Florida Injury Lawyer & Attorney : LaBovick & LaBovick Law Firm: Serving West Palm, Boynton, North Palm, West Palm Beach, Jupiter

Have you paid your Insurance premium lately?  If so, your premiums are helping the Insurance Industry account for over $1 trillion in annual premiums and amass over $3.8 trillion in assets, which happens to be more than the GDPs of all but two countries in the world, the United States and Japan. Despite this overwhelming success, the Insurance still try and do anything to avoid paying claims for their clients.

The consumer rights organization, American Association of Justice, released the comprehensive report, The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America: How They Raise Premiums, Deny Claims, and Refuse Insurance to Those Who Need It Most." This report highlights 10 of the worst insurance companies for consumers based criteria such as, SEC and FBI records, testimony from former insurance agents and adjusters, court documents and more. 

The report ends with making a call for "Pro-Consumer Insurance Reforms" and making a suggestion for the following three points:

1. Require Insurers to Work in Good Faith

2. Require Prior Approval of Rate Increases 

3. Establish an Insurance Consumer Advocate

The remainder of the top 10 list of worst insurance companies for consumers is rounded out by the following:

1. UNUM, - Disability Insurance, Life insurance, supplemental and accident insurance
2. AIG,  - Auto insurance, life insurance, accident and health insurance,  property and casualty
3. State Farm, - Auto, life, health, home owners insurance and health insurance
4. Conseco, - Health Insurance, Life Insurance and Annuities
5. WellPoint, - Health benefits Company
6. Farmers Insurance  - Auto, Life and Homeowners Insurance
7. UnitedHealth, - Health care Insurance
8. Torchmark, - Holding Company offering life and supplemental health insurance
9. Liberty Mutual - Auto, Life, Homeowners and Commercial Insurance.

Over the past 16 years, I have handled thousands of Personal Injury cases against several of the companies on this list and a host of others.  I can attest firsthand that some companies are better than others at handling claims for their Insured and helping the needs of the injured.

I find it no surprise that Allstate made the top of the list, nor am I not surprised by the findings of the report: The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America". I do find it strange however, that the insurance companies are so quick to harm and work against the interest of their own insured clients.

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In a recent Press Release from The American Association for Justice, the organization praises a report by the nonprofit Center for Progressive Reform. The report  "The Truth About Torts: Using Agency Preemption to Undercut Consumer Heath and Safety" suggests that the Administration has forced federal agencies to claim their regulations preempt state laws, despite lacking any constitutional authority. These actions contradict Congressional intent and, frequently the agencies’ own policies. According to the new report,  state laws are preempted through regulatory rulemaking authority. The preemption provisions are often slipped in at the last minute without any chance for public comment. 

Among the preemption measures:

• The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) declared its rules on seat-belts and roof-crush resistance would preempt state common-law claims, despite previously rejecting the concept.
  
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared a rule on drug labeling preempted state tort law despite the fact that the agency had long held the opposite view.
  
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also adopted preemption provisions, despite the fact that the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee had expressly rejected such an approach just a year earlier.
  
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have been criticized for trying to preempt state law.

Click here to read the report: "The Truth about Torts: Using Agency Preemption to Undercut Consumer Health and Safety".

Key figures testifying at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week on “Regulatory Preemption" were Georgetown Professor David Vladeck, attorney Collyn Peddie and Donna Stone, state representative from Delaware and the current President of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Testimony from State Representative Donna Stone

Testimony from Professor David Vladeck

Testimony from Attorney Collyn Peddie

Click here to read more from the AAJ on the Judiciary Committee Hearing.

Agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) set out to protect the health and safety of Consumers. Let's hope that the Judiciary Committee meetings help to prove this point loud and clear so that we can all work together towards the fight for consumer justice.

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Attorney Ben Glass, a Northern Virginia Personal Injury attorney and blogger, makes a valid point when he mentions that the insurance industry has been cornering the market on the tort reform discussion for years. The group, People for Profits, sponsored by the American Association for Justice, tries to help fight for the protection of American civil rights and trial by jury. Should the family member of someone that has been seriously injured or killed by a careless medical error or a defective product or drug, be denied the right to hold the wrongdoers accountable?

There is a new funny but eye opening video (a work in progress) on tort reform that was uploaded on You Tube called Fancy Pants. The humor and the message is one that everyone should watch. Regardless of your position on Personal Injury, it gives you food for thought. 

Most Personal Injury Attorneys practice law because they want to help their clients and believe in the Justice System. The Florida Personal Injury Attorneys at LaBovick & LaBovick, are commited to helping inured victims get the justice they deserve.  If you have a personal injury case in West Palm Beach or throughout the state of Florida, call the Personal Injury Attorneys at LaBovick & LaBovick. The consultation is free and there is no fee unless they recover money for you.

The Private Law Firm, LaBovick & LaBovick, Civil Justice Prosecutors, is a Plaintiff’s firm. The firm focuses on fighting for Plaintiff’s personal injury victim’s rights in Florida and on qui tam (whistleblower claims) nationwide.  We handle all serious injuries, car accidents, boating accidents, wrongful death, slip & fall, toxic torts and product liability cases. We have locations in Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Jupiter and Port St. Lucie, Florida. Visit our firm website at www.LaBovick.com for more injury information

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Managing Partner, Brian F. LaBovick is attending the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Annual Seminar and Convention in Chicago this week. Several thousand lawyers and law makers from around the country convene together to learn new things about The AAJ is an organization committed to promoting a fair and effective justice system. The AAJ supports the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.

Attorney LaBovick will be writing  a synopsis of the seminar for the readers of the LaBovick Injury Law Blog, when he returns from his trip. He will share pertinent and relevant information that will be of interest to readers of the LaBovick Injury Law Blog.

The Law Firm, LaBovick & LaBovick, Civil Justice Prosecutors, is a Plaintiff’s firm. The firm focuses on fighting for Plaintiff’s personal injury victim’s rights in Florida and on qui tam (whistleblower claims) nationwide.  We handle all serious injuries, car accidents, maritime accidents, wrongful death, slip & fall, toxic torts and product liability cases. We have locations in Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Jupiter and Port St. Lucie, Florida. Visit our firm website at www.labovick.com for more injury information.

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