by Keith Adkins | May 24th, 2013
May 23, 2013
Teenage drivers are already at a greater risk of being involved in a Car Accident compared to older motorists due to their lack of experience behind the wheel. However, other factors, such as a lack of sleep, may increase the odds of a young motorist being involved in a crash.
Studies have shown that as many as half of all teenagers admit to getting behind the wheel of a vehicle without enough rest. A majority of those individuals also admitted to drifting off to sleep while driving.
Now, a new study is supporting those previous findings. Researchers examined the driving habits of 20,000 teenage motorists over a two-year period and examined how the amount of sleep they received affected the number of crashes the drivers were involved in.
According to a story released by Alabama Public Radio, the team concluded that receiving as little as six hours of sleep per night would drastically increase an individual’s chances of being involved in a crash.
Many experts believe the findings support the need for programs, such as graduated licensing, that prevent teens from being on the road at night and in the early morning hours. These programs help to ensure teens have enough rest before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.
The Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers with Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris are hopeful the findings will be used to find new and better ways to prevent teens from being involved in serious car accidents.
by Keith Adkins | May 16th, 2013
May 16, 2013
It was announced last week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had given DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., premarket approval on the Ceramax Total Hip System with Biolox delta Ceramic-on-Ceramic 36-mm Large Femoral Head. Reports indicate the device will be an alternative to the metal-on-metal devices that were affected by a recent DePuy Hip Replacement Recall.
According to a release from Healio, the approval is for a 35 mm size unit that is similar to a 28 mm size that was approved three years ago. The device uses a composite ceramic material that offers more durability and a greater resistance to wear than the previously designed metal-on-metal options.
The new system will also eliminate a serious risk that was posed by metal-on-metal hip replacement devices as well, known as Metallosis. Patients developed the condition when shavings of metal particles would wear off of a device after it was implanted in a patient’s body. The metal would then be absorbed into the patient’s bloodstream, where it could accumulate to toxic levels.
The new devices have been tested and shown to be as effective in offering pain relief and improved function as ceramic-on-polyethylene devices.
The Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers with Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris are hopeful the new devices will give all patients, from first-time hip replacement recipients to those in need of revision surgery on a metal-on-metal device, a safer and more effective option to choose from.
by Keith Adkins | May 9th, 2013
May 9, 2013
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a voluntary recall on the lead caps used in deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices manufactured by Medtronic, Inc. Reports indicate that the equipment was deemed a Defective Medical Device by the agency due to damage and fraying that can occur to the lead wires.
An FDA press release explained that DBS therapy is conducted by sending electrical impulses to the brain through lead wires. The therapy is used in the treatment of a number of conditions including essential tremors, Parkinson’s disease, and chronic intractable primary Dystonia.
The problem with the device is that twisting that incurs inside the lead cap when the device is implanted can damage the DBS leads. Patients who have a damaged lead may need to have the device removed and another lead implanted.
A change to the manufacturing of the product has been submitted to the FDA and is currently under review. In the meantime, Medtronic has released modified implant instructions to all physicians who use the product.
Any patient who has experienced a negative side effect due to a malfunction of this device has been instructed to report the incident to the FDA.
Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris and their Alabama Personal Injury Attorneys are aware of how devastating injuries caused by malfunctioning medical devices can be. The firm suggests anyone who has been harmed by the use of such a device discuss their legal options with an attorney.
by cwcd | May 8th, 2013
(Birmingham, AL) North Central Alabama Susan G. Komen for the Cure has named Birmingham law firm Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris 2012 Sponsor of the Year. The award recognizes the firm’s long- term support of the Race for the Cure and other Komen initiatives. The award was presented at the Annual Meeting of North Central Alabama Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
“We greatly value our partnership with Cory Watson and everyone that makes up the incredible Cory Watson Team. Cory Watson and Susan G. Komen are truly partners in the fight against breast cancer in our community, and we appreciate the long-standing and consistent support of not only the Race for the Cure but also of our work year-round,” said Ellen Zahariadis, Executive Director of North Central Alabama Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris has sponsored the Race for the Cure since 2001. Shareholder Leila Watson has served as legal advisor for the local Komen Foundation chapter and has also served on the board. Watson says, “We continue to be impressed with Komen’s devotion to helping women who have breast cancer and to developing scientific and medical research for a cure. Birmingham has such great cancer research centers and brilliant doctors and researchers, that it is rewarding to raise support going directly to them and our community.”
Jerry Merin, Mandy Heard, Leila Watson. Cory Watson accepts Sponsor of the Year award from Komen for the Cure.
Komen presented the 2012 Community Partner of the Year award to Colonial Brookwood Village. Alexandra Harrison was recognized as 2012 Volunteer of the Year.
by Keith Adkins | May 3rd, 2013
May 2, 2013
Three men suffered serious Alabama Fire and Burn Injuries after an explosion occurred on two fuel barges in the Mobile River last week. Reports indicate the accident happened in the early morning hours of April 24 in Mobile, Alabama.
According to a story released by ABC News, the victims were part of a crew that was hired by the barge’s owners to perform maintenance duties on the vessels. Each ship contained seven empty fuel tanks that the crews were venting to remove oil vapors. At some point during the process though, an outside spark occurred that ignited the vapors and caused a massive explosion. The initial blast set off several other explosions aboard other barges in the area throughout the night.
The blasts resulted in three workers suffering serious injuries. Rescue crews transported each of the victims to local hospitals in order to receive treatment. One of the men was later transferred to a larger facility to continue recovery.
Reports indicate that one of the victims has already filed a lawsuit against the company hired to preform the maintenance, alleging they were negligent in their actions that allowed the explosions to occur.
The Birmingham Personal Injury Lawyers with Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris recognize how devastating an unforeseen work-related accident can be. The firm would like to wish each of the victims a full and speedy recovery from the injuries they sustained as a result of the blasts.
by admin | May 3rd, 2013
April 18, 2013 (Birmingham, AL) Thirteen lawyers at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris have been elected to the 2013 edition of Alabama Super Lawyers. Ernest Cory, Leila H. Watson, Annesley H. DeGaris, Rick DiGiorgio, Jason Shamblin, Doug Dellaccio, Jon Conlin, F. Jerome Tapley, Elizabeth Chambers, and Mitch Allen were elected to the 2013 edition of Super Lawyers. Attorneys Ryan Lutz, Courtney Sach, and Alyssa Noles Daniels were named Super Lawyers Alabama Rising Stars 2013.
Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is a Birmingham, Alabama, personal injury law firm recognized nationally for its practice in complex litigation including multidistrict litigation, class actions, products liability, business and securities litigation, environmental litigation and mass torts litigation of defective medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. Cory Watson has an extensive practice in consumer litigation, personal injury and wrongful death cases. Additional information is available at www.cwcd.com.
by Keith Adkins | April 25th, 2013
April 25, 2013
An increasing number of fatal motorcycle accidents is a problem across the United States, but the issue is especially in need of urgent attention in Alabama. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates the number of Alabama Motorcycle Accident fatalities jumped by close to 30 percent between 2009 and 2011.
Experts attribute the increase in accidents to a combination of the rise in the number of bikes that are on the road today and the increasing number of new, inexperienced riders. Up to 70 percent of motorcycle accidents involved riders with little to no formal riding training and many who do not have a license endorsement to ride.
In an effort to curb this growing problem, several local motorcycle dealerships are holding rider education courses that will focus on giving novice riders the experience they need to safely operate a motorcycle. An article from 48 News says the courses will be offered six times each month and will cover such topics as safely stopping and starting the bike as well as how to properly navigate a curve in the road. One instructor pointed out that maneuvering a bike through a turn is a key skill, considering 70 percent of single-motorcycle accidents are the result of failing to negotiate a curve.
Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris and their team of Birmingham Personal Injury Attorneys applaud the efforts to educate motorcyclists on safety and urge all motorcyclists to participate in the courses.
by cwcd | April 19th, 2013
An explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas killed at least 35 people and injured as many as 160 more. Authorities report first responders were among those killed in the powerful blast that leveled much of the town of West, Texas. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives say it is too early to identify the exact cause of the explosion, but it is believed to be an industrial accident.
Industrial explosions can cause a number of serious injuries including burns, chemical burns, carbon monoxide poisoning and other injuries associated with toxic exposure. If you or your loved ones were injured in the fertilizer plant explosion, contact the injury lawyers at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris. We can help you get the compensation you need. We represent clients nationwide, and have represented many people in Texas. For a free consultation, call (800) 852-6299 or contact us here.
by Keith Adkins | April 18th, 2013
April 18, 2013
A bill has been introduced to Alabama lawmakers calling for prohibition of Alabama Defective Product Lawsuits being filed against a brand-named product maker when a similar generic product was to blame for an injury.
State Representative, Jack Williams, who sponsored the bill, issued a statement earlier this week saying his action was in response to a recent decision from the Alabama Supreme Court.
According to a release from Al.com, the panel of Supreme Court Justices had found the maker of a certain brand-named drug could be held liable for harm generic versions of the medication caused, even if a different manufacturer made the generic version. This is because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandates warning labels for generic products to be the same as their brand-named counterparts.
Williams claims the bill will help to hold those who are truly responsible for an individual’s injuries accountable for their actions. Others believe the law will simply be a hindrance to anyone being held accountable for certain drug injuries, since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled generic drug manufacturers can’t be sued based on a warning label issue.
The Birmingham Personal Injury Attorneys with Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris understand that determining who should be held accountable for an injury due to a defective product can be quite complex sometimes. The firm suggests an individual discuss their legal options with an attorney if they have been caused harm by a product.
by cwcd | April 16th, 2013
Cory Watson has devoted a team of attorneys to investigate claims on behalf of patients that have died or suffered other serious injuries after receiving treatment for anemia with the dangerous drug Omontys®, manufactured by Affymax, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the manufacturer’s recall of all lots of OMONTYS® (peginesatide). THE FDA announced the recall after receiving reports linking the drug to serious injuries including death due to hypersensitivity reactions LIKE anaphylaxis.
Omontys (peginesatide) Injection is indicated for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease in adult patients on dialysis and is packaged in 10 mg and 20 mg Multi-dose vials.
If you have been injured, contact the experienced team of drug injury attorneys at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris for a free confidential consultation at prodliab@cwcd.com or (800)852-6299.
