U.S. insurance companies rake in billions of dollars in profits every year. How does the insurance industry make so much money? Unfortunately, many insurance companies – even the most well known and well respected – engage in dirty tricks and unethical behavior to boost their profits. Some of the most common tactics can be referred to as the three Ds: Delay, Deny, and Defend. Every dollar not paid out on a claim is a dollar that goes to the insurer’s bottom line. Delays The first D is delay. A claim is made and the demands begin: You need to fill out a form, you did not fill out the form correctly, you need to fill out another form, your claim is too late, your claim is not covered back and forth, back and forth. Meanwhile, the benefits that the insurer is supposed to payout remain in its pocket, inflating its profits. The hope is that the more difficult the insurer makes it to collect and the longer the delay, the more likely it is that a person with a legitimate claim will give up and drop…Read More
From: Broward County, broward.org Broward County’s Phase 1 reopening to include beaches, commercial gyms and fitness centers, hotels and other commercial lodging, with restrictions. Guidance for each type of establishment that is allowed to reopen is detailed in a series of 14 attachments. Businesses and residents continue to be responsible for adherence to social distancing, facial covering and sanitation requirements. More…. https://www.broward.org/coronavirus/Pages/default.aspxRead More
From: CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. To practice social or physical distancing: Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people Do not gather in groups Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings In addition to everyday steps to prevent COVID-19, keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and slowing its spread locally and across the country and world. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.htmlRead More
From: CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention As communities across the United States take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 by limiting close contact, people are facing new challenges and questions about how to meet basic household needs, such as buying groceries and medicine, and completing banking activities. The following information provides advice about how to meet these household needs in a safe and healthy manner. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/essential-goods-services.htmlRead More
From: Federal Trade Commission Avoid Coronavirus Scams Don’t respond to texts, emails, or calls about checks from the government. The details are still coming together. Ignore online offers for vaccinations. There are no products proven to treat or prevent COVID-19 at this time. Be wary of ads for test kits. The FDA just announced approval for one home test kit, which requires a doctor’s order. But most test kits being advertised have not been approved by the FDA, and aren’t necessarily accurate. Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes. Watch for emails claiming to be from the CDC or WHO. Use sites like coronavirus.gov and usa.gov/coronavirus to get the latest information. And don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. Do your homework when it comes to donations. Never donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money. www.ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams-consumer-adviceRead More
By Brook Baitinger The new coronavirus has made its way into yet another long-term-care facility in Broward County. Two residents and two employees are infected with the virus at Covenant Living of Florida, an assisted-living facility in Plantation, said spokesman Randy Eilts. It’s at least the fourth facility to publicly confirm the presence of positive cases. State officials have refused to identify which facilities have outbreaks, citing privacy concerns. Operators have warned that, try as they might, they can’t keep the virus out. News Source: www.Sun-Sentinel.comRead More
Almost half a million people suffer burn injuries annually in the United States, many resulting in painful, debilitating conditions such as disfigurement, psychological trauma, long-term or temporary disabilities and scarring, and even death. While residential fires are the most common cause of burn injuries, these injuries can also result from car, motorcycle, boat or airplane crashes, as well as from contact with electronic devices or unexpected hot substances. Sometimes, the accidents leading to burn injuries are the result of inadequate wiring and defective products, or in the case of vehicular accidents leading to fires, negligence on the part of the other driver. When faced with burn injuries due to the possible negligence of another person or party, victims may be able to sue those responsible and obtain proper financial compensation for their pain and suffering, which may include economic hardships such as high medical bills, lost wages, mental anguish, trauma and psychological pain. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a burn injury as a result of another party’s negligent behavior, the skilled attorneys at the Fenstersheib Law Group, P.A. have…Read More
By the time a manufacturer announces a recall on a potentially defective product, the warning may come too late for the consumers who already use that particular product. Due to the extreme importance of the public quickly becoming aware of potential product defects, dangers or safety issues, the federal government has established a website where consumers can check up on potential safety issues: SaferProducts.gov. Consumers can post product concerns directly to this website, and when a complaint about a specific product is listed there, the manufacturer of the product is given a period of time to respond. If the manufacturer does not address the complaint within a specified period of time, the complaint is posted online and made public. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an independent federal regulatory agency formed in 1972 and charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Not every complaint that is posted on the SaferProducts.gov website will prove that a product is dangerous or will cause injuries, but the website also allows consumers to…Read More
Each year, more than 5 million auto accidents happen in U.S. roads, injuring about 4 million people, many permanently, and resulting in more than 40,000 fatalities. In fact, car accidents are the leading cause of death for people under 30 years of age. Needless to say, some car accidents are inevitable, particularly if the other driver is clearly negligent. However, we can all use some common sense behavior to ensure that we are not the cause of the accident. First and foremost, never drive under the influence of alcohol, and please be aware that as little as one drink can affect your overall awareness and reaction time. Second, avoid driving if you’re feeling sleepy or fatigued. Third, really concentrate on driving – playing with the radio, talking on the phone or (perish the thought) texting while driving can be recipes for disaster. Finally, because in spite of the best precautions car accidents still do happen, make sure both you and your passengers wear your seatbelts at all times. The Automobile Accident Attorneys at the Fenstersheib Law Group, P.A. have successfully handled thousands of South Florida…Read More
Sometimes, when patients are issued prescriptions for new drugs, they may suffer unexpected side effects. This happens often, and more disturbing than that is the fact that, more than likely, many doctors have not been made aware of the possibility of such side effects by the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing the drugs. Indeed, studies have shown that many drug company representatives do not properly inform doctors about the possible side effects of the medications that they are distributing to the physicians’ offices. The research, conducted via questionnaires to doctors in the United States, Canada and France, reveals that company representatives not only failed to warn doctors about common side effects from the use of the new medications, but also failed to warn them about possible contraindications. Moreover, they also neglected to identify the types of patients who should not use the drugs in question. The research indicates that this happened in more than half of the representatives’ visits, in spite of fact that the law in all 3 countries requires that drug company representatives inform doctors about not only the benefits, but also the potential risks…Read More
