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We all hear about the horrors of nursing home abuse and hope that the residents of these full-time care homes are being properly provided for. But a September 2011 Tennessean report shows that this is just not true, due to a lack of legal support by the state. Understaffing remains at the core of the…

In order to protect children who are passengers on Tennessee motorcycles, this state’s lawmakers have introduced a new law. And our state has gained national attention because it is the first with this type of legislation anywhere in the U.S. This new legislation requires that any child riding on the back of a motorcycle be…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) exists for one reason: to make America’s highways and roadways safer for all of us to travel. The NHTSA has recently launched a national campaign to prevent motorcycle drunk riding nationwide. The Traffic Safety Marketing division announces the Drunk Riding Prevention National Enforcement Crackdown for all motorcyclists. Beginning…

Tennessee large truck accidents can be the most devastating, injurious and even fatal highway mishaps. Being hit by an 18,000 pound fully loaded semi has been compared to being hit by a three-story apartment building. And if it happens to you, your life can be changed forever. For these reasons, the questions of liability and…

A fatal Tennessee auto accident on July 1, 2012 claimed the life of a woman, and Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesmen are blaming excessive speed for the crash. At around 4:00 p.m. Grace Delmotte, 69, of Cottontown, Tennessee, was driving her 2002 Buick south on Interstate 65 at mile marker 101, near White House. A Dodge…

Never underestimate the extreme roadway danger at a Tennessee intersection and be especially aware of red light runners. According to the Federal Highway Administration, 20% of all roadway crashes happen at intersections – and, in 2008 red light runners caused 10% of all intersection fatalities. Did you know that: 762 Americans were killed in red…

Memphis police reported the deaths of two on May 28, 2012, when the motorcycle they were riding crashed only two minutes into Memorial Day morning. According to Sgt. Karen Rudolph of the Memphis Police Department, 53-year-old David Hopper, of Bartlett, and his 41-year-old female passenger, Glenna Scott, were traveling north on Kirby-Whitten when their motorcycle…

The U.S. Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health have archived a frightening story of excessive force used in the birth of a baby girl in Surrey, England. The story of newborn Hollie Dinning will hopefully instruct medical delivery teams throughout the world – and her death two days after delivery will not be…

A Tennessee fatal accident near Iron City took the lives of two men on June 7, 2012. According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Officers, Stacey O. Short, 38, of Iron City, and Jayson L. Bechtold, 36, who lived just outside Iron City, were both killed in a one-car accident – the third fatal wreck in the…

Tyler Brock, 21 of Corbin, Kentucky, has pleaded guilty to the death last year of a resident of a group home operated by Community Ties of America, a Tennessee-based company. Brock, a former employee of the group home, was indicted on June 12, 2012 on one count of murder after prosecutors stated that he had…

While mistakes in anesthesia are rare, they do happen and nothing is more frightening than when a patient finds him or herself awake during a surgery. And “anesthesia awareness” does happen. Consciousness while under general anesthesia happens in about one or two of every 1000 cases in which general anesthesia is used. Consider the following…

The statistics say it all: In over 50% of fatal motorcycle accidents the operators had less than five months of experience in 2010. 90% of riders either taught themselves how to operate a bike, or were taught by a family member. The more training a motorcycle operator has, the less chance he or she has…

In May 2012, two separate Johnson City area motorcycle accidents resulting in fatalities have caused the Johnson City police concern for safety. On May 24, Burrell Mitchell was killed on his motorcycle when a pickup truck turned left in front of him at the corner of West Walnut Street and State of Franklin. Mitchell, 39,…

Over 15,000 deaths are caused each year by slips and falls. And, over eight million people are treated annually for fall-related injuries. In fact, falls are the leading cause of accidental injury in the United States, and one of the most common places to fall is the stairway. Stairs that are poorly designed, badly lit,…

When you are seriously injured on-the-job, most of your energy goes into healing and getting the bills paid. So understandably, you expect your employer to support your Tennessee workers’ compensation claim. But the sad truth is that some insurance providers will go to great lengths to save themselves some cash. And one tactic involves hiring…

Esther Congdon, 79, and her husband, Richard Congden, 79, of Knoxville, Tennessee, were both fatally injured in a Tennessee car crash on Interstate 40 Sunday, June 3, 2012. Mrs. Congden, the driver of a Ford Taurus, was traveling East on I-40, between Papermill Drive and the I-640 interchange, when her vehicle began to swerve erratically.…

The Tennessee Association for Justice (TAJ) held elections on June 8, 2012, in Memphis, Tennessee at its annual convention.  Bryan Capps of Knoxville was elected president of the organization.  Bryan Smith of Memphis advanced to president-elect.  The association also elected three vice presidents from each grand division of the state, including Thomas Greer of Memphis,…

J&N’s Ethicon division is halting sales, world-wide, of Gynecare TVT Secur, Gynecare Prosima, Gynecare Prolift and Gynecare Prolift+ mesh products.  These surgical meshes are among a class of products made by various companies whose safety and effectiveness were the subject of an FDA “Public Health Notification” on October 20, 2008, and an updated PHN on…

If you have hired a Tennessee lawyer to handle any kind of legal issue, you must be able to trust that he or she will represent your interests ethically. Unfortunately, this does not always happen and you stand a lot to lose. If your lawyer fails to act ethically, you should report the problem. Some…

Michael Brandon Barber of Shelby County, Tennessee, was suspended on April 26, 2012 for five years for neglecting the representation of five former clients. He was also ordered to pay a restitution of $3,436.50 to the plaintiffs. In addition, Barber was ordered to pay all the expenses and costs of the disciplinary proceedings and to…

According to a May 21, 2012 Times Free Press news article, hundreds of Tennessee and Georgia residents are involved every year in officer-involved car crashes. And an average of two to three people, either officers or other drivers, are killed annually in both states. The article cites the February accident in Georgia that killed Leon…

Four men were killed and one woman seriously injured when their 1968 Cessna model 401 aircraft crashed into a Kansas cornfield this month. All five were on their way to a May 2012 Christian youth rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The pilot, Luke Sheets, 23, and passengers Garrett Coble, 29, Stephen Luth, 22, and Austin…

Because of the 1987 federal Nursing Home Reform Law, every Tennessee nursing home resident has legally protected rights that are designed to protect him or her from abuse. Unfortunately, these rights are not always upheld and the result can be devastating to both the residents and their families. So, what do you do if your…

This month the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) released a disturbing report concerning the horrible conditions endured by the residents of three Georgia nursing homes. And the blame has fallen squarely on the shoulders of the owner. The May 2012 report centers on the case of George Dayln Houser who was convicted of defrauding Medicare…

Every operating medical team goes into surgery with the best of intentions. And most every patient trusts that each team will do their very best to be successful. However, surgical errors do happen, and when they do, the results can be harmful – or even fatal. As Memphis MedMal lawyers, we know just how devastating…