Topics
AAJ Releases Report on US Chamber of Commerce
Civil Justice System
Civil Rights
Consumer Rights and Protections
Holiday Office Party Litigation
Independent Contractor Misclassification Legislation
Labor Protections
Meal Periods
Meal Periods: "An Open Legal Issue"
Medical Malpractice
New Firm Name and Associate
Overtime Pay and Meal Period Violations
Personal Injury
Responsibilities of Landlord
San Bruno Fire Explosion
Sun Microsystems Settlement: Raising Standard of Technical Writers' Treatment
Recent Updates
October 25, 2011
Governor Brown Signs AB 469, Strengthens Labor Protections
August 01, 2011
FDA Alert Concerning Transvaginal Mesh Products
July 27, 2011
San Bruno Explosion One Year Later: Unknown Locations of Pipelines Are Worrisome
July 20, 2011
Hot Coffee- A Documentary Counteracting Myths about the Civil Justice System
June 27, 2011
AT&T v. Concepcion Ruling and Federal Aribtration Act: Goodbye to Class Action Litigation?
Hinton Alfert Sumner & Kaufmann fights for justice for clients who have been seriously harmed by others in matters involving personal injury, employment law, and legal malpractice. Equipped with decades of experience and substantial resources, Hinton Alfert Sumner & Kaufmann prevail against the largest corporations, insurances companies, and governments in the world, bringing justice to our clients.
The Hinton Alfert Sumner & Kaufmann Blog is dedicated to covering local and national news related to personal injury and employment law, in an effort to help educate the public about safety concerns and employment matters. At Hinton Alfert Sumner & Kaufmann we are committed to staying informed, researching, and writing about prominent stories in the news related to our practice of law, such as catastrophic injuries & wrongful death and workplace rights. We hope this blog makes news stories and related legal rights more understandable and accessible to the public.
Governor Brown Signs AB 469, Strengthens Labor Protections
Posted by: Tess Ranahan
October 25, 2011
Topic: Labor Protections
Contributing Attorneys: Aaron Kaufmann and David Pogrel
We commend the CA Legislature and Governor Brown for making AB 469, the Wage Theft Prevention Act of 2011, part of California's worker protections. The bill, signed by Governor Brown on October 10, 2011, is an important win for working men and women across the state. Introduced by Assembly Labor Committee Chairman Sandre Swanson and co-sponsored by the California Labor Federation and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, AB 469 strengthens several key provisions of California labor protections law and bolsters enforcement of these laws.
FDA Alert Concerning Transvaginal Mesh Products
Posted by: Tess Ranahan
August 01, 2011
Topic: Personal Injury
Contributing Attorney: Elise Sanguinetti
Breaking News for Walnut Creek, Oakland, Concord and the Surrounding Bay Area: FDA Alert Regarding Serious Continuing Concerns about the Transvaginal Placement of Surgical Mesh for Repair of Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) or Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI).
On July 13, 2011 an updated FDA Safety Communication was issued on Serious Complications Associated with Transvaginal Placement of Surgical Mesh for Pelvic Organ Prolapse.
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/ucm262435.htm
San Bruno Explosion One Year Later: Unknown Locations of Pipelines Are Worrisome
Posted by: Tess Ranahan
July 27, 2011
Topic: San Bruno Fire Explosion
With the one year anniversary of the San Bruno fire explosion coming up this September, many are voicing concerns about the unknown locations of pipelines that lie beneath Bay Area neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, and commercial areas. Today the article, "Mistakes Over Hazardous Liquid Pipe Locations Pose Threat," couched on the front page of the Contra Costa Times, discussed how local officials, emergency responders, and even the private companies that built the pipelines, do not know the precise locations of the underground pipelines - which poses a dangerous and scary threat, as catastrophic events, like San Bruno and other recent disasters, can occur in the future if pipelines are accidentally struck.
Hot Coffee- A Documentary Counteracting Myths about the Civil Justice System
Posted by: Tess Ranahan
July 20, 2011
Topic: Civil Justice System
Contributing Attorney: Elise Sanguinetti
On Monday, June 27, 2011, HBO debuted "Hot Coffee," a documentary by Susan Saladoff that reveals and counteracts myths about the civil justice system. In this ninety minute documentary, Saladoff examines distorted stories that have been indelibly imprinted in the public's imagination (thanks to the concerted effort of the public relations firms funded by the tobacco, pharmaceutical and insurance industries). The documentary begins with an examination of the poster child of "frivolous lawsuits:" the story of Stella Liebeck, an elderly woman from New Mexico who won a jury award of $2.9 million after suing McDonald's for a serious burn caused by scalding hot coffee that McDonald's served to her. After including footage of comedians mocking Ms. Liebeck and random citizens on the street characterizing the case as "frivolous," Saladoff then unveils the plaintiff's story, replete with graphic pictures of the horrible burns caused by the coffee spill (be forewarned, they'll make you squirm) and testimonies from Stella Liebeck and witnesses, to present a more accurate picture. After viewing the pictures and hearing the extent of Ms. Liebeck's suffering, one can not help but feel outraged at the mischaracterization of Liebeck's case as "frivolous"- the infamous buzzword that has been employed by perpetuators of these myths ad nauseam.
AT&T v. Concepcion Ruling and Federal Aribtration Act: Goodbye to Class Action Litigation?
Posted by: Tess Ranahan
June 27, 2011
Topic: Consumer Rights and Protections
Contributing Attorney: Aaron Kaufmann
On April 27, 2011, the United States Supreme Court delivered a decision in the AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion that was not only a "devastating blow to consumer rights," but also one that will significantly alter the landscape of consumer and potentially employment law practice. In a divided opinion, the Supreme Court upheld defendant AT&T Mobility's right to compel plaintiff consumers to proceed in individual arbitrations and to prohibit recourse to consumer class action lawsuits. Since the landmark ruling, many commentators, lawyers, and consumers have been left wondering: is this an end to class action litigation? Before attempting to understand the potentially fatal implications of the Concepcion decision, we should delve into a background of the case, make clear the difference between arbitration and class action litigation, and explain why this issue is of critical importance to you, as consumers and employees.
