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War! What is it Good For?

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We know insurance companies are hard enough to deal with on domestic claims. Can you imagine having to deal with insurance companies as a foreign, or international, person not able to speak the language and working in a war zone?  It appears that not too many foreign workers really have to worry about that because they never are informed of their rights or benefits to begin with. Benefits that are paid for by U.S. taxpayers to insurance companies.

The Los-Angeles Times and Pro-Publica did a joint investigation entitled “Forgotten Warriors” & “Disposable Army”, respectively, highlighting the blatant and rampant abuse into the federally financed program that is supposed to provide workers’ compensation insurance to civilian contractors working in Iraq and Afghanistan. A program that has failed to deliver medical care and other benefits to many foreign workers and their survivors.

The series of articles illustrate in more depth the following highlights:

“It’s almost like we’re this invisible, discardable military. Once we’ve done our jobs, they can actually sidetrack us and not worry about us anymore,” said Tim Newman, a sheriff’s deputy from South Carolina who lost his leg to a roadside bomb in Baghdad. Once back home, he fought an insurance company for a year to get a prosthetic leg that his doctors recommended.

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The Process of Hiring an Attorney

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Trammell & Mills Law Firm – April 2022 Blog

The Process of Hiring an Attorney

If you find yourself in a situation where you think you need legal help, you should talk with an attorney.  It’s a matter of seeking professional help, like going to the doctor when you’re sick.  How do you know which law firm to call?  Can they really help you?  The Trammell & Mills Law Firm, LLC can walk you through the process at no up front costs.

First, define your legal problem. You’ve been in a wreck, got hurt at work, attacked by a dog, fell due to a store’s negligence, and/or suffered some other serious injury.  Each law firm handles specific types of cases, so find one suited for your situation.  At Trammell & Mills, we focus on wrecks, workers’ compensation, nursing home abuse, and personal injuries—like falls, faulty products, or dog bites.  We don’t handle DUI cases, family disputes, real estate closings or shoplifting charges.  We don’t recommend choosing an attorney based on who has the funniest TV commercials. We do recommend requesting to meet with the lawyer you saw advertised though because legal action is serious business. Good luck doing that on some of the most advertised legal ads you see on television.

When you call the law firm, be ready to tell a short version of your story on the phone, to determine whether you have a case.  Then the next step is to set up a consultation meeting, so the lawyer can meet you, get some details, and discuss options.  Most clients come to our office, but we can come to you if necessary.  Always ask if there’s a charge for that first meeting.  It always helps when you have notes, pictures, and other items to help validate your side of the story.

During your consultation, be honest…and ask a lot of questions.  Is your case worth pursuing?  Is the attorney’s office well established, or is it brand new?  Is it locally based, or just a branch of a bigger law firm in another part of the state?  Does the law firm handle your type of case often, and what types of outcomes are possible?  Can you settle out of court, or will a trial be necessary?  What kind of timetable can you expect for the whole process?  The more you ask, the better prepared you’ll be.

Make sure you’re satisfied and comfortable with your attorney choice.  If you’re not, then keep looking.  When you’re ready to move forward, you’ll need to sign a representation agreement, which is a written agreement outlining the terms between you and the lawyer.  Then you’ll be ready to pursue legal action to get the justice you’re seeking. Keep in mind that in South Carolina, you can not seek another attorney to assist you with the same matter once you have engaged the initial attorney. If you get frustrated with the process, schedule another meeting with your attorney.

If you’re an injury victim, find the legal services you need.  Keep all documentation, take pictures, and write down contact information for any witnesses. More importantly, call the local attorneys at Trammell & Mills Law Firm, LLC at (864) 485-8585 to take proper legal action, so you can get the payment you deserve. Actually, meet with a local, experienced attorney with the last name of Trammell or Mills.

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South Carolina’s Deadly Upstate Roadways

Automobile Insurance , , , , , , ,

The amount of traffic and pedestrian fatalities seemed to be one article after another this past week/weekend.  As summer begins don’t let your focus change. Always remember your duties to be responsible on the roadways of South Carolina. Here were some of the articles reported by The Greenville News & Anderson Independent:

  • Easley Man Killed on 183– a one car crash involving Mr. Oswaldo Carrera Hernandez, speed was indicated as a factor in the wreck;
  • Motorcyclist, Moped Rider Die in Taylors Crash-the motorcyclist, Joe Pannell, who was wearing a helmet, died of blunt-force trauma on the way to the hospital Friday. The moped driver, Brian Cote, died Saturday morning, about 11 hours after the crash. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Bryan McDougald said Cote, was eastbound in a 35 mph zone on East Main in Taylors when he turned into Pannell’s path. Cote was not wearing a helmet;
  • Pickens Man Dies in Moped Crash– A 41-year-old Pickens man was killed Saturday night when the Honda moped he was riding crashed on Mount Bethel Road, when he lost control of the moped and hit a ditch. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The article went on to report that, “Nationally, there were almost 5,200 motorcycle deaths in 2007, up 6 percent from the almost 4,900 deaths from the year before, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”
  • Dodge Ram Sought in Fatal Greer Hit-Run–State troopersare investigating a Greer pedestrian’s death as a hit-and-run and are trying to confirm who was driving the pickup that struck him.The driver of the Dodge Ram left the scene after striking the man, who was westbound on the shoulder of State 290 at 8:55 a.m. Sunday.  The pedestrian has been identified as James Roper James, 49, of Greer;
  • Brothers Killed in Westside Crash-Two brothers from Mexico were killed in a freakish three-vehicle accident on Farrs Bridge Road near the Greenville-Pickens line on Wednesday evening. Jesus and Juan Zamora-Barrera were killed when their Ford pickup collided with the cab of a tractor-trailer cab that was towing a backhoe on a lowboy trailer; and
  • Belton Woman Faces Charges After Fatal Wreck-as reported by the Anderson Independent-A 21-year-old woman, Kelly McCoy of Belton, was arrested and charged with felony driving under the influence and open container after a wreck that killed 56-year old Jack Hall Jr. of Fork Shoals. McCoy was driving her 2005 Honda north on Fairview Road when she crossed over the center line and struck Hall’s Chevrolet pickup truck, killing him instantly.

If you, a loved one, friend, family member, and/or enemy need a free consultation after having been injured as a result of someone’s ignorance, negligence, or omission, please feel free to call upon an experienced personal injury attorney that can assist you in this delicate and confusing process.

Remember:

“Insurance companies don’t make money paying it out in claims. They make money, keeping it away from you. Personal Injury attorneys make money based on a percentage they get for you from the insurance companies. Whose interest are aligned with yours and whose interest are not aligned with yours?”  –Trey Mills

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Good Friday

Uncategorized , ,

Good Friday entry in Wikipedia:

According to the New Testament, Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane by the Temple Guards through the guidance of his disciple, Judas Iscariot. Judas received money for betraying Jesus and told the guards that whomever he kisses is the one they are to arrest. Jesus is brought to the house of Annas, who is the father-in-law of the current high priest, Caiaphas. There he is interrogated with little result, and sent bound to Caiaphas the high priest, where the Sanhedrin had assembled (John 18:1-24).

Conflicting testimony against Jesus is brought forth by many witnesses, to which Jesus answers nothing. Finally the high priest adjures Jesus to respond under solemn oath, saying “I adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us, are you the Anointed One, the Son of God?” Jesus testifies in the affirmative, “You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds of Heaven.” The high priest condemns Jesus for blasphemy, and the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus concurs with a sentence of death (Matthew 26:57-66). Peter also denies Jesus three times during the interrogations. Jesus already knew that Peter would deny him three times. See the article Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus regarding the two trials, one at night, the other in the morning and how their timing may affect the day of Good Friday. 

In the morning, the whole assembly brings Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making himself a king (Luke 23:1-2). Pilate authorizes the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own Law and execute sentencing, however the Jewish leaders reply that they are not allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence of death (John 18:31).

Pilate questions Jesus, and tells the assembly that there is no basis for sentencing. Upon learning that Jesus is from Galilee, Pilate refers the case to the ruler of Galilee, King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod questions Jesus but receives no answer; Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate tells the assembly that neither he nor Herod have found guilt in Jesus; Pilate resolves to have Jesus whipped and released (Luke 23:3-16).

It was a custom during the feast of Passover for the Romans to release one prisoner as requested by the Jews. Pilate asks the crowd who they would like to be released. Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asks for Barabbas, who had been imprisoned for committing murder during an insurrection. Pilate asks what they would have him do with Jesus, and they demand, “Crucify him” (Mark 15:6-14). Pilate’s wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day; she forewarns Pilate to “have nothing to do with this righteous man” (Matthew 27:19).

Pilate has Jesus flogged, then brings him out to the crowd to release him. The chief priests inform Pilate of a new charge, demanding Jesus be sentenced to death “because he claimed to be God’s son.” This possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus back inside the palace and demanded to know from where he came (John 19:1-9).

Coming before the crowd one last time, Pilate declares Jesus innocent, washing his own hands in water to show he has no part in this condemnation. Nevertheless, Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified in order to forestall a riot (Matthew 27:24-26). The sentence written is “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Jesus carries his cross to the site of execution (assisted by Simon of Cyrene), called the place of the Skull, or “Golgotha” in Hebrew and in Latin “Calvary”. There he is crucified along with two criminals (John 19:17-22).

Jesus agonizes on the cross for six hours. During his last 3 hours on the cross,from noon to 3pm, there is darkness over the whole land.[7] With a loud cry, Jesus gives up his spirit. There is an earthquake, tombs break open, and the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion declares, “Truly this was God’s Son!” (Matthew 27:45-54)

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his condemnation, goes to Pilate to request the body of Jesus (Luke 23:50-52). Pilate asks confirmation from the centurion whether Jesus is dead (Mark 15:44). A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to flow out (John 19:34), and the centurion informs Pilate that Jesus is dead (Mark 15:45).

Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus, wraps it in a clean linen shroud, and places it in his own new tomb that had been carved in the rock (Matthew 27:59-60) in a garden near the site of crucifixion. Another secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus (John 3:1) also came bringing 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, and places them in the linen with the body of Jesus, according to Jewish burial customs (John 19:39-40). They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb (Matthew 27:60). Then they returned home and rested, because at sunset began Shabbat (Luke 23:54-56). On the third day, Sunday, which is now known as Easter Sunday (or Pascha), Jesus rose from the dead.

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Is it A.I.G? A.I.U? Or I.O.U?

Insurance , , , ,

Keith Bradsher  with The New York Times wrote an article entitled, “Name Hurts Main Unit of A.I.G.” reporting that:

Less than two months after changing its name, the biggest and best-known unit of American International Group is preparing to change its name again, in the latest sign of damage to one of the world’s most famous brands….

A.I.G. changed the name of the worldwide holding company for its property and casualty unit to American International Underwriters in early March…..

“The advice we’ve received is A.I.U. may be a bit close to A.I.G. — we don’t want to appear as the same leopard with different spots,” Mr.[Leslie] Mouat said in an interview, adding that he was told only Saturday of the decision to change the name again, which has not been publicly announced….

In a similar story Jake Bernstein of ProPublica  indicated that Lehman Brothers changed their name due to the bankruptcy and have now been able to receive additional TARP Funds in his article entitled “Lehman Mortgave Servicer on Life Support Gets a Piece of TARP”:

If any more proof is needed that the intersection between the government and the financial sector has become hopelessly convoluted, look no further than Aurora Bank. Until this thrift recently shed its name, à la AIG (which is still picking a new moniker), it was known as Lehman Brothers Bank , a division of the now-bankrupt holding company of the same name. Since Lehman is synonymous with bankruptcy, the still-active but wobbly thrift renamed itself Aurora Bank last month.  It got the name from its own less controversial subsidiary, Aurora Loan Services .

There is no need to worry in these troubled economic times about your hard earned tax money, it is still going to help those that need it the least.  Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, I think you would agree with that statement.

If you are a Republican you think the people receiving government benefits, ie food stamps, Medicare, & Medicaid, need your money the least. If you are a Democrat, you think the greedy corporations receiving all the TARP money, vis-a-vis tax money, need it the least and deserve it the least.

Who’s right and who’s wrong? Without pointing fingers, who cares-who’s right and who’s wrong? Let’s figure out how to make the system better, have the mass public be more informed, and find our balance.  These are the hopes of this young, American lawyer.  (young is a relative term).

 

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