Pensacola Personal Injury Lawyer

Budget Office Misquoted on MalPractice Reform

Robert Blanchard — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:54:00 GMT

If you start seeing headlines that medical malpractice reforms could result in substantial savings to the health care system, don't beleive it. The Congreesional Budgret Office released a repot that savings could be acheived, but if also found that “imposing limits on [the right to sue for damages] might be expected to have a negative impact on health outcomes.” In other words, it would result in more seriously injured people, and the cost of providing care to those people is not included in the assessment of savings. Also, the CBO reprts admits that even if the most severe restrictions were put in place, the savings would be less than 5% of the total cost of health care. This report itself miquotes previous studies on the cost of the malpractice tort system which have always found the overall impact of lawsuits to be about 1.5% of total health care cost.

You decide, is this savings enough to do away with the responsiblity for the damages caused by negligent health care? Do we want a health care system that is unaccountable to the people it injures?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

Broker Problems

Robert Blanchard — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:26:29 GMT

Everyday my firm sees new cases of people having lost too much money in the stock market. While those who were speculating in the market deserve to suffer the ups and downs of the market, many are just people who believed what the industry had told them. We have been told that to not invest you money in stocks is a waste of your money, because the value of you cash will go down with inflation. We have been told that over the long haul, the stock market averages better than other forms of investment. We have been told to just put in the money and just let it sit and grow for 20 years or more, so that it will be there for retirement. I agree that retirement planning is important, but the brokerage houses don't just invest money and let it sit. They not only buy and sell furiously every day, they now how computers systems programmed to buy and sell vast quantities in the blink of an eye. All of this is to the detriment of the average investor. The markets don't create wealth, they only create wealthy people by taking your money and rewarding those who control or game the system.

Proper handling of your stock account requires investments that are suitable for YOUR needs, If your investments have lost too much as you were about to retire, that is not suitable investing, and you should call a lawyer.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

Asbestos Defendants Attack National Cancer Institute

Robert Blanchard — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:43:53 GMT

In what amounts to a manufactured controversy, Ford Motor Company and other asbestos defendants are seeking depositions about changes to the NCI website that addressed the dangers of asbestos. See news article at this link. Ford is attempting to intimidate the Institute so they won't publish accurate information about the hazards of asbestos. They also seek to disqualify as an expert witness one noted physician who has been brave enough to take on the powerful industries that seek to avoid responsibility for the mesothelioma caused by their asbestos containing products. Dr. Arthur Frank is not only the highly regarded Chairman of Environmental and Occupational Health at Drexel University, he also contributes all of the money he earns testifying in court to an account run by the University. Given his credentials, the Courts will see the industry attempts to block his testimony for what they are, baseless and self-serving.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

Italian Researchers New Approach to Mesothelioma

Robert Blanchard — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:44:14 GMT

Although both men and women can suffer from mesothelioma, but women will statistically often survive longer with the disease. In Italy, scientists are finding out why the female gender is a positive prognostic indicator for this deadly cancer. They had theorirized that the hormone estrogen and estrogen receptors may be involved and one study now say they were on the right track. See the study published by Pinton G, et al., Estrogen receptor-beta affects the prognosis of human malignant mesothelioma. Cancer Res. 2009 Jun 1;69(11):4598-604.

Echoing this finding, a recent study published in the Chinese Journal of Physiology reported that decreases in circulatory estrogen (estradiol (E2)) significantly increased the risk of colorectal cancer. Furthermore, patients that received E2 replacement therapy were found to have a reduction in the incidence of colon adenoma and carcinoma.

Hsu HH, et al., Apoptotic effects of over-expressed estrogen receptor-beta on LoVo colon cancer cell is mediated by p53 signalings in a ligand-dependent manner. Chin J Physiol. 2006 Apr 30.

Hopefully these findings will lead to new approaches to the treatment of mesothelioma.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

Sotomayor Not a Big Change to the Court

Robert Blanchard — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:52:57 GMT

Despite the feigned outrage over one or two comments that Justice Sotomayor has made over the course her long and illustrious judicial career, there is no major change being brought about by her appointment to the nation's highest Court. The seat was previously held by a reasonable Justice who is now being replaced by reasonable Justice. This is not a swing in the court's voting propensities. The conservatives have been stacked high and wide in the federal judiciary given the years of Republican control of the Whitehouse since President Reagan. While many of these judges will let themselves be affected by the rulings they must make and the impact they will have on people's lives, too many cling heartily to party politics and idealogical directives. Big corporations are good and average people are bad. The government can stomp on the rights of individuals and individuals have no right to bring claims against the big corporations who hold the great sway and power within the Republican party. When people say there is no difference in Democrats and Republicans, I tell them to look at the Judges appointed in Texas. Average people used to get a fair shake from Democratic judges, but the Republican judges now in power there have shocked everyone who remembers the days when judges tried to stay above politics. In some appellate courts in Texas, over 90% of the jury decisions in favor of individual Plaintiffs have been reversed and RENDERED. This means not only did the court find some error in the jury trial, but also decided the case should never have been presented to a jury in the first place. The corporation/insurance company wins and the average person loses - no new trial, nothing, go home, don't seek justice here - even though a judge and a jury that actually heard all the evidence found otherwise.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

Accident Leaves Vehicle Wedged Between Two Toll Lanes

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:08:00 GMT

A two-car accident on Saturday left a vehicle wedged on its side between two tollbooths.

Carrie Anne Dolamore, 32, of Pensacola, was driving south toward the Garcon Point Bridge Plaza in the inside lane when she abruptly switched lanes, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

The other driver, Gerald A. Henrikson, saw Dolamore’s vehicle coming toward him head on and was able to stop his vehicle. Dolamore's vehicle swerved left, bouncing off two barriers before rolling onto its die and becoming stuck between both toll lanes.

Henrikson was not injured in the crash and Dolamore was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Pending blood work results, Dolamore may be charged in the crash.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Washington Ruling Bad for Asbestos Victims

Robert Blanchard — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:59:49 GMT

The Supreme Court of Washington State has issued two bad rulings for asbestos victims, in the cases of Braaten v. Saberhagen and Simonetta v. Viad Corporation. the gist of these ruling is that equipment manufacturers who supplied equipment that was known by them to utilize asbestos products in its final use and installation would no be held liable for the injuries (like mesothelioma cancer) caused by the asbestos. The court overlooked the reasoning of other courts that have addressed this issue favorably for the Plaintiffs. Also overlooked is the abundant evidence already of record in numerous cases that these manufacturers knew of the dangers, ofter supplied or instructed on the use of asbestos products and failed to warn user of their equipment of the dangers.

It is well documented that there was an industry-wide conspiracy of silence regarding the dangers of asbestos for many years. while the companies now receiving amnesty in Washington State may not have always been the main players in the conspiracies, they were nonetheless some of the main beneficiaries of it. The victims of asbestos exposure did nothing wrong and the courts should be looking to expand their protections under the law, not trying to limit those protections.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

Mesothelioma Treatment

Robert Blanchard — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:40:22 GMT

With all the lawyer ads on mesothelioma it is easy to overlook some of the strides that are being made in the treatment of this asbestos related cancer. Clinical trials now underway are investigating a number of "targeting drugs". Targeted drug therapy tries to attack specific features within cancer cells. Targets being studied in these trials include a substance that cancer cells make to build new blood vessels to bring the cancer cells nutrients and oxygen. Another target is an enzyme that helps cancer cells develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs. Researchers hope drugs that target these areas can help kill mesothelioma cells. Patients with mesothelioma may be interested in clinical trials for a chance to try new types of treatment. Of course a cure isn't guaranteed. Everyone is encouraged to consider all treatment options and your doctor may tell you what clinical trials are possible for you. Current clinical trials may help doctors better understand how to treat mesothelioma in the future.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

McCain Picks Palin

Robert Blanchard — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:20:10 GMT

Hard to stay away from politics. McCain's pick of Palin is obviously good for Obama. Picking a woman despite her lack of experience looks like a desperate trick. Surprise! Of course, this is not the first time McCain has picked a younger woman. Who are we to stand in the way of true love? In this case, the true love is for her ties to the oil companies that want to buy this election like they bought the last two. Who would have figured that putting two oil men at the top of our government would result in huge profits for big oil and no-bid contracts for Halliburton. Well, I guess now we all know when we drive up to the pump.

Palin may be a good person, I tend to like whistleblowers, but with McCain at 72, he has given up all rights to saying Obama is too inexperienced, having picked a former mayor and two year governor to run the country.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard

Highpoints at the Democratic Convention

Robert Blanchard — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:28:21 GMT

Departing from my usual topics, I will point out the obvious, trial lawyers are watching this election closely and cannot afford another Republican administration. If you think the Bush judges will ultimately give you justice when you or a family member are injured or killed by corporate negligence, you are wrong. Many Bush appointees only care about servicing the most powerful and are ideaological in their results and opinions. No matter how innocent you are and how bad the company was, ideological judges just don't care, they only want the result that will keep them in positions of power and influence, and that doesn't mean helping out the average citizen.

Electing Obama may be a long shot, but the great speeches from Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton signify that the Democratic Party is up to the challenge.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Robert Blanchard