Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer - Miscellaneous

Yes, it pays to be a PPC Attorney

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:11:46 GMT

Last week we addressed the cost of being a PPC attorney. Just a little nudge to measure conversions when doing pay per click (PPC) campaigns like Adwords. Of course it is worth the investment but, you need to take a look at your keyword selections for tweaking and getting in to your niche. It takes a good cross-section of research.

Start by looking at what you want to accomplish in your interactive marketing. That includes making sure your search engine optimization and social media activities like Twitter search or Facebook are helping you to harness PPC and drive down the cost of those clicks. In the long run, the goal is to find the best clients possible and do it by knowing how they search on your practice areas online.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

The cost of being a PPC attorney.

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:36:20 GMT

Finance and travel have the top costs in the pay per click (PPC) campaigns run online by search engines like Google. But, being an attorney is right up there in cost per clicks. Just read this article by the New York Times or go directly to cwire.org and see a list of the highest paid search terms on the web. Samples of cost per click:

· $65.85 personal injury lawyer michigan
· $61.26 car accident attorney los angeles
· $59.39 arizona dui lawyer
· $55.57 mesothelioma attorneys
· $47.74 automobile accident lawyers
· $44.52 truck accident lawyers

What is the real cost? You could spend thousands each month but is it paying off? Do you have a conversion rate? Are you getting the clients you want from this type of advertising? It’s time to measure up and find out if the cost of being a PPC attorney is worth the investment.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Top 10 Worst Insurance Companies in the United States

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:16:35 GMT

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has recently published a lengthy report detailing America's ten worst insurance companies. The majority of these companies are household names, each of which advertises as the best company and most customer friendly. The report provides damaging evidence to the contrary, that each company employs different tactics trying to take advantage of their policyholders. These companies are ruthless and will stop at nothing in their pursuit of profits, usually employing the slogan of &ldquo;profits over policyholders.

Several of these insurance companies, including Allstate, State Farm and Torchmark, employed the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. This consulting firm was hired to help the company raise their bottom line. Once employed, McKinsey helped each company establish a 'three D approach' for handling customers: delay, deny and defend. Insurance companies were taught to deny the claim, delay the payment and do anything to defend against the lawsuit. This approach taught insurance companies the value in using their litigation team to defend against lawsuits brought upon because of not paying claims.

Profits over policyholders is a slogan used by many of these insurance companies as an approach in handling their business. Basically, insurance companies should do anything possible to gain profits, even at the expense of their policyholders. Many of these companies identified their company goal as earning the maximum amount of return for their shareholders as possible.

Another tactic that many of these insurance companies employ is abandoning of their policyholders. Companies have identified policyholders in hurricane prone areas, Louisiana and Florida, to be more risky policies than others. Companies have become very stingy in their claim payments to policies in these regions evidenced by Hurricane Katrina.

One unfortunate lasting image of Hurricane Katrina involves State Farm and their deceptive ways in avoiding paying claims. An example involves the Nguyen family who lost their home in Hurricane Katrina and whose claim was denied by State Farm. State Farm&rsquo;s own engineers surveyed their damages and concluded the damage was caused by wind. Eye witnesses shared their account that another house was literally picked up and thrown into the Nguyen&rsquo;s home.

State Farm hired other engineers to come to a different conclusion, that the damage was caused by flooding, allowing them to deny the claim. Bob Cochran, a CEO of an engineering firm employed by State Farm to assess Hurricane Katrina damage, was told to alter reports that State Farm did not agree with. This led to ethical issues from Cochran's employees regarding State Farm's position.

We cannot overstate the importance of understanding each policy provision with regards to an insurance company. Many insurance companies trick their policyholders by adding complicated portions to their policies which confuse policyholders. Consultation with an attorney before signing anything not completely understood is highly advisable.

After reading this report, I am shocked by the practice of leading companies in the insurance industry. I want a company that is reliable and will handle my claim with honesty and speed. None of these insurance companies listed will do that. This report should alert consumers to the danger of working with insurance companies. Policyholders should be very cautious and understand exactly what they are covered for and not covered for.
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Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Top 10 Worst Insurance Companies in the United States

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:13:15 GMT

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has recently published a lengthy report detailing America’s ten worst insurance companies. The majority of these companies are household names, each of which advertises as the best company and most customer friendly. The report provides damaging evidence to the contrary, that each company employs different tactics trying to take advantage of their policyholders. These companies are ruthless and will stop at nothing in their pursuit of profits, usually employing the slogan of “profits over policyholders.”

Several of these insurance companies, including Allstate, State Farm and Torchmark, employed the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. This consulting firm was hired to help the company raise their bottom line. Once employed, McKinsey helped each company establish a 'three D approach' for handling customers: delay, deny and defend. Insurance companies were taught to deny the claim, delay the payment and do anything to defend against the lawsuit. This approach taught insurance companies the value in using their litigation team to defend against lawsuits brought upon because of not paying claims.

“Profits over policyholders” is a slogan used by many of these insurance companies as an approach in handling their business. Basically, insurance companies should do anything possible to gain profits, even at the expense of their policyholders. Many of these companies identified their company goal as earning the maximum amount of return for their shareholders as possible.

Another tactic that many of these insurance companies employ is abandoning of their policyholders. Companies have identified policyholders in hurricane prone areas, Louisiana and Florida, to be more risky policies than others. Companies have become very stingy in their claim payments to policies in these regions evidenced by Hurricane Katrina.

One unfortunate lasting image of Hurricane Katrina involves State Farm and their deceptive ways in avoiding paying claims. An example involves the Nguyen family who lost their home in Hurricane Katrina and whose claim was denied by State Farm. State Farm’s own engineers surveyed their damages and concluded the damage was caused by wind. Eye witnesses shared their account that another house was literally picked up and thrown into the Nguyen’s home.

State Farm hired other engineers to come to a different conclusion, that the damage was caused by flooding, allowing them to deny the claim. Bob Cochran, a CEO of an engineering firm employed by State Farm to assess Hurricane Katrina damage, was told to alter reports that State Farm did not agree with. This led to ethical issues from Cochran’s employees regarding State Farm’s position.

We cannot overstate the importance of understanding each policy provision with regards to an insurance company. Many insurance companies trick their policyholders by adding complicated portions to their policies which confuse policyholders. Consultation with an attorney before signing anything not completely understood is highly adviseable.

After reading this report, I am shocked by the practice of leading companies in the insurance industry. I want a company that is reliable and will handle my claim with honesty and speed. None of these insurance companies listed will do that. This report should alert consumers to the danger of working with insurance companies. Policyholders should be very cautious and understand exactly what they are covered for and not covered for.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

An Exploding Concern: Fireworks & the 4th of July

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:42:36 GMT

The office has been chatty all day regarding 4th of July plans, including barbeques, boating, and of course, the best fireworks displays across all of Texas. Rules and regulations vary across cities, counties and other jurisdictions, but that doesn't stop the colorfully exploding fun of these celebrations.

Fireworks are a staple of every July 4th celebration, only if they are used appropriately. Doctors across the country see many firework injuries each year, primarily injuries to the eyes. And the Rasansky Law Firm often sees clients injured by fireworks while in attendance at a local show or due to defective fireworks.

Children, and occasionally adults, don’t understand the risks involved when using fireworks. A popular game that children play involves roman candle fights which can turn dangerous very quickly. "A roman candle which spews out flame and debris at 1300 degrees, and it coated surface of [a patient’s] eye, burning cornea and sclera," Dr. Shachar Tauber, a St. John’s Opthalmologist, said.

Dr. Tauber sees about seven eye injuries eye year, two-thirds of which are caused by bottle rockets. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2007, more than six thousand people were treated in emergency rooms due to injuries caused from fireworks. Nearly all of these injuries occurred within several days of the 4th of July.

His injury prevention advice is not to shoot fireworks off unless around professionals or people who are well versed in fireworks. Dr. Tauber believes going to professional firework displays are the best bet to view fireworks. If you insist on shooting off fireworks, Dr. Tauber recommends wearing safety goggles and always be smart.

The National Council for Fireworks Safety gives a list of suggestions for people who have at-home firework shows:
• Always read and follow label directions.
• Have an adult present.
• Buy from reliable (licensed) sellers.
• Use outdoors only.
• Always have water handy (a garden hose and bucket).
• Light only one firework at a time.
• Never give fireworks to small children.
• Never throw or point fireworks at other people.
• Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers.
• The shooter should always wear eye protection and never have any part of the body over the firework.

We hope everyone has a great July 4th weekend. Always remember to be safe when playing with fireworks and, if possible, attend a professional fireworks display - much more bang for the buck.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

How to Wreck, Ruin, and Terminate Your Personal Injury Case

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:14:32 GMT

Warning:
Your Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter profile may keep you from getting the money you deserve after an injury.

Consider this:
Information is flowing faster and more effectively than ever before – all without your explicit consent. While you may set your own profile privacy, other individuals can link their pictures and comments to you – all under their own privacy settings.

Evidence from online profiles is already used regularly by the media, police, and insurance companies looking to characterize you as an undesirable plaintiff and witness.

Through the course of mediation, litigation or trial, the defense is always looking for damaging information to your case – photos, videos, blog posts, comments from friends, Twitter posts, stories, press coverage – anything with your name, personality and actions clearly documented.

All of this evidence is publically available, documented by date and time, and can be admissible in a court of law. Investigators are employed by insurance companies all the time. These investigators set up surveillance alerts for your name, your families’ names - even your friends’ names. Insurance companies look at this information to:

Confirm or disprove the severity of a person’s injuries;
Confirm or disprove the ability to resume normal activities;
Confirm or disprove the ability to work;
Confirm or disprove the ability to interact with family members and friends;

Confirm the type of “witness” you may make at trial

Also keep in mind that during a trial, juries may also look at these social networking sites, even though they may be instructed not to conduct any type of internet “research” regarding the case.

Removing all content and avoiding social media and social networking sites may be the best solution while in the course of litigation. This solution, though optimal, may not be realistic.

To protect yourself in this situation, we very strongly recommend the following steps:

1. Allow immediate unrestricted access to your social media sites, postings, and content to your attorney and paralegal. This will allow your attorney and paralegal the opportunity to review and spot-check your profile for anything potentially damaging or controversial throughout your case.

2. Take a critical eye to anything – and everything – attributed to you online. This means running a Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, and Twitter search for your name and any keywords associated with you. This means removing everything with anything you wouldn’t want your grandmother or boss seeing, even if you think it’s restricted and private. Investigators are experts at taking a few bits of innocent-looking information and twisting it in a negative fashion.

3. Check your privacy settings. Most sites will allow you to actually block certain people altogether. Block the opposing lawyer and law clerk. This is not foolproof as there will be others regularly looking for you that you don’t know. Do not allow any access to anyone other than immediate friends.

4. Do not accept friend requests or answer emails from people you don’t know. On Facebook, as with other sites, sending a response to a message will grant the sender access to your profile for a certain number of days. This is a common way to get access to your profile.

5. Throughout the course of mediation, litigation, or trial, do not post anything about your case, the people you’ve interacted with since filing your claim, information or details about the accident or injury, or any compromising materials to your claim. Have your attorney review your online profiles, and when in any doubt about photos, videos, friends’ comments, do not make them available online until after the conclusion of your case.

The Rasansky Law Firm strongly encourages our injured clients and their families not to open their lives to social networking until the case is closed. Victims should pay very close attention – daily attention – to anything posted or attributed to them throughout the entire duration of a claim and case, reviewing not only their own profiles, but any information that appears in friends and family members’ profiles as well.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Dallas Product Liability Lawyer: A Few Notes on Product Liability

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:03:52 GMT

How do you know who to choose to represent you? As we blogged yesterday, there are plenty of lawyers in Dallas to choose from. Just turn on the TV or open a phone book! You should know that there are good lawyers…and there are great lawyers.

When it comes to your product liability case, you need a great lawyer. Why? Because the company you are going up against is definitely going to have a great lawyer (if not team of lawyers). Large corporations and insurance companies have enough funding to be supported by some of the best attorneys money can buy. Needless to say, the odds can be quite stacked against you.

In order for you to stand a chance, you must have an attorney who has a record of “slaying the giants”. You need a lawyer with both experience and fortitude. That’s where the Rasansky Law Firm comes in.

The Rasansky Law Firm has won countless product liability cases and will continue to do so because we have the resources to go up against the big guys. We present the cases so that all of the damages are considered and you receive the amount that you deserve. If you think you may have a product liability case and would like one of our experienced attorneys to review it for you...for FREE...fill out the evaluation form to the right of this blog right away.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Metoclopramide Usage Can Lead To Tardive Dyskinesia

Jeff Rasansky — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:25:48 GMT

The FDA has recently announced that drugs containing the antiemetic metoclopramide must carry a boxed warning about the risk of tardive dyskinesia. Risk of this condition is much higher with long-term usage and currently the existing labels already carry an un-boxed warning. The FDA recommends that treatment last no longer than three months.

Oftentimes, the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia can continue after stopping the drugs and are very rarely reversible. The FDA has said that manufacturers of the drugs that include metoclopramide must also implement a risk mitigation strategy that would ensure patients receive a medication guide with each prescription which details the risks.

Metoclopramide-containing drugs include tablets, syrups and injections which are used for short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients who haven't responded to other therapies.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Potential Daycare Abuse in Dallas Daycare Center

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:24:54 GMT

According to WFAA.com, a grandmother in South Oak Cliff found her grandson locked in a daycare van on Monday evening after she searched for hours for the tot. He was supposed to have been dropped off by his daycare at her home.

The Tom Thumb Nursery School and Day Care was supposed to deliver her grandson, three year old Ronnie Ross, to her home at around 6:00 p.m. After the van failed to show up, she called the daycare but received no answer. Her daughter, Amber Ross, was told to come home from work and they all showed up at the daycare center at 9:00 p.m. and found the lights out and the doors locked.

As they walked the property, family members called out for Ronnie and they heard him cry out. He was locked inside the daycare which was itself locked behind a security cage. Rescuers and Ronnie's family were able to convince the boy to unlock the van and free himself. Police said that he was ok and probably spent 3 hours in the van.

The DPD said that the investigation will be turned over to a child abuse detective and officers will be filing child abandonment charges against the daycare facility on Monday night.

So what do you guys think? Is this a clear case of daycare abuse or simply an accident?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

What Sort of Lawyer Are You Looking For?

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:17:35 GMT

f you’re looking for a lawyer and you’re not sure what type of lawyer you’ll need for the situation you’re facing, then read if you’d like to be better informed.

When finding a lawyer, a birth injury lawyer, a divorce lawyer, a car accident lawyer, or a medical malpractice lawyer are just a few of the options available. If you or a loved one has been hurt , it is important to choose a lawyer that understands your situation and knows all of the laws and regulations surrounding your case. Most cities and states, have a variety of resources available to help you find a successful lawyer.

A personal injury lawyer deals with injuries and death that was caused by someone else. Whether it is through neglect, ignorance, or a mistake, you are entitled to receive compensation for your injuries. A personal injury lawyer can also specialize in a particular area of tort law, also referred to as personal injury law.

Birth injury lawyers specialize in injury and death that occurs with the birth of a child. The outcome of a birth injury can differ greatly and so can the causes of the problem. Depending on the particulars of your situation, you may require a lawyer who further specializes in a particular area. These can include a cerebral palsy lawyer, a brain injury lawyer, a medical malpractice lawyer, or possibly a brain injury lawyer.

The products you use at home, your daily commute, and your job can also cause you or a loved one to suffer an injury, illness, or death. A car accident lawyer or a truck accident lawyer is the person you will need to talk to if you are injured in a traffic accident. A product liability lawyer will help you deal with companies that either knowingly sells dangerous products, or those who fail to test their products adequately.

Accidents that occur at work may need the expertise of a workers’ compensation lawyer or a mesothelioma lawyer depending on the type of injury you have. If your spouse is causing you grief, a divorce lawyer will be able to help you dissolve the marriage and give you your options to make the right choices for you.

Lawyers are there to help when a problem becomes too big to handle on your own. Web sites like injuryboard.com and the local bar association are just a few of the great resources that are out there. The injury, the cause, and the perpetrator are all important factors that need to be considered when finding a lawyer.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky