The Leader Law Firm would like to thank journalist Steve Kroft and “60 Minutes” for its powerful 2013 coverage of Louis Taylor.

Several years later, in March 1972, an all-white jury convicted Taylor of arson and murder related to the tragic December 20, 1970 fire at the Pioneer Hotel in Tucson. The fire was one of the most tragic, infamous events in Tucson’s history.

In 2013, Tucson Fire Department publicly acknowledged that there is no way to know if the Pioneer Hotel fire was arson, based on current fire technology.

Prosecutor Horton Weiss led Taylor’s 1972 prosecution. Weiss was a controversial deputy county attorney whose improper and unethical practices were well known to local judges and lawyers. He was jailed after Taylor’s trial for misconduct in another case (occurring before Taylor’s trial). It was reported that Weiss used racial epithets when referring to people of color.

Weiss, the prosecution, and detectives committed numerous misdeeds before and during Taylor’s 1972 trial, resulting in an unconstitutional conviction. After trial, the presiding judge publicly stated he would not have convicted Taylor.

By 1970, the Pioneer Hotel was a tinderbox, susceptible to fire and an overall deathtrap. Escape doors were improperly locked, and there were no sprinkler systems.

Taylor’s 1972 convictions were invalidated in April 2013, only on the condition that Taylor pleads “no contest” to crimes that never occurred. This was an injustice to Taylor, surviving family members of those who died in the fire, and all Pima County citizens. There will be no closure for this tragic event until Louis Taylor is exonerated.

On April 6, Louis Taylor celebrated his 67th birthday. He spent 42 of his 67 years behind bars for a crime that never occurred. Lacking evidence to convict Taylor and lacking evidence that a crime even occurred, the prosecution required Taylor to plead “no contest”. This was improper.

The Leader Law Firm and its co-counsel continue their efforts to obtain justice for Mr. Taylor.

The post Seeking Justice for Louis Taylor appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

Several highways in Arizona made this list, and 2020 is no exception. The Leader Law Firm focuses on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases. Many of our cases are from interstate crashes, often involving semi-trucks or defective roadways.

Safety measures such as cable median barriers could reduce fatalities from crossover crashes. However, the Arizona Department of Transportation has refused to recognize them as a viable safety measure.

What Arizona highways made the 2020 most dangerous highways list?

I-17 between Tucson and Nogales came in at number on the list. Heavy truck traffic, a lack of median cable barriers, and increased traffic levels contribute to many fatalities. 

Coming in at number 11 is a notorious stretch of roadway that’s made the list before; I-10 between Phoenix and the California border. According to Popular Mechanics, “the 150-mile stretch from Phoenix to the California border is dangerous, with this section through lightly populated desert seeing up to 85 deaths in a single year. However, Arizona’s total state death toll is only about 700 for all roads in an average year.” 

I-17 runs 145 miles from Phoenix to Flagstaff. It’s known for lengthy delays during peak travel times (and when crashes occur); I-17 was the thirteenth deadliest roadway in the U.S. Governor Ducey announced plans to widen and improve I-17 by 2023, with construction scheduled to begin in 2021.

Arizona’s population has exploded in recent years. To keep our highways safe for the public, it’s time to invest in improvements and proven safety measures.

If you’ve been involved in a highway crash in Arizona, contact the Leader Law Firm to schedule a free case consultation. 

The post The Three Most Dangerous Highways in Arizona appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

Thousands of people are injured on the job every year. A recent story in the Washington Post tells the story of a Sports reporter who was severely wounded while interviewing.

The article illustrates some of the difficulties injured people face when they make claims and why it’s crucial to get a lawyer when you’ve been injured.

Lindsay Simpson, a talented up-and-coming reporter, was at a stadium preparing for an interview when a piece of metal unexpectedly fell and hit her head. She was seriously injured as a result.

Simpson suffered a traumatic brain injury that profoundly affected her life. Due to the injury, she filed a worker’s compensation claim. “Workers compensation” insurance applies when people become injured on the job. Because Simpson was working, she could file a worker’s compensation claim.

Unfortunately, insurance companies providing Worker’ Compensation coverage often don’t treat injured employees fairly. For example, the insurance company hired a doctor who denied that Simpson was struck in the head with a piece of metal.

No one should be disputing that Simpson was hit in the head by a piece of metal and injured. But unfortunately, insurance companies can hire experts who will say just about anything to help the insurance company avoid paying fair (or any) compensation.

As a Personal Injury Lawyer, I’ve experienced similar circumstances. A client (who will remain anonymous) was hurt on the job and filed a worker’s compensation claim. Several doctors, including doctors hired by the insurance company, concluded in good faith that he needed cervical spine surgery.

The insurance company then hired another doctor, who was well known to be a captive of the insurance industry. The doctor said my client didn’t need neck surgery. This was an absurd, medically indefensible position, but the insurance company didn’t care.

I understand and recognize the games insurance companies play. However, I don’t put up with it.
In the end, I successfully obtained a substantial financial recovery for my client.

If you’ve been injured on the job, immediately seek the necessary medical treatment and contact an experienced Personal Injury Lawyer. The Leader Law Firm offers free case consultations. Contact us to schedule a consultation at (520) 575-9040.

The post What to Do If You Are Injured on the Job appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

Law enforcement agencies need to be more careful in hiring and then monitoring “Peace officers” (“peace officer” is a generic term that applies to police officers, sheriffs deputies, and any other law-enforcement officer). Agencies should look closely at any potential racial bias in candidates.

Agencies that oversee peace officers need to be more rigorous in applying their standards. Years ago, I filed a lawsuit against an Arizona sheriff’s deputy who was charged with and convicted of committing sexual crimes against my client. Through that process, I learned a lot about how law-enforcement agencies hire and monitor their employees.

After learning about this deputy’s history, it was clear to me that he never should’ve been hired, and that he should’ve been fired before the incident occurred.

The application process for peace officers is relatively extensive. Lengthy written applications are generally required, along with an interview and a psychological evaluation. In my case, the psychological assessment suggested possible anger issues and issues with women. Based on this, The deputy in question never should’ve been hired.

The problem in that case?

The person in charge of doing the background investigation had never done a background investigation before. Law enforcement agencies need to take this very seriously, and any possible issues regarding fitness should preclude a candidate. Anything but a perfect score on a psychological evaluation should be unacceptable.

The application process must include questions touching on racial issues. This is critical. Psychologists or psychiatrists doing the psychological evaluation should and must explore racial bias.

Peace officers need to be carefully monitored after they’re hired. All law-enforcement agencies have an “Internal Affairs” division that is supposed to oversee officer conduct. In the George Floyd case, the officer in question has multiple prior complaints against him. Had the department’s internal affairs division been more vigilant, the officer would’ve lost his job long ago.

Law enforcement agencies need to do a better job of hiring and monitoring their officers.

And there’s still more we can do. In Arizona, there’s an organization known as “APOST,” or, the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board. Anyone serving as a police officer or sheriff’s deputy in Arizona must be certified and in good standing with this organization. These organizations sometimes hear complaints regarding certified officers, and they, too, need to be more careful in their certification process.

APOST should require all Arizona law-enforcement agencies to have non-discrimination policies. APOST should require that pre-employment psychological evaluations cover racial issues.

Each agency should have mandatory, formal non-discrimination policies as well as mandatory racial sensitivity training. 

Peace officers perform a vital and necessary role in our society. We cannot exist as a civilized society without law enforcement. At the same time, we trust peace officers to protect our most cherished values – including life and liberty. We have to be highly selective in whom we hire.

As a federal prosecutor in the 1990s, I had the opportunity to work with many such officers (federal and state/local). The vast majority of these people were conscientious, ethical, and hard-working.

It is my firmly held belief that the majority of peace officers in the United States fit this description.

But “most” isn’t enough.

I challenge all law-enforcement agencies and oversight agencies to be more vigilant in hiring and monitoring officers in this country. I challenge these same agencies to adopt mandatory non-discrimination policies and screening.

We can do this – and we must do this.

The post Racial Bias and the Use of Excessive Force appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

The recent, tragic news of the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others in a helicopter crash shocked the nation. Kobe, along with his daughter and seven others, died when the helicopter they were riding in crashed during heavy fog conditions. They were apparently on their way to a basketball tournament, north of Los Angeles.

In any catastrophic crash situation, there is a time for mourning and then a time for evaluating, and the Leader Law Firm appreciates that this may still be the time for grieving.

But there are very troubling aspects of this tragedy. The helicopter was not equipped with a terrain avoidance warning system – which would have told the pilot he was too close to the ground and presumably given him a chance to avoid this. The NTSB has long urged federal aviation authorities to require black boxes on helicopters.

The Los Angeles area is known to have fog and low cloud ceilings, as well as mountainous terrain. Does it certainly seem that the company that owned this helicopter should have invested in the terrain warning system? Especially in Los Angeles, a city known for heavy air traffic and mountainous terrain. Such technology is available for this type of aircraft.

What’s more, the pilot, a competent and experienced aviator, knew of the overcast conditions and knew his aircraft was not equipped with a terrain avoidance warning system.

Based on what is currently known, it certainly appears he should’ve known better and was doing something hazardous, which ended in tragedy.

There will almost surely be multiple legal claims related to the helicopter crash, as there should be.

In situations like this, lawyers like John Leader perform an invaluable service, holding those accountable for poor decisions that end in tragedy.

We wish to extend our condolences to all the victims of this tragedy.

The post Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

A disturbing study reveals that Arizona had one of the top five most dangerous highways in America during the summer driving months in recent years.

ASecurelife.com ranked the most dangerous highways nationwide from 2015 to 2017 based on fatalities. For example, Interstate 10, which stretches for 329 miles through Arizona, had 100 deaths in the study timeframe.

One hundred fatalities ranked number five for a single highway in the U.S., behind I-5 in California, I-10 in Texas, U.S. Route 1 in Florida, and I-75 in Georgia. These states have much larger populations, yet the Arizona stretch of I-10 ranked an astonishing number five.

The study data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, known as “FARS.”

ASecurelife.com wanted to “bring awareness to summer travelers about highway risks.” We are familiar with the risks associated with I-10 in Arizona. We have represented numerous families who have lost loved ones in catastrophic crashes on the I-10.

ASecurelife.com said fatalities were the only data point assessed in their two-year study.

According to an Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) spokesperson, “Fatalities alone shouldn’t be the sole indicator of a roadway’s safety performance.”

Many factors come into play regarding highway safety, but the number of deaths is the most significant.

Fatalities are not just a “variable or an indicator.” They represent family members who will never come home again.

Arizona has over 7 million people, according to Worldatlas.com. California has 39 million people, and Texas has 28 million. Yet, we ranked number five in roadway fatalities.

How long will Arizona deny we have one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the nation?

If you or someone in your family has lost a loved one in a highway crash in Arizona, contact the Leader Law Firm for a free case evaluation.

The post Arizona’s Deadly Highway Ranking appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

A recent lawsuit filed last month by a group of forty-four states, alleges that 20 major drug manufacturers conspired to artificially inflate and manipulate the prices of more than 100 generic drugs.

According to lawmakers, “Executives at Teva Pharmaceuticals allegedly orchestrated a sophisticated scheme to collude surreptitiously with competitors, artificially inflate the prices of over a hundred generic drugs, and destroy evidence of criminal conduct.”

Teva is one of the largest makers of generic drugs in the world. They have denied any wrongdoing and said it has been cooperating with the DOJ.

According to the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), a trade group that represents generic drug manufacturers, said it “believes in compliance with all competition and antitrust laws.”

“We take all instances of illegal behavior seriously. Anyone convicted of violating these laws should be punished appropriately,” the group said in a statement. “Vigorous, ethical competition is the foundation of the generic drug and biosimilar industry. The competition allows our companies to drive enormous savings and pass them on to patients and taxpayers.”

The civil suit alleges that Teva and nineteen additional generic drug manufacturers conspired to increase their prices, affecting Medicare and Medicaid, the health insurance market, and individuals. The current lawsuit named 15 senior executive defendants responsible for sales, marketing, pricing, and operations.

The generic drug companies have denied allegations of wrongdoing.

According to the lawsuit, the prices of more than 1,200 generic medications increased an average of 448 percent from July 2013 and July 2014.

The Leader Law Firm is not involved in the multi-state lawsuit.

The post Lawmakers Seek Generic Drug Price Investigation appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

Congress recently introduced the “For the People Act of 2019” that would make the federal election day a paid holiday for all federal employees and encourages private employers to do the same.

Several (13) U.S. States currently give state workers election day off with pay.

Following Congress’ lead, the Leader Law Firm will make Election Day (the first Tuesday in November election) a paid holiday for all employees, effective immediately and going forward.

We encourage all other Arizona employers to do the same.

The move is intended to give employees the time to cast their ballots, help other family members get to the polls, or volunteer at the polls.

The right to cast a meaningful vote sets America apart from other nations.

Let’s do everything we can to make voting more accessible and practical for all.

The post A Paid Day Off on Election Day appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator said that seven bodies were recovered from the scene of Thursday afternoon’s accident. Another person died after being taken to a hospital for treatment.

Early information indicated the semi was headed east when it blew a tire, sending the rig across the median and into oncoming traffic where it smashed into the bus, New Mexico State Police said.

The crash is known as a “crossover crash.” Crossover crashes occur when a vehicle leaves the roadway, crosses the median, and ends up in the opposing travel lanes.

Based on video and photographs, it does not initially appear that any median barrier cable was present on the roadway. However, median cable barriers are commonly used by many states to help prevent crossover crashes. Studies have shown that cable barriers can prevent 95% of crossover crashes.

According to New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas, the truck became “an 80,000-pound projectile”, hurtling across the median. Initial reports say that the semi-truck blew a tire, causing it to cross the median. Chief Kassetas pointed out the many passing motorists stopped to help extricate people from the bus, saving lives.

The driver of the truck survived and may provide insight as to the cause of the crash. Unfortunately, many Arizona highways lack cable median barriers, resulting in many fatal crossover crashes over the years.

Why doesn’t ADOT install median cable barriers on our highways?

According to an ABC 15 interview with ADOT official Steven Boschen, an ADOT assistant director, “cross-median crashes are rare and unpredictable, accounting for about one percent of fatalities.”

He also said the interstate’s 80-foot dirt medians are the safest option out there.

“By putting up cable barriers, we would be causing more harm than good,” Boschen said. “If we put a barrier out there, we are just introducing more harm. A barrier is a hazard, and there would be more crashes.”

According to ADOT, median cable barriers are a hazard. However, according to multiple studies, one from the U.S. Department of Transportation, cable barriers can prevent 95% of all crossover crashes.

Our condolences go to all the families who lost loved ones and those recovering from their catastrophic injuries.

The post I-40 Crossover Crash Kills 8 appeared first on Leader Law Firm.

Is it necessary to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer after such a crash?

Yes. Large truck accidents are more complicated than typical car accidents. However, an experienced truck accident lawyer knows the national safety guidelines for truck drivers and their companies.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 3,986 people died in large truck crashes in 2016. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 27 percent higher in 2016 than in 2009 when it was the lowest since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975.

Truck accidents are usually complex; often, there are multiple lines of insurance coverage. For example, the truck and the trailer may be owned by two separate corporations and can be insured by different carriers. Thus, we can hold responsible and pursue both parties for their part in the negligence that caused any injuries.

A complete investigation of a truck accident can involve experts in transportation, accident reconstruction, and other specified entities. The Leader Law Firm has a full complement of professional experts at our disposal. Investigating a truck crash goes far beyond the official police report.

Specific federal guidelines, including required equipment and the amount of time a driver can spend behind the wheel, are in place to keep everyone safe.

The Leader Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our truck accident clients. We know the needed experts and how to investigate your potential claim properly.

Call the Leader Law Firm to set up your free case evaluation with John Leader, a highly experienced truck accident lawyer. (520) 575-9040.

When it comes to a truck accident, experience matters; crashes involving a large truck (commercial trucks, semi-trucks, tractor-trailers) can often be catastrophic and fatal. The majority of large trucks are massive vehicles, often carrying thousands of pounds of cargo and goods. These types of trucks are heavy and usually can’t stop quickly.

Is it necessary to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer after such a crash?

Yes. Large truck accidents are more complicated than typical car accidents. An experienced truck accident lawyer knows the national safety guidelines set up for truck drivers and their companies.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 3,986 people died in large truck crashes in 2016. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 27 percent higher in 2016 than in 2009, when it was the lowest since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975.

Truck accidents are usually complex; often, there are multiple lines of insurance coverage. The truck and the trailer may be owned by two separate corporations and can be insured by different carriers. Thus, we can hold responsible and pursue both parties for their part in the negligence that caused any injuries.

A complete investigation of a truck accident can involve experts in transportation, accident reconstruction, and other specified entities. The Leader Law Firm has a full complement of professional experts at our disposal. Investigating a truck crash goes far beyond the official police report.

Specific federal guidelines, including required equipment and the amount of time a driver can spend behind the wheel, are in place to keep everyone safe.

The Leader Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our truck accident clients. We know the experts that are needed and how to investigate your potential claim properly.

Call the Leader Law Firm to set up your free case evaluation with John Leader, a highly experienced truck accident lawyer. (520) 575-9040.

The post Large Truck Accidents: Experience Matters appeared first on Leader Law Firm.