Archive for January 2018
Meningococcal Vaccine Side Effects and Injuries You Should Know
Meningitis is a “bacterial infection that involves inflammation of the meninges of the brain and can lead to a serious blood infection.”2 After being introduced in the 1970s, meningococcal vaccines, which protect against meningitis, have saved hundreds of lives each year in the U.S. In fact, “invasive meningococcal incidence has decreased by more than 60%…
Read MoreLarge Truck Accidents in Washington State Twice as Fatal on Average
Large trucks, including 18-wheelers and commercial vehicles, pose a unique threat to others on U.S. highways and roads, especially in Washington state. For instance, in May of 2017, a semi-truck driver was killed in a multivehicle accident “that spread wreckage across nearly all lanes of Interstate 5.”1 In September of 2017, a woman was killed…
Read MoreStatute of Limitations for Mesothelioma Cases in Washington State
For the last 2,000 years, asbestos has been used in “building, textiles, and construction” materials for its affordability and “highly versatile, strong, [and] nonflammable” properties.1 Before researchers discovered its correlation to mesothelioma and other diseases, asbestos was often found in home appliances, insulation, and other fireproofing materials. During the twentieth century, asbestos was also mined…
Read More3 Common Causes of Truck Rollover Accidents You Never Knew
While driving on the highway, most people have probably seen a large truck or semi-trailer rolled over in the ditch at some point. During these crashes, large trucks can seriously injure those in passenger cars due to them weighing “20-30 times” more.1 Truck drivers are also at risk of injury. For instance, in Illinois, a…
Read MoreSide Effects and Injuries Linked to MMR Vaccine Everyone Should Know
Since its invention in 1971, the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) combination vaccine has saved thousands of people in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), it is estimated that in the decade before a measles vaccine was available, 3 to 4 million people in the United States were infected each year. An…
Read MoreLung Cancer from Asbestos Exposure: What You Need to Know
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 107,000 people die annually from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.5 Of those three diseases, asbestos-related lung cancer takes the lives of 57,000 people every year.5 How Does Asbestos Cause Lung Cancer? Asbestos exposure occurs when its “fibers are released into the air when friable asbestos-containing materials…
Read MoreSelf-Driving Semi-Trucks and the Future of Highway Crashes
In November 2017, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk introduced a fully electric Class 8 semi-truck that can go “500 miles between charges, hauling 80,000 pounds along the way.”1 It also comes equipped with Enhanced Autopilot, the second generation of Tesla’s semiautonomous technology for highway driving. This standard Tesla feature “allows vehicles to stay within a driving…
Read MoreAsbestos Fibers in Talcum Powder Linked to Mesothelioma
In 1892, Johnson & Johnson’s director of scientific affairs, Dr. Frederick B. Kilmer invented scented talcum-based baby powder that was originally labeled “for toilet and nursery.”1 As its popularity increased, J&J’s Baby Powder became quickly associated with the smell of newborns themselves, as well as with “freshness and cleanliness.”1 As a result, many women used…
Read More