This program brings together leaders in sentencing policy to discuss various questions, including: Who is -- and who should be -- in charge of federal sentencing policy? What changes are desirable, and how can change best be accomplished? Why is change in favor of defendants so elusive, even in narrow contexts where prosecutors agree it is necessary? Should sentencing policy at the federal level be linked to its fiscal consequences, as it is in the states? The program will explore these and other questions in part through the window provided by recent developments related to nonviolent drug offenders, including pending legislation to reduce the disparity between federal sentences for crack cocaine and powder cocaine offenses. The discussion is moderated by The Honorable John Gleeson, United States District Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ehTL2ChTfE&hl=en
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
The New Drug Recall Lawyers
Given the monstrous size and profitability of drug companies, some plaintiff lawyers are considering focusing more of their practice on drug litigation. In fact, shortly after Merck's announcement of the Vioxx recall, some large plaintiff firms started aggressive media campaigns aimed at bringing in prescription drug injury victims. The media blitz has been non stop. Billboards, TV, web marketing, radio, and direct mail are just some of the marketing vehicles that attorneys have used to try and find new cases for them to work on. Many plaintiff law firms are no longer focusing on chasing run of the mill car accidents. Some of them have gone so far as to reposition themselves as "drug recall lawyers," seeing that the future of their practice may be shaped by the initial outcome of these new pharmaceutical cases.
When Merck chose to withdraw Vioxx, the CEO stated that a voluntary recall was the responsible course of action. Prior to pulling Vioxx from the market, Merck was spending $500 Million per year on advertising Vioxx. Vioxx is classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID. However, Vioxx belongs to a new family of NSAIDs called "COX-2 inhibitors." There are not many COX-2 inhibitors on the market in the US: Bextra and Celebrex may be the only other two.
Both the number of potential Vioxx plaintiffs and award amounts of the lawsuits are projected to be extremely large. The investment bank S.G. Cowan recently estimated that eventually more than 600,000 plaintiffs could file suit in the Vioxx case. Furthermore, some investment banks think that plaintiffs may file for more than $10Billion in damages in years to come. Even the national TV networks have covered the Vioxx withdrawal. A November 2004 story on the Vioxx withdrawal appeared on CBS News' 60 Minutes. The CBS story implied that the US Justice Department is conducting an investigation and the Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into Merck's conduct. Given the media coverage of the Vioxx withdrawal and the number of people who were prescribed Vioxx, there may be many new "Drug Recall Firms" founded in years to come.
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Richard Martin is a contributing writer at [http://www.legalclips.com]. LegalClips.com is a collection of lawyer [http://www.legalclips.com] articles and other resources.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Facts and FAQ's About Dangerous Drugs
Millions of Americans rely on prescription medication to help them manage arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, psychiatric disorders, high blood pressure, chronic pain, pulmonary disease, and many other medical conditions. They trust the companies that develop drugs to provide safe, effective products. Too often that trust is misplaced. Every year thousands of patients are seriously injured, and some are killed by toxic drug reactions and irreversible side effects. This article can help you learn more about dangerous drugs.
Who is most at risk from dangerous drugs?
Older people are at higher risk from dangerous drugs than the general population because a large percentage of seniors take several medications. The average senior takes four to six prescribed medications, in addition to over-the-counter drugs. People 65 and older constitute only 14% of the US population, yet they take more than 33% of all prescription medications. This increased usage exposes seniors to more different drugs, and also increases the risk of dangerous drug interactions.
Does FDA approval mean that a drug is safe?
FDA approval means that the US Food and Drug Administration's scientists have determined that the benefits of the drug will outweigh the risks when it is released into the general population. During the final stage of clinical trials before approval, as many to 3,000 people will take the drug. But some serious side effects are rare. If a side effect occurs in one of 10,000 people, for example, the manufacturer and the FDA probably will not learn of that side effect until the drug has been approved, and hundreds of thousands of people have taken it.
What is an adverse event?
The FDA defines an adverse event as "any undesirable experience associated with the use of a medical product in a patient."
How does the FDA find out about adverse events?
Doctors and health care professionals generally report adverse events to drug companies, which are then required by law to relay serious reports to the FDA within 15 days. Health care providers should report an if it results in death, disability, hospitalization, is life-threatening, causes a congenital anomaly, or requires treatment to prevent permanent damage. For the first three years after a drug is approved, the drug manufacturer must also report all of its adverse event information to the FDA quarterly, and after three years, these reports must be submitted annually.
How can I find out whether a drug is dangerous?
The FDA publishes notices about adverse events on its website, and these are frequently reported on the internet, on television news and in newspapers. Drug manufacturers sometimes issue warnings to health care providers when they learn of adverse events associated with their products.
How can I tell whether my symptoms are the result of a dangerous drug?
For questions about symptoms and side effects, as well as any other aspect of your health, you should consult your physician. Your physician can determine whether a drug has caused or contributed to your symptoms.
If I have been harmed, or a loved one has been harmed by or died from a drug, what can I do?
You should talk as soon as possible with an experienced drug attorney to determine whether you may have a case against the manufacturer of the drug.
How important is it to act promptly?
Acting as soon as possible may make the difference between having a case and not having a case. There are deadlines called statutes of limitation, set by laws which regulate the filing of lawsuits; these vary from state to state. . If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury or a loved one has died from a dangerous drug, you should not delay in contacting an attorney. If the statute of limitations expires, your right to pursue a claim may be forever barred.
How difficult is it to win a claim against a drug manufacturer?
Pharmaceutical companies are often large multinational corporations with their own legal staffs, and extensive financial resources to defend their products. To prevail against such determined and well-funded adversaries, you need to have an experienced pharmaceutical attorney on your side, and a law firm that is fully committed to securing justice for its clients.
Gayle Blatt is a San Diego pharmaceutical attorney with the California plaintiffs law firm of Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP, in Southern California. Ms. Blatt represents the need for consumer protection from medications whose dangerous side effects have not been thoroughly investigated. As a pharmaceutical lawyer Gayle Blatt files lawsuits on behalf of people who have been harmed from drugs pushed into use before all of the potential interactions and side effects have been adequately noted and studied.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Drug Crimes Are Not Only a Grown-Up Problem Anymore
There was once a time when drug crimes mainly affected grown folks, and people did not have to worry so much for their kids. But as the years have passed, crimes involving drugs are including younger and younger age groups. The following paragraphs will provide some useful advice regarding keeping your kids safe.
When we were children, our parents used to warn of us such dangers as talking to a stranger. When they sent us to school, they did not have to worry so much about us doing drugs or committing crimes. However, kids are now selling drugs at school, or in some cases even giving them away for free. It is not only the adults anymore, it is now the kids, as well.
The schools are now common places for kids to get and experiment with drugs. While schools have zero tolerance policies for this type of behavior, it still occurs. It is no longer safe to stop with telling your kids not to talk to strangers. It is important to be direct with them when you explain the dangers associated with drugs.
The company your child keeps can increase or reduce their chances of getting caught up drugs. It is important to get to know who your kids hang out with and what they are doing. Do not be afraid to seem intrusive. It is not about being best friends with your kids, it is about being a good parent. Picking your children's friends is not a fool-proof way to ensure they will not get involved in drugs at school. However, it can reduce the chances.
If you take prescription medication, you should watch it closely. Hide it where your child would never think to look if you have to. More and more kids are stealing their parents prescription pills to give or sell to their friends. When it is in the medicine cabinet, kids have easy access to it. If you have to, count your pills and write down how many you take.
Watch what your child does on the internet. Use parental control settings to help monitor what they have access to. Forbid chat rooms or constant instant chatting, or watch conversations closely. Read their email and text messages on a regular basis. A nosy parent is an informed parent. Being nosy often helps parents see the warning signs before their kids get in too deep to get out.
Finally, being an active part of all aspects of your child's life can significantly decrease the chances of your child becoming involved with drugs. Attend extra curricular activities with your children, and communicate regularly with their educators. This will help you discover any potential problem early and reduce the likelihood of your child committing drug crimes.
When we were growing up, drug crimes did not happen so much at school. It was mainly an adult problem, that mostly adults faced. Times have changed and now our children are affected. By following the tips and advice given above, you can help prevent it from affecting your child.
If you need someone to help defend you against drug crime charges, then consider having criminal lawyer LyonsSnyder by your side. Defending clients in Florida is what LSLG in Fort Lauderdale specializes in.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer FAQs
In Chicago, personal injury is often caused by various accidents such as workplace accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, and car accidents. Because of these, victims need to hire the services of a Chicago personal injury lawyer in order to recover for damages. But since there are lots of personal injury lawyers these days, it is rather hard to choose one who is really competent and highly reliable. So, to better arrive at the best decision, people should be aware of some Chicago personal injury FAQS in order to have an insight about them.
What personal injury lawyers do?
Personal injury lawyers assist victims who suffered from physical injuries due to the negligence of another person. They help them in evaluating their cases in order to fully determine who is at fault. And once this is determined, they will assist the victim in filing a personal injury lawsuit in order to receive a personal injury claim. But before a victim can collect this, they should be able to prove that the defendant is liable and that there is indeed negligence on their part.
What is a personal injury claim?
A personal injury claim is an amount that a victim of personal injury can demand to compensate for the damages he suffered due to the defendant's negligence. This claim can include payment for medical bills, lost wages, and mental agony and emotional stress. The first two can be easily quantified but the last one requires the expertise of a personal injury lawyer in order to tabulate this. However, when the negligence is not fully established, this claim may be denied that is why it is advisable that the victim should note down every important detail that is related to the event.
What is contingency fee?
A contingency fee is considered the most common payment arrangement for victims who are seeking legal representation in personal injury lawsuits. This means that when the lawyer proves the negligence on the part of the defendant and the victim receives compensatory damages, he will be entitled to a percentage of this amount as payment for his services. But, if the case is denied, the victim will not have to pay any amount.
These are just some of the Chicago personal injury lawyer FAQs that people should know. This information may not be significant to some people, but this can be of great help to those who are victims of personal injury.
Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers provides detailed information on Chicago Personal Injury Claims, Chicago Personal Injury Funding, Chicago Personal Injury Law Firms, Chicago Personal Injury Laws and more. Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers is affiliated with Chicago Personal Injury Funding [http://www.e-chicagopersonalinjuryattorneys.com].
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Drug, Alcohol and Rehab Article - Executive Intervention
It may be difficult to believe that doctors, lawyers, judges, airline pilots and Fortune 500 corporate executives suffer from addiction, yet it is important to understand that addiction is an equal opportunity disease affecting professionals in the same way as it does for everybody else.
An executive intervention is an excellent option for individuals who are highly productive and functional in the workplace and who suffer from the disease of addiction. In these cases, the employers or partners of the professional are faced with the reality that addiction is a progressive disease, and that it is just a matter of time before the addiction causes productivity to decline, a work related accident or incident to occur, or deteriorating health, leaving the employer/partner no choice but to dismiss the once highly valued worker.
In the case where the employer is fully aware of the substance abuse problem, they can be a highly motivating force in the executive intervention. While it is preferable for the addict to make the decision on their own to accept treatment, oftentimes the addiction may be preventing any level of rational thought necessary to make such a decision. If the message delivered by the employer/partner at the executive intervention is grounded in complete support and with the assurance that the addict's position of employment will remain, provided treatment is accepted, the addict has an added incentive to accept treatment and begin the process of recovery.
There are situations where employers may not be aware of the employee's substance abuse problems. The family and friends are painfully aware of the addiction, yet the addict has been successful at hiding it from the workplace. The family may be justifiably concerned that it is just a matter of time before the addiction causes problems at work and jeopardizes the addict's employment status. In this case, the family must exercise great care in the executive intervention. It is ill advised to announce to employers and partners of the addict the existence of the addiction and the desire to go forward with an executive intervention without first consulting with an intervention specialist and discussing the risks and issues relative to any such disclosure.
Another issue that frequently appears in executive interventions is ego. I've intervened addicts on every level of the economic spectrum, and, for the most part, they have been charismatic and highly intelligent individuals. In an executive intervention, egos may have been elevated to a higher level. Advanced education, financial status and professional degrees and licenses sometimes create an additional defense mechanism that interventionists face in an executive intervention. As an example, it would not be unusual to expect quite a bit of negotiating and outright objections when intervening an attorney. The executive or professional status of the addict should not be construed as intimidating or a deterrent from going forward with the executive intervention. It does, however, illustrate the need for considerable preparation in the pre-intervention meeting.
Perhaps the most important factor to consider if you have a friend or family member who is suffering from addiction, is that addiction is progressive (gets worse over time) and that it can be fatal (accidents and a multitude of health related issues). Simply put, good things don't happen to people suffering from addiction and the problem rarely goes away on its own.
For more information on this issue visit http://www.stevenlodgeinterventions.com or If you have any questions regarding the executive intervention process, call Steven Lodge Interventions 866 534 4443.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Fort Worth DWI Criminal Defense Lawyers Minick Law, PC
Arrested? Get a defense attorney with experience. Get Kimberly Minick at Minick Law in Fort Worth, Texas. A former assistant district attorney, she knows both sides of criminal justice, from investigation to verdict. Bring that knowledge to your defense. Call for your free consultation today. Visit us www.yellowpages.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAHX1u_iGCQ&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAHX1u_iGCQ&hl=en
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