Strom Law Blog

Employees at House of Raeford Farms. Photo by Charlotte Observer

Federal authorities have detained 300 alleged illegal immigrants after raiding the House of Raeford Farms’ Greenville, S.C. chicken processing plant. The bust took place during a 9 a.m. shift change Tuesday, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald.

Federal prosecutors and immigration agents have been investigating the plant’s hiring practices. McDonald says 12 people have been arrested in past months, and seven have pleaded guilty.

McDonald says a recent review of 825 workers’ immigration paperwork showed false information for more than 775.

Read the rest of this entry »

Diana Levine, Photo by NY Times

Earlier this week, The New York Times prominently featured a front-page article on Diana Levine and her upcoming Supreme Court case surrounding the $6 million the pharmaceutical company Wyeth was ordered to pay her for failing to warn her adequately about the risks of one of its drugs. That award came from a Vermont jury after Levine lost much of her right arm.

In the spring of 2000, suffering from a migraine, Ms. Levine visited a clinic near here for a treatment she had received many times: Demerol for the pain and Wyeth’s drug Phenergan for nausea.

“Nothing wrong with either drug,” Ms. Levine said. “They’re both safe when given the right way.” Read the rest of this entry »

A plane crash late Friday night in Columbia, S.C. killed four people and critically injured two more. The two injured were identified as Travis Barker, the former drummer of Blink-182, and Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein. Both are in critical condition at the Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta, Ga., about 70 miles from Columbia.

Barker and Goldstein were in Columbia headlining a block party concert sponsored by the Five Points Community Association and cellular phone company T-Mobile.

The four victims who died have been identified by the Lexington County Coroner as the pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills, Calif. and co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, Calif. A third victim has been identified as Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City, Calif., Barker’s assistant. The fourth victim has been identified as Charles Still, 25, who was from California. Read the rest of this entry »

Physician carelessness is a leading factor in medical malpractice lawsuits

When we go to a doctor for anything from a routine check-up to life-saving surgery, we expect the highest quality of care. And that is certainly the case when dealing with serious diseases like colon cancer.

Yet researchers have found that “most U.S. hospitals are failing to meet a key quality benchmark for care of colon cancer patients — checking enough lymph nodes after surgery to see if the cancer has spread.”

Reuters reports:

Leading medical organizations say doctors should examine at least 12 lymph nodes to figure out whether colon cancer has metastasized — spread to other parts of the body — and to accurately diagnose the stage, or severity, of the cancer.

This information helps guide future treatment, including whether a patient with metastatic cancer gets the chemotherapy that can help improve survival. Read the rest of this entry »

Sarah Palin, Photo by Getty Images

GUEST COLUMN BY AMANDA SCHLAGER

PUBLISHED: SUN, SEPT. 7, 2008, THE STATE NEWSPAPER

As a moderate voter trying to weigh both sides before voting in November’s elections, I was shocked at the unexpected pull of Sarah Palin’s speech Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention. I felt myself torn as her speech drew to a close.

The leftist in me reveled in her talk of energy independence while the rightist in me enjoyed her emphases on limiting government spending and the importance of family. And regardless of her political leanings, from a young feminist’s perspective, she was ideal.

Whereas many women could not identify with Hillary Clinton because of a certain coldness or inability to relate, Palin reached out and touched viewers with her impassioned speech yet tough demeanor. When she joked that the only difference between hockey moms and bulldogs is lipstick, I laughed and connected with her in a way I never could with Hillary. Read the rest of this entry »

Truck overturned at Rivers Avenue exit in Charleston, S.C. Photo by ABC News 4

In the Southeast, particularly in South Carolina and Georgia, we have seen a spike in the number of trucking accidents. This is primarily due to negligent driving as a result of poor training or overworked drivers.

Unfortunately, this means our roads have become unnecessarily dangerous. And when you’ve got a 40 ton 18-wheeler involved, that danger can quickly cause serious damage or death.

Just this week in, an 18 wheeler hit a pickup truck at the intersection of Rivers Ave. and Alton in Charleston, S.C., causing both drivers to be hospitalized. The wreck caused a major diesel spill and hazmat and emergency crews spent the entire morning cleaning the mess. Read the rest of this entry »

When people decide to videotape or photograph their intimate, “private” moments, what happens if those tapes or images are published, distributed or made public without permission? What if they are stolen by a third party and make their way onto the Internet?

Has that person’s legal right to privacy been violated? What course of action can they take? And how does this apply to celebrities versus everyday folks like you and me?

Those are just a few of the numerous, interesting questions highlighted by recent high-profile lawsuits dealing with invasion of privacy.

“MINI-ME”

Earlier this month, actor Verne Troyer (better known as “Mini-Me” from the “Austin Powers” movies) sued his ex-girlfriend for several million dollars after he claimed she released parts of an intimate tape between the two of them without his consent. Read the rest of this entry »

Work-related deaths and injuries are on the rise

Sadly, the Greenville News reports that, while work-related deaths decreased nationwide, South Carolina saw a 20% increase in on the job fatalities.

From the Greenville News:

The state recorded 114 fatalities last year, up from 95 the year before. Of the total, 45 were transportation-related, 25 were assaults or other violent acts, 12 were accidents with equipment and other objects, 15 were falls, 7 were from exposure to harmful substances or environments and 10 were fires and explosions. Read the rest of this entry »

The case of Wyeth v. Levine, now on its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, has recently become the front line in the ongoing battle between drug companies and consumers who were wronged by unsafe products that were rapidly released without proper testing in order to turn a quick buck.

The Associated Press reports:

Diana Levine, a Vermont guitarist, lost her right arm below the elbow after she was injected with Phenergan, a medicine for nausea, and developed gangrene. She sued the manufacturer, Wyeth, arguing that the company had a duty to warn consumers that such injections could have devastating consequences. The courts in her state agreed, awarding her nearly $7 million. Read the rest of this entry »

South Carolina Association for Justice

The Orangeburg (S.C.) Times and Democrat has published a story about the South Carolina Association for Justice’s new name. The T&D editorial focuses on the importance of what used to be known as the SC Trial Lawyers Association and its continued role in preserving justice and individual rights.

From the Orangeburg Times and Democrat:

THE ISSUE: New name for trial lawyers

OUR OPINION: Despite their critics, trial lawyers are key players in justice systems

Attorneys know the routine on lawyer jokes. They engage in ribbing and laughs with each other. It’s a tradition. Read the rest of this entry »