July 2011 Archives

Keeping Insurance Rates Low

July 20, 2011

Subrogation is a word that I really didn't hear until well into college when I started working for an insurance company's law firm. There was one attorney who sat in an office and reviewed each and every settlement for half the week and every insurance policy for the other half of the week. The job seemed so boring and unimportant. I could not have ever imagined doing that.

After working at the firm for a few weeks, this lawyer invited me to lunch because she heard I was interested in going to law school. I accepted, not only because I was a broke college student and lunch was free, but also because I really wanted to know what she did and if it could be in any way satisfying.

About halfway through lunch, after some discussion about grades and majors, we got to the really interesting part; I asked her what in the world she actually did for the firm. She said she was a Subrogation Specialist. She explained that she was like the security guard for the company. She made sure that premiums stayed low by making sure the insurance company got what it was entitled to and that people were not double paid. After this lunch I gained a respect for what she did as an attorney and a better understanding of the personal injury process.

I left my job at that insurance company understanding that in order to keep insurance rates affordable, someone has to be willing to check for double payments and work to limit company losses. I reasoned that subrogation was like catching shoplifters to keep grocery costs down. That stuck with me as I went to law school and ultimately began to practice personal injury law.

The other valuable lesson I learned is that there are ways to limit the amount any one client pays in subrogation. I know that as a Maryland personal injury lawyer, I may be able to negotiate a lower amount due in subrogation by working with the insurer.

If you have been injured and you are looking to settle your claim, take the time to make sure you do not open yourself up to liability in the process. Consult with a Maryland injury attorney.

This blog post was written by attorney Rabihah Scott, who is part of the Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Practice Group at Price Benowitz LLP. The law firm has offices in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and New York. The attorneys at Price Benowitz handle criminal, DUI, personal injury, and immigration cases. To learn more about attorney Rabihah Scott please visit her Google+ profile.

Weight Epidemic

July 7, 2011

I am guilty of forgetting to count calories when I go to my favorite restaurants. I pack on a few pounds every winter because I stop exercising. My body no longer looks the way it did when I was in high school. I probably don't take the best care of myself all the time. According to my doctor I am slightly overweight, but I am too busy (read lazy) to deal with that as my career and family have taken priority. I am like most Americans in that sense. Sure, it would be really easy to take some pills and have all the extra fat melt off my body leaving me at my optimal weight. I would probably take these pills despite dealing with some pretty gross side effects. These magic pills might even make it so that no American is overweight or obese. The problem with a pill like this is that it promotes unhealthy weight loss. Pills that are purported to be a quick fix or magic potion often hurt people in unintended ways or fall short of their performance expectations. These products' failures leave people that are already vulnerable because of their weight even more vulnerable.

All too often in the rush to find a quick fix, Americans opt to take a pill in an effort to magically have the fat melt away. Without knowing the chemicals that they are putting in their body, people have no idea what risks to which they are really exposed. People take weight loss drugs assuming that they have been properly tested and will not harm them. The sad part is that sometimes these drugs are harmful. There have been a number of instances of weight loss drugs being pulled off the market because of safety risks and all sorts of dangerous and fatal issues - everything from Fen-Phen to Hydroxy Cut to Alli all have dangerous side effects that can cost people their health and in some cases their life.

Most doctors tell their patients that there is no magic pill that will cause you to lose the weight, you have to change your habits and exercise. Every piece of advice on weight loss given comes with the disclaimer to consult your physician first. In some extreme cases medical intervention is necessary, but the first option is rarely to add a synthetic pill that will disrupt your body's equilibrium. If you suffered as a result of taking a weight loss supplement, it is important to contact your physician and begin working on your recovery. It is also important to contact aninjury attorney to make sure you are compensated.

This post was written by Maryland accident lawyer, Rabihah Scott. Price Benowitz LLP is a Washington DC based law firm that handles criminal, DUI, personal injury, and immigration cases. Price Benowitz LLP has additional offices in Maryland, Virginia, and New York. Rabihah Scott has a Google+ profile if you'd like more information about her.