns, traumatic brain injury, loss of limbs and death.

Losses suffered in a motorcycle accident can be high. Serious injuries result in high medical bills, lost wages and possible permanent disability. You may be able to be compensated for your losses, and in the event of a fatality, the survivors may also be entitled to compensation.

If you live in Memphis, Tennessee or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about was injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, please contact the Memphis, Tennessee office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to protect your legal rights.

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Eight to ten birth injuries or birth traumas occur for every one thousand live births in this country because of medical malpractice or negligence. Injuries can also involve the mother as well as the baby in some cases.

Birth injuries occur when a healthcare professional such as a doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, anesthesiologist or a healthcare facility, a hospital, urgent care center or birthing center, fails to maintain an accepted standard of care and treatment for patients under their care.

Birth injuries can have wide ranging effects from mild to severe. Minor superficial bruising to brain damage can occur. Common birth injuries may include bruising from the use of instruments, swelling of the head, facial paralysis, Erb's palsy, cerebral palsy, fractured bones and traumatic brain injury.

The burden of caring for a child injured at birth can be emotionally, physically and financially devastating. Many instances of birth injuries are preventable. An experienced birth injury lawyer is able to study the labor and delivery records and determine if medical malpractice and negligence were involved.

If you live in Los Angeles, California or the surrounding area and you suspect you or someone you care about has a child that has suffered a birth injury, please contact the Los Angeles, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you with an experienced birth injury attorney to protect your legal rights.

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Medical malpractice refers to any errors that occur in a medical setting. For instance, medical malpractice can mean unnecessary surgery, botched surgery, medication administration mistakes, infections contracted while in a hospital, errors committed by hospital staff and delayed or misdiagnoses.

Medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in this country, trailing only heart disease and cancer. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports 250,000 people die annually because of the consequences of medical malpractice.

The top five diseases or conditions often related to medical malpractice allegations are breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, heart attack and appendicitis. Misdiagnosis is often the allegation in these instances. Of course, a misdiagnosis causes a delay in the proper treatment and the result is often permanent disability or death.

Compensation in medical malpractice cases may include payment for medical bills, lost income, lost future earning potential, long term care costs and pain and suffering. If the medical malpractice results in death, the survivors are also eligible for compensation.

If you live in Las Vegas, Nevada or the surrounding area and you or someone you love has been the victim of medical malpractice, please contact the Las Vegas, Nevada office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you with an experienced medical malpractice attorney to protect your legal rights.

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Many cases of injuries to newborns are preventable. Injuries to an infant's head, permanent brain damage caused by fetal distress and injury to the arms, shoulders and hands of newborns are caused by tragic errors and medical malpractice.

Infants born with cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy and other brain and nerve impairments are often the victims of birth injury malpractice. In newborns, injury to the nerves in the arms and hands are often the result of medical malpractice also. These injuries are known as Brachial Plexus injury or Erb's palsy. Failing to properly monitor the labor and delivery leads to cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy and infant brain injury are often caused by insufficient amounts of oxygen reaching the brain of the baby before birth. At times the drugs used to stimulate labor can have a devastating effect on the unborn child.

An experienced birth injury attorney can prove negligence in causing cerebral palsy, brain damage and Erb's palsy by studying the labor and delivery records from the hospital.

If you live in Jackson, Mississippi or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has had a child that suffered a birth injury, you should contact the Jackson, Mississippi office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights and whether you are entitled to compensation.

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Premises liability is a term used to describe the legal responsibility the owner of a property has for accidents and injuries that occur on the owners' property.

There are a variety of reasons a premises liability claim may be filed. Slip and fall claims are common, as are claims of being hit by a falling object or being assaulted in a place of business such as a shopping mall parking garage.

The owner of a property must provide reasonable safeguards for your protection while a visitor or guest on their property. It is expected a property owner will take reasonable measures to minimize any risk should a dangerous or hazardous condition or circumstance arise.

The hazardous condition can be a simple spill that needs wiping up or a broken step that needs to be repaired or replaced. The property owner has an obligation to remedy the situation or notify the public of the risk that is present.

Premises liability may cover the cost of necessary medical treatment, loss of income and compensation for pain and suffering in the event of an injury. Injuries sustained can lead to debilitating conditions that drain you emotionally, physically and financially.

If you are a resident of Huntsville, Alabama or the surrounding area and you have been injured in an accident, please contact the Huntsville, Alabama office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn all about your legal rights.

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Statistics for motorcycle accidents are shocking. One third of all motorcyclists killed were speeding, one half of all motorcyclists killed had consumed alcohol or drugs, and one out of four was driving with an invalid license. The greatest increase in fatal accidents was in the 50 year old and over age group.

The risks for motorcycle riders are many. There are road hazards such as potholes, oil slicks, puddles, debris and uneven pavement to contend with. Motorcycles are a smaller visual target and more likely to be unseen by other vehicles on the road, especially in inclement weather.

There are many contributory factors involved in motorcycle accidents, such as driver inexperience, road hazards, weather conditions and defective equipment. Sometimes dangerous or aggressive driving behaviors are at fault such as a failure to yield, failure to change lanes properly, failure to observe a safe distance, passing on the shoulder and weaving in and out of car lanes.

If you reside in Dothan, Alabama or the surrounding area and you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a motorcycle, please contact the Dothan, Alabama office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn all about your legal rights.

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Every thirteen seconds someone is killed in an automobile accident. Driver error accounts for ninety-five percent of all motor vehicle accidents. This includes speeding, tailgating, aggressive driving behaviors, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and cell phone use while driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports state automobile accidents are the major cause of deaths among people aged three years to thirty-three. Over three million people are killed in over six million automobile accidents every year with over forty-five thousand deaths. Most automobile accidents are caused by distracted drivers, negligence and recklessness.

An automobile accident can have serious consequences for you and your family members, sometimes through no fault of your own. An automobile accident can result in severe injuries or death, and be financially devastating as well. Over eighty percent of people involved in an automobile accident deny any responsibility for the accident.

The Cochran Firm wants you to know we have the knowledge, experience and resources to represent you and protect your legal rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.

If you are an Atlanta resident that has been involved in an automobile accident, please contact The Cochran Firm's Atlanta, Georgia office to schedule a confidential consultation.

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During rush hour on Monday evening, two trains on the Red Line of the Metro rail system in Washington, D.C. collided. The rear-end collision caused the end car of the leading train to crumple, and the lead car of the trailing train rode up and over it. Seven people were killed, including the operator of the trailing train, and 76 people were taken to hospitals. Three were in critical condition, but overnight one was upgraded. The two remaining in critical condition were stable.

Similar commuter rail crashes in Boston and Los Angeles have been blamed on distracted operators. Last year, 25 people were killed in a commuter rail crash blamed on a texting engineer, and the conductor in last month's trolley crash in Boston that injured 50 admitted texting at the time of the crash. It is unknown whether this accident and the resulting wrongful deaths are the result of operator distraction.

If you were injured in this D.C. Metro crash, you deserve compensation for your injuries. The Washington, D.C. office of The Cochran Firm can connect you to the nationwide resources of one of America's most recognized law firms. Get a free case review today.

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The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are automobile accidents, slip and falls, sports-related injuries and criminal assaults. Children and senior citizens are the highest risk groups for falls, and young men are the highest risk group for car and motorcycle accident and sports-related traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries are responsible for many Americans suffering permanent disability and death each year.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a sudden violent blow to the head. The section of the brain affected usually determines the severity of the injury suffered. Traumatic brain injuries can be considered mild (commonly known as a concussion) or severe, which can cause death.

A mild traumatic brain injury can cause a brief period of unconsciousness, a headache, slight temporary confusion, and dizziness. A severe traumatic brain injury causes a persistent headache, nausea and vomiting, seizures, profound confusion, weakness in the extremities and the inability to awaken. A severe traumatic brain injury, if the victim survives, usually requires a long period of hospitalization, extended rehabilitation, and occupational therapy. Victims of a traumatic brain injury may require physical, psychological and financial help for months and even years after they have been injured.

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else's negligence or wrongdoing, you may have a valid personal injury claim. Please contact The Cochran Firm, with offices nationwide, today to schedule a confidential consultation.

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Nestle has initiated a voluntary product recall for Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products. The recall is related to reports of E. coli illnesses that have been linked to the defective product. It appears that the E. coli incidents have affected consumers who have eaten the cookie dough raw.

Products involved in the recall include:

• Refrigerated cookie bar dough
• Cookie dough tub
• Cookie dough tubes
• Limited edition cookie dough items
• Seasonal cookie dough
• Ultimates cookie bar dough

No other Toll House products have been affected. Nestle states that they include a warning on their packaging that tells consumers not to eat the cookie dough products raw. However, they have chosen to recall these products as a precautionary measure.

So far, there have been 66 cases of E. coli reported from 28 different states. If you have developed E. coli from eating contaminated Toll House cookie dough, it is important to consult an experienced defective product lawyer immediately to find out if you have a valid claim.
The Cochran Firm helps injured consumers receive fair compensation for their damages. Our experienced product liability legal specialists will work tirelessly to ensure that you receive the highest quality representation possible.

If you have a defective product claim, please contact the experienced product liability lawyers at The Cochran Firm today to schedule a consultation. We serve clients nationwide.

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The Environmental Protection Agency declared a public health emergency in Libby, Montana on Wednesday due to the high risk of the population developing asbestos related illnesses including mesothelioma. Many people have already died and thousands more have become sickened from asbestos exposure received from the nearby vermiculite mine. The health emergency will apparently not require the evacuation of the entire town, but will gain Libby further federal funding for medical costs and cleanup. It will release $130 million for this endeavor.

The mine was run by W.R. Grace and closed in 1990. It had supplied nearly 70 percent of the vermiculite in the U.S. Vermiculite is used in many commercial products, such as soil conditioner, fireproof wallboard and other construction materials, and insulation. It expands when heated. Libby used vermiculite to cover their high school track, used it as mulch in their gardens, and miners regularly brought it into their homes on their clothes where their families were exposed.

Federal cleanup began in 2000 and it was declared a Superfund site in 2002. W.R. Grace settled a lawsuit last year and paid out $250 million to the government. However, the EPA believes that final cleanup and medical costs may run as high as $350 million. Three W.R. Grace executives were acquitted last month after being charged with knowingly exposing residents to asbestos-related diseases.

This release of millions of dollars is a good thing for the town, as they have waited years for the federal government to actively move on helping them. However, it is far too late for those who have died as well as those who are critically ill. Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, can take years to develop and the illness is particularly vile as the victim's lungs fill with fluid.

If you have developed mesothelioma or have been exposed to asbestos, you may be eligible for compensation. Please contact the experienced mesothelioma attorneys at the Cochran Firm. We serve clients nationwide.

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Matrixx Initiatives is the mother company of Zicam, LLC, a company that offers a line of 19 cold remedies. On June 16, 2009, Matrixx Initiatives posted an announcement on its website that it is withdrawing two nasal cold remedies from the market after receiving a warning letter from the FDA.

The two products are Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, which are homeopathic remedies consisting mostly of zinc. Some consumers have reported that these products have affected their sense of smell, reducing it either temporarily or permanently. The other 17 Zicam products are not mentioned in the FDA letter.

Since these cold remedy products were first marketed in 1999, there have been over 35 million "retail units" sold (which is over one billion doses). Medical and scientific evidence has been gathered and compiled throughout that period, states William J. Hemelt, acting president of Matrixx Initiatives, and it clearly demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of the Zicam products. It is the common cold virus that reduces a person's sense of smell, he states, not any Zicam products.

Previous Lawsuit Settlement
Back in 2006, Matrixx Initiatives agreed to pay $12 million in settlement of 340 lawsuits concerning the Cold Remedy Nasal Gel. Product instructions direct users to use it only in the lower part of the nose, but the plaintiffs claimed that the pump bottles sent the zinc gel too far into the nose. In 2005 a new "control tip sprayer" was introduced to prevent users from spraying the product too forcefully.

Matrixx Initiatives is planning to seek a meeting with FDA personnel and to strongly defend its scientific data, which the FDA did not examine before issuing its warning letter.

If you have used either of these two Zicam cold remedies and experienced a problem with your sense of smell, please contact our defective product attorneys for a free consultation.

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Swimming pools are a delightful feature of a home or a resort. They can help a person enjoy the hot summer months, but they can also be dangerous. Both drowning and near-drowning accidents can be tragic. Whether the result is a wrongful death from drowning, anoxic brain injury from near-drowning, or a spinal injury from a diving accident, many swimming pool accidents could have been prevented.

Defective pools are responsible for many accidents. A pool with inaccurate or absent depth markers can increase the risk of diving accidents. Dangerous suction from drains can draw swimmers to the bottom of the pool, leading to drowning. Some drains are powerful enough to pull organs out of the body. A defective pool may be the basis for a product liability lawsuit.

Poorly maintained pools can lead to accidents. Uneven surfaces around the pool often occur as the pool settles, and these can be falling hazards which can lead to head injuries and drowning accidents. Poorly maintained ladders or rescue equipment can make it harder for distressed swimmers to get out of a pool or for people nearby to render assistance.

A public pool should have adequately trained and supervised lifeguards. Sometimes drowning and near-drowning occurs when a lifeguard is unable to pull a distressed swimmer from the water or provide CPR. In addition, pools that rely on teenagers to serve as lifeguards must know that these young people are susceptible to distraction, and that it only takes a short period of distraction for a deadly swimming pool accident to occur. Failure to instill lifeguards with an appropriate sense of the gravity of their position can contribute to dangerous swimming pool accidents.

If a loved one suffered spine injury, brain injury, or death as a result of a swimming pool accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Get a free case review from The Cochran Firm to learn more about your rights.

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On Tuesday, June 9, a plant in Garner, North Carolina, owned by ConAgra Foods, Inc. that makes Slim Jim beef jerky and other snack foods exploded killing three employees. The explosion in the 500,000 square foot building was powerful enough to bring down part of the roof and one of the exterior walls. Thirty-eight other employees were injured, including four critically with burns over much of their bodies. Three firefighters were treated and released after inhaling ammonia fumes. The plant's 32,000 pound ammonia refrigeration system was ruptured in the explosion and the leak has kept investigators out until now.

Federal investigators are just now beginning to make their way to the center of the area where they believe the explosion occurred. While they do not have any definitive answers, they are fairly certain that it was not caused by propane igniting. This is cold comfort to the families of the dead and seriously injured who are looking for answers. Around 300 people were working in the plant at the time of the explosion, and some of those interviewed have said they smelled gas prior to the explosion.

Work related accidents injure and kill many people every year. Oftentimes this is the result of unsafe conditions that were known about previously but never fixed. These sorts of accidents, like the plant explosion, may be pursued by an experienced premises liability attorney. If anyone is killed, the victim's family may pursue a wrongful death suit.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a work-related accident, please contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Cochran Law Firm with offices nationwide.

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A chain-reaction auto accident involving as many as 30 vehicles is being blamed on heavy fog in the San Bernardino Mountains in California. The Wednesday morning accident injured around 15 people and left vehicles wrecked along a half mile stretch of I-15. The fog was so thick that rescue helicopters could not land, so the injured were taken to area hospitals by ambulance. Ten of the injured were admitted and five were assessed on the scene by paramedics. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening.

The accident occurred near Cajon Pass at the western end of the San Bernardino Mountains when a semi-truck approached slowly moving traffic and jackknifed while trying to avoid a collision with the cars. Other vehicles were hit in the attempt to stop and motorists were also involved in other accidents as a result.

Weather conditions are often blamed for both auto and semi-truck accidents. Most people know to go slow when the conditions are not ideal for traveling. While it isn't known at this point what exactly caused the truck driver to lose control, that is, if the fog was simply the catalyst for losing control, those who have driven in thick fog know that you can barely see out the window. In a heavy vehicle like a semi-truck, slowing down in time to avoid an accident is much more difficult.

If you have been injured in an auto accident or truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at the Cochran Firm for an initial consultation. We serve clients nationwide.

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On May 7, 2000, around 5 a.m., one Suzette Dineen who was eight months pregnant was rushed to the emergency room of Frederick Memorial Hospital in Frederick County, MD. She was experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.

On her arrival, a fetal heart tracing was done and the rate was found to be 128 beats per minute. The ER physician was notified but he did not see her. At 7 a.m., her obstetrician was informed of the situation but he also did not see her.

At 8 a.m., an ER nurse tried to ascertain the baby's heart rate again and was unable to detect it. She notified Labor and Delivery. A doctor found the baby's heart rate to be only 30 and he called for an obstetrician who proceeded with a C-section. The placenta had ruptured, causing the baby's heart to slow dramatically.

When the baby was born, its heart was not beating and he was not breathing. He was resuscitated but had by then suffered brain damage. He was later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. That is a lifetime disability involving impaired muscle control and cognitive function, seizures, and reduced sensory function.

Medical Malpractice Claim
Hospital protocol requires a woman in Dineen's condition to be monitored in the Labor and Delivery suite. Instead, Dineen was left unmonitored in the ER. Dineen's family filed a medical malpractice lawsuit and the jury determined that the two doctors who did not see Dineen that early morning were guilty of negligence and responsible for the baby's Cerebral Palsy.

Three nurses and a third doctor were also named in the lawsuit but were found to be free of any responsibility. That included the ER nurse who had notified Labor and Delivery of the baby's non-detectable heart rate.

The attorney who defended the hospital and nurses stated that the placenta had ruptured only about 15 minutes before the C-section was performed. In other words, when Dineen arrived at the ER, there was no way anybody could have known that the placenta would later rupture.

"Everything is viewed through the prism of the outcome and not based on the information available to the physicians," he said. "There are times when [juries' decisions are] affected by the outcome and not by what people knew at the time."

The Award Breakdown
The total award amount was $3,991,000. Of that, $71,000 is for past medical expenses (the baby is now nine years old); $870,000 is for medical expenses until age 18, $2 million is for those expenses after age 18; $750,000 is for lost wages; and $300,000 is for pain and suffering. However, the plaintiff's attorneys are also paid out of the award amount so those numbers will all be lower in practice.

If you have suffered from medical malpractice, or if you have a loved one who has, please contact our medical malpractice attorneys today for a free case evaluation.

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A wrongful death claim states someone has died as a result of the negligence or actions of someone else, and that the victim's survivors are entitled to monetary compensation for that death.

If the person responsible for your support has died due to the negligence or actions of someone else you are entitled to be compensated for the loss of support, inheritance and other losses.

A wrongful death can be the result of, but not limited to, an automobile accident, an airplane crash, a drunk driving accident, a criminal assault, medical malpractice, the use of a defective product, a slip and fall resulting in death, or a work-related injury.

An experienced wrongful death attorney can obtain the information necessary to help your case progress such as medical evidence, expert testimony and police reports. There are time limits for filing a wrongful death claim that can vary from one to three years.

If you live in Washington, D.C. or the surrounding area and someone you love has been the victim of a wrongful death, please contact the Washington, D.C. office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced wrongful death attorney at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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There are over 3,000,000 trucks on our roads nationwide. Many industries rely on trucking to make a living. Trucks transport food, building supplies, business equipment and hundreds of products daily in a timely and efficient manner all over the country.

Unfortunately, there is a downside to so many trucks on the roadways in the form of accidents. Statistics estimate over 144,000 trucks were involved in accidents last year with over 4900 of those accidents causing fatalities. A revealing statistic states that in over 80% of truck accidents the truck driver was at fault, but the other driver suffered the fatality.

When you share the road with a truck it is safer to keep a good distance between you and the truck, take extra care in hazardous driving conditions, and expect the unexpected. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include speeding, driver fatigue, tire failure and reckless driving.

If you are ever involved in an accident with a truck, you should be fully compensated for your losses such as, medical expenses, lost income, lost future earning potential and pain and suffering.

If you live in Tuskegee, Alabama or the surrounding area and you have been involved in an accident with a truck, please contact the Tuskegee, Alabama office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Someone is killed in an automobile accident every thirteen seconds in the United States. Driver error accounts for ninety-five percent of those accidents. Mechanical error and poor road conditions are implicated in the other five percent of accidents.

Driver error includes speeding, tailgating, driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, ignoring traffic safety signs and traffic lights, aggressive driving behaviors and cell phone use while operating a vehicle.

There are over six million automobile accidents every year and the cost of these accidents is estimated at over a quarter of a billion dollars, three million people injured and forty-five thousand fatalities.

If you have the misfortune to be involved in an automobile accident it is important that immediately following the accident you remain calm and check for injuries then call 911 and/or the police. If it is safe to do so, you should move your automobile off the road to a safe place, notify your insurance agent, and try to photograph the accident scene or make notes of what happened. Do not leave the scene of the accident before the police arrive.

If you live in San Jose, California or the surrounding area and you have been involved in an automobile accident, please contact the San Jose, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced automobile accident attorney at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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Pharmaceuticals with dangerous or deadly side effects could be in your medicine cabinet right now. Dangerous drugs and their potentially deadly side effects are at times released to the general public before their side effects are totally clear.

When the pharmaceuticals dangerous side effects do become known, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues a drug recall. The list of recalled drugs grows daily and many consumers wonder just how safe are the drugs they take on a daily basis.

Defective pharmaceuticals have been known to cause birth defects, heart attacks, strokes, breathing problems and suicides. Drugs commonly listed in the defective category include drugs for arthritis, diet drugs, anti-depressants, cholesterol lowering medications and vaccines.

Defective pharmaceuticals can result in pain and suffering and death for many consumers and often do. The pharmaceutical companies responsible for these defective drugs coming to the market have been held liable for damages reaching into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

If you live in the San Francisco, Oakland, California area and you or someone you care about has been the victim of a defective pharmaceutical, please contact the Oakland, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced defective pharmaceutical attorney at no cost to you to protect your legal rights.

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The most troubling defective consumer product injuries in recent years have involved automobiles, automobile parts, such as seatbelts and tires, pharmaceuticals and faulty medical devices.

Unfortunately for the American consumer, defective products can be found in all areas of products available. There are reports daily of dangerous and defective toys, appliances, power tools, pet foods and more. Injuries that occur due to these defective products range from minor lacerations to life-altering and life-threatening injuries or loss of life.

Victims of defective products may be eligible for compensation for their losses. When a defective product causes an injury or death, the manufacturer, designer or distributor can be held legally liable. This is small consolation for the loss of a loved one or beloved pet, but holding someone responsible for your loss does offer some consolation.

If you have been affected by a defective product it is important to remember there are time limits for filing a claim. An experienced attorney will make sure your claim is filed quickly and correctly.

If you live in Sacramento, California or the surrounding area and you or someone you love has been the victim of a defective consumer product, please contact the Sacramento, California office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you with an experienced defective consumer product attorney to protect your legal rights.

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The consequences of nursing home abuse and neglect result in injuries, malnutrition, dehydration and medical conditions that can lead to death. It is reported that over one million older adults are victimized every year in American nursing homes.

There are over thirty-five million people in this country over the age of sixty-five. Many older Americans will need nursing home care in the coming years. Some facilities available offer quality care by hard-working and underpaid staffs. Some facilities, however, do not meet the standards of care we should all expect for our elderly citizens.

Some older adults are living in less than ideal conditions, vulnerable to neglect and abuse that sometimes rises to the level of a criminal assault. Signs of neglect and abuse could be as simple as seeing that a residents personal hygiene needs are not being met, that they have chronic infections, are heavily medicated, have unexplained sores or wounds and seem depressed, withdrawn or anxious.

If you live in the Raleigh, Durham, North Carolina area and you suspect a loved one is a victim nursing home abuse and neglect, please contact the Durham, North Carolina office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced nursing home abuse attorney, at no cost to you, to protect your legal rights.

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Pharmaceuticals with dangerous and even deadly side effects sometimes appear in our pharmacies because their potential dangers were not foreseen prior to being released to unsuspecting consumers. Defective drugs have become well known to the general public.

Defective drugs or pharmaceuticals have dangerous side effects that outweigh any benefits they may offer. When a drug is found to be defective, a recall is issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Drug recalls have included, but are not limited to Baycol, Propulsid, Rezulin and Vioxx. The most common pharmaceuticals considered to be in the dangerous category are arthritis drugs, cholesterol lowering drugs, anti-depressants and some vaccines.

It is true all medications have side effects, but the side effects of defective drugs are often life-threatening. Pharmaceutical companies that produce these dangerous drugs often know there are problems with their products and have been known to minimize the dangers in order to continue marketing their drugs.

Defective pharmaceutical consumption results in pain and suffering for an untold number of Americans each year and many lawsuits against the drug companies that manufacture them. Damages have been assessed against these drug companies in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Residents of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the surrounding area who have been affected by a defective pharmaceutical should contact the Philadelphia office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights.

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A Virginia mother brought her infant into the emergency room because the infant was lethargic, not eating, having bowel movement problems, and continuously vomiting a green substance.

The Emergency Room doctor did an ultrasound of the infant's stomach and an x-ray of her chest. Without finding the cause of the symptoms and without doing any other tests or exams, the doctor sent the mother and child home. This doctor failed to diagnose a bowel obstruction that resulted in the wrongful death of the infant.

Emergency room errors occur more often than many people realize and are a form of medical malpractice. This infant should have been treated with more care because of the severity of her symptoms. The ER doctor was responsible for calling in a specialist to help diagnose the possible causes of the symptoms.

Medical malpractice can result in the personal injury or the wrongful death of a patient. Doctors can be held liable if their negligent treatment of a patient results in serious injuries. Medical malpractice can take place in many ways including:

• The Failure to Diagnose Strokes, Cancer, or Other Illnesses
• Birth Injuries
• Surgical Mistakes
• Medication and Prescription Errors
• Emergency Room Errors

Please contact the Cochran Firm's Medical Malpractice Lawyers at the Portsmouth office if you have suffered the loss of a loved one due to medical malpractice or an emergency room error.

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Two police officers encountered a psychiatric patient who was standing naked on top of a security gate waving around a light bulb. The two offices used a Taser stun-gun to incapacitate the patient after over 30 minutes of trying to coax him off the gate. The stun-gun caused the patient to fall 10 feet to the ground where he landed on his head and suffered fatal injuries.

The mother of the psychiatric patient filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the New York City Police Department and the two officers involved. This lawsuit claims that the officers used the stun-gun against the guidelines set by the police department. The guidelines state that a Taser stun-gun should not be used where someone could fall from a potentially dangerous elevated position.

Wrongful Death

Wrongful death cases usually occur when a person dies due to someone else's negligence. A wrongful death may occur in many situations including:

• Auto Accidents
• Hospital Errors
• Medical Malpractice
• Anesthesia Malpractice
• Emergency Room Errors

If you have lost a loved one due to another's negligence, please contact the wrongful death attorneys at the Cochran Firm's office in New York City today. You are entitled to compensation for your loss.

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A slip, trip and fall accident refers to an accident that occurs when someone slips, trips and falls as a result of a dangerous or hazardous condition on someone else's property. The dangerous or hazardous condition may be caused by water, ice, snow, poor lighting, a broken or uneven sidewalk, a pothole in a roadway, a torn or rippled carpet, an oily substance or any other condition that can cause a slip and fall to happen.

A slip and fall accident can result in bruising, broken bones, a traumatic brain injury or a back injury that can cause life-long disabilities or death.

If you slip and fall and are injured on someone else's property due to a dangerous and hazardous condition, the property owner can be held legally responsible for your injuries. Fall related injuries are of great concern especially to those 65 years of age and older. Over 2 million senior citizens are treated annually for fall-related injuries and almost l million are injured seriously enough to be hospitalized. Of that number, over 16,000 will die from their injuries.

If you live in New Orleans, Louisiana or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has been injured in a slip, trip and fall accident, please contact the New Orleans, Louisiana office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced slip, trip and fall lawyer, at no cost to you, to protect your legal rights.

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An auto accident in Mobile involving three vehicles resulted in the injury of two and the death of one. Two relatives were traveling in separate cars one after the other along Interstate 65 when the first vehicle swerved off the road for unknown reasons. The second man stopped his vehicle to help. A woman in another vehicle struck the second man's vehicle, which in turn struck the first man's vehicle. All three suffered serious personal injuries and were taken to the University of South Alabama Medical Center where the first man died.

The cause of the first man driving off the road is unknown. There are, however, several reasons for a vehicle to unexpectedly swerve resulting in an auto accident:

• Defective Tires
• Defective Automobile Parts
• Defective Roads
• Inattention of the Driver
• Intoxication of the Driver
• Extreme Fatigue of the Driver

Accidents happen and sometimes these accidents result in the serious personal injury of another or the wrongful death of a loved one. When a loved one is lost or seriously injured, you want the responsible party to be held accountable no matter what the reason was for the accident. You are entitled to compensation for:

• Medical Expenses
• Loss of Wages
• Mental Anguish
• Pain and Suffering
• Loss of Companionship of the Deceased

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, please contact the Cochran Firm's auto accident lawyers at the Mobile office for a confidential consultation about your case.

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There are commonly three reasons why automobiles crash, driver error, mechanical failure and poor road conditions.

Driver error alone accounts for a staggering ninety-five percent of all automobile accidents. Driver error includes, but is not limited to, speeding, aggressive driving, cell phone use, driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and ignoring traffic signs.
There are over six million automobile accidents in this country annually. Over three million people are injured in these accidents and over forty-five thousand are killed. Driving after dark increases your chances of being involved in an accident by fifty percent.

The time immediately following an accident is emotionally charged. Try to stay calm and check everyone for injuries if you are able to. Call 911 and do not leave the scene until police or emergency assistance arrives. Be sure to notify your insurance company and obtain as much information from the other people involved in the accident as you can. This is the one time you should use your cell phone to take pictures of the accident and to call for assistance.

It is interesting to note that eighty percent of drivers involved in an automobile accident deny any responsibility for the accident. An automobile accident can leave you or someone you care about seriously injured with a financial burden of medical expenses.

If you are a resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota or the surrounding area, and you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident through no fault of your own, you should contact the Minneapolis, Minnesota office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights.

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Subcontractors of the Fortune 500 Company Lennar Corp. used defective drywall imported from China to build homes in Florida and across the Southeastern United States. This defective product was made with high levels of sulfur compounds that emit harmful gases when exposed to humidity and moisture. The harmful gases caused severe problems to homeowners including:

• Spreading foul odors
• Corroding metals throughout the structure of the home
• Causing potentially harmful health problems for occupants

Lennar Corp. has been named in a lawsuit filed by a Florida resident who has experienced problems due to the defective drywall. Lennar Corp. has begun working on finding the homes that were built with the drywall to determine what repairs must take place to remove the drywall.

Defective Products

As consumers, we believe in good faith that manufacturers and distributing companies will only use safe products. Sometimes, however, manufacturers and companies use unsafe and defective consumer products to save a little money and to cut corners. This savings may come at a great cost to our loved ones.

Please contact the Cochran Firm's defective product lawyers in Miami if you own a home that has been built with defective Chinese drywall. All of your questions will be answered in a no-cost, confidential consultation.

Labels: Miami

• Pain and Suffering
• Mental Anguish and Fear
• Disabling Injuries
• Necessary Medical Expenses
• Lost Time at Work
• Other Related Damages

• An Auto Accident
• Medical Malpractice
• A Defective Product
• Nursing Home Abuse

Labels: Metairie

Nursing home residents are guaranteed specific rights under the law. First and foremost they have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and they have the right to exist in a safe and clean environment.

The National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform states that nursing homes are failing to provide a safe environment for the elderly citizens in their care. These older adults suffer from bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, physical, emotional and sexual abuse. They suffer humiliation and are denied the dignity every human being deserves when they are at their most vulnerable.

These nursing home residents are often unable or unwilling to communicate the abuse they suffer to visiting family members, fearing retaliation from their abusers. For this reason, nursing home abuse and neglect is often underreported. Almost one million residents of nursing homes are victims of abuse annually. Signs of neglect and abuse may include chronic infections, heavily medicated behavior, unexplained wounds or sores, and poor personal hygiene.

If you suspect someone you love has been the victim of nursing home abuse and neglect and you are a resident of Memphis, Tennessee, you should contact The Cochran Firm’s Memphis office to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you today to learn about your legal rights.

Labels: Memphis

Anesthesia errors can cause permanent injury and death. Patients put their trust and lives in the hands of the anesthesiologist when they are undergoing any surgical procedure, because they have no choice.

Allegations of medical malpractice involving anesthesia are very common. Often the patient is left to deal with brain damage and other devastating injuries if they survive at all. Anesthesia malpractice can include, but is not limited to, the administration of an overdose or the wrong dose, improper monitoring of the patient's vital signs, an error in the intubation procedure or defective or failed equipment.

A condition called "anesthesia awareness" is being reported with more frequency. Anesthesia awareness is reportedly when a patient is awake during surgery, but is unable to communicate this to the surgical team at the operating table. Problems encountered after surgery with anesthesia awareness include nightmares, insomnia, flashbacks and feelings of paranoia.

If you have been the victim of anesthesia malpractice you may be able to be compensated for your medical expenses, costs of long term care, permanent disability, loss of income and loss of potential future earning capacity.

Los Angeles, California residents who have suffered due to anesthesia malpractice should contact The Cochran Firm in Los Angeles today to schedule a confidential consultation to learn about your legal rights.

Labels: Los Angeles