Posted on August 18, 2012 in Our Blog

It’s been a while since we have had one of those practically unbelievable stories. Well, get this, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a nationwide recall of a particular toilet-flushing mechanism because it can explode. That’s right, it explodes and can cause injuries. The flushing mechanism is the Flushmate III Pressure-Assisted Flushing System… read more

Posted on August 15, 2012 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Patient Death

The Oregon Patient Safety Commission announced that reported hospital errors, also known as adverse events or never events, rose slightly in 2011 to 142 events. While this is somewhat of a disappointment, the commission is looking on the bright side, as the reporting of these errors by hospitals is voluntary, and the commission has been… read more

Posted on July 23, 2012 in Our Blog,Public Safety

What can you do if you are a police officer who has to confront someone who is seemingly impaired and acting strangely? If that person has not committed a crime, what responsibilities and rights do you have to do something about it? That is the question now in the case of the tragic accident that… read more

Posted on July 10, 2012 in Our Blog,Public Safety

Tragedies often end in lawsuits. In November of 2010 a 2-year-old boy fell from a third-floor luxury box at the Staples Center and died. The luxury box is like a balcony overlooking the arena. A glass safety partition provides a barrier between spectators and the ledge. The toddler and his family had attended a Los… read more

Posted on June 25, 2012 in Our Blog,Patient Care

Who knows how something like this could happen, but some 44 people have filed a lawsuit against Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire for causing a hepatitis C outbreak. There outbreak, which started on May 10, is believed to have originated in the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab. The group of patients is seeking class-action status. Though… read more

Posted on June 18, 2012 in Our Blog,Public Safety

Portlanders love to go out for breakfast, but there is a small group of breakfast eaters who aren’t in love with the eggs benedict served at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in NE Portland. A year ago a group of county commissioners gathered for a nationwide meeting. A handful of the attendees ate eggs benedict at… read more

Posted on May 17, 2012 in Our Blog,Patient Care

It’s never pleasant when medical equipment fails, but if the failure directly affects your livelihood, it just adds insult to injury (no pun intended). That’s what happened to professional football player Jason Peters of the Philadelphia Eagles. Peters tore his Achilles tendon during training in the spring. He underwent surgery to repair it in early… read more

Posted on May 12, 2012 in Our Blog,Public Safety

You’ve all probably seen those “duck tours” in various cities that give tours on those large amphibious vehicles that look like boats on wheels. The tourists sit high up off the ground while the tour guide drives and provides commentary. They might sound like fun, but a number of these tour vehicles have been in… read more

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Our Blog,Public Safety

When is $3 million not enough? When it’s fraud. Families of miners killed in an explosion in West Virginia in 2010 filed a lawsuit against the mining company, claiming they were fraudulently coerced into accepting wrongful-death settlements. The suit claims that Massey Energy deliberately withheld information pertinent to making settlement decisions. In April 2010 29… read more

Posted on May 8, 2012 in Our Blog,Patient Care

The makers of an epilepsy drug that was later marketed as a treatment for schizophrenia as well as dementia-related agitation must pay $1.5 billion to settle a mass of lawsuits. The claims allege that Abbott Laboratories, producers of Depakote, pushed for sales of the drug to treat schizophrenia and dementia-related agitation, even though the drug… read more