Fruitport native Marty Wills trekked 1,000 miles to Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina. He began the two-month journey in Muskegon on Memorial Day. Wills carried with him an American flag and a 50-pound pack containing a Purple Heart medal honoring his friend’s brother.

He used the walk to collect over $22,000 in donations for 22 Kill, a veterans organization that supports and raises awareness for former service members struggling with PTSD. The foundation’s name reflects the commonly cited statistic of 22 veterans on average committing suicide every day after losing their battle with PTSD.

“A lot of work needs to be done to raise awareness,” said Wills. “Many civilians don’t understand that you just can’t leave a military lifestyle and fit right in to civilian life.” He retired from military life in 2013 after 23 years of service as a U.S. Navy corpsman and a U.S. Army combat medic.

The veteran used Google Maps to plan his route, traveling 15 to 20 miles each day. Wills visited local Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Department of Veterans Affairs chapters to interact with veterans suffering from PTSD. Several veterans expressed their support by offering him meals and overnight accommodation throughout his journey.

VA just announced today that eight medical conditions that are linked to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina from 1953 to 1987, will become presumptive disabilities allowing for service connection. Currently, Camp Lejeune veterans who had exposure to the contaminated water during that time period and have those eight conditions are eligible for free VA health care or reimbursement for medical costs. With these new regulations, those veterans can also become presumptively service connected for those disabilities. The disabilities include kidney cancer, liver cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, scleroderma, Parkinson’s disease, and aplastic anemia or other myelodysplastic syndromes. This means that the widows/widowers/dependents of these veterans who died from these diseases are also eligible for DIC benefits.

Veterans who have previously been denied for these claims may seek to have their previous claims reevaluated. For those veterans who currently have claims pending for these conditions, those claims will be put on hold with VA until the final regulations are released. No timeline was given by VA for this task to be completed.

VA just announced today that eight medical conditions that are linked to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina from 1953 to 1987, will become presumptive disabilities allowing for service connection. Currently, Camp Lejeune veterans who had exposure to the contaminated water during that time period and have those eight conditions are eligible for free VA health care or reimbursement for medical costs. With these new regulations, those veterans can also become presumptively service connected for those disabilities. The disabilities include kidney cancer, liver cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, scleroderma, Parkinson’s disease, and aplastic anemia or other myelodysplastic syndromes. This means that the widows/widowers/dependents of these veterans who died from these diseases are also eligible for DIC benefits.

Veterans who have previously been denied for these claims may seek to have their previous claims reevaluated. For those veterans who currently have claims pending for these conditions, those claims will be put on hold with VA until the final regulations are released. No timeline was given by VA for this task to be completed.

From the 1950s to 1987, some 750,000 people were exposed to polluted drinking water, which contained harmful chemicals from spills, a dump site on the base, and leaking underground storage tanks on base and an off-base dry cleaner.

At the community forum, representatives from the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) were on hand to discuss the outcomes of four studies that were conducted to examine the impact of exposure to the contaminated drinking water.

A VA official outlined for the audience what conditions need to be met to qualify for the registry:

• You must have lived at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 and 1987.
• You must be a dependent of a service member who was stationed at Camp Lejeune during that time period.
• And you must have one of the 15 conditions listed by the VA as being associated with Camp Lejeune.

Learn more and find information on how to apply for benefits at the VA’s website:

http://benefits.va.gov/compensation/claims-postservice-exposures-camp_lejeune_water.asp

ATSDR and VA representatives also fielded questions from attendees, many of whom shared tragic stories of infant deaths, cancers, and other diseases.

Many people, like Neil Wilson, one of the forum attendees, lived at Camp Lejeune as children. Wilson was in attendance to get information for his family, who because of exposure to the contaminated drinking water have a range of health problems. His mother gave birth to seven of his nine siblings while stationed at the base. He learned of the exposure’s connection to his family after his brother was diagnosed with a heart problem.

“I have family members dying before me. They want answers,” Wilson said. “I’ve been following this for a number of years and I came today to get them answers, but I’m not too hopeful. I have to be a spokesperson for my family.”

The ATSDR and VA representatives hoped to share new information from recent studies on Camp Lejeune and tell people how to apply. You can also read our blog from last October when the VA announced Camp Lejeune victims would receive financial aid:
http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/2014/10/camp-lejeune-toxic-water-victims-to-receive-financial-relief-va-announces/

Read more on the forum here:
http://www.jdnews.com/news/military/veterans-families-attend-meeting-on-water-contamination-1.477296?page=0

Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC fights for veterans rights. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To learn more or contact an attorney about your Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury, Mental Health, Sexual Assault, Hearing Loss and Tinnitus, Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability, Medical Malpractice, or Aid and Attendance claim, visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/ or call 800.693.4800

In 2012, the rate of pedestrian fatalities in Texas was 1.83 per 100,000 population — meaning that nearly two out of every 100,000 Texans were struck and killed by a motor vehicle in 2012.

This figure makes Texas the 10th most dangerous state for pedestrians. 

Experts agree that infrastructure is a key element in pedestrian safety, and the American Society of Civil Engineers claims that in 2012, nearly 40 percent of Texas roadways were in poor or mediocre condition.

When asked about the recent data from the NHTSA, officials from the Texas Department of Transportation pointed to unsafe and distracted driving as the key issue. Robert Archuleta, a transportation official with the New Mexico Department of Transportation, also told reporters he believed cell phone use while driving — particularly texting — was a significant factor.

The NHTSA noted that the number of pedestrians killed nationwide has been rising steadily since 2009, even while the number of overall traffic fatalities has generally decreased.

According to the NHTSA data, pedestrians are most likely to be killed or injured by motor vehicles between 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. — when children are coming home from school and adults are coming home from work. However, there is also a spike in pedestrian fatalities between midnight and 3:00 a.m. on weekends. Data suggests that this spike could be due to an increase in nightlife coupled with low visibility.

The other states rounding out the top ten most dangerous states are Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, New Mexico and Delaware.

At The Hale Law Firm, we have helped thousands of clients successfully prosecute their personal injury claims including auto accidents, wrongful death, dangerous products, brain injuries, burn injuries, and defective medical devices. Clients depend on their personal injury lawyers for guidance and legal advice across a broad range of personal injury accidents. To learn more, visit http://www.hale911.com/ or call 972.351.0000.

Upon her arrival at the hospital, ER doctors gave her pain medications. Suddenly, she became unresponsive and slipped into respiratory distress. It is alleged she was given an overdose of medication.

The woman was rushed to the critical care unit after the attending doctor gave her an injection of a different medication to reverse the effects of the first drug. The second injection did not rectify the situation.

After returning home, the woman and her spouse filed a medical negligence lawsuit seeking compensation for medical malpractice, loss of companionship, hospital bills and court costs.

Medical malpractice lawsuits take a long time to resolve, and they usually involve medical expert witnesses. These witnesses are a necessity, but they can be very expensive to work with. Any family would find it difficult to keep up with all of their bills while attempting to pay new medical bills. One solution might be to apply for a lawsuit loan from a litigation funding company.

Application for pre-settlement funding requires a plaintiff to be working with a lawyer on a case that has a good chance of winning in court. The applicant does not need a credit check and does not need to be working at the time of applying for litigation funding. Once the case has been assessed, funds are wired directly to the plaintiff’s bank account within 24–48-hours. Pre-settlement funding is intended for immediate use to pay medical bills and remain current with other important expenses. However, lawsuit loans are not for everyone, so discuss your needs with a litigation-funding representative.

Daren Monroe writes for Litigation Funding Corp. To learn more, visit http://www.litigationfundingcorp.com/.

Seniors can lose thousands of dollars in such scams. Victims rush out to send the money, so concerned for their grandchild’s well-being that they do not pause to doubt the circumstances of the call. Scammers rely upon their victims’ familial reactions. They know that some who answer the phone will respond emotionally long before they consider the situation rationally.

Law enforcement officials have reported a recent resurgence in the crime in recent months. The Grandparent Scam is not restricted to one group or one area. Within March of 2014, victims from North Carolina, Colorado, New York and Ohio have all reported the traps.

In North Carolina, Wake County police have suggested that the scams are growing more complex. Now, perpetrators may be gleaning information for use from social media sites. If a grandchild has a sufficiently detailed, publicly available Facebook profile, scammers may use it to enhance their impersonations for a grandparent.

MoneyGram, a Dallas money-transfer company, has issued a public warning against the scam. “While this scam has been around since 2008, it’s becoming more elaborate. As consumers become wise to it, the fraudsters are adapting, sometimes using email and social media to target victims, which makes the scam more difficult to detect,” warned Kim Garner, MoneyGram’s Senior Vice President of Global Security. Other wire-transfer companies include a warning against the scam directly on the forms needed to send money to the alleged “grandchild.”

Money wire and fund transfer phone scams are unfortunately common, and they can take many forms. The most crucial defense against them is information. If you receive, or if someone tells you they have received, a request for immediately wired funds, ask questions. Scams often collapse in their details.

If a “grandchild” needs help, he or she will be able to speak with you about facts, details and knowledge you share. After you end the call, call the number you know for your grandchild. Contact the police station supposedly holding him or her independently. Then, if you suspect a trap, contact your local police force, the Federal Trade Commission and the National Consumers League.

The Hale Law Firm believe the right solution to your estate planning, elder law, or probate needs can be identified in a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys and counselors at law. To learn more or to contact a Dallas estate planning attorney, visit http://www.thehalelawfirm.com/ or call 972.351.0000

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,398 traffic fatalities occurred in Texas in 2012, an increase of 11 percent from the previous year. Nationally, 33,561 died on 2012 roadways in total, representing an increase of 3.3 percent since 2011. Previously, automobile death rates were on their sixth year of decline in a row.

According to officials, a number of factors contributed to the increase. Officials noted that even when overall traffic fatalities were decreasing in recent years, motorcycle and pedestrian deaths were following an upward trend. That pattern continued in 2012: fatalities of motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians rose 7.1 percent, 6.5 percent and 6.4 percent respectively.

One factor that may have played a role is warm winter weather. Much of the increase can be attributed to the first quarter of 2012, the warmest first quarter in history. Although snowy, icy conditions are associated with traffic accidents, there are actually more car crashes during warmer winters when more people are on the road.

In addition to the increase in the raw number of fatalities, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) also increased. That rate climbed to 1.14 (an increase of 3.6 percent). The injury rate rose to 80 injuries per 100 million VMT (a 6.7 percent increase).

Also in 2012, alcohol-impaired-driving deaths rose by 4.6 percent, accounting for 31 percent of the total number of highway fatalities. Alcohol-impaired-driving deaths are defined as the fatalities in a crash involving a driver found to have a blood alcohol content of .08 g/dL or greater.

Young drivers, traditionally thought to pose major risks, were actually involved in fewer highway deaths last year, continuing a decline that began in 2005.

The 11 percent increase in Texan traffic deaths represents 344 more fatalities than were suffered in 2011. Texas’s increase was the largest in the nation. Texas also saw the largest number of highway deaths (3,398) among states. California faced only 2,857 highway fatalities and is home to 12 million more people than Texas is.

The 344-person Texan increase in traffic fatalities totaled more than the increases in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina combined.

At The Hale Law Firm, we have helped thousands of clients successfully prosecute their personal injury claims including auto accidents, wrongful death, dangerous products, brain injuries, burn injuries, and defective medical devices. Clients depend on their personal injury lawyers for guidance and legal advice across a broad range of personal injury accidents. To learn more, visit http://www.hale911.com/ or call 972.351.0000.

It is alleged that patients have become ill after taking products manufactured at Specialty Compounding, LLC, based in Cedar Park, Texas. Specialty Compounding is in the process of recalling all of the medicines manufactured in that facility dispensed since May 9, 2013 after at least 15 people developed bacterial infections traced back to the medicines.

Patients who received intravenous infusions of calcium gluconate, a drug to treat too much potassium or to correct calcium deficiencies, have reported issues after their treatment at Corpus Christi Medical Center Bay Area and Corpus Christi Medical Center Doctors Regional. It is suspected that the medication was not sterile, which caused bloodstream infections; Rhodococcus bacteria was detected, which typically causes symptoms including fever and pain.

The now-recalled batches of calcium gluconate were distributed directly to medical offices and hospitals throughout Texas, and also nationwide to patients, with the exception of North Carolina. Specialty Compounding has announced that is has contacted all customers to notify them of the recall; anyone who is in possession of the product should contact Specialty Compounding at (512) 219-0724 Monday through Friday, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CDT, to find out how to return it.

A spokesperson for Specialty Compounding has announced that the company is voluntarily recalling all sterile products at this time out of concern for patient safety. The Federal Drug Administration inspected the facility in March 2013 and reported “questionable testing practices” and a lack of some procedures to establish drug sterility. Some drug processors were seen wearing improper clothing (i.e., not sterile), according to the findings, and it was noted that there was inadequate drug testing to ensure a lack of unwanted microorganisms.

This April, a new Senate bill was proposed which calls for much tighter regulations for the drug compounding industry. The FDA has called for an increase in its regulatory powers for compounding facilities; the regulatory powers typically fall under state regulations.

In 2012, a compounding facility in Framingham, Mass., The New England Compounding Center, was the center of an investigation after people in 20 states were affected; 750 were sickened, including 63 deaths. Contaminated drugs made at the facility caused an outbreak of fungal infections, including meningitis. More than 17,600 doses of methylprednisolone acetate steroid injections were affected. An investigation by FDA investigators discovered mold and fungal contamination in numerous vials of the drugs, and in areas where the drugs were made.

At The Hale Law Firm, we have helped thousands of clients successfully prosecute their personal injury claims including auto accidents, wrongful death, dangerous products, brain injuries, burn injuries, and defective medical devices. Clients depend on their personal injury lawyers for guidance and legal advice across a broad range of personal injury accidents. To learn more, visit http://www.hale911.com/ or call 972.351.0000.

More and More States Encourage or Require Sentencing to Treatment Centers
Some states have implemented legislation that encourages or even mandates this new approach to sentencing drug offenders. The sentencing programs in these states recognize that in some cases, the best solution for drug problems is not increased incarceration but rather increased treatment. California’s law, for instance, requires judges to offer nonviolent drug offenders probation with substance abuse treatment in lieu of incarceration for their first two offenses. The court can choose from a variety of state-licensed treatment programs. The offender’s sentence may also include community service, literacy training, family counseling, and vocational training.

While most states have some kind of law that provides treatment options to drug offenders, California was only the second state to pass a comprehensive program by voter referendum. Arizona was the first in 1996 with its Drug Medicalization, Prevention and Control Act. Arizona’s Supreme Court has found that 75% of the participants in its program remained drug free in the first year, saving the state $2,500,000. Based on these positive results, other states are also working on treatment options for nonviolent offenders. New York’s chief judge ordered the state’s courts to start phasing in a program that would offer nearly all substance-abusing criminals treatment instead of jail time, for example, and North Carolina and Oregon have also passed laws regarding drug court or conditional probation for certain drug offenders. Washington state, too, has provided for sentencing alternatives in drug cases.

These states have demonstrated that by providing treatment to non-violent drug offenders that would otherwise be incarcerated, society benefits in many ways. Millions of tax dollars can be saved by providing treatment, and treatment programs also incorporate vocational and life skill training, thus enabling the drug user to become a productive part of society once again.

Current drug policy places an increasing burden on an already overburdened and over-crowded prison system by incarcerating non-violent drug offenders in spaces that could be better used to house violent criminals. The public stands to benefit from the financial and societal savings that result from treatment versus imprisonment for certain drug offenders, and the offenders themselves benefit from the training and rehabilitation afforded them in treatment centers. If you or someone you know has been charged with a drug-related crime and you have questions about the options that may be available, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney now.

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