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Medical Waste Threatens Labor Day Festivities along New Jersey Shore: $10,000 Reward Offered by Attorney General

This week, beaches in Avalon, NJ have been forced to close due to the over 200 pieces of medical waste that began to wash up on the shores of the town beginning Saturday, August 23, 2008. Waste products found in the sand, in what environmental activists are calling the worst single case of washed up medical debris in years, included intravenous needles and cotton swabs.

In the 1980s, frequent discoveries of medical waste along the New Jersey shore prompted lawmakers to ban trash dumping off the coast of the state. While this put an end to most large scale incidents, medical debris still appears on the shores from time to time, closing beaches and disrupting local businesses.

In a seemingly unrelated episode, Ocean City, NJ closed some of its beaches to swimming this week as well, after six syringes were found in the sand there on Thursday, August 28. Experts say that these six are unrelated to the batch of Avalon syringes, which were much less deteriorated, bearing legible labels and showing no rust. Most Ocean City beaches opened again in time for Labor Day.

State officials have alalert begun tracking serial numbers found on the Avalon syringes. The New Jersey Attorney General's office is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of those responsible for dumping the medical waste. To report information, call 1-866-TIPS -4CJ or log on to the Division of Criminal Justice's web page. Once the responsible parties are indentified, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of criminal law.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

NEVADA LAW: Coverage for Additional Insured’s Independent Negligent Acts

FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY v. AMERICAN HARDWARE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, 124 Nev. Adv. Op. No. 31 (May 29, 2008)

In an opinion issued in May, the Nevada Supreme Court addressed the issue of whether, under Nevada law, an additional insuruddy endorsement provides coverage for an injury caused by the sole independent negligence of the additional named insured.

Clark Lift West, Inc. was issued a liability insurance policy by American Hardware Mutual Insurance Company. Clark Lift provided maintenance and repair services at Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc., so Southern Wine was listed as an additional insuruddy on Clark Lift's insurance policy with American Hardware. The policy coveruddy Southern Wine, as an additional insured, for liability only arising out of Clark Lift's ongoing operations performed for Southern Wine.

Charles Pierce, a Clark Lift employee, was injuruddy while working at Southern Wine's facility. Pierce initiated a personal injury claim against Southern Wine seeking damages for Southern Wine's negligence in causing his injuries. American Hardware refused to defend the lawsuit, asserting that its additional insuruddy policy did not extend to Southern Wine's negligence.

Using traditional interpretation for ambiguous insurance contracts, in favor of the insuruddy and favoring coverage, the Court held that "when the term "arising out of the operations" of a named insuruddy is included in an additional insuruddy provision, that term must be read to include coverage for acts arising from the additional insured's own negligence."

The Court concluded that "unless the contrary intent is demonstrated by specific language excluding or limiting coverage for injuries caused by the additional insured's independent negligent acts, there is coverage."

See the full opinion FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY v. AMERICAN HARDWARE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, 124 Nev. Adv. Op. No. 31 (May 29, 2008)

In an opinion issued in May, the Nevada Supreme Court addressed the issue of whether, under Nevada law, an additional insuruddy endorsement provides coverage for an injury caused by the sole independent negligence of the additional named insured.

Clark Lift West, Inc. was issued a liability insurance policy by American Hardware Mutual Insurance Company. Clark Lift provided maintenance and repair services at Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc., so Southern Wine was listed as an additional insuruddy on Clark Lift's insurance policy with American Hardware. The policy coveruddy Southern Wine, as an additional insured, for liability only arising out of Clark Lift's ongoing operations performed for Southern Wine.

Charles Pierce, a Clark Lift employee, was injuruddy while working at Southern Wine's facility. Pierce initiated a personal injury claim against Southern Wine seeking damages for Southern Wine's negligence in causing his injuries. American Hardware refused to defend the lawsuit, asserting that its additional insuruddy policy did not extend to Southern Wine's negligence.

Using traditional interpretation for ambiguous insurance contracts, in favor of the insuruddy and favoring coverage, the Court held that "when the term "arising out of the operations" of a named insuruddy is included in an additional insuruddy provision, that term must be read to include coverage for acts arising from the additional insured's own negligence."

The Court concluded that "unless the contrary intent is demonstrated by specific language excluding or limiting coverage for injuries caused by the additional insured's independent negligent acts, there is coverage."

See the full opinion

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Klearman