The Washington Post (12/27, Hilzenrath) reported that medical "sales representatives have become fixtures in operating rooms across America," ensuring that "scrub techs know precisely which instruments and components the surgeon will reach for next." Although the sales reps "may know more about their products than the doctors who use them," their presence in the operating room also serves "as simple reminders that medicine is business, with all the potential that entails to promote efficiency, boost sales, and extract profit." In fact, some physicians contend that sales reps "can put the interests of manufacturers before those of patients." At Begam & Marks, we dig to the bottom of the facts to find out what happened. We have a handled medical malpractice cases in the past in which we discovered that a manufacturer's representative was involved in the treatment decisions without the knowledge of the patient. If you believe that you or a loved one was injured as a result of medical

The Los Angeles Times (12/23, Bensinger, Vartabedian) reported, "A peerless reputation for quality and safety has helped Toyota become the world's largest automaker. But even as its sales have soared, the company has delayed recalls, kept a tight lid on disclosure of potential problems and attempted to blame human error in cases where owners claimed vehicle defects." The story details several crashes illustrating that point, commenting that "[t]he automaker's handling of safety issues has come under scrutiny in recent months because of incidents of sudden acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles, which The Times has reported were involved in accidents causing 19 fatalities since 2001, more deaths from that problem than all other automakers combined." If you or a loved one was seriously injured or a loved one killed as a result of a recalled or otherwise defective product, call Begam & Marks for a free consultation. We have what it takes to hold those at fault responsible.

A lawsuit has been filed by the family of a Troy, Mich., man against a Rite Aid pharmacy that allegedly filled an incorrectly written prescription that resulted in his death. According to the lawsuit, John Sheridan was prescribed 10 times the recommended dosage of Temodar in September 2007, and the pharmacist should have recognized the error before giving Sheridan the medication. The Detroit Free Press reports that the family privately settled with Sheridan´s oncologist. They are seeking unspecified damages from the pharmacy. With reduced staffing and increasing work loads, errors are growing in the distribution of medicine. At Begam & Marks, we work to hold companies and professional responsible when a lack of safety and proper staffing cause others harm. If a family member of your was killed or you or a family member injured as a result of an improperly filled prescription, please contact Begam & Marks.