Posts tagged Rants and Raves

• Big Verdict Against Fringe Baptist Church Members Who Protest At Military Funeral--Family Outraged and Apparently Maryland Jury Was Too!

  Randy Appleton | November 06, 2007 4:18 PM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Miscellaneous
  

  By Randy Appleton, HSCLA AttorneyImagine that you are the parent of a young patriotic man who desires to serve in the United States Military and who ends up traveling to Iraq. Months later your son is killed in Iraq and you have the unthinkable task of attending the funeral of your own child. Last, add to the unthinkable funeral that dozens of protesters suddenly show up at the cemetery...

• Federal Regulatory Agencies-Are They Too Cozy with Big Business? CPSC Chairs Accepted Travel Monies From Manufacturers

  Rick Shapiro | November 04, 2007 9:48 PM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Mass Transit (Airline, Cruise Ship, Train, Bus)
  

  According to published reports of the Washington Post, the chief of the Consumer Product Safety Commission has been flying around the country to various events, all paid for by toy, appliance and children's furniture industries that they are supposed to be regulating! Many trips were covered by lobbying groups and lawyers representing these manufacturers.The trips were taken by Nancy Nord or...

• Norfolk Southern Issues "Injured at Work" Brochure Pressing Workers Not To Retain Lawyers

  Rick Shapiro | October 28, 2007 8:05 AM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Mass Transit (Airline, Cruise Ship, Train, Bus)
  

  In the recent past, several insurance companies have issued controversial guides about what to do if you are in a car accident--the controversy arises from the not so subtle message NOT to retain an attorney. Actually, several lawsuits forced insurers to change or alter their materials. Now, Norfolk Southern, which is subject to claims falling under the Federal Employers' Liability Act...

• New Report Urges Making "Bad Doctor" Information Available to the Public

  Rick Shapiro | September 19, 2007 3:15 PM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Miscellaneous
  

  Authored by: Richard N. ShapiroA recent report by a Washington D.C. based consumer advocacy group recently concluded that more work needs to be done to make the general public aware of the identity of those doctors who are repeat offenders in the medical malpractice arena. In addition to recommending improvements in patient safety and healthcare providers training, the report stressed the...

• "Funny" insurance ads are offensive to this injury lawyer

  Jim Lewis | June 11, 2007 4:48 PM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Miscellaneous
  

  Insurance company advertising seems to involve lots of jokes these days. Obviously, some advertising executive has convinced the insurance companies that they can increase their profits [44 billion in 2006] and market share by having comic ads about insurance. If you watch TV you've seen these insurance company ads, like the one for Zurich Insurance Company who shows gags about people yelling...

• Virginia Tech tragedy raises security issues

  Rick Shapiro | April 17, 2007 8:03 PM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Miscellaneous
  

  By Editors Rick Shapiro & John CooperWith over 30 dead Virginia Tech students, the entire nation including Virginia residents mourn the loss of innocent lives. As of the day after the massacre in Blacksburg Virginia, it appears that the gunman was himself a Virginia Tech student with serious psychiatric issues. However, what is emerging is a clear consensus among police and security officials...

• When Railroads Take Police & Legislators on Train Ride, Is It Really About Safety, Or About Their Liability?

  Rick Shapiro | September 08, 2006 8:22 AM | 1 CommentVirginia Beach, VA Category: Mass Transit (Airline, Cruise Ship, Train, Bus)
  

  There was a recent article in the local newspaper concerning Norfolk Southern Railway Company conducting a special train ride carrying one hundred people in two passenger cars behind a locomotive, to help these people understand rail safety and the dangers of railroad crossings. However, Norfolk Southern Railway Company and "Operation Lifesaver", a non-profit group, have been accused of trying...

• Virginia's Unfair Punitive Damages Cap Penalizes Families

  John Cooper | August 03, 2006 12:02 PM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Automobile Accidents
  

  BY JOHN M. COOPER, HSCLA ATTORNEYLast December a teenager from Chesapeake, VA was killed in a hit and run wreck. The young man was a senior in high school riding his bike. The driver, who was in his 60s, hit the young man and sped away. Now a lawsuit has been filed to try to get compensatory damages for the family for the loss of this young man. The at-fault driver was taking a medication...

• Who Really Has the Money? (Think Runaway CEO Salaries, Not Runaway Juries)

  Rick Shapiro | July 22, 2006 4:39 PM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Miscellaneous
  

  By James C. Lewis, HSCLA Attorney It seems that with every passing year, we hear more and more complaints from the big corporations in the United States about the fact that lawyers representing injured victims are costing them huge sums of money by suing them and taking them to court. These corporate spokesmen frequently blame the trial lawyers in this country (who represent injured victims)...

• How the Federal Rail Safety Act is Weakening Railroad Safety Nationwide

  Rick Shapiro | June 27, 2006 8:55 AM | 0 CommentsVirginia Beach, VA Category: Mass Transit (Airline, Cruise Ship, Train, Bus)
  

  The Federal Rail Safety Act (FRSA) was enacted by Congress in the 1970's to improve nationwide railroad safety, and to make sure uniform laws applied to essential railroad safety for trains travelling through multiple states. The idea was that individual states could not enact a hodge podge of different safety rules on basic transport of freight or as to how the railroad track was to be...