Recent Blog Posts
IS THE EMPLOYER RESPONSIBLE FOR INJURIES THAT OCCUR ON THE WAY TO OR FROM A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT?
An employer bears the risk of incurring compensability liability under the California Workers’ Compensation Act for an injury suffered in route to or from a medical appointment related to an existing compensable injury. If an employee suffers a new injury while traveling a reasonable distance, to or from a medical appointment for an existing… Read More »
NOT IN MY CAR: WHY THE REPAIR SHOP WILL BE LIABLE FOR A JOY RIDE
A coffee-run to my local Starbucks (Brockton and Arlington) prompted my last article about the liability of an automotive repair or service shop for damage to a vehicle left in its care. Since posting my last article, I am happy to report that I have not seen any other mechanics using customer’s cars to… Read More »
NOT IN MY CAR: Why the Test Drive Should be Limited to Testing
One recent morning while leaving my local Starbucks drive-thru, I waited while two men wearing mechanic uniforms crossed the parking lot to what I assumed was their vehicle. I thought nothing more of this until, several days later, I saw the same men, again clad in uniforms, only this time walking to a different… Read More »
SHOULD SETTLEMENTS BE CONFIDENTIAL?
Heiting & Irwin You have sustained an injury or some form of damage, filed and prosecuted your Complaint, and have now reached a settlement with the adverse party. Upon receipt of the Settlement Agreement and Release, the defendant requests that the settlement be deemed confidential, that the nature of the settlement, its terms, and… Read More »
VIRTUAL PRESENCE NOT SUFFICIENT BASIS FOR LIABILITY
The sender of a text message was granted summary judgment against plaintiffs in a New Jersey personal injury action in which the recipient, while reading that text message, sideswiped the motorcycle driven by the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs, a husband and wife who both lost their left leg in the collision, named both the driver… Read More »
The Duty to Disclose STDs — The One that Never Goes Away
In a recent local case [Behr v. Redmond, (2011) 193 Cal. App. 4th 517], the plaintiff sued the defendant for damages arising from the alleged tortious transmission of genital herpes. Essentially, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant committed fraud when he misrepresented to her that he was free of STDs, knowing this to be… Read More »
WHEN TO REFORM TORT REFORM
Reform. A positive-sounding word connoting improvement and enhancement, Webster’s defines “reform” as “an amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or depraved; a removal or correction.” However, you can have too much of a good thing, and unfortunately, tort reform supporters don’t often realize the negative effect their efforts may have upon the lives… Read More »
BEWARE OF EXCLUSIONS IN AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE POLICIES
Heiting & Irwin My office was recently contacted by a young woman on a clear liability, rear-end automobile accident. She was driving “her” vehicle (one of many insured by the family) and she assumed she was an insured driver. Wanting to immediately obtain a replacement vehicle (rental car) she contacted “her” insurance company, only… Read More »
Lottery Ticket Treasure Hunt: To Dumpster-Dive or Not to Dumpster-Dive
On Tuesday, an Arkansas judge ruled that Sharon Jones must turn over the proceeds from the winning lottery ticket she fished out of a trash can, to the purported original purchaser. According to reports, the winning ticket was originally purchased by Sharon Duncan, who discarded it into the trash can of the Super 1… Read More »
COURTS IN CHAOS
Heiting & Irwin Over the past week the Los Angeles Superior Court system has announced the closure of four civil courtrooms in Pomona. The San Bernardino Superior Court system is apparently mulling over its options in the face of budget cuts, expected to be reached up to 18 percent. Similar courtroom closures or furlough… Read More »
