Phillips Law Group Blog - Learn Your Rights

New Survey Shows Distracted Driving is an Epidemic

Distracted driving has become a growing threat to driver safety, as there was an 8.8 percent increase in fatal accidents related to distracted driving from 2014 to 2015, according to data released last month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, a new survey from auto insurance company...

Arizona School Bus Failure Rate Doubled from 2013-2015

According to a recent investigation by The Arizona Republic, nearly three of 10 school buses did not pass 2015 safety inspections due to major defects. The inspection failure rate in 2015 was almost double what it was in 2013, jumping from 15.4 to around 29 percent. Arizona school buses now...

Talc Mining Company Sued by Victims of Ovarian Cancer

A newly filed lawsuit names mining giant Rio Tinto Minerals Inc. as a responsible party in five alleged cases of ovarian cancer caused by the use of Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products. Rio Tinto mines talc that is used in Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder products. The five...

Takata Airbag Truck Crashes, Kills One, Injures Four

One person died and four were injured when a truck carrying Takata airbag inflators exploded near Quemado, Texas. The explosion was caused by a crash that ignited the airbag propellant, destroying the trailer and incinerating a house with a woman inside. The explosion was so powerful that engine parts were...

Five Misconceptions About Overtime Compensation

According to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA), specific employees who work more than 40 hours per week are entitled to overtime wages. While the law has been in place for almost 80 years, there is still some confusion regarding its protections. The following are five common misconceptions...

Road Debris Caused 500 Deaths Between 2011 and 2014

More than 200,000 car accidents that occurred between 2011 and 2014 involved road debris, and these accidents caused 500 deaths and 39,000 injuries, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. These types of car crashes have increased by 40 percent since the foundation began studying...

Judge Greenlights 11 Essure Lawsuits Against Bayer

No longer accepting Essure Birth Control cases. For informational purposes only. The judge for the Superior Court in Alameda County, California, ruled that 11 lawsuits against Bayer, the manufacturer of the permanent birth control device Essure, may proceed. The 11 cases represent 14 women who claim the device caused them...

Uber Faces Multiple Class-Action Lawsuits Around U.S.

Ridesharing company Uber has been dealing with a barrage of lawsuits since it launched in 2009. The company is currently facing over 70 federal cases and numerous others in state courts. Uber's largest legal battles are ongoing class action lawsuits from drivers alleging that they are misclassified as contractors instead...

5,000 People Died in Drowsy-Driving Crashes in 2015

The Governors Highway Safety Organization (GHSO) released a new report showing that drowsy driving is a growing threat to your safety as an estimated 5,000 people were killed in drowsy-driving accidents last year. The report, titled “Wake Up Call! Understanding Drowsy Driving and What States Can Do," reveals that some...

Protection for Independent Contractors Hurt on the Job

The downside to the growth of Uber and other on-demand services is that more workers are being labeled as independent contractors instead of employees. That means that many workers are not eligible for workers' compensation insurance to cover medical bills and lost income if they are hurt on the job....