New methods of birth control have allowed women greater freedom and choice, but some of these medications may put women at a greater risk of health issues. Take, for instance, one of the latest birth control methods to hit the market—NuvaRing®.

NuvaRing® is a plastic contraceptive device that’s inserted into a woman’s vagina monthly, where it slowly releases the hormones progestin and estrogen that control a woman’s ovulation cycle. After three weeks, the device is removed and the woman takes a one-week hiatus before inserting another device.

While NuvaRing® may be convenient for some women, it also has some side effects that could be deadly. According to an article from the Albany Times-Union, 950 lawsuits have been filed against the product’s maker, Merck & Co., alleging that using NuvaRing® led to health complications, such as blood clots. These blood clots, in certain cases, can lead to heart attack, stroke, and even death.

These lawsuits began piling in on the heels of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration announcement in October 2011 that stated using NuvaRing® increased the risk of suffering from blood clots by more than 56 percent compared to birth control pills.

These are not the only known NuvaRing® Dangers. That is why the Indiana Drug Injury Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers suggest discussing your case with an experienced attorney if you have suffered health complications after using NuvaRing®.

The importance of driver vigilance in construction zones was highlighted by a crash early Wednesday that claimed the life of a young driver. According to WISHTV-8 News, the accident happened at around 3:00 a.m. near the 6600 block of Grandview Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana, which was closed for roadwork.

Reports from officers with the Indianapolis Metro Police Department who responded to crash scene stated that it appeared as if the driver of a white Chevrolet pickup truck was heading southbound along the road when he collided with a piece of construction machinery. The impact of the collision sent the pickup truck flying off the road and into a stand of trees near the highway. The vehicle then burst into flame with the driver still inside the wreckage. By the time rescue crews responded, there was nothing they could do to save the man.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, 667 fatal crashes were reported in highway construction zones in 2009. More than half of these accidents can be attributed to a vehicle colliding with construction equipment of some kind.

Indiana Auto Accidents in construction zones are also responsible for killing dozens of highway workers each year. That’s why the Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers ask that motorists work to keep Indiana’s highways safe by paying extra close attention to the road when passing through a construction zone.

With the weather beginning to warm up, many Indiana residents are bringing their ATVs out of storage and taking them for a ride. The machines can be dangerous as the rough terrain combined with high power and little protection to the body of the driver can often lead to accidents.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that in 2009, 649 people died and an estimated 131,900 individuals required visits to the emergency room due to ATV accidents.

Take, for instance, the recent case of a 49-year-old central Indiana man who died Tuesday in an ATV accident. According to reports from WISHTV-8 News, the accident occurred Saturday in Darlington County. The man was riding an ATV for the first time when he lost control of the vehicle. He was thrown from the machine and collided with a nearby tree. The impact caused the man to suffer serious head injuries, as he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

Rescue crews were able to transport the man by helicopter to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, but he died three days later from the injuries he sustained.

This is why the Indianapolis Brain Injury Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers encourage anyone riding an ATV to always wear a helmet. Following this simple precaution will greatly decrease your chances of serious injury in the event of an accident.

A bizarre twist occurred in the case of an Indianapolis Metro police officer who struck and seriously injured a couple on their motorcycle with his police cruiser. According to the Indianapolis Star News, vials of blood showing the officer was drunk at the time of the accident have been ruined by the department.

Documents indicate that on August 6, 2010, the man and woman were stopped at a red light on their motorcycle. While waiting for the light to change, the couple and their friend on another bike were struck by the officer’s patrol car, killing their friend and leaving them seriously injured. Both the man and woman had to undergo numerous reconstructive surgeries and months of rehabilitation. The male victim also suffered a brain injury, which has affected his cognitive abilities.

The officer’s blood was drawn following the accident, but a judge dismissed the first sample after it was discovered that it was taken by an unauthorized individual. On Tuesday, it was announced that the other vial of blood had been mishandled by being left outside of a refrigerator and was no longer viable for testing.

The chief of police has stepped down from his position and several other officers and officials have been placed on leave.

The Indianapolis Motorcycle Injury Attorneys with Stewart and Stewart Attorneys At Law would like to remind bikers to stay safe by always wearing helmets and high visibility clothing.

Drivers depend on traffic lights to allow their cars to safely pass through intersections of major roads; however, when a driver becomes impatient or distracted and attempts to pass through an intersection before his turn, it can quickly spell disaster.

FOX 34 News reports that two women were injured in a collision when the driver of a Chevy Suburban SUV ran through a red light Monday and struck a Nissan Pathfinder. While the driver of the Suburban only suffered minor injuries, the driver of the Pathfinder was seriously injured and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. She is expected to make a full recovery.

Detectives say that no citations have been issued in connection with the crash, but someone could be charged pending the outcome of a full investigation.

Research shows that each year in the U.S., drivers running red lights are the top reason for car accidents, resulting in nearly 1,000 motorists losing their lives and about 90,000 people being injured each year.

That’s why the Indianapolis Auto Accident Lawyers with Stewart & Stewart Car Accident Attorneys ask that motorists always begin to slow down and expect to stop when a light begins to turn yellow rather than trying to pass through the intersection. Waiting through the extra light cycle doesn’t add much time to your commute and will greatly decrease your chance of being in an accident.

With the weather getting warmer, the grass is starting to grow throughout Indiana, which means it’s time to bring out the lawn mower. However, it’s important to remember that thousands of people are injured every year because of negligence while using a lawn mower.

A University of Missouri study found that approximately 75,000 people in the U.S. are injured each year in lawn mowing accidents, and approximately 10,000 of the victims are under the age of 18.

Most recently, a 5-year-old boy from Elizabethtown, Indiana, suffered serious injuries after a fall off of a riding lawn mower his father was driving. WISHTV 8 News says that the accident happened Tuesday afternoon at the child’s home on 11^th Street. His father was giving him a ride on the lawnmower when the child dropped a wrench. He reached down to grab it, but instead fell, getting his foot trapped beneath the blades. Neighbors were able to help stop the bleeding until rescue crews could arrive.

The boy was taken to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and is listed in good condition today.

In order to keep children safe around these machines, the American Academy of Pediatrics not allowing children under the age of 12 near lawn equipment.

The Indiana Slip and Fall Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers would also suggest wearing sturdy shoes along with hearing and eye protection whenever you use lawn equipment.

A 71-year-old man from Lebanon, Indiana, was seriously injured after he was attacked by two dogs as he walked his dog in a local park. According to WISHTV 8 News, the attack took place Monday morning in Lebanon Memorial Park.

The man told police that he was walking his Yorkshire terrier when he was approached by the other animals. The man picked his dog up, but the two other dogs jumped up and pulled the animal from his arms, attacking and killing it. The dogs then turned on the elderly man, biting and clawing at his arms and legs. He was eventually able to fight the animals off and call for help.

When police responded to the scene, one of the dogs approached officers in an aggressive manner and was shot and killed. A man who was watching the dogs for the owner eventually caught the other animal and explained the dogs had escaped from a nearby residence.

The dogs were not up to date on their rabies vaccines, prompting animal control to take the surviving dog into custody for observation.

The elderly victim of the attack remains at a local hospital in stable condition.

The Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers understand just how dangerous and debilitating dog bites can be. That is why the firm would like to wish the victim a swift recovery from his injuries.

A Noblesville, Indiana, man was killed and another injured in a two-vehicle accident on Friday. According to WISHTV 8 News, the crash happened just before 4:00 p.m. at the intersection of 196^th St. and Cyntheanne Road.

Deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department told reporters that the 40-year-old driver of a Honda Civic was driving south along Cyntheanne Road when he pulled up to the stop sign at the intersection with 196^th. While driving through the intersection, he ended up directly in the path of a Dodge Dakota pickup truck.

The 24-year-old driver of the pickup, who had the right of way through the intersection, slammed on the brakes and attempted to swerve out of the path of the other vehicle, but he was unable to get out of the way in time, causing the two vehicles to collide.

The driver of the Civic suffered massive trauma and died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. The driver of the pickup complained of leg pain to paramedics and was taken by ambulance to St. Vincent’s Hospital Northeast to receive treatment.

The Indiana Auto Accident Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers would like to send their deepest sympathies to the family of the man who tragically died in this accident. The firm would also encourage drivers to take a second glance both ways before pulling into traffic. The extra precaution could save someone’s life.

A 25-year-old Brownsburg, Indiana, man tragically died Tuesday after his pickup truck collided with a train at a rarely used railroad crossing. An article released by WISH-TV 8 News says the accident happened around 7:00 a.m. where train tracks intersect with the road at 800 E. Main St.

Co-workers said the man had taken a short break to go to the gas station to pick something up in his Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck. Moments later, the truck would be pushed roughly 40-50 feet down the train tracks after it collided with a train. Investigators said the young man was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision and was thrown from the vehicle. He died at the scene a short time later.

Police believe fog that had settled over the area may have played a role in the collision. Witnesses stated that they heard the train’s whistle blowing just before the accident.

The man was also a volunteer coach for a local high school’s rugby club. Both staff members and players were still in shock when interviewed earlier this morning.

The Federal Railroad Administration found that there are 2,547 train accidents annually, and that 75 percent of those involve the train hitting another vehicle.

The Indianapolis Auto Accident Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers would like to send their thoughts to the family and friends of the young man who was tragically killed.

After a plea agreement was reached with prosecutors in the Henry County Court, a 27-year-old Indianapolis, Indiana, man received a three-year sentence in connection with a DWI crash he caused that injured a woman and killed her unborn child. According to reports from the Courier-Times, as part of the agreement, the man will only serve two-years of home detention, one year of which was suspended, followed by another year of probation.

The accident occurred on November 23, 2009, along Interstate-70. It was there that the man was driving a rental truck east when he accidentally swerved across the median and struck a westbound Honda CRV. The 32-year-old woman driving the small SUV was taken to Methodist Hospital to undergo surgery to repair a broken leg. The woman was also seven-months pregnant at the time of the crash and eventually lost the child due to complications caused by the accident.

The man was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter, but the charges were reduced to causing serious bodily injury while under the influence of a Schedule I controlled substance.

In addition to his house arrest and probation, the man was also ordered by the judge to pay all court costs and to attend a victim impact panel.

The Indianapolis Car Accident Attorneys with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers hope that this conviction will help bring peace and closure to the woman who was injured and lost her child in this tragic accident.