Following an initial wave of lawsuits filed on behalf of NuvaRing injury victims, additional claims for compensation are being filed each week.  Unlike other oral contraceptives designed to halt ovulation, NuvaRing delivers a dosage of hormones directly to the blood stream.  NuvaRing lawyers are now claiming that the manufacturer had inadequate warnings on its packaging.  In early 2008, NuvaRing did makes changes to the way it marketed its product and labeled its packaging.  Claims that NuvaRing causes serious blood clots, stroke, and heart attack began to surface, especially in women over the age of 35 that were using this vaginal contraceptive. 

If you are experiencing any of the side effects associated with NuvaRing, it may become critical to seek medical treatment immediately to rule out any serious health problems.  Those side effects can include: chest pain, calf or lower leg pain, splitting headache, or dizziness.  Blood clotting in the eye, lung, or leg can lead to serious injury or death.  NuvaRing's two active hormones, estrogen and progestin, are lower levels than traditional oral contraceptives, but since NuvaRing delivers its hormones directly into the blood, users may be at an increased risk of blood clotting.  NuvaRing blood clotting can result in stroke, heart attack, and death. 

A NuvaRing lawsuit can be filed by a NuvaRing injury lawyer as long as the claim has not blown the applicable statute of limitations.  A nationwide drug defect lawyer will request medical records to verify NuvaRing usage and prognosis.  Once verified, you may be entitled to compensation for your NuvaRing injury claim. 

A tractor-trailer bound for O'Fallon Missouri was involved in a fatal collision on Interstate I-70 in Indiana.  The fatal truck crash took place near Terra Haute and resulted in the closure of the westbound I-70 lanes for over two hours early Wednesday afternoon.  The tractor-trailer was leased by S & H Transportation out of Missouri and was hauling food products.  The other vehicle involved was a 2001 F350 pick-up truck, the driver of which died in the crash.  Apparently the pickup truck slid underneath the trailer of big rig, peeling the top off the pickup truck.  Rescue crews took almost two hours to separate the vehicles and free the man from the pickup truck.  Authorities are still investigating whether alcohol was involved.  Ronald Pforts, the driver of the tractor-trailer, will be required to undergo a drug test within 48 hours of this fatal crash pursuant to the Federal Carrier Safety Regulations.

Ever wonder why so many people are killed in crashes involving the trailer of an 18-wheeler?  Part of the blame is safety legislation which does not require lower safety rails on the sides and back of tractor-trailers.  The United States still has not caught on to the lives saved by stiffer legislation in most European countries, in which trailers are required to have safety rails almost all the way to the pavement on all sides.  This protects other motorists from incidents in which a passenger vehicle slides underneath the trailer.  These types of collisions typically result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. 

A Missouri tractor-trailer accident injury lawyer will investigate the condition and maintenance of the trailer in any serious crash.  Even with stiffer safety legislation, these vehicles are only safe when they are maintained in top shape.  Brakes, tires, suspension, and other critical components of a large semi-truck must be checked everyday by the driver.  At the first sign of wear, they must be repaired or replaced.

A common tactic used by the insurance claims adjuster is to argue that a victim's injuries are pre-existing, especially if the injuries involve the neck and/or back.  Almost all of us have had some type of back pain in our lives.  This pain doesn't necessarily have to be due to trauma, such as a car accident.  Sporatic neck or back pain can be due to a sports injury, or just 'sleeping on your neck wrong."  Nevertheless, car accident victims will find that an insurance claims adjuster will capitalize on any prior complaints of pain to the same body part solely in an effort to minimize the victim's right to compensation.  Victims often times fall for this tactic, unless of course they have a Missouri car accident lawyer on the case.

Another strategy employed by the insurance claims adjuster is to request that a victim sign a medical record release authorization that will allow the adjuster to gather any and all medical records of the victim.  The problem is that these medical record release authorizations are notoriously over-broad and not limited in time or scope.  The authorization essentially allows the adjuster to get any medical records for any point in time and for any injury.  This is contrary to what is permissible under Missouri law.  Judges do not allow insurance adjusters or defense attorneys access to any and all medical records, but only those that are directly related to the injury at issue in the case.  Insurance adjusters hope that victims do not retain a lawyer because a lawyer would never allow his or her client to sign such an overbroad records release authorization.

If you have been injured in a car accident in Missouri, don't fall prey to insurance claims adjuster tactics.  An adjuster will go out of his or her way to make sure you don't get fair compensation for your car accident claim, including the use of unethical tactics that are contrary to Missouri law.  Don't be victimized twice.

Local injury attorney Stephen Schultz was recently featured on the front page of the St. Louis Post Dispatch paper.  The article covered the recent case settlement achieved by Schultz in the tragic fatal car accident case involving off-duty Sunset Hills police officer Christine Miller.  The settlement was reached approximately 8 months following the filing of the civil lawsuit.  The full cover story can be read on the St. Louis Post Dispatch website.  Christine Miller was criminally charged with 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter and 1 count of vehicular assault.  Miller's criminal case remains pending. 

The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Stephen Schultz alleged negligence against Christine Miller and O'Leary's Restaurant & Bar.  The lawsuit claimed that O'Leary's knowingly continued to serve alcohol to a "visibly intoxicated person" as defined under Missouri dram shop law in Missouri Revised Statute 537.053.  This statute creates civil liability for bars and taverns who continue to serve a customer even after that person is exhibiting openly outward signs of extreme intoxication.  Factors such as blood alcohol concentration (BAC), weight and gender, food consumption, and witness statements come into play when determining whether or not a viable dram shop claim exists.  One of the biggest hurdles to jump through in these cases is the higher burden of proof, "clear and convincing", as opposed to "preponderance" which is the usual burden in personal injury civil cases.

A drunk driver certainly has to be held accountable for his/her actions when they cause a car accident.  However, Missouri is clear that bars and restaurants can and will share responsibility when they put profits over safety of the general public.  Bars in business to sell alcohol, but there comes a point when a customer needs to be cut off to prevent serious injury to the customer and general public.  Bars should go the extra step and call a cab for that individual instead of looking the other way.  Contact St. Louis dram shop lawyer Stephen Schultz for more information on these types of claims. 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol continues its search for a rogue trucker that cut off a small Ford pickup truck on Interstate 44 later Tuesday afternoon, resulting in a fatal accident.  Witnesses claim that a white tractor-trailer made an improper lane change on westbound Interstate 44 near the Lewis Road exit.  The small pickup truck was forced off the highway, killing one of the passengers and sending the driver of the pickup to St. John's Medical Center in Creve Coeur for emergency treatment.  To protect the privacy of the family of the deceased, the victim's name has not yet been released.  Witnesses with any information on the tractor-trailer that fled the scene are asked to contact Sgt. Al Nothum with the Missouri State Highway Patrol

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations categorizes improper lane changes as a serious safety violation, and for good reason.  We have all been witness to a tractor-trailer veering into the lane of another vehicle.  Sometimes the smaller vehicle can slam on its brakes to avoid a collision, other times the car is forced off the highway and even into oncoming traffic.  These types of situations often result in serious injuries or fatalities, which is precisely what happened in Eureka on Tuesday.  Our Missouri tractor-trailer accident lawyers always urge the public to remain extremely cautious around large semi-trucks, and just assume that they don't see you in their side-mirrors. 

If you witness a hit and run truck crash, or any other type of erratic behavior by a truck driver, you are urged to make a mental impression of the tractor-trailer to relay to authorities.  Also note that each truck has a unique 6-digit DOT number on the side of the cab, which can be used later to identify the trucking company and driver.