Kelley & Ferraro

Will your children be exposed to asbestos at their schools?

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP on Friday, September 20, 2019.

Any parent seeing their child off to school knows they might face some difficulties. Many mothers and fathers, however, would be shocked to learn that might mean being exposed to asbestos. Putnam County in Florida is just one of the latest school districts to face this disturbing reality.

In total, 14 of the district’s 18 buildings are known to have, or potentially have, asbestos. While the associate superintendent said asbestos-containing materials such as paint and tiles do not pose a danger unless they’re cracked or broken, that’s of little comfort to many parents. Even more troubling is that Putnam County is far from the only school district in the country potentially exposing students to the carcinogen.

You have legal rights after asbestos exposure leads to illness

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Asbestos/Mesothelioma on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.

Like other patients here in Ohio and elsewhere, your legal options are more than likely not your first thought after receiving a devastating diagnosis of mesothelioma. You may already know that this particular disease most often results from asbestos exposure. At some point during your life, more than likely at your job, you were around this toxic substance. It is possible that you could receive benefits and/or restitution due to your condition.

In order to pinpoint the source of your exposure, you may have to go back as far as 50 years. However, even then, manufacturers of products containing asbestos knew it was dangerous. Unfortunately, they chose not to warn workers or anyone else of the harm this naturally occurring mineral could do to the human body.

Children also become the victims of serious car accidents

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Monday, September 16, 2019.

Most Ohio parents do whatever they can to keep their children safe. When out and about, they make sure their children are properly restrained, which could mean a baby seat, a booster seat or a seat belt depending on age. Parents may drive more cautiously when their children are in the vehicle as well. Sadly, parents cannot control the actions of other drivers, and their children could end up suffering severe injuries in car accidents.

Recently, a 2-year-old child was in a vehicle with two adults. The driver, a 53-year-old woman, veered into the oncoming lane of travel, directly into the path of another vehicle. When troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol arrived at the scene on State Route 60, they found the wrong-way driver deceased. The toddler's injuries were reported as critical while the other adult in the vehicle suffered injuries described as serious.

An FDA Class I recall means the potential for fatalities

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Pharmaceutical Litigation on Saturday, September 14, 2019.

When a recall is announced, people here in Ohio and elsewhere need to understand how dangerous the product in question is. The Food and Drug Administration developed a system to identify the severity of the problem. The most dangerous classification the FDA has is a Class I recall, which means the potential for fatalities is high.

When the FDA announces a Class I recall, everyone involved with the product should take notice. For instance, a recent recall by Edwards Lifesciences, LLC could lead to deaths. The company's SAPIEN 3 Ultra Delivery System is a component of its Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve System. These medical devices allow surgeons to replace damaged aortic valves without opening a patient's chest.

Police may never know the whole story in motorcycle crash

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Friday, September 13, 2019.

Discovering the "how" of an accident is often easier than determining the "why." Whether it takes place here in Ohio or somewhere else, this can plague numerous investigations. The factors that led to a car or motorcycle crash could help determine liability and/or if the situation warrants criminal charges.

Of course, sometimes, understanding the whole story is out of reach, at least temporarily. This could be the case in a recent accident responded to by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Preliminary reports indicate that a motorcycle attempted to pass a couple of vehicles without first making sure the way was clear and slammed into the back of a vehicle that was attempting to turn left.

Food and Drug Administration drug recall classifications

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Pharmaceutical Litigation on Thursday, September 12, 2019.

As anyone in Ohio with high blood pressure has discovered in recent months, many of the prescription medications out there could cause substantial harm to those who take them. While the Food and Drug Administration can force a recall, the companies who make the medications issue most of the recalls voluntarily. What the FDA does is provide information to the public.

Part of that information involves how the agency classifies the recalls it orders and/or monitors them. Each recall receives a classification based on the potential harm it could do to the public. A Class I recall means that there is a serious risk of injury or death due to the defective or dangerous product that is the subject of the recall. A product under a Class II recall may only pose a slightly serious risk or result in a temporary health issue that should resolve with time and treatment. A product recall classified as Class III may not pose any harm to anyone, but it does violate federal manufacturing or labeling laws.

Failing to properly load a truck can lead to vehicle accidents

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

When considering how crashes involving truck drivers occur, many people automatically look to the driver's behavior behind the wheel. Driving any 18-wheeler requires skill and undivided attention, but the task becomes even more complex with an oversized load. Any mistake on the part of the drivers of these vehicles could cause preventable vehicle accidents here in Ohio or elsewhere.

For example, early on a recent Friday morning, a truck carrying a large metal dust collector struck an overpass as it went under. The oversized load fell off the trailer and struck two other vehicles. The 38-year-old driver of one of those cars suffered fatal injuries in the accident. The other driver managed to escape without injury.

Are Ohio children at risk for asbestos exposure?

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Asbestos/Mesothelioma on Tuesday, September 10, 2019.

Many of the schools throughout Ohio have been attended by generations of family members. This often spawns many trips down memory lane as older family members tell tales of their time in those schools to younger generations. What many of them may not realize, though, is that because of the age of those buildings, children could be at risk for asbestos exposure.

The recent asbestos issues at the White House have rekindled concern over this problem. While some may recognize that the buildings their children are in for several hours a week may contain asbestos, it is also possible that some of their school supplies could also provide similar dangers. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Consumer Watchdog team found the toxic substance in crayons sold at a popular discount store.

Not all motorcycle accidents are the fault of the other driver

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Monday, September 9, 2019.

Drivers in passenger and commercial vehicles are obligated to watch out for other vehicles, including smaller, more vulnerable ones. Like everywhere else, Ohio's roadways are traveled by motorcycles, the riders of which are exposed to greater danger than those in other motor vehicles. Most people know this and take extra care around them. However, as much as the drivers of passenger vehicles face scrutiny for their actions in motorcycle accidents, they are not always the cause of them.

For instance, troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol recently responded to a crash on State Route 219 involving two motorcycles and a pickup truck. The investigation did not reveal culpability on the part of the pickup truck driver. Instead, one of the motorcycle riders appears to have caused the crash.

Food and Drug Administration says micro-bacteria found in drug

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Pharmaceutical Litigation on Sunday, September 8, 2019.

Like others throughout the country, some Ohio residents suffer from migraines. They may get so bad that patients need medication in order to control them. However, like any other drug, it remains vulnerable to contamination that could lead to serious illnesses. The Food and Drug Administration recently announced one migraine medication might contain potentially dangerous micro-bacteria.

The medication is called RELPAX, and is manufactured and distributed across the country by Pfizer Inc. Health care providers, hospitals, wholesalers and retailers all received shipments of the tainted products in June and July. The pills subject to the recall are 40mg each and come in packages of six or 12 tablets. The expiration date is in Feb. 2020.