Author: Ring of Fire Staff

Monday marked the beginning of one the largest and most complex litigations in the country’s history.  At stake are tens of billions of dollars in liability stemming from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.   Heated remarks were exchanged by both sides with the prosecution presenting a theme of corporate greed and recklessness.  Michael Underhill, an attorney for the US Department of Justice, attributed primary fault for the disaster to BP in opening statements adding, “the evidence will show BP put profits before people, profits before safety, and profits before the environment.” The trial is being held by Judge Carl...

The National Safety Council(NSC) issued a report last week stating that in 2012, direct costs attributed to  car accidents rose to  276 billion dollars. The costs include wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, employer costs, and property damage. The numbers indicate that our roadways are becoming more dangerous. In fact, when compared to 2011, the NSC estimates that car accident fatalities rose by 5%. This is the first increase in car accidents in over seven years since 2005. According to the National Safety Council, an estimated 36,200 people died in traffic accidents last year, as opposed to...

Corporations wield exorbitant power with their unlimited funds and ability to pour those funds into sources that benefit their best interest. So why would anyone want to give them the ability to wield more power, say, in the form of a vote? Rep. Steve Lavin (R) believes that corporations should have the same rights as individuals. Last week, the Montana state legislator introduced a bill that would give corporations the right to vote in municipal elections. The bill would give any non-citizen “firm, partnership, company or corporation,” owning property within the district, the right to vote as a citizen...

Today, a jury in Atlantic County, New Jersey awarded Ms. Linda Gross $3.35 million dollars for damages caused by the Prolift®, a transvaginal mesh device manufactured by Ethicon (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) designed to treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse in women. The Prolift® was one of the first Pelvic Organ Prolapse Kits (POP Kits) to hit the market as part of a new wave of “innovative” women’s health treatment devices. During trial, Ms. Gross and her doctors testified regarding the extensive tissue, organ, and nerve damage that had been caused by the Prolift’s® inherent defects.  Ms. Gross testified...

Ann Coulter was on a roll Thursday when she joined John Stossel at a Students for Liberty Conference in Washington. In less than 60 seconds, Coulter managed to insult Libertarians, liberals, and the LGBT community. Her tirade elicited shocked expressions, head shaking, looks of disbelief, and, ultimately, booing. When Stossel switched their topic to gay marriage and asked, “Why can’t gays get married like straights do?”  Coulter responded, “Um, well they can. They have to marry a member of the opposite sex.” Coulter has proven that she’s more than willing to capitalize on every bit of negative attention she...