When the Texas fertilizer plant explosion occurred on April 17, 2013, it signaled a need to understand how often these types of events occur. The answers – spanning nearly the course of a century – may be an indicator of where we could be headed. History Repeats Itself Since 1921, there have been at least 17 unintended explosions of ammonium nitrate worldwide, according to the Guardian. Six of these happened in the U.S., and…
The premier of Constitution USA, the new PBS mini-series about our nation’s founding document, will air on WTTW starting this Tuesday (May 7, 2013) at 8 p.m. NPR’s Peter Sagal takes a cross-country motorcycle ride to tell the story of modern Constitutional controversies. He tries to make civics engaging and relevant. The American Bar Association and its iCivics program has partnered with PBS to produce this series that will explain issues such as federal v….
Question: Should I consider a medical malpractice lawsuit if I have had a bad result? Susan: It depends; a bad result may or may not indicate medical malpractice. Simply because a patient experiences a complication, that does not necessarily mean that there has been malpractice. A bad outcome may be what prompts the client to contact an attorney, but further investigation needs to be done to determine if in fact there was malpractice. The only…
Clifford’s Notes, Chicago Lawyer May 1, 2013 By Robert A. Clifford The issue of recusal arose recently in the matter involving the misuse of campaign funds by Jesse Jackson Jr., and his wife, Sandra, both of whom pleaded guilty. On Feb. 20, U.S. District Judge Robert L. Wilkins, who was assigned the case and will sentence the former congressman on June 28 and his wife on July 1, wrote a four-page memorandum regarding the parties’…
Hip replacement surgery is a very serious decision. Generally after suffering from arthritic hips, or other joint problems that can be very painful, thousands of people feel their only alternative is surgery to make them better. After carefully choosing a doctor who will perform the surgery, the patient is in the hospital, maybe for days, and then faces months of physical therapy, all in the hopes of a pain-free life that will allow them once…
Ever since the battery fires aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft earlier this year, it appeared as though the Dreamliner was anything but a dream. After months of investigations, testing and modifications, Boeing and its luxury 787 Dreamliner jets appear to be finally ready for a second chance. Here’s a rundown of events from fires to flights: Photo Credit: Kentaro IEMOTO@Tokyo (Creative Commons) Dreamliner Batteries Up in Smoke After the Jan. 7, 2013 battery fire…
April 23, 2013 The American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Litigation hits town Wednesday (April 24, 2013) for a three-day conference and among the highlights of the programming is an all-day Anatomy of a Trial. Top trial lawyers from around the country will dissect the elements of a trial using the famous Sacco and Vanzetti trial as a backdrop for discussion. The case involved two Italian immigrants who held anarchist views in the 1920s and…
Question: Do the same rules of the road apply for trucks that apply to buses? Shannon: For the most part, they do as they apply to the drivers of passenger vehicles. However, you know, more than anything that is important for the drivers of all commercial vehicles to really understand and appreciate the significance of the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Regulations. Question: What information can be obtained from a truck’s black box? Shannon: When you…
More details are being released regarding the tragic explosion in Texas following the explosion of a fertilizer plant near Waco. Authorities are now revealing that as many as 45 people have been killed and more than 200 injured. Several media reports have said that authorities told them “with heavy hearts” that the bodies of 12 people were pulled from the area of the plant explosion. It was not confirmed if the people were first responders…