Miscellaneous

• Text Messaging An Increasing Cause of Auto Accidents

  Brooks Schuelke | March 05, 2008 8:04 AM | 0 CommentsAustin, TX

  There have been numerous stories lately emphasizing that text messaging while driving (an increasingly frequent occurrence) significantly increases the risk of auto accidents. For example, one study finds that a person texting while driving is six times more likely to be involved in a car wreck. And one study finds that texting is the number one distraction for teen drivers. But statistics are...

• Kids Drowning

  Brooks Schuelke | July 14, 2009 9:37 PM | 4 CommentsAustin, TX

  Water, Water, Everywhere A day at the pool, a swim at the beach, a soak in the tub: these are all relaxing thoughts. However, these things all have one thing in common; they can be deadly for...

• What Do You Mean Medicare Is Holding Up My Car Wreck Settlement?

  Brooks Schuelke | June 09, 2009 12:21 PM | 4 CommentsAustin, TX

  All too often, I have to tell a client, yes, your case has settled, but don't expect the money for several months. Why? Because of Medicare. Medicare has a subrogation interest, meaning that...

• Let's Avoid Any More Boat Accidents On Lake Austin

  Brooks Schuelke | August 03, 2009 10:54 AM | 2 CommentsAustin, TX

  My wife and kids went out on Lake Austin last Thursday with some family members. When I asked my wife how it went, she told me it was crowded. With Lake Travis being so low that it is almost...

• Ways Clients Can Tell If They Have A Good Lawyer

  Brooks Schuelke | January 02, 2009 10:36 AM | 1 CommentAustin, TX

  In 1997, lawyer Stephen Comiskey wrote a very small book entitled A Good Lawyer: Secrets Good Lawyers [and their best clients] Already Know. In it, Comiskey sets out a checklist of the attributes...

• Tort Reform Heroes: Dr. Robert Zaleski

  Brooks Schuelke | May 07, 2009 6:21 PM | 2 CommentsAustin, TX

  One of my favorite books is Stephanie Mencimer's Blocking the Courthouse Door --- How the Republican Party and Its Corporate Allies Are Taking Away Your Right To Sue. It's not one of my favorites...

• What Happens To Personal Injury Claims If AIG Fails?

  Brooks Schuelke | September 16, 2008 11:18 AM | 0 CommentsAustin, TX

  Following in the wake of the Lehman Brothers collapse are news reports that AIG, the nation's largest insurance company, is in trouble. And that issue raises the question, "What happens to personal...

• Tort Reform and Frivolous Defenses, Part 2

  Brooks Schuelke | March 06, 2008 10:38 AM | 0 CommentsAustin, TX

  As stated in a tort reform post earlier, I believe one of the big problems driving the cost of litigation is insurance companies and defense lawyers asserting frivolous defenses and taking frivolous positions. I have griped and moaned about the lack of coverage, but I haven't done anything about it. Now, I'm going to quit being lazy and try to highlight some of these situations.In November of...

• Tort Reformers Filing Personal Injury Claims?

  Brooks Schuelke | May 14, 2008 6:16 PM | 1 CommentAustin, TX

  This week two respected bloggers filed similar stories about tort reformers who had filed their own personal injury claims. Mike Phelan covered the story of Judge Robert Bork's personal injury suit...

• The NYT Slams Insurance Company "Independent" Medical Exams

  Brooks Schuelke | April 02, 2009 1:47 PM | 0 CommentsAustin, TX

  An increasing issue in personal injury litigation is insurance companies' use of hired guns to give opinions that our clients aren't hurt. Sometimes the hired guns simply review the medical records...