Laws/Cases | 
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Toxic Mold Lawsuit Against Costco Will Proceed |
| A court ruling has allowed an employee of Costco Wholesale Group to proceed with a lawsuit against the company. The suit alleges Costco fraudulently concealed information about toxic mold present on its property. A previous suit was dismissed after a trial court found several causes of action were barred by workers compensation. Roberto Ceniceros, Business Insurance 10/16/2006 | Read Article: Business Insurance |
Class Action |
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HMO Settles Doctors' Class-Action Suit |
| A lawsuit filed on behalf of 40,000 NJ doctors against Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield for routinely shortchanging thousands of physicians through late or improperly reduced payments reached a settlement. The insurer agreed to cover all legal fees and to "continue significant business practice improvements." Jeffrey Gold, Boston Globe 10/16/2006 | Read Article: Boston Globe |
Healthcare |
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Hospital Quality Varies Widely Throughout Nation |
| A HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study found there is a 69% lower risk of dying in a "5-star" hospital compared to those ranked as a "1-star." There has been a 5% increase in the gap between the best and worst hospitals despite an overall decline in hospital deaths. HealthGrades analyzed 40.6 million records at over 5,000 hospitals to assess their quality of care. HealthDay News, Forbes 10/16/2006 | Read Article: Forbes |
Patients and Doctors Lack Good Communication |
| A study revealed that a lack of communication between patient and doctors could cause critical health concerns to be overlooked. According to reports, a busy doctor interrupts his patient 12 to 22 seconds after they begin disclosing their health concerns. Audiotapes have also revealed that 25% of doctors did not name the drug prescribed, and close to half were unclear about the dosage. Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon, Houston Chronicle 10/16/2006 | Read Article: Houston Chronicle |
Issues |
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Former FDA Chief Faces Conflict of Interest Charges |
| Lester Crawford, the former chief of the FDA, was charged with conflict of interest and withholding information about stock he owned. The FDA prohibits senior employees from owning shares in companies regulated by the agency. Crawford is expected to plead guilty to both charges in federal court. Stephanie Saul, The New York Times 10/17/2006 | Read Article: The New York Times |
Products |
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Cleaning Product Repeatedly Mistaken for Soft Drink |
| Fabuloso, a household cleaning product, has been accidentally ingested by 104 patients, according to hospital reports. A study found that 94 were unintentional and two were occupational exposures, none causing serious harm. The product is sold in various colors in a one-liter bottle shaped similarly to those of soft drink containers. Nicholas Bakalar , The New York Times 10/17/2006 | Read Article: The New York Times |
TEXAS LAWYER CASE SUMMARIES |
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Eastland Court of Appeals: Torts, Employment |
| By assigning the task, offering suggestions on completing the task and reserving the right to stop unsafe work practices, Trinity Materials, Inc. did not exercise control over Brad Johnson s work so as to create a duty. Transit Mix Concrete & Materials Co. v. Johnson, Eastland Court of Appeals, 11-03-00300-CV, 10-12-2006. , Texas Lawyer Opinions (TTLA Members Only) 10/17/2006 | Read Article: Texas Lawyer Opinions (TTLA Members Only) |
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