Chattanooga Law Blog

FDA panel urges higher testing standards for asbestos in cosmetics

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Mesothelioma on Thursday, January 23, 2020.

Many cosmetics, from baby powder to eye shadow, contain talcum powder. Unfortunately, evidence increasingly suggests that talc sometimes contains asbestos, and exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma, lung cancer, or certain non-malignant lung diseases.

Public health authorities have long warned of the potential for asbestos-related diseases among people who routinely use talc products. Thousands of plaintiffs around the country are suing Johnson & Johnson alleging its Baby Powder contained asbestos and caused them to develop mesothelioma or ovarian cancer.

What is CTE?

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Head Injuries on Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

Your brain is the epicenter of every emotion you feel, every decision you conclude and every move you make. That is what makes brain injuries so dangerous. Even one injury could significantly affect your physical abilities as well as your mental and emotional health.

A single brain injury could pose a significant risk, but what happens if individuals suffer several brain injuries over time?

How reliable are breathalyzers? Michigan state police take them offline

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in DUI/Drunk Driving Charges on Friday, January 17, 2020.

On Jan. 13, the Michigan state police announced that they would stop using all 203 breathalyzer machines they operate in stations around the state. The breath testing machines, Datamaster DMT evidential breath-alcohol testing machines, may have been improperly calibrated.

The agency said that contract employees of Intoximeters Inc., the state's Datamaster vendor, may have committed fraud when certifying the accuracy of the machines.

Johnson & Johnson settles asbestos-talc cancer claim in mid-trial

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Mesothelioma on Thursday, January 16, 2020.

Nearly 17,000 lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson accusing the company of selling talcum powder products that it knew were laced with asbestos. Asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma, a rare but deadly form of cancer, and other lung cancers. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.

Good news on lung cancer: What to make of it

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Mesothelioma on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

Recently, an analysis by the American Cancer Society found that the overall cancer death rate in the U.S. made its "biggest single-year drop ever," or 2.2%, between 2016 and 2017. On average, cancer rates have been dropping by about 1.5% per year over the last three decades. That means the cancer death rate dropped nearly twice as fast as usual during the study period.

Know your rights if you're pulled over for DUI in Tennessee

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in DUI/Drunk Driving Charges on Friday, January 10, 2020.

Being pulled over for a DUI can be terrifying. Whether you're actually over the limit or not, you should know what your legal rights and options are before you decide what to do. Here is a quick Q&A:

What should I do if the police pull me over?

Study: Common pesticides linked to mortality, heart disease risk

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Defective Products on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.

Pyrethroids are insecticides that are widely used for mosquito and tick control. They are synthetic versions of an insecticide called pyrethrin, which is derived from chrysanthemums.

You may have come into contact with pyrethroids because they are commonly used in chemical mosquito control.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people treat their clothing with one common pyrethroid, permethrin, to avoid tick bites. All four pyrethroids (permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and cyfluthrin) are used as pet flea medications and sprays for mosquitos, roaches, ticks and ants.

Do ignition interlock devices actually cause more accidents?

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in DUI/Drunk Driving Charges on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.

If you're convicted of drunk driving in Tennessee or 33 other states, you could be required to have an ignition interlock device installed on your car. This device is kind of like a breathalyzer. It is hard-wired into your car's engine -- at your expense -- and requires you to provide a clean breath sample before the engine will start.

Planning a home remodeling project? Plan for asbestos risk

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Mesothelioma on Friday, January 3, 2020.

Asbestos is a fiber that was widely used in insulation, flooring, roof tiles and other building materials especially before 1978. The Environmental Protection Agency says there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Exposure can cause serious illnesses, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.

If you have a home that was built before 1978, there is a good chance you have asbestos-containing materials in or on your home. However, asbestos can sometimes be found in more recent construction.

Warning: Gabapentin with opioids can cause breathing problems

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Defective Drugs on Tuesday, December 31, 2019.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered manufacturers to include warnings on the product labels for gabapentinoids, certain drugs that depress the central nervous system, and opioids. The warning will indicate that taking gabapentinoids with opioids can cause serious breathing problems. These problems were also found in people taking gabapentin who had underlying respiratory problems like COPD.