All Topics

• Product Liability: Lawsuit Filed Over Curious George Dolls

  Scott Barber | October 11, 2007 10:51 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health has sent a legal complaint to Marvel Entertainment Inc., which markets the Curious George Birthday doll. Alarmed by new testing that reportedly found high levels of lead contamination in the doll, the group is brandishing California's Proposition 65 environmental law in its drive to get lead out of the toy chest.California has identified lead as...

• Criminal Trial in Dog Bite Case

  Randy Walton | October 09, 2007 9:03 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  A veterinarian who is afraid of dogs? That's how Nancy Matthews of Valley Center describes her dog bite experience after being viciously attacked by two boxers near her Valley Center home. Matthews was attacked in November while taking a walk with her two young.Pedro Balerio Torres, the owner of the dogs, will stand trial this month on two felony charges for failing to protect the public from...

• Effects of Medical Malpractice Caps Doubtful

  Randy Walton | October 08, 2007 1:25 PM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  Texas is seeing the greatest influx of medical doctors it has seen in a very long time. At last count, the state has climbed to 42nd in the U.S. rankings of physician's per capita, up from a raking of 48 in 2001. Some attribute the growth to a voter approved constitutional amendment, proposition 12, which was narrowly approved by voters in 2003. Under the new law, any pain and suffering...

• To Prevent Accidents Palomar Mountain Fire Chief Takes Action

  Randy Walton | October 04, 2007 6:28 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  Every weekend it seems there is another automobile or motorcycle accident on Palomar Mountain. Just last Sunday a motorcyclist died, and the following day two cars crashed racing up the windy mountain road. The community now wants to do something about it.Palomar Mountain Fire Chief George Lucia has asked the county's road department to install a "rumble strip" - a passive traffic and speed...

• FL Longshoreman Settles Serious Personal Injury Lawsuit For $13.2 Million

  Scott Barber | October 03, 2007 10:50 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  A Florida longshoreman who sustained serious personal injury when he was almost crushed to death at work has settled his case for $13.2 millon. It is believed to be the largest such settlement in Florida history.Michael Clarkin, who was employed as a clerk to track the movements of containers, was severely injured when a 20 foot shipping container fell on his Ford Explorer work vehicle. A...

• Bill To Require DHS To Timely Investigate Claims

  Scott Barber | October 02, 2007 10:53 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  A bill which would require the California Department of Health Services (DHS) to investigate the majority of all claims of elder abuse in nursing homes within 40 days, has made it to the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill was sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) and passed the Legislature last month. An article in the Los Angles Times referred to a number of occasions...

• Tainted Beef Recalled

  Randy Walton | October 02, 2007 7:25 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  San Diego County health department officials are urging county residents to throw out beef products from Topps Meat Company. The meat was recently recalled because of possible E.coli contamination.Topps Meat Company announced the recall on September 25, and expanded it to include 21.7 million pounds of frozen products after federal health inspectors discovered new E. coli contamination. The...

• Want to be Profitable? Go Private, Cut Nursing

  Randy Walton | October 01, 2007 9:53 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  The county-owned nursing home Vermilion Manor in Virginia is looking to increase the bottom line. Last year it lost money, and a consultant hired to address the problem has the answer: reduce the number of nurses. According to the News Gazett, the consultant found that the nursing facility provides daily nursing that exceeds the state and national averages, so cutting nursing hours, he...

• Bedrail Entrapment - How To Be Safe

  Randy Walton | September 29, 2007 8:23 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  Last week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a major crib recall, reporting that 1 million Simplicity and Graco cribs have been recalled after three children became entrapped and suffocated, including a 9-month-old child who died. But bed rail entrapment is a danger not limited to the young. It continues to injure and kill many elder Americans every year.It is estimated that...

• Report: FDA Fails To Monitor Clinical Trials

  Scott Barber | September 28, 2007 10:49 AM | 0 CommentsSan Diego County, CA

  A report by the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, Daniel R. Levinson, assails the FDA for failing to ensure the health of patients in clinical trials. According to the report, the FDA could not accurately determine how many trials were being conducted, audited less than 1% of all testing sites and, when an audit found problems, supervisors downgraded the findings...