Maryland Injury Lawyers Blog

Well, I just got back from another trip to St. Bernard Parish Louisiana. The people there are still struggling. Although some of the waters are now open for fishing, the charter boat operators do not have enough customers. I have heard first hand accounts of how there are not nearly as many shrimp as there once were for the Louisiana shrimpers and fishermen. As of Monday August 23, 2010 BP closed down their claims operations and those making claims are now required to file with the Gulf Coast Claims Facility. For more information about this new claims process and what damages are recoverable, please check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jCCHj0Uglk

Although Kenneth Feinberg has indicated that businesses that are not in close proximity to the Gulf do not have a valid claim, we continue to believe that businesses and inviduals that suffered losses as a result of the Gulf Oil Spill may indeed have a valid legal claim under the Oil Pollution Act, and therefore a claim should be submitted to the GCCF. The GCCF will be making emergency payments for up to 6 months. Then you must submit your final claim. Again, for more information about the process check out the video link above.

Friends-On Monday the claims process for the BP Oil Spill will be transferred to Ken Feinberg and the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (often referred to as "GCCF"). Information will apparently be available online at www.gulfcoastclaimsfacility.com. Just yesterday, he issued the claims Protocol for Emergency Claims which will, in some cases, make payments for up to 6 months in a lump sum. The deadline for making a claim for Emergency Relief (technically called "Emergency Advance Payments") Due to the Gulf Oil Spill is November 23, 2010. If your business or livelihood has been impacted by the Gulf Oil Spill call us at 888-213-8140.

Also, I want to note that there is an item of damages being recognized called loss of subsistence claims (technically called "Subsistence Use of Natural Resources." Feinberg says claims can be made by "Any individual who uses the natural resources that have been injured, destroyed, or lost as a result of the Spill to obtain food, shelter, clothing , medicine or other subsistence uses" This will make payments to individulas who relied on fish and seafood from the Gulf that they fished for themself to feed their families. Since the spill, if they were unable to feed their family from this self-caught fish, and had to spend money to buy food that they otherwise would not have had to spend to feed their family, then they can make a claim for "loss of susbsistence" and it seems that this claim will be honored by Ken Feinberg.

I am headed back to Louisiana to Tuesday to meet with several of our clients and to deal with some other issues relating to the Gulf Oil Spill.

Well, here is the protocol for Emergency Advance Payments:

Gulf Coast Claims Facility

Protocol for Emergency Advance Payments

August 23, 2010

I. PURPOSE

This Protocol sets forth the procedure for the submission and resolution by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility ("GCCF") of claims for Emergency Advance Payments by Individuals and Businesses for costs and damages incurred as a result of the oil discharges from the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident ("the Spill").

A. Role

The United States Coast Guard ("USCG") has designated BP Exploration & Production, Inc. ("BP"), as a Responsible Party under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ("OPA") for oil discharges from the Deepwater Horizon facility. Under OPA, Responsible Parties must establish a claims process to receive certain claims by eligible claimants. USCG, without in any way relieving other Responsible Parties of liability, directed BP to maintain a single claims facility for all Responsible Parties to avoid confusion among potential claimants.

The GCCF is intended to replace BP's claims facility for individuals and businesses. The GCCF (and the protocols under which it operates) are structured to be compliant with OPA. A final claim may be presented to the GCCF at any time that the facility is receiving claims. Whether or not a claim has been presented shall be governed by OPA and applicable law. All open Individual and Business claims that have been filed with the BP Claims Process will be transferred to the GCCF. BP has also authorized the GCCF to process certain non-OPA claims involving personal injury. Submission of such claims shall be wholly voluntary and participation in the GCCF shall not affect any right that the claimant would have had absent such participation unless final resolution and settlement of the claim is achieved.

2. Approach

The following non-exclusive principles apply to the operation of the GCCF:

. The GCCF will evaluate all claims in a prompt and fair manner guided by applicable law.

. The establishment of the GCCF does not diminish any right of any individual or business that existed prior to the creation of the GCCF; claimants have all of the same rights with respect to their various claims that they had prior to the creation of the GCCF and shall not be forced to relinquish any rights for the opportunity to seek compensation through the GCCF.

. The GCCF claims process is structured to comply with OPA and apply the standards of OPA.

The GCCF is administered by Kenneth R. Feinberg ("the Claims Administrator"), a neutral fund administrator responsible for all decisions relating to the administration and processing of claims by the GCCF. This Protocol addresses only claims for Emergency Advance Payments; a subsequent Protocol will deal with all Final Claims. Under the Final Protocol, interim claims will be considered where appropriate.

II. ELIGIBILITY

Claimants who are experiencing hardship resulting from damages set forth below incurred due to the Spill may apply for an Emergency Advance Payment.

A. Removal and Clean Up Costs

1. Who may make a claim?

Any Individual or Business that incurred costs, as a result of the Spill for the removal of oil or to prevent, minimize, or mitigate oil pollution.

2. Required Proof

. The costs are for removal of oil discharged due to the Spill or that are to prevent, minimize or mitigate oil pollution from the Spill;

. The costs are reasonable and necessary; and

The actions taken to remove, prevent, minimize, or mitigate oil pollution were approved by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator or are otherwise proven to be consistent with the National Contingency Plan.

3. What information should the claimant submit?

. Information or documentation (e.g., bills) showing the costs incurred after the Spill for removal of oil discharged as a result of the Spill or incurred to prevent, minimize, or mitigate oil pollution from the Spill.

. Information or documentation explaining how the actions taken were necessary to prevent, minimize, or mitigate the effects of the Spill.

. Information or documentation showing that the actions taken were approved by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator or were consistent with the National Contingency Plan.

. Information or documentation explaining why the costs were reasonable.

B. Real or Personal Property

1. Who may make a claim?

Any Individual or Business that owns or leases real or personal property physically damaged or destroyed as a result of the Spill.

In order to avoid duplication of claims, an owner or lessee of the property must provide notice to all others with an ownership or lease interest in the property of the intent to file a claim. If duplicate claims are received, the GCCF will determine the appropriate claimant.

2. What information should the claimant submit?

. Information or documentation showing an ownership or leasehold interest in the property.

. Information or documentation showing the property was physically damaged or destroyed.

. Information or documentation showing the damages claimed were incurred as the result of the physical damage to or destruction of the property.

. Information or documentation showing the cost of repair or replacement of the property, or economic losses resulting from destruction of the property.

. Information or documentation showing the value of the property both before and after damage.

C. Lost Profits and Lost Earning Capacity

1. Who may make a claim?

An Individual or Business that incurred a loss in profits or earning capacity due to the injury, destruction, or loss of real property, personal property or natural resources as a result of the Spill. The individual or business need not be the owner of the injured property or resources to recover for lost profits or income.

2. What information should the claimant submit?

. Identification of injury, destruction, or loss to a specific property or natural resource.

. Information concerning Claimant's lost earnings or profits that were caused by the injury, destruction, or loss of specific property or natural resource as a result of the Spill (such as lost income by a fisherman whose fishing grounds have been closed or a hotel or rental property that has had decreased profits because beaches, swimming, or fishing areas have been affected by the oil from the Spill).

. Reduction of earnings or profits, or increase in expenses resulting from such damage.

. Amount of profits and earnings or expenses in comparable time periods.

. Income received from alternative employment or business during the period when the loss was suffered, and expenses incurred in generating the alternative income.

. Savings to overhead and other normal expenses not incurred as a result of the Spill.

D. Subsistence Use of Natural Resources

1. Who may make a claim?

Any Individual who uses the natural resources that have been injured, destroyed or lost as a result of the Spill to obtain food, shelter, clothing, medicine, or other subsistence uses.

2. What information should be submitted?

. Identification of the specific natural resources that have been injured, destroyed or lost as a result of the Spill for which compensation for loss of subsistence use is being claimed. The Claimant need not own the affected natural resource.

. Description of the actual subsistence use made of each specific natural resource.

. Description of how and to what extent the subsistence use was affected by the injury to or loss of each specific natural resource as a result of the Spill.

. Description of expenditures made to replace or substitute for the subsistence use.

E. Physical Injury /Death

1. Who may make a claim?

A claim may be made by an injured individual or the representative of a deceased individual for a physical injury or death proximately caused by the Spill or the explosion and fire associated with the Deepwater Horizon incident, or by the clean-up of the Spill.

Submitting a physical injury or death claim to the GCCF is entirely voluntary. However, unlike claims under the Oil Pollution Act, claims for physical injury and death cannot be submitted to the National Pollution Funds Center.

2. What information should be submitted?

. Medical records or death certificate demonstrating physical injury or death.

. Medical records reflecting diagnosis by a medical practitioner.

. Information concerning the cause of physical injury.

. Information concerning the circumstances of the physical injury and the location where the physical injury occurred.

. Information concerning any total or partial disability of the Claimant.

. Records showing expenditures for medical care not otherwise compensated.

. Proof of lost income, if the Claimant seeks compensation for such lost income.

F. Causation

The GCCF will only pay for harm or damage that is proximately caused by the Spill. The GCCF's causation determinations of OPA claims will be guided by OPA and federal law interpreting OPA and the proximate cause doctrine. Determinations of non-OPA claims will be guided by applicable law. The GCCF will take into account, among other things, geographic proximity, nature of industry, and dependence upon injured natural resources.

III. FILING FOR AN EMERGENCY ADVANCE PAYMENT

A. Equal Access and Fair Adjudications in the Claims Process

All potential claimants will be treated with respect, dignity, and fairness, without regard to race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, gender, or disability. The GCCF shall strive to ensure that all claimants can equally access the GCCF process, and that claims will be adjudicated fairly. Individuals with disabilities will be able to effectively communicate their claims and problems to the GCCF. Individuals with language barriers will have meaningful access to the process and to the GCCF. Individuals with low literacy will have documents and forms explained to them plainly and in a simple manner they understand.

B. Claim Form

1. The Claimant will indicate on the Claim Form if the Claimant is applying for an Emergency Advance Payment.[1] Claimants will complete a Claim Form for an Individual or Business.

2. Claimants shall submit the documentation requested on the Claim Form for an Emergency Advance Payment or other similar information as is sufficient to substantiate the claim and for the GCCF to review and process the Claim.

C. Process for Filing a Claim for an Emergency Advance Payment

A Claim Form may be obtained and submitted in any one of the following ways:

1. Via the Internet - Claimants may submit a claim online by visiting the GCCF website: www.gulfcoastclaimsfacility.com. Claimants will be instructed to follow simple steps for completing a claim. Once completed, the claim will be automatically submitted to the GCCF Database, a printable confirmation notification will be generated and displayed immediately confirming submission and providing the Claim Number and a confirmation email will be sent to those Claimants who have provided email addresses. The Claim Number will be the claim identifier throughout the process. The Claim Form and Instructions will be available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Khmer.

2. By Visiting a GCCF Claims Site Office - Claimants may visit one of the 36 Claims Site Offices established to assist Claimants with the claims submission process to (1) seek information about filing a claim or to (2) submit a claim in person. Claimants may either walk in to one of the Claims Site Offices or may make an appointment by calling the toll-free telephone line. The locations of the Claims Site Offices are posted on the GCCF website, www.gulfcoastclaimsfacility.com. If a visitor requires an interpreter and an interpreter is not available on site, the Claims Evaluator will make arrangements to provide these services either via conference call or a scheduled return trip to the Claims Site Office. A Claims Evaluator will assist the Claimant in completing the Claim Form. The Claims Evaluator will print a copy of the Claim Form, the claimant will sign the Claim Form and the claim will be automatically submitted to the GCCF Database. A confirmation of the claim submission and Claim Identification Number will be provided by the Claims Evaluator. The Claim Form must be signed by the Claimant.

3. Via U.S. Postal Service - Claimants may call the toll free, dedicated telephone line to request that a Claim Form be mailed via U.S. Postal Service. The Claims Operator will ask the caller to provide basic information which the Claims Operator will enter into the on-line system. The system will automatically generate a unique, pre-populated and bar-coded Claim Form which will include the identifying information provided by the caller. The Claim Form will contain a Claim Identification Number which will be the Claim identifier through the course of the process. The coded Claim Form will be mailed via U.S. Postal Service to the Claimant. The Claim Form must be signed by the Claimant. The Claimant may return the completed form via:

. U.S. Postal Service:

Gulf Coast Claims Facility

P. O. Box XXX

Dublin, OH 43017-4958

. Overnight, Certified or Registered Mail:

Gulf Coast Claims Facility

5151 Blazer Parkway, Suite A

Dublin, OH 43017-4958

. Fax:

1 866 682-1772

. Email:

info@gccf-claims.com.

. The toll-free telephone lines are as follows:

. Toll Free Number: 1-800 916-4893

. Multilingual Telephone Line: 1-800 916-4893

. TTY Telephone Line: 1-866 682-1758

All submitted Claim Forms, regardless of the method of submission, will be automatically forwarded to the Central Processing Database and integrated into a comprehensive GCCF Database.

D. Appointment with a Claims Evaluator

The Claimant may request an appointment with a Claims Evaluator at the nearest Claims Site Office to answer or clarify issues regarding a claim for an Emergency Advance Payment. The Claims Evaluator will review the claim for completeness and eligibility and may contact the Claimant to request additional supporting documentation if necessary or if the Claims Evaluator has any questions about the information submitted with the Claim Form. Examples of information and documentation that support a claim are attached as Exhibit A.

E. Evaluation of Application for Emergency Advance Payment

1. Evaluation of an Emergency Advance Payment application will apply a less rigorous standard for required corroboration than evaluation of a claim for Final Payment. Documentation sufficient to establish the claim will be described in the Claim Form.

2. Each Emergency Advance Payment application will be evaluated preliminarily within 24 hours of receipt of the completed form and supporting documentation to determine whether an Emergency Advance Payment is appropriate based on the information submitted by the Claimant. Complex business claims submitted for an Emergency Advance Payment will be evaluated preliminarily within 7 days of receipt of the completed form and supporting documentation to determine whether an Emergency Advance Payment is appropriate based on the information submitted by the Claimant.

3. Upon a determination that the Claimant is eligible for an Emergency Advance Payment, a payment will be authorized within 24 hours.

F. Period for Application for Emergency Advance Payment

1. Emergency Advance Payment applications may be submitted on a monthly basis. Emergency Advance Payment applications for Lost Profits and Lost Earning Capacity, Loss of Subsistence Use of Natural Resources, or loss of income due to physical injury or death may be submitted either on a monthly basis or for six months of losses, at the option of the Claimant. Claimants seeking an Emergency Advance Payment on a six month basis must establish that they will incur loss for the six month period. To the extent possible, six month payments will be based on the seasonally adjusted lost income or lost profits, as applicable.

2. Emergency Advance Payment applications may be submitted during the period August 23 - November 23, 2010. After that date, applications for Emergency Advance Payments will no longer be accepted. Applications for Final Claims, and in appropriate circumstances applications for interim claims, will continue to be accepted pursuant to the Protocol for Final Claims.

G. Request or Receipt of Emergency Advance Payment Does Not Waive Any Rights

Claimants requesting an Emergency Advance Payment or receiving an Emergency Advance Payment will not be asked or required to sign a release or waive any rights to assert additional claims, to file an individual legal action, or to participate in other legal actions associated with the Spill.

H. Credit Against Final Payment

Any Emergency Advance Payment made to a Claimant will be deducted from any Final Payment of a Final Claim.

IV. REPORTING

The GCCF shall provide reports of non-personally identifiable information to state, local, and federal government officials and to BP to permit an evaluation of the claims process. The GCCF shall submit to interested parties, including BP, periodic reports regarding claims made and claims determinations.

V.PRIVACY

Information submitted by a Claimant to the GCCF will be used and disclosed for purposes of: (i) processing the Claimant's claim for compensation and any award resulting from that claim; (ii) legitimate business purposes associated with administering the GCCF, including the prevention of fraud and the determination of collateral source payments; and/or (iii) as otherwise required by law, regulation or judicial process.

VI.QUALITY CONTROL AND PROCEDURES TO PREVENT AND DETECT FRAUD

A. Review of claims

For the purpose of detecting and preventing the payment of fraudulent claims and for the purpose of accurate and appropriate payments to Claimants, the GCCF shall implement procedures to:

1. Verify and authenticate claims.

2. Analyze claim submissions to detect inconsistencies, irregularities, and duplication.

3. Ensure the quality control of claims review procedures.

B. Quality Control

1. The GCCF shall institute periodic quality control audits designed to evaluate the accuracy of submissions and the accuracy of payments.

2. The GCCF shall engage an independent outside accounting firm to perform an independent test of claims to ensure that the claims have been accurately processed.

C. False or Fraudulent Claims

Each Claimant will sign a form at the time of application, stating that he or she certifies that the information provided in the Claim Form is true and accurate to the best of his or her knowledge, and that he or she understands that false statements or claims made in connection with that application may result in fines, imprisonment, and/or any other remedy available by law, and that suspicious claims will be forwarded to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies for possible investigation and prosecution. The GCCF shall refer all evidence of false or fraudulent claims to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

[1] A claim for an Emergency Advance Payment is an interim claim under OPA. To the extent that the claimant incurs additional compensable damages that are not reflected in the Emergency Advance Payment, receipt of an Emergency Advance Payment shall not preclude a claimant from seeking additional damages not reflected in the Emergency Advance Payment.

Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester represents baby with cerebral palsy and brain damage: settles case for $5.175 million

Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester, LLC partners Christian Mester and Jean Jones, R.N., J.D. resolved a case for $5,175,000 on behalf of a baby who suffered permanent brain damage and cerebral palsy when the health care providers mismanaged his mother's labor and delivery. The money (which is controlled by a trustee pursuant to applicable state law) going to the child allows the family to obtain much needed additional care and services for the child that will enable him to achieve optimal medical care. In this case, the mother's labor and delivery care was handled by certified nurse midwives at a hospital. Mr. Mester and Ms. Jones alleged that when the mother presented to the hospital for induction of labor, there was a lack of appropriate and timely interventions, including that the defendant health care providers inappropriately ignored warning signs on the fetal monitor tracings that the mother's uterus had become hyperstimulated (the contractions were coming too close together and lasting too long), and the baby was not compensating, as exhibited by persistent variable and late decelerations (reductions in the heart rate of the fetus below baseline), as well as episodes of prolonged decelerations, tachycardia and bradycardia. The lack of appropriate and timely interventions caused undue stress to the baby and eventually exhausted the fetal reserves. The health care providers could have avoided permanent neurological damage to the baby had they adhered to the standard of care and delivered the baby in a timely fashion - what this means is that had the health care providers not ignored these signs, the baby would have been born normal, with no injuries. Mr. Mester and Ms. Jones further alleged that the health care providers' failures to take proper measures led to the baby's hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which is brain damage due to lack of oxygen. The health care providers denied any improper treatment and further denied the allegations that any improper care caused or contributed to the baby's subsequent injuries.

These types of cases, sometimes referred to as delay in delivery cases or brain damaged baby cases, are some of the most complicated and expensive medical malpractice cases to handle and prosecute. They involve numerous medical specialties (obstetrics, midwifery, neonatology, nursing, pediatric neurology, pediatric neuro-radiology, pediatric infectious disease, and life care planning, to name a few), and the medicine at issue is likewise complex. Plaintiffs' firms routinely spend over $100,000 and usually double that amount to prosecute the case and take it through trial. Mr. Mester and Ms. Jones, who is a registered nurse attorney, have much experience in cases like these, having prosecuted such cases on a national basis (in states where they are not licensed, they would get specially moved in by attorneys in those states). Being able to assist a family whose life has been a struggle since birth with a monetary settlement such as this is extremely rewarding and it is something the Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester, LLC medical negligence lawyers take very seriously.

If you or a loved one has been injured at the hands of a health care provider, call Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester, LLC at 1-888-213-8140. When looking for any lawyer, make sure they are able to afford to prosecute the case fully and properly and that they have experience in the field of law in which you are calling. At Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester, LLC, we look forward to answering your questions and earning your trust.

We are happy to report that yesterday the Joint Panel For Multi-District Litigation ordered that the oil spill cases will be consolidated before Judge Barbier in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana pursuant to 28 USC Section 1407. The Court said "Upon careful consideration, however, we have settled upon the Eastern District of Louisiana as the most appropriate district for this litigation. Without discounting hte spill's effects on other states, if there is a geographic and psychological "center of gravity" in thisdocket, then the Eastern District of Louisiana is closest to it. Considering all applicable factors, we have asked Judge Carl J. Barbier to serve as transferee judge."

Apparently there will be another Conditional Transfer Order coming in the next few days that will address various other issues. The August 10, 2010 Order basically held that: (i) Cases go to New Orleans, (ii) Personal Injury cases and economic loss cases will be consolidated,(iii) the Oil Pollution Act cases (AKA OPA Claims) will be included in the MDL, and (iv) The Limitation Proceeding brought by Transocean in Texas will be included in the transfer order and will be moved to New Orleans for evaluation of whether it should be included in the centralized proceedings, and It should be noted that the BP Stock trading cases will go to Houston. The law firm of Finckbeinger & Robin is working in conjunction with Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester, LLC to represent victims of the Gulf Oil Spill Disaster. For more information see:

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/silver-spring-lawyer-helping-gulf-fishermen-in-class-action-lawsuit-against-bp-070510

http://www.gazette.net/stories/06302010/silvnew184202_32568.php

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2010/06/local_lawyer_helps_bp_victims.html

There was a $2.35 million dollar medical malpractice verdict against Shady Grove Hospital in Rockville, Maryland on Monday August 9, 2010. A 24 year old hispanic Silver Spring, Maryland lady was taken to Shady Grove by ambulance after having stomach pain. She had been to the hospital 2 days earlier with kidney stones. Doctors at Shady Grove were found by the jury to have violated the standard of care by misdiangnosing a kidney blockage and this lead to a terrible infection that spread throughout her body. As a result of the doctors failure to make a proper diagnosis, a septic infection went untreated for at least 12 hours and gangrene set in. Eventually, part of her leg and foot had to be amputated, and several of her fingertips fell off (this occurrence is called autoamputation). The Plaintiff's attorney Julia Arfaa siad that the jury "absolutely did the right thing. They listened to the evidence and they understood this case."

The Plaintiff had immigrated to the United States from El Salvador when she was 8, and worked as a maid when this incident occurred in 2006. About $190,000 of the verdict will go to pay the plaintiff's past medical expenses. We believe that many hispanics and other ethnic minorities who do not have health insurance often get medical care that is below the standard of care and that medical doctors often do not give them the time and attention that they are entitled to in the emergency room. If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of a medical mistake or a misdiagnosis, call us at 888-213-8140. We have attorneys who are also registered nurses to evaluate your case and there is no charge for an initial consultation.