What do you do when you've experienced a wrong-site, wrong-patient or wrong-procedure surgical error?

Groundskeeper and Maintenance Workers

Pedestrian Collisions Causing Injury and Death

Civil damage lawsuits and criminal law deaths, OWI and drunk driving

Client Trial-Deposition Preparation

Cheerleading Safety and the Law of Cheerleading

Criminal Law Commentary - Todd Miler

Wrong-way Interstate and Highway Collisions in Iowa

I-35 I-80 I-235 I-380 Collisions/Accidents

General - Rants - Raves and Housekeeping

Nerve, Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

Trial Practice - Mostly for lawyers

Trial Practice - Mostly for non-lawyers

Boating & Water Injuries and Accidents

Client Toolbox

Car and Tractor Trailer Accidents

Large Damage, Major-Serious Injury and Death Cases

Cheerleading Safety and the Law of Cheerleading

Groundskeeper and Maintenance Workers

What do you do when you've experienced a wrong-site, wrong-patient or wrong-procedure surgical error?

Injury Caused by Property Defects

Client Trial-Deposition Preparation

Do you wonder how you should prepare for answering questions in your deposition? In this segment Attorney Steve Lombardi will tell you how to think about answering questions in a deposition. These are Lombardi's 8 Simple Rules for Answering Deposition Questions.

Civil damage lawsuits and criminal law deaths, OWI and drunk driving

General

Iowa State Fair 2009 Photography Competition

Helpful Internet Resources

Car and Tractor Trailer Accidents

Miami Injury Lawyer: The Law Office of Robert Dixon,personal injury cases involving car accidents,
wrongful death, slip and falls and any type of injury claims.
Iowa car accidents: Discussions about most anything of a personal injury nature including cars, trucks and mass transit wrecks or accidents.
NHTSA - Nathional Highway Safety: The National Highway Safety Administration site provides safety information having to do with riding on the blacktop. An essential ingredient for any client or trial lawyer toolbox.
Iowa truck and trailer accidents: Iowa truck and trailer accident news and discussion.
Injuryboard Help Center - Tractor-Trailer Accidents: A help center with a regional and national approach to educating the public about the law that applies to these types of personal injury claims.

Large Damage, Major-Serious Injury and Death Cases

TBI Resource Guide: Welcome to Centre for Neuro Skills ®

Rehabilitation at CNS

A person with brain injury may have just a single opportunity for rehabilitation. The quality of life that follows treatment often depends on making the right placement decision.

Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS) offers each client the highest quality rehabilitation possible.

The quality of the recovery matters most at CNS. Reaching the best possible outcome drives treatment planning and delivery for every client. Each member of the CNS staff is committed to doing all it takes, no matter how challenging, to help individuals with brain injury regain as much independence as possible.

CNS therapists are highly trained in working with persons who are brain injured. Several have close family members who have experienced brain injury. Their first-hand experience with the ups and downs of rehabilitation gives them an invaluable treatment perspective. They bring not only knowledge and experience, but also unique talents and compassion for understanding clients and helping them regain lost living skills.

Over 25 Years of Excellence in Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Founded in 1980, Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS) is an experienced and respected resource of rehabilitation programs for acquired brain injury. With facilities in Bakersfield and Los Angeles, California; and Dallas, Texas, CNS offers intensive, cost-effective and outcome-driven residential, outpatient, and in-home rehabilitation programs for individuals recovering from all types of acquired brain injury.

The purpose of all rehabilitation programs at CNS is to reduce disabilities while obtaining the maximum independence and best quality of life in the least restrictive setting for our clients.
Spinal Cord Society: SCS is a large grass roots organization linked by a monthly Newsletter, and thousands of members throughout North America and other countries. Its goal is cure of chronic spinal cord injury paralysis. SCS is an organization of the spinal cord injured, their families and friends, and dedicated scientists and physicians who are aiming at the ultimate goal of cure through improved treatment and research.
National Spinal Cord Injury Association: An online resource center for answers about spinal cord injury.
Nat. Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: NINDS is a spinal cord injury information center with links to other related organizations.
National Rehabilitation Information Center: National Rehabilitation Information Center's online gateway to an abundance of disability and rehabilitation-oriented information organized in a variety of formats designed to make it easy for users to find and use.
Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation: The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.
Brain Injury News: A blog about brain injury that provides sources and discussion all about brain injury.
Medical Library Association: A good source for further links to medical issues.

Cheerleading Safety and the Law of Cheerleading

National Cheer Safety Foundation: Kimberly Archie, the director of the National Cheer Safety Foundation provides safety information in the NCSF safety library. Kim is a great, and perhaps the number one advocate who has changed this sport to one focused on safety.

I collect articles of interest and post on the Cheerleading Safety and the Law of Cheerleading page of Lombardi Law Firm.
American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators: Cheerleading is a dangerous sport for young women. The AACCA has been working to improve safety by establishing guidelines and creating standards by which the teams and coaches need to follow. This is a great stride towards cheer safety to avoid catastrophic injuries. Here is what they have to say about the organization:
AACCA, or The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators, is the defining source for all cheerleading safety education. The AACCA manual was composed by the industry's top cheerleading professionals, doctors, business professionals, lawyers, and Dr. Gerald S. George.

AACCA was created to form a structured platform for cheerleading safety. The concept of the certification was to create stronger, safer athletes. The physics of cheerleading mixed with the intense emotional toll that any sport can have were all taken into consideration when creating the manual. Topics such as physical vs. emotional readiness are also discussed. AACCA wants coaches who take the course to walk away feeling knowledgeable on many levels. We also want every coach to be able to refrence the AACCA manual on a regular basis.

The AACCA manual is an intensive study of the philosophy of safety, along with cheer and dance specific techniques, legal liability issues, medical responsibilities, nutrition and hydration, environmental safety, and many other topics relative to the practice and performances of cheerleader and dance skills.

The certification process involves a three hour review followed by a 2 hour open book testing session. One of the benefits of the open book testing, is the ability to become intimately familiar with the AACCA manual. This gives coaches the ability to quickly reference the AACCA manual and utilize it's contents. AACCA wants to give coaches the ability to retrieve necessary information at their own practices or performances. Discussing important topics and highlighting pertinent sections of the manual will allow for better situational applications.

Workers' Compensation

OSHA on Sodium Hydroxide:
Synonyms: Caustic soda; Soda; Lye

OSHA IMIS Code Number: 2260

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 1310-73-2

NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: WB4900000

Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1823 154 (dry, solid); 1824 154 (solution)

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Sodium Hydroxide: chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 2 mg/m³ TWA

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 2 mg/m³ TWA

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 2 mg/m³ TWA

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 2 mg/m³ Ceiling

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 2 mg/m³ Ceiling (15 Minutes)

NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 10 mg/m³

Potential symptoms: Eye, skin mucous membrane irritation; sore throat, cough, labored breathing, shortness of breath; pulmonary edema, pneumonitis; eye, skin burns; redness, pain, blisters; blurred vision, blindness (from contact with liquid); temporary loss of hair; INGES ACUTE: Burning sensation; nausea, vomiting; abdominal pain, diarrhea; swelling of the larynx to the point of suffocation; shock or collapse.

Health Effects: Irritation-Eye, Nose, Throat, Skin---Marked (HE14); Respiratory effects (HE11); Acute high risk toxicity by ingestion or immersion (HE4).

Affected organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system

Notes: 1) Lowest published human lethal oral dose, 1.57 mg/kg of body weight. 2) Listed among FDA's "direct food substances affirmed as generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) when used in foods at levels not to exceed current good manufacturing practice (21 CFR 184.1763).

Date Last Revised: 03/09/2004

Literature Basis:
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Sodium Hydroxide.
- NIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances: Sodium hydroxide (RTECS # WB4900000).
- International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): Sodium Hydroxide.
- Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Sodium Hydroxide. In, Sittig's Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 2. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 2076-2078.
Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:
- sampling media: Mixed Cellulose Ester Filter (MCEF) 0.8 microns
  analytical solvent: Water extraction
  maximum volume: 960 Liters maximum flow rate: 2.0 L/min (TWA)
  maximum volume: 30 Liters minimum time: 15 Minutes maximum flow rate: 2.0 L/min (Ceiling)
  current analytical method: Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy; AAS
  method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA ID-121
  method classification: Fully Validated
  note: Submit as a separate sample. If the filter is not overloaded, samples may be collected up to an 8-hour period. When analysis of a compound is requested, an elemental analysis is performed and reported as the compound.
Wipe sampling: Whatman smear tab; Solvent: Deionized water.
- All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Iowa Workers' Compensation: Search the Workers' Compensation website for decisions, laws, agency rules, staff information and more.
Safety Lex: Every wonder what news is out there concerning safety in your workplace, or with the toy your child has in it's mouth or on construction sites? Look no further to see safety news from around the world.
Iowa work place injuries: Discussions about most anything of a personal injury nature including news about work place injuries and the causes.
Workers' Comp Insider: It's been said to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Want to know what the other side is thinking? They call it cost control or cost containment. It's Lynch Ryan's weblog about workers' compensation from the defense perspective.

What do you do when you've experienced a wrong-site, wrong-patient or wrong-procedure surgical error?

Is this tool the cure for wrong-site surgery and other OR errors?: Editor-in-Chief
obg@dowdenhealth.com

A new 19-item checklist for safe surgery from the World Health Organization (WHO) aims to improve communication and cohesiveness among team members at three key mileposts:

Before anesthesia is induced—“Sign In”

Before the skin incision—“Time Out”

Before the patient leaves the OR—“Sign Out”

Wrong-site surgery is devastating—for the patient and family, of course, but also for the surgical team. Almost always, such error is the result of poor surgical process and ineffective communication among members of the surgical team. Now, WHO is working to improve the surgical process and team communication around the globe—with the goal of eliminating error in the operating room (OR). Is your hospital or clinic following through?

First, some background

After a spate of wrong-site surgical events that were covered intensively by the national media, including a highly publicized wrong-side brain surgery at Rhode Island Hospital in 2001, The Joint Commission in July 2003 designated elimination of wrong-site surgery as a National Patient Safety Goal. The Commission’s Universal Protocol, or UP, including the preprocedure “Time Out,” was made standard practice for all surgical procedures both in the main OR and at other care sites. (Editor’s note: The Joint Commission issued a revised Universal Protocol in January; you can read it, and considerable background on this safety effort, at http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/UniversalProtocol/.)

The 3-step UP

The Universal Protocol calls for the surgical team to take three steps preoperatively:

confirm the patient’s identity using at least two identifiers

mark the operative site

take a final “time out,” which requires “active communication among all members of the surgical team, consistently initiated by a designated member of the team, conducted in a “fail-safe” mode” such that the procedure is not started if a team member has concerns. The “time out” includes explicitly confirming 1) the identity of the patient, 2) what procedure is planned, and 3) the correct site of surgery.

There is more: The team should confirm the availability of all appropriate equipment, and members should be asked if they have any concerns about the plan.

This is not news to ObGyns and other surgeons; most practice sites have developed a checklist to ensure that the Universal Protocol is implemented. But, as experience with the Universal Protocol has evolved, it’s become apparent that the protocol should be expanded to include briefing and debriefing components.

Renewed focus on “Before” and on “After”

About one half of all surgical complications can be prevented, studies of surgical error suggest.1Communication failure and poor teamwork among members of the surgical team are a commonly observed cause of adverse surgical outcomes.2 To improve teamwork and reduce communication failure, many experts have urged that the Universal Protocol be expanded to include a preprocedure briefing and a postprocedure debriefing. Such a briefing process may reduce preventable errors in several ways:

encouraging ongoing communication

sharing information

prioritizing tasks

improving attention

avoiding tunnel vision.

Enter the Checklist

Building on these ideas, WHO has developed a Surgical Safety Checklist that incorporates many of these best practices into a 19-item checklist (TABLE). It’s hypothesized—and hoped—that the checklist will improve teamwork and effective communication; foster adherence to optimal surgical practices; and improve the team’s ability to anticipate possible adverse events.

That hypothesis has been bolstered by the results of a recent study of 7,688 patients who were undergoing noncardiac surgery at any one of eight hospitals. Implementing the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist led to 1) a decline in surgical death—from 1.5% to 0.8% of surgeries (p= .003)—and 2) a reduction in overall complications from 11% to 7% (p < .001). Surgical-site infection was reduced from 6.2% to 3.4%, and unplanned return to the operating room declined from 2.4% to 1.8% of surgeries.3

The design of that study doesn’t allow us to identify, with precision, the reasons that using the checklist improved outcomes. It’s possible that the performance of members of the surgical team improved because they knew that they were being studied (the so-called Hawthorne effect). More likely, the structured, collaborative conversation prompted by the checklist improved the exchange of critical information and stimulated group decision-making, which, in turn, improved outcomes.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Wrong-site Surgery Advisory: Information Statement
WRONG-SITE SURGERY

This Information Statement was developed as an educational tool based on the opinion of the authors. It is not a product of a systematic review. Readers are encouraged to consider the information presented and reach their own conclusions.

Wrong-site surgery is a devastating problem that affects both the patient and surgeon and results from poor preoperative planning, lack of institutional controls, failure of the surgeon to exercise due care, or a simple mistake in communication between the patient and the surgeon.

Wrong-site surgery is not just an orthopaedic surgery problem that occurs because the surgeon operates on the wrong limb. This is a system problem that affects other surgical specialties as well. While the number of reported orthopaedic surgery cases is not high relative to the total number of orthopaedic professional liability insurance claims, a retrospective study of a sample of insurers across the country provides evidence that 84 percent of the cases involving wrong-site orthopaedic surgery claims resulted in indemnity payments over a 10-year period, compared to all other types of orthopaedic surgery claims where indemnity payments were made in 30 percent of orthopaedic surgery claims during this same time period.
Washington Post - Medical Errors, Wrong-site Surgeries: The Problem Surgery on the wrong body part -- or the wrong patient -- is widely regarded as the one of the most egregious errors in medicine. In recent years the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) as well as some physician and patient advocacy groups have tried to eliminate such errors by having doctors or patients -- or both -- mark the correct site or verify the procedure beforehand.
Universal Protocol: The Universal Protocol is intended to protect the patient from wrong-site, wrong-patient or wrong-procedure types of surgery.
Tips for Patients to Prevent Wrong Site Surgery: If the surgeon made a mistake and operated on the wrong side, or did the wrong surgery or worse yet operated on the wrong patient this is the site for you. Contact the Lombardi Law Firm. If you want to prevent this from happening to you follow the Joint Commissions suggestions for avoiding these kinds of mistakes.

Tips for Patients to Prevent Wrong Site Surgery

You and your surgeon should agree on exactly what will be done during the operation.

Ask to have the surgical site marked with a permanent marker and to be involved in marking the site. This means that the site cannot be easily overlooked or confused (for example, surgery on the right knee instead of the left knee).

Ask questions. You should speak up if you have concerns. It's okay to ask questions and expect answers that you understand.

Think of yourself as an active participant in the safety and quality of your health care. Studies show that patients who are actively involved in making decisions about their care are more likely to have good outcomes.

Insist that your surgery be done at a Joint Commission-accredited facility. Joint Commission accreditation is considered the "gold standard," meaning that the hospital or surgery center has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation and is committed to national quality and safety standards. To find out if a facility is accredited, visit Quality Check.
For more information see, Help Prevent Errors in Your Care: For Surgical Patients.
New Options Available For Ophthalmologists To Avoid Wrong Site Surgery: The American Academy of Ophthalmology is offering ophthalmologists two new tools to help members avoid wrong site or wrong IOL errors. The tools include a new protocol with a simple checklist to follow prior to and the day of surgery as well as a new CME course.

The new protocol was developed by the Academy's Wrong Site/Wrong IOL Task Force, which was established by the Academy, with the assistance of the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) and the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company (OMIC). Also helping in the development of the protocol were nine subspecialty societies and other ophthalmic organizations*. The protocol outlines suggestions to help surgeons evaluate their own system to minimize preventable surgical errors. In addition, the protocol includes a simple checklist for doctors to use pre-operatively and in the operating room. Laminated copies of the checklist have been mailed to the Academy's membership in the U.S. Additional copies can be downloaded at the Academy Web site.

Motorcycle Accidents

Harley-Davidson Forums: Providing forums, articls, clubs, site news and a photo gallery you can register and have access to all the information available on this site.
Harley-Davidson's Zylstra in Iowa: Zylstra is a Harley-Davidson dealer having stores in Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois.

Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell
1930 East 13th Street, Ames, IA 50010
Phone: (515) 232-6223 Fax: (515) 232-1136

Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell
19600 Evans Street NW (Hwy 169 N)
Elk River, MN 55330
Phone: (763) 241-2000
Fax: (763) 241-5347

Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell
131 South Randall Road
St. Charles, IL 60174
Phone: (630) 584-8000
Fax: (630) 584-8160
Harley-Davidson USA: Find a Harley-Davidson dealer near you or just look at the new line of motorcycles.
Injuryboard Help Centers: A help center for motorcycle related accidents.
Des Moines Injury Board Blawg: Discussions about most anything of a personal injury nature. Including motorcycles, cars, trucks and mass transit wrecks or accidents.
Motorcycle Accidents at Injury Board: Discussions about most anything of a personal injury nature including motorcycles.
Biker Chick News: A rider from Iowa who blogs about motorcycle issues.
Biker Law: Norman Fernandez and I don't always agree but we respect the other's right to have and to speak an opinion.
Motorcycle Safety Tips: Some news you can use when riding a two-wheeler across town or our country.
ABA Link to Lombardi Law Blawg: blawg on Injuryboard.com. Come here to see what tips he gives about the law, politics and his common sense approach to the application of law as to support the common man and woman who work for a living. Don't be fooled by those trying to distort personal injury law for their own financial gain. His blawg dispenses a common sense approach to the laws intended for the working person's benefit. Stay alert, stary informed and stay tuned... visit us daily.

Construction Site Accidents

Daily Commercial News: A Canadian site with an abundance of data about the construction industy, including the United States.
Safety Equipment Organization: Since its founding in 1933, the ISEA and the industry it represents have been making work safer for men and women in the US and around the world. Throughout the year, we'll be telling the story of the progress of this industry and its contribution to advancing occupational safety and health, and making a better life for millions of workers.
Construction Safety Equipment: The AEC CommunitE-store offers construction safety equipment including eye safety, face protection, fall protection, first aid kits, hand protection, hearing protection, protective footwear, rainwear, respiratory protection, signage, books, traffic safety products, wearables, lockout/tagout goods, safety instrumentation, branded items and construction site printing services. Shop the store for all of your construction and safety equipment needs.
Protective clothing and footwear: Wearing the correct clothing can save your life. Spend the money to work safely. Spend the time to learn how.
Fall protection through netting: One out of ten construction workers is injured on the job each year, and falls are the single leading cause of construction accidents, injuries—and fatalities. The statistics are sobering—but your employees don’t have to become casualties. Team up with InCord and let us custom-engineer safety netting and fall protection solutions for your construction operation. We make durable, dependable safety nylon and polypropylene netting in any size or shape for any type of site—whether you’re building houses or high-rises.
Fall protection - harnesses & lanyards: We carry: fall protection products, fall protection equipment, osha fall protection, fall protection system, fall protection harness, harnesses, construction fall protection, fall protection safety products, roofer fall protection, roofing fall safety systems, fall protection lanyard, retractable lanyard, safety lanyard, fall safety lanyard, retracting lanyard,self retracting lanyard, miller fall protection, lanyards, fall arrest safety gear, ropes, lifeline systems, carabiners, roof anchors, rope lifeline, fall protection rope, industrial rope, capital safety equipment, anchor points, anchor systems climbing rope and more.
Fall protection - Harnesses and lanyards: Since 1972 RTC has met the Fall Protection needs of companies in diverse industries throughout the world. Whether you need basic equipment, like a harness and shock absorbing lanyard, for rooftop or construction applications, or an engineered fall protection system, RTC can meet your needs.
OSHA at the US Dept of Labor: This site is essential for any trial lawyers tool box. Here the DOL provides access to all OSHA related information including the law, rulings and letters clarifying OSHA's interpretation.

Injury Caused by Property Defects

Firefighter News: This site provides firefighter news and a blog along with resources for fires and firefighting. It's a great site with a nice design and full of information. Obviously up to date and well cared for on a daily basis.

Civil damage lawsuits and criminal law deaths, OWI and drunk driving

Ridin' Dirty - The Radio Talk Show: For many of you that haven't yet heard, there is a new radio show in town. Ridin' Dirty is the first of its kind, an entire hour of talk radio dedicated solely to the issues surrounding drinking and driving.

Broadcast daily from 11:00am - 12:00pm on KLAA 830 AM, this unique program was designed to motivate and inspire people to learn to enjoy alcohol during social occasions without the possibility of legal troubles.

Criminal Law Commentary - Todd Miler

Iowa Cold Cases: Writer Jody Ewing launched the Iowa Cold Cases website in December 2005 after working on a cold case series for the Sioux City Weekender. This site provides facts, analysis, reporting and commentary about cold criminal cases in Iowa.

Blawgs and Blogs

Des Moines InjuryBoard Blawg: An Iowa blawg about personal injury issues, commentaray and news releases.
InjuryBoard.com: A national collection of personal injury related law blawgs.
Civil Procedure Prof Blog: Just what it says it is. A blog about civ. pro. for Profs...
TortsProf-Blog: Blogs By Law Professors For Law Professors
Law Professor Blogs is a network of web logs ("blogs") designed from the ground-up to assist law professors in their scholarship and teaching. Each site focuses on a particular area of law and combines both (1) regularly-updated permanent resources and links, and (2) daily news and information of interest to law professors. Our editors are leading scholars and teachers who are committed to providing the web destination for law professors in their fields.

What Law Professor Blogs Are
The permanent resources & links and daily news & information are designed to collect in one place materials helpful to law professors in their scholarship and teaching:

Permanent Resources and Links:

A list of all the law professors in the field, with links to their personal web pages, along with a list of recent lateral moves, entry level hires, and visiting appointments
A list of casebooks and other materials, with links to the books on the publisher's web site
Links to working papers on SSRN, colloquia, and specialized law reviews
Links to professional organizations for faculty (AALS section, ABA section, etc.)
Links to think tanks, U.S., state & foreign law sources, publishers, and other web sites of interest
Daily News and Information:

Upcoming colloquia, conferences, and meetings
Abstracts of working papers and recently-published scholarship
Book reviews
Career moves
Other items of interest to faculty writing and teaching in the area
What Law Professor Blogs Are Not
Our blogs are not a collection of personal ruminations about the Presidential campaign, the war in Iraq, or what the editor had for dinner last night. Neither do our editors offer their personal views on every policy issue in the news or every new court decision. We leave that terrain to the many existing blogs with that mission. Instead, our editors focus their efforts, in both the permanent resources & links and daily news & information, on the scholarly and teaching needs of law professors. Our hope is that law professors will visit the Law Professor Blog in their area (or areas) as part of their daily routine.

Future Law Professor Blogs
In our start-up phase, we are continuously adding new Law Professor Blogs in various areas of law. If you would be interested in serving as editor of a blog, or if you would like to receive an email announcement as new blogs come on-line, please email us.
Brent Trout on IT Issues: Des Moines lawyer discussing patent and trademark issues along with business links.
Perlmutter & Schuelke Blog - Austin, Texas: Brooks Schuelke has successfully handled numerous civil litigation matters since 1995. Brooks has also written or edited articles about litigation issues. His partner, Mark Perlmutter is a Certified Civil Trial Lawyer with over 25 years’ experience. He has successfully represented myriad plaintiffs in legal malpractice, personal injury and other civil trial matters, as well as representing numerous clients in class action cases.

Toolbox for Clients

LawGuru: A place where you can ask legal questions.
Consumer Product Safety Commission: Toys painted with lead, choking hazzards, products that electricute, burn and buzz - it's all here at the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Read about recalls, warnings and how to protect your children.
Injuryboard.com: This is a one stop shop for personal injury news and commentary by a group of lawyers and law firms across the country. It's the place you should start looking for answers to your questions about personal injury.
FDA Medical Device Recalls: See the latest Medical Device Recalls from the FDA.

Toolbox for Law Students

Gilbert Law Summaries - The book law profs will tell you don't need to read.: Welcome to Gilbert Law Summaries! They said we didn't need them and all the top A students agreed, or so that is what they told us.

Help get more out of your reading assignments and class discussion. A leader in law school supplementary materials since its inception in 1953, Gilbert Law Summaries provides a variety of legal study aids in all the major law school subject areas. They offer study aids for all your students' needs, including:

Gilbert Law Summaries -Each Gilbert includes a concise capsule summary, comprehensive outline of the law, and charts, as well as exam tips, and multiple choice, true/false, and essay questions with explained answers.
Law School Legends Lectures on Cassette and CD -Dynamic lectures from the top law school professors in the country that you can listen to any place, any time. Every lecture is 3.5 - 9 hours long and contains a handout, so students can take notes as they go.
Plus, they have a complete line of career guides to help with all aspects of a students' job search - from creating a great resume, finding the truly great places to work, getting a judicial clerkship, and discovering ways to pursue non-traditional careers.

Government Sources

USA.Gov: Do you have a question about how the US government works or doesn't work? Go to USA.Gov and you may find the answer to your question.
Activity in Congress: Want to know what's going on in Congress? Me neither but sometimes you just have to know. Here is a list of floor activity from the previous legislative day, floor actions, the Daily Digest; you can search the Congressional Record along with many more search options.
The White House - The Red Phone!: You awoke this morning madder then Hell and want to give the President a piece of your mind. Well cool off and then you can send the President and email.

Toolbox for Trial Lawyers

Iowa Association of Realtors - Online Forms (PW required): Iowa Association of Realtors - Online Forms (PW required)
What Vocational Experts Should Know About Neuropsychological Evaluations and How to Use the Information in Identifying Transferable Skills: What is a Neuropsychological Evaluation
??The neuropsychological evaluation involves the administration of various standardized teststhat are sensitive to the measurement of behavioral and cognitive changesthat are reflective of brain processes.
??The tests are noninvasive, unlike neuroimaging techniques (CT and MRI) which help localize areas of structural change in the brain.
??The neuropsychological evaluation is helpful in the assessment of individuals with suspected difficulties that result in problems with daily activities, behaviors and emotional control.
??The neuropsychological evaluation helps to determine levels of cognitive strength and weakness, when there is no readily appreciable brain abnormality identifiedthrough neuroimaging or EEG studies.
??When structural changes or abnormalities have been identified, the neuropsychological evaluation can help determine what functions have been effected and to what degree there may be difficulties.
Excel Spreadsheet Calculator for Motorcycle Minimum Speeds based on Skid Marks: Shortest Non-Skid Stopping Distance Possible with 100% Braking Efficiency. NEWER VERSION!

There are three fundamental differences in the model over the last version:

It now shows how much speed was scrubbed while braking - prior to any collision that might have occurred
It now calculates minimum speed at start of braking including transient braking time
It now reflects the fact that the dynamic (sliding) coefficient of friction is about 25% less than the static coefficient of friction instead of 20%
Transient Braking Time is the elapsed time from when you first start braking until weight transfer has occurred and you have reached maximum braking effort. It is very close to .2 seconds for almost all cars and motorcycles. If air brakes are involved, then Transient Braking Time can be considerably longer. [See this thread for a complete discussion about Transient Braking Time.]

It is important that you realize that the 'Minimum Speed scrubbed by skid' result is actually what the speed would have been if the vehicle had come to a complete stop. Thus, instead of adding that speed to the collision speed to determine minimum speed at start of braking, you COMBINE, not ADD, those speeds. Combining involves adding the square of both speeds and then finding the square root of the sum. In the example run above, therefore, the minimum speed at start of braking is correctly found to be nearly 66 MPH (SQRT(30^2 + 56.07^2)) instead of 86 MPH (30 + 56.07).
Skid Mark Analysis for Motorcycles: Skid mark analysis is often used by accident reconstructionists to determine the minimum speed at which a vehicle was traveling at the time the skid marks began. In a court of law the results of this analysis are considered of prime value because they can be defended scientifically, assuming the analysis is done correctly. The analysis is often challenged, however, because there is a certain degree of uncertainty in all aspects of the process. Nevertheless, a critical review of the method used and the assumptions made will find the amount of uncertainty involved is relatively insignificant in the conclusions. Should the analysis, for example, show that the vehicle had to have been traveling at least 63.5 MPH when it began to skid, uncertainty analysis can demonstrate that the conclusion cannot be more than, say, 5% off which means that the vehicle had to have been traveling at a speed of no less than 60 MPH and in a 45 MPH posted speed zone there can be no argument that it had been speeding.
Skid-mark speed calculator: A handy little skid speed calculator.
West Academic - Casebooks and Statutes: Casebook Product Lines - From accounting to workers' compensation, the American Casebook Series and University Casebook Series have been an indispensable part of law student life since the first part of the 20th century.
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American Casebook Series - West began publishing the American Casebook Series in 1908. Both historically rooted and forward minded, West continues to strive for excellence in providing outstanding scholarship for legal education course materials. Today, West continues as an innovator in the law school market, with the American Casebook Series offering a diversity of authorship in a broad range of subject areas. This allows professors many options in selecting the casebook that is appropriate for their course, all of which are sure to provide an interesting context for invigorating class discussion.

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University Casebook Series - Foundation Press, one of America's most prestigious publishers of law books, offers the University Casebook Series. Foundation Press was the first publisher to recognize that a nationally acclaimed board of editors, comprised of outstanding legal scholars and educators, provides a solid and continuing basis for assuring the merits of its publications. The exceptional quality and scholarship of the University Casebook Series has resulted from Foundation Press's tradition of excellence since the 1930's.
West Publishing Companies Interactive Casebook Series: What is an Interactive Casebook?
The Interactive Casebook originated with West's desire to provide students with a learning resource more in tune to the ways that law student's think and learn today. Today's law student has come of age in a highly technologically-sophisticated environment, with a heavy use of laptop computers and the Internet dominating the educational experience. Today it is commonplace to see 100% of the students in a classroom typing away at their computers as professors give their lectures. The vast majority of legal research resources are now online, meaning students are much more accustomed to using electronic materials than they are with fumbling through clunky physical texts. Thus, although it is necessary for law schools to continue to inculcate in students the ability to consult hard copy materials when appropriate, it is also necessary to update the manner in which reading material is transmitted to students within law school courses.

Learn more about our Interactive Casebook, Civil Procedure, A Contemporary Approach Second Edition, by A. Benjamin Spencer.
Nutshell Series on the Law: Study Aids and Ancillary Materials covering 142 titles and subjects in a concise and readable manner. A decent way to get an overview of a particular area of the law.
The digital law office: A daily digest of cases, comments and practical references for applying technology to the practice of law and litigation support.
US Courts Online: All that you want to know about the US Courts is accessible through this link.
Life at the Bar: No not that bar, this website is about the trial bar.
National Weather Service: Many cases include weather related proof. With this link you can access historic weather data.
WSJ Law Blog: Here the WSJ hashes over the legal news of the day. You may agree to disagree, but believe me it's never dull.
Trial Lawyer Resource Center: Trial tips from trial lawyers and litigation experts on a variety of topics.
Iowa Courts Online: Search the Court docket for cases filed in Iowa's 99 counties.

Law Firms In and Outside of Iowa

TENNESSEE - LAW OFFICES OF MORGAN ADAMS: Serving Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, Monteagle TN
Serious Personal Injury Law Firm

In a matter of seconds a trucking accident or car crash can leave you with a serious personal injury that turns you or your family’s life upside down. Aside from receiving immediate medical treatment, you need to speak with a Tennessee Accident Attorney immediately.

The Law Offices of Morgan Adams is known for thinking outside of the box and reaching creative solutions for difficult problems. The results of the firm speak for themselves with multiple million dollar recoveries for their clients in cases throughout the Southeast.

When you suffer a personal injury as a result of another person’s negligence or reckless behavior, you are entitled by law to receive compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills and lost wages. While regaining your health is your top priority, and recovery of damages for your personal injury expenses may not be foremost in your mind, retaining an experienced personal injury lawyer at the outset is vital protect your best interests and hold liable parties responsible. At the Law Offices of Morgan Adams, we worry about your case so you can focus on healing.

Serving the Southeast from its office in Chattanooga, the Law Offices of Morgan Adams concentrates its practice in the areas of personal injury including Tennessee trucking accidents and wrongful death. Our skilled attorneys have broad based experience in a wide scope of personal injury accidents. Our firm provides legal services for individuals and their families in Chattanooga, Tennessee and North Georgia, and through associated counsel in cities nationwide.

Law Offices of
Morgan Adams
The Adams Building
1419 Market Street
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
Telephone: 423-265-2020
Toll Free: 866-580-4878 (HURT)
WWW.TENNESSEEACCIDENTLAW.COM
Michigan DWI Laws: Specializing in the defense of both residents and non-residents from DUI charges, the Law Office of Joseph F. Awad is a full service Michigan-based law firm dedicated to clearing your name.
KANSAS - Warner Law Offices: Serving: Wichita, Andover, Arkansas City, Augusta, Derby, El Dorado, Haysville, Hutchinson, McPherson, Newton, Wellington, Winfield

310 W. Central
Ste. 110
Wichita, Kansas 67202
PENNSYLVANIA - Sheller, P.C.: Serving: Statewide Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Norristown, Cheltenham, Chester, Drexel Hill, Folsom, Havertown, King of Prussia, Levittown, Radnor, Springfield, Swarthmore, West Chester, Willow Grove

1528 Walnut Street
3rd Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
OHIO - Spangenberg Shibley & Liber: Serving: Cleveland, Ashtabula, Brecksville, Brook Park, Brunswick, Chardon, Cleveland Heights, Eastlake, Elyria, Lakewood, Lorain, Macedonia, Medina, Mentor, North Ridgeville, Painesville, Parma, Rocky River, Solon, Stongsville, Willoughby

1900 East Ninth Street
Suite 2400
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
WISCONSIN - Jacquart & Lowe, S.C.: Serving: Milwaukee, Appleton, Fox Valley, Green Bay, Janesville, Kenosha, Madison, Oshkosh, Port Washington, Racine, Sheboygan, Watertown, Waukesha, West Bend

241 N. Broadway
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
NEBRASKA - Inserra & Kelley: Serving: Omaha, Council Bluffs, Bellevue, Elkhorn, Fremont, La Vista, Norfolk, Papillion, Plattsmouth, Ralston, South Sioux City, Valentine, Wayne, Atlantic, Carroll, Carter Lake, Creston, Denison, Missouri Valley, Red Oak

6790 Grover Street
Suite 200
Omaha, Nebraska 68106
MASSACHUSETTS - Steven H. Schafer & Associates: Serving: Boston, Worcester, Cambridge, Lowell, Dedham, Salem, Lawrence, Brockton, Plymouth, Taunton, Fall River, New Bedford, MetroWest, Newton, Needham, Wellesley, Natick, Framingham, Waltham
RHODE ISLAND - Audette, Bazar, Cordeiro & Grasso, Inc.: Serving: Providence, Bristol, Central Falls, Cranston, Cumberland, East Greenwich, Johnston, Lincoln, Narragansett, Pawtucket, Riverside, Wakefield, Warren, Warwick, Westerly, Barrington, East Providence

35 Highland Avenue
East Providence, Rhode Island 02914
GEORGIA - Childers & Schlueter, LLP: Serving: Atlanta, Macon, Marietta, Norcross, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, Buckhead, College Park, Decatur, Duluth, Forest Park. Also serving communities throughout the state of Georgia and across the nation.

260 Peachtree Street Northwest
Suite 1601
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
HAWAII - Wayne Parsons Law Offices: Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai

1406 Colburn St.
Suite 201-C
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
COLORADO - Bachus & Schanker, LLC: Serving: Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Spring, Grand Junction, Cheyenne and all surrounding areas. Offices in Denver, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs
ALABAMA - Burns, Cunningham & Mackey, P.C.: Serving: Mobile, Butler, Chatom, Demopolis, Evergreen, Fairhope, Grove Hill, Gulf Shores, Livingston, Mcintosh, Monroeville, Mt. Vernon, Orange Beach, Theodore, Bay Minette, Bayou La Batre
ALASKA - Law Offices of Michael J. Schneider: Serving: Anchorage, Bethel, Chugiak, Cordova, Dutch Harbor, Eagle River, Homer, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, Palmer, Seward, Sitka, Soldotna, Wasilla, Willow
CALIFORNIA - Owen, Patterson & Owen: Serving: Glendale, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Antelope Valley, East Los Angeles, Acton, Agoura Hills, Burbank, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta-Montrose, Oak Park, Piru, Quartz Hill, San Fernando, Simi Valley, Val Verde, Valencia, Westlake Village, Alhambra, Compton, Downey, El Monte, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Norwalk, Pasadena, South Gate, West Covina, Whittier, Desert View Highlands, Edwards AFB, Lake Los Angeles, Littlerock, Palmdale, Quartz Hill, Rosamond
MINNESOTA - Bradshaw & Bryant: MINNEAPOLIS (March 31, 2008) Michael Bryant has been named as one of Minnesota's Top 40 Personal Injury Lawyers by Minnesota Law & Politics Magazine for the fourth time in five years. The 2007 Minnesota's Top 40 Personal Injury Lawyer survey was published in the June/July edition of Minnesota Law & Politics Magazine. Over 18,000 ballots were sent to randomly selected attorneys across Minnesota. Minnesota attorneys were asked to name peers that they considered to be outstanding lawyers in the field of personal injury law.
MICHIGAN - Church Wyble: Church Wyble is comprised of Michigan personal injury attorneys dedicated to representing individuals and families who have suffered losses as a result of injuries, disabilities or death. Our firm has been practicing law in the area of personal injury since 1951. We have significant trial experience, having tried hundreds of cases over years.
We specialize in plaintiff’s personal injury law in the realms of auto, motorcycle, and boating accidents; brain, slip and fall, and spinal cord injuries; injuries related to pharmaceuticals, dog bites, and drunk driving; medical malpractice; nursing home abuse; and wrongful death. The attorneys and staff at Church Wyble keep their clients’ best interests at heart, ensuring the greatest care and diligence are taken at every step of the process, whether the case reaches a settlement or is taken to trial.
ILLINOIS - Capron & Avgerinos, P.C.: Dedicated to the seriously injured in Illinois and Iowa.
An injury on the job or one that occurs in your daily activities is always unexpected. It comes out of nowhere. One moment everything is fine. You’re at your workplace or driving home from an appointment and in a moment your life changes.

It can be a serious auto accident or as simple as falling while on the job. The fact is that your life and that of your family have been traumatized and turned upside down. Perhaps only for a short time period, perhaps forever.

If you are in need of an attorney or simply have a question about your rights, we are here to assist you. With attorneys licensed in Illinois and Iowa practicing in the area of workers’ compensation and personal injury law for over 20 years, we are uniquely qualified to provide you the answers you are looking for.
TEXAS - Perlmutter & Schuelke LLP: Perlmutter & Schuelke, LLP, features Austin, Texas lawyers and attorneys that focus on:
Serious Personal Injury, Wrongful Death and Accident Claims
Legal Malpractice
Commercial and Business Litigation
Sexual Harassment and Employment Discrimination
Consumer Disputes
Class Actions
Recognized Competence

Perlmutter & Schuelke , LLP, is one of the premier trial firms in Texas. Recognized by the Texas Lawyer as a legal innovator and by Texas Monthly as a Super Lawyer, Mark Perlmutter, in partnership with Brooks Schuelke, has been achieving outstanding results for his clients, in cases both big and small, for many years. Mark and Brooks have each received AV peer review ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, the country’s preeminent attorney rating service. The Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, which is based on reviews from other attorneys, "signifies [that] an attorney has achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity."
FLORIDA - Attorney Robert Dixon: Were you seriously injured in an accident? The Law Office of Robert Dixon is a Miami based injury law firm that fights for the rights of the injured. Miami lawyer, Mr. Dixon provides a free case evaluation and consultation to injured accident victims throughout the State of Florida and will work hard to ensure that the insurance company is treating you fairly.
NEW YORK - Napoli Bern Ripka, LLP: Serving: New York City, Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Nassau, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk, Yonkers
WASHINGTON - Paulson & Nace: Serving: Serving Washington, DC and all surrounding areas including Montgomery County, Maryland; Prince George's County, Maryland; Anne Arundel County, Maryland; Berkeley County, West Virginia; Jefferson County, West Virginia; and Northern Virginia.
NORTH CAROLINA - Brent & Adams: Serving: Raleigh, Durham,Apex, Fayetteville, Dunn, Cary, Chapel Hill, Henderson, Oxford, Research Triangle, Roxboro, Sanford, Smithfield, Warrenton, Clinton, Elizabethtown, Fort Bragg, Hamlet, Hope Mills, Lillington, Lumberton, Pinehurst, Rockingham, Southern Pines
WYOMING -
WEST VIRGINIA -
VIRGINIA -
VERMONT -
UTAH -
SOUTH DAKOTA -
SOUTH CAROLINA -
OREGON -
OKLAHOMA -
NORTH DAKOTA -
NEW MEXICO -
NEW JERSEY -
NEW HAMPSHIRE -
NEVADA -
MONTANA -
MISSOURI -
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MARYLAND -
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News Sources

The Des Moines Register Newspaper: A list of the Register staff blogs is accessible through this link.
US Newspapers: Interested in finding out what newspapers are published in the US? Here is where you can find a list of the world news sources categorized by Africa, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, the United Kingdom, North America, South America and the South Pacific. There is an additional search option for World Newspapers.

General

Yahoo Maps: Need a map or directions?
Vehicle Speed and Stopping Distance Calculator: Quickly determine the speed and stopping distance of automobile, or small or large trucks.

You will use this essential calculator during interviews, investigations, depositions, and trials in determining the speed and stopping distance of automobiles or small or large trucks. One side gives you the stopping distance of cars, and two truck types; the back side shows the stopping distance for three truck tractors and semitrailers.
The Library of Congress: THOMAS was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. Since that time THOMAS has expanded the scope of its offerings to include the features and content listed below.
State Library of Iowa: Library resources online and accessible with the click of the mouse.

If you need help from a Law Firm in Another State:

Orange County Dog Bite Lawyer | Los Angeles Dog Bite Lawyer

Dog attacks can cause serious physical and emotional scars and children are most often the victims of vicious dog bites. In most cases, the dog’s owner should be and is held liable for dog bite injuries. An Orange County dog bite attorney should have the experience to handle a case such as this, as many special state and local statutes apply. At the law office of Allen, Flatt, Ballidis & Leslie, we review your case to determine who was to blame, and tell you the statutes that apply.

Allen, Flatt, Ballidis & Leslie, Inc.
4400 MacArthur Blvd.
Suite 370
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949-752-7474
www.thecaliforniainjurylawyer.com