Montgomery based law firm Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis and Miles, P.C., has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of a patient who died in an Alabama hospital after receiving intravenous (IV) fluid tainted with a bacterial infection. The lawsuit is filed on behalf of Barbara Young, whose mother, Mary Ellen Kise, died at Baptist Health Systems in Prattville, Ala.

The Montgomery Advertiser talked to owners of a number of Alabama restaurants about the difficulties they are facing in the wake of the BP oil spill, and through the claims process. Owners of Montgomery's Capitol Oyster Bar were forced to close their doors after 15 years in business, when customers avoided seafood following the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last April. Others, like owners of Destin Connection seafood market, and Birmingham's Fish Market restaurant, are still trying to recover from consumer fears and high seafood prices driven by limited availability.

On Feb. 8, the U.S. Department of Transportation released results of a 10-month study on the suspected cause of Sudden Unintended Acceleration that affected thousands of Toyota vehicles and prompted the recall of more than 8 million various makes and models beginning in late 2009. But lawyers and safety groups investigating claims of accidents, injuries and deaths caused by SUA say the study is incomplete and in no way exonerates Toyota or involvement of its electronic throttle system. The NASA study will not stand up when more exhaustive research is finalized, according to a number of safety groups.