We at Romanucci & Blandin are extremely disappointed in and disturbed by a U.S. Supreme Court decision on April 28 that upheld consumer contracts banning class-action arbitration. It is pro-business and severely limits class-action litigation.

In its ruling, the court said that a California law that invalidated contracts banning class-action arbitration with businesses was preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act. What led up to the case being heard by the high court was a dispute between AT&T Mobility and a California couple who opposed being charged a $30 sales tax for a ...

Could hospital noise, which has been shown to impede patient recovery, be used as evidence in a medical malpractice lawsuit? Only time will tell, but it’s no secret that hospitals are looking for ways to decrease noise levels.

While bad food used to be the number-one hospital complaint, it’s now the noise level, according to a front-page story in the Chicago Tribune. Noise can make patients sicker or, at the very least, inhibit their recovery. The story notes a Johns Hopkins study showing sound levels have increased significantly since 1960.

Noise in hospitals increases heart ...

This is a MUST-read for anyone who has to be hospitalized. The operative quote -- "Every hospital should have a plaque at its entrance that reads, ‘There are some patients whom we cannot help; there are none whom we cannot harm’” -- should be remembered by all. Approximately 10 people die from preventable medical mistakes in local hospitals every day and another 100 are injured. Be aware. Very aware.

The backstory: the government released the first report of its kind last week, listing errors and other adverse events among Medicare patients across the nation. Some say there could ...

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned consumers to stop participating in water-walking balls, calling them unsafe, with the possibility that they could lead to suffocation or drowning. We at Romanucci & Blandin not only underscore the dangers but don’t believe the government went far enough. These dangerous recreational devices should be banned.

Commonly used at amusement parks, fairs and malls, the inflatable spheres are often used by children. A rider climbs into the ball, which is then zipped up. It rolls along the water's surface as the rider walks, much like ...