To establish a case of medical malpractice under Missouri law, a patient must show that a doctor failed to meet the requisite standard of care, that what the doctor did or failed to do was done negligently, and that the doctor’s action caused the patient’s injury. The recent Missouri Court of Appeals case of Wacker v. St. Francis Medical...
Read MoreTruck safety advocates celebrated this past summer when Congress authorized a new bill that included many provisions to enhance truck safety and prevent trucking accidents. The bill is called MAP-21, which stands for Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century. Improving Road Safety Not only does the bill enhance safety for the truck drivers themselves, but it...
Read MoreClearly nurses are vital to patient recovery, safety and satisfaction. They are on the front lines every day, providing care to countless patients during long and hectic shifts. The great majority of nurses and nursing aides tackle this daunting task with compassion and positivity. Unfortunately, a recent study released by the Australia-based Health Informatics Research and Evaluation Unit confirms...
Read MoreWhile the Internet may be swarming with entertaining video of the plight of distracted walkers, the reality is that distracted walking is a true public safety concern. Over 4,000 pedestrians were killed, and an estimated 59,000 were injured in traffic crashes in 2009. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a non-profit organization that represents state and territorial highway safety...
Read MoreWhen a child is killed in an entirely preventable accident, someone must be held accountable for the tragedy. One such death occurred in January of this year when a bus driver ran over and killed a six-year-old boy in Missouri after dropping him off in front of his home. The Missouri State Highway Patrol recently ended its investigation, concluding...
Read MoreIn the fight against distracted driving, much attention has been paid to dangers of texting; and rightfully so. As a result most states, including Missouri, have at a minimum passed partial texting bans. In Missouri, drivers under 21-years-old are prohibited from texting while driving. Now, a new bill proposes to expand the fight against distracted driving by making any...
Read MoreThe past year has been one of tragic accidents in the intercity bus industry. There was a string of fatal bus crashes across the county. These bus accidents have shed light on the issue of driver fatigue and the long hours bus drivers spend behind the wheel. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was commissioned to comprehensively study the...
Read MoreA proposed federal measure to improve motor vehicle safety will be delayed by nearly a year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was expected to publish a rule in late February of 2011 creating a phased-in requirement for backup cameras on cars and trucks sold in the U.S. But NHTSA recently requested another 45-day commentary period, and told...
Read MoreCaps on medical malpractice awards were part of an aggressive tort reform platform in the mid-2000’s. One rationale behind the damage cap legislation was to lower insurance premiums in an effort to attract and keep physicians. Unfortunately, even after states passed damage caps, liability insurance premiums did not decrease and the caps have harsh unintended consequences for some injured...
Read MoreFor the first time in 12 years, motorcycling fatalities in the United States declined in 2009. While the reasons for the decline are not known, worsening economic conditions causing fewer new riders, fewer miles ridden, and casual riders selling their motorcycles have been cited as possible supporting factors. Yet, while the drop in deaths of approximately 10 percent is...
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