Monthly Archives: March 2008

Consumers Beware – Pre-emption By Preamble Steals Your Legal Rights

Written On March 31, 2008 By Bob Kraft

Recent actions by federal regulatory agencies, combined with a U.S. Supreme Court decision are extremely troubling to consumer advocates. The gist of the problem is that federal agencies under the Bush administration are taking the stance that their rules trump state court verdicts.For example, if a federal agency said a prescription drug was safe, then [...]

Posted in Insurance Company or Government Misconduct, Prescription Drug Claims, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Tort Reform

Government Now Helps Patients Compare Hospitals

Written On March 29, 2008 By Bob Kraft

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has just published a Web site that allows citizens to compare patient satisfaction with various hospitals. The site was described in a Dallas Morning News article today. Here are excerpts:

For the first time, the agency that runs Medicare and Medicaid posted online information [...]

Posted in Government, Medical and Health Resources

Friday Fun

Written On March 28, 2008 By Bob Kraft

How could you NOT love a game named Shuffle Snake Bites?

Posted in Friday Fun

Featured Link – The American Chronic Pain Association

Written On March 27, 2008 By Bob Kraft

The American Chronic Pain Association has a great deal of information and resources on their Web site. Many of our personal injury clients and Social Security disability claimants must deal with chronic pain for long periods of time, and sites like this help our clients cope with their pain.
Here is the Mission Statement of the [...]

Posted in Disability, Featured Link, Medical and Health Resources, Social Security Disability

Roadside Assistance On Texas Highways

Written On March 26, 2008 By Bob Kraft

Have you received an e-mail saying that the Texas Department of Public Safety offers free roadside assistance and that the phone number is on the back of your Texas driver license?
That’s sort of true, but not exactly. If you have a roadside problem (NOT an emergency like  a major car wreck), you can call that [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Vehicle Law or News

Danger Ahead For The Social Security System

Written On March 25, 2008 By Bob Kraft

According to a CNN story today, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is warning about the same dangers I mentioned in a January post on this blog — we’re about to run out of money for Social Security and Medicare. Here are excerpts from the article:
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, saying that Social Security is
"financially unsustainable," called Tuesday [...]

Posted in Medicare, Political and/or Judicial, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Health Insurance Companies Cut Back On Medical Tests – Does This Help Or Hurt Patients?

Written On March 24, 2008 By Bob Kraft

The Associated Press is running a story today in papers across the country, documenting cutbacks health insurance companies are making in the number of medical tests they approve. Actually, the carriers are requiring pre-approval for more and more tests, which has the effect of cutting back on the total number. The insurance companies say this [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Insurance Company or Government Misconduct, Medical Malpractice

Friday Fun

Written On March 21, 2008 By Bob Kraft

This Shift game has great potential, but I’m awful at it. Someone do well, and tell me how you did it.

Posted in Friday Fun

Featured Link – NoEthics.net

Written On March 20, 2008 By Bob Kraft

The Web site NoEthics.net is interesting, to say the least. It reports information on lawyers, judges, and legislators deemed by the site’s author to be unethical.
I applaud this effort, and wish there was more public awareness of such ethical lapses as mentioned on this site. My concern with some similar sites is that often people [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Featured Link

Featured Link – SearchSystems.net

Written On March 20, 2008 By Bob Kraft

SearchSystems.net is a great collection of searchable databases. You can get access to many of them for free, but for less than $50 per year you can have full access to more than 40,000 searchable databases that contain tons of information about you that you thought was private.
This site can be a great help to [...]

Posted in Internet Research or News

Featured Link – Texas Fights I.D. Theft

Written On March 19, 2008 By Bob Kraft

The State of Texas, though the Attorney General’s office, has put up a good new Web site about how to fight I.D. theft — the nations’s fastest-growing crime. Check out this site. You’ll find some good tips and resources there.

Posted in Consumer Information, Featured Link

Peripheral Arterial Disease And Social Security Disability

Written On March 18, 2008 By Bob Kraft

Arteries carry blood from the heart to the body. In some cases a person’s blood pressure can be too low to push the blood through the extremities. This problem is most commonly found in the lower extremities. When the blood supply is cut off or severely restricted to a body part, that part of the [...]

Posted in Disability, Social Security Disability

Friday Fun

Written On March 14, 2008 By Bob Kraft

If you enjoyed those terrible 1970’s photos from Olan Mills in an earlier post, you’ll love the pages from a 1977 J.C. Penney catalog. Thanks to my friend Mark Merenda for this link

Posted in Friday Fun

ABA Techshow Is Finally Here!

Written On March 12, 2008 By Bob Kraft

It’s Wednesday night before Techshow begins Thursday morning with a welcome from this year’s Chair, my friend Tom Mighell. Having Tom as Chair of ABA Techshow surely means the 2008 conference will be even bigger and better than the other dozen or more that I’ve attended.
We’ve moved from the Sheraton to the Hilton Chicago, and [...]

Posted in Computer Tips, Tricks, and Tools

Disorders Of The Spine And Social Security Disability

Written On March 7, 2008 By Bob Kraft

Many people have back pain. According to the American Chiropractic Center at least 80% of people will suffer from some sort of back pain.
Back problems are generally covered by Social Security Listing 1.04 for “Disorders of the Spine.” The listing covers three causes of back pain. The first requires evidence of nerve root compression [...]

Posted in Disability, Social Security Disability

Friday Fun

Written On March 7, 2008 By Bob Kraft

Here’s a strangely restful little game called Filler. Check it out.

Posted in Friday Fun

Social Security Administration Hires New Administrative Law Judges

Written On March 4, 2008 By Bob Kraft

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, announced this week that the agency has begun making offers to 144 of the 175 new Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) it will hire this fiscal year. Due to litigation and budget cuts, the agency has about ten percent fewer ALJs than it did a decade ago. During that [...]

Posted in Government, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Featured Link – OnGuard Online

Written On March 3, 2008 By Bob Kraft

Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in the United States. There are a number of good Web sites with tips for protecting your identity. One of the best for online tips is OnGuardOnline, from the U.S. government. Check it out.

Posted in Consumer Information, Featured Link