To make sure you have the safest and best holiday season, check out these Holiday Safety Tips from the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness:



http://www.weathersafety.ohio.gov/WinterFireSafetyTips.aspx

American Association for Justice

 WE are proud to announce:
Kitrick, Lewis & Harris Co., L.P.A. president Mark Kitrick  is featured in this year's
 American Association for Justice 2012 Video

Corporate misconduct and corporate lawsuits abound. People often think about individuals injury claims as clogging the court docket and that the claims are for millions. These beliefs are not even close to reality. We must not forget that corporate greed and businesses suing business are major business issues that consume significant court and government time and involve massive amounts of money. For instance:




- Andarko Petroleum Corp. will pay $4 Billion to BP PLS to settle claims related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Andarko owned 25% interest in the well.

- Johnson and Johnson Scios unit has agreed to pay an $85 Million fine and plead guilty to misbranding its heart drug Natrecor.

- Kentucky settled with pharmaceutical giant PFIZER regarding its illegal off label marketing of its urology drug Detrol.

- Oracle will pay more than $199.5 Million to the GSA regarding is overbilling the federal government over 9 years. This was done through the False Claims Act.

- And Citigroup is paying $285 Million to settle SEC Fraud charges. Goldman Sachs settled similar charges last year for $550 Million and JP Morgan chase paid $153 Million this year as well.

The Truth About Litigation:

Corporate misconduct and corporate lawsuits abound. People often think about individuals injury claims as clogging the court docket and that the claims are for millions. These beliefs are not even  close to reality. We must not forget that  corporate greed and businesses suing business are major business issues that consume significant court and government time and involve massive amounts of money. For instance:

-          Andarko Petroleum Corp. will pay $4 Billion to BP PLS to settle claims related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Andarko owned 25% interest in the well.

-          Johnson and Johnson Scios unit has agreed to pay an $85 Million fine and plead guilty to misbranding its heart drug Natrecor.

-          Kentucky settled with pharmaceutical giant PFIZER regarding its illegal off label marketing of its urology drug Detrol.

-          Oracle will pay more than $199.5 Million to the GSA regarding is overbilling the federal government over 9 years. This was done through the False Claims Act.

-          And Citigroup is paying $285 Million to settle SEC Fraud  charges. Goldman Sachs settled similar charges last year for $550 Million and JP Morgan chase paid $153 Million this year as well.

Safety First

http://www.recalls.gov/

Safety should be first when it comes to products and your daily knowledge of recalls of various products, whether it be food or drugs or any bad or dangerous products on the market. The Government has a mobile application that you can download which provides better service to you, what is called a “one stop shop.”  If you go to www.recalls.gov, you will be able to use the app so you can be informed, as we believe that an informed client is the best client.

Also, there are many scams during the holiday seasons. The FDA Health Care Scams website compiles various videos and articles to allow you to better protect you and your family.  Check out these two websites:

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm278980.htm

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself/HealthFraud/default.htm

Mark Kitrick wrote an article for the book Bouncebacks! that was recently published this last month.  Bouncebacks! is currently being sold nationwide to emergency room physicians and other doctors, along with others in the healthcare field.  To learn more about the book and to view Mark's article click on the website below:

http://embouncebacks.com/books/ 

Center For Justice and Democracy

A recent study by the Center for Justice & Democracy finds, not only are there fewer personal injury cases being filed, but that juries award less money.  So much for a “litigation crisis!”

For more on this, check out their site:

www.centerjd.org 

 

10 ways to protect yourself when taking medication.

It is crucial that before you ingest any prescribed medications, you take several precautions to protect yourself from dangerous, unsafe,  or poorly designed products. One is always check with your pharmacist to make sure you fully understand all possible side effects and any interactions the medication will have with any other medications you are taking. Two, read the label and understand what the drug is for and not for. Three, make sure you have the correct drug, and that you have the exact number of pills in the bottle. Four, keep you medications in a pill box that keeps track of meds each day. That way you can easily tell if you have or have not taken the medications that day. Five, if you notice any serious side effects from the medicines, call your doctor or get to the emergency room right away. Listen to your body. Six, carefully follow the directions on the label and from your pharmacist when taking any medications. Seven, keep a short diary on how the medications make you feel and if they are working for you. Update your doctor accordingly. Eight, keep the medications in a safe, dry place where no one else can get to them. Nine, regularly check the FDA website for recalls or warnings about various products on the marketplace. Ten, after a few weeks update your doctor on how you are doing with the medications.

The State Attorneys General and Consumer Protection agencies, the National Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council are launching new public service advertising (PSA) campaign nationwide.  All of the new PSAs direct audiences to http://stoptextsstopwrecks.org/#home , a new campaign website where teens and young adults can find out facts about the impact of texting while driving, along with tips on how to curb the behavior.

Do_As_I_Say_Not_As_I_Sue_

Let’s Make a Deal: Small Firms Find Big Deals on Office Space

Our office was featured in an article about contemporaty spaces for small law firms.

"Columbus, Ohio-based personal injury and consumer protection lawyer Mark Kitrick didn’t wait. He took advantage of a generous leasing opportunity to custom-build an eclectic, eco-friendly office in the suburbs with free parking. The space, designed in the Mondrian style, offers ample light to showcase his art collection."

For the full article: http://www.abajournal.com/


Featured Photos of our office!

A new report finds that the same corporations and insurance companies that want to limit the rights of families and consumers to seek justice in court, use the courtroom all the time to pursue their own agenda’s.  Why should corporate America get a different set of rules than the rest of us?

KLH Video Shoot