In a multi-year study by the chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., Dr. Andrew Adesman, shows that smartphones “allow teens to do stupid things while driving a car.” Even though many states have attempted to curtail texting and driving, the practice continues to take the lives of texters and innocent victims alike.

Researches surveyed thousands of teens nationwide and discovered that texting-and-driving rates dropped from 43 percent in 2011 to just over 30 percent in 2013 when some states made it illegal to text and drive.

Despite the well-known fact that texting while driving kills, it is four times more common among high school students compared to DWI — a shocking differential. Even though figures appear to have dropped over time, there is still much to be done to reduce these statistics. Because this issue is largely a human behavior problem, it may take a long time before everyone gets the message.

Lee, Gober and Reyna – If you need a personal injury lawyer or help with an auto accident, motorcycle accident, wrongful death, or burn injury case, contact Lee, Gober and Reyna by visiting http://www.lgrlawfirm.com or calling 512.800.8000

The Wuths, both teachers, alleged that the Medical Center did not send Laboratory Corporation of America the information it needed to look for a genetic defect in the correct location – an oversight that resulted in the birth of a son, now 6 years old, with an IQ of less than 70 who cannot walk. The baby was born in 2008 with unbalanced chromosomal translocation. The problem can result in either missing genetic material or extra genetic material in a person’s DNA.

The result would have been entirely different had the hospital sent the correct information to the lab performing the tests. The couple chose to sue Valley Medical Center and the Laboratory Corporation of America for the wrongful birth of their son. Had they known about the condition in advance, they would have chosen to abort the fetus.

Their court case resulted in a $50 million jury settlement.

Some see wrongful death lawsuits as a travesty in justice and claim they demean and denigrate the value of human life. Interestingly, cases of wrongful birth are on the rise. The justice system often finds for the families who, through no fault of their own, end up facing millions of dollars in lifelong childcare because of a medical error.

The medical expenses the Wuth family faces are enormous, and paying those bills is a never-ending process. While waiting for their case to go to trial, they may have been struggling to keep up with the expenses, wondering how they would manage them in addition to their usual financial obligations. Even with an impaired family member requiring extraordinary levels of care, life must move forward.

The Wuths might have befitted from litigation funding, also referred to as a lawsuit loan or pre-settlement funding. Litigation funding assists plaintiffs in paying for medical expenses along with their mortgage, car loan, student loan, utilities and/or rent.

Applying for a lawsuit loan is a user-friendly process that only involves filling out an application online or filling one out on the phone with a staff member. The applicant must have a lawyer hired to begin the application process, and he or she needs to provide case details and an estimated award figure, calculated by the attorney of record.

Once the litigation funding company has the details of the case, it is reviewed quickly, with any funds approved sent to the plaintiff’s bank account within 48 hours. When the money arrives, the plaintiff may pay medical bills immediately and budget out the remainder for “usual” expenses, knowing they have funds to see them through until their case is resolved.

While litigation funding is not for everyone, it allows many people to know they do not need to worry about how to pay their bills while waiting for justice.

Daren Monroe writes for Litigation Funding Corp. To learn more about lawsuit funding and litigation funding, visit http://www.litigationfundingcorp.com/.

The extent of unnecessary surgery has been the object of considerable speculation and sometimes accusation in recent years. According to USA Today report, the scope of the problem is huge, yet remains largely hidden. To date, public attention has been limited to only a few cases.

*A semi-pro baseball player was aiming for the big leagues when a fainting spell sent him to a cardiologist for tests. The man was told without a pacemaker, he may not live to 30. Trusting his doctor, he made the quick decision to have surgery. Months later, when the ex-ball player heard the cardiologist was being investigated for performing unnecessary surgeries, he had another doctor review his case; then two more. All three agreed that the pacemaker was not necessary.

*Lawsuits against King’s Daughter’s Medical Center in Ashland, KY allege that unnecessary procedures were performed on over 500 patients. The suits allege that doctors performed medically unnecessary cardiac procedures, including coronary angioplasty, stenting and coronary artery bypass grafts and pacemaker and defibrillator implantation. These surgeries left patients in physical and emotional pain; some died. The hospital and the other defendants have denied wrongdoing.

*Two patients who suffered heart problems for years were referred to cardiologist, Dr. Arvind Gandhi. Both said Dr. Gandhi strongly encouraged them to get an implant cardiac defibrillator, a device similar to a pacemaker. Over their post implantation care, both patients said they learned the procedure was not necessary and Gandhi was not qualified to do the surgery.

Did you receive an unnecessary heart surgery? If you or a loved one has suffered from an unnecessary surgery, you may be entitled to financial compensation for damages incurred. Contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney to review your case.

Proving that unnecessary surgeries are medical malpractice can be extremely complicated and drawn out. Often times, longer the wait for a settlement, the more financial burden are placed on the innocent victim. In order to wait for justice deserved, but still pay the bills and avoid debt, many plaintiffs will seek financial assistance from a legal funding company.

Applying for litigation funding is quick and easy; all you need is a strong case. With no credit checks, no income or employment requirements, no monthly payments and no up-front fees, approvals can often be made in as little as 24 – 48 hours. Additionally, funding is provided on a no-risk basis meaning you only repay the advance if you win your case. If you lose your case or your case doesn’t settle, YOU OWE US NOTHING!

Why wait? If you are struggling financially while waiting for your medical malpractice settlement, contact Litigation Funding Corp. We are one of the leading and most highly respected legal funding providers in the U.S.

Moving forward after a devastating loss is emotionally and financially draining for surviving family members. Medical malpractice cases, like this one, are long, drawn out, draining battles. Trying to make ends meet with ordinary cost of living expenses, medical expenses, funeral expenses, and the loss of income adds to the stress. When this happens, lawsuit funding may be a viable solution.

Some victims and/or their families are too often left with mounting bills and few options. Litigation funding is a service that provides plaintiffs with financial assistance to help get through the long litigation process. Without this option, desperate plaintiffs are often forced to settlements too soon, for too little. With litigation funding, a plaintiff can remain in a case longer in order to pursue a larger settlement.

While no amount of money can replace the loss of a loved one due to a misdiagnosis, non-diagnosis, or other type of medical malpractice, if you are living with consequences of a misdiagnosis, or if a loved one died because of a doctor’s negligence, it may be important to contact a medical malpractice attorney to determine your rights. After filing a lawsuit, if you need financial assistance while waiting for justice to be served, contact a legal funding expert.

A pre-settlement funding company provides an advance based on its review of the case; a lawsuit cash advance is often approved with funding wired into your account within 24-48 hours. There are no up-front charges, no monthly payments, no credit checks, and no hassle. Best of all, repayment is contingent on the outcome of the lawsuit. If you lose the case, you owe us nothing. To learn more or to apply, contact the legal funding experts at LitigationFundingCorp. to discuss your case funding situation.

Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill into law on May 28, 2013. The ban prohibits the use of cell phones for sending text messages or email while driving under most circumstances. But “most circumstances” comes with a number of exceptions. The law does not apply to drivers at red lights or in traffic jams. And drivers may still use phones for navigation, weather, and music, and they may also use voice-to-text applications.

But the biggest weakness in the law, some say, is the fact that violation of the ban is a secondary offense. That means that police cannot pull over a driver whose only offense is texting – they must commit some other infraction, such as speeding. They could then be ticketed for speeding and/or texting. Police also cannot require drivers to hand over their phones to show whether they have been texting or emailing. Enforcing the ban may therefore prove quite difficult.

State legislators have tried for years to pass a ban, but Republican leaders in the House have thwarted the efforts. This year, new House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, broke the gridlock when he indicated his support for the legislation.

Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, the bill’s sponsor, defended the measure, saying the fact that texting is a secondary offense will not affect the public’s perception of it.

According to a recently-published study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center, texting while driving is the leading cause of death for teenagers, claiming the lives of more than 3,000 teens each year. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said that texting contributed to nearly 200 crashes in Florida last year. And the National Safety Council said that texting contributes to over 100,000 crashes per year in the U.S.

The law goes into effect on October 1, 2013. A first-time offense carries a $30 fine and is a nonmoving violation. A second violation within 5 years of the first carries a fine of $60 and is a moving violation.

Regardless of the state of the law, drivers as individuals need to take personal responsibility for their safety. This means not only the careful and judicious use of cell phones and other electronic devices in cars, but also defensive driving to protect oneself against the ever-present threat of others’ unsafe driving.

Alston & Baker, an Affiliation of Professional Associations: The Law Office of Robert C. Alston, Esq., P.A. and The Law Office of Marcie L. Baker, Esq., P.A. To contact a Zephyrhills personal injury attorney call 1.888.500.5245 or visit http://www.alstonbakerlaw.com.