Alabama Business Law Firm

THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER, Birmingham, Alabama

LAWSUIT AND SETTLEMENT NEWS AND INFORMATION

New Office Location

THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER, is pleased to announce the opening of our new office at 1910 28th Avenue South in Homewood, Alabama.  Our new office is located within a block of the SoHo business district in downtown Homewood - a central location for serving the Birmingham metropolitan area as well as an easy to find and convenient location for our clients.  Our office hours remain 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  For more information on our Alabama business law firm, please see the “Contact Us” page or call for directions.

The Dangers of “Fracking”

As the Gulf Coast continues to struggle with the impending environmental consequences of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil leak, another energy harvesting technique that could have potentially devastating effects on Alabama’s ecology is beginning to draw attention, thanks in part to the recent HBO documentary, “GasLand.”

“Fracking” – or more precisely hydraulic fracturing – is a method of drilling for natural gas developed by Halliburton that involves pumping extreme volumes of water, sand and a host of chemicals at high pressure into the ground, fracturing the rock structures below to allow easier access to natural gas deposits.  It is a process that has been used in Alabama for a long time – and contaminated streams and wells have been reported in areas near fracking operations since the 1990s, though the Alabama Oil and Gas Board claims that there have been no confirmed findings of contaminated groundwater.

A recent article in the Birmingham News spells out the extent of fracking is taking place in Alabama. (http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2010/07/hydraulic_fracturing_scheduled.html)   The article notes, “Energen, which also owns the Alagasco utility, has a lot resting on unconventional gas wells which require fracking. The company has spent about $40 million leasing 400,000 acres around the state from landowners whose property sits above natural gas shale formations. Most of the attention in recent years on Alabama shale gas has been in Tuscaloosa, Bibb, St. Clair, Cullman and Etowah counties.” 

With the increased practice of fracking comes the increased risk of contamination of the fresh water aquifer in areas where the practice is employed.  Around the United States, reports of water contamination have followed in fracking’s path.  Contaminated drinking wells, including wells where the water is so contaminated it has become flammable, have been reported in areas where fracking has been employed.  Chemicals commonly used in the fracking process include diesel fuel, benzene, methanol, formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid.  The Environmental Protection Agency is looking at this dangerous practice which, as of today, is exempt from federal regulation.

If you believe that you have been exposed to a toxic substance, or want more information about toxic exposure, please go to our “about us” page and contact THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER.

Bad News for Diabetes and Diet Drugs Continues

It has been a busy summer for the manufacturers of two highly prescribed drugs – Avandia and Meridia – and not in a way those pharmaceutical companies would like.

Avandia, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKine, is a top-selling diabetes drug that has been in the news for quite some time.  This summer, Glaxo announced it was going to resolve over 10,000 lawsuits claiming the drug caused heart attacks or strokes in users.  The settlements to date will cost the company $460 million.  And the case against Avandia continues to grow.  A recent advisory panel of the FDA voted to allow Avandia to stay on the market with more warnings about its risks; however, that same panel found overwhelmingly that the drug increases the risk of heart attack compared to other diabetes drugs.  At the same time as the panel was considering the possible recall, information was made public that Glaxo had known for several years that study data confirmed the increased risk for heart attacks and strokes in patients using the drug.  A recent article in TIME (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2010028,00.html) outlines the history of this dangerous drug and the steps taken by its manufacturer to keep it on the market as it made billions of dollars per year from its sale.  As lawsuits continue to be filed by patients who have suffered strokes or heart attacks while on Avandia, the FDA has not made its final decision on whether it will follow the recommendation of the advisory panel to keep Avandia on the market or whether it will be recalled.  A final decision is expected soon.

The diet drug Meridia faces similar questions over its link to increased risks for heart attacks and strokes in patients.  Meridia is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories and was first approved for use in 1997.  The drug works by altering brain chemicals to suppress appetite.  On September 1, 2010, an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine (http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe1007993) called for the recall of Meridia due to its risk profile.  An FDA panel is scheduled to meet on September 15, 2010, to begin a review of Meridia.  As posed by Dr. Rudolph L. Leibel of Columbia University in a recent New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/health/research/02diet.html), the issue is that, “A small number of patients lose considerable weight while taking Meridia and therefore benefit enormously from the drug…but a far larger number of people get no benefit from the drug, and some of these patients may suffer heart attacks and strokes as a result of taking it. The question is do you withdraw the drug to protect the large number of individuals who have no benefit and could have a bad response and thereby eliminate the opportunity for that small number of people who respond well?”  The article also notes that at least one drug safety official at FDA thinks a prior decision by the agency to allow continued marketing of Meridia was misplaced.  

If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective drug and are seeking more information, please go to our “about us” page and contact THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER.

THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER, Among First to File Claims on Behalf of Alabama Gulf Coast Residents and Businesses

As an out of control oil spill continues to grow in the Gulf of Mexico,  THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER, has filed suit against the owners and operators of the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform on behalf of  property  and business owners on Alabama’s Gulf coast.

The Alabama coastline is set for a direct hit from the massive plume of oil that is spreading across the Gulf of Mexico.  According to the April 30, 2010 edition of the Birmingham News, Governor Bob Riley has announced that business owners who are affected by the spill will have the ability to file claims for compensation through the State - which Governor Riley expects to eventually be paid by BP PLC.

In advance of these business claims, a number of class action lawsuits have been filed in state and federal courts all along the Gulf coast.  Our claim, brought on behalf of homeowners and business owners along the Alabama coast, seeks damages from several entities that appear to have a role in the explosion that lead to this catastrophic oil spill.

It is expected that the Deepwater Horizon spill will have a devastating economic impact across the Gulf coast from Florida to Louisiana.  Experts predict loss of business for the entire area and that property values will suffer in what is already a difficult real estate market.  Cancellations for vacation rentals are already being reported, and businesses that rely on tourist dollars are preparing for the worst.

Combining the economic impact that this oil spill will have on the State of Alabama with the immeasurable impact that the oil plume’s contamination will take on the entire Gulf ecosystem, this is a disaster that will affect all the residents of the Gulf coast for years to come.

Yaz/Yasmin Oral Contraceptives Bayer Corporation

Yaz/Yasmin Oral Contraceptives Bayer Corporation, the maker or the popular birth control Yaz, and its predecessor Yasmin, is currently facing legal issues due to potential health problems associated with these drugs. While all hormone based birth control poses some health risks, the risks are greater with Yaz and Yasmin because they are created using a third generation progestin called drospirenone. Drospirenone can cause an increase in potassium levels in the blood, which can lead to hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia has been linked to various medical conditions, including heart rhythm disturbances, such as extrasystolies, pauses or bradycardia. If left untreated hyperkalemia can be fatal. Drospirenone also increases the risk of blood clots forming, including deep vein thrombosis which can lead to heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms, or can travel to the brain causing strokes. These are serious health concerns that consumers should be aware of. Since Yasmin and Yaz have been on the market, there have been hundreds of accounts of injury and death reported in users of these drugs. If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective product and are seeking more information, please go to our "about us" page and contact THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER.

Chinese Drywall

Contaminated Chinese drywall began entering the country in 2001 through two dozen ports. This contaminated drywall can cause serious health issues including, but not limited to, upper respiratory problems, nose bleeds, headaches, eye irritation, and allergies. Chinese drywall emits gasses which corrode copper and metal surfaces, including electrical wiring, air conditioners and appliances. These gasses not only destroy homes, but the personal property within homes, such as televisions, computers and electronics. The majority of the contaminated drywall entered the country during the construction boom from 2004-2006. There are many theories as to what is causing these issues; however, as of now the exact cause is unknown. If you believe that your home may be contaminated or there are telltale signs in your home including a rotten egg or sulfur smell emanating from the contaminated walls, Chinese labels on the drywall itself, and corrosion of copper wiring and appliances in the home, please contact THE LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN TURNER, for more information about protecting your rights.