Are You Safe in Your Hotel? Maybe Not….

One of the most interesting cases I’ve ever handled as a lawyer is the case of “Betty Darlington”. Because of the very personal nature of her case, I’ve changed a few facts for privacy, but it is still true to the spirit of the claim. Betty was a widow and an early retiree, barely minted as an entry level senior citizen. While she retired somewhat young she wasn’t rich by anyone’s standards. She had a very simple lifestyle, lived inexpensively and she decided to pool Read More +

Facebook, Death & Missing Passwords

Tragically, in January, 2011, a family in Virginia lost their teenaged son to suicide and looked to his Facebook account for some answers. A quiet, but seemingly happy 15 year old, Eric Rash shot himself in a field in Nottoway County, Virginia. He left his family a note apologizing, but gave no answers to the big, haunting question of “why?” As their grief gave way to despair, Eric’s family craved more information. They wondered if he was a silent victim of bullying but no one Read More +

The (World Wide) Web of Legal Complexities – The Collision of Libya and YouTube

Four American died in a Libyan consulate last week as a result of a highly offensive video found on YouTube. The existence of this video which depicts the prophet Mohammad in a scandalous way, was intentionally spread to Muslim media outlets as a way to incite some form of protest, or even violence by religious extremists from our country. The entire subject has cracked open a debate about the Internet, the First Amendment right to free speech and the obligations of governments to keep people Read More +

Slip Slidin’ Away – The Difficulty of Slip and Fall Cases

Underneath the heading of “personal injury” comes many types of cases, but typically the two most common are car accident cases and slip and fall cases. While they may both result in injuries, they are very different legal beasts. Car crash cases are generally uncomplicated: There are two wrecked cars, usually one driver has gotten a ticket which establishes fault, and the other driver is now injured as a result of this explosive impact. Since liability is established and causation of injury is as well, Read More +

Lawyers & Frivolous Lawsuits

Aha, I got your attention! For years we’ve heard about crazy lawsuits that sound improbable at best and fraudulent at worst.  We’ve all heard them. They generally tend to fall into two categories:  (1) Stupid people who hurt themselves, get a lawyer and then sue a store or a business where the jury gives them all sorts of money for the injury that occurred at the store or on the businessman’s property; and, (2) even worse, people who commit a crime, get hurt, hire a Read More +

The Land of Sunshine, Beautiful Beaches and Sinkholes

“The Land of Sunshine, Beautiful Beaches and……..Sinkholes”** It seems like everyone in Tampa Bay has somehow been touched by a sinkhole. If you don’t own a home that has cracked in half because of one, then you have a relative or coworker or close friend who has lived through this menace. They are Florida’s equivalent of a small and confined, but equally destructive, earthquake. Except, instead of shaking from side to side, the land opens underneath the structure and can swallow your house whole. Or Read More +