The Illinois Personal Injury Weblog of Schaeffer & Lamere P.C.

Florida Supreme Court to Review Tobacco Lawsuit

From the Associated Press via TBO.com: "Florida High Court Hears Appeal In $145B Verdict For Sick Smokers"--

A decade has passed since a group of sick and angry cigarette smokers banded together in an unprecedented legal fight against the tobacco industry. A two- year trial produced the biggest award ever delivered by an American jury - $145 billion.

Now, in the midst of an evolving legal climate on tobacco-related lawsuits, Florida's Supreme Court is ready to review a lower court ruling throwing out both the money and a decision allowing the state's smokers to sue as one.

Election 2004: Battleground States

You can keep up on the 2004 presidential race with Time magazine's interactive map. Although Illinois is a clear winner for Kerry, there is plenty of drama in the so-called "battleground states," which include Missouri.

Lawsuits Mounting Against Brokers

From the Associated Press via the San Francisco Chronicle: "Civil lawsuits mount against brokers accused of bid-rigging," by Stephen Singer--

The insurance broker accused by the New York attorney general of bid rigging and price fixing faces another threat: lawsuits filed by angry customers and the company's own shareholders, who are upset the company's stock has plummeted.

Civil lawsuits against Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc., some of which seek class-action status, take numerous forms. At least seven federal lawsuits have been filed as of Wednesday, and a California attorney has filed a lawsuit in state court.

Potential litigants number in the tens of thousands, one lawyer said.

Blunt-McCaskill Race Tight in Missouri

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Governor's race remains 'definitely deadlocked,'" by Jo Mannies--

Millions of dollars in TV campaign ads have failed to budge Missouri voters, who remain deadlocked over who should be selected as the state's next governor.

A new poll for the Post-Dispatch shows that the biggest change since last month's survey is that Missouri voters have a poorer opinion of the two chief contenders for the state's top job, state Auditor Claire McCaskill and Secretary of State Matt Blunt.

That's likely a product of the duo's barrage of negative ads attacking each other. In the past month, the two have spent more than $4.6 million on TV ads, according to TNDMI/Campaign Media Analysis Group, an independent ad-monitoring firm whose clients include the Post-Dispatch.

Flu Vaccine from Europe to Illinois?

From the Associated Press via the Alton Telegraph: "Illinois seeks federal approval to buy flu vaccine from Europe," by Melanie Coffee--

Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked for federal permission Monday to buy at least 62,000 doses of flu vaccine from a British wholesaler, but federal health officials worry that the doses might not be safe or effective.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not immediately respond to the letter from Blagojevich, who has been fighting with the federal agency over importing cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and Europe.

"I have every reason to think the FDA will work with us on this," Blagojevich said in announcing the plan Monday. "First of all, there’s an urgent need. Secondly, President Bush himself said he was looking to Canada to provide some help."

Inside the Vioxx Scandal

There's a long article about Merck and Vioxx in Fortune magazine titled "Will Merck Survive Vioxx?" According to the author, "The cost of settling the lawsuits will almost surely be in the billions of dollars, quite possibly in the tens of billions."

If you have other questions about Vioxx or are looking for a Vioxx lawyer, you can call my law firm, Schaeffer & Lamere, for a free consultation at (618) 467-8200 or (888) 783-9679 (toll free) if you used Vioxx and suffered any of the following side effects:

• Heart attack;


• Stroke;


• Blood clots;


• Deep vein thrombosis;


• Pulmonary embolism.

You can also send an e-mail telling us what went wrong (click the "e-mail" link). We are attorneys who have had years of experience with pharmaceutical litigation like lawsuits against Merck. As your Vioxx attorneys, we can help!

Tort Reform Group Ordered to Stop Anti-Maag Ad

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Tort reform group is ordered to pull ad," by Paul Hampel--

In what may be the first test of a new Illinois campaign finance law, a judge has ordered a tort reform group to pull a radio ad about the Illinois Supreme Court race.

Circuit Judge Phillip Palmer of Williamson County issued the temporary restraining order Tuesday against Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch in response to a suit filed by a union, Operating Engineers Local 318 of Marion, Ill.

The union's suit alleged that ILAW violated the state's new Campaign Disclosure Act in accepting what the union contends are campaign contributions without registering as a political committee and disclosing its contributors and expenditures.

Marsh & McClellan CEO to Resign

From Newsweek via Yahoo! News: "Marsh & McLennan CEO Appears Likely to Resign as Early as Monday After Board Meeting"--

Following New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's recent campaign against big insurance companies over secretive payoffs and kickbacks between brokers and insurers, the impact has been big and fast.

Newsweek has learned that the CEO of Marsh & McLennan, one of Spitzer's most recent target companies, appears likely to resign as early as Monday following a board meeting where the company will enact reforms that it hopes will lead to a settlement with the A.G. (Marsh has no comment.)

And Spitzer's charges against Marsh have shaved billions from its stock-market value. "The thread that binds this case as well as the others," Spitzer tells Newsweek, "is the violation of trust and duty by someone who has a fiduciary duty to do what's right."

Group Helps With Phone Bills

From the Alton Telegraph: "Citizens group in town to untangle phone bills," by Dave Whaley--

If you think your phone bill takes awhile to read through, you should see what the Citizens Utility Board has prepared to make things easier.

"It’s kind of a running joke we have that it took a 20-page guide to explain a one- or two-page phone bill," said Jim Chilsen, a spokesman for CUB.

Chilsen and two other officials from CUB, the nonprofit utility watchdog formed in Illinois 20 years ago, were at Senior Services Plus on Thursday morning to help people understand the seemingly endless list of charges on their phone bills. About 100 people were there for help.

AIG Under Investigation

From the Associated Press via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "U.S. enters investigation of AIG insurance practices," by Eileen Alt Powell--

[Eliot] Spitzer's investigation into the insurance industry has focused on contingent commissions, known also as placement-service or market-service agreements.

Spitzer, in filing the civil suit against Marsh & McLennan, called them "payoffs" and also accused the insurance brokerage of bid rigging. The practices, Spitzer said, forced business clients to pay more for property and casualty insurance than was fair.

Some analysts believe Spitzer may expand his investigation to include "tying," which is the practice by which insurance companies hand over their reinsurance needs in exchange for future referrals for their primary insurance.