Railroad workers – including trainmen, conductors, engineers, switchmen, etc. – are exposed to hazardous chemicals and toxic fumes on a regular basis. Unfortunately, many of the big railroad companies neglected to take the necessary safety precautions to reduce the health hazards associated with thi
Many cigarette companies knew about the health risks associated with their product years before it was brought to light to the general public. The same goes for the railroad industry and exposure to toxic asbestos fibers. Unfortunately, history appears to be repeating itself when it…
The list of defective and dangerous medical devices continues to grow. News reports revealed that the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter has been linked to at least 30 deaths across the country and several hundred injuries. An IVC filter is designed to be permanent although they…
South Carolina state troopers have charged a tractor trailer driver in Chester County SC in an accident that led to the death of a North Carolina woman on Feb. 7. The truck driver has been identified as Stevie Wolfe Breland, 67, from Charleston SC. The…
In years past, railroads have been caught, on numerous occasions, trying to hide evidence of safety lapses in court. As such, the American Association for Justice (AAJ) is requesting the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) abandon a proposal that would give railroads legal cover to hide…
A follow-up to a seminal 2009 Virginia Tech study that showed distractions like taking a cell phone can take drivers’ eyes off the road for as long as 24 seconds has revealed that so-called “emotional driving” and speeding recklessly do the most to raise people’s…
Moving forward with a personal injury claim after a car accident, while having a pre-existing injury, can be challenging, but is not entirely impossible. The insurance company will likely tell you that your “new” injuries, if they exist at all, are just an aggravation of…
Consumers that have a hoverboard in their home or garage should also have a fire extinguisher handy, warns the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These mini Segways are proving to be 2015’s most popular, albeit dangerous, Christmas gift, after reports of multiple fires and…
The Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act, also referred to as the FACT Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, poses significant harm to asbestos victims and their families. In short, the FACT Act would forfeit the privacy of individuals suffering from asbestos disease by…
It’s the time of year when the roads get icy, snowy, and treacherous. Though, it’s been rather balmy in Virginia Beach during the “winter” of 2015 (knock on wood). Nevertheless, this blog is meant to provide some essential safety tips and guidelines to travelers who…
The federal highway bill approved at the beginning of December 2015 included two good news/bad news provisions for travelers who use passenger and commuter trains. On the positive side, the $305 billion spending package intended to cover the next five years of U.S. government ground…
Attorney-inventor-author Richard N. (Rick) Shapiro frequently blogs at Virginia Beach Legal Examiner and he wrote the 2015 international award winning fiction thriller Taming The Telomeres. In addition to being a published, award-winning author, he a prolific American inventor/product designer. Spec