Cruise Ship Alcohol
| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENTS, Uncategorized | , ,

Pre-Paid Alcohol Plans + Moving Cruise Ship = Injuries

Plans Encourage More Drinking

There’s something about traveling that brings out the desire to drink in certain individuals. Some people sit down in their seat on an airliner and the first thing they look for is the beverage cart. Many commuter trains used to have bar cars, but most have been eliminated. The Metro North line in New York and Connecticut was apparently the last and they ended in 2014.

Cruise lines have taken the concept of travel-drinking to a new high with all-you-can-drink plans for passengers who don’t want to take the chance they might not get enough booze on their voyage. Carnival Cruise Lines offers a plan called CHEERS! and their website says “The cost to purchase CHEERS! prior to your cruise is $49.95 USD per person, per day plus 15% gratuity.”

Cruise Ship AlcoholSome people feel that it is irresponsible to offer these types of drinking plans to people who are obviously going to be in an unfamiliar setting on a moving vessel. The cruise lines have no idea if they are selling these plans to responsible, experienced drinkers or people who have very bad reactions to alcohol. Everyone is different.

Common sense tells most people that excessive alcohol consumption reduces a person’s ability to control balance and motor skills. If common sense isn’t doing it, there is also plenty of medical evidence. According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol affects every single organ in the human body. After even just one drink, you might notice the effects of alcohol on your mind and ability to perceive your environment. This is the result of the alcohol being absorbed rapidly into your blood stream.

Each instance involving a passenger injured while imbibing in alcohol on cruise ship will involve several questions. Was the passenger indeed drunk? Was the passenger over-served? Was there negligence on the part of the ship involving dangerous conditions?  Some people might think, “If I get drunk and fall on a cruise ship, it’s not my fault,” and that may or may not be true. The responsibility for injuries incurred on a cruise ship is often a murky area, as there may be negligence by the passenger or by the ship. As with most things pertaining to the law, it’s complicated.

People go on cruises to have fun, there is no doubt about that. People also are injured, sometimes severely on cruise ships. When accidents happen, someone has to conduct a thorough investigation about the facts and circumstances that may have contributed to the incident. Many personal injury attorneys will claim to be qualified to handle a cruise ship injury but very few are actually experienced and have sufficient knowledge of the cruise industry to properly represent a victim.

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been representing the victims of cruise ship negligence for over 20 years. We are familiar with the tactics used by cruise line corporations, and we know how to get results for our clients. Please reach out to us by calling 954-356-0006 and ask to speak with Gary or Arleen Lazarus. All communication with our office is strictly confidential.

| lazaruslaw-2 | 0 Comments | PHARMACEUTICAL NELIGENCE, Uncategorized | , ,

“Their Anxiety Grew as the Pills Dwindled”

Supply Chain Issues Cause Stress and Jeopardize Patient Health

Pharmacy Supply Chain ErrorsWe have discussed the fact that medical errors are now the 3rd leading cause of death, and that pharmacy errors account for a great number of those deaths. Many mistakes regarding prescription medications occur as a result of human error such as putting the wrong pills in the bottle, mislabeling, or incorrect dosages.

A new article in Forbes – A Prescription Drug Bottleneck Put My Husband’s Life in Danger – addresses a growing number of patients dealing with the “supply-chain” side of getting medicine from the pharmaceutical manufacturers to the patient.

Some companies are trying to by-pass traditional pharmacies and send medication via mail-order in order to save money. This article describes a patient afflicted with Parkinson’s disease and his wife who endured several very stressful episodes when crucial medication was completely unavailable.

Are Prescription Medications Safe?

Another issue related to the pharmaceutical supply chain is the fact that drugs often pass through many hands as they travel from the factory to the consumer.

Wholesalers and secondary wholesalers often distribute medicine to the highest bidder, or ship them out of the country if there is a buyer willing to pay. It is also in these mid-level channels that counterfeit drugs sometimes infiltrate the market from China, Thailand, or Columbia. The more frequently a drug changes hands, the greater the chance that counterfeit or diverted drugs can enter the legitimate supply chain.

Such a porous supply chain poses hazards to patients — thousands of people worldwide die every year from ingesting fake drugs — and it costs the pharmaceutical industry an estimated US$46 billion a year in lost profits. The World Health Organization (WHO) in a recent study said that counterfeit drugs represent more than 10 percent of global sales. In 2004, the FDA reported that the number of its investigations of counterfeit drugs rose by 150 percent from the previous year as a growing number of criminal groups take advantage of high profits and penalties that are less severe than those for selling illegal narcotics such as heroin or cocaine.

The chances of receiving a counterfeit pill from one of the major pharmacy chains in the U.S. are very slim, but it’s not a bad idea to inspect your medications and make sure they look right, that they’re the right color, etc.

If something doesn’t look right with your medication check with your pharmacist, and there are pictures of pills online, look for one published by the manufacturer.

Lazarus and Lazarus has been dealing with pharmacy-error-related injuries for over 20 years. If you believe you have suffered due to a prescription medicine related error or negligence on the part of a pharmacist, pharmacy, or any medical practitioner, we would be happy to sit down with you and listen to your story. We can be reached by calling 954-356-0006

Edited by Telarfa Czanno

Accident Damage Florida
| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | AUTO ACCIDENTS, Uncategorized | , , ,

Documenting Injuries and Damage After a Motor Vehicle Accident

Early Photos and Witness Statements Help to Substantiate Your Case

The immediate reaction after a serious motor vehicle accident is often “oh no, what am I going to do?” There is usually confusion, phone calls to family and friends, and a general feeling of disbelief and bewilderment.

It’s a very good idea to make a mental note – right now – that if the time comes and you are involved in an accident, you must try to do your best to remain calm. Cool heads rule in situations like this and if you want to come away from a bad situation with as little negative results as possible, you’ll want to try to calmly and accurately document everything right from the start.

Accident Injuries and Accident Damages

Using an acronym sometimes helps remember what to do in stressful situations, so you may want to remember POW:

  • Pictures
  • Observations
  • Witnesses

Pictures – Almost everyone on Earth carries a phone with a camera. Try to take pictures immediately after an accident as long as it doesn’t interfere with rendering aid or with law enforcement’s investigation. If you can’t do it, perhaps someone else can do it for you. Damage to vehicles, road conditions, conditions at the time of the accident. For example, if a stop sign was laying on the ground and that caused you to not see it, take a picture. By the next day it may be repaired and your story has no support.

Early pictures of injuries are important because once they are bandaged or casted by medical personnel it may be weeks before you have the opportunity again.

Observe – Some things you cannot record with a camera, but try to remember or write down other things you notice. Who was there? Did someone leave the scene? Anything that seems unusual, try to make a written note of the details.

Witnesses – If the police are involved they will look for and interview witnesses, but sometimes a witness will leave before the law enforcement arrives. Try to get the names and numbers of people who might be able to help, and do it nicely. Witnesses can be a very important asset later if they are needed.

None of these things should ever be done if they interfere in any way with medical personnel or with law enforcement. They are valuable pieces to puzzle which may be gradually pieced together during the course of building a case which might involve statements, depositions, evidentiary fact-finding, lab tests, expert witnesses etc.

Once again, cool heads come out ahead.

Finding a Qualified Florida Accident Attorney

Now, after the dust settles and you have time to visit with an attorney who specializes in auto, truck, and motorcycle accidents, that attorney will be able to calmly explain your rights and your options. The pictures, observations, and witness information you gathered will greatly affect his or her ability to get to the truth for you.

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been working with victims of serious vehicle accidents for over 23 years. They work with people across south Florida and they are familiar with all aspects of accidents, from dealing with insurance companies and doctors, to working with law enforcement.

Calling 954-356-0606 will put you in touch with Gary and Arleen Lazarus, two of the most caring, competent, and dedicated personal injury attorneys in Florida. After a confidential meeting you will have all options explained to you with no obligation whatsoever.

| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | Florida Personal Injury Attorney, Uncategorized |

How to Select a Florida Personal Injury Attorney

Ask Questions and Do Your Research Before you Choose

There is no way to prepare for an accident. You wear seatbelts, drive carefully, and buy insurance, but you’re never really prepared for the unexpected.

If you haven’t been in a car accident, consider yourself lucky. Or overdue.

By car insurance industry estimates, you will file a claim for a collision about once every 17.9 years. That’s if you’re an average driver, which, whether you’re willing to admit it or not, you likely are.

Florida Personal Injury AttorneyChances are these crashes won’t be deadly. There are about 10 million accidents of all kinds each year, from parking lot scrapes to multi-car pileups, according to the National Safety Council; in 2009, just three of every 1,000 of those accidents involved fatalities.

When you’re involved in an accident, your first concerns are (1) yourself and (2) your car. If the accident is serious and there are injuries, it’s very important to immediately protect your rights under the law.

Medical bills start accumulating from the moment you are treated by a paramedic or physician, so time is of the essence. The first person to contact after medical help and law enforcement is a qualified personal injury attorney, but how do you find a good one?

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission offers these pointers for choosing an attorney:

Look for a lawyer who has experience and a good record settling personal injury cases. Some of the ways to find an attorney who specializes in auto accident settlements include:

  • Ask friends, family and associates.
  • Call your state bar association.
  • Check with a lawyer referral service.

And of course there is experience. Albert Einstein said “The only source of knowledge is experience.”

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been representing victims of automobile, truck, and motorcycle accidents for over 23 years. Gary and Arleen Lazarus are eminently qualified to understand the statutes involved with serious accidents and they are highly experienced dealing with hospitals, insurance companies, and law enforcement when there is a need to cut the red tape and get facts about their client’s cases.

Testimonials from previous clients can be reviewed here, and the attorney referral website avvo.com is an excellent place for additional reviews and ratings.

Confidentiality, trust, and attention to detail are three facets of the attorney-client relationship stressed by the Lazarus Law Firm. Any and all questions regarding qualifications, results, and procedures are welcomed by Gary and Arleen, and calling 954-356-0006 will put you in touch with their caring and professional staff.

Florida Accident Attorney
| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | AUTO ACCIDENTS, Uncategorized | , ,

Social Media and Accident Cases

Be Very Careful After an Accident – LOL may become an OMG

You’ve been in a car accident. You’re shaken up, but fortunately you’re not hurt badly. You think the same about the people in the other car.

The next day you share the details with everyone on social media. You post pictures from the scene, your thoughts about what happened, and you even comment about the nice-looking police officer who came to the accident. It all seems harmless and kind of funny.

Florida Accident AttorneyTwo days later you get word that someone in the other car is actually injured far more seriously than you thought, and you realize it might be better if some of the things you posted on the internet remained private. Quickly you delete everything you posted and you’re all in the clear. Right?

That’s not entirely accurate.

In today’s high-tech world not only are the images and text messages you deleted still somewhere on your computer or smart-phone, they’re on your friend’s devices as well. They’re also in a place known as “the cloud” which means they are now part of a virtual world where they can be accessed by almost anyone. Forever.

Electronically stored information, or ESI, is a very significant part of almost every legal case today. Nothing is ever really deleted, and through a process known as legal discovery your pictures, emails, and text messages can be recovered and used as evidence in a court of law. There are companies that specialize in extracting ESI and they are very proficient.

Everyone has a duty and a legal responsibility to be forthcoming and to tell the truth when speaking with a police officer or when giving statements under oath. However, no one has to publish potentially damaging evidence across the internet for the whole world to see.

There are real-life examples of people who doomed their court cases and settlements because of things they posted online. Insurance companies will do everything and anything they can to avoid paying damages and they will scour the internet trying to find something incriminating related to a victim who is completely innocent of any negligence in a personal injury case.

In the time gap between an accident and your first phone call to an attorney, it’s in your best interest to remain silent.

Securing the counsel of a qualified attorney after any accident is a very prudent decision. Your attorney can advise you on your rights as well as your responsibilities pertaining not only to your injuries and/or damages, but your right to not self-incriminate.

Personal Injury Experts

These are complex areas of law, and the Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus is very experienced with social media as it relates to personal injury cases. Calling 954-356-0006 immediately after you are involved in any accident or personal injury incident will put you in touch with Gary and Arleen Lazarus, who have been advising victims for over 23 years.