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Cross-Examination
Having just read the accounts of the Whitey Bulger trial, I am reminded of one judge’s adage, “cross-examine and cross-examine vigorously.” Certainly the prosecution’s witness, James Martorano, deserves this as will the defendant himself, assuming, as expected, he takes the witness stand. What is the concept behind cross-examination? Basically, in the fresh air of the […]
After Your Child Has a Concussion
The human skull is designed to protect the brain from external injury. However, a fall or blow to the head can cause the soft tissue of the brain to move violently or strike against the hard shell of the skull, which can result in a concussion. This type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) can also […]
Product Recalls and Product Liability
Consumers live in a dangerous world. Anything from scuba hoses to children’s dungarees might be poorly designed or manufactured, posing a threat to consumers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission maintains a website with product recall information. Here are examples of recent recalls: In April automakers recalled more than 1.3 million vehicles in the United States […]
Evacuation of Nursing Homes During Emergencies
Superstorm Sandy devastated parts of New Jersey and New York, especially coastal areas. A decision was made before the storm hit that the nursing homes located on the Rockaway peninsula, right in the path of the storm and the surge, would not be evacuated. The order was given to shelter in place, an order that […]
Why I Blog
I started blogging about the law back in 2008 when some people thought that blogging was just keeping a public diary. The act of reading through newspapers, the law journal and the latest slip opinions issued by Massachusetts and federal courts is a professional necessity, a way to keep myself up-to-date with breaking law and […]
Secondhand Chemotherapy as a Potential Risk to Pregnant Women
Everyone knows about secondhand smoke — the danger to non-smokers of inhaling tobacco fumes. Now there are warnings that chemotherapy drugs might be endangering the health of everyone involved along the chain from manufacture to infusion and beyond. Not only are drug company personnel and the pharmacists who compound these drugs at risk, but nurses, […]
Bicyclists in Danger From Careless Drivers
Bicycle activists are outraged that a grand jury failed to return an indictment against a truck driver who killed a bicyclist on Weston Road in Wellesley. The grand jury was presented with more than 50 pieces of evidence including video footage, witnesses testifying in support of the bicyclist’s riding, and a defendant who not only […]
Psychiatric Guidelines Questioned for Conflict of Interest
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass) have uncovered blatant conflicts of interest associated with clinicians responsible for formulating the Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. The guideline is the primary resource for clinicians who treat patients with depression. Such treatment often includes prescription anti-depressants. The UMass study showed […]
Brain Injuries to Soldiers and Student Athletes
April was Brain Injury Awareness Month. In a mid-month hearing before the Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel acknowledged that understanding and treatment for brain injuries suffered by service members is deficient. “We should — we have to — continue to invest in world-class treatment for mental health issues, traumatic […]