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While most (but not all) uses of asbestos have been banned in the United States, the mineral is still used heavily in some countries, including India and China. According to a new study, 64 percent of the world’s usage of asbestos occurs in Asia. Because of this, officials expect a […]

N.C.G.S. 97-22 requires an injured employee to provide the employer ‘written notice of the accident’ within 30 days (emphasis added). In Gregory v. W.A. Brown & Sons (Gregory II), the Court of Appeals has concluded that an employer who had actual notice of an accident was not prejudiced by the […]

“Government, taxpayers, nursing home residents as well as their families and caregivers should be outraged and seek solutions,” says Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, in announcing the result of a DHHS audit which found that nearly one in seven elderly nursing home […]

A bill was recently introduced in the Senate which would prohibit corporations from including arbitration clauses in their standard contracts with consumers and non-union employees. Though the Federal Arbitration Act, passed in 1925, was originally intended to cover only certain types of disputes, such as those between merchants and where […]

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a Final Rule aimed at protecting struggling homeowners from mortgage relief scams. The new rule outlaws advance fees and false claims, while also requiring clear and accurate disclosures from companies providing such services. The FTC recently announced the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) […]

In a much-anticipated decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled against consumers in AT&T v. Concepcion. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court held that corporations may use arbitration clauses to cut off consumers and employees’ right to join their claims together through class actions to hold corporations accountable. The […]

CitiBank recently announced a change to its overdraft policies. Beginning July 25, 2011, CitiBank will process checks from smallest to largest. Currently, most banks process checks from largest to smallest, which means that if a large check overdraws an account, then each smaller check will do so also, resulting in […]

No one wants to believe this frightening fact. One in three? That’s right. Studies now show that one out of every three hospital admissions includes an injury to a patient due to a medical mistake. If everyone knew how dangerous hospitals are, I wouldn’t have to explain my job at […]

Big business and insurance company lobbyists have pressured some of our legislators to file a bill, House Bill 709, that is a radical attack on the rights of injured workers. The bill has many objectionable provisions, but here are some of the worst: With few exceptions, the bill limits both […]

Thanks to a resolution passed by the US Senate, the first week of April 2011 has been designated as National Asbestos Awareness Week. Senate Resolution 63 is intended to raise awareness about the prevalence of asbestos-related diseases among the population of people who have been exposed to the fiber, and […]