April 20 marks the one-year anniversary of the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion on the rig, owned by Transocean and operated by BP, killed 11 workers. The well head, located a mile beneath the water's surface, gushed crude oil into the ocean for 84 days before it could be permanently capped. The resulting devastation to the coastline, wildlife and sea life impacted industries ranging from commercial fishing to tourism and amounted to one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. The long-term effects of the oil spill remain to be seen.

In its Taking Back our Neighborhoods segment, WSFA featured the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Common Ground Montgomery Annex, held April 19, 2011. The Annex was created by renovating an existing 4,300-square-foot building adjacent to the CGM's main facility on Mobile Street in West Montgomery. The Annex will house the Urban SEED Xchange, a program that will provide entrepreneurial training for youngsters in grades 7-12, and space for the House 2 House program, which helps families achieve the dream of home ownership. The renovation project lasted 30 days and Beasley Allen donated $60,000 and many hours of sweat equity to help bring it to fruition. WSFA was a media partner for the project.

Beasley Allen Law Firm filed a second lawsuit on behalf of a family whose loved one died after receiving tainted IV fluids. In this clip, WSFA-TV12 anchor Bob Howell shares the news with viewers, and provides an update about the cases, which caused at least 9 deaths and 10 serious injuries in Alabama hospitals. A Birmingham-based pharmaceutical company, Meds I.V. LLC, is named as the primary defendant in the lawsuit.

Beasley Allen racecar driver Grant Enfinger was featured in WSFA-TV12 Sports coverage of events leading up to the big NASCAR race weekend at Talladega. Grant drives in the ARCA racing series, and will hit the track in front of big crowds at the popular race weekend in the No. 36 BeasleyAllen.com Dodge car. Grant will be racing in the Three Amigos 250.

Recent statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor indicate construction workers suffer the highest number of fatal injuries of any other industry in the private sector. Employers are required by law to provide a workplace free of known dangers. They are required to meet protective workplace safety and health standards. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and an unsafe workplace can lead to serious injuries and even deaths. Workers have a right to a safe workplace.

In its Taking Back Our Neighborhoods segment, WSFA-TV12 provided an update on Beasley Allen's ongoing service project with Common Ground Montgomery. The firm provided funding and volunteers to renovate a 4,300-square-foot building, which will be used as a Youth Entrepreneurship Center. The renovation is being conducted in a four- to five-week blitz that began in March and expected to be completed by the end of April. WSFA is a media partner for the project.

While parents try their best to protect their children and keep them safe, sometimes their best efforts are hampered by defective products. A faulty design or improperly manufactured product can pose serious danger to babies and young children. Product recalls happen with alarming frequency, involving everything from strollers to cribs and pacifiers. This week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued recalls on a bedside baby sleeper, and a Pampers brand pacifier. There also is ongoing debate about the safety of bumper pads used in cribs.

In this video from WSFA TV-12, news anchor Valorie Lawson clarifies a report about a lawsuit filed by Beasley Allen on behalf of a family whose mother died after receiving contaminated IV fluid. Although the patient died at Baptist Hospital in Prattville, neither the hospital nor the hospital system are named in the lawsuit. The defendant is Med IV, a pharmaceutical company in Birmingham, Ala., that packaged the IV fluid that was found to contain a bacterial infection. The IV fluid was officially recalled by the company March 24.

A Birmingham based pharmaceutical company, Meds IV, recalled an intravenous (IV) nutritional solution on March 24, after the fluid had been linked to bacterial infections in Alabama hospitals. The contaminated IV fluid is indicated as a possible factor in at least 9 deaths and 10 injuries. In this video, Beasley Allen Founding Shareholder Jere L. Beasley tells WAFF 48 News in Huntsville that he hopes the outbreak is not larger than we think. His concern arises from the fact the IV product was put into the marketplace in January, but not recalled until the end of March. 

The Montgomery based law firm of Beasley Allen has filed the first lawsuit related to at least 9 deaths and 10 illnesses in Alabama hospitals as the result of contaminated IV fluids. The lawsuit is filed on behalf of the family of Mary Ellen Kise, who died at Baptist Health Systems hospital in Prattville. Birmingham based Meds IV is named as a defendant. The company produced an intravenous feeding solution, which was recalled March 24 after it was found to be contaminated with a dangerous bacteria. In this video, WAKA TV-8 interviews the firm's Founding Shareholder, Jere L. Beasley.