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Gaming Social Security

Published November 4th, 2009

Sophisticated seniors are finding strategies to optimize retirees’ Social Security benefits reports Linda Stern in Newsweek.  Whether sharing spousal benefits and then refunding and restarting their benefits or claiming and deferring their monthly checks, seniors are “winning” the Social Security Game.  Before you decide to take early benefits or defer benefits until you reach full retirement, read about the loopholes of opportunity in the current system.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/219715

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Win in Class Action Suit Against Wal-Mart

Published November 4th, 2009

Tresa Bladas reports in the National Law Journal on this class action suit against Wal-Mart which reached settlement this week. The suit, filed in 2004, alleged that employees were not compensated for off-the-clock work and overtime.  In addition, employees claimed that they were denied breaks and that time records were falsified.  U.S. District Court Judge Phillip Pro commended the attorneys diligence in bringing this suit, long before such wage claims were popular in litigation.  In his ruling, he awarded more than 135 plaintiffs attorneys one third of the payout amount as negotiated in the settlement with Wal-Mart.

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202435164216

How much do you really understand about the insurance you purchased?

Published October 20th, 2009

Most clients have a limited understanding about the insurance products they purchase until they need to make a claim.  Since the majority of my legal practice is litigating insurance claims, I spend a lot of time educating clients about the insurance they have or should have obtained.  Unfortunately, many clients discover after a claim is made that their insurance is not sufficient to protect them or simply does not provide protection at all.  I am devoting several of my blogs to helping you understand more about insurance products.  These blogs are aimed at advising you about how various insurance products may or may not cover you and your loved ones.  Continue Reading

The Cure for Shoddy Work

Published September 30th, 2009

Sarah Max addresses the dark side of the housing boom where construction defects are rampant and homeowners are struggling to recoup their damages from builders and remodelers.  She provides informative tips on how to document problems, spot defects, and when to seek expert legal and professional advice.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2007/03/01/8400901/index.htm

Chinese Drywall: Another Rotten Egg Spoiling Business

Published September 21st, 2009

The crash of the housing industry is not the only thing spoiling business.  Another rotten egg also poses a serious financial threat.  Chinese drywall litigation has come to life and is growing quickly.  If you think you can avoid the rising storm of Chinese drywall litigation, you may be as naïve as those who thought they could avoid the powerful destruction of the hurricanes.  The problems began when homeowners with newly installed Chinese drywall began to discover that their homes smelled like rotten eggs.  Besides the smell, homeowners also discovered serious corrosion and failure of mechanical equipment.  Some homeowners even experienced headaches, allergic reactions, respiratory ailments, nose bleeds and other adverse health conditions.  Testing revealed that Chinese drywall contains volatile sulfur compounds that release toxic gasses which smell similar to rotten eggs.  The testing also demonstrated these gasses caused damage to metal.  It was no surprise that lawsuits were soon filed.  The surprise was that a builder filed first.  Lennar Homes sued manufacturers, suppliers, and installers.  Lennar also took action to save its reputation by offering to move homeowners out and performing remediation in exchange for homeowners releasing claims against Lennar.  Homeowners also filed individual and class actions although no class has been certified yet.  Continue Reading

Health Care Reform

Published August 20th, 2009

Effects of the Health Care Reform on end-of-life decisions:

Recently I have had a few clients concerned that the Health Care legislation being proposed may have the effect of giving end- of- life care decisions to the doctor while taking power away from the patient and their family.  It seems there is a lot of talk in the media that may be fueling these fears.  Understandably, the uncertainty of such a massive piece of legislation is scary because change is scary.  Take comfort in the knowledge that there continue to be actions you can take to give yourself more control over your end-of-life care. Continue Reading