Lott vs. State Farm

Perhaps a some readers don't see the hypocrisy referred to in my last post. If that's the case, think about the good Senator's State Farm lawsuit and then check out his tort reform quotes at Sirotablog.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

State Farm Insurance sued by Senator Lott

State Farm Insurance is being sued by Senator Trent Lott. Back on Sept. 16th, I referenced how insurance companies were showing their true colors in the wake of Katrina. Does anyone else see the irony here? Another Senator, who claims to want to deter lawsuits and votes for "tort reform," brings his own lawsuit. It's like the hypocrisy of Senator Rick Santorum. And the hypocrisy of doctors bringing class actions against health insurers. They all claim to want tort reform and claim to think lawsuits should be deterred, but when it comes to their rights, don't stand in their way.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Chamber of Commerce buys results in Illinois

Lawyers and civil justice take a beating from propaganda put out by the Chamber of Commerce, insurers and huge businesses. They advertise atypical verdicts, e.g. McDonald's case, and play down cases where Courts rule in their favor. They also want you to think trial lawyers control the system, but they really do. Cases in point:

2004: Chamber & Co. dump MILLIONS into the campaign for Illinois Supreme Court. Its candidate, Lloyd Karmeier wins, and the Chamber touts victory.

2005: Chamber & Co.'s investments pay off! Today, in the "Lights" case, Karmeier gets Philip Morris off the hook of a $10.1B judge's verdict (note: not a jury). Earlier this year, Karmeier helped out friends at State Farm getting State Farm off the hook of $1B.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Governor Doyle Vetoes Medical Malpractice Bill

Governor Doyle's press release on the medical malpractice veto lays his rationale out. Moreover, I would add to the following facts:
- In each of the last 2 years, patients only won 4 jury verdicts against Wisconsin doctors in ANY MALPRACTICE CASE!
- In 10 years, Wisconsin juries awarded more than the cap in only 9 cases.
- The Injured Patients & Families Compensation Fund that pays malpractice claims GREW from $336 million in 1995 to $741 million in 2004.
- From 1995-2005, Wisconsin doctors saw medical malpractice premiums reduced 71%.
- Despite the plunge in malpractice costs (the lowest in the U.S.), Wisconsin has some of the highest healthcare costs and the 2nd highest health insurance premiums in the U.S

Thus, contrary to the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce propaganda, the evidence shows the real reasons why Wisconsin health care costs are out of control.

You don't need to believe politicians, talk radio hosts, or special interests, just check the facts for yourself and you will see that medical malpractice has nothing to do with Wisconsin's health care costs. Therefore, there is no just reason to punish a minute number of patients victimized by negligent Wisconsin doctors.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

O.J. Simpson For Tort Reform

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and asbestos makers will be happy to know that they have something in common with O.J. Simpson.

O.J. Simpson wants tort reform too.

O.J. Simpson, like Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and asbestos makers, doesn't think he should be subject to a valid civil lawsuit. They don't like it when personal injury lawyers hold them responsible for their conduct. They don't want their victims to get justice. They want their legal rights maximized and preserved, but not their victims. And they want their wrongdoings to go unchecked. That's tort reform. Perhaps O.J. will start doing some of the WMAC ads.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce goes too far

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce goes too far in its recent propaganda campaign attacking trial lawyers. The Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce ad uses a photo of portly 60-year-old man cowboy with smerking yellow teeth, a lit cigar and dark sunglasses standing in front of an oil tank and labeling him "Billy Bob Jones, Esq." In the ad, Billy Bob says he's "up on his way to Wisconsin and fixin' to make a killin'."

As ridiculous as it is, this is what WMAC wants you to believe. Why are all their ads about personal injury lawyers? Because Wisconsin personal injury lawyers are much easier targets than those we help in Wisconsin.

Recall the "how to" on demonizing personal injury lawyers and recognize that WMAC is working off the Frank Luntz, Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers' playbook. They hate personal injury lawyers because we make them pay you when you need justice. Per the handbook, they want you to:
~ Think "creeps, bottom--feeders, overpaid, and evil" when you hear "personal injury lawyers,"
~ Not think personal injury lawyers help "Individuals who have been wrongly injured [to get] their day in court," and
~ Not recognize that personal injury attorneys help individuals get "justice and fairness."

Personally, I think the Wisconsin B.S. meter is high enough to see through WMAC's.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Senator Rick Santorum exposed by ABC News

Senator Rick Santorum's hypocrisy on medical malpractice and tort reform was discussed here. But I was happy to see recently that ABC News' Primetime also exposed Santorum.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

American Family Insurance wrongly denied claim

American Family Insurance has been raking in the profits, but a recent bad faith lawsuit against American Family shows how accepting customers' premiums but not their claims can get a car insurer in trouble after a car accident.

American Family now has a $3,000,000 bad faith verdict against it after a jury found in favor of a University professor who's car insurance claim for 85% of his lost wages was denied. The man was involved in a car accident and sustained a brain injury and severely injured arm. Evidence showed American Family was pressuring claims adjusters working on car accidents to reduce personal injury payments. Evidence also showed that American Family was trying to reduce car accident payments by 28%. The jury found that American Family willfully and wantonly denied the professor's claim for the car accident.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Conservatives against "Tort Reform"

Here's more great stuff on medical malpractice from the Center for a Just Society. Ken Connor, it's founder, is former president of the Family Research Council and attorney for Florida Governor Jeb Bush in the Terri Schiavo case.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Insurance Companies & HMOs

This ad from People Over Profits pretty much sums it up.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

People Over Profits

People Over Profits is a grassroots group fighting against bogus ads like those from the Sick of Lawsuits outfit and those in Wisconsin we hear from Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. In fact, the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce ad attacking personal injury lawyers is aired often on WISN, the station airing Bob Dolan's recommendation of me.

People Over Profits aims to protect civil justice and the right to trial by jury. It wants to make sure that when you or a family member are injured or killed by negligent conduct or defective products, you can hold the wrongdoer accountable. Corporate interests are trying to buy politicians and use them to take away the rights of regular Americans like you, but we must put People Over Profits.

I hope it works, but unfortunately my experience reveals that most people don't care what their rights are until they need to exercise them. It's only then that they get angry about a $350,000 cap on wrongful death damages or a wrongdoer having been given legal immunity.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer