tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39250612024-02-19T03:31:38.104-06:00Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyers BlogWisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer Blog for Consumers & Wisconsin AttorneysFrank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comBlogger312125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-62834972672947608542023-06-02T15:03:00.000-05:002023-06-02T15:03:02.448-05:00Avvo Ratings Should Never Be Trusted<div>I <a href="https://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2014/11/wisconsins-top-super-lawyers-milwaukee.html">commented</a> before on finding a qualified, skilled and reputable Wisconsin injury attorney, but want to share with you thoughts about "AVVO RATINGS." Never believe headline <b>Avvo ratings</b>. Dig deeper into the <i>Avvo ratings</i> profile. I just saw a Wisconsin lawyer with an Avvo rating over 4.5+ but if you dug deeper at all, you found out about instances of professional misconduct and discipline by the Wisconsin Bar authorities and even suspension of that lawyer's license. That's insane, and precisely why one should follow <a href="https://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2014/11/wisconsins-top-super-lawyers-milwaukee.html">my methodology</a> for finding a Wisconsin injury lawyer.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-12051879227784627452021-04-24T12:38:00.002-05:002021-04-24T12:38:29.861-05:00414-400-0185 Legal Help CenterJust caught an infomercial for anonymous personal injury lawyers at 414-400-0185 Legal Help Center. Don’t ever call lawyers you can’t research first!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-91086929983396929492020-04-28T16:02:00.003-05:002020-04-28T16:02:44.613-05:00Denied Business Interruption ClaimsInsurance companies are great at taking premiums, but often not so great at paying claims. Throughout the U.S., businesses paid premiums for<b> business interruption insurance</b>. These companies and corporations relied on this potential safety net in case of catastrophes like the Coronavirus and COVID-19. <br />
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If your business insurer <i>denied a business interruption claim</i>, call me at (262) 785-0802. We may be in the position to help recoup your losses. This may be especially true if your insurer is a surplus line insurance company such as the following:<br />
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<ul>
<li><i><b>American International Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Markel Corporation Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Berkshire Hathaway Ins. Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>W. R. Berkley Insurance Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Nationwide Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Chubb INA Group<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></b></i></li>
<li><i><b>AXA U.S. Group<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Fairfax Financial (USA) Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Liberty Mutual Insurance Companies</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Alleghany Insurance Holdings Group<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Zurich Financial Services Group NA</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Argo Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Tokio Marine U.S. PC Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>QBE Americas Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Sompo Holdings U.S. Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>AXIS U.S. Operations</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>James River Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Starr International Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Great American P&C Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>CNA Insurance Companies</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Swiss Reinsurance Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Aspen U.S. Insurance Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Arch Insurance Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Navigators Insurance Group</b></i></li>
<li><i><b>Everest Re U.S. Group</b></i></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://injurywisconsin.com/attorneys/frank-pasternak/" target="_blank">Frank Pasternak</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-49069525483915165432020-03-10T10:59:00.003-05:002020-03-10T11:08:38.751-05:00Your First Phone Call to a Personal Injury Lawyer<br />
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<span style="color: #3366cc; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/calling-personal-injury-lawyer/" style="margin: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Calling a Personal Injury Lawyer</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a><br />
<br />Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-19488719175516719822018-05-24T16:58:00.000-05:002018-05-24T16:58:52.408-05:00Where are the most intersection crashes in suburban Milwaukee?<a href="https://injurywisconsin.com/waukesha-milwaukee-intersection-crashes/">Waukesha County Intersection Crashes</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-87847271156640667562017-04-07T11:28:00.000-05:002017-04-07T11:32:59.726-05:00Buying Car Insurance in WisconsinOften I hear "I have full coverage" but more often - you don't. Understand Wisconsin car insurance by reading: <a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/buying-car-insurance-wisconsin-uninsured-driver/" target="_blank">Buying Car Insurance in Wisconsin.</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-79388883202573659072016-11-14T16:54:00.001-06:002016-11-14T16:54:53.227-06:00Wisconsin's Top Injury LawyersToday, Jeff and I received statewide honors with both of us being named to the Top 50 Wisconsin Super Lawyers list in Milwaukee Magazine. For more see <a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/wisconsins-top-injury-lawyers-milwaukee/" target="_blank">Wisconsin's Top Injury Lawyers - Milwaukee Magazine.</a><br />
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<a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/" target="_blank">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-71150347921391834352015-12-11T11:40:00.001-06:002015-12-11T11:41:49.411-06:00Call Wisconsin Senators Chris Kapenga and Leah Vukmir<br />
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<img alt="Wisconsin" class="alignright" src="http://www.wasc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Depositphotos_2329123_original.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></div>
See our latest post on politicians trying to change Wisconsin's 100-year-old collateral source law:<br />
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<a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/call-wisconsin-senators-chris-kapenga-leah-vukmir/">Call Wisconsin Senators Chris Kapenga and Leah Vukmir</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-25142402519435036802015-05-22T08:59:00.004-05:002015-05-22T09:00:07.601-05:00Memorial Day Driving<br />
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<a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/top-milwaukee-personal-injury-lawyers-weekend-safety/">Top Milwaukee personal injury lawyers recommend safe driving steps </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-86956581738770117502015-05-13T07:51:00.000-05:002015-05-13T07:51:10.284-05:00Wisconsin Zimmer Persona knee implant recall lawsuits<br />
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See my recent post at our firm site on <a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/wisconsin-zimmer-persona-knee-implants-recall-lawsuits/">Wisconsin Zimmer Persona knee implant recall lawsuits</a>. Sometimes what a consumer thinks might be a medical malpractice case can prove to be a products liability case. These recalled Zimmer Persona knee implants are making a lot of orthopedic surgeons look bad.<br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-56396903145822486072015-02-27T09:38:00.000-06:002015-02-27T09:38:57.851-06:00Why trucking companies "stipulate to liability" in injury crashes<br />
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In Wisconsin, the trucking company biggies are:<br />
<ul>
<li>ABF Freight System</li>
<li>American Freightways</li>
<li>C.H. Robinson Worldwide</li>
<li>Con-Way Transportation</li>
<li>FedEx Freight</li>
<li>Fox Transportation</li>
<li>J.B. Hunt Transport Services</li>
<li>Landstar System</li>
<li>Mayflower</li>
<li>Ryder</li>
<li>Saia Motor Freight</li>
<li>Scheider National</li>
<li>Swift Transportation</li>
<li>UPS Freight</li>
<li>Werner Enterprises</li>
<li>YRC Worldwide</li>
</ul>
According to a defense lawyer, the goal of stipulating to liability is "<a href="http://www.evergreeneditions.com/article/When+The+Defense+Should+Stipulate+In+Personal+Injury+Trials/892007/0/article.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">to exclude some prejudicial facts and to soften the jury's desire to punish</a>." You see, juries want to protect public safety. They know bad conduct rewarded is repeated. They also realize that crash victims are simply members of their community.
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Jurors who hear how a trucking company chose to hire unqualified drivers or to give little or no training or supervision get concerned. They see there has been a failure at the trucking company. They see the trucking company is not protecting us from bad truck drivers. Thus, companies want to avoid genuine accountability for the consequences of their choices and to hide those choices from a jury by "stipulating to liability."
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For example, say prior to a crash a truck driver did something bad and the company chose to ignore it. No trucking company wants a jury to know that. So, the company concedes its driver's fault in causing a crash to avoid having the bad facts put in evidence. Before trial, company lawyers argue to the judge that evidence of the bad facts is no longer admissible and unfortunately sometimes they succeed in hiding the facts. The company then comes to trial begging for mercy while, at the same time, attacking the crash victim and blaming everything but the crash for the victim's damages. The hope is to avoid a showing at trial that the crash was foreseeable and the company failed to protect the public.
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Though this strategy may work to a certain extent, I believe in the uncompromising integrity of Wisconsin's jury system. I am thankful that more often than not, our jurors decide theses cases
the right way.
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a></div>
Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-26598857876854145552015-01-13T15:32:00.003-06:002015-01-13T15:33:16.987-06:00Xarelto lawsuits in Wisconsin<br />
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<a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/wisconsin-xarelto-lawsuits/" target="_blank">Wisconsin Xarelto lawsuits</a> are currently being investigated by our firm. The primary problem with Xarelto aka Rivaroxaban is internal bleeding, which can cause death or hospitalization.
Please go to our firm's Xarelto page to get more information.<br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-30078029259345034532015-01-02T15:51:00.000-06:002015-01-05T16:39:09.953-06:00Pro Hac Vice Admission, Co-Counsel, Local Counsel, and Referrals<br />
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Out-of-state lawyers interested in working on or referring a Wisconsin personal injury lawsuit, please see my recent post <a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/wisconsin-pro-hac-vice-admission-co-counsel-local-counsel-referrals/">Wisconsin Pro Hac Vice Admission, Co-Counsel, Local Counsel, and Referrals</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-30099678774528040232014-11-21T16:32:00.004-06:002014-11-24T13:39:06.954-06:00Wisconsin's Top Super Lawyers, Milwaukee Magazine, December 2014<br />
Great news regarding two of <a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/wisconsins-top-super-lawyers/">Wisconsin Top Super Lawyers</a>! It's absolutely an honor and privilege for Jeff and I to get this sort of recognition for our efforts on behalf of personal injury victims. We love what we do and clearly, it seems, our peers recognize our hard work.<br />
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As I always say, if you are searching for a highly qualified, skilled and reputable Wisconsin injury attorney to handle your car crash, mesothelioma, or other injury lawsuit, start with independent peer-reviewed sources like Best Lawyers in America, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings (AV® Preeminent™), and Super Lawyers. And for heaven's sake, steer clear of <a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2014/09/personal-injury-settlement-mills.html">personal injury mills</a> who advertise excessively and pay athletes or others to make them look good.<br />
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By the way, you may know that Bob Dolan does our radio ad, but did you know that he does it for free because he believes in us and has been represented by me? I guarantee that the personal injury mills in Milwaukee cannot say the same. In fact, if you read the unreadable fine print in ads, you will realize that those are bought and paid for endorsements.<br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-55888740345538081292014-09-05T08:07:00.000-05:002014-11-24T13:39:59.701-06:00Personal Injury Settlement Mills<br />
Personal injury lawyer advertising in Milwaukee is absolutely over the top. The other day, I was at the dentist and a T.V. was on. During just one commercial break, I saw five Milwaukee personal injury lawyers ads. Whether it is T.V. advertising, <a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2005/03/wisconsin-personal-injury-lawyers-send.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #5588aa;">personal injury lawyers' letters</span></a>, or <a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2013/05/phone-calls-from-lawyers-after-car.html" target="_blank">phone calls after a car accident</a>, consumers need to be very careful about the law firm and attorney they choose to represent them after an accident.<br />
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To get an idea of what some of the problems can be with certain personal injury lawyers, I suggest reading Atlanta lawyer Ken Shigley's post <a href="http://www.atlantainjurylawblog.com/ethics/one-call-thats-all-personal-injury-settlement-mills-blasted-in-georgetown-journal-of-legal-ethics.html" target="_blank">“One call that’s all?” Personal injury “settlement mills” blasted in Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics</a>.
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorneys</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-27905106067059819472014-08-21T17:25:00.002-05:002014-11-24T13:40:13.894-06:00Wisconsin's Best Lawyers in America©<br />
I am extremely proud to announce that both Jeff Zirgibel and I were recently selected by our peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2015 in the field of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Inclusion in Best Lawyers© is highly selective and "based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-reviewed survey."<br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyers</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-37908361512713718652014-06-27T10:46:00.001-05:002014-11-24T13:40:27.023-06:00Wisconsin Dog Bite Liability<br />
Find out <a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/liable-dog-bite-wisconsin/">Who's liable for a dog bite in Wisconsin?</a><br />
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<a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/" target="_blank">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-74088299688627149492013-11-12T20:47:00.001-06:002013-11-14T14:02:34.365-06:00Getting familiar with IMEcentric & IMEBASEHave you or your client been sent to <i>Dr. Thomas W. Grossman</i> for a so-called "Independent Medical Examination"? If so, you may not realize that Dr. Grossman was likely hired by the defense insurer or lawyer through Crawford Evaluation Group by way of IMEBASE. Dr. Grossman is in Crawford's stable of doctors earning huge sums of money reporting and testifying for insurers. <a href="http://www.imesoftwaresolutions.com/imecentric.aspx" target="_blank">IMEcentric</a> and <a href="http://www.imebase.com/" target="_blank">IMEBASE</a> are software programs that connect physicians who want to earn those huge sums with insurers. Interestingly, Dr. Grossman has worked for both ExamWorks predecessor, Verity Medical, and Crawford, and probably may other IME companies.<br />
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In any event, IMEBASE's website explains:<br />
"Are you running IME management software owned by your largest competitor?
Two years ago, ExamWorks acquired IME Software Solutions, the creator of IMEcentric. If you’re using IMEcentric, you’re trusting your largest competitor to secure all of your case information, physician lists, and any other data you enter into their system.<br />
imebase is the independent IME management solution.
imebase and its parent company, Innova Partners, are exclusively dedicated to software development. We do NOT perform IMEs, manage the IME process, or anything that competes with your business. Our sole focus is to provide software that makes you more successful." <br />
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You may remember ExamWorks from the post <a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2012/04/examworks-imes-are-big-business.html" target="_blank">ExamWorks - IME's are Big Business</a>. Today, ExamWorks is almost a $1 billion company and IMEcentric is how its stable of physicians are connected with insurers. In fact, it's website shows "profitability reports" citing huge insurers like Geico and State Farm.<br />
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Lawyers practicing personal injury law should familiarize themselves with this software and discover as much information as possible about the "independent" doctor's earnings and work for insurance companies.<br />
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By the way, other Wisconsin IME "brokers" that may utilize these software systems include: EvaluMed, Integrity Medicolegal Enterprises, Medical Consultants Network, Medical Systems, Inc., and Woodlake Medical Management. <br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-1170517766804519712013-05-09T17:01:00.001-05:002013-05-09T17:02:06.819-05:00Phone Calls From Lawyers After a Car AccidentToday, for the first time, I learned from a client that she not only received <a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2005/03/wisconsin-personal-injury-lawyers-send.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #5588aa;">personal injury lawyers' letters</span></a> after her Milwaukee car accident, but received about 20 phone calls from lawyers on her mobile phone. This is absolutely, positively disgusting and a direct ethical violation of Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule SCR 20:7.3, which prohibits such contact. Wisconsin lawyers must not directly solicit clients they don't know, aren't related to, or haven't been asked to call. Even though your cell phone number or home phone number is listed in a car accident report, this doesn't open you up to phone calls from lawyers, <a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2011/11/888-232-1274-milwaukee-family.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #5588aa;">Wisconsin chiropractors</span></a> working for lawyers, or anyone else working for or on behalf of a lawyer.<br />
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I highly recommend that you answer these attorneys' phone calls, find out the Wisconsin law office or lawyer they are working for, and then immediately report the lawyer to the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation. You can easily submit a grievance over the telephone at (608) 267-7274 or (877) 315-6941 (toll free).<br />
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Do not hire a lawyer or go to a "free" visit with anyone as the result of a telephone call. Hiring a Wisconsin lawyer or law firm is an important decision and shouldn't be done that way.<br />
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Accident victims looking for the best Wisconsin lawyer should use independent sources like Best Lawyers in America (<a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-best-lawyers-in-america-letter.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #5588aa;">Wisconsin Best Lawyers</span></a>), Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings (AV® Preeminent™), and Super Lawyers (<a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2012/02/wisconsin-super-lawyers-2011.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #5588aa;">Wisconsin Super Lawyers</span></a>). For a personal injury attorney, make sure that the lawyers are active members of The American Association for Justice and Wisconsin Association for Justice.<br />
<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-86440666264923124012013-04-17T19:06:00.001-05:002013-04-17T19:06:29.993-05:00Yaz and Yasmin Settlements in Wisconsin<div class="eE Fp">
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Our recent blog post on Wisconsin Yaz and Yasmin cases at our firm web site: <a href="http://injurywisconsin.com/bayer-to-settle-additional-yaz-and-yasmin-lawsuits/" target="_blank">Wisconsin Yaz and Yasmin Settlements</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-55914470190833158682013-04-08T10:01:00.000-05:002014-11-21T17:11:52.183-06:00Gruber Law Offices Reviews on Google+The other day I was working with our Internet people and had to put time into our Google+ page, <a href="https://plus.google.com/b/111434792776984983447/111434792776984983447/about" target="_blank">Pasternak & Zirgibel S.C. - Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyers</a>.<br />
<br />
While there, I perused various Wisconsin personal injury attorneys' Google+ pages and came across a page for Gruber Law Offices, LLC, which, as I referred to in the previous post, currently saturates Milwaukee with personal injury law firm advertising. Based on the reviews I read on Gruber Law Offices Google+ page, it seems the firm ought to refocus its efforts. In fact, the two Gruber reviews at Google+ are so horrible and make awful allegations that I will not reprint them. For the record, I have no personal experience with that law firm other than what I see on T.V. I'll also say that I've seen Wisconsin injury lawyers go the other way and load up review sites with nothing but glowing reviews (if it sounds too good to be true, it is). <br />
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Like all forms of opinion and advertising, take this Gruber thing with a grain of salt. Instead, any consumer hunting for a Wisconsin lawyer ought to use independent sources like Best Lawyers in America (<a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-best-lawyers-in-america-letter.html" target="_blank">Wisconsin Best Lawyers</a>), Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings (AV® Preeminent™), and Super Lawyers (<a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2012/02/wisconsin-super-lawyers-2011.html" target="_blank">Wisconsin Super Lawyers</a>). For a personal injury attorney, also make sure that the lawyers are active members of The American Association for Justice and Wisconsin Association for Justice.<br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" target="_blank" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney</a><br />
<strong>Addendum: It looks like after this post Gruber Law Offices went to great lengths to get "rave" reviews. It's interesting for sure, and pretty consistent with what we all know about the web, you get what you pay for. That said, my last paragraph definitely still stands. See also my recent post on <a href="http://wisconsinpersonalinjurylawyers.blogspot.com/2014/09/personal-injury-settlement-mills.html">personal injury mills</a>.</strong> Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-49478090427463987982013-04-06T19:59:00.001-05:002013-04-06T19:59:39.434-05:00Habush v. Cannon: The Final Chapter?Wisconsin's Court of Appeals has issued an opinion, <a href="http://www.wicourts.gov/ca/opinion/DisplayDocument.html?content=html&seqNo=93174" target="_blank">Habush v. Cannon - Ct of App decision</a>. I'm not sure whether this will be the end of the litigation or whether it will go to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but it seems to me that lawyer advertising in Wisconsin is the wild, wild, west. Then again, it seemed that way to me when I first arrived and saw Habush, at the time, saturating t.v. with advertising. Today, in the Milwaukee area at least, it's another firm, Gruber Law Offices, but that firm will be the topic of the next post.Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-46391537659995361442013-02-18T15:01:00.001-06:002013-02-18T15:04:16.817-06:00Bad Drivers Shouldn’t Profit Off of Good Drivers’ Health Insurance<h1 class="title" id="page-title">
<img alt="Frank Pasternak" height="120" src="http://standupforyourrightswisconsin.org/sites/standupforyourrightswisconsin.org/files/medium_Frank%20Pasternak.2011.jpg" width="120" /></h1>
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By Frank Pasternak<br />
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Imagine a law that will only benefit those people who do not have any health insurance and wrongdoers. <br />
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Well on February 13, Sen. Paul Farrow (who represents an area of Waukesha County that includes Pewaukee, Delafield, Hartland and Waukesha) and Sen. Glenn Grothman (who represents an area near West Bend and parts of northern Ozaukee County, including Port Washington and Cedarburg) did more than just imagine it; they introduced it. It’s <a href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2013/proposals/sb22">Senate Bill 22</a>, a law that would eliminate a long-standing rule of law in Wisconsin called the “collateral source rule.”<br />
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Basically, the rule says that benefits an injured person receives from sources that have nothing to do with the wrongdoer or “bad guy” causing the injury may not be used to reduce the bad guy's liability to the injured person. In other words, bad guys don’t get credit for benefits the injured person received just because the injured person was insured. This has been the law of Wisconsin for about 100 years.<br />
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The simple truth behind the rule is clear: wrongdoers should not benefit from the fact that the person they wronged was responsible enough to get insured. Unfortunately, however, as with many things, politics seems to have gotten in the way. Somehow, liability insurance companies like American Family, West Bend and others have convinced law makers, like Farrow and Grothman, that the bad guys should benefit from the fact that the injured person was responsible.<br />
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The law Farrow and Grothman have introduced will basically harm senior citizens, people who get insurance through their employer, and those on Medicaid. Ironically, the people who benefit from this law are those who do not have any health insurance and wrongdoers.<br />
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Let me explain: Say there’s a car accident where the wrongdoer ran a red light and caused four different people to incur $100,000.00 in medical bills each. All four suffered the same injuries and needed the same medical treatment. However, Victim #1 had no insurance, Victim #2 had Anthem BCBS through his employer, Victim #3 is a senior citizen on Medicare, and Victim #4 is a poor person on Medicaid. <br />
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Farrow and Grothman’s proposed law will allow into evidence the fact that Victim #2’s Anthem BCBS paid 80% of the bills due to contractual write-offs, the fact that Victim #3’s Medicare paid 60% of the bills, and Victim #4’s Medicaid paid 40% of the bills. As a result of Farrow and Grothman’s proposal, the recovery for medical bills will likely be:<br />
<ol>
<li>Victim #1 $100,000 (the uninsured guy)</li>
<li>Victim #2 $80,000 (Employee with employer-sponsored health insurance)</li>
<li>Victim #3 $60,000 (Senior citizen with Medicare)</li>
<li>Victim #4 $40,000 (Poor person with Medicaid)</li>
</ol>
Now remember, the amount of the bills for all four people was the same $100,000. They all suffered the same injury in the same accident, but because of Farrow and Grothman’s proposed law, the bad guy causing the accident gets the benefit of the fact that Victim #2 was an employee with employer-sponsored health insurance, Victim #3 was a senior citizen on Medicare, and Victim #4 was a poor person on Medicaid. The other beneficiary of the proposed law would be Victim #1, the uninsured.<br />
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Under the current law, the red-light-running driver must pay the reasonable value of the injuries he caused, $400,000. Under the new proposal, the driver running the red light-will likely only pay, $280,000. <br />
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Under Wisconsin law today, the bad guy causing the accident does not get the benefit. The bad guy is simply responsible for the amount of the bills, assuming it is reasonable, and the only person who benefits is the person responsible enough to have insurance, the collateral source. Wisconsin law today says, rightfully, that bad guys do not get to benefit from good guys having insurance. The law today says that if anyone in this situation should benefit, it is the one who did not cause the accident. Surely, the one who caused the accident should not benefit.<br />
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Sadly, however, politics makes strange law, but I hope that’s not the case here. I believe in better. You deserve better. Sen. Grothman and Sen. Farrow should not support this law. <br />
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Email Sen. Paul Farrow at <a href="mailto:sen.farrow@legis.wisconsin.gov" target="_blank">Sen.Farrow@legis.wisconsin.gov</a> and Sen. Glenn Grothman at<a href="mailto:sen.grothman@legis.wisconsin.gov" target="_blank"> Sen.Grothman@legis.wisconsin.gov</a> and tell them why they should not support this law. Tell Sen. Grothman and Sen. Farrow that this attempt to change Wisconsin’s 100-year-old law is unfair to Wisconsin citizens who are responsible enough to get health insurance.<br />
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<em>The original version of this article is at <a href="http://standupforyourrightswisconsin.org/blog/bad-drivers-shouldn%E2%80%99t-profit-good-drivers%E2%80%99-health-insurance" target="_blank">Stand Up for Your Rights Wisconsin</a></em><br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a></div>
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Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-69473243329596911582012-09-20T14:40:00.000-05:002012-09-20T14:40:07.151-05:00The Best Lawyers in America letter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Honored to share this news, which comes to me for the first time. Very few Wisconsin personal injury lawyers ever attain this honor.</div>
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney">Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney</a></div>
Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3925061.post-30221936133545925022012-09-04T16:43:00.002-05:002012-09-04T16:43:44.090-05:00Wisconsin Law Journal ProfileRecently, the <a href="http://www.asbestoswisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2012-Wisconsin-Law-Journal-Asked-Answered-Lawyer-Profile.pdf" target="_blank">Wisconsin Law Journal profiled</a> me in its Asked and Answered column.<br />
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<a href="http://www.injurywisconsin.com/" title="Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer">Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer</a>Frank Pasternakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05814805459718300967noreply@blogger.com