The year may have just begun, but there are already major mass tort cases approaching in 2019 that news outlets will be talking about. They involve defective products and drugs that have caused a lot of people harm. In a mass tort, a group of attorneys represent the injured parties individually. Clients are handled individually since the products or drugs in question have caused harm in similar ways, but the harm and/or injuries require separate cases.

Here are some of the top mass torts we’re likely hear about as the year continues to unfold:

Knowing you’ll be going into surgery can be overwhelming. It’s likely you have many thoughts running through your head about how the procedure will go and what recovery will be like. If you’re worried about the risks, possible outcomes, or medical errors, there are things you can do to maximize your chances of having a successful surgical outcome. Overall, it’s important to remember that you are the one undergoing surgery, which means you should feel as prepared as possible before the operation.

When one hears that their child sustained an injury during birth, they may feel a mixture of overwhelming emotions. They’re worried about their child’s health, how this injury happened, and what this means for their child’s future. Unfortunately, birth injuries can lead to health complications for the rest of a child’s life. If your child has suffered from an injury because of medical negligence, you may be facing a reality that includes affording permanent care for your child.

Auto accidents can be burdensome in more than one way. It’s likely you’ll need to figure out how to repair your vehicle or get a new one. You’ll also have to deal with insurance companies and complex policies. When you’ve been injured, no matter how severe, those burdens are amplified. It’s important to remember, however, that property damage and insurance policies can wait if you have physical injuries that need to be taken care of.

You’ll likely want to deal with everything at once after your crash in an attempt to move past the incident as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, physical injuries often take time to heal, and focusing on your recovery is paramount. Before returning to your normal schedule and work hours, you’ll want to ensure you are healed or at least at a place where you can work without injury yourself further. Let’s take a look at five of the ways you can maximize your recovery time after a vehicular collision.

On Wednesday afternoon, January 30, 2019, a multi-vehicle pileup involving 27 cars and large trucks occurred on Route 222 in Wyomissing, Berks County, Pennsylvania during a whiteout from a snow squall. Of the 27 vehicles, the majority were passenger cars. There was also a big rig hauling mail, a dump truck, and a large box truck.

As a result of the accident, 24 people were injured, and the wreck blocked all lanes of Route 222 southbound between Route 422 westbound and Lebanon/Penn Ave-West Exit and Pennsylvania Route 724 – Sinking Spring/Shillington Exit. Fifteen of the injured were evaluated at the scene; nine were taken to Reading Hospital and eight were taken to Spring Township fire station. Of the nine individuals hospitalized, two were deemed critically injured.

On January 15, 2019, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that independent contractors who work in the transportation industry may not be forced into mandatory arbitration. The decision will allow contractors to defend their rights in court.

The case, New Prime Inc. v. Oliveria, involved a dispute between a trucking company and one of its drivers. When the driver, Dominic Oliveria, began working for New Prime, he was required to complete 10,000 miles of hauling freight for free. Then, as a trainee, he had to complete an additional 30,000 miles for four dollars an hour. Once he became a driver, he was deemed a contractor and was forced to lease his own truck and pay for his own gas. This would not have been the case if the company had deemed him an employee.

Drivers are often familiar with road safety, but may neglect to provide that same care and awareness to their tires. When a vehicle doesn’t have the correct tires or aren’t properly cared for, there’s an increased chance that the tires could cause an accident on the road. A tire failure while driving often causes severe injuries because it’s difficult to maintain control of the vehicle.

On December 26, 2017, an unidentified patient was accidentally injected with a paralyzing anesthetic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The hospital is under investigation for not being upfront with the Davison County Medical Examiner about the deadly medication error.

The patient was being treated at Vanderbilt for a subdural hematoma, also known as bleeding in the brain, and was suffering from headaches and vision loss. Even with those symptoms, the patient was awake, alert, and improving.

There are a number of factors that play into why an automobile crash happens. While we most often think of driver negligence, there are instances where road conditions or ambiguous traffic signs can contribute to an accident. Whether you mostly drive around town or have a long, daily highway commute to work, it’s important to be aware of where the most dangerous spots are for travel. This awareness may help you avoid situations that could result in a wreck.

It can be a frightening and overwhelming experience to learn your baby is ill or has been diagnosed with a medical condition. There are likely to be doctor’s visits, tests, and treatments, and it’s normal to have questions regarding how the illness or condition arose. New babies can suffer from two different types of medical problems: birth injuries and birth defects. While those terms are sometimes used interchangeably, it’s crucial to understand the difference between the two.

Understanding Birth Defects

A birth defect is a disease or medical condition that develops while a child is still growing in the womb. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), birth defects are common. Every four and a half minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. That means that nearly 120,000, or one in 33, babies are affected by this issue every year.

These conditions are structural changes that can affect how any part of the body looks, works, or both. The severity depends greatly on the defect. In some cases, quality of life or lifespan can be impacted. Most birth defects are found within the first year of life or before birth. While some may be easy to see, like a physical deformity, special tests are needed to detect heart defects or hearing loss, for example.

Most birth defects form in the first three months of pregnancy; however, some can occur in the latter six months. In many cases, a birth defect is completely outside you or your doctor’s control.