The Missouri Supreme Court recently provided a significant, albeit limited, victory to injured people seeking damages in medical malpractice claims. In Klotz v. St. Anthony's Medical Center, the court concluded that the caps on noneconomic damages enacted by Missouri's 2005 tort reform law should only apply to injuries that occurred after the law took effect. Unfortunately, the court failed to address the larger issues of whether the damages caps themselves are constitutional. The 2005 Tort Reform Law and Damages Caps In 2005, then-Gov. Matt Blunt signed a bill into ...

Many drivers realize that talking or texting on their cell phone is dangerous while driving, yet with over 80 million cell phones in use in the U.S., it has become far too common to drive while distracted. The Risks A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration analyzed a large study group to determine how common and destructive distracted driving has become. The study estimated that drivers on their cell phones caused 955 deaths and 240,000 accidents in 2002. Drivers talking or texting were found to be as likely to crash their vehicle as someone with ...

Copying a single aspect of another company's packaging - even if the companies are not in direct competition with one another - may violate federal trademark laws. That difficult lesson comes courtesy of a recent court decision (Maker's Mark Distillery Inc., v. Diageo North American, Inc., et. al, 2010 WL 1407325 (W.D.Ky.) from the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The case arose out of the adoption of the distinctive red wax seal used by Maker's Mark, a distiller of bourbon, by the makers of Cuervo tequila. Although no one is going to ...

Countless crimes are committed everyday in the United States. Some of them, by default, are committed by people with some form of mental illness. Some of these disorders are diagnosed, some are not. In some cases, relatively minor offenses arise as the result of mental illness. An individual may be arrested for trespassing or for being a public nuisance, when the criminal activity is a merely a symptom of a larger problem. In other cases, a criminal act is a cry for help - some know that the only way they will ever receive the medication and treatment they desperately ...

In a recent case, the Michigan Supreme Court elucidated the meaning of "possession" within the context of child pornography. The ruling expands the definition of possession to include both actual and constructive possession of child sexually-abusive material, thereby making it more difficult for people accused of possession of child pornography to defend against these allegations. The defendants were identified after federal officials raided a company in Florida that sold child pornography on the Internet. With information from the credit cards used to access and view ...

Manufacturers of recreational off-road vehicles are attempting to head off regulators by incorporating some safety features into their products. The chairperson of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says these belated efforts won't deter the government from pursuing safety standards. The Commission is writing mandatory rules for the two- to four-passenger recreational off-road vehicles also known as ROVs. Bloomberg News reports that U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chair Inez Tannenbaum told a meeting of ROV manufacturers that "it concerned me then, ...

The trucking industry's primary regulator, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has proposed Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, a new measurement, enforcement and compliance program designed to measure drivers' safety habits and training. The program's goals are to improve federal and state enforcement of safety and regulatory laws, identify and address behavior that increases risk and encourage the use of technology to track safety and performance data. The data will be compared among carriers to pinpoint at-risk companies. Hearings on Capitol ...

Imagine suddenly losing your hair in a narrow ring around your head (right about where a hat would sit) but have no idea why. That dilemma was the start of a very troubling discovery for hundreds of people across the country who had been the victims of radiation overdoses during CT scans. In the summer of 2009, reports of the telltale hair loss and other symptoms began surfacing, as medical experts and the victims themselves began putting the pieces together. All signs pointed toward radiation overdoses during CT perfusion scans -- tests for blood flow in the brain, ...

Everyone agrees that well-trained, devoted nurses are a crucial component of quality health care. Not everyone agrees on what nurse staffing levels are needed to maintain high-quality care or on how to create and sustain a sizable pool of good nurses. Some Massachusetts health care advocates are now focusing on the state's "charitable immunity" law as an overlooked contributing factor to substandard care. What is the "Charitable Immunity Law"? Massachusetts is one of the few remaining states to recognize the doctrine of "charitable immunity." In short, this legal ...

The Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Airport Hotel North offers convenient lodging to guests attending the International Woodworking Fair (IWF) 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The event is being held on August 25-28, 2010 from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Expected to generate 53,000 attendees, IWF is where the industry comes together to solve problems and find solutions. The International Woodworking Fair will include: - A Technology Session where attendees can learn from their peers and industry experts - Over 950 exhibiting companies - New product showcase and a green ...

Although the troubled economy has led many businesses to downsize recently, Coast 2 Coast Moving & Storage is pleased to announce that this is not the case with their Atlanta moving company, and that they are actually in the process of hiring additional Atlanta movers. Summer is typically the busiest time of the year for the Atlanta moving industry, and Coast 2 Coast Moving & Storage has seen peak demand over the last few months for their Atlanta moving and storage services. As business thrives for the Atlanta moving company, Coast 2 Coast is hiring additional Atlanta ...

Door2Tour has announced record breaking sales for July 2010, despite an unstable few months for the travel industry. With companies such as TUI Travel and Thomas Cook seeing their profits nose-diving and the collapse of tour operator Goldtrail Holidays, the travel industry has certainly been suffering over recent months but online coach holidays consolidator Door2Tour.com has bucked the overall trend by reporting record sales for July 2010. They have seen a record 63% sales increase for coach holidays in July 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, despite the current ...

Intranet Connections (www.intranetconnections.com) is pleased to announce the intranet launch for BC Place, the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. BC Place launched their Intranet Connections Intranet 2.0 CMS Software in July with goals of improving corporate communication, increasing employee involvement, and enhancing information sharing within the organization. After the 2010 Winter Games, BC Place was scheduled major construction to revitalize and modernize the facilities, including the largest retractable roof ...

Consumer Resource Group has incorporated the MSTARS debt settlement compliance curriculum into its counselor training programs. "MSTARS is on the cutting edge of compliance in the debt settlement industry. It is an outstanding addition to our otherwise rigorous training program," said Cherrel Mahinay, the firm's president. Developed with insight from state attorney general offices and the Federal Trade Commission, MSTARS compliance training helps avoid missteps that have resulted in regulatory action in the past. As such, MSTARS training will help ensure Consumer Resource ...

The online poker industry is a variable treasure trove of opportunities for the skilled poker player, but finding the proverbial treasure map can be the most difficult task of all. www.Playholdem.org is a virtual cartographer of online poker, using honest research and due diligence to provide poker players with the most reliable information regarding online poker sites. The latest announcement from PlayHoldem.org relates to the easiest poker site in 2010. "The easiest poker site for cash games is by far Sportsbook Poker, which shines as the most lucrative American holdem ...

Van Eeghen International (North America), Inc. (VEINA) is pleased to announce that the company has successfully achieved the requirements set forth within the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000:2010), making VEINA one of the first companies in its industry in North America to attain this accomplishment. The audits were performed by SGS, the world's leading auditing and certification body. "As an International Company, we have to think globally and this is why the Van Eeghen Team does not just focus on one safety program but goes beyond the call of duty and ...

In today's economic climate most IT professionals can not afford to spend thousands of dollars in preparation for an exam. On top of that, classroom students are limited to a set timeframe of a couple of days in a row of studying. In 2002 The Art of Service set out to create something as good as, or better than, classroom tutoring but with one crucial difference: it would be at a price that anyone could afford. The learning system that was created allows students to prepare as much as they need, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. In addition, this learning system gives them ...

HomeInfoMax.com, a member of HiMAX, LLC family of companies and one of the largest online instant providers of real estate records, parcel maps, and document images, today announced the official introduction of Building Permit History reports. This program offers current and historical records on construction activity for commercial and residential properties requiring permits. Only a few years ago acquiring property data or running a title search intended going to the local recorder's office, waiting for hours and often filling out forms and paying a fee. Advancements ...

Design Visionaries introduces its first product designed exclusively for the Apple iPad. The iEcostand supports landscape, portrait and keyboard usage. The iEcostand is available now at www.iecostand.com for $17.95. The iEcostand is made locally of hardwood, to be lightweight, stable and elegant. Non-slip rubber pads protect surfaces and the iPad. The hinged arm swings out for stability but folds into the stand for portability. "Our mission for this product is to provide exactly what you need to enhance your enjoyment of the iPad. And ensure that use of this product ...

Hospital executives recognize that patient satisfaction and patient safety are paramount to success, especially as patients increase their skills as consumers of healthcare and as hospitals compete for patients. However, if hospital leaders are unable to improve patient satisfaction and patient safety, patients will vote with their feet and seek out hospitals that meet their needs and deliver safe, quality care. Combined teamwork and patient engagement training addresses these important satisfaction parameters as well as patient safety through proven tools that focus on ...

Data Expedition, Inc.(R), a leading developer of high-performance data transfer software, and Primeur, an Italian multinational leader in managed file transfer, traceability, control and end-to-end security, have signed a new technology partnership. Under this agreement, Primeur will use Data Expedition's patented MTP/IP(TM) technology for Spazio FASTransfer, a component of its Spazio Enterprise MFT/S secure managed file transfer solution, designed for speeding up the transfer of large files over long distances. Spazio FASTransfer is intended for those organizations ...

Dr Wayne Greathouse and his staff at Seaside Family Chiropractic are helping people to live active, pain free lives with effective chiropractic techniques. After more than 17 years of practice and researching for better techniques to achieve permanent pain relief without surgery or risk of addiction to pain killers, Dr. Greathouse has developed his own brand of treatment. While some chiropractors offer temporary relief, Dr. Greathouse wants to permanently restore his patients to make them more active and able to live a healthy lifestyle. The benefits of living an active ...

For understaffed companies that submit SBIR and STTR proposals under stringent deadlines and with stiff competition, JHEverson Consulting, provides a timely and competitive advantage with proposal research and commercialization planning. Unlike consultants that focus on either technology or business, JHEverson Consulting has both broad technical expertise and demonstrated business-development results. To find out more about JHEverson Consulting's services, please visit http://www.jheversonconsulting.com/. Prior to forming this consultancy, Dr. Jeffrey Everson was director ...

Eric Jones, "EJ," won the title "The American Dance Legend" on CBS television, an affiliate station, after performing breath taking choreography, speaking astutely to fans and the public, and telling viewers, "Everybody here brought something different, and at any time they could have won and I would have been fine with that, I am just so privileged to finally have come here and won something." Watch a video of EJ winning the title "The American Dance Legend" at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROR3MuvT9cg Jones, a 21-year-old from Chesapeake, Va., won the ...

Global Health Trax, Inc., a leading nutraceutical manufacturer, has added to its lineup of digestive health products with the debut of Clarifiber and Yummy Fiber for kids featuring a smooth, clear fiber in a highly absorbable liquid form. The new liquid fiber dietary supplements join the ranks of ThreeLac, the company's top-selling, original probiotic that, for over a decade, has fostered intestinal health with beneficial microflora. "I highly recommend the use of a quality fiber product such as Clarifiber when taking probiotics because it assists in the removal of bad ...