Posts by John Hartwell Cocke
A New ALS Treatment Drug Got the Green Light
Remember when all of social media was filled with people “competing” in the Ice Bucket Challenge? If not, the gist of it was this: someone tagged you in a post on social media that challenged you to donate to an ALS foundation, or dump a bucket of cold, ice water on your head. There was…
Read MoreThe Seasons Are Changing. Be Careful with Your Hope Chests
Author Elizabeth Spencer wrote that in Mississippi, “July heat is furious, but in August the heat has killed even itself and lies dead over us.” Since she’s a native to the Magnolia State, we’ll begrudgingly admit that she’s right. Heat has a different meaning down here in the Delta. But we feel that cool weather…
Read MoreErrors in a Mississippi Emergency Room
When you go to the emergency room for an illness or injury, you expect to be cared for appropriately by the doctors and nurses. You never expect to suffer an injury at the hands of those who are supposed to provide you with the highest level of care. However, errors in the emergency room are…
Read MorePreventing Backup Accidents with Cameras – Does It Work?
Driveway back overs are a parent’s and driver’s worst nightmare, and adults can be injured in a backing up accident as well as children. Responsibility in back over car accidents usually falls on the driver who backs into the other vehicle, an object, or a person. Drivers must always remember to be alert, look behind…
Read MoreFalls on Construction Sites – Preventable Tragedies
Over 11 million U.S. workers are employed in the construction industry, where falls are the leading cause of work-related deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) assert that falls are the number one cause of construction site deaths. In 2019, there were 1,102…
Read MoreBad Brakes Can Cause Truck Accidents
Sharing the road with these big rigs can be a frightening experience. The size and sound of an 18-wheeler approaching on its own is overwhelming. But what if you knew that the truck next to you had bad brakes? The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) did its first truck crash causation study in the…
Read MoreThe Long-Term Effects of Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
The birth of a baby is supposed to be a magical, happy time for a family, but medical errors during labor and delivery can turn this beautiful experience into a nightmare for new parents and their families. Birth injuries, incurred during or at the time of birth, are traumatic and costly and have long term…
Read MoreKeeping Tow Truck Drivers Safe in Mississippi
When on the road, whether it be in a vehicle or as a pedestrian, you are put in very high danger. Although roads today are built with enhanced safety features such as warning signs, speed limit signs, and traffic lights, if drivers fail to follow these traffic regulations, vehicle accidents are going to continue to…
Read MoreMerkel & Cocke, P.A. Congratulates Partners for Being Selected for 2023 Best Lawyers®
Merkel & Cocke, P.A. is proud to have four of its partners recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2023 in America. Every year, the Best Lawyers list recognizes leading attorneys in particular regions and practices, based on peer reviews. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal…
Read MoreAn Update to the NCAP’s 5 Star Safety Ratings – 40 Years in the Making
Despite a pandemic that reduced travel, 36,680 lives were lost on American roads in 2020. The first half of 2021 saw an 18% increase in fatalities on the road. According to AP News, this is the highest increase in fatalities recorded since 1975 when the government started keeping statistics on traffic related deaths. This AP…
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