Archive for the ‘Personal Injury’ Category

A local barge company is under scrutiny from former employees and their families and federal investigators after a string of incidents.  The Chattanooga Times Free-Press reports that at the center of the controversy is a former Serodino, Inc. barge pilot Kelly O’Connor who has come forward to report numerous workplace and safety violations.  In a related federal lawsuit, the widow of a man involved a a fatal collision with a Serodino barge is suing for $5 million, claiming the tugboat pushing the barges that crashed into her husband’s boat was “manned by an incompetent and poorly trained crew.”

If you or loved one have been injured in an accident or hurt on the job, call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm today for your FREE Consultation, at (865) 566-0125.

The Chattanooga Times-Free Press reported that an area man who ran two red lights while trying to drive his wife to the emergency room while she suffered from stroke like symptoms now faces multiple charges, while the arresting  officer who chased them is on paid leave.  Both the man and his wife are EMT’s, and he decided to forgo the ambulance service.  Now he faces charges of felony evading arrest, assault on police, disorderly conduct, reckless endangerment, registration expired and two counts of traffic signals violation.  The police spokesperson argues that regardless of the emergency, citizens have a legal obligation to pull over for officers.  At the same time, law enforcement and governmental agencies can be held liable where their actions arise to wrongful conduct.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident or hurt on the job, call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm for your FREE Consultation today, at (865) 566-0125.

Over 200 lawsuits have already been filed as a result of BP’s oil spill, and that figure could climb into the thousands.  In response to this, consolidation of the federal suits is almost certain, so that one or several judges can begin processing the claims.  The New York Times reported today about the ongoing jostling between two key groups of plaintiff’s attorneys, mass tort and specialists.  Mass tort lawyer specialize in consolidation and multi-district litigation, while the specialists are Gulf area practitioners who have been battling oil and gas companies for years.  Regardless, this is sure to be one the largest, most complex legal cases in American history.

If you or a loved on have been injured in an accident or hurt on the job, you may be entitled to compensation and need to know your rights.  Call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm today for your FREE Consultation, at (865) 566-0125.

Recently, McDonald’s announced that it is recalling millions of Shrek themed drinking glasses because of concerns that cadmium used in the paint on the glasses could come off on children’s hands.  The New York Times reports that the restaurant giant is now offering to pay customers $3 for every glass they return; an unusual step but certainly a sign that it is serious about cutting down potential backlash and lawsuits.  A consultant for the International Cadmium Association stated that cadmium pigments should not be painted on consumer glasses.  Earlier this year, Wal-Mart had its own  recall when cadmium was found in a line of children’s necklaces.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident or hurt by defective products, you may be entitled to compensation and need to know your rights.  Call Forrest Wallace at The McKellar Law Firm for your FREE Consultation today, at (865) 566-0125.

The Associated Press reports that more than half of the federal judges in districts where the bulk of Gulf oil spill-related lawsuits are pending have financial connections to the oil and gas industry.  While this may not be surprising, picking the right venue is immensely important for any party failing or defending a law suit, especially this order of magnitude.   The report goes on to state that a Washington-based federal judicial panel is scheduled to meet next month to decide whether to consolidate the cases and, if so, which judge should be assigned the monumental task.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident or hurt on the job, you may be entitled to compensation and need to know your rights.  Call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm for your FREE Consultation today, at (865) 566-0125.

In an effort to beef up enforcement, The Tennessean reports that the Food & Drug Administration is sending out a series of warning letters to 43 drug manufacturers for failing to correct shoddy practices that may have exposed patients to health risks, including contamination from bacteria, poor product testing, and ignoring consumer complaints.  Let’s hope these letters turn into some enforcement with teeth.

If you or a loved one have been injured by prescription medication, you may be entitled to compensation based on products liability and need to know your rights.  Call the  personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm for your FREE Consultation today, at (865) 566-0125.

A north Georgia elementary school teacher who was recently acquitted on 22 counts of child molestation, aggravated child molestation and aggravated sexual battery, has filed a $25 million law suit against 15 parties alleging defamation, fraud, and personal injury.  The Chattanooga Times-Free Press reports that the plaintiff, Tonya Craft, claims her accusers lied in court and conspired to bring false allegations forward against her by manipulating the children involved.  The trial received great publicity, so it comes as no surprise that she nows hopes to repair her reputation, or what’s left of it.

If you or a loved one have been injured by another person, or hurt in an accident on the job, call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm today for your FREE Consultation, at (865) 566-0125.

As BP, Transatlantic, and Halliburton fight to contain millions of gallons of oil, their corporate affairs departments are undoubtedly preparing for a legal battle similar to a military campaign.  The Washington Post reported on the looming litigation, noting that some of the nation’s most successful personal injury firm are lining up for a very complicated….and potentially nasty showdown.  For starters, where do you file suit?  Houston, New Orleans, or Florida.  Next, the three defendants are pointing the finger at each other, with none taking full blame for the spill.  Finally, the federal government will be dragged in based on the statutory compensation scheme.  This is only the beginning folks….

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident or hurt on the job, you may be entitled to compensation and need to know your rights.  Call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm today for your FREE Consultation, at (865) 566-0125.

A Minnesota woman, Stephanie Smith, who suffered kidney failure, seizures, and is now paralyzed due to E Coli found in ground beef patties recently settled a large claim brought against the food giant Cargill.  The New York Times wrote a series of articles exposing industry practices and featured the nightmare Ms. Smith has endured over the past year.   Cargill, whose $116.6 billion in revenues last year made it the country’s largest private company, produces ground beef from a variety of sources, increasing the probability of a food borne illness.  The largest ingredient was beef trimmings known as “50/50” — half fat, half meat — that cost about 60 cents per pound, making them the cheapest component.

If you or a loved one have been hurt in an accident or injured as a result of faulty products, you may be entitled to compensation and need to know your rights.  Call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm today for your FREE Consultation, at (865) 566-0125.

The Attorney Generals and Governors of twenty states have joined together to fight the implementation of the recent health-care legislation.  The New York Times reports that the primary issue is whether Congress can regulate inactivity — in this case by levying a tax penalty on those who do not obtain health insurance.  In order to topple this requirement, opponents of the bill must assert that it does not “substantially affects interstate commerce”, for purposes of analysis under the Commerce Clause.  Over the past 60 years, the Supreme Court has cast a wide net in finding activities that fall within this doctrine, but there are exceptions and it makes for great press; especially when most of the plaintiffs are running for office this fall.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident or hurt on the job, you may be entitled to compensation.  Call the personal injury attorneys at The McKellar Law Firm for your FREE Consultation today, at (865) 566-0125.