Chattanooga Law Blog

Inclined infant sleepers more dangerous than previously thought

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Defective Products on Friday, March 27, 2020.

In October, the Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC announced there had been 73 infant deaths reported that were tied to inclined sleepers. Now, Consumer Reports says there have been 19 additional fatalities, these related to the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper. That brings the total number of deaths to at least 92.

Yet most of these products, which place infants at a 10- to 30-degree angle while sleeping, remain on the market. The CPSC and some lawmakers have proposed banning the products, but many manufacturers see no urgency to recall the products. That leaves them in homes and daycares across America.

Researchers urge reducing blood alcohol limit to as low as 0.03%

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in DUI/Drunk Driving Charges on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

When people have been drinking but have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of less than the legal limit, are they still a danger on the roads? It is possible. But how low will states go in setting blood alcohol limits to try to reduce drunk driving?

Monsanto secretly funded academic studies to prop up glyphosate

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Defective Products on Friday, March 20, 2020.

The weed killer glyphosate may well cause cancer. That possibility led the World Health Organization's cancer agency, the IARC, to declare glyphosate "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015, although several other international agencies did not agree.

Naturally, the IARC's designation was unpopular with Monsanto, the manufacturer of the glyphosate-containing product Roundup. Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018 and has since revealed that Monsanto secretly funded research used to lobby against a European ban of glyphosate in 2017. Bayer says that Monsanto's studies failed to disclose their funding source and thereby violated Bayer's principles.

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones facing Texas drunk driving charges

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in DUI/Drunk Driving Charges on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

Can you be charged with drunk driving when you have a blood alcohol level of lower than 0.08%? Yes, you can in Tennessee and most states. The fact that a law enforcement officer testifies that you were too drunk to drive can be sufficient evidence for a charge -- and even a conviction.

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, host of the Infowars radio show, learned that the hard way recently. According to USA TODAY, there was a disturbance at Jones' residence in the late evening of Monday, March 9. Jones' wife explained to a dispatcher that there had been a verbal fight that had been physical earlier. She said that Jones had left the residence in his black Dodge Charger and that he might be drinking.

Consider visiting your loved ones in nursing homes by phone

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Nursing Home Injuries on Sunday, March 15, 2020.

"This is the greatest threat to nursing home residents that we have seen in many years, if not ever," a long-term care medicine specialist told NBC News.

It's the COVID-19 pandemic he was talking about, and it is putting nursing home residents at grave risk. The elderly are more likely than others to suffer serious complications from the coronavirus, and problems have already begun.

DUI charges are more serious if a child is in your car

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in DUI/Drunk Driving Charges on Thursday, March 12, 2020.

In Tennessee and many other states, drunk driving is considered more serious if the drunk driver was transporting a child passenger at the time. The Tennessee Legislature has thus provided greater consequences for this offense.

The penalties are a bit higher than for ordinary DUI if a child is in the car, even for a first offense. In addition to the minimum of 48 hours in jail, there is an additional minimum of 30 days in jail, along with a minimum fine of $1,000. The penalties go up if the child is injured or killed.

Australian court orders J&J to pay millions over mesh implants

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Defective Products on Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

Pelvic mesh implants were sold by Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries around the world to surgically treat stress urinary incontinence and organ prolapse. Only after many women had been treated did it come to public light these implants could cause serious problems including bleeding, severe pain during intercourse and chronic pain.

Daylight savings time: Beware of drowsy driving

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, March 5, 2020.

On March 8, daylight savings time will start. Everyone will set their clocks forward one hour in anticipation, but we will also lose an hour of sleep.

Many people are willing to give up an hour of sleep to welcome back longer days and more hours of sunlight. However, all drivers must ensure they remain vigilant and especially defensive on the roads around this time of year.

Plan a sober ride this St. Patrick's Day

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in DUI/Drunk Driving Charges on Wednesday, March 4, 2020.

Many Tennesseans will have plans to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with family and friends. And several of these celebrations will involve copious amounts of green beer, which makes this holiday one of the biggest drinking days of the year.

Celebrating with alcohol is by no means bad, but you should arrange a sober ride home long before you head out on St. Patrick's Day.

How can veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma get compensation?

On behalf of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers posted in Mesothelioma on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

Every branch of the U.S. Military used asbestos until at least the early 1980s. This put countless soldiers, sailors, and airmenat risk. And now, roughly one in three mesothelioma diagnoses affects a veteran.

If you or a loved one received a diagnosis of mesothelioma and you believe it's related to your asbestos exposure in the military, you may qualify to receive compensation.