Posted on March 29, 2007 by Regan Zambri & Long

Defendants Can No Longer Compel Settlements To Be Secret

For many years, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and defendants generally have settled cases with the caveat that the settlement and facts of the case be kept secret forever. Although their wrongdoing may have seriously, if not fatally, injured victims, their goal was to shield the rest of the world from their misconduct. In a recent decision governing the professional conduct of lawyers, the District of Columbia Office of Bar Counsel has made clear that a settlement agreement “may not compel counsel to keep confidential . . . public information about the case, such as the name of the opponent, the allegations set forth in the complaint on file, or the fact that the case has settled.” Bar Counsel rightly determined that, among other things, suppression of this information works to keep important information from other victims who deserve to know that their injuries may have been caused by the wrongdoing of others.

For the complete text of the rule governing lawyer conduct, please click here.

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Posted on March 18, 2007 by Regan Zambri & Long

Experts Condemn Many Cities' Fire Codes

Fire fatalities have steadily declined in the United States over the last few decades due in part to improved building codes requiring safety measures such as sprinkler systems, multiple fire exits and fire-resistant construction materials.  The recent deadly blaze in the Bronx, however, serves as a reminder that many of the country's big cities are packed with homes that have none of these safety features.  The March 7, 2007 fire claimed 10 lives when flames ignited by a space heater ripped through a century-old town house inhabited by two immigrant families from West Africa.  Investigators discovered a variety of dangerous conditions in the three-story home, such as no sprinklers or fire escape and only one stairwell, leaving residents no way out once that exit was blocked by flames.  The house had only two smoke detectors, neither of which had working batteries or was hard-wired to the electrical system, and was crowded with 22 residents, most of them children.  None of these deficiencies appeared to violate the city's building code.

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Posted on March 17, 2007 by Regan Zambri & Long

St. Patrick's Day Driving: More Dangerous Than New Year's Eve

According to a recent press release by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD),  St. Patrick's Day weekend is one of the most dangerous periods for driving.  The majority of deaths during this period involve alcohol.  The full text of MADD's press release follows:

"IRVING, Texas (March 12, 2003) - On the eve of St. Patrick's Day weekend, one of the most dangerous holidays for drunk driving, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is urging Americans to celebrate safely by designating a non-drinking driver. During St. Patrick's Day and other high-risk periods throughout the year, MADD's Designate a Driver campaign raises awareness about the dangers of mixing alcohol with driving.

On St. Patrick's Day in 2001, 99 people were killed in alcohol-related traffic crashes, representing over 61 percent of those killed in all crashes - - well above the overall national average of 41 percent.

"The 'Luck of the Irish' will not be enough to protect you should you encounter an impaired driver, but we can all play our part in preventing needless deaths and injuries by making the simple decision to designate a non-drinking driver," said Wendy Hamilton, MADD national president. "Holidays can take a tragic turn if people choose to drink and drive."

As part of the campaign, MADD offers a Safe Party Guide, a free resource available on the MADD Web site, urging hosts to be responsible by offering a variety of non-alcoholic beverages for designated drivers, never serving alcohol to those under the legal drinking age of 21, not letting guests mix their own drinks, and never allowing guests who have had too much to drink to drive home. The guide also offers non-alcoholic drink recipes and more.

MADD is also calling on all restaurant and bar owners to practice responsible beverage serving practices by declining alcohol service to persons who are not of legal drinking age, cutting off alcohol service to guests and patrons that are impaired, and providing alternate transportation for those guests and patrons who have had too much to drink.

"In 2001, alcohol-related traffic crashes claimed the lives of 17,448 people and injured more than 513,000 others. These deaths and injuries are 100 percent preventable," said Hamilton. "Personal responsibility will go a long way towards ensuring that our friends and loved ones stay safe this holiday."

Founded in 1980, MADD is a non-profit organization with approximately two million members and supporters nationwide. MADD's mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. For campaign information or MADD's Safe Party Guide, visit MADD's web site at www.madd.org."

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