Memorial Day Message for Our Veterans
Doyle Raizner extends a thank this Memorial Day to all our veterans for their service, which has allowed us to enjoy our own freedom and safety today.
Doyle Raizner remains very proud to represent veterans of the U.S. National Guard and the British Royal Air Force who served in the Iraq War.
KBR’s Bills to US Taxpayers Under Increasing Scrutiny
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), in a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday, questioned the growing expenses that military contractor KBR has passed on to U.S. taxpayers in the defense of the lawsuit brought by former U.S. National Guardsmen exposed to the carcinogen sodium dichromate while guarding the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant.
KBR’s newly declassified contract withthe U.S. military confirms that, under the contract, not only was KBR granted financial liability, but they were also permitted to bill the U.S. government for any legal costs.
A report by Oregon-based KTVZ indicates that KBR’s legal defense team has since billed the U.S. Government for “excessive legal costs, including senior attorneys billing at $750 per hour, taking numerous international and domestic first-class flights and paying one expert more than $500,000 for testimony and consultation who has admitted to billing KBR for time spent sleeping.”
Doyle Raizner represents U.S. National Guardsmen and members of the British Royal Air Force who suffered injuries due to their exposure to sodium dicromate while serving in Iraq.
Texas Thirteen District Court of Appeals Affirms Doyle Raizner Win
On May 10, 2011, the Court of Appeals for the Thirteenth District of Texas affirmed the judgment of the trial court that the surviving family of an employee who was injured at his workplace was entitled to death benefits under Texas law.
Following an on-the-job injury, the employee had died of an accidental overdose of pain medication related to his injuries. Despite the established law that such a death qualified for death benefits under Texas law, the insurer continued to fight the employee’s family’s entitlement to death benefits through trial and on appeal.
Doyle Raizner successfully represented the employee’s family in the underlying case and on appeal.
Doyle Raizner Files Suit Against Texas Fair Plan, Blackmon Mooring
On May 7, 2012, Doyle Raizner filed suit against Texas Fair Plan Association and Blackmon Mooring, on behalf of a homeowner whose house was destroyed by a fire on December 1, 2011. Even while the fire burned through her residence, representatives of Blackmon Mooring–a remediation company–showed up at the residence and began taking the homeowner’s possessions. Blackmon Mooring then coerced the homeowner into signing a contract with the company, while it has continued to hold hostage the homeowner’s possessions.
The homeowner has brought suit against Texas Fair Plan and Blackmon Mooring for, among other things, violations of the Texas Insurance Code, Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and the Texas Debt Collection Act.
Doyle Raizner LLP Opens New Office In Phoenix
In response to the rising problem of insurance bad faith activity in Phoenix and across Arizona, Doyle Raizner has opened a Phoenix office in order to assist residents of Arizona who have been affected by insurance misconduct. With several insurance companies refusing to honor their contractual obligations and pay out on valid claims, many policyholders have been left unable to recover after suffering a serious injury or sustaining property damage in the aftermath of a disaster such as the October 2010 hailstorm. Doyle Raizner is looking forward to helping Arizona policyholders fight for the compensation they are entitled to.
Kevin Wein, formerly of Steptoe and Johnson, will head the new Phoenix office. The office will focus primarily on handling insurance cases, such as first-party property insurance disputs and workers’ compensation bad faith claims.
More information regarding Doyle Raizner’s new Arizona office is available here.
Mike Doyle and Jeff Raizner Selected as 2012 Super Lawyers
Doyle Raizner shareholders Mike Doyle and Jeff Raizner have been selected to the 2012 list of Texas Super Laywers.
Super Lawyers recognizes outstanding lawyers from different practice areas, based on peer recognition and professional achievement.
The firm congratulates Mike and Jeff on this achievement. Mike has been selected to Super Lawyers each year since 2005. Jeff has been selected every year since 2006.
5th Circuit Denies Rehearing, Rules Arkel May Be Held Accountable
On April 12, 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit denied rehearing in
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Larraine McGee v. Arkel International, a case brought by the surviving parents of a soldier electrocuted in Iraq due to the negligent installation of showers on base by Arkel International. Arkel had sought the dismissal of the case, arguing that it was brought after the expiration of Louisiana’s one-year prescriptive period. However, as the Fifth Circuit had found in its initial decision on February 12, 1012, Iraq’s three-year statute of limitations applied under Louisiana law, because Arkel’s actions and the soldier’s death both occurred in Iraq.
The Fifth Circuit’s ruling permits the McGees to seek justice for the death of their son, due to the improper installation and maintainance of the shower facilities. Unfortunately, the electrocution of soldiers has been far too frequent, with military contractors cutting corners and using poorly trained personnel. The U.S. and other servicemen who put their lives on the line for our country should be able to rely on diligent and responsible work of military contractors.
Doyle Raizner successfully represented the McGees in the underlying case and appeal, and we are proud to represent the McGees and other servicemen in actions against military contractors for negligence and wrongdoing.
Tornadoes Tear Through Dallas-Fort Worth Area
The Dallas-Fort Worth area was struck by up to 18 tornadoes on April 3, 2012, damaging over 800 homes. The suburbs of Arlington and Lancaseter were hit particularly hard, accounting for about 700 of the damaged houses. Fortunately, there were few injuries reported.
Tornadoes have been frequent throughout 2011 and 2012, and have remained a leading cause of property damage.
Doyle Raizner represents home and business owners with property damage and business interruption claims caused by natural disasters. The firm currently represents clients with claims arising from the Joplin tornado, the Phoenix hailstorm, and Hurricane Ike.
New Docs Show KBR Knew of Toxic Chemicals By At Least January 2003
New documents recently uncovered show that military contractor KBR was aware of contamination at its Qarmat Ali water treatment plan in Iraq at least as early as January 2003. KBR had previously claimed that it was only aware of chemical contamination at the site from sodium dichromate after U.S. National Guardsmen began showing symptoms of exposure.
The newly uncovered documents, however, including an environmental assessment performed by KBR for the U.S. government prior to even the invasion of Iraq, show that KBR was aware that 8 million pounds of sodium dichromate had been ordered for use at the site and that KBR was expecting the facility to be kept in “lamentable” conditions.
Doyle Raizner represents U.S. National Guardsmen and members of the British Royal Air Force who suffered injuries due to their exposure to sodium dicromate in Iraq. The documents were uncovered as part of discovery in the lawsuit after KBR had continued to deny that they were aware of the potentially toxic chemicals until soldiers became ill. The U.S. Department of Defense cited KBR in a September 2011 report for, among other things, failing to act quickly in warning or protecting soldiers and civilians from exposure to sodium dicromate.
Severe weather spawned tornadoes hitting Texas and Louisiana
The week of March 19, 2012 brought tornadoes to San Antonio, Texas brining injuries and damage to buildings and homes and nine Louisiana Parishes are reporting damages from severe winds, rain and tornadoes.
Damage to residential or commercial property caused by tornados is covered by property insurance. But it is very important to timely and accurately report and monitor your residential or commercial insurance claim, and to continue to vigilantly monitor your claim with your insurance company. In addition, businesses that are forced to close may have a claim for business interruption caused by a natural disaster.
Doyle Raizner has represented the victims of tornadoes and other natural disasters across the United States, including in Texas, Arizona, and Missouri.
