Geron Corp.’s drug tests in animals for an experimental cell therapy that is designed to help spinal injuries cause cysts, according to a Reuters report.

The cysts were microscopic, and they did not turn into tumors, which is good - but tests are still being done to see if the treatment is usable on people.

The procedure involves embryonic stem cells, which do have the potential to grow uncontrollably and turn into tumors, researchers said. But it seems unlikely, and a spokesperson for Geron said she thinks investors are relieved that tumors - the worst case scenario for the test - did not occur.

The company has submitted data to the FDA in hopes of moving forward. Geron is at the forefront of stem cell research in medicine.

The answer is yes - and one young girl and her family have experienced it first hand.

According to ABC News, six of every 10 babies born acquires jaundice in the first few weeks of life - so when Lexi Haas showed symptoms at just three days old, her doctor was not worried.

Now, seven years later, Lexi is having surgeries to combat a movement disorder from which she now suffers - as a result of jaundice when she was an infant.

The brain injury condition Lexi has could have been avoided with one simple test - but she never received that test, said her mother Susan.

Now, at age seven, Lexi’s mental functions are completely in tact, but for her, voluntary physical movement is an impossibility.

Her mother estimates that medical costs throughout Lexi’s life will cost upwards of $25 million. The family can hire an injury lawyer and seek damages from the hospital or doctor that might be responsible for Lexi’s condition.

According to a study on car accidents and safe driving, most motor vehicle related accidents in the United States involve people aged 25 and younger. Injury lawyers typically handle court cases that arise from these accidents.

It might seem like no secret that personality can affect driving behavior, but could it be a reason for causing more car accidents than there would be otherwise?

People tend to drive faster if they have an aggressive personality, and aggression can be aggravated by anger. According to the study, personalities also varied depending on alcohol and drug use.

Most people know that alcohol and drug use not only affect your personality, but also your capability to drive a car, which makes it more likely anyway that an accident will occur.

For the full report about personality and driving, visit the Gulliver/Begg study.

According to research from the University of Wisconsin Extension program, more than one million kids aged five and under die of poisoning each year.

There are many factors in every household that contribute to home safety - and when you have young children or elderly adults in the house, being extra cautious is even more important.

Below are some steps that can be taken to avoid personal injury and make sure your home is as safe as possible:

1. Keep toxic cleaning supplies in locked cupboards or closets - or up high so children cannot reach them
2. When very young kids are in your house, use electric socket blockers to prevent electrocution
3. Don’t leave plastic bags in places available to children to avoid suffocation
4. Put potentially hazardous plants on shelves or windowsills instead of on the ground
5. Install a smoke alarm in each room for fire safety
6. Store matches and lighters in a secure, fire-retardant location

For more suggestions about home safety, view this Home Safety brochure.

According to an investigation by the Hearst Corporation, they found that about 200,000 deaths are because of medical mistakes and mishaps each year.

The report is titled “Death by Mistake,” and it shows preventable medical errors and infections spread throughout hospitals may be responsible for thousands of deaths annually.

Back in 1999 when the federal government came out with their report about medical malpractice called “To Err is Human,” many hoped it would spur some changes and improvements in the world of medicine. Unfortunately, Hearst’s new report shows that hospitals, medical organizations and the federal government have done little to change safety/health practices.

According to CBS News, here are seven factors that cause or contribute to the thousands of medical deaths yearly:

• Operating on the wrong organ or wrong side of the body
• Improper medication (wrong doses, patients given meds they’re allergic to)
• Miscommunication or no communication between doctors and patients  before surgery
• Bad documentation
• Sleep-deprived doctors/surgeons
• Illegible handwriting
• Low nurse-to-patient ratios

Patients can help doctors and hospitals improve medical malpractice statistics by opening a higher level of communication with their care providers. Doctors and surgeons can help by talking to patients before they are sedated for procedures - to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Doctors and hospitals don’t want to face injury lawsuits, and no one wants to see the statistics of 200,000 deaths by medical mistake. If you’re a doctor or a patient, take a little extra time and care, and see what you can do to help!

After a brief hiatus from the automobile market, Ford Motor Company has brought back its old pal from the 1980s, the Ford Taurus. The new 2010 Taurus and Taurus SHO were introduced yesterday, and according to TheCarConnection, they are more than just near-luxury sedans.

The updated Taurus was rated the top safety pick - making it a great car for anyone and everyone - particularly families. The safety rating will definitely help cut down on the number of personal injuries sustained as a result of car accidents.

Some of the Taurus’ exceptional safety features include:

• Post-crash alert system
• Automatically unlocking all doors when airbags deploy
• Hazard lights automatically turn on
• The horn automatically sounds
• Optional rearview camera
• Optional blind-spot and cross-traffic alert system

The Taurus is a well-known car name, and Ford is hoping it will help keep the company highly regarded by consumers - they already have an edge since they are the only one of the Detroit ‘Big Three’ that didn’t declare bankruptcy.

You might think that back or neck injuries are the most commonly sustained injuries associated with car accidents - however according to Forbes.com, it’s something far more simple: Slamming your finger in the car door accounts for almost 150,000 car-related accidents annually.

Also near the top of the list of  personal injuries that happen when the car is stationary are:

• Injury related to a hoist or car jack
• Injury from a falling vehicle or vehicle part
• Injury from loading or unloading a car
• Injury from pushing a car that has stalled

According to the Forbes article, injuries that happen when the car is not moving are not covered by insurance. The research shows that nearly 2,000 deaths and more than 800,000 injuries each year are caused by non-traffic accidents and non-crash incidents.