Wildfires are putting such a strain on the nation’s firefighting resources that authorities have activated the military and sought international help to beat back scores of blazes burning uncontrolled throughout the dry West. The situation is so urgent that the … The post Massive Western U.S. Wildfires Drain Firefighting Resources appeared first on Claims Journal.…

The son of a former police chief is one of two silent owners of the warehouse for hazardous materials in Tianjin where explosions killed at least 114 people, and used his connections to help obtain licenses despite safety violations, Chinese … The post China Firm’s Connections Used to Obtain Hazmat Permit Despite Safety Violations appeared…

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine and NASA have uncovered a remarkably strong link between high wildfire risk in the Amazon basin and the devastating hurricanes that ravage North Atlantic shorelines. The climate scientists’ findings appear in the journal … The post Researchers Link Amazon Wildfire Risk to U.S. Hurricanes appeared first on Claims…

Amazon isn’t the only company that is using data on employees to improve productivity. A New York Times article over the weekend portrayed Amazon’s work culture as “bruising” and “Darwinian” in part because of the way it uses data to … The post Data-Driven Employee Reviews Like Amazon’s Becoming More Common appeared first on Claims…

The Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters last week to three medical device manufacturers whose endoscopes have been blamed for spreading deadly bacteria. This is the agency’s strongest regulatory action yet since outbreaks in Los Angeles, Seattle, and elsewhere … The post Spread of Deadly Superbugs Prompts FDA Warning to Scope Makers appeared first…

A decade after Hurricane Katrina caused $41 billion in property and casualty insurance losses, the most expensive catastrophe ever experienced by the global insurance industry, rising sea levels are driving up expected economic and insurance losses from hurricane-driven storm surge … The post A Decade After Hurricane Katrina Rising Flood Risk Threatens Coastal Cities appeared…

A Florida-based consumer advocacy group has outlined six recommendations to strengthen U.S. system of building code development, adoption and enforcement. The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) released its latest paper, Disaster Resilience Rising Means the Time is Right, … The post Marking 10 Years Since Katrina, Consumer Agency Calls for Stiffer Building Codes…

Target Corp said it has reached an agreement with Visa Inc card issuers to reimburse up to $67 million in costs related to a data breach at the retailer in 2013, according to a source familiar with the matter. The … The post Target Agrees to Pay Visa Cardholders Almost $67M Over Data Breach appeared…

Major catastrophes frequently mean longer hours and extended periods away from home for claims staff on catastrophe duty. However, wide variations in logistical planning and catastrophe duty compensation have been revealed in a far-reaching study from Property Claim Services, a … The post PCS: Catastrophe Claims Handling Compensation Rates Vary appeared first on Claims Journal.…

Volkswagen AG and Tesla Motors Inc. are the only automakers that have avoided U.S. recalls while continuing to use Takata Corp. airbag inflators, which have triggered a global safety crisis. Takata has produced 887,055 airbag inflators for Volkswagen since January … The post Avoiding Recalls, Tesla and VW Continue Using Takata Airbags appeared first on…