Protecting the public from attorney solicitation phone calls and letters

Last week, I wrote about the problem of injury lawyers sending solicitation letters to car accident victims and new requirements designed to curb this practice. If you receive an attorney letter, solicitation or legal advertisement after being hurt in a car accident, and it does not meet these new requirements, you should report it immediately. The new requirements for ethical lawyer solicitation letters are here.

As to attorney solicitation, my own preference would be to see the “no contact time” increased to 90 days from the current 30 day ban.

But letters from lawyers and doctors is only the tip of the iceberg.  We have to stop the direct phone calls now. Anyone who reads this link from a woman who was in a car accident and after received weekly calls, most likely from an attorney, should be extremely troubled.

These so-called “accident services” who cold-call people out of the blue after car accidents need to be stopped now. I don’t know who makes up these various accident services companies, although I know there are many chiropractors who are now cold-calling accident victims at home or in hospitals immediately.  We — injury lawyers, doctors and chiropractors — need to stop phone calls and other forms of solicitation to accident victims. It is up to the professional associations to police their own, to protect the public and stop abuse.

Solicitation phone calls and letters need to be stopped now.

Have you received a phone call or solicitation letter within the first 30 days following a crash from an injury lawyer? Contact the Attorney Grievance Commission of Michigan and tell them about it. This is the only way to stop this unethical  behavior.

The contact information for the Attorney Grievance Commission of Michigan is:

Attorney Grievance Commission
Marquette Building
243 W. Congress, Ste. 256
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-6585 general
(313) 961-5819 fax

Injury lawyers who solicit car accident victims lower the image of our profession.  And let’s face it, most of these lawyers sending these letters are terrible lawyers (which is why they are doing this to get business to  begin with).  Because these are terrible lawyers, the legal service and results they provided were also poor,  and accident victims were actually harmed rather than helped.

I’m hoping the new rule will now put some long-needed safeguards on attorney solicitation and legal advertising.  Most important of all, I hope it will raise the care injury victims receive.

- Steve Gursten is one of the nation’s top injury lawyers. He is head of Michigan Auto Law and has received the highest verdict in the state for a car accident or truck accident victim in 2008, 2009 and 2010, according to Michigan Lawyers Weekly.

Related information:

Stop predatory solicitation of auto accident victims by auto insurance companies, too

Recent car accident FAQs

Do I have a car accident case in Michigan?

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Michigan Auto Lawyers

Mayor Calls For Stricter Rules after City Employee allegedly caused Chicago Pedestrian Accident

Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Tom Byrne was given strict orders from Mayor Rahm Emanuel earlier this week to tighten up city enforcement of road laws, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. This order comes after a pedestrian accident in Chicago, allegedly caused by a city employee driving drunk.

We previously reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog that eight people suffered injuries after a city worker allegedly lost control of his truck in the Gold Coast community. The city worker is being accused of driving under the influence at the time of the accident.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that intoxicated motorists are frequently responsible for the serious and fatal accidents that occur on our roads. It's particularly egregious that a city employee is involved.

“One of the things I said to Commissioner Byrne was I want to know what steps need to be taken so, in the future, this does not occur again — both at the level of management and at the level of employees,” Emanuel said.

The 61-year-old city worker reportedly had a blood alcohol concentration of more than twice the legal limit. Termination proceedings have already been started by the city against that employee. The mayor wants more done though. He says firing the worker isn't enough to suffice for these types of tragedies that affect the lives of the injured and cost the city millions.

Prosecutors report that the city worker plowed through the group of pedestrians in a city vehicle, a Ford F-150, with a bottle of brandy in his cab. The driver is being held of a $400,000 bond and is facing charges including four counts of felony aggravated DUI and two counts of misdemeanor DUI. He was also cited for negligent driving, failing to reduce speed and transporting open alcohol in a vehicle.

“You take these moments, you deal with them and there are lessons learned for future. And I’ve directed Commissioner Byrne to come back with recommendations,” said Emanuel.

Currently, city employees that hold a valid driver’s license are subject to random drug and alcohol tests. The employee that took out several pedestrians earlier this week was not a part of these random screenings. He was a worker assigned to empty garbage cans and to collect stray debris throughout the city.

“Streets and Sanitation is conducting its own internal review into all aspects of this incident, including supervision, to determine if any policies and procedures should be changed to prevent such incidents in the future,” Smith said.

Employees that have jobs similar to this city employee are only subjected to drug and alcohol tests after being involved in an accident. This worker was tested earlier this year, in March, after an on-the-job accident that resulted in property damage. His previous test came back with negative results.

“Random drug [and alcohol] testing for laborers would have to be negotiated with the union. The city cannot implement the tests unilaterally,” Smith said in an e-mail response to the Chicago Sun-Times.

All motorists are asked to both keep a watchful eye out for pedestrians and to refrain from drinking and driving. This city worker reportedly had neither in mind and in turn injured a number of innocent residents. The city reports to have upped its efforts to keep an eye on their employees to reduce the risks of such accidents in the future.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a bicycle or pedestrian accident in Chicago, contact the personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes P.C. for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call (312) 924-7575.

Chicago Car Accident Lawyer

Senate Bill calls for impounding cars of drunk drivers

Next » Posted On: March 4, 2011 by The Farber Law Group

Washington state Senate Bill 5000, which mandates impounding the car or truck of drivers who have been arrested for driving under the influence, just passed the senate by unanimous vote. The bill states that vehicles of suspected DUI drivers be impounded for a 12-hour period after the driver's arrest.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island. Haugen said:
"This addresses a serious threat to public safety. Under our existing laws, it's possible for someone to be cited for drunken driving, return to their car while still intoxicated, and resume driving. It happens, and it's a danger to other drivers."

The bill does allow for another title holder on the vehicle to pick up the vehicle before the 12 impound hold ends.

See the full bill here.

Drunken driving is a serious threat to law abiding citizens. Every year, approximately 315 people are killed in Washington state due to drunken drivers and many more are injured. In Washington state the legal standard for blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent the victims of drunken drivers and their family. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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