tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48267298175423739962024-02-20T15:07:50.159-05:00Connecticut/Rhode Island Personal Injury Law, by Reck & CamassarThe Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck & Scott D. Camassar, LLC handles the full spectrum of personal injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice cases in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The purpose of this blog is to help keep people informed of interesting legal developments that affect their lives. To learn more, go to www.stephenreck.com. Please note: Nothing on this site is intended to be legal advice. If you have specific questions on a particular legal problem, call us at (860)535-4040.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.comBlogger702125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-8711478844259710242019-01-24T14:33:00.004-05:002019-01-24T14:33:52.145-05:00Pet Leasing Lawsuit in the News<span class="ember-view" id="ember1430" style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pet leasing is fundamentally unfair and deceptive, and our suit against this terrible practice is getting a lot of media attention: <a href="https://www.law.com/ctlawtribune/2019/01/23/howling-mad-lawsuit-says-pet-store-tricked-client-into-leasing-puppy-at-100-percent-interest/?kw=Howling+Mad%3A+Lawsuit+Says+Pet+Store+Tricked+Client+Into+Leasing+Puppy+at+100+Percent+Interest&fbclid=IwAR19pd1EfsQjCh6U_N-JcoaGRRhxnlkebLWr-nTgZ3zBrdd_62YwOF0aWnE" target="_blank">The CT Law Tribune</a>; </span></span><span class="ember-view" id="ember1438" style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.theday.com/policefirecourts/20190121/puppy-owner-sues-over-pet-leasing-agreement" target="_blank">The Day</a> (New London); and </span></span><span class="ember-view" id="ember1446" style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The <a href="https://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/20190120/lawsuit-sprague-woman-claims-she-was-deceived-by-puppy-lease" target="_blank">Norwich Bulletin</a>. Other outlets have expressed interest as well, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">which is great because we want to make people aware of this practice so they can avoid being stuck in this situation. If </span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">you or someone you know was taken advantage of in a similar situation with a pet lease please contact me.</span>Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-87162728270728173112019-01-16T17:43:00.002-05:002019-01-16T17:47:29.048-05:00First Lawsuit Filed in Connecticut Against Pet Leasing<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: ""arial"",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The ASPCA has called
pet leasing a predatory practice aimed at people who cannot afford a companion
animal. A new lawsuit in Connecticut claims pet leasing is an unfair and
deceptive trade practice in violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices
Act. The suit was brought on behalf of a 20-year-old Norwich woman who
thought she was buying a puppy with a payment plan, only to find out later that
she actually leased the dog and is not the owner. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: ""arial"",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The suit, filed in
New London Superior Court, is known as <i>Christina Diskin v. The Dog House I,
Inc.; My Pet Funding, LLC; and Monterey Financial Services, LLC</i>.
The Dog House offers dogs for sale and adoption, and advertising on
its website encourages consumers to "take advantage of our new financing
program Wags. Bring your puppy home today with affordable monthly
payments." No where does the store say anything about "leasing"
an animal.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: ""arial"",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">On July 14, 2018, Ms.
Diskin went to the Dog House and fell in love with a 13-week old puggle, which
was listed for sale for $1,200.00 (the fair market value of a puggle is only
$300-$600). The store offered and encouraged her to apply for financing,
which was done online via computer, so that she could make monthly
payments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: ""arial"",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The sales rep told
Ms. Diskin that she was approved for $3,000. She agreed to buy the dog
and pet supplies for a total price of $1,340, with a down payment of $75.
She understood that she was buying the puppy and signed a paper document
called a “New Ownership Agreement.” But she electronically signed other
documents on the computer including a lease agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one told her it was a lease agreement, no
one printed the documents or went over the terms, including the payments,
interest rate, or the fact that she actually was not an owner of the dog, and
she was not given time to read or understand the lease on the computer.
The lease was emailed to her after the transaction.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: ""arial"",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The lease states that
she is NOT the owner of the dog, contrary to the New Ownership Agreement that
she signed in the store. The lease is unclear, deceptive and confusing on
its face in many ways, including the total value of the dog and supplies: one
page states “the total value of the product(s), capitalized cost, you are
leasing is $1,425.09,” but another page says the agreed upon value of the puppy
is $1,200 and the puppy kit $140. The interest rate, which is not
disclosed in the document, is in excess of 100%, and is unconscionable and
unjustifiable under any circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lease states that the total amount she will pay by the end is
$3,575.97 ($49.99 plus 23 payments of $153.30) and that she must pay an
additional purchase price of $213.76 plus additional fees and taxes. The
total price to own the dog is not disclosed but is in excess of $3,789.73.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: ""arial"",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The suit alleges that
the defendants committed unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of
the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practice Act (CUTPA), Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-110b
et seq., in one or more of the following respects, in that they: sold a dog for
a price that far exceeded the fair market value of the animal; sold
overpriced dogs to unsophisticated buyers who could not afford them, and locked
them into leases with highly unfavorable terms, further increasing the cost of
the animal; offered “financing” to unsophisticated buyers without informing
them that the contract was actually a lease; arranged to have the plaintiff
finance the cost of $1,425.09 even though the purchase price of the puppy and
supplies was only $1,340.00; failed to fully disclose or explain the terms of
the lease including the interest rate; duped buyers into long-term leases with
an unconscionable rate of interest; failed to explain that the effective
interest rate was over 100%; Failed to disclose the full purchase price of the
dog; failed to explain that if she missed a payment or otherwise defaulted she
would be liable for additional fees and penalties and could be forced to
surrender the dog; and violated the Consumer Leasing Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1667a.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: ""arial"",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Pet leasing is banned
in California, Nevada and New York, and other states have considered
prohibiting the practice as well. It is unfair to both consumers and the
animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a consumer misses a payment
they can be forced to surrender their pet in addition to incurring financial
penalties. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pet leasing is an inherently
harmful business practice that offends public policy and should be unlawful in
the State of Connecticut. The suit seeks damages and a declaration that the
lease is void as against public policy, and an injunction prohibiting the
defendants from enforcing this lease and any other pet leases in CT. For more
information, or if you were also tricked into signing a pet lease, please
contact Attorney Camassar.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-21472864387290632552013-07-24T11:03:00.001-04:002013-07-24T11:03:24.544-04:00DAFR Responds to State's Motion to Dismiss<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/memorandum-of-law-in-opposition-to-motio-52284/">Here is the link</a> to Plaintiff's Memo in Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss filed by the State of Connecticut Attorney General's office on behalf of Gov. Malloy. The State moved to dismiss this declaratory judgment action on the grounds of lack of standing and sovereign immunity. The case challenges the constitutionality of Connecticut's recently enacted gun control statute that was enacted in the wake of the Newtown school massacre, in particular, the expansion of the State's "assault weapons" ban and limit on magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.</div>
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Plaintiff Scott Ennis founded DAFR, which now has a national membership of about 15,000, including 3,500 in Connecticut, with the goal of providing opportunities for disabled Americans, including disabled veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, to engage in recreational and competitive shooting events. DAFR’s mission also includes the education of the public and elected officials concerning the unique needs of disabled individuals when exercising their fundamental rights in the lawful use of firearms. They claim that the language of the Act, particularly the adoption of a "one feature test" that bans guns based on features like pistol grips and adjustable stocks, precludes many disabled individuals from being able to safely and effectively use a rifle for self-defense.</div>
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The plaintiffs claim violations of Connecticut constitutional and statutory provisions, including (a) Art. I § 15 of the State constitution, which guarantees that all citizens have a right to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State; (b) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 27-2, which affirms the rights of all citizens to bear arms as members of the unorganized militia of the State; (c) Art. I §1 of the State constitution, which guarantees equality of rights of all citizens of the State; (d) Article I § 20 of the State constitution, as amended by amendment XXI, which guarantees equal protection of the law, and prohibits discrimination in the exercise or enjoyment of civil or political rights based on physical disability; and (e) Conn. Gen. Stat. §46a-58(a), which prohibits the deprivation of civil rights on the basis of physical disability.</div>
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The plaintiffs argue that it is a well established principle of Connecticut law that sympathy and emotion make for bad legal outcomes. However horrible and terrifying was Newtown, the constitution and laws of our state require--and our citizens deserve--more than a knee-jerk, feel-good emotional legislative reaction, one that was poorly thought out, not debated, hastily passed and implemented, and which does nothing to keep people safe from homicidal/suicidal sociopaths who perpetrate random acts of violence that were already illegal before the Act.</div>
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We know from our own experience in Connecticut, as well as nationally, that the assault weapon bans do not work to reduce violence, we know that American cities with the strictest gun control laws have the highest gun murder rates (i.e., Chicago), and we know that highly restrictive gun laws in other countries like Australia and Great Britain have not made those societies any safer, or prevented mass shootings there. At some point we have to admit that these laws do not accomplish their stated purposes. They only infringe the rights of honest people.</div>
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The assault weapon ban is a misguided, ill-considered distraction from the real issue of gun violence in this country and this state. It is already illegal to kill one’s mother, steal her lawfully-owned guns, drive them to a school, and murder students and staff inside. None of the laws against these activities prevented the Newtown incident, and there is nothing in the Act that will prevent another homicidal maniac from attacking another school or other “gun-free zone” with a legal pistol and a dozen 10-round magazines.</div>
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Incidents like Newtown are among the most isolated and rare crimes in this country. Sadly, crimes against the disabled happen with much more frequency and regularity. Sane, law-abiding citizens, particularly disabled ones who are among the most vulnerable in our society, deserve the ability to defend themselves with appropriate arms that are suitable for personal and home defense. The language of P.A. 13-3, particularly the expansion of the “assault weapons” ban and limitation on “large capacity magazines,” deprives disabled persons such as the plaintiffs of the right to bear suitable arms in self-defense. For these reasons, the plaintiffs maintain that the provisions of the Act should be declared unconstitutional.</div>
Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-10817186997374880712013-01-03T09:34:00.001-05:002013-01-03T09:34:06.521-05:00Energy Drinks Face More ScrutinyThe <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/03/business/5-hour-energys-no-crash-later-claim-is-disputed.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0">NY Times</a> reported "The distributor of the top-selling energy 'shot,' 5-Hour Energy, has long claimed on product labels, in promotions and in television advertisements that the concentrated caffeine drink produced 'no crash later' - the type of letdown that consumers of energy drinks often feel when the beverages' effects wear off." However, "an advertising watchdog group said on Wednesday that it had told the company five years ago that the claim was unfounded and had urged it then to stop making it." The article mentions that "the dispute over 5-Hour Energy's claim also comes as regulatory review of the high-caffeine drinks is increasing." The US Food and Drug Administration recently said that it has received reports over the past five years of the possible role of 5-Hour Energy in 13 deaths, although this does not necessarily mean that the product was actually responsible for a death or injury.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-40049622511844228772012-12-29T11:16:00.004-05:002012-12-30T15:56:24.732-05:00Surgical Errors Rise in CT, Despite Efforts to Prevent Errors<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.theday.com/article/20121228/NWS12/121229797/1070/rss">AP</a> reports that the Connecticut Dept. of Public Health "says reports of wrong-site surgeries in Connecticut hospitals increased by 62 percent last year, while the number of patient deaths or disabilities resulting from surgery or falls also rose."<br /> <br />Also, 96 patients died or were seriously injured from falls in 2011 — up from 91 the year before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />"Dr. Mary Reich Cooper, vice president and chief quality officer for the Connecticut Hospital Association, tells the Connecticut Health Investigative Team that hospitals are working together to eliminate errors."</span>Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-90662647063616726492012-10-16T08:53:00.001-04:002012-10-16T08:53:21.269-04:00Opinion: Focus on Patient Safety to Reduce Malpractice CasesMary Alice McLarty, president of the American Association for Justice, wrote in a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/12/health/medical-malpractice/index.html">CNN op-ed</a> that "preventable medical errors are the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and cost our country $29 billion a year," adding that while medical malpractice lawsuits are a symptom of the problem, the root of the problem is medical malpractice itself. Writing that "the civil justice system gives families of patients who have died or have been injured by medical negligence an avenue to seek accountability," McLarty argues that proposals for medical malpractice reform are misguided because they only strip away patients' rights and remove accountability. She argues that the most effective way to address the medical malpractice crisis is to focus on patient safety efforts. Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-77466477435881135732012-09-25T08:21:00.001-04:002012-09-25T08:21:27.658-04:00NHTSA: Nearly 10% of Fatal Crashes Involved Distracted Driving Truckinginfo.com reported that "Distracted driving was cited as a contributing factor in nearly 10% of all fatal crashes in 2010, while that number nearly doubles (to 18%) for crashes where individuals were injured, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The report studied all vehicle crashes in 2010, analyzing how influential distracted driving behaviors were in those crashes. ... NHTSA found that 416,000 people were injured that year in motor vehicle crashes that involved distracted drivers, while 3,092 people were killed in crashes where someone was exhibiting distracted driving behaviors." Read <a href="http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=78110&news_category_id=12">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-74105793594561579652012-09-05T10:06:00.002-04:002012-09-05T10:06:51.264-04:00Infant Bathing Seats RecalledThe <a href="http://www.newsday.com/business/skull-fractures-prompt-recall-of-2m-infant-seats-1.3950043">AP</a> reported that "More than 2 million infant bathing seats are being recalled after reports of four infants sustaining skull fractures in falls when the frame came unhinged." The AP notes that in the recall notice, "the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the manufacturer Summer Infant Inc. of Woonsocket, R.I., said four children between 2 weeks and 2 months old received skull fractures, including one that required intensive care for bleeding on the brain." The notice adds that "falls can occur when the bather is lifted and/or carried with an infant in it." The company will provide a free repair kit that includes a locking strap and instructions.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-24753675169967295872012-08-23T15:43:00.001-04:002012-08-23T15:43:18.495-04:00Read Our August NewsletterAvailable <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs033/1102200198604/archive/1110808596961.html">here</a>.<br />
P.S. School starts next week, watch out for kids!Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-68354764232619453742012-08-20T09:00:00.002-04:002012-08-20T09:00:44.483-04:00Another Example of How Your Insurance Company May Not Be Your Friend When You Really Need ItThe AP reported that "Progressive Corp. insurance group is defending itself against an onslaught of negative publicity after it tried to avoid paying $75,000 to the family of a client killed in a car crash and tried to blame the wreck on her." Read <a href="http://news.findlaw.com/apnews/d51c1b544d794492a6d13b76f56c7092">more</a>. <br />
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Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-38527458080756451312012-06-25T10:49:00.000-04:002012-06-25T11:12:52.931-04:00The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck Proudly Announces $2.5 Million VerdictOn May 29, 2008, Rev. Kathleen Crockford was rear-ended by an 80,000 lb. tractor-trailer truck while stopped at an intersection on Route 1 in Stonington. The collision and resulting traumatic brain injury would forever change her life and leave her permanently disabled. On June 21, 2012, a federal court jury in Bridgeport returned a verdict in her favor for $2,523,500 ($1,273,500 economic damages and $1,250,000 non-economic damages). The case was tried by Attorneys <a href="http://www.stephenreck.com/scott_d_camassar.html">Scott D. Camassar</a> and <a href="http://www.stephenreck.com/stephen_m_reck.html">Stephen M. Reck</a>.<br />
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The defendant, Larry Spencer, was an experienced tractor-trailer driver on his way to deliver a load a steel for his employer, Metals USA of Seekonk, MA. Witnesses did not see him slow down before he collided with the back of Rev. Crockford's VW Beetle and pushed it into a third vehicle. Mr. Spencer, who saw the stopped vehicles from as much as 1300' away prior to the collision, claimed his brakes failed. Police determined the brakes were fully functional and Mr. Spencer drove the vehicle away from the scene.<br />
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Rev. Crockford was flown by Life Star to Hartford Hospital on account of her life-threatening injuries. She was released after <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">four days, after which she was followed by the Hartford Hospital Head Injury Program for two years. She continues to suffer headaches, vertigo, fatigue, lack of stamina, lack concentration and attention, memory loss, slow mental processing, difficulty finding words and speaking fluently, irritability and depression. A two-day defense neuropsychological exam confirmed that her traumatic brain injury is permanent and that she suffers all of the symptoms and problems of which she complains. She requires daily medication to help improve concentration and deal with depression and has to nap every day just to function.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span>At the time of the collision, Rev. Crockford was the full-time solo pastor of the Westerly-Pawcatuck Congregational Church and a part-time book editor, earning an average of about $65,000/year. She was planning to lead her church well into the future, for as long as she was healthy. As a result of the traumatic brain injury, she has been unable to return to work. She incurred about $84,000 in medical bills, and still takes multiple medications costing an average of $150/month. Multiple witnesses testified to the ways her quality of life has been severely diminished. <br />
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The defendants offered $1.1 million prior to trial, which increased to $1.4 million during the trial. Rev. Crockford is a wonderful person and we are honored to have represented her.<br />
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</div>Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-71524472284400101112012-05-24T09:55:00.002-04:002012-05-24T09:55:32.114-04:00Study: Malpractice Cases Take Years to Resolve, Mostly in Favor of Doctors<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/23/us-docs-win-most-idUSBRE84M11N20120523">Reuters</a> reported on a <a href="http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1151587">study</a> of 10,000 medical malpractice claims during the years 2002-2005 published online May 14 in the <em>Archives of Internal Medicine</em>. The study found that a little over half (55%) result in lawsuits. Of those, over half are dismissed; most of the remaining are resolved before a verdict, with under five percent resulting in a trial verdict. Of those decided at trial 80% favor the physician. Dismissed cases took an average of 20 months to resolve, while those decided at trial took an average of 39 months if they favored the physician and 44 months when they favored the patient.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-77902749756330361292012-05-11T09:21:00.002-04:002012-05-11T09:21:48.936-04:00Parents Key to Preventing Playground InjuriesThe <a href="http://articles.boston.com/2012-05-07/health-wellness/31594969_1_trampoline-injuries-playground-injuries-slide">Boston Globe's</a> Daily Dose blog noted that a recent Johns Hopkins University study "predicted a rise in accidental injuries if government efforts to increase childhood physical activity by building more playgrounds continue to ignore the importance of addressing safety issues." It also identifies three mistakes that parents make that lead to common playground injuries: going down slides with their young children, having home trampolines or letting children under age 6 use trampolines, or use monkey bars lacking a cushioned ground surface.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-17119874690587374762012-05-02T08:54:00.002-04:002012-05-02T08:54:42.558-04:00SAE: Turn-Signal Neglect a Bigger Problem Than Distracted DrivingA new study by the Society of Automotive Engineers, in which 12,000 turning and lane-changing vehicles were observed with visible turn signal usage (or neglect) data recorded, shows that the neglect rate for lane changing vehicles is 48%, and the neglect rate for turning vehicles is 25%. "That translates to an astonishing 750 billion times a year that drivers neglect turn signals on U.S. roadways, or over 2 billion times per day. Each incident of neglect elevates the risk of a multi-vehicle crash." While not every instance of turn signal neglect results in a crash, "the study concludes that the collective result of turn signal neglect is as many as 2 million crashes per year." The U.S. Department of Transportation states that distracted driving causes about 950,000 crashes per year. "While the causes and remedies to combat Distracted Driving remain a matter of ongoing debate, the remedy for Turn Signal Neglect is simple, direct, effective, and cost-saving: The singular cause is driver neglect and the solution is the Smart Turn Signal." Read <a href="http://www.clickondetroit.com/money/automotive/Society-of-Automotive-Engineers-study-says-turn-signal-neglect-results-in-twice-as-many-crashes-as-distracted-driving/-/2318858/12390658/-/1kuvpf/-/">more</a>.<br />
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<br />Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-403383998776059552012-04-30T11:25:00.001-04:002012-04-30T11:25:48.163-04:00Feds Will Study Factors Affecting Commercial Driver SafetyThe DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration chief, Anne Ferro, wants the agency to study "to what extent driver compensation practices, and detention time at shippers' loading and receiving docks affect drivers' ability to drive safely." One study "will explore whether long waiting times in a parked vehicle at a shipper's dock -- which as of Feb. 27 became "off-duty time" under the new driver hours-of-service rule -- would contribute to driver fatigue and influence performance, Ferro said in a keynote speech April 20 at the annual Spring Forum of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' Columbus (Ohio) Roundtable." The other study "would examine whether a link exists between the way drivers are compensated-either by the load or by the mile -- and driver behavior behind the wheel, according to Ferro." Read <a href="http://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/20120428-fmcsa-to-investigate-driver-safety/">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-88857956332342831562012-04-16T13:53:00.000-04:002012-04-16T13:53:01.752-04:00CDC: Injury is the #1 Killer of Children, Traffic-Related Most CommonThe CDC states that from 2000 to 2009, the overall annual unintentional injury death rate for kids "decreased 29%, from 15.5 to 11.0 per 100,000 population, accounting for 9,143 deaths in 2009. The rate decreased among all age groups except newborns and infants aged <1 year; in this age group, rates increased from 23.1 to 27.7 per 100,000 primarily as a result of an increase in reported suffocations. The poisoning death rate among teens aged 15–19 years nearly doubled, from 1.7 to 3.3 per 100,000, in part because of an increase in prescription drug overdoses (e.g., opioid pain relievers). <strong>Childhood motor vehicle traffic–related death rates declined 41%; however, these deaths remain the leading cause of unintentional injury death</strong>." Read <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/ChildInjury/">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-12135713892641041282012-04-06T11:14:00.002-04:002012-04-06T11:14:58.932-04:00Read Our April NewsletterAvailable <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs033/1102200198604/archive/1109713772371.html">here</a>. Have a great holiday weekend!Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-24263015662087002372012-02-16T11:09:00.000-05:002012-02-16T11:09:55.200-05:00CDC: 15,000 in US Die Each Year from Prescription Painkiller OverdosesThe CDC says "Overdose deaths from prescription painkillers have skyrocketed in the past decade. Every year, nearly 15,000 people die from overdoses involving these drugs—more than those who die from heroin and cocaine combined." Read <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/PainkillerOverdoses/">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-61948350514117156342012-02-09T07:15:00.000-05:002012-02-09T07:15:22.677-05:00Study: Doctors Aren't Always Honest With PatientsThe AP reported that according to the study, "More than half admitted describing someone's prognosis in a way they knew was too rosy. Nearly 20 percent said they hadn't fully disclosed a medical mistake for fear of being sued. And 1 in 10 of those surveyed said they'd told a patient something that wasn't true in the past year." Read <a href="http://www.theday.com/article/20120209/NWS13/302099452/1044">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-61081644074763143772012-02-04T08:24:00.000-05:002012-02-04T08:24:58.318-05:00State Report Says CT Hospital Errors PersistA new report by the State shows bed sores, wrong-site surgeries and other surgical errors reported by Connecticut hospitals have increased in the last five years, despite numerous efforts to reduce them. Read <a href="http://www.theday.com/article/20120204/NWS12/302049957/1019&town=">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-16707144347133848122012-02-01T11:41:00.000-05:002012-02-01T11:41:15.024-05:00Gov't Looks to save Money by Denying Compensation to Military Dependents for Medical MalpracticeThis is just wrong. The Supreme Court's 1950 <em>Feres</em> decision has prevented active-duty troops from suing for injuries due to malpractice in military medical facilities, but now, as reported in the <a href="http://ebird.osd.mil/ebird2/ebfiles/e20120123864603.html">Army Times</a>, "government lawyers in Florida are seeking to expand that restriction to include the spouses and children of service members." Jimmy German, an active-duty Navy mechanic, sued when the Jacksonville Naval Hospital failed to diagnose his wife's soon-to-be fatal cerebral hemorrhage, but the government is seeking dismissal, saying under the <em>Feres</em> doctrine, whether or not Navy doctors committed medical errors, "troops should not be allowed to sue for negligent care provided to their dependents." Although the government has settled many cases involving injured military family members, this new interpretation, according to George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley "is a very clear effort to establish the rule that children and spouses are equally barred from tort recovery from negligence." It's one thing to bar troops from suing for things arising out of their active duty service, but why should a similar restriction be placed on their spouses and children?Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-20701896690405967512012-01-16T09:18:00.000-05:002012-01-16T09:18:20.104-05:00Happy New Year! Here's Our January NewsletterRead it <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs033/1102200198604/archive/1108982411400.html">here</a>Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-63387259340082124012011-12-20T12:58:00.000-05:002011-12-20T12:58:02.116-05:00Study: Insurers Create Crises to Increase Profits, Push Tort ReformThe <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/12/19/1719668/study-insurers-often-cry-wolf.html">Raleigh (NC) News & Observer</a> reported, "A new study produced by consumer and public-interest groups claims insurance companies create periodic crises to drive up profits. The Americans for Insurance Reform study says these crises, where coverage becomes unaffordable or unavailable, are known as 'hard markets,' sending premiums sky-high." In addition, the study's authors "claim the insurance industry uses these supposedly manufactured crises to support their calls for 'tort reform' -- asking legislators for new laws making it more difficult to sue." The Insurance Information Institute disputes the study's conclusions.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-84426034585460814952011-12-19T09:51:00.000-05:002011-12-19T09:51:52.588-05:00Drivers Aren't the Only Ones Distracted by Their Devices--Doctors Are TooThe NY Times reported: "Hospitals and doctors’ offices, hoping to curb medical error, have invested heavily to put computers, smartphones and other devices into the hands of medical staff for instant access to patient data, drug information and case studies. But like many cures, this solution has come with an unintended side effect: doctors and nurses can be focused on the screen and not the patient, even during moments of critical care. And they are not always doing work; examples include a neurosurgeon making personal calls during an operation, a nurse checking airfares during surgery and a poll showing that half of technicians running bypass machines had admitted texting during a procedure." Read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/health/as-doctors-use-more-devices-potential-for-distraction-grows.html">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826729817542373996.post-89744071307591945652011-11-30T06:54:00.000-05:002011-11-30T06:54:35.005-05:00Medal of Honor Recipient Sues Defense Contractor for DefamationDakota Meyer, who saved 36 comrades during an ambush in Afghanistan, is suing his former employer for allegedly calling him mentally unstable and suggesting he had a drinking problem, thereby costing him a job. Read <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/29/medal-honor-recipient-sues-defense-contractor/?test=latestnews">more</a>.Scott D. Camassarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03849429573155822779noreply@blogger.com0