1/12/09 - A national health-care agency stripped Maricopa County of accreditation of its jails after a months-long attempt by county administrators to remain certified. The revocation is a blow to the county's Correctional Health Services, county supervisors and top administrators, who for months maintained that the commission was threatening to pull accreditation on unreliable and anonymous information. Correctional Health Services provides health care for the estimated 10,000 inmates in Maricopa County's jails. The decision could affect health-care-related lawsuits by inmates and their families and could expose the county to more liability. Read full article Begam Lewis & Marks handles inmate personal injury complaints, including those for personal injury or death related to the health care system in the county jails. Claims must be made within 180 days of injury in most cases. Call for more information.

Judge Gives Go Ahead on Second Hand Smoke Case The Recorder(1/14, McKee) reports, "An asthmatic 7-year-old girl's public-nuisance suit against her family's apartment complex over secondhand smoke in outdoor common areas has been given the go-ahead" as a Los Angeles judge ruled that she "not only had standing to file suit as a tenant, but also raised serious allegations warranting further hearings." Also, "The girl's father, Woodland Hills civil litigator Johnny Birke, said Tuesday he believes the ruling sets a national precedent." He said that this "is the first time...that a court anywhere in the country -- and I can say that with some certainty because we did the research -- has ruled that outdoor secondhand smoke can constitute a public and private nuisance." Read Article

Insurance Journal (1/13) reported that in a wrongful death suit, the family of a young girl who was killed in her neighbor's house during a tornado is suing Monarch Homes Inc, the home's builder asserting that "poor construction, not the tornado, is to blame for the girl's death." Two other companies are also listed as defendants. Read article Minneapolis Star Tribune (1/14) reports, "The family of 10-year-old Jaymi Wendt of Rogers is continuing with a wrongful-death suit against two home builders" but has settled with "Considated Concrete and Masonry Inc., a third-party defendant in the case." Read article Begam Lewis & Marks handles wrongful death cases resulting from a variety of accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, falls, crush injuries, electrocution and any number of other tragic situations. Call for more information.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (1/14) editorializes, "Here are four compelling reasons why Gov. Sonny Perdue's proposal to create a liability-free haven for drugmakers threatens the welfare of Georgians -- Vioxx, Rezulin, fen-phen and Bextra." One of the mentioned reasons is that "FDA approval doesn't guarantee that a drug will be 100 percent safe." The paper says that both the FDA and the tort system should work to hold companies accountable and make it so that "when the FDA gets it wrong, the tort system offers insurance to harmed consumers that they can seek corrective justice." Read full article There have been efforts in the last few years by tort reformers to make it impossible for injured parties to sue drug makers for injuries if the drug has been approved by the FDA. However, this would leave those injured or killed by defective drugs no recourse to recover. Begam Lewis & Marks helps injured people and their families to recover dama

1/13/09 - An Illinois hospital has agreed to pay $6.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of a boy who suffered brain injury during birth. In the lawsuit, attorneys argued that doctors and staff at Provena Mercy Medical Center failed to respond to distress brought on by the drug Pitocin. The settlement was finalized last week in Cook County. Read article http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/01/family-gets-65m-in-brain-injury-case.html Begam Lewis & Marks successfully handles birth injury cases. For more information call Begam Lewis & Marks.

1/12/09 (Phoenix) A 14-year-old girl and her 17-year-old boyfriend were shot Monday night in a neighborhood near 67th Avenue and Thomas Road by the girl's ex-boyfriend, police said. At about 8 p.m., the two teens were in a dispute with the ex-boyfriend when he shot the 17-year-old in the leg. The bullet also hit the girl, police said. The victims had no life-threatening injuries and police were still looking for the suspect. Read full article Begam Lewis & Marks handles shooting cases and has recovered monies for seriously injured victims and their families. Homeowners insurance (of the shooter or family members the shooter resides with) may provide coverage for injuries in certain circumstances. Call Begam Lewis & Marks for more information.

Richard Traulsen, managing partner of Begam Lewis & Marks, will be presenting at the American Association of Justice's Litigating Truck Collision Cases Seminar. Mr. Traulsen will speak on "Spoliation of Evidence: Logbooks and Physical Evidence," on the afternoon of Friday, February 20, 2009. The Conference itself is open only to AAJ members and is being held at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, February 20-21, 2009. Mr. Traulsen concentrates his practice in commercial trucking collisions, medical malpractice, dangerous road design, and other catastrophic injury cases. Mr. Traulsen is a former chair of the AAJ Interstate Trucking Litigation Group and a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs.

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety and M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) presented Stan Marks, partner at Begam Lewis & Marks, with its Legends Award in appreciation of his outstanding efforts as a founder and Chairman of M.A.D.D. Arizona. Mr. Marks formed M.A.D.D. Arizona approximately 25 years ago with Sharon Sikora as part of a public awareness initiative to raise the legal drinking age to 21 years old in Arizona. For many years Mr. Marks played a key role in lobbying the legislature concerning drunk driving issues. In addition, Mr. Marks and the firm of Begam Lewis & Marks have handled numerous cases involving drunk drivers and the liability of bars for overserving patrons who then cause often catastrophic or fatal accidents.

Last month 22 cases against the manufacturer of a device used to treat urinary incontinence in women were consolidated into a multidistrict action. According to the suits, Mentor Corp. negligently designed the product, known as ObTape, and failed to warn consumers about potential risks. While the first ObTape-related case favored Mentor, plaintiffs attorneys say the decision should have little bearing in the outcome of their cases. Amanda Bronstad, Law.com http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202427218210 Begam Lewis & Marks handles cases involving defective or harmful medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Please contact us for more information.

Both Steven M. Friedman and Stanley J. Marks, partners at Begam Lewis & Marks, have been AV Peer Review Rated for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability by Martindale-Hubbell for 2008. An "AV" rating is the preeminient rating, the pinnacle of professional excellence, achievable only after admission to the bar for at least 10 years. The "AV" rating indicates the highest level of legal ability and ethics. A Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating attests to a lawyer's legal ability and professional ethics, and reflects the confidential opinions of the Bar and the Judiciary. Both Mr. Friedman and Mr. Marks have been practicing Plaintiff's personal injury law in the Phoenix Metro area for over 40 years. Read full article