Articles Tagged with personal injury

IMG_3251-200x300by HWC Partner John Spade

It may seem like common courtesy to change lanes to provide emergency vehicles on the side of the road more room, but law enforcement wants you to remember, this gesture is more than common courtesy. For the safety of all involved—drivers as well as emergency vehicles and personnel—giving a wide girth of space to side-of-the-road emergency vehicles and personnel, is law.

The law (Section 32-5A-58.2), passed in 2009, is designed to protect not only law enforcement officers and emergency responders assisting motorists on the side of the road, but also tow truck drivers and other maintenance personnel who may be conducting business on Alabama’s roadways. If drivers are unable to completely vacate the lane nearest the emergency or maintenance vehicles, the law states the following:

shopping-300x300Lawsuits brought by veterans of the United States military against the Minnesota-based company 3M have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Various venues across the country were considered. Ultimately, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPLM) chose the Northern District of Florida as the home for the 3M Combat Arms Earplug litigation. The case has been assigned to the Honorable M. Casey Rodgers, a veteran of the United States Army.

The cases that will be transferred to the Florida MDL involve 3M’s Combat Arms Earplugs. These dual-ended earplugs were designed and manufactured for use by the military. The earplugs were issued to service members from 2003-2015. Because the earplugs would loosen in the user’s ears while being worn, they were not effective at reducing the level of sound, and ultimately caused permanent hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

The attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. have extensive experience handling claims involving MDLs across the country. If you were a member of the military between 2003 and 2015, were issued dual-ended earplugs, and suffered from hearing loss and tinnitus, you may qualify for compensation. This lawsuit is not against the government or armed forces and does not affect disability benefits.

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