The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

A Pennsylvania jury awarded $95 million to the families of eight people who were murdered by a nurse practicing in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area. The nurse is widely considered to be one of the most prolific killers in the history of the U.S. health care industry.

Charles Cullen is currently serving a life sentence in New Jersey for the murder of 29 patients at local area hospitals. It is believed that he actually killed more than 40 people in total, although he has only been charged with the murder of 29. The eight victims associated with the current wrongful death lawsuit all died at St. Luke's Hospital between 2000 and 2002.

Cullen never responded to the wrongful death lawsuit, and he did not make any attempts to defend himself in court. As a result, the judge ruled that he was responsible for the eight deaths in question. The ensuing three day trial was conducted for the purposes of determining the damage award.

Unfortunately for the victims' families, Cullen is broke and most likely will not be able to make good on the $95 million damage award against him. However, as part of the terms of damage award, the victims' families will be able to claim any money Cullen may earn in the future if he chooses to pursue a book or movie deal related to his story.

If you have lost a loved one due to the negligent actions of another, please contact the experienced wrongful death attorneys at The Cochran Firm today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients nationwide.

First responders must have the technology available to get to where they need to go. GPS, dashboard computers, radios, cell phones, and other electronic devices are used by paramedics and police while they weave in and out of traffic in every city and state. These devices shave seconds off that may save the people they help by providing valuable information. However, in a report by the New York Times, the risk of using this equipment may increase the chance for serious auto accidents with deadly consequences.

Accidents involving police or paramedics as a result of looking down at a dashboard compute or a GPS system have been documented. Whether it's hitting another vehicle or a pedestrian, all parties involved may find this risk too much, while others may find the risks necessary.

Over 75 percent of police cruisers have on-board computers. Around 30 percent of ambulances use computers. These percentages are only going to grow. On-board computers allow police to check out the license plates of suspicious vehicles, and ambulances are directed to accidents and given patient information. Yet, in an age when distracted drivers are periodically in the news for causing accidents, it may be worth it to examine distracted first responders, even if they are doing their jobs.

Many states have passed texting while driving bans, but exempt first responders. This is a good thing on the surface. But if those ambulance drivers and police officers are using their cell phones or computers for personal use, then they are liable if they cause an auto accident.

Asking the public to trust that our emergency workers are using their on-board computers and cell phones for job related activities shouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately, there are some that abuse their exemption to cause some to doubt.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, please contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Cochran Firm for an initial consultation. We serve clients nationwide.

It has become a sadly familiar story: a man driving a Toyota was attempting to pass another car, when his gas pedal became stuck and his vehicle accelerated wildly out of control. The problem: his car, a 2008 Prius, was not on the list of vehicles recalled for sticky accelerator pedals. In fact, the owner had taken his car into the dealer and was told it hadn't been recalled. The only recall in effect for the Prius was the removal of floor mats, something the driver insists was not the problem.

Shortly after the recall for floor mat entrapment, Toyota announced that it would also call in the affected vehicles to rework the pedal assembly and floor pan to reduce the likelihood of pedal entrapment. This issue had been sidelined as a result of new information about another possible cause for sticky accelerator pedals, prompting a new recall, one that did not include the Prius.

However, the driver's account of his ordeal makes it seem as though a Prius recall may be in order. After the man applied the gas in an attempt to pass another car, the accelerator pedal stuck in the down position and the car accelerated up to nearly 90 miles per hour on a dangerous, curvy section of Interstate 8 in California. The driver called 911 from his cell phone and operators tried to talk him through many ways to stop the car, but nothing seemed to work. The pedal remained mechanically stuck, despite the driver's attempts to pull it up.

The California Highway Patrol sent a car, whose driver instructed the man to apply his brakes and emergency brakes at the same time. This allowed the car to be slowed and shut off.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in this incident, but if you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident caused by a defective vehicle like a Toyota undergoing runaway acceleration, the product liability lawyers at the Los Angeles office of The Cochran Firm are ready to help. Our nationwide network of lawyers is prepared to take on the biggest opponents. Please schedule a free initial consultation today to learn how we can help you.

A Florida appeals court upheld the original verdict in a medication error lawsuit. The family of a cancer patient who died as a result of a prescription error was awarded $33.3 million in compensation.

The victim had been prescribed Warfarin, a blood thinner, for treatment of her breast cancer. The Walgreens pharmacy filled her prescription at 10 times the appropriate dosage. As a result, the victim suffered a stroke and cerebral hemorrhage resulting in permanent bodily injury, disability, and severe pain. She died several years later at the age of 46.

Walgreens appealed the original decision. However, the Second District Court of Appeals ruled the lower court handled the case correctly and ordered Walgreens to pay the damage award to the victim's family.

Pharmacies have a responsibility to provide patients with the correct dosage of their prescribed medication. When a prescription error results in serious injury, the pharmacy may be held liable for any damages suffered. If you have been the victim of a medication error, the medical malpractice lawyers at The Cochran Firm can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients nationwide.