Memorial Day Driving

Top Milwaukee personal injury lawyers recommend safe driving steps


Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Wisconsin's Top Super Lawyers, Milwaukee Magazine, December 2014

Great news regarding two of Wisconsin Top Super Lawyers!  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.

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 personal injury mills who advertise excessively and pay athletes or others to make them look good.

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.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal Injury Settlement Mills

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, personal injury lawyers' letters, or phone calls after a car accident, consumers need to be very careful about the law firm and attorney they choose to represent them after an accident.

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 “One call that’s all?” Personal injury “settlement mills” blasted in Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics.
Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorneys

Phone Calls From Lawyers After a Car Accident

Today, for the first time, I learned from a client that she not only received personal injury lawyers' letters 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, Wisconsin chiropractors working for lawyers, or anyone else working for or on behalf of a lawyer.

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).

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.

Accident victims looking for the best Wisconsin lawyer should use independent sources like Best Lawyers in America (Wisconsin Best Lawyers), Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings (AV® Preeminent™), and Super Lawyers (Wisconsin Super Lawyers). For a personal injury attorney, make sure that the lawyers are active members of The American Association for Justice and Wisconsin Association for Justice.
Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Yaz and Yasmin Settlements in Wisconsin

Our recent blog post on Wisconsin Yaz and Yasmin cases at our firm web site: Wisconsin Yaz and Yasmin Settlements

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Gruber Law Offices Reviews on Google+

The other day I was working with our Internet people and had to put time into our Google+ page, Pasternak & Zirgibel S.C. - Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyers.

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). 

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 (Wisconsin Best Lawyers), Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings (AV® Preeminent™), and Super Lawyers (Wisconsin Super Lawyers).  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.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney
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 personal injury mills. 

Habush v. Cannon: The Final Chapter?

Wisconsin's Court of Appeals has issued an opinion, Habush v. Cannon - Ct of App decision.  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.

The Best Lawyers in America letter

Honored to share this news, which comes to me for the first time. Very few Wisconsin personal injury lawyers ever attain this honor.

 

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Wisconsin Super Lawyers 2011

Pasternak & Zirgibel is again honored in Milwaukee Magazine via Super Lawyers (December 2011).  Both Jeff Zirgibel and I have now appeared in the Top 50 Wisconsin Super Lawyers, which is an incredible award since there are about 14,000 lawyers in Wisconsin.

Super Lawyers tries to identify Wisconsin attorneys in the top 5% of all Wisconsin lawyers and Rising Stars under age 40. Super Lawyers also publishes a Top 50 list discussed below.

For 2011, there are only eight Wisconsin personal injury law firms represented in the Top 50 list:

• Cannon & Dunphy, Brookfield
• Domnitz & Skemp, Milwaukee
• End, Hierseman & Crain, Milwaukee
• Gingras, Cates & Lubke, Madison
• Habush Habush & Rottier, Multiple
• Laufenberg, Stombaugh & Jassak, Multiple
• Murphy & Prachthauser, Multiple
• Pasternak & Zirgibel, Brookfield

Wisconsin victims of car accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability, etc., could do far worse than to start by interviewing these law firms to get help with their personal injury cases.  Mostly in Milwaukee personal injury law firms, they have been recognized by peers as outstanding in their field. 

Hiring lawyers or law firms because they advertise a lot on television or Google, chase ambulances with letters or Wisconsin chiropractors or postings on the web or dabble in personal injury is simply a bad idea. 

If you want a high quality “expert,” look for a personal injury lawyer who shares the traits that these firms do.  This includes injury attorneys who are Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings and active members of The American Association for Justice and Wisconsin Association for Justice.
Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Wisconsin personal injury Super Lawyers 2010

Wisconsin personal injury attorneys Pasternak & Zirgibel are again honored in Milwaukee Magazine via Law & Politics in its annual Super Lawyers issue (December 2010). I am again honored as one of the Top 50 Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Jeff Zirgibel is again honored as a Wisconsin Super Lawyer. Super Lawyers attempts to identify Wisconsin lawyers in the top 5% of all Wisconsin attorneys and the Rising Stars list tries to identify the top 2.5% of Wisconsin attorneys under age 40. Super Lawyers also publishes a Top 50 list discussed below.

This Wisconsin personal injury lawyer is once again honored to be chosen to be among the Top 50 Super Lawyers in Wisconsin. Only 7 plaintiffs personal injury law firms are represented in that Top 50:

Cannon & Dunphy, Brookfield
Domnitz & Skemp, Milwaukee
End, Hierseman & Crain, Milwaukee
Habush Habush & Rottier, Various
Laufenberg Law Group, Milwaukee
Murphy & Prachthauser, Milwaukee
Pasternak & Zirgibel, Brookfield

Accident victims in Wisconsin (car accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability, etc.) would be off to a great start in interviewing these law firms to get help with a personal injury case. These Milwaukee personal injury law firms have been recognized by their peers as outstanding in their field. Simply going to a lawyer or law firm that advertises a lot, chases ambulances with letters, or dabbles in personal injury but really practices in other areas of the law is irresponsible. Additionally, though all different, the Wisconsin lawyers at these firms share several common professional traits. Such traits include being Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, and being active members of The American Association for Justice and Wisconsin Association for Justice.

Congratulations to all who made Super Lawyers! It surely is an honor to be listed given that there are about 14,000 lawyers in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Injury Lawyer

Habush v. Cannon Part XI

Habush v. Cannon & Dunphy continues to be litigated. The future court activity in Milwaukee County shows motion hearings in January and February and then two separate trials. One trial will begin April 4, 2011 and the other June 6, 2011. Given that I just searched Yahoo, Bing and Google and still got a "Cannon and Dunphy" paid for result in Google, I'm sure Habush is anxious to precede. The paid result comes up whether one searches Google for "Habush" "habush habush rottier" "Bob Habush" "Rottier" or "Dan Rottier."

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Wisconsin 4th Cheapest State for Car Insurance

With last year's changes in the laws benefiting Wisconsin car drivers, there's been talk on talk radio in Milwaukee about griping car insurance. The changes were great for anyone seriously injured in car accident in Wisconsin, but weren't so great for car insurance companies, which continue to try to lobby politicians for ending the law. Specifically helped by the new laws are those hit by uninsured drivers, those hit by drivers with little car insurance, and those who own multiple cars.

So here's some news for consumers, based on data directly from insurance industry, and it contradicts the nonsense: Wisconsin is the 4th cheapest state for car insurance. Only Ohio, Vermont and Maine are cheaper. Here's the link to insure.com which did this study.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Habush v. Cannon - Part X

Today, this Wisconsin Law Journal article talks about the Habush, Habush & Rottier and Cannon & Dunphy lawsuit.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Habush v. Cannon - Part IX

Loaded onto scribd some court documents. If one has time, it makes interesting reading. A document of note is the Habush, Habush, & Rottier Press Release regarding this Cannon & Dunphy lawsuit since in my first post on this epic battle I hypothesized about the media angle.

Other documents are:
Cannon & Dunphy's Motion to Dismiss the Habush, Habush, & Rottier Lawsuit
Cannon & Dunphy's Appendix to the Motion to Dismiss
Habush, Habush, & Rottier's Response to Cannon & Dunphy's Motion to Dismiss

According to CCAP at the hearing, Bob Habush was in court along with his Foley & Lardner attorneys James R. Clark and Adam Crawford, as was Bill Cannon along with his attorney J. Ric Gass.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Habush v. Cannon - Part VIII

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Bruce Vielmetti's story today Legal firms begin clash over Web-search tactic chronicles last week's hearing in the titanic battle between Milwaukee law firms Habush, Habush & Rottier and Cannon & Dunphy.

Bill Cannon and Pat Dunphy's defense attorney Ric Gass - who's firm is known for defending corporations like Cargill, CBS, Crown Equipment, Humana, Lennox, Northwestern Mutual Life, Toshiba, Trek, and a handful of insurance companies - made an argument to the Court relating to http://www.yellowpages.com/ and how it shows a Habush ad when one searches for certain lawyers. Out of curiousity, I went to yellowpages and searched various personal injury lawyers names, and yes, the Habush ad is shown on the right along with a variety of personal injury law firms in the Milwaukee area. However, the site does state above the ads that those are "category-related advertisers." It seems to me, at least, that these yellowpages ads are different from the purchases Habush is suing Cannon & Dunphy over. The Google strategy was one chosen by Cannon, whereas the yellowpages results appear to chosen by yellowpages and aimed more generally at personal injury lawyers in Milwaukee.

Bottom line, Bob Habush and Dan Rottier's case against Bill Cannon and Pat Dunphy continues but as described in the article it goes on without the law firm of Habush, Habush & Rottier as a plaintiff.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Habush v. Cannon - Part VII

Followed up on the Bob Habush v. Bill Cannon lawsuit pending in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. The Wisconsin court has a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 9:15 a.m. on Cannon & Dunphy's motion to dismiss the complaint of Habush, Habush & Rottier.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Elmbrook Education Foundation

Elmbrook Education Foundation honored my firm this week with this press release. We have been and are very proud to be a sponsor for the Foundation's events, which help provide education scholarships and educational grants to District of Elmbrook students and schools. Others interested in helping the Foundation should contact Laura Schmidt.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Habush v. Cannon - part VI

Wonder if the media is following up on the Habush v. Cannon lawsuit. Checked CCAP, Robert L Habush et al vs. William M Cannon et al, Milwaukee County Case Number 2009CV018149, and there's a phone conference right now with Judge Kahn.

For those who have not seen it yet, the Habush, Habush & Rottier vs. Cannon & Dunphy Complaint.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

Habush v. Cannon - part V

A quick note too, the recent Journal-Sentinel article is wrong in asserting that the "Sponsored link [is] gone."

I again just searched Yahoo! and Google as well as Bing and all three have sponsored links when you search for "Habush" or "Rottier" that lead to the website of Cannon & Dunphy.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorney

Habush v. Cannon - part IV

JS Online now as an article about the war of words and a quote from Cannon saying of the lawsuit and Habush, "It's ridiculous. He looks like a buffoon." Personally, I don't think either is true here. Let's take a look at the legal basis for the Habush v. Cannon lawsuit:

Wisconsin's Right to Privacy law, Wis. Stats. §995.50, states:

(1) The right of privacy is recognized in this state.
***
(2) In this section, “invasion of privacy” means any of the following:
***
(b) The use, for advertising purposes or for purposes of trade, of the name, portrait or picture of any living person, without having first obtained the written consent of the person or, if the person is a minor, of his or her parent or guardian.
***
(3) The right of privacy recognized in this section shall be interpreted in accordance with the developing common law of privacy, including defenses of absolute and qualified privilege, with due regard for maintaining freedom of communication, privately and through the public media.

Thus, it seems to me, that the question here is whether Cannon's use of Habush's name through Google is permissible under subsection (3). Certainly, there's a possibility it was permissible. The question though is whether that's a question of fact (for a jury to decide) or a question of law (for a court of law to decide). Lawyers may want to see H & R Block E. Enters. v. Swenson, 2008 WI App 3, 307 Wis.2d 390, 745 N.W.2d 421. The bottom line is that we might eventually see this case in front of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, or perhaps the U.S. Supreme Court.

Consumers curious about the legal issues in Habush v. Cannon may want to review the Citizen Media Law Project's Using the Name or Likeness of Another.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer