Category Archives: Compensation

PHC Law Recovers Over £500,000 Compensation For Accident At Work Claimant

PHC Law Recovers Over £500,000 Compensation For Accident At Work Claimant

The Claimant claimed damages for an accident which occurred on 6th December 2005 when he was 42-years old. He was required to move a completed lorry by means of a hand operated electrically powered “dead man truck”. His left foot/lower leg was trapped and crushed by the truck causing very serious injuries including compound fractures to the left tibia and fibula, a fracture dislocation of the ankle and a fracture of the calcaneum.

The Claimant has suffered a very serious injury and underwent three operations in quick succession his treatment involving external fixation and skin grafting. The Claimant did not make a good recovery and suffered multiple corrective operations – a total of 13 to date of settlement.

Although the Claimant attempted to return to his work as a motor engineer the effect of ongoing pain and disability made this impossible. He was unable to do manual work from a standing position and work involving weight bearing. He was equally unable to manage sedentary work due to swelling and increased pain caused by being seated.

Expert evidence was obtained from a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. The Defendants obtained orthopaedic evidence from two other specialists.

Settlement was necessarily delayed to enable a proper assessment of the full extent of the Claimant’s ongoing disability together with his future limitations on the labour market and domestically.

The matter was dealt with co-operatively throughout between the parties and the Claimant was voluntarily provided with interim payments by the Defendants.

The Defendants initially offered £110,000.00. This offer was rejected by the Claimant. The Defendants then offered £400,000.00 in January 2011 which was rejected by the Claimant. The Defendant subsequently reduced this offer to £380,000.00. Both parties wished to seek disposal of the claim by joint settlement meeting. As the date for the meeting approached the Defendants disclosed surveillance evidence which required most careful consideration by the Claimant and the Claimant’s legal advisors.

In the event the matter was settled by way of joint settlement meeting on 21st July 2011 for the total sum of £568,330.28. Settlement was inclusive of £49,000.00 interim payments and £19,330.28 payable to the Department of Work and Pensions in respect of refundable benefits.

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Where Fraud Victims Need To Go For Help

Unfortunately fraud victims are often the forgotten victims in our justice system. There are often no support groups or counselors for them. Nor are there many places where they can go for help.

Strangely enough the more complex the fraud is and the more money involved, too often, the less likely the victim is to receive to help. This does not mean that help is not available. It simply means that fraud victims are looking for help in the wrong places. In most cases, “getting help” starts with fraud victims helping themselves.

The first place to go for help if you loose a lot of money in any sort of scam is not to the prosecutor or law enforcement, but to an attorney. Find a lawyer who has a lot of experience in the field. In some cases, these attorneys will only charge for expenses and a low retainer. In these cases, they will take the largest part of their fees as a percentage of the settlement.

File such a suit even if the fraudsters are operating outside the US . You should do that because you might be able to get money from them if they return to the US or have property or assets here. Attorney Howard Fensterman sued a group of businessmen in Abu Dhabi who allegedly stole money from a group of Americans trying to organize an insurance company there.

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A Simple Search Could Save You a Lot of Money

Something that a lot of investors don’t realize is that a simple internet search can save an investor or group of investors a lot of money. In many cases simply typing the name or locale into a search engine such as Google or Bing can protect a person from fraud.

Most of the scam artists that commit investment fraud have done it, over and over again. Some of them have been committing such crimes for decades, and they even have criminal records or a history of serving time in prison. Typing their name and the word fraud into a search engine can turn up interesting results. Similarly, typing the name of somebody offering an investment and the word lawsuit into a search engine also can produce very informative results. It is possible to sue con artists to get your money back. You can even sue in U.S. Courts foreign con artists who commit their crimes in other countries.

That means you can check out foreign investment opportunities with an online search. But don’t just read a single on-line posting about the fraud or lawsuit, read all the postings to obtain a full perspective of what happened so you can make a more educated decision. A person thinking of doing business in the United Arab Emirates or UAE (the Persian Gulf State where Dubai and Abu Dhabi are located) could type in the words lawsuit and UAE. This search might show you that New York attorney Howard Fenstersman has sued a group of a group of prominent businessmen in Abu Dhabi on behalf of a group of US investors who alleged that $18 million of their money had been stolen from a UAE bank.

Obviously, con artists and persons trying to drum up business would not tell you this, but an online search can. For example, shares in Medical Capital Holdings, a notorious pyramid scam based in Orange County , California , were sold by agents working for Securities America (a brokerage based in Nebraska ). Anybody who searched “Securities America” and the word “lawsuit would” have found that the brokerage is facing millions of dollars in lawsuits filed by investors who claimed they were ripped off by its brokers.

An online search can be one of the most powerful tools in stopping fraud and protecting investors. All investors should do so when considering new investments.

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Office of Inspector General Is Aggressively Asserting Its Authority to Exclude Owners, Officers and Managing Employees of Sanctioned Entities From Participation in Federal Health Care Programs

“The longstanding but little-used authority of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to exclude from participation in any federal health care program, such as Medicare, any officer or managing employee of a health related entity that has been convicted of certain legal offenses, should now be top-of-mind for all general managers, business managers, administrators and directors of today’s health care facilities,” says Patrick Formato, a partner at Abrams , Fensterman , Fensterman, Eisman, Greenberg, Formato & Einiger, LLP (Abrams Fensterman).

Reflecting on his recent participation at June’s Annual Meeting of the American Health Lawyers Association, Formato is reaching out to his clients with a stern warning: “The OIG is becoming increasingly aggressive in targeting owners, managers and boards of sanctioned health care facilities. These individuals must keep a finger on the pulse of what is going on in every phase of their organization and they must be proactive about reporting their concerns.”

Formato notes that exclusions under section 1128 (b) (15) of the Social Security Act are based upon the individual’s role or interest in a company that is excluded or is convicted of certain offenses. Individuals who have an ownership or a control interest in a sanctioned entity may be excluded if they knew or should have known of the conduct that led to the sanction. Officers and managing employees may be excluded based solely on their position within the entity.

“There is a higher standard for exclusion of an owner,” Formato points out. “The relevant statute requires evidence that the owner knew or should have known of the conduct that formed the basis for the sanction. In cases involving officers and managing employees, the statute includes a no knowledge element. The OIG therefore has the authority to exclude every officer and managing employee of a sanctioned entity.” says Formato.

“As a practical matter, the OIG does not intend to exclude all officers and managing employees,” Formato notes. “But where the evidence supports the fact that a managing employee knew or should have known of the conduct, the OIG will probably operate with a presumption in favor of exclusion.”

“Abrams Fensterman has one of the largest health care legal practices in New York state, representing approximately 125 nursing homes, a large number of medical groups and individuals in a variety of complex health care-related matters,” says Howard Fensterman, Managing Partner of Abrams Fensterman.

“Some of our clients include physicians, medical societies, ambulatory surgery centers, diagnostic and treatment centers, hospitals, imaging facilities, dentists, podiatrists, chiropractors, early intervention agencies and other health care providers,” Fensterman notes.

“This experience has led to our health care lawyers lecturing at bar associations, professional organizations, hospitals and colleges. At these meetings and through direct communications, Pat Formato and I, along with our entire senior health care-specialist team, will be underscoring what is clearly an environment of increased enforcement on the part of the OIG that is specifically related health care fraud. We want our clients to be proactive, diligent and aggressive so as to prevent legal action against their health care entities and the possibility of being sued and personally excluded from future participation in the industry,” says Fensterman.

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Preston Injury Solicitors Highlight Work Related Accidents Numbers In Lancashire

More people are injured in work related accidents in Lancashire than in any other areas throughout the North West, or the whole country, according to a new analysis of official data by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).

Last year there over 10,000 injuries in the workplace were reported due to slips and trips, estimated to cost businesses a total of £521,000,000.

In so many cases, these types of accidents could easily be prevented if the correct action has been taken by the employer.

In Jan 2011, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) released a plea to employers to make health and safety a priority going forward.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, in 2010 more than 300 work related incidents occurred across the North West each week, an annual total of 16,385 people being injured or resulting in fatal accidents.

The HSE hope this figure will be a reminder to employers and staff to make their workplaces safer moving forward and drastically improve casualty rates.

In 2010 the Health and Safety Executive prosecuted North West firms for 100 breaches for health and safety legislation, taking action against hundreds of businesses by issuing them with Prohibition and Improvement Notices.

David Sowerby, Regional Director for the North West said:
“Behind these statistics are the real life stories of thousands of workers suffering injuries and ill health. Together with their families, they have to deal with real hardship, pain and suffering.

“The New Year is an opportune time to reflect on the number of incidents in the past 12 months, and to take positive action to improve conditions in workplaces. “The main causes of fatal incidents nationally remain falls from height and from workplace transport, with the highest numbers being found in the construction and agriculture sectors. For other injuries, slips and trips and incidents affecting the back and upper limbs are the most common cause.

“Most of these injuries are entirely preventable. We implore businesses to take practical action to manage the risks people face in their day-to-day work.” Britain boasts one of the best health and safety records in Europe but with 180 workplace deaths nationally last year, HSE says there is still much to be done.

Dr Sowerby added:

“Simple measures, including the assessment of workplace risks to identify improvements, and providing training and instruction to workers, can and do prevent many incidents. Involving the workforce in this process has been shown to have significant success.

“HSE works with a number of partners to provide free advice and guidance to those both carrying out and managing work. We want businesses and the self-employed to work with us to help reduce injuries and make the North West a safer and healthier place to work.

“Every employee has the right to return home from work safely and without their health affected and I hope all employers in the North West share that view and take steps to ensure that is the case.”

Many people who have suffered a work related injury go onto seek the legal advice and guidance from a personal injury solicitor about pursuing an accident at work claim.

Lancashire based personal injury firm, PHC Law Ltd, help thousands of people every year throughout the North West and the UK to recover from injuries they have sustained whilst at work, recovering millions of pounds in compensation.

A spokesman from PHC Law said: “If someone has suffered an accident at work within the past three years, they are entitled by law to seek the legal advice and guidance from a personal injury solicitor. It is their employer’s duty of care and responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their employees. Employers who are found to be in breach of this are breaking the law”

“In this climate, many people feel reluctant to pursue a claim for compensation, fearful of losing their jobs if they made a claim, or concerned about the financial loss they will suffer because they are unable to work”

“We help thousands of people throughout Preston, the North West and the UK, recovering compensation for the pain suffering and affect the injury has had on their day-to-day lifestyle and also access the compensation amounts they are entitled to for any financial loss they have suffered. Severe injuries can often be disabling, affected their future employment prospects and lifestyle. Not only do we set out to achieve the maximum amount of compensation they deserve, we also arrange for any medical rehabilitation they might require and access their financial circumstances, recovering compensation for any financial losses they have also suffered”

PHC Law Ltd are one of the UK’s leading ‘No win, No fee’ solicitors. For more information, please visit phclaw.com or call free on 0800 612 7 612.

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PHC Law Supports RoSPA’s Lighter Evening Campaign

RoSPA has been calling for many years for a move to a system called “Single/Double Summer time” (SDST), which would put the clocks one hour ahead of GMT in winder and two hours ahead of GMT throughout the summer months.

The campaign has been launched to improve road safety and the number of fatalities and people that are injured on the roads, being the key aim behind RoSPA’s campaign.

Research found a move to SDST could reduce road death by around 80 per cent every year and serious injuries by around 212 per year.

A spokesperson from PHC Law personal injury solicitors said:

“Our Road Traffic Accident Solicitors recover millions of pounds in compensation every year from people who have sustained a whiplash injury, been involved public transport accidents through to pedestrians and cyclists who have been involved in an accident”.

“The main benefit of SDST will help to protect not only motorists and pedestrians but vulnerable road users like children and the elderly, making them more visible to motorists”

“Children are often a high-risk in regards to road traffic accidents, they tend to go straight to school in a morning but often participate in after school activities, increasing their exposure to road dangers in the evenings. It is vital in any case for motorcyclists and pedestrians to ensure they can be seen and for motorists to watch their speed and be aware of vulnerable road users like pedestrians, children and the elderly at any time of the day or night”

“If SDST is enforced, hopefully this will drastically improve the amount of people who are involved in road traffic accidents each year, especially children”.

Tom Mularkley, RosPA chief executive said: “We need to keep the momentum behind this long-running campaign. In view of the reports published in 2009, plus casualty data, we will continue to call a change which, we believe, would save lives and reduce injuries.

“More pedestrians are killed and injured in the afternoon and early evening than in the morning. Therefore, by moving to SDST, vulnerable road users like children walking home from school would have an extra hour of daylight in which to make their journeys.

“It is time for the issue to come off the shelf and for the full implications to be considered.”

RoSPA recommends a trial is run for 2-3 years to provide objective, up-to-date evidence about the effects of SDST, also recommending that it would enable the public, industry and business sectors to experience the change for themselves.

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Prominent Labor Litigation Economist Joins BLDS, LLC

Labor Economist Christopher Erath, Ph.D., has joined the national statistical and economic consulting firm BLDS, LLC as a director. Dr. Erath will consult with BLDS clients on issues arising in litigation, including class-action certification, liability in employment-discrimination claims, wage-and-hour claims and economic damages. Dr. Erath has written extensively on labor and employment litigation and has testified on labor and employment issues in over 30 matters.

Bernard R. Siskin, Ph.D., founder and head director of BLDS, LLC, said Dr. Erath affords BLDS clients added depth. “In addition to significant experience in the analysis of statistical liability and damages in labor matters, Dr. Erath has directed research on antitrust issues, including patent-infringement damages. He also has significant experience in regulatory hearings. He is a welcome addition to our firm.”

Dr. Erath previously served as senior vice president of NERA Economic Consulting. He earned his doctorate in Economics at the University of Wisconsin.

About BLDS, LLC: For nearly 40 years, the nationally recognized statistics and economics experts of BLDS, LLC have advised law firms and their clients — including Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, and privately held enterprises — on a wide variety of issues requiring quantitative expertise and coherent explanation.

Led by Bernard R. Siskin, Ph. D., BLDS statistical experts provide independent expert analysis in applied statistics and effectively communicate both the results and implications. They have been retained in matters of employment discrimination including hiring, promotion, compensation, reductions-in-force, and class action certification. BLDS experts are frequently retained to analyze the work force impact of planned management actions in an effort to minimize litigation exposure.

BLDS’s rigorous statistical approach has also been applied to questions of credit discrimination, wage and hour disputes, and insurance issues.

BLDS economic experts provide litigation support and advisory services on economic damages in commercial, employment and tort actions. They are also recognized experts in business valuation theory and practice, including valuation discounts and premiums.

BLDS experts have been appointed by courts as neutral experts and have testified before arbitration panels, and in federal and state courts, including the Delaware Court of Chancery.

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Shoosmiths Appoints David Palmer as New Head of Access Legal

Shoosmiths has announced it has appointed David Palmer has the new head of its consumer legal services operation Access Legal. David has been appointed to drive Access Legal forward after a successful first 18 months.

David will be taking over from the current head of consumer services, Judith Dorkins, who has worked for Shoosmiths for 20 years, and spent months helping to develop and launch Access Legal.

Judith Dorkins, who is retiring to pursue other interests, commented on David taking over from her: “David is an experienced business leader who had developed success across a wide range of sectors and for some of the most challenging and innovative international companies.

“He has just the skills we were looking for to take Access Legal to the next level in the journey to become a leading and trusted provider of high quality legal services to consumers.”

David Palmer, new head of consumer services, Access Legal, commented: “This is a wonderful challenge at what is an exciting time for the consumer legal services market. To be the leading player as we intend in this brave new world we must offer legal expertise coupled with traditional service values, delivered in a modern way that deploys the best practices from other fast-moving consumer sectors. I’m looking forward to making this happen.”

Before moving to Access Legal, David has enjoyed a wide ranging career, including roles such as director of the UK personal cards business of Citigroup, international marketing head for US private equity and investment banking group Robert W Baird, and head of personal customer marketing for Royal Bank of Scotland’s card division.

Access Legal was first launched in February 2010, and marked its first year anniversary at the start of 2011 with an impressive set of launch-year statistics.

It recorded a 178% increase in direct enquiries, saw web enquiries up more than 100%, staff referrals and member claims climbed from 1% to 11% and it experienced 25 times more enquiries through recommendations.

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Access Legal from Shoosmiths joins the Institute of Customer Service

Access Legal from Shoosmiths has announced it has joined the Institute of Customer Service, making it the first top 30 legal services firm to do so.

The national law firm believes that becoming a member of the Institute of Customer Service will help support its key strategic aim of delivering the highest levels of client and customer service.

Access Legal provides a variety of services including personal injury claims, and considers customer service to be extremely important. The team at Access Legal aim to be friendly, supportive and caring and treat each client as a real person rather than a ‘case’.

Claire Rowe, chief executive of Shoosmiths, commented: “One of Shoosmiths’ central tenets is that only the very best customer service is good enough.

“And while we’re proud of the service levels we’ve already achieved, we’re the first to acknowledge that there’s always room for improvement.

“We must make sure everyone at the firm is committed to delivering great customer service all the time, which is why we’re rolling out an Institute-associated people development programme, to ensure client service is understood at all levels of the firm.

“One of the reasons we chose to join the Institute is because it’s recognised as the leading body in its field by so many of our clients. And it would be wonderful to think that as the first top 30 law firm to join it, we might just be setting a new benchmark for the legal industry.”

The Institute of Customer Service is an independent, professional membership body for customer service. It aims to be the first port of call for every aspect of customer service, so that its customers can improve their business performance and their overall customer experience.

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Access Legal Announces Appointment Of Nicholas Tubb To Medical Negligence Team

Access Legal from Shoosmiths, the national consumer legal services provider, has announced it has hired Nicholas Tubb as its new partner in the medical negligence team.

Tubb has joined Access Legal from Challinors’ clinical negligence department and will be based in Access Legal’s Birmingham office.

Tubb has considerable experience in the sector and has specialised in medical negligence claims on behalf of patients and their families for more than 10 years, with a particular interest in complex cases and a wide experience of claims involving surgical errors and deaths following treatment. He also has a keen interest in getting answers for patients and their families.

A partner since 2005, Tubb has successfully pursued complex birth injury, brain and spinal injury claims for clients, securing a number of multi-million pound awards.

He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association, and is a panel member of AvMA (Action Against Medical Accidents).

The team at Access Legal from Shoosmiths is growing and Nicholas Tubb will strengthen its medical negligence offering.

Richard Follis, partner and national head of medical negligence, Access Legal, said: “Ours is a growing team at a time when there’s a worrying rise in the number of patients receiving inadequate or negligent care at the hands of health professionals.

“Nick’s knowledge in this highly specialised area, plus his excellent contacts and connections in the city and the wider region, will undoubtedly bolster our already strong team.”

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Access Legal Announces Sponsorship of Leon Hunt

Access Legal, the consumer legal services provider, has announced it will be sponsoring motorcycle racer Leon Hunt in this season’s Metzeler National Superstock Championship.

Access Legal will be backing the 22-year-old from Brighton in all 12 rounds of the series, which began at Easter, at Brands Hatch. This is the first time that Access Legal has sponsored a rider.

Leon is racing for Lincoln-based team AP Kawasaki in the Superstock 1000cc class, which supports the popular MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. He will be riding a brand new Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Leon began racing at the end of 2003, and has been successful on 125cc machines through to Superstock bikes. He won a 125 series and had podium positions in the British Championship, where he also enjoyed several top five finishes.

Access Legal also has a motoring law team, which is run by bikers and provides a service to bikers and other members of the public who have a motoring law question.

Simon Richards, team leader (legal executive) at Access Legal, said: “Being bikers ourselves, we follow the Superstock series avidly, and have known Leon for a couple of years. We’re excited to be able to get involved and we’re confident he’ll do well on the new ZX-10R. We wish him the best of luck for the series.”

Leon Hunt commented: “I really enjoyed my first year in the Superstock 1000cc class last year,” he said “but we had a little bit of bad luck and I had to train harder to get used to the longer races. I feel confident this season, and hope to be at the sharp end.”

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PHC Law Firm Celebrates Their 10th Anniversary

Today, Preston based personal injury from, PHC Law Ltd, celebrate their 10th anniversary.

From humble beginnings starting off as a one man band, the firm has grown to become one of the most reputable personal injury solicitors in Preston, and surrounding areas with a total staff number of 15 and counting.

Philip H Cuerden, Managing Director explains “I wanted to develop a specialist firm that was able to respond to our clients efficiently to the personal injury environment. Although the myth of “compensation culture” continues to be reported by the media that it is easy for any one to pursue and successfully make a claim for compensation that is not the case.

Many of the laws that govern the service that we provide have been around for decades, since the law of negligence was established in 1931.

The firm has seen a significant change in legislation in recent years, aimed at safeguarding the workforce.

People awareness of the right to bring a claim if they are a victim of an accident due to someone else’s negligence has changed. However, establishing that fault remains the challenge and is what our team of solicitors is dedicated to”

“Although we have a English and Polish client base, our future aim is to raise our profile both locally and Nationally to make sure that we are the first port of call for those unlucky enough to suffer an injury as a result of an accident.

To achieve this we have recently invested in the re-launch of our new website, phclaw.com and also partnered with one of the UK’s leading SEO agencies who we are working very closely with to make sure that we are featured on page one of Google when ever someone browses online for a ‘No win, No Fee’ solicitor.

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Jewish Lawyers Network Launches New Hip Replacement Helpline

Jewish Lawyers Network has launched a hip replacement helpline. According to Lisa Spitzer MSW,” these faulty hip replacements affect seniors at a time in their lives when quality of life and independence are crucial factors” “Any surgery takes longer to recover from. The psychological and physical effects put seniors back months”. ” Having to go through additional pain and surgeries can lead to severe depression and a downhill process”

In the months since a recall of the DePuy ASR XL artificial hip, DePuy might be facing the recall of yet another one of its hip replacements, the Pinnacle Acetabular Component, which has been facing increased scrutiny for its premature failures.

Like the ASR XL, the Depuy Pinnacle is a metal on metal system that was designed to last at least 10-15 years but now, orthopedic surgeons are reporting that these devices have been failing within one to two years of being implanted into their patients.

That’s not good news for DePuy, a division of Johnson & Johnson, which has implanted over 150,000 Pinnacle hip replacements into patients since it was put into service in 2001. Its recent recall of the defective ASR metal-on-metal hip implant systems has forced thousands of hip implant patients to have additional, painful and expensive hip revision surgeries. This effects seniors the most. All surgeries at that age are traumatic with extensive recovery time and rehabilitation. After the surgery, the patient, can spend weeks in a rehabilitation facility away from family, friends and routine. This isolation can effect mood. After discharge there is usually weeks of in home rehabilitation. Going through this once, according to Spitzer, is traumatic, We do not know how many seniors can actually go through this twice and regain the pre-surgery level of functioning. Spitzer feels this will not only affect an individuals quality of life but perhaps even life span, depending on age and other health factors. “If a senior has kept going, for instance, by play golf every day with friends and he or she loses this, it could be a downhill road” You may contact the helpline by calling 1 877-522-2123.

Although the ASR and Pinnacle are both metal on metal systems, there are significant differences between the two insofar as:
* the ASR is a monoblock design whereas the Pinnacle uses a modular system.
* the ASR cup is made of one solid piece of metal whereas the Pinnacle has an outer shell
* The Pinnacle is designed in such a way that the surgeon has the option to place a metal, ceramic or polyethylene liner inside the metal outer cup

Much of the problem seems to be with the Pinnacle 36 mm Ultamet Metal-on-Metal component which is failing at an unacceptably high rate. One of the theories seeking to determine the cause suggests that a design problem flows from the fact that the device has been created with one of the lowest clearance levels in the industry. The only other implant with a clearance level this low is the DePuy ASR.

Attorneys and experts investigating the basis for the high rate of failure point to the product design and believe that DePuy created a very narrow window for proper placement of the prosthesis and inadequately trained surgeons in the proper implantation technique.

Like, the recalled DePuy ASR system, the Pinnacle was permitted to reach the market under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) controversial 510(k) approval process, which allows a medical device to be placed on the market without being subjected to necessary clinical trials as long as the manufacturer can show that the device is “substantially equivalent” to a device already approved on the market. DePuy’s ASR system avoided obligatory clinical trials by showing that it was fundamentally similar to the DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement system, raising some serious issues.

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Access Legal Named Best Provider Of Home Purchase And Sale Conveyancing Services

Access Legal, the law firm from Shoosmiths, has been named best provider of home purchase and sale conveyancing services by the Conveyancing Alliance.

The national law firm came top in a survey conducted by the Conveyancing Alliance which was voted for by estate agents. Users of the Conveyancing Alliance portal ranked law firms on several service standards including communication levels, speed of delivery and client feedback.

Client feedback was a key area for Access Legal, as it is very customer focused and aims to treat people as individuals rather than just another case.

Karen Stewart, partner at Access Legal, commented: “Only once they’ve been carefully vetted can law firms join the panel to receive work from Conveyancing Alliance, so we’ve already gone a long way to proving ourselves. To then be acclaimed best service provider by estate agents backs to the hilt what we say about only providing the very best levels of service.”

Conveyancing Alliance surveyed all its users, who are all mortgage advisors and estate agents, on the service levels received from the 11 law firms on its panel. Users of the Conveyancing Alliance portal then ranked law firms on service standards, which lead to Access Legal being awarded the top spot on the survey by estate agents in England and Wales.

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New Contra Costa County Family Court Rules Reduce Cost of Divorce in East Bay

Continuing its progressive role in stream-lining the court system and making it more accessible, the Contra Costa County Superior Court has implemented new rules that encourage divorcing parties to avoid court, to reach their own agreements through a voluntary, out of court process, and save significantly on the attorney’s fees that are otherwise needed to appear repeatedly in court.

Local Rule 12.5 governing “Collaborative Law” cases went into effect January 1st of this year (1/1/2011), stating “The Court recognizes the unique nature of family law disputes and the fact that family law issues are best resolved by the parties reaching agreement over critical matters as child custody, support and property, without engaging in the traditional adversarial litigation process.” Unique among Bay Area family courts, this suburban county court has officially stated it “strongly supports the use of the collaborative law process” and other out of court means to resolve disputes to “meet the best interests of the entire family, particularly the children”.

Many divorcing families are now choosing this alternative divorce process calledCollaborative Divorce, which involves attorneys and other specialists to help the family understand and decide important (and often complicated) custody and financial issues, but which is almost entirely done out of court in a mediation style process. To be “collaborative”, both sides sign a contract promising to stay out of court, to freely exchange documents and information, and to work with professionals to find mutual agreement, rather than constantly threatening the other side with court.

Previously, collaborative attorneys have been in a gray area so far as what was necessary to satisfy the usual requirements and formalities imposed by every court when a divorce petition is filed. Now at least in Contra Costa County, there is some clarity, which should save money for collaborative divorce litigants.

The most tangible impact of the new Rule 12.5 is that the attorneys for both sides will not be required to file statements, and appear in court for routine Case Management Conferences, which are otherwise required of litigants and potentially involve multiple appearances to achieve nothing more than “management” of the case, and which do not typically resolve any of the substantive issues. Instead, parties are allowed at least 1 year to resolve the case out of court without needing to pay their attorneys to report to the judge on how the case is coming along. Parties are also freed from other common deadlines and “scheduling orders” that tend to drive up the cost of a divorce. Real cost savings are expected to result by freeing parties of these various burdens.

To benefit from the new rule, parties must sign a formal document binding them to the collaborative divorce process, typically by hiring an attorney specifically trained in this cutting-edge approach to divorce.

Mr. Holcomb is a trained Collaborative Divorce attorney, offering “out of court” divorce services. He has 25 years experience as a divorce and civil litigator in all the Northern California courts. He is available for mediation, litigation and pre-marital and post-marital planning.

Mr. Holcomb offers a fixed fee initial consultation at either his main South Berkeley or Walnut Creek office.

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Legal Help At Your Fingertips, Jim Adler, Texas Personal Injury Lawyer Launches New Mobile Website

Houston personal injury lawyer, Jim Adler, a pioneer in legal advertising on TV, has moved into the hottest field for staying in touch with a public whose love for mobile devices is growing by leaps and bounds. According to Bango, in the last year alone, the Smartphone market has driven an amazing 600% increase in traffic to mobile websites. Adler’s new site is in line with his business model: convenience for clients.

“I want victims to get the best representation they can as fast as they can get it. That’s been my mission since I started my legal practice more than 30 years ago,” says Adler, known around the state as “The Texas Hammer” for his unrelenting representation of victims who come to him for assistance.

Convenience is the number one reason the mobile market is so hot. According to Website Magazine, Seventy-one percent of 50,000 European and US mobile users surveyed by the Nielsen Company “anticipate they will use the mobile Web daily over the next two years.” The survey included phone users in the United States, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. It concluded that “in the US alone, 52 percent” of those surveyed indicated their use of mobile websites would increase “by an average of 41.2 percent.”

Adler’s mobile website gives clients an immediate advantage. Keeping up with technology on their behalf, syncs with this lawyer’s lifelong mission to cut through red tape for victims.

“Creating a mobile website helps me put the law where I think it belongs – in people’s hands the minute they need it,” the veteran attorney says. “I’ve always worked that way. When somebody contacts my offices, they get an immediate response. Clients don’t sit around and wonder how their case is going. I’ve got phone banks, investigators, case managers and lots of other staffers to keep them informed. And now,” he says, triumphantly, I’ve got the mobile web.”

At the scene of an accident, the site works like an On Star device, putting immediate legal advice in victims’ hands when their legal rights could be in jeopardy. It can speed up settlements. Lawyers get much of the initial information they to start representing clients when they follow the site’s advice after a wreck. The Driving Buddy feature on the site has a step-by-step list of things to do after an accident and advice on what to be on guard against.

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Co-operative Legal Services Extends Its Personal Injury Claims Service

The Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) has announced that it is extending its range of personal injury claims services.

Already a specialist in claims arising from road traffic accident claims, CLS is now promoting its services in England and Wales for claims in connection with:
• Accidents at work
• Trips and slips
• Industrial disease claims
• Medical negligence claims
• Sports Injury claims

Eddie Ryan, managing director of CLS said: “It has been our ambition since we launched CLS in 2006 to offer a broader range of Personal Injury Claims services to our membership and the general public.

“We believe that The Co-operative’s values of openness, honesty, social responsibility and caring for others places us in a unique position to provide a different claims service, which is focussed on the customer and their recovery and not just their claim.”

CLS already offers a wide range of free injury claim advice, as well as Will writing services, Conveyancing and Probate and Estate Administration services to The Co-operative members and the general public.

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The Co-operative Legal Services Strengthens Its Offering to Customers with Landmark Information Group

• The Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) are to use Landmark Information Group’s Anti-Money Laundering tool to assist in compliance with AML regulations

• CLS to also adopt Landmark Financial Asset Search to support its probate team in identifying potentially lost or forgotten assets that should be distributed as part of the administration of an estate
• CLS is part of The Co-operative Group, the largest consumer-owned co-operative in the UK with over 5.5 million members and over 21 million customers

Landmark Information Group today announced that The Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) will be using its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Financial Asset Search (FAS) solutions to further strengthen its offering to its customers. As the leading supplier of property and environmental information, Landmark provides comprehensive solutions to assist legal professionals with their search obligations; as well as providing their clients with peace of mind.

James Sherwood-Rogers, Managing Director of Landmark Legal & Financial, said: “To secure this business from such a prestigious and industry-leading firm demonstrates the strength and credibility both Landmark and its products have within the legal sector. Money laundering is a significant issue that law firms cannot afford to overlook and CLS recognises Landmark’s AML is the most effective solution to ensure compliance with AML legislation. Similarly, our ground-breaking Financial Asset Search is a valuable aid for probate practitioners and executors in helping with their search obligations and provides complete confidence that searches undertaken are all-inclusive. CLS provides a comprehensive suite of consumer legal services and we are delighted they have selected Landmark’s Anti-Money Laundering tool and Financial Asset Search as their solutions of choice for their extensive client base.”

Launched in 2006 as part of The Co-operative Group, the largest consumer-owned co-operative in the UK with in excess of 5.5 million members and over 21 million customers, CLS is an industry leader in will writing, probate, conveyancing, employment law and accidents or injuries claims.

Eddie Ryan Managing Director of CLS said: “Championing our member’s interests has always been central to The Co-operative Group’s strategy. Landmark has proven expertise and a reputation for superb services. We are impressed by Landmark AML and Landmark FAS, which both add value to our current services and we have already seen fantastic results for our clients.

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Acne Victims Are Helped With Makeovers, Lawsuits

Hiding acne can be easy if you use the right makeup. Houston-based Heidi Schulze, one of America’s top makeup artists, proves it in a new how-to video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuptUKD_MGg, which transforms a self-conscious car saleswoman with adult acne into a drop-dead gorgeous top-model lookalike.

If only more acne sufferers had tried this approach. Instead they took Accutane, which cleared up their blemishes but also gave many users severe, lifelong and debilitating digestive disorders that often involved surgery. Now these victims are taking Accutane creator Roche Pharmaceuticals to court – and they’re winning.

A 38-year-old Alabama software engineer who took Accutane in his 20s was finally forced to have his colon removed almost 15 years after taking the drug to treat a severe case of acne. In early 2010, a jury awarded him $25 million for his losses and suffering. Five other recent verdicts have pushed victims’ awards to a total of $56 million, as juries found that Roche did not adequately warn consumers about the drug’s risks.

Faced with such Accutane lawsuits and increased competition, Swiss-based Roche took Accutane off the market last year, after 27 years of sales that reaped billions in profits. But despite health hazards, generic Accutane remains available, sold as Claravis, Sotret and Amnesteem. Each has active ingredient Isotretinoin, as did Accutane.

Isotretinoin medications have been proven to cause an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis, or UC. Often such victims must have surgery – and many haven’t suspected till now that their incurable condition was the result of taking an acne medication.

That’s not to say Accutane hasn’t done some good. More than 13 million people took Accutane during its 27 years on the market, and it permanently cleared up the pimples of 85 per cent of those with severe acne. But for too many, the health hazard trade-off has been severe.

A far better solution for acne sufferers is to try Schulze’s makeup approach, which isn’t disguised with heavy foundations and powder. Rather, the answer is a light, mineral-based product applied with a careful, deft touch in the right combination of colors. And this natural makeup doesn’t look like makeup once it’s applied.

“Most women with acne make the mistake of using concealers, as they are called, to cover pimples,” Shulze said. “That cakes up the face, doesn’t look natural, and since people with acne have oily skin, the makeup ends up sliding off anyway during the day. ” The mineral product Schulze uses in the video has no oil, so it stays put, relieving self-conscious sufferers.

About Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com
Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com can provide American victims of Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche with a defective drug lawyer in all 50 states. Visit http://www.Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com and simply apply for a free case evaluation at Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com, or call toll-free to (800) 339-0606 to explore your options for an Accutane lawsuit. A legal representative will respond to help you assess your Accutane side effects case. You may be entitled to substantial economic recovery for your losses caused by the negligence of a pharmaceutical corporation.

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RJW Client Fawcett Society To Take Government To Court Over Unlawful Budget

RJW client The Fawcett Society has filed papers with the High Court in order to get a Judicial Review of the government’s recent emergency budget.

The Fawcett Society believes that the government should have used an equality impact assessment to determine whether its budget proposals would increase or reduce inequality between women and men. Despite repeated requests from the society, the Treasury has not provided any evidence that any such an equality impact assessment took place.

A top line assessment of the budget measures show 72% of cuts will be met from women’s income with the remaining 28% from men’s, due to many of the cuts being to benefits that more women than men rely on. Additionally the changes to the tax system will benefit far more men than women.

Since 2006 the government has been bound by a gender equality duty which obligates it to actively promote equality between the sexes.

Samantha Mangwana, employment solicitor at Russell Jones & Walker who is representing the Fawcett Society, said: “Although public authorities have been subject to the gender equality duty for several years now, there is widespread ignorance not only about how strong these laws actually are, but also what specific steps are required to be undertaken. However, the case law is crystal clear in spelling this out. Firstly, an equality impact assessment must be conducted before policy decisions are taken.

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