Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Chemical Agent Still Active at Nature Preserve - Friday, November 2, 2007

In a testament to the long-reaching consequences of chemical warfare, workers digging a trench as part of the ongoing cleanup of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal discovered lewisite, a chemical warfare agent produced first for use in World War I and produced at the arsenal until 1943.

Lewisite, also known by its IUPAC name 2-chloroethenyldichoarsinine, was first developed by the chemist Winford Lewis (1878-1943), and weaponized at Nilo Park, Ohio. It is a highly penetrative compound, migrating through cloth and rubber, and has been used in combination with mustard gas to penetrate protective clothing, but was declared obsolete when the United States, always an innovator, advocate, and user of chemical warfare, developed a new variant of mustard gas. Lewisite is a blistering agent, primarily causing irritation of the skin and lungs, ultimately leading to liver necrosis and death. It was replaced partly because it was not effective in humid conditions, and its casualty rates were too low because it caused irritation that led troops to avoid affected areas or don protective clothing.

The discovery calls attention to the current delay the US military is proposing in destroying its chemical weapons stockpiles. Although the US was supposed to have destroyed its chemical weapons stockpiles by April 29 of this year, the current schedule proposes that the destruction be completed by 2017. In addition, the Pentagon has asked for an extension for chemical warfare stockpiles until 2023. In keeping with its standard operating procedure of putting more money overseas than in domestic programs, the US government funded the complete destruction of chemical weapons achieved by Albania earlier this year.

Chemical weapons are one of the worst outgrowths of the chemical industry, and, although the US government is immune to prosecution under toxic torts law, we can seek other remedies for this situation, such as rallying your representatives to back legislation in favor of chemical weapons destruction.

If your community is threatened by the accidental or intentional release of toxic chemicals into your air, food, or water, contact a toxic tort lawyer at PersonalInjury.com today.

Some Alternatives to the Medical-Industrial Complex - Thursday, November 1, 2007

With our medical system in a mess, many people are wondering how to escape the dangers of going under the care of the medical-industrial complex. People are afraid of medical malpractice, especially the overprescription of medications. Pharmaceutical companies make big profits in developing the next big drug, and they give doctors powerful incentives to prescribe medications before all the data is in on the side effects these drugs can have on the complex human system, leading to numerous pharmaceutical injuries.

But is there an alternative? Although some shameless individuals might want you to believe that there are tons of natural "secret" cures, the truth is that there are some alternatives you should try before resorting to drastic medical treatments. CNN's Empowered Patient feature recently rated the top 5 alternative treatments according to medical experts. The results:

  1. Acupuncture for pain—this is especially interesting when we think of the dangers of addiction for pain medications as well as the myriad of side effects of arthritis medications like Vioxx.
  2. Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6 for PMS—although not every woman is subject to the moodiness and bloating that often accompany menstruation, for those that do, these supplements have proven a good relief.
  3. St. John's Wort for depression—although studies are mixed as to the effectiveness of this herb, they are often just as mixed for heavily engineered mood medications. With all the risks involved with taking medications like Paxil and other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), risks involved with both starting and stopping the medication including increased risk of suicide, it seems best to consider a less invasive option first. Other anti-depression drugs with serious side effects include Zyprexa, whose risks include diabetes and pancreatitis.
  4. Guided imagery for pain and anxiety. Although it seems unlikely that we are just able to think our pain and anxiety away, it is true that a proper application of the technique can really help. If you are interested in the details of the technique, consult the guide at the University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality and Healing.
  5. Glucosamine for joint pain—not only does this seem to reduce pain, but it might also reverse the cartilage loss that causes osteoarthritis.

As always, though, be sure that what you're getting is the real deal. Since these things really work, but the medical community refuses to take them into the regulatory fold for fear of the competition, it's hard to tell the good stuff from the bad. For alternate medications, look for the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or NSF International certifications on the label. Also make sure that your acupuncture practitioner comes well-recommended.

If you are one of the unfortunates whose health has suffered at the hands of those you trusted to protect it, contact PersonalInjury.com today to find a medical malpractice lawyer in your area.

Exxon may not get out of Valdez spill damages - Wednesday, October 31, 2007

On October 26, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in the case of the tanker spill after a federal appeals court again reduced the punitive damages in a toxic tort suit against Exxon-Mobile for the oil spill caused then the Exxon Valdez ran aground in 1989. The spill, which visibly polluted 1500 miles of Alaskan coastline and caused incalculable damage to the fish and wildlife of the coast, was deemed the result of recklessness by Exxon and by the captain of the ship. Originally, Exxon was ordered to pay about $5 billion in actual and punitive damages as a result of the tanker crash. After thirteen years of fighting the award, the company has been rewarded by a second slashing of the amount down to $2.5 billion, although interest continues to accumulate on the award.

In related news, Exxon-Mobile again reported record earnings last year—$ 36.1 billion, the largest of any US company ever. And this quarter, it posted earnings of $10.49 billion.

For the plaintiffs in the case, who have been waiting thirteen years to be paid, exhaustion has finally set in. Their lawyer admits that many of them just want the suit to end. Unfortunately, corporations often have the ability to do this to plaintiffs. By appealing every award, they are often able to get them reduced, and even if they do not, they continue to earn interest on the award money. Although interest on the settlement accumulates daily, Exxon seems to be making good use of the money in the meantime, easily earning enough on the initial $5 billion dollar amount to pay both $2.5 billion in damages and $2.2 billion in interest, making the newest reduction equivalent to letting Exxon off the hook (or out of the gillnet) scot-free

But we cannot be worn down. We must continue to fight, to hold corporations responsible when they make their profits over the despoiling of irreplaceable resources and the livelihood of people who depend on those resources. And we must fight them everywhere we are able. If your community has been the victim of a profit-taking corporation's pollution, contact PersonalInjury.com today to find a lawyer who can help you seek justice.

Contact Personal Injury dot com today to find an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer near you.

Find a Personal Injury Lawyer

Free Claim Evaluation !

Date of Incident:

* Required Field

Practice Areas

No Recovery No Fee at PersonalInjury.com
Personal Injury Lawsuits