Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Announces Top Safety Picks for 2010

David Mittleman — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:01:42 GMT

After conducting their annual safety tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has cropped the list of "crashworthy" winners down from 94 vehicles in 2009 to 19 for 2010. To determine crashworthiness—that is, how well a vehicle protects its occupants during a crash—all 2010 car models were given the high-speed front and side tests, a test for rollover safety, and an evaluation of the seat and head restraints in protecting against head injuries in rear impacts. To earn the “Top Safety Pick for 2010” award, a vehicle had to achieve good ratings in all of the four tests. In addition, the winning vehicles also had to have electronic stability control.

Overall, the safest 2010 vehicles included two new models: the Nissan Cube and the Kia Soul. Furthermore, Subaru had a model winner in each category, the only manufacturer to accomplish this goal. Furthermore, Subaru won five awards total, although Ford and its subsidiary, Volvo, won topped that number with six awards.

Some of the largest automakers that did well in previous years were absent from the final rankings. For example, Toyota and its Lexus and Scion subsidiaries did well in 2009 with 11 award-winning models—this year they received no awards.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Proteins Used in Spinal Fusion May Cause Serious Complications

David Mittleman — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:00:00 GMT

A recent study conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital revealed that a bioengineered protein used during spinal fusion procedures to correct neck pain caused more complications in patients who received the protein when compared with those who did not.

The bioengineered protein mimics natural substances that promote bone growth. The FDA first approved bioengineered proteins in 2002, but only for use in spinal fusions to alleviate back pain. However, surgeons are also free to use the protein to treat cervical (neck) pain. Nonetheless, the FDA issued a warning last year after receiving reports of life-threatening complications such as swelling of the neck and difficulty breathing.

One of the manufacturers of the protein is the maligned Medtronic, who has seen their fair share of lawsuits resulting from defective products. Medtronic’s protein, Infuse, is at the center of a controversy in which Army officials have accused a Medtronic consultant who was a former military doctor of falsifying data in a study about the product.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Lansing Personal Injury Lawyer - neck

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Announces Top Safety Picks for 2010

Proteins Used in Spinal Fusion May Cause Serious Complications