Even People with Different Religious and Ethnicities have the Right to Enjoy Equal Opportunities
Discriminatory acts, based on religious and/or ethnicity, include performance or utterance of derogatory and humiliating actions/words towards and against people due to their culture, language, ancestry or birthplace. Laws in the United States give equal opportunity to everyone, to both locals and migrants alike. This simply means that no one in the US (so long as the individual’s identity and qualifications have been recognized and acknowledged by the government) can be deprived of equal opportunity simply because he/she: comes from a foreign country; participates in practices or activities linked to a certain ethnic group; possesses an accent or name that can be identified with a national origin group; or, is married to someone or is associating with people who belong to a particular ethnicity.
Different federal and state laws prohibit all discriminatory practices related to employment. These practices include hiring, salary and compensation, fringe benefits, type of work, promotion, training, layoff or firing, and all other factors related to employment. Besides discrimination, harassment of people due to their ethnic or religious identity is also an unlawful act. Those who may be guilty of acts of harassment and/or discrimination include any company supervisor, the victim’s co-worker, a customer or a client.
Besides prohibiting offensive verbal remarks or physical acts, the law also mandates employers ensure that their company’s policies or practices, which all employees are required to observe, do not have any content that may create a negative effect on people with certain religious or ethnic affiliation, especially if these contents have nothing to do with business operations.
No employer may also base any employment-related decision (such as hiring, firing, promotion, etc.) on an employee’s accent, unless the accent is critical or highly-important in the performance of the job (in BPO companies, for instance, or a telephone operator job).
Those who feel that they have been harassed or discriminated should think of hiring legal counsel. Laws involving employment discrimination are complex and filing a complaint involves a long process that is subject to a statute of limitations. Having a knowledgeable labor lawyer at your side will help ensure that you accomplish everything correctly.
Byetta and Dangers of Pancreatitis
People who have been using Byetta have been exposed to an even more dangerous ailment: pancreatitis. Byetta is a drug prescribed for those suffering from type-2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes where the patient suffers because they are not able to produce insulin or are not able to process the insulin that their bodies produce. There have already been confirmed reports of people dying from severe inflammation of the pancreas as a complication due to using Byetta.
Byetta has been linked to an increased risk of acute pancreatitis and kidney problems, and although there are other drugs that can be just as risky, patients are still at life-threatening risks when taking Byetta. Those who are at greater risk of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas, where if severe, can lead to death) are those who are already suffering from conditions such as gallstones, high blood triglyceride levels, and alcoholism.
Because of the increased risk, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has issued additional warnings for patients taking Byetta, and they are always reminded to seek immediate medical care upon first signs of pancreatitis: undetermined abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, fever, and nausea. Warning labels inform of the side effects of taking Byetta, and these serious complications should be addressed immediately.
Injured Harbor Worker Benefits
The Connecticut, Delaware, Hudson, Mississippi, and Rio Grande are among some of the rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean. The natural geology of the east coast lends itself to a vast array of maritime industries. Some popular jobs along the East Coast and Longshore Harbor are ship repairing, ship building, ship breaking, and harbor construction. Laborers in shipyards tend to work long hours in demanding conditions. Though the work conditions are rigorous, many men and women are able to effectively support their families with their wages.
However, the shipyard industry is a high-risk environment and workplace injuries can be as severe as the loss of a limb. Debilitating injuries result in time away from work indefinitely. The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a bill that was recently passed in 2012 in order to protect injured workers of the United States maritime industry. The LHWCA offers a much more generous benefit plan to injured workers than the state workers compensation act. According to the website of attorney Joe Miller Law, Ltd some of these benefits are higher maximum compensation rates, reimbursement for medical travel, no caps on medical benefits or for medical devices, and no limits on compensation periods.
Since the LHWCA benefit package is a generous and comprehensive, there are numerous requirements that the injured worker must meet in order to qualify. Disability benefits depend on whether the nature of the injury is partial or total, temporary or permanent. Total disability indicates that the worker isn’t able to work at any task, partial disability means that the worker can still work, but not at the same level of physical exertion as before. Temporary and permanent benefits cater to the timeline which the worker will be unable to work. Injured harbor workers usually find it helpful to consult a lawyer in order to find out if they qualify for the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act.
Compensation in the Aftermath of a Disaster
Though the landlocked terrain of Oklahoma is safe from the devastating effects of hurricanes and tropical storms, the “Sooner State” is often the target of intense tornadoes and hail storms. Many Oklahoma residents pay into comprehensive property insurance plans to protect their belongings from potential damage. When a serious storm, like the 2013 Moore tornado, occurs, a large economical strain is put on insurance companies and policyholders, alike. If a storm has caused extensive damage to a policyholder’s house, the policyholder usually can’t rebuild or renovate without the insurance money.
In the aftermath of a traumatic storm, there’s a sense of urgency, within affected communities, to recalibrate and return to normal. For this reason, policyholders will often consult a lawyer when attempting to collect insurance money. Legal help and knowledge can shorten the waiting period for insurance money. The website of the Smith Kendall Buxton Law Group outlines a few areas in which lawyers can help Oklahoma and North Texas storm victims such as, residential tornado claims, commercial tornado claims, property management companies, business income loss, insurance agent negligence, and insurance company bad faith.
The Gulf Coast faces a completely separate set of difficulties regarding resources and local disasters. Typically the site of hurricanes, the Gulf Coast’s economy suffered unexpectedly in 2010 when a British Petroleum (BP) oil well exploded and proceeded to spill 4.9 million barrels of oil into the gulf. BP agreed to compensate the victims of the oil spill. According to the website of Williams Kherkher, many victims filing claims with the Deepwater Horizon Claims Center are being denied the appropriate compensation. The generous denial of insurance claims renders legal representation almost essential as victims affected by the oil spill seek compensation for damages to their residences and livelihoods.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Nursing Home
Nursing homes can be a lucrative business as families typically want to seek out and hire the best care for their eldest members. Unfortunately, in many cases nursing homes try to cut costs and boost profits by understaffing facilities and underpaying workers. In addition to not providing the best benefits possible for employees, some nursing homes don’t perform adequate background screenings for their employees.
If the staffing committee for a nursing home doesn’t perform appropriate screening they could easily hire under qualified candidates that lack the proper disposition to take care of high needs elderly residents. Eventually, some families find that the quality of care initially promised to their elderly family member isn’t fulfilled.
The website of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C.® points out that nursing home neglect has occurred when: proper nutrition needs are not fulfilled, medical needs are not met, proper hygiene and cleaning is not maintained, appropriate assistance is not provided, or when residents are not provided adequate time for socialization. The Affordable Care Act would strengthen nursing home supervision and enforcement penalties, make staff training more comprehensive, and make the lawsuits filed against nursing homes more transparent to consumers.
Choosing the right nursing home for a family member is a decision that should be researched and considered with care. Similarly, people often employ this same practice of research and careful consideration when looking for a physician. When medical conditions become too complicated for a patient to remedy at home, consulting a physician is the most prudent choice. However, sometimes visiting a negligent physician can result in the worsening of a patient’s condition. The website of the Steinberg Law Firm mentions that medical malpractice has occurred “when a medical professional’s irresponsible actions cause harm to a patient.” Victims of medical malpractice are entitled to compensation for time lost at work and health bills.
The Journey to Social Security Disability Benefits
In 2010 alone the United State Census Bureau reported that 19% of U.S. citizens suffer from a disability. A smaller percentage of Americans face debilitating mental or physical conditions that render them unable to work and support their families. The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) was created in order to assist and supplement disabled citizens’ finances. Often obtaining support from Social Security can be complicated and time consuming, which is why most people in need of Social Security Disability benefits seek legal help. Having legal representation and assistance helps to expedite the process of applying for claims and appealing previous benefit denials.
A person seeking benefits must meet specific Social Security Disability requirements. The amount of money granted to them will be personalized based on the severity of their disability and the longevity of their previous work experience. The website of San Antonio’s Chris Mayo Law Firm clarifies that SSDI benefits will also support widowed spouses and children of the disability beneficiary based on a separate set of criteria than the disabled applicant. Likewise, parents may be able to collect disability money if their child has a severe impediment like total deafness, total blindness, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, HIV infection, and birth weight below 2lbs 10oz (as listed on the Social Security Administration’s website).
Since the Social Security Administration adheres to a specific definition of disability, sometimes disabled person in need of financial help will not qualify for SSDI benefits. Fortunately, other options exist for people in need of monetary supplementation. The website of the Disparti Law Group lists Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI), Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability as other assistance programs that disabled citizens can apply for should they not qualify for SSDI.
When Prescriptions Harm Patients
The innovation, distribution, and sale of pharmaceuticals prove highly profitable for large pharmacy companies like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck. A recent 2013 study featured on CBS News states that nearly seventy percent of Americans use prescription drugs. The amount of patients relying on prescription assistance, in America alone, renders pharmaceuticals one of the most lucrative business ventures worldwide.
Among the most prescribed drugs are antidepressants, antibiotics, and painkiller opioids. In ideal scenarios, pharmaceuticals provide quick relief and healing for patients. However, prescription drugs can have adverse effects on patients which in turn lengthen recovery time. Individual biology can be a factor in a negative response to medication. However, sometimes pharmaceutical company negligence is responsible for harm caused to the patient.
The website of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C.® mentions that Propecia and Proscar are two medicines responsible for extensive physical harm to patients. Both drugs were developed, marketed, and sold by Merck. Propecia was developed to promote hair re-growth and Proscar was developed to treat enlarged prostate. Since both drugs share the active ingredient of Finasteride patients who have taken either medicine can experience the same harmful side effects.
Side effects experienced by many Propecia and Proscar prescribers are diminished libido, erectile dysfunction, anxiety, and depression. Merck proceeded with marketing and selling these drugs while aware of the negative possible long-term side effects. For this reason, many patients who have experienced the negative drug effects are entitled to monetary compensation.
Another drug under the scrutiny of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is Januvia. Januvia was originally developed to help patients with type 2 diabetes. According to the website of Williams Kherkher, Januvia mimics the natural human hormones that stimulate the production of insulin. Patients who take or have taken Januvia are at a greater risk of developing pancreatitis and pancreatic duct metaplasia, a precancerous cellular change.
Patients who suffer from these pancreatic conditions may notice a loss of appetite, jaundiced skin, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, and sudden pain abdomen pain. Pancreatitis is a serious and potentially life threatening condition. If someone suffers from these symptoms and has recently been taking Januvia, they should consult legal counsel to become aware of their legal and medical options.
Errors in the Machine Age
Since the 1990s technology and research surrounding robot assisted surgeries has been advancing. In 1999 the first robotically assisted heart bypass surgery in the United States was performed at Ohio State University. Robot surgical procedures present healthcare outlets with opportunities to decrease the margin for human error while increasing precision and accuracy. This can include surgeries done to address defects in babies who are still developing, helping to set shattered bones from car accidents and other traumatic events, and surgeries dealing with some of the most delicate parts of the body, like the brain. According to the New York Times, “robotic surgery has grown dramatically, increasing more than 400 percent in the United States between 2007 and 2011.”
Despite the promising prospect of robotic surgeries, recent findings are showing that hospitals have not been diligent about reporting patient injuries incurred during robotic surgeries to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Due to the lack reporting when robotic surgeries occur it’s difficult to know exactly how effective robot assisted surgery is. Likewise, it is difficult to gauge how much of a risk robot assisted surgeries pose. The underwhelming efforts of hospitals in reporting calls attention to a system in which oversight, enforcement, and consequences are needed when holding hospitals accountable.
In order to keep up with competition many hospitals have invested in robotic technology. Using robotic technology requires specific and extensive training. According to Crowe & Mulvey, LLP, errors from robotic assisted surgeries might occur because of improper training, unknowledgeable staff, or inexperience with the new technology.
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