OMAHA, Nebraska. Imagine you are in terrible pain and you go to the doctor only to be told that the pain is “all in your head” or that you must be “stressed out.” For many women in America, this response is all too familiar. According to the Atlantic, researchers have found that women consistently receive less pain medication than men, and are less likely to be admitted to hospitals and receive necessary tests than men complaining of similar symptoms. In some cases, this can lead to months of pain and lowered quality of life. In the worst-case scenarios, this can lead to death or disability due to misdiagnosis and lack of treatment. Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. As more people are taking DNA tests to learn about their ancestry, these same DNA tests are sometimes revealing more than people may have bargained for. According to the Atlantic, DNA tests, for some, mean learning that the person you thought was your dad is not your dad. And in one recorded case, a mother who underwent artificial insemination learned that her doctor used his own sperm, even though he had told the family he would search for a donor with specifications the family requested. Children whose fathers don’t know that their children are not their biological offspring, could end up harboring their mother’s secret, a burden which can be tough to bear. For women who suffered medical malpractice at the hands of a fertility doctor, the road to a medical malpractice lawsuit or claim can be emotionally devastating, because it involves the genetic makeup of their children. Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. Car acting strangely? It might be rodents. Seriously. According to Consumer Reports, more car companies are using plant-based biodegradable materials in new vehicles, putting cars at risk of being the target of vermin. A range of car companies have reported that rodents have attacked the wiring of their cars. Even if your car isn’t plant-based, some rodents may now think that older cars are chewable based on their experience with more palatable cars. Other rodents may just chew on wires and car components to sharpen and wear down their constantly-growing teeth. The end result—problems with your car. Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. According to the Atlantic, the students of Detroit have sued the state, arguing that the state has denied them their constitutional right to an education. The lawsuit has reached a federal appeals court. The lawyers pursuing the lawsuit claim that Detroit’s poorest performing schools are so bad that the students might as well not be going to school at all. At the heart of the claim against the school system is that the schools are not teaching children how to read. By denying the children access to basic literacy, the lawsuit claims that the state is denying them their constitutional right to an education. The lawsuit claims that the children are being denied an opportunity to participate meaningfully in society due to the schools’ poor performance. Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. Imagine a nightmare in which you are woken in your sleep, are raped, and then, when you report your rape to the police, the police fail to believe you, even reading you your Miranda warnings, claiming you can face charges for false reports. According to the New York Times, this very scenario happened to one woman who was raped and was then not believed by the police. What recourse does a victim have in this scenario? Read more