Meet the Candidates

Friday, October 28^th, 2011, 9:00 AM reception, 9:30-11:00 AM Program. Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum. These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races. A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE(383-8683). Location: Jewish Community Center, 1125 College Avenue, Columbus (43209).

FDA Warning: Surgical mesh may not be best route

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning regarding serious complications associated with transvaginal placement of surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse.  Patients who've undergone pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) have suffered serious complications from transvaginal mesh.  According to the FDA's warning: "Serious complications associated with surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of POP are not rare."  The FDA also explained that "it is not clear that transvaginal POP repair with mesh is more effective than traditional non-mesh repair in all patients with POP and it may expose patients to a greater risk."  To learn more about the warning from the FDA or symptoms associated with transvaginal mesh, read the full article at http://www.thesafetyreport.com/  Article ID: 2414

Ohio Supreme Court Decision

The Ohio Supreme Court in Sutton v. Tomco Machining, Inc. has recognized a common- law tort for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy - retaliatory action- when an injured employee is fired after being hurt on the job but that employee has not yet filed a workers' compensation claim. The employee must prove that the employer lacked an overriding business justification for being fired and the employee's damages are set forth in R.C. 4123.90.

Med Pay: Ohio Supreme Court Decision

A recent Ohio Supreme Court decision allows health care providers (doctors, hospitals, therapists and other health care companies) to directly bill a person's auto company under the Medical Payment ["Med Pay"] provision first, that is before billing that person's health insurance company. We find this ruling to seriously impact consumers as often consumers need their Med Pay for other more personal needs, such as deductibles, co-pays, prescriptions, out of pocket expenses, and living costs. In other words, consumers do not want their Med Pay to be used up by providers when the consumers have health  insurance that should first  pay their health bills.

So, after years to telling people that they should purchase Med Pay when they buy automobile insurance, we are changing our opinion. First, if someone has health insurance, then it is far less preferable that the person buy Med Pay.  This will save the consumer money. Second, we believe that a consumer has the right to tell his or her auto carrier NOT to pay Med Pay to any providers and that the control of where these funds go should be with the consumer, not with the health providers. Third, we strongly encourage consumers to contact their car agent and discuss these matters as soon as possible.

Contingency Fees- The Key to the Courthouse, even When They Change the Locks

Recently, our partner Sean Harris wrote an article published in the Central Ohio Association for Justice journal.  The article spoke about the importance of contingency fees, stating "the fees provide the key to the courthouse for poor and indigent people with meritorious claims who could not otherwise afford a lawyer."  Also the use of contingency fees "level the playing field with the corporations and insurance companies that can affford to hire the best or highest-paid lawyers around."  To read more click on the link below to download the full journal:

 Sean Harris Article- The Communicator