by Marius Ged, on Sep 7, 2022 6:20:39 PM
Keep up with the latest personal injury law news and insights from the Industry’s trusted legal partner, Ged Lawyers. Here is an overview of what happened this month in the personal injury law field.
What’s New in FL Personal Injury Law
1) FL's Supreme Court Disciplines Six Attorneys
The Florida Bar, the state's official watchdog for the legal profession, has announced that the Florida Supreme Court has reprimanded six attorneys by suspending three and disbarring three in recent court decisions. Of the more than 110,000 lawyers who are members of The Florida Bar, the Supreme Court, The Florida Bar, and the Bar's Department of Lawyer Regulation are responsible for managing a statewide disciplinary system to ensure compliance with the rules of professional conduct set forth by the Court.
A lawyer who has been disbarred cannot reapply for admission for a period of five years. A thorough background investigation and another attempt at the Bar test are just two parts of the lengthy procedure they must undergo. Here is as a summary of the attorneys who were suspended:
Timmy W. Cox, Sr., was suspended effective immediately following a July 13 court order. Cox failed to respond to official Bar inquiries. Florida Supreme Court ordered Cox to show cause by May 18. The Bar filed its Petition for Contempt and Order to Show Cause on April 29.
James F. Feuerstein, III, of Sorrento, was disbarred July 21. He didn't answer to three Bar inquiries and the Court's Order to Show Cause.
It was determined that John Hadsall fraudulently transferred assets from his mother's estate for his own use. He failed to demonstrate by clear, persuasive, and adequate evidence that he behaved in good faith throughout the transactions. Following a court order on July 7, he was disbarred 30 days later.
Melanie L. Johnson, 4790 Longbow Dr., Titusville, has been disbarred effective immediately, per a court decision dated July 14. Johnson improperly utilized client monies. Johnson recreated her records and supplied incorrect and misleading information in response to the Bar's request for documents required to conduct a compliance audit.
Bradley Laurent misappropriated client monies from the trust account of his legal office, part of which he reimbursed using the proceeds from a Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loan. Following a court decision, Laurent's license is suspended for 30 days, although she will no longer accept new customers as of July 14.
James Santos Wilkie misused settlement payments from clients and made false statements to the Bar. A court order issued on July 19 suspended the emergency status immediately.
Industry Updates
1) $8 Million Verdict Awarded Over Florida Car Crash, But Lesser Recovery Is Possible
A jury awarded nearly $8 million to a man who claimed he sustained spinal injuries in a Sanford car accident. However, recovery of that amount may be limited to $100,000 because defense counsel has moved to lower the verdict to the $100,000 insurance policy limits.
Plaintiff James Feaster, 35, a project manager, was driving on West State Road 46 at its intersection with Hickman Drive in Sanford on April 10, 2018. Julia Lyon was driving a trailing automobile when her pickup truck was hit from behind.
Feaster claimed to have experienced back and neck ailments. He filed a lawsuit against Lyon and her vehicle's owner, Michael Lyon. Feaster stated he was in discomfort as a result of the accident. He eventually claimed that he had C6-7, L4-5, and L5-S1 intervertebral disc herniations.
Feaster was subjected to four years of chiropractic manipulation and physical treatment. He was also given six epidural injections of steroid-based pain relievers. He claimed that he had residual pain and limits that made it difficult for him to perform any activities.
2) U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of HHS in Medicare Disproportionate Share Payments Case
On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld the method that the Department of Health and Human Services uses to calculate Medicare payments to hospitals that treat a disproportionately high number of patients with low incomes. This decision was a blow to the hospitals' efforts to recoup potentially billions of dollars from the program.
The decision, which was reached with a vote count of 5-4, ruled that the formula that HHS employs to compute Medicare's disproportionate share of hospital adjustments is supported by statute. This formula is supposed to reflect the higher cost of care for people with lower incomes.
Since its inception, the method by which HHS decides how much to pay out in DSH benefits has been the subject of heated debate. In a separate DSH case that was heard by the Supreme Court in 2019, the court held that the Department of Health and Human Services broke the law by failing to provide hospitals with notice of DSH payment cutbacks and an opportunity to comment on those cuts.
Growing Your Practice
1) How to Create Your Law Firm’s Online Presence
Legal marketing guru Gyi Tsakalakis stresses the importance of being visible online. Here are some strategies to enable a strong online presence:
1. Build a Website
Nearly all your potential clients are using the internet to find legal help. Creating a website for your company is the first step in facilitating client discovery via the Internet. Find a web designer who can cater to your specific demands by asking the proper questions.
Building a name for yourself online and getting your site indexed by search engines is a process that requires patience.
2. Create an Online Presence for Yourself
The American Bar Association reports that 42% of solo practices successfully expand their customer base using social media marketing.
3. Add Your Firm to Searchable Web Directories
Adding your site to relevant internet directories is another sensible strategy for expanding your web visibility.
Final Thoughts
Creating a strong internet presence is a thrilling chance to influence how potential clients learn about and contact your law practice. Assure potential customers that they have landed on the correct page when they visit your website.
Instead of spreading yourself too thin by trying to master every social media platform, devote your time and energy to a select few and then claim your online profiles.
2) Personal Injury Lawyers Trust This Law Firm Most for Pip Referrals
If your law firm handles motor vehicle accident victims' personal injury cases, Ged Lawyers has covered you. Ged Lawyers was established to provide a more effective method that helps attorneys in handling unpaid Patient Injury Benefit (PIP) claims.
Our attorneys are subject matter experts in PIP claims collections. How do we work? The attorney and the medical provider sign a co-counsel agreement with Ged Lawyers. Our lawyers manage each claim from start to finish, and we pay a 25% fee to the referring attorney.
Unpaid patient EOB benefits constitute a breach of contract allegations. Each actionable claim is identified and evaluated by our automated system. We send demand letters, beginning with the most urgent claims. The insurance company then covers all legal fees and expenditures.
Learn more about how we work and how this service helps personal injury lawyers in this guide.
Maximize Your Law Firm Revenue with PIP Referrals
At the core of our services is a commitment to providing simple, reliable options for referring PIP cases - an alternative to resource-intensive litigations. We appreciate your interest in Ged Lawyers.
Contact us today at toll-free 844-4GEDLAW or fill in the contact form to get in touch with one of our representatives.
