Personal Injury Law Round-Up #48

This is an abbreviated version of the personal injury law round-up. Six days of depositions in the last week and a half plus planning for my youngest’s 5th birthday party tomorrow have overwhelmed me a bit.

The big tort “reform” issue this week has been contingency fees…

Contingency fees are always a hot topic, but with the release of a new study from two professors at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, contingent fees have been all over the blogosphere. You can find more on the study at Point of Law, TortsProf, MassTorts, San Diego Injury Lawyer Blog, Blawgletter, Drug & Device Law Blog, Maryland Injury Law Blog, and us.

And now on to the litigation news…

It’s been a big couple of weeks for jury trials. First, there were some big awards out there recently. A Baltimore jury handed down a $15.3 million verdict in an asbestosis case. (Via Charlottesville Va Personal Injury Lawyer Bryan Slaughter)

And then, a jury in the metropolis of Cotulla, Texas (population 3,628) handed down a $6.5 million verdict in a Ford rollover case.

And throw in a $30 million settlement from the TV station involved in the Rhode Island club fire.

And we also had a couple of celebrity trials. In Florida, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer won a medical malpractice case.

And, having received much publicity, the medical malpractice trial stemming from the death of John Ritter started this week. You can see some docs’ views on this suit at Movin’ Meat, Kevin MD, Dr RW, and Dr. Wes. Eric Turkewitz also has his thoughts on the case.

The California Injury Blog has the Big Rig Accident Round-Up, highlighting some of the big trucking accidents around the country.

On the consumer products front, Mass Torts writes on a Public Citizen report that the CPSC delays its warnings.

The CPSC is also issuing a recall of red wagons. (This story is in part notable because it reminds me of my friend Sara Hickman’s song “Red Wagon”.)

The DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog also reminds us that this is National Burn Awareness Week. For those of you out there that have represented burn victims, it might be a good time to remember them. I have found there are few more painful injuries from my clients than significant burn injuries.

The ever-disturbing Marler Blog reports that E. Coli is Busier Than Ever. Speaking of Bill, he was the subject of a Seattle TV station story.

And MassTorts has a great post in What’s Left of Merck? The post discusses, in part, what appears to be compensation to physicians who helped Merck push their products. The amazing thing to me is that, even with all the bad publicity for the pharma industry, we still see many experts put their associations with pharmaceutical companies on their CVs. I think that’s an association that we can use.

And on to the miscellaneous…

Anne Reed teaches us how to use the elections as a national jury seminar.

John Day has What It Takes To Be A Great Trial Lawyer, Part 7.

Blawg Review 145 is up at What About Clients, with an appropriate super bowl theme.

Thanks once again for reading, and have a great weekend.

Brooks Schuelke

To contact Austin Personal Injury Lawyer, Austin Personal Attorney, Austin Accident Lawyer, Austin Injury Lawyer Perlmutter & Schuelke, PLLC or to learn more about Austin Personal Injury visit https://www.civtrial.com/.