New report and reminder: Never overlook pool safety
In a recent blog post, we discussed how parents can take measures to keep their families safe at the pool this summer. However, it seems it is necessary to highlight pool and water safety again since a new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) demonstrates it is even more critical than ever.
Taking prescription medication? How to avoid a DUI.
Not many people think about the risk of criminal charges when they take a medication prescribed to them by their doctor. However, some prescription medications can impair drivers and put them at risk of facing a DUI. Here are three essential tips to help you avoid driving under the influence when taking prescription drugs. 1.
Experts: COVID-19 testing in long-term care facilities falls short
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, residents and staff of long-term care facilities account for almost 45% of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. Yet testing for the virus has not reached levels that experts say are necessary to stem the spread of the virus. Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts, says that only seven
Penalties when an impaired minor drives in Tennessee
For most people, getting your driver’s license is an exciting part of being a teenager. Yet teenagers routinely engage in behavior meant to challenge authority, and that can mean experimenting with alcohol or drugs. What happens when that experimentation occurs in combination with driving? Under Tennessee law, anyone under 21 who drives under the influence
Nonprofits urge US recall of J&J Baby Powder, end to global sales
Thousands of people in the U.S. have sued Johnson & Johnson, claiming that its talc-based products such as Baby Powder are contaminated by asbestos and caused cancer after routine use. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen and is mined in the same soil types as talc, but J&J denies that its talc-based products ever contain
Judge raises concerns about Bayer’s Roundup settlement scheme
Thousands of people have sued Bayer, which bought Monsanto, over the product Roundup. Most plaintiffs claim that routine use of Roundup, which contains the weed killer glyphosate, caused them to develop cancer. After several adverse verdicts, Bayer attempted to settle a class of future claims — close to 100,000 — in an interesting way. Bayer
Drugged driving is on the rise
A lot of people use drugs, and it is not always obvious what is safe to use while driving. For example, many people don’t realize that driving under the influence of marijuana can impair your reaction times, slow your coordination and affect your judgment. On the other end of the spectrum, driving while on stimulants
Have you been struck by a super-speeder during the lockdown?
There is growing evidence that some drivers have taken the lockdown as permission to drive however they want. As traffic and road congestion plummeted, streets and highways apparently shone like beacons for certain people. It created an “apparent open season on reckless driving,” according to the National Safety Council. “The level of extreme speeding is
State court finds Fourth Amendment protects unconscious drivers
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, when a drunk driving suspect becomes unconscious, it creates “exigent circumstances” that make it unnecessary for the police to obtain a warrant for a blood test. This was after having found in a previous case that the police generally do need a warrant to obtain a blood
Can you challenge a high breathalyzer reading?
Yes, under the right circumstances. Breath testing machines are not magic. They can be broken, miscalibrated or operated incorrectly. If you think your breathalyzer test was unduly high, you should bring your concerns to an experienced DUI defense lawyer. Late last year, the New York Times published an investigation into how reliable breath testing machines actually are. The investigation