Chicago Dogs Bite Bite and Bite

In the past week, three young children in the Chicagoland area have died from Rottweiler attacks. The Chicago Tribune provides details into the latest victim, 4 year old Alex Angulo of Chicago:

A sign that reads "Beware of the Dog" hangs on a fence outside a Southwest
Side house where 4-year-old Alex Angulo was mauled to death by a Rottweiler on
Sunday. A neighbor said the Rottweiler sometimes acted aggressively and was
"kind of scary."

Just last week, two sisters, ages 5 and 10, were mauled by a Rottweiler at their mother's Joliet home. Those girls survived. Rottweilers aren't the most dangerous breed (Pit Bulls earn that dubious crown), but they do come in second causing 63 deaths from 1982 to 2007. Fortunately, Wisconsin dog bite deaths are few and far between, but do happen. More frequently, dogs maul or injure Wisconsinites, usually small children, without causing death.

Wisconsin Statute 174.02 provides harsh penalties for dog owners whose dogs bite and injure. Specifically, dog owners are strictly liable for the injuries and bites caused by their dogs. Wisconsin courts have construed this statute heavily in favor of victims, expanding the strict liability to injuries caused by the fear instilled by dogs, as well as injuries caused by scratches and other bodily contact. The Statute also imposes double damages for those dogs who have a propensity for violence, or whose owners are otherwise on notice of the dog's propensity to injure.
Posted by: Eric Knobloch

UnitedHealth Group Ripping Off Insureds

"What in the world is this charge for?" or "Why am I being charged that amount instead of this amount?" or more importantly "Why isnt my health insurer paying for this procedure?" All frequently asked questions for insurance companies customer care representatives.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo may have your answer:

The New York attorney general’s office launched an investigation after
receiving hundreds of complaints about Oxford Insurance and its parent company,
UnitedHealth Group, which claims to rely on “independent research from across
the health care industry” to determine reimbursement rates. In actuality though,
it relies on Ingenix, a research firm owned by UnitedHealth Group.

UnitedHealth Group is the parent company to many smaller companies, including United Health Care and Ingenix, both of which have healthy market shares in Wisconsin. Disputing the "usual and customary, or reasonable charge" is par for the course with all insurance companies. But using an "in-house research firm" touted as "independant research from across the health care industry" to short change insureds is nothing short of astounding.

The $50 million dollar slap on United's wrist will be used to create a non-profit to determine reimbursement rates for its patients. (Which begs the question, shouldnt this have already been done with premiums rather than punitive awards for ripping off customers for years and years?) So, consumers are unlikely to see a dime of the award. Does UnitedHealth Group's duty of good faith to its insured warrant a reimbursement without any action by the insured????

Lawyers in Wisconsin are well aware of Insurer's using Ingenix and their most recent tactic of reducing the "reasonable value" of charges submitted by hospitals, doctors, clinics, etc. In its simpliest terms, reducing the "reasonable value" ultimately devalues the amount of medical bills an injured party may recover, which in turn lowers the amount the injured may receive from an at-fault party. Lawyers representing injured individuals should be leary of any numbers Ingenix comes up with and should inquire with the Ingenix representative as to its methods of calculations.

Auto Accident Deaths

A recent article in the Kenosha News provides harsh statistics about the number of Wisconsin auto accident deaths. Wisconsin had 735 auto accident deaths in 2007, while 2008 only recorded 587. More locally, Kenosha County had the 3rd most traffic deaths in the State, right behind Dane and Milwaukee Counties. Staggering is Kenosha's sudden rise in auto fatalities while the rest of the State sees moderate declines:

Kenosha County finished the year ranked third in the state for traffic
deaths behind Dane and Milwaukee counties. With 37 and 48 traffic deaths,
respectively, those counties are well below their totals for 2007, however.
Waukesha County was just behind Kenosha County with 27 traffic deaths.

Many factors may play a part in the sudden Kenosha County increase - increased traffic from Kenosha-Chicago commuters, harsh winters, heavy alcohol consumption, lack of seat-belt use, etc. Equally eye-opening is the number of teenagers and young adults falling victim to car accidents, perhaps suggesting inexperienced drivers or distractions within the car:

Broken down into age ranges, traffic crashes killed nine people between the ages
of 16 and 24, while claiming five people in their 30s. Also, more males (15)
died in traffic crashes this year than females (13).

When a loved one is injured or dies in an car accident, it is crucial for the family to obtain immediate representation to protect the injured party's interests. Witness statements need to be taken, the police department needs to be shadowed in order for a full investigation to be done, and private investigators need to take measurements of any tiremarks, scene photos and vehicle photos. All this should be done within the first 24 hours before the insurance company representatives begin their investigation. Injured parties that do not seek representation face an up-hill battle to receive compensation that 9 times out of 10 does not fully compensate them for their injuries.