What to Expect When Your Case Goes to Trial
Although most personal injury cases are settled before the trial stage, a small percentage of them still make it into the courtroom. At Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm, we know that the thought of going to trial may seem intimidating. That’s why we want to remove some of the mystery that surrounds taking a case to court. To make sure you’re as informed as possible throughout the injury-claim process, let’s take a closer look at what you can expect when your case goes to trial. ...Connections by Richard Harris
One of the benefits of being a client, friend, or employee of the Richard Harris Law Firm (RHLF) or its affiliated companies, Ticket Busters or the Defenders, is participation in our Connections program. If you’ve had a case close at either RHLF or Ticket Busters, you’ve received an invitation to participate in the Connections program. What is the Connections program? Connections is a free purchasing program that makes discounts available to you when you buy products or services from local...
Sleep Deprivation and Car Accidents
Sleep Deprivation and Sleep Apnea Increase Risks of Accidents While it should come as no surprise that sleep deprivation leads to an increased risk of accidents, three recent studies have attempted to find a statistical correlation between sleep deprivation, particularly obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and increased risks of motor vehicle accidents and occupational injuries. Recent Studies Confirm Increased Accident Risks Three studies conducted by three different groups of researchers have ...Nevada Raises Insurance Coverage Minimums
Since 1958, residents of Nevada have been required to carry vehicle liability insurance with limits of liability of at least $15,000 bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 property damage per accident in order to register and operate a vehicle on Nevada roads. Also denoted as 15/30/10, this requirement represents the maximums the insurance policy is required to pay out in case of an auto accident claim. As of July 1, 2018, these requiremen...Nexium®, Prilosec, Prevacid®, and Kidney Damage
Life is stressful, and in many cases, that stress shows up in our stomachs in the form of heartburn and other stomach distress. That’s ok, because we can just go to the corner drugstore and pick up some medication for the acidic stomach. Our society has been doing it for years since the advent of antacids, such as TUMS® and Rolaids®, among others. These medications neutralized stomach acid and could be taken frequently, with many users taking multiple tablets until the heartburn subsided with li...
Abilify® Settlement Negotiations Underway
Abilify® Settlements Reached With Three Plaintiffs We talked about Abilify® (aripiprazole) and its connection with impulsive gambling previously on this blog. We also reported that the manufacturers, Bristol-Meyers Squibb (BMS), and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, had settled a $19.5 million claim by 41 state Attorney Generals and the District of Columbia due to illegal marketing of the drug to patients with conditions for which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had not approved th...
The Lost Art of Defensive Driving
If you’ve driven the roads in Las Vegas for even a short period of time, you’ll realize that they can be a hostile environment. In fact, regardless of where you’re driving, it is one of the riskiest and most dangerous activities that you do on a daily basis. Our city has particular challenges for several reasons. Many drivers on the roads of Las Vegas aren’t from around here. With 40 million visitors coming to Las Vegas every year, we have more drivers here than many cities of equivalent ...
Tasigna® Leukemia Medication Linked to Atherosclerosis
Lawsuits are mounting in the U.S. from patients or their surviving families against Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis Pharma Stein AG due to complications suffered after use of their leukemia treatment Tasigna® (nilotinib). Lawsuits allege that use of Tasigna causes “severe, accelerated, and irreversible forms of atherosclerosis.” Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular disease that causes plaque to form inside the arteries, and is a cause of peripheral artery disease, limb amputation, ...
Invokana® Cases Heading to Trial in 2018
Dangerous side effects due to the use of the prescription drug Invokana® have been identified. Since the last time we wrote about Invokana less than a year ago, the number of Invokana cases in the federal court system has increased from 288 to the current count of almost 1,000. As of December 2016, the federal level cases, due to similar questions of fact and law, were consolidated into a multi-district litigation (MDL) presided over by U.S. District Judge Hon. Brian Martinotti in the distri...
Tour Helicopter Crashes in Grand Canyon
A tour helicopter operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Tours, carrying seven, including the pilot, crashed as it attempted a landing near the west rim of the Grand Canyon on February 10, 2018. Three of the tourist occupants were killed at the scene. Four, including the pilot, survived the crash and were transported to UMC where they were classified in critical condition. Since then, two of the four survivors died, leaving only the pilot and one other passenger as the survivors. The six passe...
Why Has My Disability Claim Been Rejected?
You’ve become disabled. You’ve applied to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for disability benefits, and they’ve rejected your claim. Perhaps the rejection letter received says something about insufficient medical proof of a disabling impairment. You’re pretty discouraged at this point, but take heart; SSA rejects about 60% of initial claims. The SSA knows that a large number of you won’t continue the process because it looks too complex and imposing. But you’re not one of that lar...
Hernia Mesh Lawsuits
Hernia mesh is a material used to repair damage to the muscle wall, usually in the abdominal area. A hernia occurs when the muscle wall develops, weakens and tears which allows the internal organs to protrude. Injury, obesity, constipation, too much exercise, persistent cough, or previous surgery can all contribute to the possibility of hernia. Mesh used during surgery is placed over the herniated tissue and provides strength to the abdominal wall and holds internal organs in place. Why ...New Law Has Potential to Effect Accident Victims
If you are the victim of an accident, and have retained the services of an attorney, you will certainly be under the care of a medical provider. You and your doctor will almost surely be dealing with managing pain resulting from the injuries and, depending on the level of pain, may be prescribed an opioid for treatment. A new Nevada law that took effect January 1, 2018, may have an impact on those efforts. In an effort to address the growing opioid crisis effecting Nevada and the nation, ...
Pedestrian Accidents in Las Vegas
One of the more alarming trends in traffic news these days is the increase in pedestrian accidents. Almost daily, there’s news of pedestrian accidents occurring in various places. Pedestrians involved in an accident almost always suffer serious injuries, with 70 percent of accidents resulting in death. In Nevada, 2017 likely ended as the worst year for pedestrian accidents since records have been kept, and unsurprisingly, Clark County led the state. In Clark County, pedestrian fatalities ...
Xarelto Lawsuit Results in $28 Million Jury Verdict
A jury in Philadelphia has awarded a total of $28 million to Lynn Hartmann in her case against BayerAG and Johnson and Johnson (J&J), and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, over the false and misleading marketing and failure to warn patients and doctors of the negative, and many times fatal, side effects of the drug Xarelto (rivaroxaban). Hartmann’s case maintained that she suffered severe gastrointestinal bleeding as a result of using Xarelto. The manufacturers have announced plans...Is My Parent or Loved One Being Abused in a Nursing Home?
The population of the United States is aging. Without getting too technical, the proportion of the population age 65 and older has increased from less than 20 million in 1960, to about 46 million in the U.S. today. Beyond that, the proportion of the population over 65 is currently 15 percent, up from nine percent in 1960. It’s expected that by 2030, the proportion of the total population over 65 will increase to 21 percent, amounting to about 75 million people. With age, comes the need fo...
Motorists: Allow Three Feet for Bicycles… It’s the Law
Pete Makowski was killed when a gravel truck hit him from behind while riding his bicycle in June 2013. Roger Swain survived when a car hit him on his way to work in June 2015. He was wearing protective gear including a helmet, but sustained multiple injuries that required surgery. In April 2017, a prominent Las Vegas hand surgeon, Kayvan Khiabani, was killed, when he lost control of his bicycle and collided with a charter bus. He was the Chief of Hand Surgery at UMC at the time. During 2015...Disneyland Legionnaires Disease Outbreak
In mid-October, the Orange County (California) Health Care Agency identified a breakout of the bacterial illness, Legionnaires’ disease. Twelve people were diagnosed with the illness, and of those, nine had visited Disneyland in the month of September. The other three live in or traveled to Anaheim, Calif., during that period. One of the patients has died, but besides these, no new cases have been reported. Disneyland learned of the breakout on October 27, and immediately shut down and treated t...
