The explosion on the SS Norway resulted in the wrongful deaths of eight
crewmembers and the personal injuries of 10 others on May 2003 in the Port of Miami. The cruise line, based out of Miami, Florida,
was charged with grossly negligent operation of a vessel. The company is liable
for at least $500,000 worth of criminal penalties and has reached an agreement
that it will carry out safety inspections of its vessels with an independent
consultant.

According to Norwegian, the company has cooperated with federal authorities
since the incident according and would continue to do so.

According to what the FDA wrote, parents should vigilantly monitor their
children?s use of the devices. However, the FDA didn?t advise against the use
of the devices, but called for more study addressing safety concerns in teens
and younger children who use the popular devices.

It was discovered by the federal review, that over a decade 13 deaths and
over 1,500 injuries have been linked to the devices. In some cases, there was a
malfunction in the device, but at others, teens were careless or took risks,
according to the authors of the study.

According to the analysis, there were some teens who didn?t even know how to
properly use the pumps, some teens that dropped them or didn?t take care of
them, and even two cases of possible suicide attempts by teens giving themselves
too much insulin.

According to James Roe, Walgreens allegedly knew or should have known that the
gap outside the store existed, but allowed it to exist for years.


Roe alleges that his cane was caught in the gap on June 15, 2006, causing him
to fall ane receive a grade 1 anterior subluxation of L4 on L5 of his lower
spine.



According to Roe, Walgreens was in violation of its duty to act with due care
for others? safety. He also alleges failure by Walgreens to maintain the
entryway in a condition that was reasonably safe.


Roe alleges that as a result of his back injuries, he has and will continue to
incur medical expenses, loss of wages, and pain and suffering. He seeks damages
in excess of $150,000 in addition to costs of suit.

In a personal injury suit, economic damages, including past and future medical
bills, property damage, and past and future income. Non-economic damages such
as pain and suffering can also be recovered.



If involved in a car crash, you should obtain the name, address, driver?s
license number, insurance and vehicle information of the other drafter, even if
you are not experiencing any pain. Remember, often a person will not experience
pain due to an endorphin released in the body. If injured in a fall, you should
discover the cause and take pictures, if possible. You should also report the
incident to the proper person, like the manager.


You shouldn?t speak about the cause to anyone. Anything you say to any person
besides your lawyer is generally not privileged and discoverable.



Seek medical care as soon as possible as early treatment will benefit you and
your cause.


Don?t feel guilty or embarrassed that you have filed a personal injury suit, as
it is the best method of protecting yourself.

According to the State Workers? Compensation Board of New York, Yonkers Auto Mall, Yonkers Service Station, and Golden Yonkers
Properties, Inc. were all in violation of state law for their failure to carry
insurance for workers? comp.

According to Brian Keegan, spokesman for the Workers? Comp
Board, the agency is working with Yonkers Auto Mall and may rescind the $33,000
judgment. They are also discussing the $6,000 judgment with Golden Yonkers
Properties, as it now has coverage. However, the board has yet to receive a response
from Yonkers Service Station, whose $4,000 judgment was filed on March 31 in
the New York Supreme Court in White
Plains, New York.

According to 14-year-old Miguel Perez, he received cuts across
his forehead and eyebrow and near his right ear as a result of the police dog
attacking him. 

The attack took place when members of the Bakersfield P.D.
were searching the home of the Perez family for three men who had robbed a
Fastrip nearby.



Perez was in his bed and the dog saw movement and attacked.

According to police, the dog?s handler pulled it away
quickly and the bite was unintentional.

A. No. However, they are the second most likely to be
attacked, behind children, who make up 60 percent of dog attacks. Occupations
like mail carriers and meter readers are third.

Often, children are unaware of how to behave around dogs and can frighten
them into behaving aggressively. Older people are more likely to be attacked
because they are usually slower and weaker than younger adults. Mail carriers
and such walk onto property considered by the dogs to be their domain to
defend.

Over 4.7 million Americans each year are bitten by dogs. Approximately
800,000 of those victims seek out medical attention. Of the injured, emergency
medical treatment is required 386,000 and approximately one dozen die.

Here is a list of tips from experts on avoiding dog attacks:

? Looking a dog straight in the eye can provoke it. Don?t do it!

? Running away or past a dog can make it aggressive and want to chase you.
Don?t do it!



? You should never approach a dog you don?t know and attempt to be friendly,
especially if it is behind a fence, tethered, or in a parked car.



? If you are approached by an unfamiliar dog, stand still. It is likely that
the dog will sniff you before walking away.



? Never bother a dog that is eating or sleeping. And stay away from a mother
tending to her litter.



? If a dog threatens you, don?t yell. Respond calmly and in a commanding voice,
tell the dog to go away. Until the dog leaves, either remain still or back away
slowly.



? If a dog attacks you, give it an object to bite such as a jacket or tote. If
the dog knocks you down, roll into a ball and lie still, covering your head and
face with you hands.

Answer: As part of the medical review, you will likely be asked to provide
information concerning medical treatments and any changes that may have
occurred in your condition. You may also be asked about any information on work
you might have performed, if any.

After than, your file will be reviewed by a team made up of a disability
examiner and a doctor, who will request your medical reports.

You may also be asked to undergo a special examination that will be paid for
by the Social Security Administration. Upon completion of the review, you will
be sent a letter from the SSA informing you of whether or not you are still
qualified to receive benefits for disability. If the SSA comes to the decision
that your benefits will be discontinued, you have the right to appeal the
decision.

Jones waived prosecution by indictment and pled guilty to a
count of felony information charging him with the theft of money or property
that belonged to the U.S.
valued over $1,000.

The charges came about after an investigation conducted by
the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General that
examined work the defendant was continuing to perform at a home for the elderly
in Bealeton, Virginia even though he had been receiving
disability payments from the SSA.

Evidence Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Healey presented
showed that Jones had attempted to conceal the work he had been performing at
the facility by telling his coworkers to refer any questions about his work
status to his wife, also an employee at the time.

Jones waived prosecution by indictment and pled guilty to a
count of felony information charging him with the theft of money or property
that belonged to the U.S.
valued over $1,000.

The charges came about after an investigation conducted by
the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General that
examined work the defendant was continuing to perform at a home for the elderly
in Bealeton, Virginia even though he had been receiving
disability payments from the SSA.

Evidence Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Healey presented
showed that Jones had attempted to conceal the work he had been performing at
the facility by telling his coworkers to refer any questions about his work
status to his wife, also an employee at the time.

Provost?s original petition claimed that on October 24, 2006
she was traveling north when her vehicle was rear-ended by the company vehicle
driven by Flores, which he was allegedly
failing to control the speed of.

The suit alleges that the proximate cause of damages Provost
received was Flores? negligence. The suit also
says the vehicle had been entrusted to Flores
even though he was unfit for safe operation of the vehicle.


Also alleged by the suit is that Flores
failed, negligently, to keep a proper lookout, turn his vehicle in time to
avoid the collision, and apply his brakes in time.


Provost, who allegedly received personal injuries to her neck and back, seeks
damages for past and future medical expenses, pain, and mental anguish.

According to police in Cincinnati,
Ohio an officer responded to a
report of a dog attacking someone shortly after 11 a.m. on April 28.

According to an incident report, upon the homeowner?s opening the door for
the officer, the dog escaped out the door and bit the officer on the leg,
puncturing it.

According to the U.S. National Eye Institute, an estimated 2 million
Americans are affected by primary open-angle glaucoma, which is one of the
leading causes of blindness. However, there has been no conclusive proof of a
link between diabetes and glaucoma.

Another study published in the same publication found no link between
diabetes and glaucoma. That trial included nearly 4,000 people from the Netherlands.

However, the first study was of a significantly larger size, including over
76,000 women enrolled in the 20-year-long Nurses? Health Study. The available
evidence was enough to convince the American Diabetes Association to reach the
conclusion that those who have the disabling condition of diabetes have an
increased risk of glaucoma.

Glaucoma occurs when there's a gradual increase in the normal fluid pressure
inside the eyes, causing optic nerve damage that results in loss of vision and
blindness.

One study by researchers in the U.S. showed that women using the
osteoporosis drug Fosamax showed nearly twice the likelihood of having atrial
fibrillation, a type of abnormal heartbeat.

Another study by researchers in Switzerland showed that diabetes
drugs Avandia and Actos can more than double the risk of bone fractures.

According to Dr. Jane Cauley of the University of Pittsburgh,
the studies, which were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine,
highlight the need of patients to carefully weigh risks and benefits of drugs.T

Cauley discounted evidence that there is a link between drugs for increasing
bone mass for osteoporosis sufferers and atrial fibrillation, but agreed that a
possible link could exist between the diabetes drugs and bone fractures.

Christian Meier of University Hospital Basel conducted the diabetes study in
which those who were taking Avandia or Actos should double or triple the odds
of receiving non-spine fractures. The greater risk was among patients taking
the drugs for around 12 to 18 months and the highest was for those with two
years or more of therapy.

Court records say that Superior Court Judge Bob Hight
approved a default judgment against the pair in November for over $1.3 million
plus interest after they failed to respond to the suit.

According to Tammy McCrary, Khan?s manager, she never
received the suit and had no knowledge of the judgment.

A wrongful death and negligence suit was filed by the
family of 17-year-old Christopher Bailey against Khan and 29-year-old Holland after Holland
was acquitted of murdering Bailey in May of 2006 by a jury.

On September 24, 2004, Bailey was shot in the face by Holland with an M-16
assault rifle. During the course of the trial, Holland admitted to having a friend punch him
in the face and initially lied to police to give the appearance that he had
been attacked by Bailey. He testified to being upset over Bailey having an
affair with his girlfriend, but said the gun went off accidentally.

The wrongful death and negligence suit was filed in
September 2006 against Khan, her mother, her company, and Holland. Khan and Holland never responded to the suit, but
Sandra Coleman, Khan?s mother, settled with the Bailey family for $500,000,
according to court records. However, the family argues that was only half of
the amount agreed upon.

Family members filed suit on the behalf of each of the deceased against Rampart
Ambulance and Natalia Jauquet, the driver of the ambulance at the time of the
crash.



Each suit seeks damages in excess of $25,000.



According to the complaint of Roberts? family, she was not suffering from a
life-threatening condition and there was no factor besides driver error that
led to the crash.



According to the first count, Jauquet was allegedly negligent in her driving
due to exceeding the speed limit, not sounding a siren, careless driving, and
failing to keep the ambulance on the traveled portion of the highway.



The second count relates to the alleged negligence of Rampart Emergency Medical
Services, Inc., who owns the ambulance and employs Jauquet.

The third count relates to the alleged negligent supervision of Rampart,
including their failure to properly supervise and insure that Jauquet had
received the necessary training to operate the ambulance and warn Roberts that
the driver was not qualified.

On April 28, 75-year-old Donald Espeseth attempted to enter a plea of guilty
to charges of leaving the scene of a personal-injury accident, which is a class
D felony that carries a punishment of up to six years in prison.

Court documents say that 6-year-old Tyson Huffman exited the bus on November
5, dropped something in front of it and bent over to pick up the object. According
to an affidavit, Wendy Lott, the driver of the vehicle behind the bus, watched
the bus move forward and hit Huffman with both axles as the bus passed over
him.

Espeseth apologized to the child and family before he addressed the court
and described the incident to Circuit Judge Tom Keith.

Espeseth said that he recalled car horns honking at him and a man who tried
to have him stop the bus. He said that he had a tough time hearing him, but
believed he?d had a near-miss with a child. He said he looked in the mirrors
but saw no child behind him and went back to the bus barn.

According to Espeseth, he first learned of the boy?s personal injuries the
next morning when he was called by the director of transportation.

According to investigators, the
child was a visitor at the home and entered the back yard alone. At some point,
the dogs became aggressive toward the boy and attacked him.

One of the house?s adult residents spotted the boy near the
dogs, who were described as acting aggressively, and went to get help from
another adult. According to officers, they were able to remove the boy from the
animals and contact 911.


The child was taken in an ambulance to Mercy
Medical Center
before being transferred to a hospital in Boise,
Idaho.


The dogs were taken by animal control officers to the Canyon County, Idaho
Animal Shelter, where they will be held awaiting a hearing by the Nampa vicious
dog board.

Turner and her husband filed suit against Mandalay Sports Entertainment, the owners of the 51s at the time, after the ball hit her in the face and knocked her unconscious, broke her nose, and left her with cuts on her face. The suit alleged negligence, loss of consortium, and emotional distress.

On May 4, 2002, the Turners, who had season tickets, left their assigned seats to go to the Beer Garden, which is several hundred feet from the playing field. Turner was eating a sandwich at a table and unable to see any part of the field when the ball hit her.

The court ruled that a proprietor has a general duty for reasonable care to keep the premises safe. The court said that in the case of ballparks, only the most dangerous parts of the stadium, such as behind home plate, need to have sufficient protective seating and protections for spectators. The Court went on to write that a stadium operator ?simply has no remaining duty to protect spectators
from foul balls, which are a known, obvious and unavoidable part of all
baseball games,? the court?s decision said.

Chief Justice Mark Gibbons, who wrote the dissent, concluded that ?the 51s had a general duty to protect Mrs. Turner from injury in the Beer Garden. Whether the 51s breached that duty by failing to provide a protective screen or barrier is a question of fact for the jury.?

However, according to Kalant, who is an oral surgeon, instead of slapping his palm, Anderson allegedly grabbed his arm as he fell forward, resulting in a hyperextension of his arm and his biceps muscle rupturing, according to the suit Kalant filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.

Kalant remained in his seat for the remainder of the game but later had to undergo a surgical procedure and alleges that he is likely to miss as much as fourth months of work. Kalant filed the suit seeking damages for medical bills, physical pain, and loss of earnings that he did not specify. According to the claims of the suit, Anderson was negligent through either falling forward while grabbing the hand of a fan, or ?running out of control? through the crowd, reported the Chicago Tribune.

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, in a reversal of an Industrial Accident Board ruling, said that the worker who had worked 27 hours before his drive home had no entitlement to benefits because there was not sufficient proof that he had been required to work the long shift.

Involved in the case was the so-called ?going and coming? rule, which provides that compensation is not typically granted for personal injuries employees suffer on their travels to and from work.

According to court records, on August 3, 2001, the day before the accident, Michael Haslam began work at 5 a.m. He was a foreman supervising a carpentry crew building forms for road supports. During the day, various circumstances delayed the project and the pouring of concrete into the forms did not start until 1 a.m., nearly 20 hours after Haslam?s shift began. He testified that his shift was to end at 3:30 p.m. and he was not scheduled for overnight work, but he remained because a carpenter has to be present while the concrete?s being poured and no one else was there to finish what he had been doing until around 8 a.m. He said that he continued on because he believed if he didn?t finish, he would no longer have a job.

However, the on-duty construction crew supervisor for the night testified that there was a number of people he could rely on if a problem arose, so he could have called someone to get more personnel. He said that Haslam had not asked for assistance that night.

North Carolina applies the "going and coming" rule to deny benefits to workers who are injured while traveling to and from work. There are a number of important exceptions to North Carolina's going and coming rule but exhaustion and sleep deprivation from working long hours is not one of those exceptions. Therefore, North Carolina courts would likely have ruled the same as the Massachusetts court did in this case.

            Missouri residents who
were charged illegal fees for second mortgages have been awarded $99,000,000.00
in punitive damages against three mortgage lenders for this misconduct. 

            The jury,
sitting in state court in Jackson County, Missouri, had previously found that
these defendants owed the plaintiffs 5.1 million dollars in actual
damages.  The three defendants are
Residential Funding Company, LLC, Household Finance Corp. III, and Wachovia
Equity Servicing, LLC. 

            The actual
damages suffered by the plaintiffs as a result of the legal conduct of the
three mortgage companies occurred because the original lender had charged the
victims excessive interest and illegal charges for origination fees, loan
discount fees, underwriting fees, processing fees, document preparation fees
and legal fees. 

            The
original lender who charged the illegal and excessive fees was Mortgage Capital
Resources Corp. 

            The three
mortgage companies listed above purchased these tainted loans from Mortgage
Capital Resources Corp., which is no longer in business.  The former chief executive of the now-defunct
mortgage company is in prison for mortgage fraud. 

            The three
mortgage companies who purchased the tainted loans defended this suit based
upon their contention that they were entitled to rely upon assurances from
Mortgage Capital Resources Corp. that the loans fully complied with state
law. 

            After the
jury awarded 5.1 million in actual damages, in the first phase of the
trial calendar came back to court to decide the issue of punitive damages in
the second phase of the trial.

            The State
of Missouri
has a set of laws known as the Second Mortgage Loan Act.  Under this act, many of the fees charged by
the lenders were illegal. 

            The lawyers
for the plaintiffs in this class action suit proves that the three mortgage
companies knew of the lender's fraudulent conduct and "stepped into its
shoes". 

            The case
had been certified as a class action.  Missouri residents who
obtain second mortgages from Mortgage Capital Resources will be eligible to
share in the damage Award.  It is
estimated that a total of 324 Missourians will qualify as members of the class. 

The Lafayette General Medical Center (LGMC) settled multi-patient, civil lawsuit against Dr. Patel?s cardiology practice for $1.8 million, much less than the $7.4 million Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital (OLLH) paid one year ago to settle similar lawsuits. Hundreds of patients sued Patel, who also faces federal charges for alleged ?unnecessary? surgical procedures on75 patients.

LGMC CEO Patrick Gandy said the settlement was fair.

Just months ago,  LGMC settled with the federal government for $1.9 million regarding claims it defrauded Medicare, Medicaid by submitting bills for ?medically unnecessary procedures? performed by Dr. Patel. Last summer, (OLLH) settled with the federal government for $3.8 million.

Federal health officials claim Patel's procedures caused medical complications to some patients who underwent allegedly ?unnecessary? angiogram, angioplasty and stent procedures. Patel's trial is set for August. He faces charges of billing Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers $2.5 million in ?unnecessary procedures? on patients between 2001 and 2004.

An American Automobile Association (AAA) Mid-Atlantic survey found that teen-driver accidents drain $30 billion from the pockets of Joe Q Public annually.

"All your life you watch them grow up and take care of them, and all of a sudden you're going to put them in a car by themselves and say ?Alright, go ahead.? So we're concerned about that," said Johnny Ely, father of a teen driver.

The AAA reports that motorist accidents in the United States cost the economy $164 billion annually. From accidents involving15 to 17-year-olds, the financial loss is $34.4 billion on an annual bases, said AAA?s Ragina Averella.

Costs were tabulated from expenses relating to medical care, lost wages, property damage and ?quality of life? losses.

"Auto accidents are the leading cause of death for 15 to 20-year-olds," said the State of Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari. Because of statistics like this one, he supports extending the time for obtaining a learner's driving permit. ?If teen drivers can spend more time with a parent or guardian on the road in a controlled situation, they will become more experienced drivers"

The AAA study shows that states with stricter driving and licensing laws have fewer incidents involving young drivers.

http://wjz.com/local/crash.teen.2.693183.html

The suit was filed by the attorneys of John Graziano in Clearwater, Florida
and accuses one count of negligence against Nick Bollea, three counts of
negligence against Terry Bollea, one count of negligence against Linda Bollea,
and one count against Daniel Jacobs, the driver of the vehicle Bollea was
racing against.

According to Clearwater
police, the incident, which took place on August 26, 2007, occurred due to
Bollea crashing his 1998 Toyota Supra while he was in a street race against the
Dodge Viper driven by a friend. According to a report, Bollea was driving over
60 mph in a 40 mph zone.

Graziano, a 22-year-old Marine who served in Iraq, was the
passenger of 17-year-old Bollea. Graziano was not wearing his seat belt and
received critical personal injuries. Bollea was wearing his seat belt and
received no serious injuries.

As a result of the crash, Graziano received serious personal
injuries to the head and was left in a semiconscious state. His family says
that he will now require medical care for the remainder of his life. According
to an attorney, the family will be seeking millions of dollars.

The suit alleges that Terry and Linda Bollea should have
been aware of the fact that their son was a reckless driver and knew that he
had been drinking on the day of the crash.

Bollea is facing a criminal charge of reckless driving
involving serious bodily injury. His license was suspended in November due to
allegedly having a blood-alcohol content of 0.055 percent as a minor when the
crash occurred. In April of 2007, he was also cited for driving 106 mph.

In addition to the charges of reckless driving, Bollea has
been cited for the use of a motor vehicle in commission of a felony, being a
driver under 21 operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of 0.02 or
above, and having illegal window tinting.

North Carolina citizens who have been injured by exposure to benzene may have a products liability claim against the manufacturer or seller of the products or supplies containing benzene. North Carolina citizens who have been injured by exposure to benzene in the work environment may also have a workers? compensation claim.

Patients of a Dr. Dipak K. Desai in southern Nevada over the last three decades have reason to worry.

The doctor recently agreed to temporarily stop practicing medicine after 28 years until a state investigation sifts through and renders a decision on unlawful medical practice allegations in his clinic, said the IndiaPost.com.

The Southern Nevada Health District confirmed Dr. Desai instructed staff at his Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada Las Vegas Clinic to reuse syringes and medical vials the last four years. That exposed 40,000 people to possible hepatitis B and C and HIV. Thus far, six hepatitis cases in Dr. Desai?s patients have been confirmed.

The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners instructed to close his clinic until it has concluded its investigation, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Through legal counsel, the doctor said, "As a longtime resident of Southern Nevada, I share our community's sorrow and concern for those who have been affected by this situation.

Dr Desai attended medical school at Gujarat University and later, completed his medical residency at the St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center in New York.

The sun reported that the doctor had contributed to the George W. Bush and Al Gore presidential campaigns. He also served on a gubernatorial health care committee of Gov. Jim Gibbons. The Sun reported Dr Desai was a member of the same state board which investigated and found the alleged violations in his clinic. At one time, the doctor even served as chairman of that board's investigative committee.

In Oklahoma, there are 56 uninsured elder homes with 6,621 beds, according to the Oklahoma Center for Consumer & Patient Safety (OCCPS) in Tulsa, according to NewsOK.com.

?Over 20 percent of beds in Oklahoma are in nursing homes that refuse to carry insurance," said Hugh Robert, executive director of OCPPS. "The number is likely a lot higher."

OCPPS wants legislation which would require all nursing homes to carry liability insurance or at least to provide proof of assets in case of a lawsuit.

But the Oklahoma Association of Healthcare Providers (OAHP) sees it much differently. "Under funding from Medicaid and Medicare has forced many nursing home owners to make a choice -- either pay for liability insurance or pay for taking care of residents," said Becky Moore, executive director of OAHP. ?Unless the government wants to increase Medicaid payments to homes to cover insurance costs, it should not mandate insurance coverage, she said.

She agreed many homes in Oklahoma lack legal protection from the threat of lawsuits but said administrators have no choice. Moore said the number of insured homes increased when an insurance group which covered nine out of 10 homes in the state went bankrupt three years ago.

"Premium rates have increased five times what they were five years ago," Moore said, adding that insurance policies have huge deductibles for their coverage.

http://newsok.com/article/3217720/1205868148

If the hurricane victims are successful, this suit could be on the level of other large-scale product liability suits such as the ones filed against manufacturers of asbestos and tobacco.

According to Letechia Acker, one of many plaintiffs in the suit, she hopes that a victory in court can buy a new home for her family to replace the one destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Acker said that her sons, especially the 2-year-old born the day after the family?s move into the trailer, have frequently had respiratory infections and upset stomachs. She asked FEMA to test the unit after discovering that it may have been formaldehyde in the trailer causing their illness.

However, Acker?s request, in addition to the requests of hundreds of other trailer residents, was declined by FEMA until e-mails were released by lawmakers last summer which showed that FEMA?s lawyers had advised them against testing to avoid liability.

FEMA then requested that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) test 519 trailers and mobile homes. They discovered that most of them had high levels of formaldehyde. FEMA has said that they are now honoring all testing requests.

According to attorneys representing the trailer residents, the CDC?s test results don?t show the full scope of the problem as they were conducted in December and January and when temperatures increase, formaldehyde levels rise.

Formaldehyde is a colorless, pungent gas which many construction materials emit. A variety of symptoms including burning eyes, respiratory problems, and rashes, can be caused by the suspected carcinogen.

Patients of a Dr Dipak K. Desai in southern Nevada over the last three decades have reason to worry.

The doctor recently agreed to temporarily stop practicing medicine after 28 years until a state investigation sifts through and renders a decision on unlawful medical practice allegations in his clinic, said the IndiaPost.com.

The Southern Nevada Health District confirmed Dr. Desai instructed staff at his Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada Las Vegas Clinic to reuse syringes and medical vials the last four years. That exposed 40,000 people to possible hepatitis B and C and HIV. Thus far, six hepatitis cases in Dr. Desai?s patients have been confirmed.

The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners instructed to close his clinic until it has concluded its investigation, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Through legal counsel, the doctor said, "As a longtime resident of Southern Nevada, I share our community's sorrow and concern for those who have been affected by this situation.

Dr Desai attended medical school at Gujarat University and later, completed his medical residency at the Catholic Medical Center in New York.

The sun reported that the doctor had contributed to the George W. Bush and Al Gore presidential campaigns. He also served on a gubernatorial health care committee of Gov. Jim Gibbons. The Sun reported Dr Desai was a member of the same state board which investigated and found the alleged violations in his clinic. At one time, the doctor even served as chairman of that board's investigative committee.

<p>An area physician with a documented history of neglect still is practicing medicine and ?tending? to elderly patients in the hospital and nursing home community, according to thedenverchannel.com, the ABC affiliate there.</p>

<p>In 2000, the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners put Dr. Stan Worley on five years probation when several patients under his care died at the O?Hara Nursing Home in Denver. Dr. Worley was a staff physician at the nursing home when sanctioned by the board. Dr. Worley was sued by one family of a deceased resident but the case was settled. O?Hara has since closed.</p>

<p>Six years later, Dr. Worley was a staff physician at the Cherry Creek Nursing Center in Aurora when yet another fatality occurred under his watch.</p>

<h2>Distressed Patient Seemingly Neglected by Doctor</h2>

<p>On Sept. 8, 2006, 82-year-old Frank Andrade was discharged from a hospital and sent to Cherry Creek for rehabilitation for hip surgery. Concerned about her father?s dehydration from diarrhea, Rachel Belmudez asked Dr. Worley if her father was strong enough for the transfer. She said the doctor said, "He's good to go."</p>

<p>The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment investigation reported Andrade's worsened that day. At 9:15 a.m. the 82-year-old began to cough uncontrollably. A nurse summoned Dr. Worley, who was on the telephone but refused to hang up, according to the nurse. "There was no question in this case that he delayed care," the nurse testified.</p>

According to a prepared statement by Alex Hodge, Sheriff of Jones County, Mississippi, once 54-year-old Carlos Magee is released from the hospital; he will face charges of aggravated assault and attempted aggravated assault.

The name of the woman attacked, nor the name of her husband, were released by Hodge. There were also no details given about the condition she or Magee were in.

Steven Smith, a Deputy for the Jones County Sheriff?s Department, responded to a complaint the department had received. Once there, Smith discovered a woman who had suffered from massive bite wounds due to being attacked by a dog.

According to Hodge, the attack was neither an accident, nor the result of provocation by the woman. Hodge said that the dog was told to attack the woman by Magee. The woman?s husband attempted to aid his wife by trying to knock the dog off of her with a baseball bat, at the same time Magee was attacking the husband with an ax handle.

At some point during the incident, the dog turned on its owner and wounded him. Smith called for back-up at the scene. Shortly after they responded, the dog was killed.

According to Mendez?s testimony in 2005, at the time of the attack, Scooter was six years old and had only been docile and friendly since being rescued from a shelter in East Hampton, NY by Mendez. He now believes that Scooter bit Danielle because he was attempting to get to the lollipop that was in her mouth. He says he keeps him off of his stores? floors now.

According to Carol Finocchio, Mendez?s attorney, holding him liable for the out of the ordinary attack by Scooter could expose other owners of dogs to unprecedented legal risks. She says that everyone in the state who owns a dog would be subject to liability if a child was bitten by a dog, regardless of whether or not the animal was inclined to aggressiveness.

However, Forde argued that more responsibility may be a good idea, noting that over 40 sutures inside and out were required to rebuild the girl?s mouth.

Neither side in the case is arguing responsibility on the part of the victim. During a family visit to the Hamptons, Danielle entered the store and began to pet and kiss Scooter after being assured he was friendly. Suddenly, he gave a short growl and bit her face just below the left eye. Adults pulled her away from the dog and called for an ambulance.

Rather than let office politics further ruin his health, a Hamilton, N.J. man enlisted the legal system.

William Simisak, 60 sued Mercer County, N.J. after he claimed his supervisor, Victoria Rivera-Cruz, created a "hostile work environment" at the county?s office of personnel. Simisak alleges he was discriminated against because of gender, age and disability.

After Rivera-Cruz became Simisak?s supervisor, she allegedly told him "he didn't have what it takes to be an assistant director," though he held the position and once acted as the office?s interim director. The suit also alleges Rivera-Cruz told Simisak he "had a problem working for women bosses" with no supporting documentation.

Four years ago, Simisak requested leave to take his 84-year-old mother to physical therapy following her surgery. Although nothing was mentioned at the time of Simisak?s request, Rivera-Cruz later "sought to discipline him for time missed from work,? according to the suit.

A year after that, Simisak said his boss threatened to transfer him back to the Mercer County Correction Center, where he previously worked and had been threatened by inmates. Those threats, Simisak said, caused him panic attacks, nightmares and nosebleeds. He reminded River-Cruz the transfer would compromise his health and said the county failed to investigate this "unlawful and harassing treatment" from Rivera-Cruz.

Since 2005, Simisak's medical condition prevented him from returning to work, the suit contends. The suit seeks payment for lost wages and medical bills.

 http://www.nj.com

Prosecutors fought for jail time but the judge issued probation and 300 hours of community service for Sherry Demarais, 63, who pleaded guilty to a felony charge of endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person.

A neighbor, Joyce Williams witnessed the incident. She heard Demarais shouting at the elderly woman. "I kept hearing the lady screaming and saying to her 'you're going to kneel down until I tell you to get up.' It was 90 degrees. She said 'you are not getting up until you tell me you are going to behave.'"

Police were called and took the woman to the Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. She now is in protective custody and never will have to worry about Demarais again.

?She must have screamed at the elderly woman for half an hour,? Williams told WCAX-TV News in Burlington, Vt. ?You don't do that when taking care of the elderly."

Demarais is scheduled in court again August 6.

Terry Bracey and Ira Craig Baxley ? who each worked for the prison system over 20 years -- sued Jon Ozmint, director of the state?s prison system, and Robert Ward, director of operations for the agency, according to greenvilleonline.com. Each man retired on disability and has a workers? compensation claim pending.

Greenvilleonline.com said the suits detail incidents of "accidental malfunctions of death apparatus," where a lethal injection syringe fell out of a person?s arm and administering death by electric chair, where they witness ?shocking smell and scene of agony.?

One plaintiff alleges the prison officials "began a ruthless and unrelenting campaign of retaliation, harassments, threats and criticisms resulting in physical and emotional collapse." The pair is suing for loss of quality of life, shock, humiliation/embarrassment and loss of earning capacity, according to the heraldonline.com.

Baxley is seeking $1 million in damages. Bracey is seeking $5 million.

DOC spokesman Josh Gelinas said, "Anyone can file a lawsuit filled with false allegations. Some lawyers will file anything and send out a press release announcing it."

Greenvilleonline.com reported the State Law Enforcement Division and the Legislative Audit Council was asked by Sen. Mike Fair to examine allegations against the prison system earlier this year. Ozmint said they were "reckless and false."

Terry Bracey and Ira Craig Baxley ? who each worked for the prison system over 20 years -- sued Jon Ozmint, director of the state?s prison system, and Robert Ward, director of operations for the agency, according to greenvilleonline.com. Each man retired on disability and has a workers? compensation claim pending.

Greenvilleonline.com said the suits detail incidents of "accidental malfunctions of death apparatus," where a lethal injection syringe fell out of a person?s arm and administering death by electric chair, where they witness ?shocking smell and scene of agony.?

One plaintiff alleges the prison officials "began a ruthless and unrelenting campaign of retaliation, harassments, threats and criticisms resulting in physical and emotional collapse." The pair is suing for loss of quality of life, shock, humiliation/embarrassment and loss of earning capacity, according to the heraldonline.com.

Baxley is seeking $1 million in damages. Bracey is seeking $5 million.

DOC spokesman Josh Gelinas said, "Anyone can file a lawsuit filled with false allegations. Some lawyers will file anything and send out a press release announcing it."

Greenvilleonline.com reported the State Law Enforcement Division and the Legislative Audit Council was asked by Sen. Mike Fair to examine allegations against the prison system earlier this year. Ozmint said they were "reckless and false."

Martha Coakley, state attorney general, said the ?independent contractor? classification violated the state's Independent Contractor Law, and unfairly deprived drivers health care, workers' compensation and overtime wages. By not classifying the drivers as ?employees,? Pittsburgh-based FedEx Ground Package Systems Inc. was depriving Massachusetts of tax revenue by failing to deduct and withhold taxes.

Maury Lane, spokesman for FedEx Ground's Memphis, Tenn.-based parent, FedEx Corp., said drivers were properly classified and planned to appeal. FedEx Ground has 400 drivers in Massachusetts.

FedEx drivers have filed suit in 12 other states to be classified correctly under the law. In October, a federal judge in Indiana approved class-action status for a lawsuit filed on behalf of 14,000 FedEx drivers.

Interestingly, FedEx's ?independent-contractor? drivers own their trucks and delivery routes but have to pay operating costs such as vehicle maintenance, insurance and fuel. These drivers can subcontract to other drivers, thus increasing their base-rate income from FedEx.

Yet, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports there has been progress. But where?

Also known as The Nursing Home Reform Act, the new law instituted higher standards for patient care. But have they been met? The law increased staffing requirements and established the right to be free from abuse, mistreatment and neglect. It also merged Medicare and Medicaid standards and certification requirements. Kaiser said the biggest improvement is the reduction of physical restraints, which can lead to muscle atrophy and depression, among other problems.

The American Health Care Association said 90% of the 15,827 nursing homes in the United States were cited for at least one deficiency in 2006. Almost one and half million (1,425,484) residents lived in those nursing homes.

It?s commendable the federal government instituted policy to safeguarding our dependent elderly. Yes, there are state and federal inspections. And if deficiencies are extreme, administrative judges can shut down operations and transfer residents.

Quality of Care Manifests at Lowest Level

Despite these checks and balances, it still comes down to the grass-roots operations on the graveyard shift of a nursing facility tucked away in the wilderness far away from the Health and Human Services monitoring crews in Washington.

Is working on the lowest level in a nursing home sexy? No. Does it pay? No. Is the work appreciated. Rarely. Is a staffer with a thick accent from the Caribbean who happens to have legal status unfairly criticized by family members for how they speak? Probably. Without a college degree in health administration, is there room for promotion? Definitely not. And this is where problems manifest. Who is watching what happens in the back hallways of nursing homes at 3 in the morning? And what elderly resident totally dependent on staff is going to blow a whistle? None of them.

If these aides were paid respectably, maybe problems would decrease. If there was an opportunity to become vested in a retirement program, maybe morale would blossom. If their benefit packages were on a par with the tie-wearing administrators, maybe they would take pride in what they do, even if that was emptying bed pans and changing diapers. Who knows for sure? It couldn?t hurt. And isn?t the goal to improve the quality of care. At what cost, lawmakers will ask. That?s a worthy point when spending affects all taxpayers. But those same taxpayers probably will be lying in one of those beds some day.

Chandeliered dining rooms and smiling greeters in carpeted lobbies aside, the heart and soul of the quality of care in a nursing home lies in the basement, where the resident with dementia lies helplessly. Is the aide on that ward conscientious about his or her job? That is where government efforts need to be targeted to strengthen the crippled image of America?s nursing home. Is proper care being given? Is there a sense of compassion for the resident? Are rules and laws obeyed? Only when these queries can be answered in the affirmative will ?life? in a nursing home in this country improve.

"This law provides workers with better pay and worker-compensation coverage, unemployment workers coverage and also closes loopholes for those not paying fair taxes as well as millions of dollars lost in state revenue," Illinois AFL-CIO Legislative Director Jason Keller said. The AFL-CIO represents 1 million members in Illinois.

Jason Bailey, owner of Bailey Construction LLC in Tunnel Hill, Ill., sees positives and negatives of the rule.

"It's a good and a bad thing because as a general contractor, I think it works out pretty good to try and help put everybody on the same level and playing field," Bailey said. "Then again, it's hurting us, because it's going to such an extreme. If I happen to have a subcontractor who doesn't carry workman's compensation or doesn't pay his employees as he should, I'm the one who gets charged for it, not him. I mean, he probably will, too, but it all comes back to me. So I'm going to be the one getting fined and not just him."