Medical Billing Models & Law Firm Billing Models

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/us/drive-by-doctoring-surprise-medical-bills.html?_r=0

Elisabeth Rosenthal, a physician who writes for the New York Times, wrote a lengthy article on Sunday about ways that hospitals and physician practices are increasing their revenues.  The examples she points out in her article are absolutely amazing.  Well-known physicians and hospitals calling in extra bodies, without consent from the patient, offer their services — unbeknown to the patient that is sedated — during surgical procedures.  While doctors will no doubt go on the defensive saying that there are times when an additional hand is needed in the operating room to adequately care for a patient, there are certainly other times where that extra hand is brought in to increase the hospital’s and/or physician’s bottom line.  It is a despicable but true practice that is no doubt becoming more prevalent in the tighter healthcare economic climate.

Unfortunately, the same can be said for many law firms.  Have you ever looked at a bill from your lawyer?  Take a look next time you receive a bill from a lawyer that you are paying on an hourly basis.  If you are “lucky” enough to hire one of the big firms, you will no doubt see billable entries by a senior partner, junior partner, associate, paralegal, secretary, and sometimes the college kid that is a runner!  Some mid-sized and small firms charge for every sheet of paper your case uses or each and every $0.48 stamp that is used to send correspondence in your case.

Some large corporations and others have caught on to the billing practices of law firms.  Some law firms have adapted by developing alternative billing models.  Others have abandoned the billable hour and now charge on a task-based model.  Sadly, the vast majority of law firms out there still thrive on sending the detailed bill.

Pay attention to your medical and legal bills.  Challenge the hospitals, physicians, and lawyers to tell you why they charge the way they charge.  As evidenced by Dr. Rosenthal’s article, it is time for both the medical and legal profession to take pause and adjust to the economy like so many others have done.

The Parian Law Firm, LLC gets no money unless and until we win your case.  The personal injury attorneys at The Parian Law Firm, LLC are experienced and can help you or someone you know who has been injured in an accident.  The Parian Law Firm, LLC – and the law firms throughout the country that The Parian Law Firm, LLC has strategic partnerships with – have a track record of recovering millions of dollars in cases involving others’ negligence.  Our personal injury attorneys are licensed in Georgia and Alabama, but take cases all over the United States.  Please contact us at (770) 727-5550 or fill out a contact form at www.westgalawyer.com for a no-obligation assessment of your potential personal injury claim.

Proven. Personal. Parian.

What to Do When in a Car Wreck – Part 3 of 3

Well, here is the grand finale in our three part series about the second most common question asked of many lawyers.  What are you supposed to do when you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle accident?  We have been through the moments immediately after a wreck in Part 1 to documentation and not admitting fault in Part 2.  Now, we move on to things to consider away from the scene of the car accident.

(7)  GO TO THE DOCTOR. – Your adrenaline is flowing.  Just like a race car driver after wrecking, you may be able to move or in some cases run from the car.  However, never underestimate a car or truck accident.  No matter how slight the impact, you or others in the car may have suffered an injury.  Therefore, it is recommended that you see a doctor soon after a car accident.  It is always better to be safe than sorry!

(8) NOTIFY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY – By now, you know where your car insurance card is hopefully.  Go ahead and make the phone call to them letting them know about the accident.  Keep in mind that the person on the other end of the line works for an insurance company.  While they do (most times) have your best interests in mind, that person on the other end of the line is also trying to improve the large corporate behemoth’s bottom line.

(9) FOLLOW THRU WITH YOUR DOCTOR’S ORDERS – You would not believe the calls that come in from people that have been injured in an accident and simply QUIT going to the doctor.  More times than not, they simply had no health insurance or other funds to pay the medical providers.  Regardless of such, you need to continue medical care if you have been injured.  Get in touch with a personal injury lawyer.  He or she can help you get the care you need.

While not all inclusive of every accident, this 3 part series gives you a place to start when you have an accident.   The personal injury attorneys at The Parian Law Firm, LLC are experienced with car wreck and truck accident claims and can help you or someone you know who has been injured in such an accident.  The Parian Law Firm, LLC – and the law firms throughout the country that The Parian Law Firm, LLC has strategic partnerships with – have a track record of recovering millions of dollars in car wreck and truck accident cases.  Our personal injury attorneys are licensed in Georgia and Alabama, but take cases all over the United States.  Please contact us at (770) 727-5550 or fill out a contact form at www.westgalawyer.com for a no-obligation assessment of your potential car wreck or truck accident claim.

Proven. Personal. Parian.

What to Do When In a Car Wreck – Part 2 of 3

This is the second installment of a three part series addressing the second most common question asked lawyers by friends, family, and acquaintances.  What are you supposed to do when you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle accident?  In the first installment (Part 1), we discussed the initial moments following the accident and how you must (1) contact the police, if able; (2) don’t move your car until the police tell you to move your car; and (3) start writing down names of witnesses.  So what comes next?

(4)  INSURANCE, INSURANCE, INSURANCE!! – 9.5 times out of 10, car wrecks and truck accidents involve more than one vehicle.  Therefore, the next step following the accident is to get the names of all of the other drivers involved.  Ask to see their insurance card.  Don’t be alarmed if the insurance card is in someone else’s name.  If your cell phone is not shattered, take a picture of the front side and back side of the insurance card.  If your cell phone is nowhere to be seen, find pen/pencil/stick and a paper-like material.  Write down the insurance company’s name, policy holder’s name, and policy number.  Should the other driver tell you they do not have car insurance, kick them in the shin.  You have my permission.

(5)  PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES!! – As you can tell from yesterday’s post, I hope you can find your cell phone!!  However, if you cannot, ask to borrow a witness’s cell phone and start snapping photos of the accident scene.  Should the wreck leave you in a position where you are unable to take pictures, ask one of the witnesses helping you to take pictures.  Pictures are very important when dealing with an insurance company.  Adjusters almost always have amnesia about the facts of an accident until they are shown a picture.  These pictures do not have to Olan Mills quality.  They just need to paint a picture of the accident scene.

(6)  NEVER ADMIT FAULT!! – So, okay, you were all caught up in singing the latest Nickelback song.  Yeah, you hit the car in front of you.  However, something just doesn’t seem right to you.  The person in the other car gets out of his car, walks two steps, falls to the ground and starts screaming that you hit him.  Whatever your inner “angel” tells you, DO NOT ADMIT IT WAS YOUR FAULT!  Take a deep breath.  Police officers will be there soon enough.  They are trained in investigating wrecks of all kinds.  Let them do the investigating.  You just be truthful when asked questions.

The final piece of this puzzle on “what to do when I have been involved in a motor vehicle accident?” comes tomorrow.  The personal injury attorneys at The Parian Law Firm, LLC are experienced with car wreck and truck accident claims and can help you or someone you know who has been injured in such an accident.  The Parian Law Firm, LLC – and the law firms throughout the country that The Parian Law Firm, LLC has strategic partnerships with – have a track record of recovering millions of dollars in car wreck and truck accident cases.  Our personal injury attorneys are licensed in Georgia and Alabama, but take cases all over the United States.  Please contact us at (770) 727-5550 or fill out a contact form atwww.westgalawyer.com for a no-obligation assessment of your potential car wreck or truck accident claim.

Proven. Personal. Parian.

What to Do When In a Car Wreck? – Part 1 of 3

There are some common questions that lawyers hear from friends, family, and acquaintances.  First by a long shot is “what do I do if I get pulled over and I’ve been drinking?”  Easy — Obey the officer and pass the tests!!  The second most common question is “what do I do when I have been involved in a motor vehicle accident?”

Recognizing that all wrecks are different, it is difficult to say what is to be done.  However, I wanted to give some basic ideas about what to do in the event you find yourself in one of these unfortunate situations.  As stated before, there are many ways to deal with a car wreck.  I am just giving you what I recommend to people when they ask the second most common question to lawyers.

(1)  CONTACT THE POLICE, IF ABLE – More times than not, car wrecks occur in areas of population.  Therefore, it is assumed that someone else has called 911 to report the wreck.  DON’T ASSUME!  If you are not too injured to contact 911 — and if you can find your cell phone — please do so.  Official records such as accident reports are crucial in dealings with insurance companies.  You want the local emergency authorities to prepare such.

(2)  DON’T MOVE YOUR CAR UNTIL THE POLICE TELL YOU TO MOVE YOUR CAR – If your car is operable, it is often human instinct to get out of the way of others.  Moving your vehicle could result in an inaccurate official report.  It is best to leave the vehicles where they lie.  So what if you are blocking a two-lane road and your car can be moved?  Take out your cell phone and take pictures of the vehicles; say thank you to those sitting there waiting on you to take those pictures; and move your car.

(3)  START WRITING DOWN NAMES OF WITNESSES – Virtually every wreck has them just like every tornado has that one guy that hears the “freight train” coming and gets on the local news to tell all about it.  No matter how minor the car wreck, write down the name, address, and cell phone number of every single witness of the wreck.  You never know when that minor fender-bender could turn into something much more pressing.

Tomorrow comes Part 2 of this discussion into “what do I do when I have been involved in a motor vehicle accident?”   The personal injury attorneys at The Parian Law Firm, LLC are experienced with car wreck and truck accident claims and can help you or someone you know who has been injured in such an accident.  The Parian Law Firm, LLC — and the law firms throughout the country that The Parian Law Firm, LLC has strategic partnerships with — have a track record of recovering millions of dollars in car wreck and truck accident cases.  Our personal injury attorneys are licensed in Georgia and Alabama, but take cases all over the United States.  Please contact us at (770) 727-5550 or fill out a contact form at www.westgalawyer.com for a no-obligation assessment of your potential car wreck or truck accident claim.

Proven. Personal. Parian.

Alarming Medical Malpractice News

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/despite-multiple-malpractice-payouts-doctors-often-keep-practicing/

CBS News recently wrote an article pointing out the rather lax policing of doctors.  There are situations all across America where physicians are still practicing medicine despite having been part of multiple medical malpractice claims.  This is a scary realization that has been exposed.

This piece illuminates the importance about seeking the best possible medical care.  There are lots of resources that you can use on the internet to determine whether your healthcare provider has been subject to any potential malpractice claims.  In Georgia, look to the Georgia Composite Medical Board website at medicalboard.georgia.gov and in Alabama look to the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners & Medical Licensure Commission website at www.albme.org.  Last but not least, use your favorite search engine (i.e. Google,Yahoo, Bing) and simply put your doctor’s name in the search box.  These steps should give you some assurance that your doctor is one of the best around.

The personal injury attorneys at The Parian Law Firm, LLC are experienced with medical malpractice claims and can help you or someone you know who has been injured by the negligence of a healthcare provider.  The Parian Law Firm, LLC and the law firms throughout the country that The Parian Law Firm, LLC has strategic partnerships with have a track record of recovering millions of dollars due to medical malpractice claims.  Our personal injury attorneys are licensed in Georgia and Alabama, but take cases all over the United States.  Please contact us at (770) 727-5550 or fill out a contact form at www.westgalawyer.com for a no-obligation assessment of your potential medical malpractice claim.

Proven.  Personal.  Parian.

New Cancer Risks Associated with Baby Powder

I spent this past week in Chicago, Illinois meeting with and learning from some of the best personal injury litigators in America.  Many friendships were made, and multiple strategic alliances were formed with other lawyers all over America.  I am happy to report that The Parian Law Firm, LLC (www.westgalawyer.com) is committed to ensuring that its clients have the best attorney team possible to get the results they deserve.

While surfing the internet during my downtime in Chicago, I read an article that I believe hammers home why you, the individual, deserves justice. About 2 years ago, Johnson & Johnson announced that it was removing some allegedly toxic ingredients from its baby and infant products.  It even went so far as to put a positive advertising spin on the removal of those ingredients by stating that the ingredients were removed for their “customers’ peace of mind.”  Who are those ads targeting?  Yep.  The mothers of those children using Johnson & Johnson baby and infant products.

However, what Johnson & Johnson is not telling you is how they are not looking out for the welfare of the mothers of those children.  The National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.org) announced that there is evidence that exposure of the female genitalia to talcum powder increases a female’s risk of developing ovarian cancer.  Yet, Johnson & Johnson continues to produce baby powder products and other shower products routinely used by women containing talcum powder.  You will find NO WARNING LABEL WHATSOEVER on the product about the risks.

There are several lawsuits pending on behalf of women who used Johnson & Johnson baby powder products.  Hopefully, these lawsuits will get the attention of the corporate behemoth to remove the cancer-causing ingredient, or at a minimum, place a simple warning on the product.  We, at The Parian Law Firm, LLC, stand ready to fight for the justice you deserve if you believe that talcum powder is a potential cause of your or loved one’s ovarian cancer.  Call us today at (770) 727-5550 or visit our website atwww.westgalawyer.com/contact-us/ to fill out a contact sheet.

Proven.  Personal.  Parian.

Thanks for Representing Me, But........Ya Fired

Ever hear anyone say this about their attorney?  “I can’t get the guy/girl to call me back!”  “The only person that I am able to talk to is the paralegal!”  “My attorney is pressuring me into settling my claim.”  “My attorney’s associate always says he has to ask my attorney!” 

I admit to hearing the above complaints.  I can even say that I was directly involved in causing such an answer!  However, you should never feel you are not your attorneys’ top priority.  After all, you hired your attorney to speak on and represent your interests.  In the personal injury context, trust should be the top priority.  After all, you want your attorney to FIGHT for every penny you are rightfully entitled to.

So what do you do when you lose faith in your present counsel?  Luckily, you are not stuck.  Take a look at the contract you executed with the attorney.  It probably lays out the procedure for ending the relationship.  You will most likely be “on the hook” to compensate the attorney for the fair and reasonable value of the time he or she spent on the case.  Such cost must be evaluated prior to ending the relationship.  Depending on the amount of such, it may cause issues with retaining another attorney. 

If you do decide to terminate your lawyer, do so in writing.  The letter should set forth and document any conduct or reasons supporting your decision.  It should also give instruction as to where he or she needs to send your file.

Bear in mind that if you do fire your attorney, you MUST be extremely picky with which firm you retain next.  You want to hire the attorney with the highest level of competence dealing with the issues involved in your case.  Keep in mind that some states do not require the attorney to turn over his "work product" or mental impressions or theories of the case. Do not threaten your lawyer with legal action or a reporting to the bar association. This will only strengthen his resolve to intervene into your case and recover the entirety of his fee.

Treat the unpleasant task for firing your lawyer professionally.  Hopefully, the lawyer will respond likewise.  After all, good lawyers value their reputations.  The best lawyers want only what is in their client’s best interests.  If their client hiring another lawyer better serves that client, then such lawyer should be happy to relinquish the case for the good of the client.

Proven. Personal. Parian.

$3.35 Million Verdict in State Court of Fulton County

The Parian Law Firm, LLC would like to extend congratulations to attorney Joel Williams of Joel Williams Law, LLC and his clients on a $3.35 million dollar jury verdict returned in the State Court of Fulton County.  Joel is one Cade Parian’s law school classmates and a fellow Georgia trial lawyer that The Parian Law Firm, LLC works with on a regular basis.

The basis for the case was a car wreck that occurred in February, 2011, when the Defendant driver crossed the center line and ran the Plaintiff off the road causing him to lose control of his vehicle.  The Plaintiff suffered severe shoulder injuries and a mild herniation in his lumbar spine.  He also incurred almost $420K in medical expenses.  The Defendant (and his insurance company) denied liability and damages.

Following a 3 day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Plaintiff for $3.35 million, plus $75K to the Plaintiff’s wife for loss of companionship.  This is a wonderful result for a wonderful client and all-around good lawyer.  Justice was done today my friends.

Proven. Personal. Parian.

www.westgalawyer.com