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

Credit Freezes Aid Consumers

From U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News: "More States Giving Consumers Power to Freeze Credit Files; Security Freeze Gives Consumers Powerful Protection Against ID Theft"--

After months of news about data security breaches that have put millions of consumers at risk of identity theft, an increasing number of states are enacting laws that give Americans a powerful new tool to help limit the damage of such fraud. Ten states have given consumers the right to put a security freeze on credit files so crooks can't open new accounts using stolen identities. More states are expected to follow suit and a bill extending the security freeze right to consumers nationwide has been introduced in Congress by Senator Mark Pryor.

"One of the biggest headaches that identity theft victims have to deal with is cleaning up the damage done to their credit records when crooks open new accounts in their names," said Susanna Montezemolo, Policy Analyst with Consumers Union's Financial Privacy Now campaign. "A security freeze gives consumers the ability to prevent thieves from ruining their credit records. If access to the consumer's credit files is frozen, the identity thief is stopped cold."

--Posted by T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois mass tort law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch via the Associated Press: "Lawyers gear up for first Vioxx suit against Merck," by Kristen Hays--

For more than eight months, Vioxx eased the pain and stiffness in Robert Ernst's hands. But eight days after Ernst, 59, a personal trainer, clocked 62 miles on a bike, he died in his sleep from an irregular heartbeat.

Believing Vioxx caused her husband's death, Carol Ernst will take on pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. in a Texas court in July. After the delay of a similar case in Alabama, it will be the first of 2,400 Vioxx lawsuits to go to trial.

--Posted by T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois personal injury law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

High Alert for Credit Fraud

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Retailers go on higher alert to halt credit fraud," by Michael D. Sorkin--

Retailers are taking more care to identify their customers because in many cases they must foot the bills when there is fraud.

Those concerns increased with the recent news that 40 million credit card numbers were compromised last month when a hacker apparently broke into a credit card processing computer system in Arizona.

--Posted by T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois personal injury law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

More Insurance Regulation in Missouri?

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Variable annuities industry fights against change," by Jack Naudi--

They were cordial, even complimentary to opponents. But for several hours Tuesday, a number of insurance industry representatives made a strong plea to state officials: One agency regulating variable annuities is plenty; any more than that would be trouble.

The issue has become a political hot potato in Jefferson City, where Secretary of State Robin Carnahan strongly supports legislation that would give her department dual control with the state Department of Insurance over the sale of variable annuities.

--Posted by T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois personal injury law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Rumbling Along the New Madrid Fault?

From the Associated Press via Lex18.com: "Second Earthquake in 10 Hours Hits Western Kentucky"--

The National Earthquake Center reports an earth tremor Monday morning measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale was centered at Clinton in Hickman County.

It was the second earthquake within ten hours to be centered in Hickman County, but both were of minor intensity. Sunday night's tremor occurred at 10 p.m. and was measured at 3.0. A 4.0 tremor was felt across northwest Tennessee and southeast Kentucky last Thursday, but caused little damage.

Geophysicist John Minch at the National Earthquake Center in Golden, Colorado says it is not certain Monday's quake was on the New Madrid fault, but seismologists in Memphis think it was.

--Posted by T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois class action law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

News of the Strange: Illinois Deer Attacks

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Deer attacks at SIUC hospitalize four," by Monique Garcia--

Since June 7, . . . seven people at the university have been threatened or attacked, including four who were sent to the hospital, after a mother deer responded aggressively in protection of her fawn.

All of the attacks have occurred near Thompson Woods, which runs through the center of the main campus and is surrounded by various classroom and administrative buildings. The latest incident occurred Wednesday afternoon, when a deer approached a jogger near campus lake.

--Posted by T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois class action law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Local Reaction to the Michael Jackson Verdict

From the Alton Telegraph: "Verdict no surprise to many people," by Tyler Bennett--

The verdict to the Michael Jackson trial, a trial that lasted 14 weeks, held the attention of patrons Monday afternoon at Fast Eddie’s Bon-Air.

Visitors to the bar at 150 E. Fourth St. watched the arrival of Jackson at the Santa Barbara County courthouse on the television screens displayed around the bar. Jokes could be heard in regards to the case and similar celebrity cases of Martha Stewart and O.J. Simpson while awaiting the verdict. As the verdict for each of the 10 charges were displayed one by one, the occasional applause or comment could be heard.

Once the verdict was announced conversations regarding the trial could be heard over the sound of the music and clanking of drinks.

--Posted by Illinois personal injury lawyer T. Evan Schaeffer of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Worries About Online Safety

From the Associated Press via the Detroit News: "Microsoft CEO worries over consumers' online safety," by Ted Bridis--

Computer users, beware. The head of the world's largest software company worries that consumers who make Internet purchases have become too complacent about the risks of financial fraud and stolen identity.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said in an interview with The Associated Press that a calm period without significant Internet attacks has lulled computer users, even older Web surfers who traditionally have been more anxious than teenagers about their online safety.

--Posted by Illinois class action attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Two New Appellate Judges

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Karmeier taps 2 from GOP for appeals court," by Paul Hampel--

Seven months after Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier pledged to pursue a nonpartisan approach to appointing replacement judges, he has named two fellow Republicans to vacancies on the 5th District Appellate Court in Mount Vernon.

One of his appointments was Stephen P. McGlynn, 43, a Belleville lawyer and co-chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.

The other was Stephen L. Spomer, 56, a third-generation judge in Alexander County.

--Posted by Madison County Illinois mass tort attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

A Head-On Collision Every Two Days

That's what it seems like to me reading the Alton Telegraph. It's just sickening news. Here's another: "Head-on crash kills two boys," by Sanford J. Schmidt--

An SUV whose driver may have been passing in a no-passing zone collided head-on Friday morning with a car on Renken Road, killing two young boys and critically injuring their mother.

"It was a tremendous impact. It was a very disturbing scene," said Lt. John Lakin of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. "This was a senseless accident that should have -- and could have -- been avoided. It had an impact on everybody there."

--Posted by Madison County Illinois mass tort attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.