Personal Injury And Negligence CLE

In this comprehensive lecture by noted DUI expert and defense attorney, Robert S. “Bobby” Reiff, both new and experienced DUI attorneys are provided tips about DUI defense and how to win a DUI case. He will provide an overview of DUI case defense in both the administrative (driver's license) and criminal court forums, as well as tools for using common sense concepts to make the case for your clients.Mr. Reiff is author of "Drunk Driving and Related Vehicular Offenses (Lexis Law Publishing Company) and the LexisNexis' "Florida DUI Practice Guide" series.

Every year more than two million people seek treatment for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. TBI claims are on the rise in personal injury litigation, from catastrophic accidents to minor fender-benders. But what are TBIs and how are they diagnosed?  This one hour presentation will provide a fast-paced overview of TBI injuries, the effects they have on an injured person, and how they are diagnosed and measured.

Where do you begin when picking a jury in “drunk driving” cases? What are group dynamics and how are they important in picking your jury? How can the science of emergent leaders help you? In this program, both new and experienced DUI attorneys will learn about strategies in picking a jury that will help you win the case. Presenter Robert S. “Bobby” Reiff will provide an overview of the theories of jury selection and how they apply to a DUI case. He also provides you with common sense concepts to make the case for your clients. Mr. Reiff is a noted DUI expert and defense attorney, and the author of "Drunk Driving and Related Vehicular Offenses (Lexis Law Publishing Company) and LexisNexis' "Florida DUI Practice Guide" series.

Truck accidents are different than car accidents. There are added regulations, additional evidentiary issues, and the regular need for experts. Because of this, it is difficult to tackle a truck accident case without significant experience. This course will provide an overview of the basic steps in how to litigate a truck accident case. We will start at the time the call is first received, the initial investigation, pleading, discovery, and commonly litigated issues. We will cover this from both the Plaintiff (injured party) and Defendant (truck driver) perspective. There is, obviously, much more to litigating a truck accident than we can cover in 1 hour. If you have any questions on your truck case, please feel free to email me ([email protected]) or call me 404-793-0026.

This course is designed for attorneys who already practice in state court. It will emphasize how litigating personal injury cases in federal court is different than in most state courts. Legal issues will be discussed as well as custom and practice, including examples from the presenter’s own experience.

This course gives a both-sides view of legitimate routes to liability against nursing homes and legitimate defenses. It also discusses the regulatory environment, special evidentiary issues with the changeover to electronic medical records, insurance coverage and lien issues. The presentation will draw heavily on the presenter’s experience representing nursing homes in both personal injury and regulatory matters.

We have received requests for some more war stories from our lecturers and justice warriors. This presentation delivers that. Robert “Bobby” Reiff began practicing law in 1983, almost 40 years ago, when he was thrown into the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Offices DUI Division and told to try cases. That he did, so much and so successfully that within 6 months, he was asked to be the chief of the DUI Division. Bobby declined that offer, instead choosing to continue trying cases. Follow him as he left the prosecution to work for the first defense lawyers who decided to specialize in defending DUI and DUI Manslaughter prosecutions. Within months, the firm, Essen & Essen, was featured in the Wall Street Journal and on 60 Minutes for their unique and successful defense of DUI cases, so much so that Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes called them “a drunk driver’s best friend. As you can imagine, Bobby has war stories to tell. And these stories are not only entertaining, but they are also enlightening. Learn, and laugh, as you take this course. Enjoy!

In this course, we will explore the history of the modern worker’s compensation system, its importance in today’s society, and current issues. We must understand the history of a no-fault worker’s compensation system in order to fully understand the present-day arguments in favor of disbanding this system. We will identify the key major players in this industry and understand their roles, and responsibilities in workers’ compensation. We will also identify the basics of worker’s compensation including accident, notice, and causal relationship. We will identify the appropriate types of indemnity and wage loss benefits. We will discuss permanency and its impact on injured workers. We will explore the meaning of accident, occupational disease. Finally, we will discuss what is like to practice in this area, exploring concerns of work/life balance, diversity and expertise level required to handle such matters.

This program is designed to help attorneys understand the role of medical reports in litigation. We will take a deep dive into the benefits of understanding medical records, how to increase your vocabulary of “medical jargon" as an attorney, and explore the relationship between facts and the medical reports.

A personal injury case often needs an estate lawyer - and an estate lawyer often needs a personal injury lawyer's perspective. Alex Weatherby will start with a discussion on wrongful death and related claims, as there are unique issues in the state of Georgia that can make prosecuting a wrongful death claim tricky. He'll also cover claims involving a minor, because probate courts play a significant role in these claims as well. There is, obviously, much more to litigating both wrongful death and minor injury claims than can be covered in one hour. This course serves as an overview of the types of personal injury cases that will primarily intersect with probate and estate law.

Since 2015, there has been a significant increase in class actions addressing total loss auto insurance, starting in Florida and now expanding into numerous other states. It is now perhaps the most litigated issue in the class action insurance area of law. This course addresses the three major theories under which these cases are brought, along with the major issues, both as to the merits and class certification, particularly from the plaintiff's perspective.

Have you ever wondered how opposing counsel and experts view the same event? In 2017, a major nor’easter brought accumulating snow to much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. As a result of this storm, numerous slip and fall injuries on snow and ice created ongoing litigation. In this CLE course, a plaintiff’s attorney, a defense attorney, and an expert meteorologist will walk you through a hypothetical slip and fall case from their unique perspectives.

First, we will discuss the chronology of meteorological events that created the hazardous situation. Next, a plaintiff’s attorney will present their perspective, with a focus on when and how to retain and use a meteorologist expert. Lastly, the case will be presented from the perspective of the defense attorney, with a similar focus on the role of the meteorologist in slip and fall litigation.

Nursing home abuse and neglect cases can be difficult and confusing to manage. In this course, Michael Brusca will guide you through the process of nursing home abuse and neglect litigation, including choosing the proper claims, procuring discovery, developing deposition strategies, and obtaining appropriate experts.

Property owners and general contractors face an extremely high burden with respect to safety issues at construction sites with high elevation. Nothing better exemplifies this than the requirements of Labor Law Section 240, traditionally known as the “scaffold law” in New York. This statute is intended to protect workers against the dangers inherent in working at elevations, and with materials or equipment at different heights. This course will review the requirements of the statute and what entities are subject to its mandates. Also discussed will be how the requirements of the statute are implemented in the field, as well as the defenses that are traditionally raised when a worker is injured due to a claimed violation. Real life examples will be utilized to illustrate the principles.

The nature of construction sites frequently results in hazardous and dangerous conditions for the workers. In an effort to protect them, several state statutes govern site conditions and instill requirements for safe operations relative to the performance of the work. In New York, among these are Labor Law Sections 200 and 241(6), which cover virtually every conceivable type of activity that occurs in connection with construction projects. This course will review the requirements of these statutes and what entities are subject to their mandates. Also discussed will be how the requirements of these laws are implemented in the field, including their interplay with the industrial code, and the defenses that are traditionally raised when a worker is injured due to claimed violations. Real life examples will be utilized to illustrate the principles and explain how the case law interprets the same.