Rick DiGiorgio February 19th, 2009
The foundation of every relationship is trust. When you trust a leading financial institution to manage personal assets or company earnings, you expect the advice and counsel you receive to be legal and legitimate.
The business world saw the headlines and read the articles in The Wall Street Journal about UBS AG handing over private tax records to U.S. investigators. You may have been waiting for the other shoe to drop, or your bank or investment firm told you the legality of your investment strategy is in question and you may be facing substantial fines and expenses. On February 19, 2009, The Wall Street Journal reported that UBS, in an unprecedented action, agreed to hand over client tax records and pay a $780 million settlement for their role in the tax shelter scandal.
When Your Financial Institution Has Broken the Law and Broken Your Trust
The attorneys of Cory Watson have been representing individuals and businesses that were defrauded by illegal tax shelters since 2003. We work with outside counsel and bring together the best legal minds in the country to take on the largest accounting, investment, and law firms who developed, marketed, and sold abusive tax shelters. Contact us today at taxlawyer@cwcd.com or call us at (800) 852-6299 to discuss your options with a team of experienced lawyers.
Jason Shamblin February 16th, 2009
(BIRMINGHAM, Al) Attorneys representing Yamaha Rhino rollover victims are praising the decision to consolidate all Federal lawsuits involving the popular Yamaha Rhino Utility Terrain Vehicle. The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (“JPML”) ordered that all Yamaha Rhino rollover Federal lawsuits be consolidated before a single judge. The cases are being assigned to a Federal Judge in Kentucky according to the JPML Transfer Order dated February 13, 2009. The action centralizes the Federal suits into Multidistrict Litigation (“MDL”) so that all pretrial discovery and litigation from all Federal Rhino cases will be heard in one court.
“This brings us closer to achieving justice for those killed or injured in Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents”, said attorney Jason Shamblin of Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris. “It is a big step toward improving public safety.” Shamblin and lawyers at Cory Watson are representing more than 150 Rhino victims in mreo than 35 states. Lawsuits filed against Yamaha allege the Rhino is prone to rollover accidents, and because of defects in its design, may result in broken or crushed arms, legs, feet, and ankles.
“Hundreds of people have suffered devastating, life-changing injuries and many have died because of the design defects in the Yamaha Rhino. The company must be held accountable”, said Shamblin who notes that the lawsuits allege Yamaha knew of the dangers, yet failed to adequately warn consumers. Shamblin and other attorneys representing Rhino rollover victims had asked the courts to consolidate the Federal cases. The Federal action does not affect the status of Yamaha Rhino rollover cases filed in state courts around the U.S.
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Ryan Lutz February 5th, 2009
C.B. Fleet has recalled its Phospho-soda® laxative that it has aggressively promoted since the early 1990s as a safe bowel cleanser for colonoscopy and medical procedure preparation. Phospho-soda® is an over the counter saline laxative consisting mostly of monobasic sodium phosphate monohydrate and dibasic sodium phosphate heptahydrate. It is often taken to prepare for colonoscopy.
Fleet® Phospho-soda® works by drawing liquid from the body into the colon; therefore it can cause severe dehydration that can lead to kidney damage. Phospho-soda® should be used only under the direction of a physician. Since 2004, there have been close to 200 individual lawsuits filed against CB Fleet across the United States. The plaintiffs in these lawsuits allege that they have suffered kidney failure, chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease as a direct result of using Fleet® Phospho-Soda® in a dose recommended by Fleet as “safe”.
Medical research suggests that the incident rate of kidney failure associated with the use of oral sodium phosphates, such as Phospho-Soda® is 1 in 1000. The kidney damage caused by Phospho-soda is often called Acute Phosphate Nephropathy, Acute Renal Failure, Chronic Renal Failure, or Acute Nephrocalcinosis.
If you or a loved one have suffered kidney disease or kidney damage that developed after taking Fleet® Phospho-soda® as a bowel cleanser in preparation for a colonoscopy or surgery, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your injury. Call one of our Fleet® Phospho-soda® lawyers today. We want to help.
Kristian Rasmussen February 4th, 2009
Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris is representing Chantix victims and their families. Chantix victims or their survivors are suing Pfizer, the drug company that makes Chantix® (varenicline) . Chantix , a smoking cessation drug, is blamed for suicide and other serious side effects and the FDA has alerted the public to potential side effects of the drug. On February 1, 2008, under increasing pressure from the FDA, Pfizer amended the information contained in the drug label and package insert for patients to include stronger warnings for these serious adverse events. Contemporaneous with the February 1, 2008 label change, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory alerting health care providers, patients, and caregivers to new safety warnings “related to changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and actual suicidal behavior.” For more information please contact attorney Kristian Rasmussen by email (Krasmussen@cwcd.com) or calling (205) 328-2200; toll free 1-800-852-6299
Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris February 1st, 2009
To the extent the State Bar rules require us to designate a principal office and/or single attorney responsible for this site, Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris, P.C., designates Hirlye R. “Ryan” Lutz, III as the attorney responsible for this site. He is located at 2131 Magnolia Avenue, Suite 200, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.
Alabama: No representation is made that the quality of legal service to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers