Lansing Personal Injury Lawyer - New Jersey

Wrong Way Driving Of The Rich And Famous: New Jersey GOP Governor nominee Chris Christie

Devon Glass — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:29:23 GMT

Steve Lombardi had a 20-part series on the subject that touched on pretty much all aspects of the wrong way driver. It is still pretty rare compared to most car accident causes, but it's something that is so obviously wrong there is no excuse for such behavior. I mean, it would be difficult for someone to argue, with a straight face, that driving the wrong way down the street and causing an accident is somehow not their fault. These types of incidents can happen to anyone, just ask former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, the current Republican nominee for Governor of New Jersey.

Back in July 2002, Christie was involved in an accident with a motorcycle when his car drove the wrong way down a one way street. According to the police report:

Veh #1 [Christie] states he was traveling west on Murray St. and was lost. He reached Chilton St. The light was red so he inched forward attempting to make a right on red but never saw the one-way traffic sign. He then stopped upon observing oncoming traffic, Veh #2 [Mendonca] also braked. The motorcycle fell on its side and slid into his vehicle. Veh #2 states he was traveling on Chilton St. when Veh #1 turned in front of him.

This is not the most egregious example of wrong way driving, but it's certainly something where Christie drove his car the wrong way on a one way street and it resulted in an accident where the motorcycle driver was taken to the hospital. The interesting part is that Christie was not ticketed for this accident. Apparently Christie informed the police officer on scene he was a US Attorney, although it's not clear this allowed him to get out of receiving a ticket.

I would only add that it's highly unlikely you or I would have not been ticketed under similar circumstances. I guess if you are going to be involved in an accident when you are clearly at fault, it's best to be a well connected person of influence. That way you are not going to be held responsible for your actions.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Devon Glass

Department of Justice Cracks Down on Insurance Fraud

David Mittleman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:34:25 GMT

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that the former managing pharmacist of a New Jersey pharmacy has pleaded guilty to submitting fraudulent claims to health insurers. Ruben Aguilar admitted to conspiring with others to submit claims for prescriptions that the pharmacy never dispensed over a five-year period spanning from 2002 to 2007. Aguilar could serve up to five years in prison and be forced to pay a hefty fine.

Among the many insurers that fell victim to the fraud was the federal Medicaid program, which insures low-income individuals in conjunction with certain state Medicaid programs. Medicaid and Medicare, which insures those over 65 years old and certain other qualifying individuals, are frequent targets of attempted fraud. The Department of Justice has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prevent waste and abuse in the system. The goal is to keep the cost of these federal programs down, thus saving money and improving the quality of services provided.

Aguilar’s plea came on the same day as a major health care fraud sting operation resulted in the arrests of 53 individuals, including doctors, executives, and beneficiaries, in the Detroit area. In addition, eight Miami-area residents were arrested today on similar charges.

These recent arrests are a clear indication of the administration’s aggressive policy of attacking Medicaid and Medicare fraud. If you become aware of fraudulent activity, you can report it by e-mailing HHSTips@oig.hhs.gov or by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman

Jury Awards $11 Million in New Jersey Dental Malpractice Case

David Mittleman — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:54:00 GMT

The family of Francis Keller, a New Jersey man who died shortly after having his wisdom teeth removed, will receive about $11 million following a jury verdict in their favor. Mr. Keller died in 2005 when his dental surgery caused excessive swelling in his mouth and throat, resulting in his being unable to breathe. The surgery was performed by Dr. George Flugard.

Good dental hygiene is crucial to one’s overall good health. While many of us might consider a trip to the dentist to be an unpleasant experience, no one expects their dentist to commit malpractice. Unfortunately, dental malpractice claims are not uncommon. If you or someone you know is the victim of substandard dental care, contact us to see if we can help.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Mittleman