Shawn Steel Law Firm
PI Email Alert
August 4, 2016
After spirited debate -- LA clinched the distinction of having the country’s worst traffic.
The LA Times report “Drivers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana region spent 81 hours idling on freeways in 2015, the worst cumulative delay of any U.S. metropolitan area, according to a study released Tuesday by the data company Inrix.”
Inrix conducts an international survey and ranks LA as one of the worst. But Beijing, London, Hangzhou and St Petersburg are worse.
The findings should come as no surprise to Angelinos. Traffic remains the top concern for Southern California residents, topping personal safety, housing costs and retirement savings, according to a recent Los Angeles Times poll.
When Governor Brown announced there would be no more freeway construction he knows exactly what are the consequences. Think about that next time the government goads you to take an inconvenient or unsafe mass transit. Fortunately, the Governor has a driver or helicopter to move him around. The rest of us get to sit on the 405.
Exhibiting a new aggressive posture, Allstate spent millions and won a court verdict that they may not collect on.
A total of 318 claims were made by a mother and daughter: Christin Suh and Christina Chang at various offices in Los Angeles and Gardena. Many PI law firms and doctors actively aided in the fraudulent schemes. The women recruited lawyers for $3000 a month to serve as the name of a law firm. They owned, operated and controlled 11 “law firms”. Both the women are under criminal investigation.
The attorneys names in the suit are: Victor Korehoff, Steven Barkin, Paul Bickenbach, Eun Jin Kim , John D. Desbrow, Hr and Ronald E. Behling.
A Los Angeles County jury awarded $6.4M to Allstate against the women.
The attorneys are under investigation by the State Bar.
LADJ July 27, 2016.
| LA Metro CCA District |
| Los Angeles – 8-10-16 |
| Ethical considerations in personal injury |
| Approved for 2 mandated CE hrs “Ethics” |
Linda Nguyen was driving home in Fullerton. When she entered an intersection on a green light, the defendant pulled a left turn in front of her causing a collision that required both cars to get towed from the scene. Farmers admitted liability.
Linda suffered from a lower back sprain, shoulder sprain, cuts and burns to arm from seatbelt and the airbag deployment. Her quality of life [ADL] suffered a substantial decrease. She weighed only 95 pounds.
Chiropractic care was reasonably modest with imaging and one MD evaluation. The total cost of her medical bills was $6685. Future medical bills were estimated to exceed $8000. Loss of Earnings at $1000.
Farmers aggressively contested all medical bills claiming they were not reasonable or customary. They also denied the loss or earnings saying her alleged injuries did not justify missing work.
What Farmers did not do was to contest Linda’s ADL’s. Farmers offered no witnesses or experts to contest her ordeal during her rehabilitation.
The jury believed Linda.
Linda demanded, through her attorneys, $18,000 before trial. Farmers offered $9500 before trial. The jury made quick work and after only two hours awarded Linda Nguyen $31,000.
Nguyen vs Albany, 30-2015-00780635, Orange Co Superior Court, Hon. Deborah J. Servino, April 2, 2016
PRACTICE TIPS:
| 1. | Always keep in mind juries can be very sympathetic to honest fragile victims---who do not exaggerate their pain. | |
| 2. | Modest bills backed up with pictures of the abrasions, imaging and a smart MD evaluation builds trust for the DC care. |
| 1. | How consistent is your PI attorney at keeping you up to date with your PI case? | |
| • | Not at all consistent: 42.11% | |
| • | Somewhat consistent: 36.84% | |
| • | Always Consistent: 21.05% |
|
| 2. | If a patient complains about reaching their PI attorney – do you inform the attorney? | |
| • | Yes: 73.68% | |
| • | No: 26.32% | |
| • | I never get involved: 0% |
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| 3. | How often do your patients complain about their PI attorney? | |
| • | Never: 5.26% | |
| • | Sometimes: 73.68% | |
| • | All the time: 21.05% |
