In 2019, there were at least 2,506 cases of vaping-related lung injury (EVALI) in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That includes 54 deaths. It was a sudden spike in patients with respiratory harm that initially confounded emergency room doctors. The symptoms of EVALI mimic the symptoms of the flu … [Read more...]
About Sandra Dalton
Highlights From the $1.4 Trillion 20/20 Budget Deal
Government shutdown was avoided this time around when President Trump signed two spending bills that will fund the federal government until September 2020, the rest of the fiscal year. The $1.4 trillion budget deal included wins and compromises for both parties, policy changes wanted by both parties, and the inevitable odd tidbits slipped in to … [Read more...]
Michigan Governor Wants to Put Medicaid Work Requirements on Hold, Lawsuit Pending
Gretchen Whitmer gives policy talk at the Ford School: The Detroit Grand Bargain(Photo credit: Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan - CC 2.0) Michigan is set to implement Medicaid work requirements on January 1, 2020, but a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was filed on November … [Read more...]
Hyundai Kia Set Aside $760M in Engine Fire Settlement
Automakers Hyundai and Kia, part of Hyundai Motor Group, have reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit over engine fires. The companies have agreed to set aside $760 million to compensate owners of vehicles with the defective Theta II gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines for repairs and other monetary losses. The companies say they will … [Read more...]
Georgia Abortion Ban Blocked by Federal Judge
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Georgia law that would ban most abortions as soon as a heartbeat can be detected by a doctor, as early as six weeks into pregnancy. House Bill 481 would have gone into effect January 1, 2020 but will be on hold until the case against it plays out in court. Similar “heartbeat bills” have been passed this … [Read more...]
Boy Scouts Hidden “Perversion Files” Include Nearly 8,000 Perpetrators and over 12,000 Victims of Sexual Abuse
The Boys Scouts of America (BSA) is involved in a sex abuse scandal that some are comparing to the sex abuse scandal involving the Catholic Church. In fact, both organizations successfully fought against New York’s proposed Child Victims Act which would have extended or eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse victims to file … [Read more...]
Common Privacy Violations You Can Do Something About
If you feel like you are at the mercy of big companies, their constant demands for your private information and their willy-nilly ways of handling it, you are not alone. But you have more rights than you may realize and there are laws in place to protect your privacy. When companies violate your privacy, you can take legal action. You can … [Read more...]
Opioid Overdose Deaths Higher in Certain Occupations
A recent report by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) revealed that there is a significantly higher rate of opioid overdose deaths among workers in occupations and industries that also have high rates of work-related injuries and illnesses, including construction, fishing, and healthcare support. Construction and extraction had the … [Read more...]
New Florida Law to Reduce Opioid Deaths Could Make It Difficult for Legitimate Patients
One of the country’s strictest opioid-prescribing laws went into effect in Florida on Sunday, July 1. The purpose of the law is to reduce opioid addiction and overdose, by making it more difficult for patients to take the drugs long enough to become dependent. The text of Florida’s new law can be seen here. Opioid addiction and overdose have … [Read more...]
Is There a Path to Compensation for Identity Theft?
The consequences of identity theft can haunt you for years. And, of course, it can be very expensive. When you’ve been wronged in such a way, you deserve compensation for your monetary losses, as well as the other harm that it has caused you. But who pays? You can go after the criminal, if you can find them, but they may not have the money. But … [Read more...]
