The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

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A train accident can devastate lives and affect whole communities if a derailment involving toxic substances occurs. Evacuations of vulnerable people like senior citizens, children and the infirm cause unnecessary hardships for all involved.

Train accidents are usually very serious because of the sheer size, weight and speed of the vehicle involved. Train wrecks typically involve a collision with another train, a derailment, a collision with a car, truck, bus or pedestrian, mechanical failure, improperly maintained equipment and tracks or operator negligence.

Since many variables can lead to a train accident, those responsible for your injury, pain and suffering, loss of income and medical bills need to be investigated and evaluated for culpability. The train accident attorneys at The Cochran Firm will research your claim and advise you how to proceed quickly and efficiently and allow you to go on with the rest of your life secure in the knowledge you have had the best legal representation available to you.

If you live in the Jackson, Mississippi area and you have been injured in a train wreck or your life has been affected by a train derailment involving toxic substances, please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn how you can recover your losses and be financially compensated for your pain and suffering.

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Medical mistakes that take place during surgery can happen when a doctor, nurse, anesthesiologist or other member of the surgical team fails in their duty to provide an acceptable standard of care for their patient. A recent report issued by The Institute of Medicine reveals that upwards of ninety-five thousand deaths in the nation’s hospitals can be attributed to medical and surgical mistakes.

A surgical mistake can include the wrong surgical procedure being performed, the wrong surgical site being operated on, medical instruments used during surgery being left inside the patient, organ puncture, unnecessary or unwarranted surgery, delayed or prolonged surgery, anesthesia problems, or a failure to react in a timely manner to problems that arise during or after surgery.

Some of the most common surgical procedures that are at risk for surgical mistakes include a hysterectomy, gall bladder surgery, appendicitis, back surgery, bariatric surgeries including lap band and stomach-stapling procedures and cosmetic surgical procedures.

Since surgical medical malpractice claims are complex and difficult to prove, it is important to contact The Cochran Firm without delay so we can evaluate your surgical medical malpractice claim and determine what compensation you deserve.

If you have been a victim of a surgical mistake in the Jackson, Mississippi area, please contact The Cochran Firm today to discuss your options with an experienced surgical medical malpractice attorney who can protect your legal rights and get you the financial compensation you deserve.

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A large commercial truck can weigh over forty tons, while the average passenger vehicle weighs only approximately three thousand pounds. It is easy to understand why the occupants of an automobile involved in a collision with a truck are the ones who suffer the most serious injuries and are most often killed.

Many truck accidents are caused by truck driver error, resulting from demanding deadlines and too many hours behind the wheel with no rest. Typical causes of truck accidents involve speeding, alcohol and drug use, reckless and aggressive driving, mechanical failure and poor equipment maintenance, hazardous road or weather conditions and cargo overloading or shifting cargo loads.

The victim of a truck accident may be confronted with many critical needs, such as emergency medical care, loss of income, possible long-term care costs, and legal actions initiated due to the truck accident and its aftermath. You should be financially compensated to the fullest for all your medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost income caused by the truck accident.

To ensure your legal rights to financial compensation from the trucking company responsible for the truck accident are protected, you should contact The Cochran Firm today located in Jackson, Mississippi, and in the tragic event you have lost a loved one in a fatal truck accident, The Cochran Firm can help you pursue a wrongful death claim.

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Mississippians expect their local police forces to protect them, not harm them. The people of Mississippi do not expect abusive behavior from the police during a routine traffic stop, or unnecessary and unwarranted racial profiling of their particular minority group either.

They do not expect physical or emotional abuse, assault by a police officer with a nightstick or flashlight, unlawful or warrantless arrests, vindictive arrests or prosecutions or problems with off-duty police officers at a restaurant or bar. Mississippians do not expect this behavior, but they are often victims of police misconduct and brutality.

The use of reasonable force by the police in certain circumstances is necessary to protect their lives and the lives of innocent people caught up in the rising tide of criminal behavior in many communities. However, there are cases where some police officers have abused their authority over the years.

When a police officer abuses their power and deliberately harms an individual, the victim can file a police brutality claim. The Cochran Firm has a long and proud tradition of civil rights advocacy and is well equipped to use every legal avenue to retaliate against police brutality wherever it occurs and to pursue financial compensation for the insults and injuries innocent citizens have suffered at the hands of a few bad police officers.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of police brutality, please contact the Jackson, Mississippi office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn how you can protect your legal rights and obtain the financial compensation you deserve.

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There are many product liability lawsuits involving defective pharmaceuticals in the categories of cholesterol lowering drugs, arthritis pain medications, diet drugs, anti-depressants, oral contraceptives and vaccines.

Pharmaceutical companies are obligated to ensure their drugs and medical products are safe and meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and industry standards. Instead, drug manufacturers often put profits ahead of the safety, well-being and lives of their customers and intentionally fail to warn of known dangerous side effects and defective drugs.

When defective pharmaceutical products cause serious injury, illness or death, the pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors should be held legally responsible for the damage they cause. Defective pharmaceuticals cause enormous pain and suffering for many people every year in this country and the pharmaceutical companies need to be held legally and financially responsible for their wrongdoing.

The attorneys at The Cochran Firm have the experience and knowledge to work together as a team along with their investigators and paralegals to give their clients the benefit of their skills in working to protect your legal rights and ensuring those responsible for your injuries are held accountable.

If you live in the Jackson, Mississippi area, and you have been injured by a defective pharmaceutical, please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you if you would like an evaluation of your case and learn what you can do to obtain the financial compensation you deserve.

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The dynamics of motorcycle crashes are much different than those involving automobiles and trucks. A motorcycle accident often results in catastrophic injuries because the rider is so exposed to the forces of impact involved in a collision. Protective gear can help prevent scrapes and abrasions and helmets do save lives, but the possibility of a devastating injury still exists.

The vast majority of motorcycle accidents involve collisions with another vehicle, usually a passenger car. The failure of other motorists to see a motorcycle in traffic is a major cause of motorcycle accidents, with intersections being the most likely location for an accident. Excess speed is a contributing factor in motorcycle accidents over 60% of the time.

Motorcycle riders without training or self-taught, account for over 90% of accidents and over 50% of accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than five months experience riding. Half of all fatal motorcycle accidents were alcohol or drug related.

The likelihood of injury is very high in motorcycle accidents, and the severity of the injuries increases with speed and alcohol or drug involvement.

By contacting the experienced motorcycle accident attorneys in the Jackson, Mississippi office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you, you can learn what your legal rights are and whether or not you are entitled to financial compensation for any injuries sustained in your accident.

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The use of alcohol and drugs while driving is a major contributing factor to automobile accidents nationwide. The problem of drug abuse is not only limited to illegal drugs, but pertains to the use of prescription medications as well. Substances that can impair your ability to drive include alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, heroin and prescription medications such as Vicodin, Percocet, Valium and Xanax.

Someone in the United States is injured or killed by an alcohol or drug impaired driver every two minutes. Over 40% of fatal automobile accidents involve alcohol or drugs. Sleeping pills, muscle relaxants, alcohol and other depressants work to adversely affect motor skills, slowing reaction times and distorting vision.

The decision to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a choice not an accident. The result of the choice to drive while under the influence destroys lives. If you have been victimized by an impaired driver you should retain an experienced automobile accident attorney to assist you in seeking financial compensation for your injuries. You should be able to be compensated for your medical expenses, loss of income, future earning capacity and your pain and suffering.

If you live in Jackson, Mississippi please contact The Cochran Firm today to protect your legal rights and the rights of those you love by scheduling a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about the steps you can take to secure financial compensation for your injuries.

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Emergency rooms across this country are under siege. The lack of adequate healthcare insurance is sending people flocking to emergency rooms to seek medical care for every conceivable ailment. This influx of patients with mostly non-emergency medical problems, puts those truly in need of emergency medical care in jeopardy.

Emergency rooms are overcrowded and understaffed and this leaves the door open for medical errors to be made. Although hospitals and medical personnel have a duty to render the best care possible, negligence and wrongdoing thrive in this environment.

Emergency room medical malpractice can include the failure to evaluate a patient properly, misdiagnosis, a delayed or a failed diagnosis, delayed treatment, wrong medication or improper dosage and patient dumping. Patient dumping is a term that refers to a patient being transferred to another facility for monetary, not health treatment reasons.

Emergency room medical malpractice can cause great pain and suffering, long term disabilities and death. Compensation includes payment for medical expenses, lost wages, long term care costs, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and burial expenses.

If you live in Jackson, Mississippi or the surrounding area and you or someone you love has been the victim of emergency room medical malpractice, please contact an experienced emergency room medical malpractice lawyer at the Jackson, Mississippi office of The Cochran Firm today to protect your legal rights and obtain the justice and compensation you are entitled to.

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There are over 35 million people in the United States over the age of 65. Many of these 35 million people will need assisted living or nursing home care, and will receive that care in assisted living facilities and nursing care centers staffed by professional, dedicated and hardworking individuals. However, many will find themselves in less than ideal conditions, the victims of abuse and neglect. Which group will you or your loved one find yourselves?

Nursing home residents are guaranteed basic human rights under the law. They have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and the right to be free from physical, emotional, verbal and sexual abuse. Neglect and abuse are not always obvious to the casual observer and nursing home residents are reluctant to complain to family and friends for fear of retaliation on the part of their abusers or they lack the ability to articulate the abuse.

Some common signs of nursing home abuse and neglect are that the residents personal hygiene needs are not being taken care of, they have chronic infections, they are in unreasonable restraints, or heavily medicated. Unexplained sores or wounds and claims of being mistreated and being depressed and anxious are also warning signs that there may be abuse and neglect.

If you live in Jackson, Mississippi or the surrounding area, and you suspect nursing home abuse and neglect of a loved one, please contact an experienced nursing home abuse attorney at the Jackson, Mississippi office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to protect the legal rights of your loved one.

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Many cases of injuries to newborns are preventable. Injuries to an infant's head, permanent brain damage caused by fetal distress and injury to the arms, shoulders and hands of newborns are caused by tragic errors and medical malpractice.

Infants born with cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy and other brain and nerve impairments are often the victims of birth injury malpractice. In newborns, injury to the nerves in the arms and hands are often the result of medical malpractice also. These injuries are known as Brachial Plexus injury or Erb's palsy. Failing to properly monitor the labor and delivery leads to cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy and infant brain injury are often caused by insufficient amounts of oxygen reaching the brain of the baby before birth. At times the drugs used to stimulate labor can have a devastating effect on the unborn child.

An experienced birth injury attorney can prove negligence in causing cerebral palsy, brain damage and Erb's palsy by studying the labor and delivery records from the hospital.

If you live in Jackson, Mississippi or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has had a child that suffered a birth injury, you should contact the Jackson, Mississippi office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights and whether you are entitled to compensation.

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In 1995 actor Christopher Reeve fell off his horse and severely damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. Until his death in 2004 Christopher Reeve was the face of spinal cord injuries, raising awareness for research funding.

Over two-hundred thousand people in America live every day of their lives with the effects of a spinal cord injury. More than ten thousand people suffer spinal cord injuries in this country every year. The financial costs for continuing care can total hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The emotional and mental costs are incalculable.

At this time, there is no way to reverse the affects of a spinal cord injury, but recent advances in research have improved the recovery and rehabilitation time involved with this catastrophic injury. Many scientists are optimistic important advances are just on the horizon. In the meantime, treatments and rehabilitation allow many with spinal cord injuries to lead productive and independent lives.

If you live in Jackson, Mississippi or the surrounding area and you or someone you care about has suffered a spinal cord injury through no fault of your own, please contact the Jackson, Mississippi office of The Cochran Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation with and experienced spinal cord injury lawyer, at no cost to you, to protect your legal rights and learn whether or not you are entitled to compensation for your injury.

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Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of cells lining the internal organs of the body. Seventy percent of mesothelioma cases involve the lining of the lungs. The other organs usually involved are the linings of the heart and abdomen. Exposure to asbestos is the only recognized cause of mesothelioma.

Workers have been exposed to the dangers of asbestos for decades even though many manufacturers of asbestos and employers were aware of the hazards. In fact, millions of Americans have been exposed to asbestos through the years. Asbestos is found in factories, schools, shipyards, construction sites and manufacturing facilities. Unsuspecting workers have brought asbestos fibers home on their shoes and clothing to their families.

Mesothelioma symptoms take years to materialize in most cases. The symptoms may be ignored at first, or be attributed to everyday common ailments. Some of these symptoms are shortness of breath, back pain, chest pain, a persistent cough, difficulty swallowing, weight loss and fatigue. There are three thousand new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed every year in this country.

If you live in Jackson, Mississippi or the surrounding area and you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos or are presently suffering from mesothelioma, please contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney at The Cochran Firm Jackson, Mississippi office today to schedule a confidential consultation at no cost to you to learn about your legal rights and whether you are entitled to compensation.

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A car accident may have many outcomes. Sometimes, victims of the accident walk away unharmed. Other times, the victims suffer permanent injuries such as a spinal cord injury.

A Reverend in Mississippi died almost ten months after he was in a terrible car accident that claimed the lives of his wife and grandson and left him with a spinal cord injury. He believed he would walk again and that he would be able to preach to his loyal congregants. He was unable to do so and lived with the painful injury and memory of the accident for almost a year. He is terribly missed by many who loved and respected him.

Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury can leave you paralyzed from the waist down or the neck down. Some victims of a spinal cord injury can recover and gain the use of their limbs. Rehabilitation therapy is an option for some victims. Continuing treatment and therapy will include:

• Management of Nutrition
• Occupational Therapy
• Psychological Counseling
• Physicians Monitoring Progress

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