A toxic tort is a particular type of personal injury case involving exposure to a chemical or toxin that has caused medical injury. Because injuries in a toxic tort case might not occur immediately or be visible and the duration and amount of exposure may be unclear, they tend to be more complicated than other…
At least four automakers knew that Takata airbags were dangerous and could rupture violently, yet continued to install those airbags in their vehicles to save on costs, according to a recent class action suit filed by lawyers representing victims of the defect. Takata Enters Guilty Plea Takata admitted to hiding problems for years in their…
In the past two months three major manufacturers have issued recalls involving lithium-ion battery packs in their computers due to overheating and danger of combustion. What makes lithium-ion batteries volatile and why are they so often used in power electronics? On January 2, 2017, following reports of battery packs overheating and melting, Toshiba expanded its recall of laptop…
A strong, moisture-laden eastern Pacific Jetstream brought heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest in February, creating landslides throughout Oregon. Landslides Block Highway 36 Near Eugene In just two days from February 16 through 17, heavy rains triggered a landslide in the Coast Range, blocking Highway 36 at milepost 25 two miles west of Triangle Lake,…
Drivers venturing across the 205 bridge during the January 2017 freeze were surprised to find Clark County roads clear and passable while Portland struggled with slippery layers of packed ice and snow. The Washington Department of Transportation (WDOT) brought down eight plows and road salt to assist with snow and ice removal, but results seemed not…
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine have recently discovered that concussions can accelerate Alzheimer’s disease-related deterioration and cognitive decline in people who are already at risk of the disease. Scans performed on 160 U.S. veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, some which had suffered traumatic brain injuries at least once during their military…
Following dozens of reports of devices that have combusted, over-heated, or caught fire, the FDA has finally announced that it will take action to address e-cigarette safety concerns. E-cigarettes were first introduced into the market in 2007, and have been gaining in popularity as an alternative to regular cigarette smoking. An e-cigarette is an electrical…
As the month of December wanes we quickly approach another fireworks holiday. Fireworks are used around the world to celebrate everything from heritage to Christmas, but in the U.S. we eagerly await Independence day and December 31st. New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world are filled with plenty of festive gunpowder and enchanting displays of…
While most Oregonians are prepared to drive safely in rain, snow is a different matter. Even a light dusting of snow, not considered newsworthy in other parts of the country, can bring traffic to a stop, as it did in December 2016. Portland Traffic Halts during Light Snowfall The National Weather Service predicted snow on…
A lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on December 6, 2016 by a California man left with a debilitating form of nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy after using the popular antibiotic Levaquin in 2013. Levaquin is part of a class of antibiotics, known as fluoroquinolones, which also includes…