Fighting for Justice

AAJ Highway Safety Advocates Take to the Hill

Katie Gommel — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:29:19 +0000

Every year over 3,000 people died in trucking accidents in the U.S. Today, members of AAJ’s trucking litigation group traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for their clients who are killed and injured in trucking accidents and call on Congress to improve safety in the trucking industry.

In one-on-one meetings, AAJ’s attorneys asked Members of Congress to raise an outdated 30 year old insurance limit on tractor trailers. Fatal truck crashes costs approximately $4.3 million in direct costs today, but the insurance minimum for trucks has remained at $750,000 since 1980. Without adequate insurance limits for the trucking industry, all consumers pay the price when a vehicle and truck collide.

Helping Tornado Victims in Oklahoma

Katie Gommel — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:08:58 +0000

A massive tornado has ripped through a suburb of Oklahoma City, leaving dozens dead and injured. Many AAJ members have emailed, asking how they can help. Here are some suggestions.

Elected officials must ensure that equality is not just an idea, but a reality

Michelle Widmann Kimmel — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:59:57 +0000

Happy National Law Day! This year’s theme is “Realizing the Dream: Equality for All.”

AAJ President Mary Alice McLarty comment on this year’s theme:

“A cornerstone of equality and civil rights in America is the Constitutional right of individuals to have their claims heard by an impartial judge and jury through the civil justice system. This gives all Americans the power and ability to ensure their rights are upheld. As President John Adams said, 'Representative government and trial by jury are the heart and lungs of liberty.’”

Be sure to read AAJ’s full statement and learn more about National Law Day.

AAJ Member: Botulism and Botox [Video]

Katie Gommel — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:02:21 +0000

AAJ Member Matt Sill warns about the potential dangers of Botulism with Botox. See video below and here for the full story from Lawyers.com.

AAJ President Named Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America

Katie Gommel — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:16:18 +0000

Mary Alice McLarty, AAJ’s president, has been honored by The National Law Journal as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America. The National Law Journal writes:

Mary Alice McLarty's election last year as president of the American Association Justice made her Public Enemy No. 1 to the forces of "tort reform"—and the prime defender of the right to seek redress in court. The focus for now is in "Take Justice Back," an online campaign targeting government and corporate accountability for preventable medical errors, generic drug labels and more. McLarty, 66, practices law at McLarty Pope in Dallas, is an op-ed contributor to CNN and is frequently quoted in the news media. And she didn't even attend law school or obtain her law license until her mid-30s. How's that for a role model?

Kentucky Nursing Homes Need More Accountability Not Less

Katie Gommel — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:36:10 +0000

Senate Bill 9, which was just introduced in Kentucky, is an alarming effort by the nursing home industry to avoid responsibility and reduce their accountability when caring for our loved ones.

Contrary to the industry proposal, our seniors deserve an unbiased venue in which to make their cases without paying higher costs or increasing the size of our government.

Please join in this fight to protect those we love living in these facilities. If you live in KY, please call your State Senator today at 1-800-372-7181 and urge them to vote no on SB 9.

To learn more about SB 9 and its harmful effects, watch the video below and click here.

Scottsdale Seminar: Winning Medical Negligence Cases with Rules of the Road

AAJ Education — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:40:10 +0000

Join Patrick Malone and an all-star group of faculty in Scottsdale, AZ on March 8–9 for AAJ’s Seminar on Winning Medical Negligence Cases with Rules of the Road. With an extended format and brainstorming session to review real cases, this seminar is your guide to handling difficult medical negligence cases.

Visit www.justice.org/Rules for more information. Please note that this seminar is exclusively for AAJ plaintiff members and paralegal affiliates.