Pleading Ignorance: “You May be Owed Money!”

August 7th, 2009. By AbiK

If that doesn’t sound like the quintessential come-on, I don’t know what does. And it’s t.v. ads blaring that phrase that give some lawyers and the law biz a bit of a weird rep. But don’t blame the law profession, blame their ad agencies. Why? Because there’s actually some truth behind the statement that you may be owed money.

This week’s Pleading Ignorance looks at…

What is Unclaimed Settlement Money?

The strange thing about a class action is that many people are typically affected—in fact, having numerous plaintiffs is a requirement for something to be a class action. But, if there’s a settlement from a class action, many times a good portion of the settlement monies just sits there.

Why is that? There are many reasons, but typically monies sit because: Read the rest of this entry »

Chinese Drywall & Sean Payton: take ’em to court baby

August 7th, 2009. By AbiK

We’ve been tracking Sean Payton’s Chinese drywall fiasco—he’s one of the few celebs who’s been notably hit by the defective drywall; We also just posted on Larry Kosakowski’s desperation call to President Obama—what else do you do when you don’t feel you’re getting any help?

This week, neworleans.com reporter Dave Lawrence conducted a post-morning practice interview with Sean Payton. Given that it’s local media—Payton’s the head coach of the New Orleans Saints—the interview questions ran the gamut from football to Chinese drywall and beyond. The most interesting aspect of Payton’s responses on the topic were his own feeling of helplessness—that he’s moved his family out of his house, removed all the defective drywall at his own expense, has been renting at another location (at his expense), and he’s still waiting like everyone else for some resolution on the situation.

Most telling quote from Payton on the Chinese drywall debacle?

“Your only recourse really is litigation.”

Hey, don’t take it from me, take it from Sean Payton—he’s living it. And if you’re considering contacting a lawyer for a consultation, the sooner the better.

Chinese Drywall: Hey Obama, finish your beer & call me

August 7th, 2009. By AbiK

If you’ve ever wondered why we live in a so-called litigious society, here’s why: Chinese Drywall. Unfortunately, it’s usually the more outlandish personal injury claims that get the attention of the press—things like that case years ago when someone with hot coffee from McDonald’s sued (uh, wasn’t coffee supposed to be hot? never mind…) But in the case of Chinese Drywall, it’s apparent inaction. So here’s Larry Kosakowski. And he’s ticked off. About Chinese drywall.

Seems according to wpbf.com, Larry’s already been to local and state lawmakers down in his home state of FL. But, he’s not seeing any action. So hey, Larry’s got some you-know-what’s, so he doesn’t mess around—he goes straight to the top. He calls the President. Of the US.

Now, on the day Kosakowski phoned the president, the president was meeting—uh, chugging back a beer—at his “Beer Summit”. Read the rest of this entry »

Young People use Denture Cream Too

August 6th, 2009. By janem

Everyone associates dentures with old age, but many young people lose their teeth for various reasons, from sports injuries to cosmetic concerns to fisti-cuffs. According to AFFORDABLE DENTURES®, denture demand is expected to boom, and with it, denture cream.

For example, the Charleston Gazette reported that 21-year-old Todd Joseph had broken his upper denture and it didn’t fit right. Joseph said his four front teeth got knocked out after a robber struck him with a baseball bat. AFFORDABLE DENTURES®  fixed him up with a new upper denture for $140. (The Gazette said the denture clinic was very busy: “patients were coming and going”.)

Young people may be more self-conscious about wearing a denture or partial denture than older folks and likely concerned that their denture may not stay in place (and it may not fit properly). So what do they do? Chances are, wear more denture cream, and herein lies the problem: Zinc overdose.

Marianne Chapman, a 31-year-old from Florida is suing Procter & Gamble, the company that makes Fixodent denture adhesive cream, alleging she suffered and continues to suffer injuries including zinc poisoning and neurological damages. She said her dentures haven’t fit properly since 2001. Her advice: “Be very careful [with denture cream], make sure you don’t use a lot of it.” How many young people, especially guys like Joseph, are going to be “very careful”?

And how much is a lot? A study in Neurology reports that some people who used denture cream were exposed to at least 330 milligrams of zinc daily-the maximum daily allowance is 40 milligrams. Hence denture cream lawsuits.

Cheapest Law School Ever

August 4th, 2009. By AbiK

It won’t help you make partner, or even get admitted to the bar, but if a hankering for law has gotten under your skin, look no further than “Law School in a Box”, available at MentalFloss.com.

In addition to a textbook (96 pages long!), the “box” part of the learning system includes some Heroes of the Courtroom trading cards, You Be the Judge quiz cards, and a mini-bar exam (no, it doesn’t include any mini bottles of Bacardi for post-exam).

Should you pass the mini-bar, there’s even a diploma—with “real Latin words”! Lingua Latina vivit! But the greatest reward? Knowing that a mere $14.95 investment has kick-started a brilliant legal career. For those of you with higher aspirations, go get that second Master’s and pick up an MBA or an MD while you’re there—in this unstable economy, the more sheepskins you’ve got, well, it might not get you a job but it could give your ego a boost.