In 2009, the VA notified more than 10,000 veterans that they may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV while undergoing colonoscopies at Veterans Affairs facilities. The VA said the exposure risk stemmed from improper cleaning of the tools used to perform the procedures. Approximately 6,000 of those veterans were treated at a VA clinic in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The others were treated at clinics in Augusta, Georgia and Miami, Florida. To date, at least 90 veterans have tested positive for one of the three viruses. Unfortunately, a recent ruling in ...

After several successful patient safety campaigns, the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority has been awarded a federal grant to pursue further efforts. The goal of the "Partnership for Patients" grant program is to reduce preventable hospital errors and ultimately improve healthcare and outcomes for hospital patients. The federal government awarded the $1.6 million grant as part of a public-private partnership initiative. The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority will partner with the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania on grant-supported ...

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Public Citizen, and other safety groups have sued the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) again for their regulations governing truck driver's hours of service (HOS). Hours of Service Rules The FMCSA is responsible for the safe operation of trucks on the nation's highways and works to prevent truck accidents. Its statutory mandate states: "Safety as Highest Priority...the [FMCSA] shall consider the assignment and maintenance of safety as the highest priority." Congress has instructed them to devise ...

National rankings are revealing. If a state is excelling or falling short in a certain area, comparative assessments can show how it stacks up against others. In the case of New Mexico, the rankings on injury-related deaths are disturbing. New Mexico has the highest rate of these deaths in the country, according to a new report by two respected nonprofit groups. This article will discuss what that report found, and what results say about fatal car accidents and other accident deaths in New Mexico. Accident Deaths in New Mexico The survey was conducted by the ...

A big concern for non-working spouses in a divorce might be continued medical insurance coverage once the decree is finalized. Many such individuals have insurance through their soon to be ex-spouse or former spouse's employer. Going without insurance is not a viable option for most people, so many may be left asking what they can do to ensure coverage when entering the single life. What Are the Options? The first issue to be aware of is that it is not possible to stay on a former spouse's insurance once the divorce is finalized, if such coverage is provided through ...

Every Florida driver is required to carry personal injury protection insurance. PIP coverage, also called "no-fault insurance," pays for medical care for injuries sustained in a car accident, regardless of who was at fault. In recent years, Florida's PIP coverage has become very expensive. Some commentators blamed the price hike on unscrupulous medical providers who tried to get the maximum $10,000 benefit out of every patient. Others attributed the price increases to the insurance companies' own profit motives. Regardless of the reasons, Florida lawmakers ...

While witness testimony in the Jerry Sandusky trial and the ongoing developments in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal highlight the tragic consequences sexual abuse in childhood can have on adult victims, these cases also emphasize that justice can still be served years after abuse occurs. In Connecticut, childhood sexual abuse victims can seek civil damages for the abuse they suffered through the state's generous statute of limitations on these kinds of suits. How the Statute of Limitations for Civil Suits Works Section 52-577d of the Connecticut State Statutes ...

Commercial truck technology has come a long way in recent years, with some parts able to outlive the truck on which they are installed. Though these improvements make commercial truck maintenance easier, they do not completely alleviate the need for maintenance checks. Proper maintenance is one way to ensure commercial vehicles are safe and that defects in the truck itself are less likely to cause accidents. Axles and Truck Suspensions: Two Maintenance Concerns A truck's suspension and axles are vital pieces of its anatomy. Either may compromise safety if not in good ...

Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey, purposed during his State of the State speech a change in the way drug offenders are punished. His plan would direct non-violent offenders into treatment programs instead of prison. "Everyone Deserves A Second Chance." He stated in his address, "[L]et us reclaim the lives of those drug offenders who have not committed a violent crime." He also admitted that current drug policies, and implicitly, the war on drugs have failed. Treatment Is Less Expensive Than Prison Governor Christie pointed out that, ...

Medical doctors and personnel are expected to proficiently multitask in order to diagnose and treat their patients in a timely and effective manner. In recent years, the addition of technology has assisted in making multitasking easier. From instant access to medical records to drug information to case studies, computers, smart phones and other electronic devices have helped to reduce medical errors. However, they are also leading to medical errors. Startling new statistics and cases are revealing that doctors, nurses and technicians may be distracted. They are increasingly ...

People always have plenty of questions after a car accident, regardless of what led to the crash. When personal injuries or a wrongful death are caused by a drunk driver, a variety of legal issues might come into play, including evidence of intoxication and special legal claims based on dram shop liability. Many highway safety advocates argue that the best way to prevent drunk driving accidents is stiffer penalties and stronger enforcement. To that end, members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) recently urged South Carolina lawmakers to pass tougher DUI laws. Advocating ...

A bill has been introduced in South Carolina's legislature that would force those convicted of a first-time DUI offense to install an ignition interlock system on their cars. Current law in South Carolina requires the use of ignition interlocks for drivers upon their second DUI conviction. Mothers Against Drunk Driving recently sponsored a rally at the South Carolina Capitol to urge passage of the bill. MADD points to statistics that show drunken driving deaths have been reduced in the 16 states that require ignition interlocks for all offenders convicted of DUIs. The ...

In a divorce, former spouses are known to use every bit of information available to gain an advantage, be it for custody of a child or the division of assets. The need for information to gain position over one party raises privacy concerns. The interception and misuse of confidential information sway the judge on a contested issue. Primarily, it used to be through word of mouth that private information was conveyed, but now technologies like the Internet and social media play an important role in privacy during and after divorce. Passwords After divorce, there ...

Many people believe that filing for bankruptcy permanently ruins credit scores and makes it impossible to obtain credit cards or home loans in the future. This is false. In fact, the experience of those who file for bankruptcy is that their credit score improves within a short period of time after completing the bankruptcy process. Bankruptcy does not automatically destroy credit scores. It's true the act of filing counts as a negative on your credit score, but the exact consequences will depend on a variety of factors. Debtors with poor credit scores to begin with may ...

This is an exciting time of year if you are a teenager. Summer means the end of the school year and the start of new jobs, more extra-curricular activities, and more time with friends. Many teens will be driving themselves to part-time jobs and other activities throughout the summer. While this may provide teens with a sense of freedom, it also puts them at risk for car accidents, particularly those stemming from distracted driving. Distracted driving includes texting while driving as well as any other activities that take a driver's attention off the task of driving. ...

A new mobile app is stirring up a lot of controversy. The app is called "DUI STOP" and gives a user information on drunk-driving laws as well as a free consultation from a local drunk-driving defense lawyer who participates in the program. The consultation is available during any hour of the day or night. An "app" is basically a focused computer program to use on a smartphone. This app was created by an Ohio attorney who claims that it is the first of its kind in the nation. It became available in a few counties in Ohio in June and the next target ...

At the recent Founders Forum, an event for the leading entrepreneurs of today, the owners of Out Fit 7 Ltd. were announced as the lucky winners of the British Airways Rising Star of the Year 2012 award. Out Fit 7 Ltd. creates simple, engaging apps that people of all ages can enjoy, alone or together. Narry Singh, chief business guru at Out Fit 7 Ltd made a presentation detailing the company's vision and accomplishments that resulted in winning the award. The prize entitles the company to a Gold British Airways Executive Club membership and 200,000 Avios points to ...

Fasthosts Internet Ltd, a leading web hosting provider, has launched a powerful new, high quality server to further bolster the Fasthosts Dedicated Server range. The new Fasthosts DS1200 server boasts Solid State Drives (SSD) and 2 x 2TB of storage, providing faster access speed, greater resilience, supreme reliability and amps of storage. The DS1200 can be run via a choice of operating systems including the latest CentOS 6 operating system, includes the Plesk 10 control panel, and features a generous allowance of storage space RAM with RAID1 protection, offering better ...

Access Legal from Shoosmiths has reported a significant compensation win for a former prison officer diagnosed with mesothelioma. The 63 year old, who was diagnosed with the fatal illness in June 2011, sought advice from Access Legal from Shoosmiths, concerned to ensure his wife would be adequately provided for in the event of his inevitable death. The Yorkshire man had worked for the prison service in the 1990's up until the early 2000's. It was during this period that he was exposed to asbestos when he was required to inspect the prison boiler houses, roofs and cellars ...

The National University of Engineering of Nicaragua (UNI, for its acronym in Spanish) announced the construction of the Julio Padilla Mendez Technology Park, the second of its kind in Central America. Guadalupe Martinez, Executive Secretary of the National Council for Science and Technology (CONICYT, for its acronym in Spanish), said the inauguration of the technology park will be a breakthrough in development for micro and medium enterprises in Nicaragua. The good news was announced during a meeting with managers of the Research and Technological Innovation Parks ...

Are you tired of losing hair everyday? I have an answer for you... Experiment yourself; first comb your hair and find out how much hair falls on your comb. After using our oil you will see the difference in yourself before and after. About Ajay Patil The Indian Head Massage technique is an ancestral practice recorded since 4,000 years ago in the Ayurveda texts. In its way of action of champi, the original Ayurveda art of Indian head massage, is still very popular today in India, being practised by barbers in every haircut session in the way of shirodhara, a form ...

Government sponsored schemes are helping potential buyers to access the housing market by reducing the costs of buying a property. *67% of affordable housing sales accounted for by first time buyers* *79% of affordable housing sales are for new houses* Government sponsored schemes are helping potential buyers to access the housing market by reducing the costs of buying a property. Halifax has looked at the typical profile of someone buying a home under 'affordable' housing schemes as well as the type of properties bought and compared them with the market as a whole. Profile ...

Charity giving in the UK has nearly doubled over the past decade, according to new research by Halifax. Donations in the UK - that have been subject to Gift Aid1 - have risen by 95% in real terms (i.e. after allowing for inflation) over the past decade from GBP2.0 billion in 2000/01 to GBP3.8 billion in 2010/11. Charity donations grew strongly over the first half of the decade, rising by 60% (GBP1.2 billion) between 2000/01 and 2005/06. Since then growth has slowed significantly, rising by 21% between 2005/06 and 2010/11. Over the past year, charity donations have increased ...

Parcel delivery specialist Parcel2Go says companies and individuals should be looking to make the most out of parcel tracking services now available online. Although the technology has been around in various forms for a number of years, its use is becoming more widespread thanks to the growth of ecommerce and the success of auction and retail sites such as eBay. As part of changes to eBay's Top-rated Seller criteria, the company will soon require its most successful sellers to upload tracking information, within handling time, on 90 per cent or more of US transactions. ...

(Boston) – A recent study led by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) revealed that the FOXO1 gene may play an important role in the pathological mechanisms of Parkinson's disease. These findings are published online in PLoS Genetics, a peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the Public Library of Science. The study was led by Alexandra Dumitriu, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the department of neurology at BUSM. Richard Myers, PhD, professor of neurology at BUSM, is the study's senior author. According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, ...