Holman Schiavone, LLC Blog

Verbal abuse at school should never be ignored

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

As a parent, it can be difficult to fully understand the experience that your child has at school. You may notice that your child's behavior has changed and that they have become more withdrawn. This may give you cause for concern. If you suspect that your child is being bullied at school in Missouri, it is important that you approach the topic in the right way, letting them know that they are in a safe space to open up.

Bullying, both physical and verbal, can have a huge impact on a child's life. While physical injuries can be clear evidence of abuse and can lead to action being taken, verbal abuse can, unfortunately, go under the radar. Verbal abuse can also have a severe impact on the mental well-being of a child, and such abuse should never be underestimated or tolerated.

Always document workplace discrimination

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.

Workplace discrimination happens every day, often to workers in service-sector jobs where employees do not feel that they have much power to fight back. If you experience discrimination in your job, you may have more fighting power than you realize. You must take some important steps to exercise that power. No company wants to deal with a discrimination claim, and many employers may look for ways to get around them, or to claim that your allegations are false. This is one of the many reasons that documentation is so important.

Any time that you experience harassment, you should document it immediately. Writing down as many details of the harassment as possible helps ensure that you do not forget something later, and makes your claim stronger. If the harassment includes physical objects or anything that can be captured in pictures, it is wise to gather this evidence as well and keep it. With strong evidence, it is much easier to build a sturdy legal strategy and protect your rights.

Common misconceptions about workplace discrimination

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Monday, April 1, 2019.

Employees should be judged based on their work ethic and their ability to get the job done. However, many employees have negative experiences in the workplace because they are treated poorly based on other grounds. If you have a negative interaction at work, you may be wondering whether discrimination is at the heart of it.

Workplace discrimination is a very broad term, and many different types of workplace discrimination exist. It is important that you understand how the law in Missouri defines this term, and that you know how to take action if you have become a victim of workplace discrimination.

Can I make a claim for hernia mesh complications?

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Monday, March 25, 2019.

A hernia is a relatively common condition in which tissue pushes through a weak part of a muscle. This can occur in many parts of the body, but they most commonly occur in the groin or in the stomach.

If you or a loved one has suffered a hernia, it is likely that surgery was involved in attempting to correct the issue. Usually, the hernia is repaired through the use of a surgical mesh. There are many complications associated with hernia mesh surgery, and many of these complications are considered to be unavoidable outcomes and part of the risk of surgery. However, other complications could be related to the fact that recalled hernia mesh products were used, and, therefore, legal action could be taken to gain compensation.

Can I take legal action for school bullying?

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Tuesday, March 19, 2019.

Dealing with a situation in which your child is being bullied at school can be an extremely upsetting experience. You will naturally want to do everything you can to protect your child from such negative and abusive behavior. However, you may feel slightly helpless because you will be unable to be present when these bullies approach your child during school hours.

In order to solve bullying issues at a school, you will need to work with the school's teachers and administrators to get to the root of the problem. Most schools have processes in place to deal with bullying and abusive behavior. However, if you believe that the school is not taking your concerns seriously and the behavior persists, you may be unsure of which way to turn.

Taking action if your meal and break rights were violated

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Friday, March 8, 2019.

As a new mother and an employee, you have the right to take breaks throughout the working day. Without being able to do so, you would not be able to express breast milk for the benefit of your child. This is why the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was updated to require that all new mothers with a child under the age of 1 year must have the right to take breaks to express breast milk.

In order to exercise your right to take these breaks as a new mother, you must first verify whether you are covered under the FLSA. The FLSA applies to the majority of employees in the United States, however, retail and service employees who are mainly compensated through commission may not be eligible. In addition, employees who are managers in a corporate environment may not have these protections under the FLSA, but this should be a non-issue because they would be entitled to breaks regardless.

Some key signs of workplace discrimination

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Tuesday, February 26, 2019.

If you are having a hard time at work because of rude or abusive coworkers (or management), you may be wondering what you did wrong to deserve such treatment. It is possible that you have spent a lot of time repeating situations over in your head to try and understand why a boss or coworker reacted in a certain way.

If you feel that you are being mistreated by your coworkers or that you are being intentionally excluded in the workplace, it is important that you do not rule out the possibility of workplace discrimination. This can occur more often than you think, and it may be necessary to take legal action to get relief. If you are struggling to get along with your coworkers, you should consider some of the key warning signs of workplace discrimination before taking action.

Invokana could increase your risk of a leg amputation

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Wednesday, February 20, 2019.

Most medications have at least a few known side effects. It is common for the side effects to range from mild issues, such as headache or nausea, to serious issues, such as debilitating pain, issues with motor function or even death. While many have touted the drug Invokana as revolutionary and beneficial for those with diabetes, the truth is far more complex.

Yes, the drug does help some people control their blood sugar and remain healthy despite developing type 2 diabetes. However, the drug has a number of dangerous side effects, including increasing the risk for leg amputation in the future. Patients can wind up suffering life-altering injuries because of this medication.

Workplace harassment can sometimes look like bullying

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

Workplace discrimination and harassment can take many different forms. In some companies, it may look like an abject refusal to hire individuals of a specific racial background, religion or gender. The person in charge of making hiring or termination decisions may apply their personal biases to that process and discriminate against individuals for no valid reason.

Other times, workplace violations look a lot more like bullying. While people associate bullying with schools, it is not an activity that suddenly stops when people leave adolescence.

People with diabetes could be at risk with SGLT2 inhibitors

On behalf of Holman Schiavone, LLC on Thursday, February 7, 2019.

When you have a potentially life-threatening illness such as diabetes, the last thing you want is for a medication to upset the delicate balance of your body's internal systems. If there is too much sugar in your blood, you could suffer from hyperglycemia. This could further develop into ketoacidosis.

One of the treatments some patients are given to help with diabetes is an SGLT2 inhibitor. This inhibitor is supposed to help maintain blood sugar levels by causing more of the sugar to be expelled through the urine. Unfortunately, these drugs can have serious side effects and may sometimes lead to ketoacidosis.