Talcum Powder

Talcum Powder

by | Oct 23, 2020 | practice-areas

Women have sprinkled talcum powder onto sanitary napkins or into their undergarments for decades. These women were told the product could help control odors and moisture, but they were never informed about the potential risks associated with prolonged exposure.

Numerous studies have linked the use of talcum powder to ovarian cancer, and shockingly, internal communications at large talcum powder manufacturers show they were aware of the risks but chose not to inform the public.

The History of the Talcum Powder Lawsuits

why is talcum powder bad talcum lawyerThe first lawsuit related to Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder was filed in 2009 by a woman named Diane Berg who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 49. Berg had used talcum powder most of her life because she was unaware of its links to ovarian cancer. After filing her lawsuit, she was approached by Johnson & Johnson, who were willing to settle the case as long as she agreed to keep it out of the press. Berg refused, and this opened the door for many other similar lawsuits.

Recently, two families in St. Louis were awarded a total of $127 million in damages. The court found that Johnson & Johnson were aware of the potential risks of their talcum powder products, but failed to do anything to warn the public.

Johnson & Johnson is not the only manufacturer that has sold talcum powder without warning the public of its potential dangers, however it is the largest company involved in the legal battle. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits allege each of the manufacturers have known about the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer for over 40 years, but decided to keep it quiet to avoid legal issues and protect their brands.

If you have ovarian cancer and believe it could be linked to talcum powder, speak to an attorney at the Trial Lawyers for Justice as soon as possible. Manufacturers are obligated to warn consumers about potential health risks associated with using a product. When they fail to fulfill this obligation, you should hold them liable with the help of an experienced attorney on your side.

How Victims May Be Compensated

Why should you bother pursuing a lawsuit against the talcum powder manufacturer that caused you harm? As a victim, you may be entitled to various forms of compensation. The manufacturer may be required to compensate you for current and future medical expenses that you have incurred because of talcum powder use. You may also be awarded for the pain and suffering that you have endured as a result of your talcum powder injuries.

More importantly, you will help give a voice to the countless women who may be suffering from ovarian cancer at this very moment, completely unaware that it is linked to a seemingly harmless product they have trusted for years.

To discuss your legal options, contact an attorney at the Trial Lawyers for Justice today.

Help For Victims is Available

Consumers have a right to know about the effects of using a product on their bodies. If you have suffered because of prolonged exposure to talcum powder, speak to an attorney at the Trial Lawyers for Justice immediately. Call 866-854-5529 to schedule a free consultation today

Talcum Powder

Spinal Cord Injuries

by | Oct 23, 2020 | practice-areas

A spinal cord injury can be traumatic and life-changing for the victim. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are approximately 282,000 people in the United States who are currently living with a spinal cord injury, and another 17,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.

If you are one of these people who are living with a spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to compensation if the injury occurred as a result of someone’s negligence.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

best spinal injury lawyer iowa

Spinal cord injuries are classified as either incomplete or complete. Incomplete injuries occur when the spinal cord is only partially severed, so the victim may still have some functioning below the level of the injury. Complete injuries occur when the spinal cord is completely severed, so the victim may no longer be able to control his body below the level of the injury.

Spinal cord injuries are also labeled based on the loss of function the victim experiences. A quadriplegia or tetraplegia label is given to those who have lost movement and sensation in all four limbs. Paraplegia is used to describe injuries that result in loss of function in just two limbs, usually both legs, and triplegia is the term given to a spinal cord injury that has resulted in the loss of function in three limbs.

Treating Spinal Cord Injuries

Unfortunately, spinal cord injury treatment can be extensive. Victims may need to be hospitalized and given a ventilator and/or feeding tube immediately following the causing event. Depending on the type of injury, you may need to undergo emergency surgery. Victims will usually need months of physical therapy and rehabilitation in order to regain their strength and relearn how to walk and move certain parts of the body.

Some victims will need treatment for their emotional distress as well. A spinal cord injury can significantly impact a victim’s quality of life, and this is very difficult for some people to deal with. They may require counseling to learn how to cope with the major changes in their lives.

Treating a spinal cord injury is expensive. If your injury was caused by someone’s negligence, you shouldn’t have to pay these medical expenses on your own. Talk to an attorney at the Trial Lawyers for Justice to learn how you can recover compensation for your medical bills and more.

Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

A number of different events can cause a spinal cord injury, but the most common types include:

Car Crashes
Crashes involving motor vehicles are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the United States. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists are most at risk during a car crash because they lack the protection that drivers have inside their vehicles.

Slip and Falls
Spinal cord injuries can also occur during slip and falls. For example, if you slip on a puddle of water in a retail store and fall backwards, you may suffer a spinal cord injury. This is especially common in older adults, however it can happen to anyone.

Swimming Pools
People can suffer spinal cord injuries if they dive into the shallow end of the pool or try to jump off of a defective diving board.

Construction 
Those who work in construction are at a greater risk of suffering from a spinal cord injury than others. These injuries can occur on a construction site as a result of defective or malfunctioning equipment, slip and falls, or being struck by a heavy object.

Help For Victims of Spinal Cord Injuries

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, contact the Trial Lawyers for Justice to discuss your legal options. Victims may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, future lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call 866-854-5529 to schedule your free consultation today.

Talcum Powder

Product Liability

by | Oct 23, 2020 | practice-areas

As consumers, we tend to believe the products we buy are safe for us to use, but that’s not always the case. Retailers, manufacturers, and product designers make mistakes, and these mistakes can lead to defective products. A product is defective when it does not do what it is intended to do. Unfortunately, some defective products can cause injuries or fatalities.

Injuries can range from minor to severe, depending on the type of product and defect. Victims may be entitled to compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, future lost wages, and pain and suffering. Speak to an attorney today to discuss your legal options and rights under your state’s product liability laws.

Types of Product Defects

product liability lawyer defective productThere are three different types of product defects that could injure you, including:

Design Defects: If the product was dangerous because of the design, this is a design defect. For example, if a power tool is designed so the operator’s hand is not protected from the blade, this would be a design defect.

    • Manufacturing Defects: If the product was designed correctly, but then an error occurs during the manufacturing process, this is known as a manufacturing defect. For example, if the power tool was designed to protect the operator’s hand, but the protection shield was not installed correctly during the manufacturing process, this is a manufacturing defect.
    • Marketing Defects: Consumers must be made aware of any risks associated with using a product. If a product does not have instructions or warnings on the package and an injury occurs as a result, this is a marketing defect. Using the power tool example, if the packaging did not have instructions on how to safely use the tool, this would be a marketing defect.

It’s important to note you cannot file a product liability claim if you were not using the product as it was intended to be used. In these cases, the manufacturer, retailer, designer, and other parties are not liable for any injuries caused by the product.

Also, warnings are not required on every product, so the absence of a warning does not always mean there is a marketing defect. Manufacturers are only required to add a warning when the product presents a danger, the manufacturer is aware of the potential danger, and the danger may not be obvious to the average product user. Manufacturers are only required to warn you against dangers that could arise when you are using the product as it is intended.

Liability For Product Defects

A few different parties may be liable for the injuries caused by a defective product. In order to determine who is liable for your injuries, you will have to identify the type of product defect. Designers and engineers involved with the product design will be held liable for design defects, while the manufacturer will be held liable for manufacturing defects. Manufacturers are also responsible for marketing defects, as they have a duty to warn consumers of the dangers associated with using a product.

An experienced attorney at the Trial Lawyers for Justice can review the details of your case and help you determine which parties should be held liable for your injuries.

Help For Victims of Defective Products

Retailers, manufacturers, designers, and distributors should be held liable when they sell a defective product to consumers. If you or a loved one has been injured because of a defective product, you will need legal assistance from an experienced attorney. Contact the team of attorneys at the Trial Lawyers for Justice to discuss your legal options. Call 866-854-5529 to schedule a free consultation today.

Talcum Powder

Police Brutality

by | Oct 23, 2020 | practice-areas

Police officers are supposed to serve and protect their community. However, when a police officer uses excessive or unnecessary force, he can cause serious injuries or fatalities.

Victims of police brutality are not alone in their fight for justice. Defending yourself against the community’s police department can be intimidating, but an experienced attorney from the Trial Lawyers for Justice can stand by your side every step of the way.

Explaining Police Brutality

police brutality should I call a lawyer best iowaPolice officers are trained to control a situation with as little force as possible. They are not supposed to use a great deal of force unless the circumstances call for it. If a police officer is using excessive or unnecessary force, this is known as police brutality. Excessive force means using force beyond what is needed to take control of a situation. It may involve the use of batons, guns, nerve gas, and pepper spray. Although police brutality is often physical, it can also be psychological, verbal, or sexual abuse.

Race is often a factor in police brutality cases, but it doesn’t have to be. Anyone can be a victim of police brutality regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or race. If you experienced police brutality during an arrest for a crime that you did commit, you are still able to pursue a civil lawsuit. Some people assume they cannot file a lawsuit if they experienced police brutality while being arrested for a crime, but that’s not the case. Guilty or innocent, police officers are not allowed to use excessive force.

Escalating Police Brutality Complaints

Each police department has its own procedure for investigating complaints related to police brutality. If you have been a victim of police brutality, you should always file a complaint with the police department to launch the investigation. You will need to provide as much information as possible in this complaint, including photos of your injuries, and statements from witnesses, if possible. The Internal Affairs unit within the police department is responsible for investigating these complaints and disciplining police officers who are found to be guilty of police brutality. However, police officers can often argue and say the use of force was justified and therefore they should not be disciplined for their actions. Many police officers will not receive any penalties after an internal investigation is concluded.

Victims who are not happy with the outcome of the internal investigation—or victims who would like help with filing the complaint—should always speak with an attorney. Even if the police department did not find anything wrong with the police officer’s behavior, you may still be able to file a civil lawsuit in an attempt to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Legal Help is Available For Victims of Police Brutality

Who do you turn to when the people who are supposed to protect you are the ones who have caused you harm? If you or a loved one is a victim of police brutality, contact the Trial Lawyers for Justice as soon as possible. Our team of attorneys can help you defend your rights and seek justice. Call (866) 854-5529 to schedule a free consultation today.

Talcum Powder

OBGYN Malpractice

by | Oct 23, 2020 | practice-areas

OBGYNs go through years of training in order to specialize in treating women’s health, however even after all of this preparation, some OBGYNs still make mistakes while treating a patient. When these mistakes result in injuries, the victim may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor. If the mistake leads to death, the victim’s family may have a wrongful death case against the doctor.

What is OBGYN Malpractice?

obgyn malpractice birth injury lawyer iowaEvery doctor, including obstetricians and gynecologists, are expected to meet certain standards when they treat a patient. If an obstetrician or gynecologist fails to meet these standards, and the patient is injured as a result, the doctor may be sued for medical malpractice. There are many ways an OBGYN can fail to meet the acceptable standard of care, but some of the most common examples include:

  • Providing the wrong dosage of medication
  • Incorrectly reading test or lab results
  • Failing to diagnose any condition within the reproductive system, including cervical or ovarian cancer
  • Failing to properly screen a patient
  • Failing to perform a pap smear exam
  • Not preparing for emergency situations that may arise during childbirth or surgery
  • Making surgical errors

To prove a malpractice claim, you will need to show there was a doctor-patient relationship between you and the negligent medical professional. You will also have to prove the doctor failed to meet the standard of care, and this failure resulted in an injury.

OBGYN Malpractice Injuries

Errors made during labor and childbirth could cause serious injuries to both the mother and child, including cerebral palsy, internal bleeding, uterine infections, Erb’s palsy, broken bones or spinal cord injuries. On the other hand, errors made during gynecological procedures or screenings could lead to the failure to treat serious conditions such as cervical or uterine cancer in a timely manner.

Compensation For Victims

Victims of medical malpractice may be entitled to various forms of compensation, including:

Medical Expenses
If you are awarded this type of compensation, you will be reimbursed for any medical expenses you have incurred as a result of the malpractice. You may also be awarded compensation to cover medical expenses that you expect to incur in the future.

Lost Wages
Some victims suffer from such severe injuries that they are unable to work while they recover. If this is the case, you may be awarded compensation to make up for the wages you have lost because of your injury. If you believe you will miss even more work in the future, you may also receive compensation for future lost wages.

Pain and Suffering
Victims often suffer both physically and emotionally after an OBGYN malpractice incident. Because of this, some victims are awarded compensation for pain and suffering.

Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are additional funds paid to the victim, but they are only awarded in cases where the doctor behaved so negligently that the judge would like to punish him or make an example out of him to deter others from making the same mistake.

There’s no guarantee when it comes to receiving compensation during a medical malpractice case, however you have a much better chance of doing so when you work with an experienced attorney.

Contact Us Today

Victims of OBGN medical malpractice should turn to the Trial Lawyers for Justice for legal assistance. Our team of attorneys is well versed in malpractice law, and can help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Call 866-854-5529.

Talcum Powder

Plastic Surgery Errors

by | Oct 23, 2020 | practice-areas

Many people choose to get plastic surgery to fix a physical feature they’re not happy with, while others undergo these procedures after an injury has left them disfigured. Regardless of the reason why you choose to get plastic surgery, you go into the operating room expecting a certain result. When you don’t get the result you expected, it could be because of an error made by the doctor during the surgery.

Plastic Surgery Medical Malpractice

EYE INJURIES AND plastic surgery MEDICAL MALPRACTICEPlastic surgery can include procedures such as breast augmentations, liposuction, tummy tucks, and rhinoplasty. No plastic surgeon can ever guarantee you will be able to get the exact look you want from a surgery, but you should never have to suffer from a surgeon’s mistake.

Each type of cosmetic procedure carries its own risks. For example, there is a possibility the patient will suffer nerve damage and skin discoloration during a botched facelift. However, some of the risks associated with plastic surgery in general include:

  • Scarring
  • Nerve damage
  • Death
  • Blood clotting
  • Allergic reaction
  • Infection
  • Drastic drop in blood pressure

To prove your medical malpractice claim, you will need to establish that there was a doctor-patient relationship between you and the surgeon who operated on you. Then, you will need to show that the surgeon did not operate with the level of skill or care that another doctor in his specialty would have under the same circumstances. Finally, you will have to be able to prove that you suffered an injury as a result of the doctor’s negligence, and that the injury could have been avoided if the doctor had not acted negligently.

It can be very difficult to prove all of these elements of a medical malpractice claim, but an experienced attorney will make it much easier to do so. An attorney can dig deep into your case to gather evidence and call upon expert witnesses to provide testimony that supports your claim. To discuss your legal options with a medical malpractice attorney, contact the Trial Lawyers for Justice today.

Compensation For Victims

If you have been injured during a plastic surgery procedure, you may be entitled to various types of compensation, including:

Economic Damages
Economic damages cover any expenses that you have incurred as a result of the plastic surgery error. For example, if you had to undergo additional procedures to correct the error, economic damages would cover these medical expenses. Economic damages also cover lost wages. These are awarded when you have been forced to miss work because of your injury, and have therefore lost out on potential income.

Noneconomic Damages
Whereas medical expenses and lost wages can be verified through documentation, noneconomic damages cover losses that are not verifiable. Examples of noneconomic damages include pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.

Punitive Damages
In some cases, you will also be awarded punitive damages. These damages are only awarded in cases where the medical professional’s behavior was deemed to be incredibly negligent or reckless. They are awarded as a way to punish the medical professional and deter others from making the same mistake.

The amount and type of compensation awarded to plastic surgery error victims will vary on a case-by-case basis. To discuss whether you are entitled to compensation, contact the Trial Lawyers for Justice as soon as possible.

If You Are A Victim

If you believe your doctor made an error during your recent plastic surgery procedure, contact the attorneys at Trial Lawyers for Justice as soon as possible. Our attorneys have the legal knowledge and experience to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Call 866-854-5529 to schedule a free consultation today.