MEDICAL MALPRACTICE - VETERANS HOSPITAL CLAIMS

Missouri Personal Injury – Medical Malpractice Attorney Matt Uhrig:

Over the years I have been privileged with the opportunity to represent many veterans in claims against the VA. Most of these claims involve negligent medical care by doctors and nurses. Some cases involved pharmacy errors. Currently, I represent a veteran in a products liability case relating to the failure of an operating table.

Recently, the St. Louis VA Medical Center made the news when it was discovered that over 1,800 veterans were exposed to Hepatitis and HIV infection due to the inadequate cleaning of dental equipment at the John Cochran Hospital dental clinic. Read the story here.

Reports of “poor treatment and rundown conditions” are common complaints among veterans across the country. Many veterans have experienced “long emergency room waits, poor nursing care, difficulty scheduling appointments and delays in getting needed services. They also complained about outdated buildings, indifferent employees and paperwork nightmares.”

Experts say that already overburdened VA hospitals are not able to handle the influx of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

If you have questions about treatment received at a VA facility, please contact us.

New Website

Missouri Personal Injury Attorney Matt Uhrig: I would like to welcome all my friends, clients and prospective clients to our new website. It is our hope that the information there will further our mission of helping people with workers compensation claims and helping people injured as a result of auto, truck and car accidents, semi and tractor trailer crashes, medical malpractice and other types of personal injury cases. Our personal injury law firm accepts cases and represents clients in Columbia, Jefferson City, Fulton, Moberly, Mexico, Macon, Osage Beach, Camdenton, Rolla, Springfield, Booneville, Kansas City metro area, St. Louis metro area and St. Charles.

Missouricaraccidentlawyer-personalinjuryattorney.com is where I will be blogging and posting helpful information for my clients. I wont be posting here on a regular basis, although updates will appear here (above).

If you are injured and want to talk to a lawyer, call toll free (877) 657-2050 or contact us by e-mail. We will come to you and it won’t cost you anything to see if we can help.

Workers Compensation - BP Oil Rig

Reports have been surfacing for some time that the night the Deep Water Horizon (the oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that exploded and is now spewing thousands of barrels of oil) exploded, BP officials "quarantined" the surviving workers at a hotel and asked them to sign liability releases and statements before allowing them to go home to their families. This story has more information: Rig workers asked to sign statements

Missouri DWI/DUI - Auto Safety

I have represented many clients who were injured as a result of drunk driving. I have also represented quite a few drunk drivers in criminal cases and, as a prosecutor for Jackson County and the City of Columbia, I have prosecuted a couple hundred DWI cases. Consequently, I stay updated and informed regarding Missouri's DWI laws.

Missouri's Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) laws have changed again. Currently, the presumed intoxication limit is .o8% or more by weight of alcohol in a driver's blood. That means if your blood alcohol content is .o8% or more, you are legally intoxicated under Missouri law.

Governor Nixon signed a new law on Wednesday that will make some significant changes to the way DWI's are handled in Municipal and State court. One of the most significant changes is a provision in the new law that allows for the creation of special DWI courts that will function in a manner similar to Missouri's Drug Courts. I presume the focus will be on treatment but it sounds like the DWI Court will also serve as a monitoring system for repeat offenders.

Also, in those courts that have a DWI court program or other court ordered treatment program, drivers who had a blood alcohol content of .15 or more will have to serve 48 hours in jail should they fail to complete the DWI court program or court ordered treatment program.

Read about other provisions of the new law here. If you have questions about this new law or other DWI related issue, call me at 877-657-2050 or find me on the web.

WORKERS COMPENSATION - WORKER SAFETY

A man employed by Design Metals of Grain Valley, MO fell to his death at the new IBM site in Columbia, MO. Some reports indicate that the worker was either not wearing or was not provided a safety harness. OSHA will investigate this workplace accident and is expected to issue a full report. More information can be found at The Columbia Daily Tribune or radio station KBIA.

Auto Safety - Auto Accidents

The I-70 bridge is the location of two car crashes on I-70. This story has more information:

Interstate 70 delay

Medical Products Liability - Patient Safety

Some researchers believe that CT Scan and MRI's may expose patients to unnecessarily high levels of radiation - causing an increased risk of cancer. Read this news story for more information:

CT Scanners Scrutinized For Radiation Risks

WORKER SAFETY - WORKERS COMPENSATION

The working conditions in the Big Branch mine, operated by Massey Energy, were simply dangerous. Air flow was a "persistent problem", leading to the build up of explosive methane gas and coal dust. In dangerous environments, worker safety must be a priority. This story details the FBI's investigation into Massey's operation and the safety problems leading to the Big Branch explosion.

Mine Probe Examines Airflow, Possible Tampering

RECALL - CHILDREN'S TYLENOL - PRODUCTS LIABILITY

Forty-three different Johnson & Johnson products are subject to a product recall. According to this report from ABC News, those products include Childrens Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl. The raw materials used to make these medications were contaminated with bacteria that could cause gastrointestinal illness. According to reports, contaminated products have a "moldy or musty smell" and should not be consumed. Check out the report here: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/childrens-tylenol-recall-fda-report-rips-quality-control/story

If you have additional questions about products liability claims, contact me through my website.

WORKER SAFETY

On April 20th 11 men died while working on the Deepwater Horizon, the BP oil rig that caught fire and collapsed in the Gulf of Mexico. There are numerous reports that safety guidelines were not followed. However, the legal ramifications of this disaster go beyond the deaths of these men. This story explains what is at stake for BP and those affected by the oil spill:

Legal Complications Grow As Gulf Oil Spill Expands

AUTO ACCIDENTS

I was recently asked to represent a young woman who was violently rear-ended while stopped at a traffic light. It was 11:00 pm and she was on her way home from work. The driver who struck her was, at the time of the crash, on his cell phone. Transportation safety experts refer to such incidents as "distracted driving."

Distracted driving contributes to thousands of road deaths every year, causing some states to impose bans on using hand-held cell phones or texting while driving.

Put the phone away while driving. This simple bit of advice may save you and the people you share the road with from sever injury or worse. Take some time to read this news piece about Nationwide Insurance Safety Officer Bill Windsor.
Straight From A Safety Expert: Put The Phone Away While Driving

I would like to hear about other people's experiences with distracted driving. Visit my website.

Workers Comp - Worker Safety

Coal mining is one of the toughest/dangerous professions. Here is a story about the Massey Mine where 29 workers perished due to inadequate safety practices.

Workers Compensation - Worker Safety

I have been following pretty closely the West Virginia mining disaster that claimed the lives of 29 coal miners. A horrible loss and, from all accounts, a preventable one also. The company responsible, MasseyEnergy, has just announced the benefits it will provide the families. Read about it here.

Obviously, it is important that Massey take responsibility for the harm that it caused these families and this community. While Massey can replace income, it's benefit package does not account for the emotional losses suffered by the families: All the wives who have lost the love and support of their husbands; the children who have lost the love and guidance of their fathers; and, mothers and fathers who have lost their sons.

10 Tips To Help You Find The Right Lawyer

If you have been involved in an accident or were injured at work, trying to find a lawyer can be overwhelming. There are adds on TV, in the phone book and when you do a google search, hundreds of attorney websites and referral service sites can be found.

When you are faced with a major legal problem, you want someone who has experience; who will diligently and persistently pursue your case; and, someone who is not afraid to step into the courtroom and try your case.

Here are 10 tips to help you find a competent lawyer to handle your workers compensation or personal injury case:

1. Don't judge a book by its cover (or its phone book ad). The Missouri Bar requires that all attorneys, in their advertising materials, state clearly: "The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements." Rule 4-7.2 of the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct. This is a good rule to follow. Meet personally with your lawyer before hiring him or her. Don't assume that because the attorney has a billboard or a huge phone book ad that they are a great trial lawyer or possess the experience and initiative your case requires.
There are many fine attorneys who don't advertise at all.

2. Next, you should plan on interviewing multiple attorneys....and realize that it is an interview. You are hiring the attorney - they will be working for you, not the other way around. One simple question can help guide you through this process: Do I want this person to speak for me and be my representative to the insurance company?

3. If, in the hiring process, the attorney does not return your calls, this can be an omen of things to come. Not returning client phone calls is one of the most common complaints people have about their lawyers. Return phone calls are part of the legal service you purchase when you hire an attorney and are also crucial to effective attorney-client communication. Not returning phone calls can be a sign of unprofessionalism.

4. Your first meeting or telephone consultation should be with the attorney not the attorney's paralegal. You are hiring the attorney, so that is the person you should be dealing with; that is the person you want advising you on your case.

5. Make sure you have a written fee agreement with your attorney. For contingent fee cases, which is the fee method in most personal injury cases and workers compensation cases, the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct require that the fee agreement be in writing. Also, don't feel like you have to sign the fee agreement at your first meeting with the attorney. Take it home and read it over. Make sure you understand all of its provisions. You should also know that contingent fee agreements are specifically prohibited in divorce cases and criminal cases.

6. Don't be afraid to ask your attorney if they have any experience handling the type of case you need help with. Inexperience can result in you not getting full value for your claim or your attorney not obtaining all the necessary evidence and information to get your case ready for trial.

7. Be sure to ask your attorney about his or her trial experience. Some call themselves trial attorneys, but they are little more than claims adjusters. Some trial attorneys have never tried a case. The insurance companies know this and may be reluctant to make a reasonable settlement offer if you have hired an attorney who doesn't go to trial. If you have been seriously injured, you need an attorney who is willing and capable of trying your case.

8. Ask your lawyer how many new cases he or she accepts each month. A high volume of new cases may mean that your case could get lost in the shuffle or that the attorney may not be able to give your case the attention it deserves. Or, it could mean that this attorney is very good at what they do and are in very high demand.

9. Do some background research on the lawyer you are thinking about hiring to determine if they have ever been disciplined by the Supreme Court. This information is available to anyone. For more information contact the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, which is an agency of the Missouri Supreme Court responsible for investigating lawyer misconduct.

10. Remember, if an attorney declines your case, be sure to ask why. It may be that the attorney felt you had a good case, but that they are to busy to handle it for you. Or, it could be that you left out some piece of information that could cause him or her to reconsider their decision to decline your case.

For more information contact me at (877) 657-2050 or visit my website.

Travel Safety: Tornados

It is severe weather time in Mid-Missouri and the tornadoes that struck the South over the weekend raised a question that comes up every summer: What do I do if a tornado is bearing down on me while I am driving. Invariably, at one time or another we will find ourselves stuck in our cars during a tornado warning. "Vehicles are notorious as death traps in tornadoes, because they are easily tossed and destroyed."

Here is a great safety information website regarding severe storms.

Let me know your thoughts or other suggestions you might have. Visit my website.

KBIA: Columbia Police Department Releases 1st Quarter Report (2010-04-21)

The Columbia Missouri Police Department has been in the news a bit lately, regarding its officers' use of Tazers. Check out his article on KBIA.... KBIA: Columbia Police Department Releases 1st Quarter Report (2010-04-21)

CAR ACCIDENT SAFETY:

Most people aren't aware that their cars contain black boxes. Collecting electronic information helps reveal exactly what happened inside a vehicle prior to a crash. -- I have obtained "black box" information in an I-70 trucking accident case. The data helped us determine the speed of the truck, prior to the crash, and whether the driver applied his brake before plowing into my client, who was stopped in an I-70 traffic jam near Montgomery City. This is an interesting story from NPR on the subject.

Here's a little info about me....

LAW OFFICE OF MATT UHRIG, LLC
I am an attorney in central Missouri.

I focus primarily on helping people with their personal injury cases, in both State and Federal Court throughout Missouri, and workers comp claims in Columbia, Jefferson City, Moberly, Mexico, Rolla, Springfield, Kansas City and St. Louis.

I cut my teeth at the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office in Kansas City and in addition to helping people with injury claims, I represent and defend people in criminal cases involving drug charges, DWI, and other crimes.

"My goal is to effectively and diligently represent my clients in whatever legal issue they may be faced with. When people are injured and out of work, they need immediate results. That is what we strive for and achieve."

Public Service
In January of 2009, I decided to run for Alderman and was elected to the Ashland, MO city council in April of 2009. I represent Ashland's Third Ward and also serve as the Mayor Pro Tem.