52-year-old Deborah Shank became permanently brain damaged and confined to a wheelchair in a collision with a tractor-trailer 7 years ago. She received a $700,000 settlement from the trucking company. After attorneys’ fees and other expenses, she was left with $417,000. This was far too little to cover her ongoing medical needs, but at least it was something. The money was placed in a special trust to partially fund Mrs. Shank’s care.
Using a technicality in her health insurance policy in effect at the time, her former employer, Wal-Mart, sought to get its hands on the money. They sued and succeeded. The money is now slated to go to Wal-Mart, leaving Mrs. Shank dependent upon what she can get from Medicaid and Social Security. [read more]
Lynn Flaherty went to her family doctor’s office, and complained of headaches and a nasal discharge—typical sinus infection symptoms. Apparently, the doctor didn’t even examine her, trusting instead in the “diagnosis” of her assistant. One thing led to another, and eventually Mrs. Flaherty had to have brain surgery. She sued for malpractice—and was awarded $3 million. [read more]
In a perfect world, justice would prevail easily and promptly, no matter what. But in the real world, justice must often be obtained through a long and complicated legal process. The people who are seeking to deny you justice–typically big corporations and insurance companies–are going to have formidable legal firepower on their side. If you don’t have a competent attorney working for you, you’ll be “outgunned,” and can easily lose no matter how good your case is. Here’s some advice on how to find such an attorney. [read more]
Christopher Puccio visited an Applebee’s in West Virginia, and warned that he was extremely allergic to fish. Allegedly, the restaurant’s staff ignored his warning and failed to clean its grill before preparing his food. He experienced a severe allergic reaction and is now suing the restaurant. [read more]
It’s happened. You’ve been injured. Now what? While every case is different, there are some basic “dos” and “don’ts” just about everyone should follow in a personal injury case. Here’s our 8 step guide. [read more]
In a welcome ruling, an Illinois judge has struck down a law that placed caps on some malpractice awards. The losers: big-money interests like the Illinois Hospital Association and the big insurance companies. The winners: anyone whose life might be shattered by medical malpractice—in other words, every American man, woman, and child. [read more]
Those disgruntled with the outcome of a case often accuse one or both of the lawyers involved of being “crooked,” implying that a more “fair” outcome would have resulted had the attorney(s) not resorted to purported dirty tricks. Genuinely crooked lawyers, however, are a rare breed. Only seldom does one read of attorneys embezzling funds. Nonetheless, it does happen. [read more]
You've been awarded $200,000 because of an injury you sustained due to the unsafe conditions in a store you were visiting. Your attorney suggests that you might want to take a "structured settlement." What is this--and is it a good idea? [read more]
Personal injury can affect anyone, anytime. This site is intended as a resource to help the injured "get what's coming to them"—which usually involves a lawsuit. [read more]
