July 2009 - those dog days of summer

This month below:
* Our latest

* Legal issues
* What is the true age of your tires?
* Florida doctors don't always carry liability insurance
* Florida road trip

OUR LATEST:

Another sad example of the serious harm that can result from an unsupervised and unleashed dog. A Broward arbitrator awarded $197,000.00 to our client, a working mother who sustained serious injuries to her arm when attacked by her neighbor’s dog. Judgment is pending entry.

LEGAL ISSUES:

Medical malpractice and the right to know: The 2004 Amendment 7 to the Florida Constitution, creating a patient’s right to know about adverse medical incidents, includes the right to discover physician peer reviews. The Florida 4th District drove the point home again in Amisub North Ridge Hospital v. Sonaglia, MD, Oct. 22, 2008.

In court, liars are loosers. The fourth district showed how in Bass v. Pembroke Pines by affirming the trial court’s dismissal of a personal injury case brought by a plaintiff who made "blatant" omissions in answering questions under oath about prior similar, medical problems. Congrats to a pal, Scott Alexander, Esq..

WHAT IS THE TRUE AGE OF YOUR TIRES?:

Did you know that when you buy new tires in the U.S.A. for your car, truck or motorcycle it doesn't mean that those tires are brand new? Even if you buy them in July 2009, those tires could be as old as five years. You must look on the tire itself to determine the month and the year the tire was manufactured. For more details check out: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=172

FLORIDA DOCTORS DON'T ALWAYS CARRY LIABILITY INSURANCE:

It usually comes as a surprise to most people in Florida when they find out that their physician or surgeon is not covered by liability insurance. And many times they find out "too late" - after the fact. Even though there is a law in Florida - (see 458.320, F.S.) requiring doctors to carry $100,000.00 in malpractice insurance, the law also has a loophole that allows doctors to carry no insurance at all. If a doctor is practicing without insurance, he or she must post a sign in their office stating they carry no liability insurance. And some doctors don't evene post a sign advising their patients they do not carry liability insurance. Before you allow any doctor to perform any surgery or procedure, ask if he or she carries liability insurance. Don't wait to find out after the surgery has been performed.

FLORIDA ROAD TRIP:

Few travel pleasures are sweeter than the classic Florida road trip. We learned this anew driving about an hour north of Naples to Venice Beach on the Gulf shore. The Inn at the Beach provided choice, newly-restored accommodations at a reasonable price just across from the ocean. Dining was fine at the locals’ favorite, the Crow’s Nest, located on the harbor, and at Sharky’s on the Pier, where the beach front dinner at sunset was a delight.


KICKER:

With recession hitting our nation, words found in an Outward Bound reader
say it all: "Give what you have to someone–it may be greater than you dare to think.'