With hurricane season approaching, the Army Corps of Engineers is running through its plans to better protect New Orleans from flooding and testing pumps and floodgates built around this low-lying metropolis since Hurricane Katrina struck 10 years ago. Corps officials … The post New Orleans Hurricane Protection System Tested appeared first on Claims Journal. Source:…

The deep freeze that gripped the Northeast last winter dealt a severe blow to marinas and yacht clubs: Ice snapped pilings in half, shredded wooden docks and left behind wreckage that many compare to the effects of a hurricane. After … The post Northeast Marinas Rush to Repair Damage From Deep Freeze appeared first on…

In the months after Superstorm Sandy devastated the Jersey shore, Gov. Chris Christie warned residents the damage would not be quickly undone. Things would only look moderately better in the first summer after the storm, he said, and would be … The post Jersey Shore Continues to Recover as 3rd Post-Sandy Summer Nears appeared first…

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., has filed legislation aimed at helping victims of the deadly May 12 Amtrak derailment. Nelson’s bill would raise the current $200 million cap on the amount a passenger rail company is obligated to pay victims … The post Senate Bill Would Raise Passenger Railroad Liability Limit appeared first on Claims…

El Nino will bring tropical storms to Hawaii this summer as the weather event warms the Pacific Ocean and bumps up humidity. The National Weather Service predicts El Nino will almost definitely continue through the summer and likely last through … The post Hawaii Told to Expect El Nino to Continue All Year appeared first…

A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ruled that tobacco companies cannot be forced to announce publicly that they deliberately deceived the public over the health risks of cigarettes. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit … The post Tobacco Firms Win Partial Appeal Over Court-Ordered Disclosure Ads appeared first on…

A little-noticed ruling by three federal judges may have tipped the scales in favor of the tobacco industry’s bid to put decades of smoker lawsuits behind it. The appeals court panel in Atlanta said individual smokers, already blocked from suing … The post Atlanta Court Ruling Another Sign Tobacco Lawsuits Subsiding appeared first on Claims…

Pharmacies and doctors who negligently prescribed pain medication can be sued for enabling people’s addictions, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled. The ruling involved 29 people who were patients of Mingo County’s Mountain Medical Center. Most sought treatment for job-related … The post Drug Addicts Can Sue Pharmacies, Doctors: West Virginia Supreme Court appeared first…

Replacing your smartphone battery just got harder. Fearing cargo fires like one that caused a United Parcel Service Inc. freighter to crash into the desert near Dubai in 2010, at least 18 airlines have banned freight shipments of lithium-ion rechargeable … The post Fire Risk Prompts Widening Ban on Smartphone Batteries Shipped Via Passenger Jets…

Nepal must take lessons from earthquake-hit countries such as Mexico and strictly enforce existing building laws as it prepares to rebuild from two major quakes, a senior United Nations official said Wednesday. Earthquakes on April 25 and May 12 killed … The post UN Official Says Building Codes Need to be Enforced in Nepal appeared…