Legally Speaking

With many legal issues, liability, or responsibility, is not always black and white. This is something I've been thinking about a lot with regards to dangerous drug side effects, and the many personal and class action lawsuits I've been hearing about recently on the news. Prescription drugs are required to go through rigorous testing before they're put on the market, in the hopes of identifying any and all dangerous side effects, but unfortunately, testing does not always reveal all of a drug's potential dangers.

For example, most people are aware of the drug Accutane that was prescribed to treat severe acne. Now, when Accutane was put on the market, consumers were warned that if a woman became pregnant while taking this drug, her baby could be born with severe birth defects. However, many were not initially warned that they could also develop serious digestive complications from taking this drug. More information about this and some of the Accutane class action lawsuits that have been mentioned in the news can be found on this attorney's site.

So, do you think drug manufacturers should be held legally accountable for ALL drug side effects, even if they do the necessary testing required of them by the FDA but are not made aware of a side effect that later negatively affects people? Or is the possibility of a dangerous side effect just a "fact of life" that comes along with taking a prescription medication? What do you think?

if you were involved in a criminal or civil case but the witness who could make or brake your case was missing? Did you know that there are companies that can help with witness location? I think I would be tempted to use this company, if I were in the situation of being in a legal bind and I knew that there was someone out there who could clear my name.

I've been toying around with the idea of starting a small business. Although I spend time here talking about legal topics, I really love baking, and have thought it would be cool to set something up where I could just sell cookies and other treats that I make at home online. Of course, starting to research this got me overwhelmed, but there are sites out there to help people getting started with a new business. I especially love this article about incorporating a business from a local Austin business attorney. I'm not sure how my little operation-in-the-works will develop, but it's great to know that it can be pretty simple. When I get a little further down the road, I might call up the folks at Slater, Kennon, & Pugh to see what other tips they can give me on starting a small business.

Many women experience stress during pregnancy. However, if your doctor doesn't monitor your stress levels and respond appropriately, your baby could possibly end up with a birth injury.

There are many known signs of stress during pregnancy, including:

- fatigue
- difficulty eating or overeating
- high blood pressure
- heart palpitations
- difficulty concentrating

Of course, these could be associated with other illnesses, but regardless of the reason for the symptom, your doctor needs to take them seriously. If he or she did not, you may be a victim of medical malpractice.