Congratulations, Frank Verderame, on Your Election to the Board of Directors of the Melvin M. Belli Society
All of us at Plattner Verderame, PC would like to offer a heart-felt “Congratulations!” to firm partner Frank Verderame, who has just been elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the prestigious Melvin M. Belli Society. Formed in 1981, the Belli Society’s “stated purpose [is] to promote the international exchange of ideas among…
Read MoreCan You Sue if You Have Been Injured as an Uber or Lyft Passenger in Arizona?
Ridesharing apps such as Lyft, Uber and others continue to grow in popularity in large cities because they offer a convenient, cost-effective alternative to traditional taxis. Whether you request a ride from your home or from the airport or train station, the vehicle that you are riding is the driver’s personal vehicle. Have you ever…
Read MoreArizona’s Elderly Are at Risk of Abuse and Neglect
Millions of elderly Americans live in nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities and other care arrangements, where they are essentially hidden from public view and must rely on the facility’s staff for all their daily needs. While most nursing homes are clean and adequately staffed, and the residents are cared for properly, some…
Read MoreHas a Fifth Grader Invented the Solution to Preventing Hot Car Deaths?
In the months of June, July and August, when Arizona reaches those famous triple-digit temperatures, many people worry about hot car deaths. When an 11-year-old Texas student, Bishop Curry, heard the news that his neighbor’s six-month-old infant died after being in a hot car, he decided to invent a device to prevent similar deaths from…
Read MoreArizona Qui Tam Attorneys Discuss Healthcare Fraud Enforcement
There are three important federal laws that apply to healthcare fraud and abuse: The False Claims Act, the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute are three federal laws which govern other forms of compensation for doctors. Healthcare providers must navigate the complicated laws and potential regulatory pitfalls to make sure that their business is operating…
Read MoreWrongful Death from Arizona Car Crashes
It is devastating to lose a loved one in a car crash. When you discover that the collision was the result of someone else’s negligent behavior, it can be even more difficult to process. Fortunately, our civil justice system provides a legal remedy for those who have been injured, or who have lost a loved…
Read MoreWhat Rights Are You Signing Away with an Arizona Skydiving Liability Waiver?
So you finally got up the nerve to try skydiving. You and your best friends have decided to just do it already, and now you’re experiencing feelings of excitement mixed with abject terror. Being the practical kind of person that you are (as opposed to the thrill-seeking, adventure loving type that your friends are), you…
Read MoreThe Surprising Impact of a Mild TBI Prognosis and Recovery
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a head injury caused by blunt trauma or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the brain’s normal functioning. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there were about 2.8 million TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. in 2013 (the most recent year…
Read MoreWhistleblowers Saved the U.S. Government More than $4 Billion in 2016
Whistleblowers have a vital role to play in helping the federal government identify fraud and corruption, which costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year. At the end of last year (2016), the U.S. Department of Justice announced that about $4.7 billion had been recovered through False Claims Act cases, $2.9 billion of which came from…
Read MoreCriteria for Filing a Wrongful Death Suit in Arizona
When you’ve lost a loved one, no amount of restitution or validation will make the pain and grief heal faster. Nothing will help you heal except for time. Over time, you will find a “new normal” and learn how to adjust to life with your loved one gone. Dealing with the loss is difficult enough,…
Read MoreDefective Products Under Investigation in 2017
We are all consumers, and we all buy products that we assume are safe to use as directed. It stands to reason that we should feel assured the things we purchase have been tested for safety and held to rigorous standards by the companies that manufacture them. Unfortunately, however, that’s not always the case. The…
Read MoreNew Study Links Traumatic Brain Injury and Growth Hormone Deficiency
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most insidious forms of medical issues. While the severity and effects of TBI can vary widely, in many cases families and caregivers are left to financially, medically, and emotionally shoulder the burden of lifelong care for a TBI-affected individual. If your loved one has suffered a traumatic…
Read MoreWhistleblower Exposes UnitedHealth’s Massive Medicare Fraud
News broke recently of a huge scandal in the healthcare world: Benjamin Poehling of UnitedHealth Group asserts that his former employer, and likely many other big name insurance companies, are gaming the Medicare Advantage system. Poehling contends that UnitedHealth Group was manipulating a system to incentivize patients to be diagnosed as sicker than they were.…
Read MoreCongratulations, Richard Plattner, on Your Lifetime Advocate and Lawyer of the Year Awards!
All of us at Plattner Verderame Arizona Injury Lawyers, are proud to extend our hearty congratulations to our firm’s co-founder, Richard S. Plattner, for being recognized as the 2017 Lawyer of the Year for the American Board of Trial Advocates, Phoenix Chapter. Attorney Plattner was also given the Lifetime Advocate for Civil Justice Award from…
Read MoreDangerous Games: Sports Most Likely to Cause Catastrophic Injuries
Whether played by children or adults, games and sporting activities are expected to offer a reasonable amount of safety from major bodily injury. Safety gear, such as helmets, or supervision from referees helps to maintain these standards. With all these protections in place, which sports remain dangerous, and which are safe? It turns out that…
Read MoreTony Stewart Wrongful Death Suit Moves to Civil Litigation
Tony Stewart’s long embroiled wrongful death suit has taken a new turn as the NASCAR driver’s lawyers have asked the judge to dismiss the claims. The accident in question took place August 9th, 2014 and took the life of fellow driver Kevin Ward Jr. at the Motorsports Park in Canandaigua, NY. It isn’t often that…
Read MoreArizona VA Wait-Time Scandal Revealed Thanks to Whistleblower
Wait-times in any medical situation can be more than simply frustrating; they can be life-threatening. Due the high number of veterans eligible for services in the Arizona VA system, a bonus was devised to incentivize faster appointment scheduling (14 days or under) and appearances. Although the vast majority of veterans receive services in less than…
Read MoreUber Self-Driving Car Crashes in Tempe
Plagued by recent criticisms, Uber had been pinning its economic hopes and dreams on their self-driving car systems in major cities. This plan came to a brief but crashing halt with the collision of a test car here in Arizona in late March 2016. A particularly graphic video of the accident, in which two other…
Read MoreHow to Protect Yourself From Government Ban on Lawsuits and Damages
Responsibility and accountability – even for the powerful – are rooted into the core of our legal system. This country’s founders knew that a democracy needs a court system that empowers people to protect themselves by holding the powerful to account. That’s why the Constitution guarantees each person the right to a trial by jury.…
Read MoreSamsung in the News
Samsung is making news for a couple reasons today. First, according to the Washington Post, Samsung is expected to present causes of the Galaxy Note 7 fires today. The Galaxy Note 7, as you likely know, is no longer allowed on airplanes or cruise ships because the phones have a tendency to explode or spontaneously…
Read MoreStudy Shows 2% of Doctors Are Responsible for 50% of Malpractice Settlements
A new study, published in December of 2016, reports that fewer than 2% of all physicians represent half of the malpractice settlements in the United States. This study concurs with findings in a previous study which found that 1% of doctors are responsible for 32% of paid malpractice claims. These studies suggest that steps need…
Read MoreWeekly Recall Recap
Before purchasing products, you should always make sure the items are safe. But precaution doesn’t end there. We should all monitor items to make sure nothing we own and use is recalled for safety reasons. If you or a loved one has been injured by a product – whether or not that product has been…
Read MoreHigh School Fails to Clean Basketball Court…Student Suffers Brain Injuries
A former Oregon high school student has sued his school district for damages resulting from a traumatic brain injury he received while playing basketball. In October 2013, Robert Amarillas was chasing after a ball when he slipped on vomit that was on the court. An unidentified student had previously vomited on the court, and a…
Read MoreFeds Ban Mandatory Arbitration Clauses for Nursing Homes
In a big victory for nursing home patients and the Constitution, the federal government passed a new rule that prevents nursing homes from including arbitration clauses in their consumer contracts. The new rule applies to every nursing home that accepts federal funding. Companies, including nursing homes, often include arbitration clauses in their standard contract as…
Read MoreTrust Your Gut If You Think A Doctor Made A Mistake
Most people believe doctors are good people who consider helping patients to be the top priority. And in many cases, that is true. However, a report by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations found that less than half of physicians feel serious errors should be disclosed to patients. This is concerning when considering…
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