Colorado Law Legal Blog

Weld County is cracking down on drunk driving. Between 2004 and 2008, the county had one of the highest rates of DUI fatalities in Colorado. In an effort to reduce the number of fatalities during Labor Day weekend, the Weld County DUI Task Force increased patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout the county on August 20, and will continue the crackdown through September 7.

Labor Day weekend brings an increase in alcohol-related vehicle accidents every year. Unfortunately, many of those accidents result in at least one fatality. Read the rest of Labor Day DUI Crackdown

Earl Mowery, Jr., 61, of Brighton was killed while riding his bicycle on August 6, 2010. Mr. Mowery was hit by a Dodge Durango driven by a female. Because the driver is juvenile, no information such as her age or the specific circumstances of the accident are being released. It’s highly likely, though, that the driver simply didn’t see Mr. Mowery on his bicycle. Such accidents are, unfortunately, very common. There are steps you can take to avoid accidents with cyclists on the road.

Read the rest of Bicycle Awareness for Drivers

John Harlan of Colorado Springs was killed when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car at the intersection of Powers and Grinnell road on July 6, 2010. The driver of the car, Jacqualine Brown, also of Colorado Springs, apparently didn’t see the motorcycle approaching, and made a left turn directly into its path.

Read the rest of Motorcyclist killed in El Paso County crash

The best attorney is one who can empathize with a client, and make that person feel as though they’re truly understood and supported. Shari Willis is one such attorney, and we’re proud to have her on board at Bachus & Schanker. In addition to her outstanding legal work, Shari is a tireless supporter of charities close to her heart. She fights for her clients, not only because they’ve been wronged, but as a result of her own personal experience.

Shari specializes in complex medical negligence (malpractice), catastrophic birth injuries, and birth trauma. She is able to relate especially well to parents whose infants suffer injury and trauma at birth. Her own daughter, Katlyn, passed away in 1996 at just seven months of age after being born with severe disabilities, and contracting a respiratory infection.

Read the rest of Shari Willis Uses Personal Experience to Help Clients

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has restricted GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from enrolling new patients in a trial for the drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) after new information about the drug’s serious side effects came to light. Avandia is used to treat type 2 diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels, and can increase the risk of heart attack, a common cause of death in diabetics.

That in itself is not new information. In 2007, the FDA put a black box warning on Avandia when it became apparent through drug trials that the drug increased the risk of heart attack. A black box warning is the strongest warning that can be included in prescription drug package inserts, so named for the bold, black border that surrounds the information. It is used when a drug is found to cause severe or life-threatening adverse effects.

What is new is that GSK may have tainted initial studies in order to control published results. It’s possible GSK knew Avandia was much more dangerous than those trial results showed three years ago.

While the FDA investigates, it has prohibited the drug maker from accepting new patients into current trials. Participants in current trials are not affected by this restriction. On July 14, a 33-member FDA panel reviewing scientific data about Avandia voted on what action should be taken. Twelve panel members voted for Avandia to be taken off the market completely. But others were in favor of simply enhancing the black-box warning, and adding restrictions to the drug’s prescribed use. In short, The FDA has not yet come to a consensus on how to handle the situation.

In the meantime, if you or a loved one is taking Avandia, do not stop taking the drug on your own. This can cause blood sugar levels to become unstable, causing other serious health problems. Talk to your doctor to address your concerns, and perform any drug changes under the supervision of a medical professional.

If the worst has occurred, and you or a family member taking Avandia has suffered a heart attack or other serious side effects related to the drug, you need representation from an Avandia lawyer in Colorado. An attorney can help you determine how to proceed when dealing with this large, possibly dishonest pharmaceutical company.

The following is a guest post by Chicago wrongful death attorneys at Dolan Law Offices:

There are few, if any, events in life as traumatic and difficult as the death of a loved one. Yet, the sudden death of a family member is only made worse when it is caused by the reckless, negligent behavior of someone else. In what follows, we’ll take a look at and address several frequently asked questions about filing wrongful death claims.

Read the rest of Frequently Asked Question About Filing a Wrongful Death Claim

On the night of July 5, 2010, Elizabeth Long killed 22-year-old Mary Warren. It wasn’t premeditated, and Long didn’t use a gun or a knife, but she did use a weapon — her car. Long was driving drunk. So drunk, in fact, that she drove her car the wrong way down Interstate 25 for a distance of five miles, colliding with several vehicles before hitting the car Mary was riding in, killing her almost instantly. Long was arrested charges of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault, careless driving, driving on the wrong side of a divided highway, failure to remain at the scene, and driving under the influence (DUI).

Read the rest of Drunk Driver Kills Recent College Grad

When the weather warms up, the back yard can either become a haven where you spend time with your family enjoying the outdoors, or it can become a health hazard, lying in wait to injure your children and pets. You are the deciding factor. Take steps to keep your back yard safe this summer.

Read the rest of Backyard Safety for the Summer

One of the most nerve-wracking things a parent can do is send their children away to summer camp. It’s relinquishing a certain amount of control which can be difficult for any parent, but especially for parents of younger children. To put your mind at ease, look for certain features of the camp that will help ensure your child’s safety.

Read the rest of Summer Camp Safety

Every year, hundreds of products are recalled. It seems to have been happening a lot more in recent months. Pet food, tires, character glasses from a fast food restaurant, and now dishwashers. Maytag issued a recall of approximately 1.7 million dishwashers due to a fire hazard presented by an electrical failure in the unit’s heating element. When a brand as well known as Maytag issues a recall for an everyday item like a dishwasher, it makes news, and it’s easy to find out if you’re affected. But there are many smaller appliances you have in your home, made by smaller companies whose recalls might not make the media.

Read the rest of Avoid injury caused by recalled appliances