For example, how would you know that Facebook has an email just for subpoenas (subpoena@facebook.com)?  Do you know the office in Palo Alto and telephone and fax number for the Facebook department that accepts service?

You’ve gotta check out this site.  It is meant for law enforcement but open to the public.

I think it is safe to say that most people involved in car accidents suffer from these injuries.  Many times they go away in a matter of weeks or months.  Other times it takes a lot longer.  It really depends on the person.

Benjamin Broome, M.A. has a good diagram and discussion of what he has found in dealing with attorneys who litigate these cases.

I pretty much agree that there are important points to make in a soft tissue car accident injury case.  Mr. Broome writes:

First it is important to explain that soft tissues all have microscopic sensory nerves that run through them. Next, it can be understood that the swelling and disruption of the soft tissues immediately following an injury put pressure on these nerves resulting in the pain that we all feel for a few days after an injury. Finally, it should be shown that in these more severe cases, microscopic scar tissue can build up within the soft tissues continuing to distort the nerves, causing pain, even after the swelling of the initial injury has subsided. This scar tissue and the resulting sensory nerve disruption is the physical source of the permanent pain in most of these soft tissue cases.

Unlike a case were someone breaks a bone or tears a ligament there really isn’t any easy way to see the injury.  Identifying a broken bone on an X-Ray is almost common knowledge.  Ask someone to identify “straightening of the lordosis” and they may ask whether you’re talking about Star Wars or Star Trek.

Anyway, it is a quick read and informative.  I’ve used Medical Legal Art’s diagrams in many of my trials.   A picture is worth a thousand words.

If you have questions about an accident where you suffered a soft tissue injury in Wisconsin feel free to contact me.  I’d be happy to discuss your situation.

www.jonpgroth.com

Jon Groth is a Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney handling cases throughout Wisconsin and most recently in Jackson, Kenosha, Sheboygan and Wauwatosa.

I wanted to direct everyone to a few interesting things in this Fact Book.   Page 31 asks “Is Wisconsin ‘Overlawyered’?”.  The Civil Justice Fact Book states, “Wisconsin, with about 2 percent of the U.S. Population, has about 1.3 percent of the country’s lawyers.”  It goes on to say that Wisconsin’s attorneys are “slightly older” than the national average with “a median of fifty years of ages versus a national median of forty-seven.”

The conclusion is that “Wisconsin seems to have about one-third fewer lawyers per capita than the rest of the country and it is not catching up.”

Interesting stuff.  I though Wisconsin would have more attorneys based upon our diploma privilege.  But, I’m wrong.

Keep an eye out for more comments on the Civil Justice in Wisconsin, A Fact Book.  I’ll be sure to blog some more about it at www.jonpgroth.com.

Their website ZeroInWisconsin.gov says:

Some deaths were caused by speeding while others were a result of drunk driving, or not wearing a seat belt. Tragically, these deaths affect many lives and cause great pain to thousands of people throughout the state. Fortunately, you can help change that number.

There is a bunch of statistics on the page too.   I think I’ve already talked about the death totals from car accidents before.

In short, this is a good time to assess your driving habits and make a New Year’s Resolution to drive more responsibly.  It sounds simple but this is good advice:

By staying within the speed limit, being sober behind the wheel, and buckling up, you can do simple things that can turn more than 500 annual deaths into zero.

Jon Groth is a Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney handling cases throughout Wisconsin and most recently in West Allis, Sheboygan,  Plymouth,  andGermantown.

If you’d like to submit a question or case please complete a case submission form.

The Wisconsin Lawyer Magazine has a quick read entitled Politics in Civil Jury Selection.  Very interesting.

This is one of the more important parts of my job.  Who should I keep on a jury?  What questions do I ask in order to figure out who would make a good juror for a particular set of facts. Who will the defense want to keep or strike?

Alan Tuerkheimer, UW Law 2000, is a trial consultant with Zagnoli McEvoy Foley, LLC in Chicago.  The Zagnoli firm conducted a survey of mock jurors in order to determine a relationship between political party identification and damages verdicts.

Some sections that I found interesting:

The Zagnoli study found that while political leaning tends to correlate with what jurors say about damages in civil cases, it does not predict whether or how much they actually award. In other words, political leaning is related to what a juror says but not necessarily to what a juror does; thus, political party allegiance should not be too heavily relied on during jury selection.

More specifically, Republicans were more likely than Democrats to make an at fault person pay damage awards for future medical expenses.

A closer look shows that a high proportion of Democrats (86 percent), but an even higher proportion of Republicans (92 percent), would consider awarding money for future medical expenses.

Finally, when it comes to the premise of awarding punitive damages both parties were high.  Again, like I assumed Democrats were more likely to agree (92 percent agreed) but I was a little surprised that so many Republicans agreed (80 percent agreed).

I recommend the article.  I ask this of my readers.  If anyone finds similar articles about jury selection please let me know.  I like reading about this stuff.

Jon Groth is a Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney handling cases throughout Wisconsin and most recently in Milwaukee, West Bend, New Berlin and Wauwatosa.

Click here to submit a Case or Question. ]]> http://www.wisconsin-lawyers-blog.com/jurors-politics-in-the-civil-jury-system/feed/ http://www.wisconsin-lawyers-blog.com/dangerous-toys-this-holiday-season/ http://www.wisconsin-lawyers-blog.com/dangerous-toys-this-holiday-season/#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:01:38 +0000 Jon P. Groth http://www.wisconsin-lawyers-blog.com/?p=227 Yep, time to watch out for dangerous toys.  Who knows what Mr. Mainway will buy for little Johnny or Sally.

I recently wrote a piece about this on Avvo.com.  I touch on Bisphenol A, Phthalates, lead and toxic toys.  Also, I mention the common problems with many toys, i.e choking hazards and following the age limits.

You can check out the “Legal Guide” here.

Jon Groth is a Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney handling cases throughout Wisconsin and most recently in Milwaukee, West Bend, New Berlin and Wauwatosa.

Click here to submit a Case or Question.

Other “honorable mentions” of auto/home insurance companies that write policies in Wisconsin are: AIG (3), State Farm (4), Farmers (7), Liberty Mutual (10). 

Is there any wonder why victims of auto accidents, dog bites, motorcycle accidents and the like hire personal injury attorneys when Allstate’s insured is at fault?

Jon Groth is a Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney handling cases throughout Wisconsin and most recently in Lomira, Twin Lakes,  Wauwatosa and Milton.

Surprisingly, Allstate Insurance has helped answer the question.  Allstate’s own website states “represented claims settle for 2-3 times more than unrepresented claims.”  (See page C000011298).   Allstate goes on to urge their adjuster to convince injured victims to NOT hire an attorney.

Why do represented victims of car accidents, motorcycle accidents or other personal injury matters recover more than unrepresented victims?  I’d like to this because personal injury attorneys know the law and won’t leave any stone unturned.  The right Personal Injury Attorney will make sure that the injured person receives the compensation they are due.  Take a look at my earlier comments about what a case is worth.

Kudos to Illinois Attorney Howard Zimmerle for finding this information.  

Jon Groth is a Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney handling cases throughout Wisconsin and most recently in West Allis, Crivitz, Plymouth, and Germantown

The problem is with some of the tactics that insurance companies use.  Here is an example:

Farmers, was in the business of

denying claims as a way to boost its bottom

line. Farmers even ran an employee incentive program,

“Quest for Gold,” that offered incentives, including $25

gift certificates and pizza parties, to adjusters who met

low payment goals. One Farmers’ executive told claims

representatives to stop paying claims, saying, “Teach

them to say, ‘Sorry, no more,’ with a toothy grin and mean it.”

Insurance companies are supposed to act in good faith with their insured and on behalf of their insured when dealing with someone their insured injures.  Arbitrary denials and low offers for no reason isn’t good faith.

Read the report.  You’ll get a feel for what personal injury attorneys deal with day in and day out.  You’ll understand why Allstate, Farmers, Progressive et al get on our nerves.

http://www.wisconsinpersonalinjuryattorneys.wordpress.com

 Jon Groth is a Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney handling cases throughout Wisconsin and most recently in Milwaukee, Milton, Kenosha and Wauwatosa.