WAKA Channel 8 news reports on a lawsuit filed by Beasley Allen attorneys on Dec. 28, on behalf of the family of Laura Pullam. Pullam was working as a paramedic on Dec. 15 at the scene of a vehicle crash on Interstate 65 when she was struck and killed by the driver of a pick-up truck. The lawsuit was filed by Pullam's mother on behalf of the young woman's infant daughter.

Each year, nearly 5,000 people are killed and another 14 million injured by defective consumer products. Even more are injured by products in vehicle accidents and on the job. It's hard to estimate the total number of people who suffer as a result, as many of these defective products are never identified. Very often, when Beasley Allen attorneys investigate a personal injury claim, they find a defective product is to blame.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in November that a popular painkiller, sold under the brand names Darvocet and Darvon, and the generic name propoxyphene, has been withdrawn from use in the United States. The announcement followed results of an FDA study that shows a link between the drug and serious heart rhythm abnormalities. The FDA says the new data shows the risks of the drug outweigh any benefits. The drug has been in use in the U.S. since 1957.

The federal government is considering a ban on texting and driving for everyone who operates a commercial vehicle. This will include truck drivers and bus drivers, as well as other folks who drive for a living. Recent studies have shown that people who are texting while behind the wheel have slow reaction times than drunk drivers. In a split second, texting while driving can result in an accident with deadly consequences.

In August, DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, announced a recall of defective parts used in hip replacement surgeries. People who received the parts are experiencing serious problems, often resulting in the need for additional surgeries. However, even if a patient has no symptoms of problems currently, they may be at risk for future illness and injury as a result of metal poisoning. Anyone who has had an artificial hip replacement may be in danger of serious health problems.

Beasley Allen Shareholder Gibson Vance, who is currently serving as President of the American Association for Justice, was a featured speaker and panelist at the National Lawyer's Convention. This event was presented by The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. Vance presented his remarks on Saturday, Nov. 20, and participated in a panel discussion on the topic "Ideas for Structural Change: Term Limits, Reviving the Right to Civil Jury Trial, Moving Administrative Law Judges to Article III, and Others."

As the holiday season gets underway, motorists fill the road. Many choose to drive to their destination to avoid crowded airports and TSA searches. But the highway can be just as congested and offers a whole new set of dangers, from fatigue behind the wheel, to road rage and oversized vehicles. Professional drivers, like those who operate big rigs, spend a lot of time on the road and they've seen it all. To help increase safety for everyone, they've created a list of helpful tips to keep drivers – and those around them – safe this holiday season.

Many times when our skilled team of investigators examines a personal injury claim, they find a defective product is to blame. This is especially true in the case of workers injured or killed on the job. What might initially look like a worker's comp claim may turn out to be a case of dangerous products or equipment. Catastrophic injury, death and amputation can result from unsafe products or equipment in the workplace. A careful look at cases involving on-the-job injuries is vitally important for workers and their families, and can make the workplace safer for everyone.

Yaz, manufacted by Bayer, is a popular birth control pill. It was marketed not only as a contraceptive, but as a treatment for severe emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms and to treat moderate acne. The product also was sold by the brand name Yasmin or the generic name Ocella. However, studies show that Yaz may pose a particular health risk. It has been linked to cardiac events such as heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism. It also has been linked to gallbladder disease.

Beasley Allen recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of a girl killed when the 15-passenger van in which she was a passenger crashed. The van became uncontrollable when the tread on a rear tire separated, causing the tire to fail. The real tragedy behind this crash – and others like it – is that federal regulators and auto safety experts have known for years that these vans are unfit to transport people, and yet they continue to be manufactured. The vehicle is, by design, inherently unstable, especially when fully loaded, and many lack basic safety features that are standard on other vehicles.