A Wilmington man who said he was sexually abused over a nine-year period by a former Salesianum School principal received a written apology, a vow his abuser will never work with children and an undisclosed amount of money in a settlement announced Monday.
Eric Eden, 40, settled with Salesianum, the Oblates of Saint Francis deSales and various Oblate officials, his attorney, Thomas S. Neuberger, said in a statement released after the parties met with Superior Court Judge Calvin L. Scott Jr. on Monday morning.
“I now hope to obtain the medical help necessary to begin addressing the many problems I have suffered since childhood,” Eden said in the statement. “This money will be placed in trust for the benefit of my wife and children.”
Eden’s suit against the sole remaining defendant, the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, is scheduled for trial in October. Eden — formerly Eric Mazzetti — claims the diocese conspired to cover up the abuse.
“The case remains on track,” diocese attorney Tony Flynn said, adding the diocese knew “zero” about the abuse.
Eden filed his lawsuit in 2004 accusing the Rev. James W. O’Neill, a member of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, of sexually abusing him starting in 1976, when he was 8 years old and O’Neill was principal of the school.
According to the lawsuit, O’Neill was at the Mazzetti home to tutor the boy, but instead would have the boy sit on his lap so he could fondle him. Eden alleges that O’Neill also molested him during family vacations, at the priest’s residence and in the school office.
After leaving Salesianum in 1986, O’Neill was assigned to serve as principal of a Philadelphia-area school and pastor of a North Carolina parish. He was removed from the pastorate in April 2002, shortly after Eden reported to the Delaware Attorney General’s Office that O’Neill had molested him on a weekly basis over a nine-year period.
At that time, he was assigned to live at the Oblates’ retirement community in Childs, Md.
But he then became executive director of the Oblates’ Chablais Mission Fund, a job that involved frequent international travel to evaluate the needs of various missions. As recently as last year, O’Neill was “on assignment” in the Diocese of Upington-Keimos in South Africa, filling in for a priest who had to leave the field.
As part of Monday’s settlement, the Rev. Kevin Nadolski, director of communications of the Oblates, said O’Neill has been permanently removed from the ministry. Nadolski said O’Neill again will live and work at the Oblates’ retirement community in Childs.
Nadolski also released a statement apologizing to Eden, his parents and to the local Catholic and Salesianum communities.
“Today’s action is an important step in healing the pain and suffering that James O’Neill caused Eric Eden … ” the Rev. James J. Greenfield, Provincial of the Oblates, said Monday.
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In a reversal of sorts, the Chinese drug safety officials have now decided to take responsibility for the oversight and supervision of their blood thinnning product, heparin. Initially, the Chinese had stated that it was the exporters responsibility for safety oversight of the product they were exporting. In the wake of US identification of the heparin contaminant, they reversed course and stated they would indeed order new oversight procedures for the manufacture of heparin. This is good news but it doesn’t ensure consumer safety. Two other important safety measures must be utilized to make sure the public is safe from contaminated drugs. First, the US has to play a major role in the monitoring and evaluation of imported drugs, including heparin. We can’t just take another’s word that they are in compliance. We must trust but verify. The third major component concerns the tort system in the United States. The consumer’s ability and right to hold someone accountable in a court of law accomplishes two things: 1)it makes the manufacturer or supplier aware that defective products or harmful drugs will not be tolerated, 2)it provides the consumer an avenue for redress of wrongdoing. If the consumer is injured by a harmful drug such as the 19 people who died as a result of the contaminated heparin, they can seek justice in the courts. These three measures are really nothing more than a system of checks and balances that has worked for our country since its inception.

Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC (SPL) manufactures Heparin Sodium USP active pharmaceutical ingredient that is used by B. Braun Medical Inc. to produce Heparin Sodium in 5% Dextrose and 0.9% Sodium Chloride injection solution
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nationwide recall of Heparin Sodium USP active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The recall affects the following 23 Finished Product (FP) lots manufactured and distributed by B. Braun Medical Inc. nationwide and to Canada.
B. Braun FP Lot # B. Braun FP Material Description NDC Numbers CAN DIN
J7D490 P5872 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (250mL) 0264-9587-20 N/A
J7C684 P5771 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (500mL) 0264-9577-10 N/A
J7D496 P5771 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (500mL) 0264-9577-10 N/A
J7C470 P5872 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (250mL) 0264-9587-20 N/A
J7D580 P5671-00 Heparin Sodium 20,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (500mL) N/A 02209713
J7E420 P5872-00 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (250mL) N/A 02209721
J7C611 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7C557 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7C477 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7C705 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7D485 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7E415 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7E416 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7E494 P5872 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (250mL) 0264-9587-20 N/A
J7E500 P5771 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (500mL) 0264-9577-10 N/A
J7E577 P5771-00 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (500mL) N/A 01935941
J7E489 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7N556 P5872 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (250mL) 0264-9587-20 N/A
J7P404 P5771 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (500mL) 0264-9577-10 N/A
J7N604 P5771 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (500mL) 0264-9577-10 N/A
J7P476 P5872 Heparin Sodium 25,000 Units in 5% Dextrose Injection (250mL) 0264-9587-20 N/A
J7N519 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
J7N676 P8721 Heparin Sodium 1000 Units in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (500mL) 0264-9872-10 01935933
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B. Braun Medical Inc. began recalling the lots on March 21, 2008. This product recall was initiated due to a notification received from the supplier, Scientific Protein Laboratories (SPL), disclosing that one lot of Heparin Sodium, USP Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient acquired by B. Braun Medical Inc. has a heparin-like contaminant.
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The Food and Drug Administration has received reports of serious injuries and/or deaths in patients who have been administered Heparin injectable products of other companies containing this contaminant. As indicated in the notification issued by the supplier SPL, typical symptoms include anaphylactic-like reactions such as low blood pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
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Federal regulators may have found that the contaminated heparin linked to 19 deaths was caused by a Chinese counterfeit that was much cheaper than the actual heparin to produce. The counterfeit substance, believed to be a chemically altered form of chondroitin sulfate, was introduced into the contaminated heparin batch that led to the heparin recall a few weeks ago. It is not known if the counterfeit substitution was intentional or by accident. If intentional, the motives behind such a counterfeit addition are also not known. This leads me to conclude that exporting drugs, especially from places like China is highly uncertain and potentially dangerous. Regulations and monitoring of manufacturing and quality control practices are at best not known.

13 million people, primarily women, suffer from urinary incontinence. The Mentor ObTape Vaginal Sling transobturator device was designed to replace weakened or ineffective muscles in the urethra that control urination. The Mentor ObTape Vaginal Sling was supposed to be the mimimally invasive cure for this medical problem. However, 17-18% of women who’ve had this sling implanted have experience such complications as vaginal extrusion and urinary tract erosion, extreme vaginal pain, vaginal discharge, and infections. The non-woven design of the Mentor ObTape Vaginal Sling obstructs oxygen and nutrients. The vaginal sling was introduced to the marketplace in 2003. Within three years, the medical device was removed due to serious medical complications as well as its ineffectiveness in treating urinary incontinence. Many of the women who’ve had this device implanted and subsequently removed have experienced crippling pain, vaginal scarring and no relief from the original problem of incontinence.

Accidentes automovilísticos continúan siendo la causa principal de muerte para Americanos menores de 34 años. Cada año, 40,000 personas pierdan sus vidas en choques de autos. Los resultados psicolólogicos, economicos, y físicos causan un tremendo impacto tanto en familias como en individuos. Los resultados pueden ser una pesadilla cuando se afrontan tratamientos médicos, reparos del auto, facturas médicas, pérdida de trabajo, y de dinero. Sin embargo, las decisiones que se hacen durante este periodo pueden dejar un fuerte impacto tanto para individuo como la familia.
Qué hacer en caso de un accidente de auto?
1) Para
La ley de Florida require que el chofer de un auto involucrado en un accidente debe parar de inmediato en la escena sin bloquear el tráfico.
2) Proteja la escena del accidente
Los autos deben de ser dejados donde estuvieron en el momento del accidente si no están bloqueando el tráfico. Si tiene que mover su auto, deje notar la posición original de los autos involucrados en el accidente.
3) Notifique a los autoridades- tiene que contactar a la policia sobre el accidente, aunque nadie este aparentemente lastimado. Si el otro chofer dice que pagará por los daños de los autos, no tiene garantía. Es muy importante asegurarse que el reporte sea llenado.
4)No haga commentarios-con la excepción de intercambiar información, no debe commentar sobre el accidente, a menos que lo haga con la policia. Mantenga sus notas y opiniones para su mismo. No admita culpa. Eso le puede causar problemas en el futuro. No diga que se encuentra bien. Aunque ud. se sienta bien en este momento, ud. puede sentir malestar más adelante.
5. SEGUROS DE AUTO Y COBERTURAS:
Bajo su póliza de seguro, Ud. tendrá que notificar el accidente a su compañía aseguradora dentro de las 24 horas de ocurrido el accidente. Su compañía le pedirá un reporte con los detalles del accidente. Bajo el contrato de seguros Ud. está obligado a cooperar con su compañía de seguros en la investigación de su caso sin embargo no se requiere un testimonio grabado.
UD. NO ESTA OBLIGADO BAJO NINGUNA CIRCUNSTANCIA A DAR UN TESTIMONIO GRABADO A LA COMPANIA ASEGURADORA DEL OTRO CHOFER ES MAS NUNCA SE DEBERA HACER ESO. Por lo tanto si la otra compañía le pide grabar el testimonio su respuesta debe ser NO, solamente debe dar detalles en forma verbal y no diga QUE SE SIENTE BIEN, pues su condición puede cambiar en el transcurso de los siguientes días. No discuta mayores detalles hasta que consulte con un abogado.
COBERTURA DE NO CULPA
El estado de Florida es un estado NO-CULPA, aunque Ud. No haya provocado el accidente, su compañía de seguros será responsable de sus gastos médicos. Bajo la ley de la Florida, su compañía (Personal Injury Protection o PIP) pagara 80% de todos los gastos razonable de asistencia médica y tratamientos menos el deducible que Ud. haya adquirido en su póliza.
COBERTURA DE NO CULPA: SALARIOS
Su PIP pagara el 60% de cualquier salario perdido como consecuencia del accidente (nuevamente, menos el deducible adquirido en su póliza) Para recuperar salarios perdidos su médico tratante tiene que indicar que Ud. no puede trabajar. Su medico deberá elaborar una declaración de la inhabilidad indicando el periodo que el considera razonable de acuerdo a sus lesiones físicas. Durante este periodo Ud. es elegible para recibir el pago de salarios perdidos. RECUERDE que Ud. es responsable de los impuestos generados sobre los salarios pagados durante este periodo.
PAGOS MEDICOS
Esta cobertura médica, conocida también como MED Pay, es opcional. También puede ser aplicado a sus cuentas médicas y puede cubrir deducibles que Ud. tenga. Pagará el otro 20% de su tratamiento no cubierto por PIP y pagará 100% de los costos del tratamiento médico hasta el límite de su MED Pay, una vez que su PIP se haya agotado. (Significa que Ud. no tiene beneficios restantes de PIP)
DAÑOS MATERIALES
Si Ud. fue el causante del accidente, el conductor del otro auto no puede forzarle a pagar por daños materiales sin procesos jurídicos. Ud. tiene que notificar el accidente a su compañía aseguradora. Si omite notificar a su compañía esto le puede causar omisión de contrato y por lo tanto su compañía de seguros puede rechazar los pagos de daños materiales del otro conductor. Si Ud. NO fue el causante del accidente y tiene cobertura comprensiva y de colisión en su póliza, y si su auto es reparable, Ud. tiene dos opciones: Ud. puede pasar los gastos con su propia compañía o con la compañía de seguros del otro conductor.
Hay ventajas en cada opción:
• Si Ud. opta por su propia compañía de seguros, siendo Ud. el asegurado le dará ventaja a tramitar su demanda rápidamente. Sin embargo Ud. será responsable del deducible y tendrá que pagarlo por adelantado. Su compañía podrá recuperar el gasto, pero puede tomar algún tiempo.
• Si Ud. opta por la compañía de seguros del otro conductor (causante del accidente), ya que Ud. no es el asegurado puede que le tome mas tiempo para procesar la demanda, sin embargo no tendrá que pagar gastos de deducibles o reparación.
SEGURO Y COBERTURA
LOS DAÑOS MATERIALES – PERDIDA TOTAL Si su auto ha sido totalmente dañado Ud. tiene nuevamente dos opciones:
Ud. puede pasar los gastos con su propia compañía o con la compañía de seguros del otro conductor.
Es recomendable que obtenga ofertas de las dos compañías aseguradoras, ya que una le puede valorizar su auto por mayor cantidad de dinero. Por ejemplo su propia compañía puede valorizar su auto en $ 2,750.00, mientras que la compañía del otro conductor lo puede valorizar en $2,500.00. Bajo este ejemplo, Ud. recibirá inicialmente $2,250.00 de su propia compañía (asumiendo que Ud. tiene $500.00 deducible) Su compañía aseguradora recuperará el deducible y se lo devolverá a Ud. Por lo tanto Ud. recibirá mayor cantidad con su propia compañía aseguradora.
Nunca discuta valorizaciones con su portador de seguro o viceversa ya que se puede prestar a elevar o disminuir la valorización como convenga. Además es una buena idea si Ud. mismo hace sus propias investigaciones tanto en las páginas del Internet NADA, Edmunds y Libro Azul de Kelly para determinar el precio de su auto.

An interesting debate is brewing among healthcare professionals and medical device manufacturers over the ability to re-use devices that are labeled as single use. Hospitals say that reusing medical devices such as scissors, scrubs, and sharp saws saves money and is safe because the devices are sent away for sterilization. The companies that perfom these sterilization processes argue that once cleaned these medical devices are as good as new. The Government Accountability Office agrees with them. However, the medical device manufacturers, who stand to lose money from such recycling, are not so certain. At this point, it’s not clear which group is correct.

Medtronic’s AneuRx stent-graft system has had a higher death rate than conventional surgical options, according to the FDA, which posted its findings on its website. The stent is designed to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms, a potentially life-threatening condition in which the aortic artery bulges and can burst resulting in death. This latest FDA warning comes on the heels of Medtronic’s Sprint Fidelis cardiac defibrillators whose leads have been found to fracture causing electrical shorts. The culprit in the Fidelis defibrillators is the leads which are thin wires that send electrical impulses to the heart regulating the cardiac rhythm.

Kava, the Polynesian herbal supplement, has made its way into health food stores and vitamin outlets in Idaho. While Kava has been touted for its tranquilizing qualities by its supporters, the FDA and other medical professionals have warned that it can lead to liver toxicity and even death. Great Britain banned kava from store shelves and Germany and Switzerland have restricted its usage due to liver problems. In March 2002, the FDA issued a consumer advisory concerning the potential for liver damage to those using Kava Kava and Kava Kava-containing products have been associated with liver-related injuries – including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure — in over 25 reports of adverse events in other countries. Four patients required liver transplants.
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