The only thing unusual about the way September 11, 2001 unfolded for me in Orange County, California was the fact that my alarm went off at 4:00 o’clock. In the morning. Not normally an early riser, I was scheduled to participate in a settlement conference in the Bay Area that day and logistics required such an early wake-up call. …
Tax Savings Strategy Helps Save You Money, Secure Your Future Background With domestic oil & gas exploration on the rise, landowners around the country are being approached by landmen representing oil & gas companies who want to lease their land and the rights to minerals they believe lie beneath the surface. In addition to potential…
In yet another example of the adverse consequences stemming from some implanted DePuy metal-on-metal artificial hip devices, a number of San Diegans claim their hip surgeries poisoned them. ABC affiliate Channel 10 in San Diego recently featured a report which focused on 62 year-old hip replacement patient Tony Stauffer who describes his painful ordeal. The link includes an embedded…
For those lucky enough to have avoided joint replacement surgery thus far in their lives, a helpful article appeared recently in The Huffington Post. Entitled 13 Must-Know Facts About Joint Replacements, the article shares some timely tips for those who are contemplating surgery. While our firm continues to follow the DePuy Hip Recall with great interest…
NC House: $500,000 caps on MedMal Noneconomic Damages Continuing a trend across the country, the North Carolina House voted to override Gov. Beverly Perdue’s veto of legislation that caps medical malpractice noneconomic damages at $500,000 for medical malpractice cases. This North Carolina change tracks with similar tort reform efforts and court decisions recently occurring in Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,…
Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Among the growing body of academic research focusing on retirement vulnerability, a Special Project of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College provides additional insights into one of the challenges facing all of us who worry about living comfortably during retirement. Running out of money. This project,…
Life/Health Industry Admitted Assets Increased 7.1% in 2010 Admitted assets for the top 200 writers of life/health insurance increased approximately $404 billion during 2010 according the most recent edition of Best’s Review. Structured Settlement Markets Shine Eight of the twelve life markets active in the structured settlement industry saw their admitted assets increase an average of 10%,…
The Annuity Puzzle Why does human nature permit an individual to choose Option A over Option B even when overwhelming evidence assures even the most casual observer that Option B is the superior choice? Ever chosen unwisely when dating? Marrying? Buying a car, a house or a stock? Ever fail to follow a doctor’s advice? Ever skip taking vitamins…
Recalled DePuy Hip Problem Growing in Ireland Two recent articles further illustrate the far-reaching nature of the DePuy Hip Recall. The Irish Independent recently featured an article which claims 113 Irish patients have already endured two hip surgeries due to the faulty hips while as many as 3,500 might be next in line to suffer. Further north,…
GAO Report Emphasizes Annuities as a Smart Choice for Retirement Security Last month, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), in its Report to the Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U. S. Senate, made an extremely strong case for annuities in retirement planning. Entitled Retirement Income: Ensuring Income throughout Retirement Requires Difficult Choices, this report was prepared…