Boat, Jet Ski, & Water Craft Accidents

Every year negligent, careless, and drunk boat & water craft operators cause boating accidents that kill and seriously injure a large number of Texans. In many of these boating accidents, alcohol and young inexperienced operators are the cause of the accidents. In the Texas Hill County, Lake Travis, Lake Austin, Lake LBJ, Lake Buchanan, Canyon Lake, Inks Lake, Town Lake, Medina Lake, and Granger Lake are some of the major places for water recreation and where accidents occur. Many of these accidents are actually covered by insurance and people seriously injured by careless, inexperienced, or intoxicated boat & jet ski operators may have a potential claim for compensation.

For more information on boating accident claims, jet ski accident claims, & other water craft claims follow the below link

Automobile Accidents Caused by Drunk Drivers

Texas drunk drivers cause thousands of automobile accidents which kill and injure thousands of Texans each year. Under Texas law, a driver is considered drunk or under the influence if they do not have the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol, a controlled substance, a drug, a dangerous drug, a combination of two or more of those substances, or any other substance into the body or if they have a blood alcohol concentration of over .08. It is against Texas law for drunk drivers to operate motor vehicles, water craft, or air craft.

For more information on Drunk Driver Automobile Accident Claims follow this link

Defense Base Act

Blackwater, Halliburton, Kellogg, CACI, Brown & Root (KBR), Bechtel, and Dyncorp are all American companies that contract with the U.S. Government to work in foreign countries. Many of these overseas jobs can be high risk and carried out in dangerous conditions. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed while working for a United States Government contractor please contact attorney Jason S. Coomer to determine what time limits may apply to your possible claim.

http://www.texaslawyers.com/coomer
jsc@texaslawyers.com
1-866-474-1477 toll free

Advanced Medical Optics Voluntarily Recalls Complete MoisturePlus Contact Lens Solution

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting health care professionals and their patients who wear soft contact lenses about a voluntary recall of Complete MoisturePlus Multi Purpose Solution manufactured by Advanced Medical Optics of Santa Ana, Ca.

The company is taking this action as a precaution because of reports of a rare, but serious, eye infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis, caused by a parasite. The link between the solution and the infection was identified as a result of an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Consumers who wear soft contact lenses should stop using the solution, discard all partially-used or unopened bottles and replace their lenses and storage container.

"We believe the company acted responsibly in taking this voluntary action and support their decision to be proactive in the interest of public health," said Daniel Schultz, M.D., director of FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "FDA and CDC are working closely with the company to collect additional information and we will continue to alert consumers and advise them as more information becomes available."

Acanthamoeba keratitis may lead to vision loss with some patients requiring a corneal transplant. The infection primarily affects otherwise healthy people who wear contact lenses.

Consumers should ask their doctor about choosing an appropriate alternative cleaning/disinfecting product and seek immediate treatment if they have symptoms of eye infection as early diagnosis is important for effective treatment. The symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis can be very similar to those of other more common eye infections and may include eye pain or redness, blurred vision, light sensitivity, sensation of something in the eye or excessive tearing but Acanthamoeba is more difficult to treat.

It is estimated that Acanthamoeba keratitis infections occur in approximately 2 out of every 1 million contact lens users in the United States each year. However, in a multi-state investigation to evaluate a recent increase in Acanthamoeba keratitis cases, CDC determined that the risk of developing AK was at least seven times greater for those consumers who used Complete MoisturePlus solution versus those who did not. Additional information regarding the CDC results is available at the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm56d526a1.htm.

"The ongoing CDC investigation is a collaborative effort," said Michael Beach, M.D., a Division of Parasitic Diseases team leader with CDC. "We are working with FDA, state, territory, university, and clinical partners in an effort to further understand whether usage or contamination of this solution led to these Acanthamoeba infections."

All contact lens users should closely adhere to the following measures to help prevent eye infections:

• Remove contact lenses before any activity involving contact with water, including showering, using a hot tub, or swimming.
• Wash hands with soap and water and dry them before handling contact lenses.
• Clean contact lenses according to manufacturer guidelines and instructions from an eye care professional.
• Use fresh cleaning or disinfecting solution each time lenses are cleaned and stored. Never reuse or top off old solution.
• Never use saline solution and rewetting drops to disinfect lenses. Neither solution is an effective or approved disinfectant.
• Schedule regular eye exams with your eye care professional
• Wear and replace contact lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your eye care professional.
• Store lenses in a proper storage case.
• Storage cases should be irrigated with sterile contact lens solution (never use tap water) and left open to dry after each use.
• Replace storage cases at least once every three months.

FDA and CDC want to gather information related to Acanthamoeba keratitis in contact lens users. Report adverse events related to these products to MedWatch, the FDA's voluntary reporting program: www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm; Phone: (800) 332-1088; Fax: (800) 332-0178; Mail: MedWatch, Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852-9787.

Consumers who believe they are in possession of the recalled product may call the company at 1-888-899-9183.

Additional information about Acanthamoeba infection is available from the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/acanthamoeba/index.htm.

Chemical Burn Claims

Chemical burns have become more common as the types of chemicals we use continue to increase. They occur when a person's body is exposed to strong acids or alkalids. Common household chemicals include paint thinner, bleach, boric acid, and plumbing decloggers. Other acids and alkalids are commonly used in many work places and can cause serious chemical burns. It is important to follow safety instructions and be aware of dangerous chemicals in work places, storage areas, and around the home.

Click here for more information on chemical burn claims.

Serious Burn and Fire Claims

Third Degree burns are the most serious type of burns and involve all layers of the skin and can include burned fat, muscle and even bone. These burns at first can be painless as the body can be in shock and nerves in the area can be destroyed. However, third degree burns are the worst type of burns and can result in death. Burned areas of the body may appear charred black or dry and white. For third degree burns, immediately call for emergency medical assistance. Until an emergency unit arrives it might be helpful to follow these steps:

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OxyContin, Illegal Promotion by Manufacturer May Cause Health Risks for Consumers

05/10/2007 - FDA informed healthcare professionals of criminal charges and civil liabilities brought against Purdue Frederick in connection with several illegal schemes to promote, market and sell OxyContin, a powerful prescription pain reliever that the company produces. The manufacturer's sales force was trained to make false claims about the product to healthcare professionals, thereby, misbranding OxyContin by illegally promoting the drug as being less addictive, less subject to abuse, and less likely to cause tolerance and withdrawal than other pain medications. These practices falsely promote the product and may cause health risks for consumers.

For more information please follow the links below.
http://www.texaslawyers.com/coomer/
http://www.texaslawyers.com/fda_medwatch.htm

Antidepressant Medication Products

FDA notified healthcare professionals that the Agency proposed that makers of all antidepressant medications update the existing black box warning on the prescribing information for their products to include warnings about the increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior in young adults ages 18 to 24 years old during the first one to two months of treatment. The proposed labeling changes also state that scientific data did not show this increased risk in adults older than 24 years of age and that adults 65 years of age and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidality. The proposed updates apply to the entire category of antidepressants. Individuals currently taking prescribed antidepressant medications should not stop taking them and should notify their healthcare professional if they have concerns. Manufacturers of antidepressant medications will have 30 days to submit their revised product labeling and revised Medication Guides to FDA for review. See the FDA press release for the list of products affected by the proposed antidepressant product labeling changes.

[click here for more information about antidepressant medications]

Investment Scams, Broker Fraud, & Viatical Settlement Fraud Claims

Recently, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed complaints against large viatical settlement companies like Mutual Benefit Corporation and ABC Viaticals, Inc. It is estimated by the SEC that over 29,000 investors were bilked out of $1 billion by Mutual Benefits Corp. and about 4000 investors lost about $100 million from ABC Viaticals, Inc.

Austin Texas Motorcycle Accident Claims

Every year tens of thousand of motorcycles invade Austin for the Republic of Texas Biker Rally. It is a great event with lots of fun, good music, and energy coming into the ATX. Austin Texas closes down several streets and most of the locals make room for the visiting bikers to parade up and down the streets of Austin. Many of us enjoy the variety of bikers and motorcycles cruising the streets of Austin. However, these bikers are sometime vulnerable to careless drivers and can suffer serious injuries if they are hit by a large truck, bus, or car. Even a careless move by another driver can throw off a biker to cause a serious crash.

[click here for more information about the ROT Rally and motorcycle accidents]

Texas Professional Malpractice Claims

Legal Malpractice, Accounting Malpractice, Engineering Malpractice, Programming Malpractice, Medical Malpractice, and other forms of professional negligence are extremely important areas of law because people that go to accountants, engineers, architects, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals need to be able to trust the professional to take care of them. The trust established by the expertise of the professional creates an environment where people are healed and problems are solved, however, it also creates an environment where a professional can intentionally or negligently create great harm. If harm arises, an damaged person or business needs to be protected and may need a Texas Malpractice Lawyer or other individual that can explain what the professional did wrong and what needs to be done to remedy the situation.

[click here for more information on Malpractice]

Class 1 Recall: Hernia Mesh Patch

The mesh patches that are being recalled were surgically implanted into people to support the abdominal wall after hernia surgery and have a “memory recoil ring” that makes it pop into shape after it is inserted. The recall is due to ring breakage, which can result in a sharp, exposed point inside the abdomen, which can perforate the intestines, cause a fistula, abcess, bowel obstruction, and in some cases sepsis and death. If you have had a recent hernia surgery and are experiencing fever, pain at the incision site, abdominal tenderness or distention, nausea, contact your doctor immediately. Anyone that has had a Bard Composix Kugel Mesh Patch should receive notice from their hospital or surgeon. However, this isn’t always the case. Therefore, if you have had hernia surgery, it is probably a good idea to contact your surgeon to find out if your patch was recalled. The recall applies to the oval, large oval, and large circle devices.

[click here for more information on the Hernia Mesh Patch Class 1 Recall]