Hoffman & Gelfman Law Blog

Insurance Companies Paid Over $470 Million to Settle Dog Bite Claims In 2011

Steve Gelfman — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:58:28 +0000

Last year alone State Farm Insurance paid more than $109 million on more than 3,500 claims involving dog bites. According to the Insurance Information Institute more than $470 million in dog bite claims were paid by all insurance companies in 2011.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year and more than half of the victims are children. Most attacks come from the family dog or the dog of a neighbor or friend.

The ASPCA recommends the several things children should avoid to reduce the risks of being bitten by a dog. Children should be taught to never stare into a dog’s eyes, tease a dog, approach a chained dog, touch an off-leash dog, run or scream if approached by a loose dog, play with a dog while it is eating or touch a dog while it is sleeping. If a loose dog comes close, children should stand very still and be very quiet. Always ask a dog’s owner for permission to pet it and let the dog sniff your closed hand before you start touching it.

For over 50 years the experienced attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman have helped individuals receive the compensation they are entitled to. If you or someone you care about has been attacked or bitten by a dog, contact the St. Louis dog bite attorneys toll free at (866) 298-1020 for a free consultation.

YouTube Video Leads to an Arrest

Hoffman & Gelfman — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:15 +0000

A Houston man has been arrested and charged with improper photography and visual recording. The charges stem from a video recording of the man and his former girlfriend having sex which he posted on YouTube to embarrass her after their 2011 breakup. The girlfriend reported the incident to police after he emailed her about what he had done.

The video has since been removed and the man is out on bail. KHOU Channel 11 legal expert Greg Treece reported that the prosecutor may attempt to get the current charges increased to intent to cause emotional distress. This may be another case that can set precedents for legal proceedings for years to come as more people are seeking to use the internet as a tool for personal relationship revenge.

If you have been violated in this way a consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys at Hoffman and Gelfman can give you ideas on how you should proceed to end this type of behavior. One of our experienced St. Louis personal injury attorneys can help you take the appropriate actions in court and fight to get you compensation for emotional distress. Visit to our website today for more information on what you can do to bring a just end to this kind of harassment.

Fireman Dies in the Line of Duty

Hoffman & Gelfman — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:00:29 +0000

Kinloch Missouri firefighter Captain Richard Parks was at a fire last month that saw a 16 year old person rescued. He had driven a fire truck to the scene of the fire, but returned to the station when he became ill and was eventually taken to a hospital. He returned to the station but then suffered a cardiac arrest. His death was on May 11th was declared in the line of duty.

A heart attack is hard to predict but proper procedures must be followed at all times whenever there is a sickness or injury suffered while at work. When mistakes are made that result in either a wrongful death or serious debilitating injuries an expert needs to be called in to seek justice for those affected by the injury.

The St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Hoffman and Gelfman have been engaged by many clients to seek compensation for serious injuries and wrongful deaths that have occurred at work. Failure to follow procedure on the jobsite or mistakes in the emergency room can easily make a bad situation much worse when it comes to work related injuries. If you have been injured on the job visit our website to set up an appointment with one of our St. Louis personal injury experts to discuss the matter in detail.

School Bus and Police Cruiser Involved in Accident

Hoffman & Gelfman — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:14 +0000

On Wednesday May 2, 2012 a police car that was responding to call was part of an accident involving a school bus. Luckily there were no students aboard the school bus at the time but one of the officers in the cruiser had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The driver of the bus was proceeding through a green light and was quoted as saying she did not hear the siren or see the flashing lights of the cruiser. Intersections can often be the scene of accidents when emergency vehicles go through red lights or pass cars and trucks unexpectedly. Some accidents may be unavoidable but all drivers on the road need to be constantly alert of their surroundings and what is going on around them.

Any person who suffers injuries due to a car or truck accident should consult with the experienced St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Hoffman and Gelfman. If you have suffered an injury caused by another driver’s bad judgment or careless actions on the road you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering. Reach out to our personal injury experts today to find out the first steps you should take after being involved in an auto accident caused by another driver.

New Worries for the FDA

Hoffman & Gelfman — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:00:07 +0000

A recent article in the New York Times looks at the effects of Endocrine Disruptors. These chemicals can be found everywhere including thermal receipts from ATMs and gasoline self-service pumps. They are found in canned food, cosmetics and food packaging.

There are not many direct links to serious side effects as of yet but there are some observations that scientists believe are caused by these substances. There is concern that effects may not show up for decades and the article supplies a precedent. The chemical DES was given to women to combat morning sickness for years and was later seen as a cause of breast and vaginal cancer in the daughters of some of these women.

There is no word that the FDA is making any moves to ban these substances. The organization has been called out in the past though for allowing the use of drugs out that later have been the basis for personal injury lawsuits. Our St. Louis personal injury attorneys have represented many people who have been wrongly injured in medical malpractice and defective drug cases.

Our website has a list of harmful drugs that the FDA has since taken from the market or have been known to cause serious side effects. Anyone who has taken these or other harmful drugs should contact our experts immediately to find out the best course of action for their situation.

Hit and Run Victim is Identified

Hoffman & Gelfman — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:00:50 +0000

The victim of a fatal hit and run accident in St. Louis on April 27, 2012 has been identified. Amber Wood and two friends were crossing South Broadway when she and another person were struck by what was described as a silver or gray Pontiac. There has been a vehicle matching that description found and someone has been questioned but no further details are available at this time.

This incident will be very difficult for the woman’s family and friends to get over. The person who was injured at the same time will be sure to have some lingering physical and possibly emotional scars due to the devastating nature of the incident. The emotional toll on the victim’s loved ones will be severe as these types of accidents are usually avoidable if proper driving procedures are followed.

Anyone in the St. Louis area that has suffered injuries or emotional upheaval due to a car or truck accident should contact a Missouri injury attorney. A careless or inattentive driver must be held accountable for the injuries, pain and suffering they cause. The St. Louis injury attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman have been helping people who have been involved in devastating accidents for years and can do the same for you.

Denial of Workmen’s Compensation Claim May have Violated The RICO Statute

Hoffman & Gelfman — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:00:15 +0000

A Michigan employer is being sued by five employees that were denied worker’s compensation. The sixth court of appeals in the state has reversed an earlier dismissal of claims. The court believes that the RICO statute was meant to be broadly interpreted and that the denial of claim for compensation in this case was enough to be called an independent property interest.

The basis of this case was that the five workers claimed they were injured and were sent to physicians that wrongfully denied their claims. The employees sued the employer, his third party administrator and the physicians involved. The case will be groundbreaking if the RICO statute use precedent is set.

In Missouri if you have been denied a legitimate workers’ compensation claim a consultation with an experienced Missouri workplace injury attorney is necessary. Injuries that require long rehabilitation and leave the family wage earner unable to return to work must by law be compensated for. Even if an accident was not the fault of the employer but caused by a faulty piece of equipment a St. Louis personal injury attorney needs to be contacted. The experienced Missouri personal injury attorneys at Hoffman and Gelfman can explain your rights involving any injury at work and fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

Injuries at Beer Garden Tent Next to Kilroy’s Sports Bar

Steve Gelfman — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:55:45 +0000

Saturday afternoon saw strong and sudden winds blow through St. Louis. A tent erected next to Kilroy’s Sports Bar near Busch Stadium was blown over causing many injuries and one person died.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene and the city building inspector and other officials are investigating the cause of the tent collapse.

If you or someone you know has been seriously injured or killed because of an improperly maintained or erected structure, you need to contact the tent injury attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman and allow us to immediately begin the necessary investigation to obtain vital and necessary evidence.

For over 50 years we have represented seriously injured individuals. Let us put our knowledge and experience to work for you. Call the St. Louis injury lawyers at 314.241-1020 for a free consultation.

Cyberbullying Lawsuit

Steve Gelfman — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:57:39 +0000

A suit filed in Cobb County Georgia continues to bring light to the very serious and horrible issues of cyberbullying. Classmates of Alexandria Boston created a fake Facebook page and posted an altered photograph of aAlexandriato make her look overweight. The Facebook page also associated false racial slurs and sexual activity to the victim.

Bill Nigut, the Southeast regional director of the Anti-Defamation League is well aware of the serious nature of such incidents and knows that creating a fake Facebook page to bully someone is not an uncommon practice. As opposed to being teased or bullied in school where the actual act ends, you maybe able to “find some peace when you go home,” he said. “But cyberbullying is ubiquitous.”

Alexandria’s parents found the false Facebook page one afternoon after she came home from school crying. Understandably, the family was shocked to see what had been posted on a Facebook page that appeared to be Alexandria’s.

In explaining their intentions, the classmates who created the fake Facebook page were told school officials that they didn’t like Alexandria. The students were given two days of in-school suspension for using their cellphones to take photos at school.

The Anti-Defamation League has provided the following tips for parents to combat cyberbullying:

1. Insist that your children allow you to “friend” them on Facebook.

2. Monitor incoming and outgoing postings on your child’s Facebook page.

3. Make sure your child understands that social media accounts are a privilege, not a right.

4. Encourage students not to “like,” or in any way perpetuate by sending to other friends, messages of hate.

For more information about the Anti-Defamation League’s CyberAlly training model, log onto www.adl.org.

With the popularity of social media including Facebook, Twitter, texting and e-mails, bullying no longer occurs just face to face. To address these concerns, Missouri requires school districts to put the terms “cyber-bullying” and “electronic communications” into their anti-bullying policies, which have been required since 2007.

As parents and grandparents of school aged children our attorneys are sensitive to the devastating effects bullying can have on a child. Combined with our over 50 years of experience and knowledge of the law, call us today toll-free at 866-298-1020 and let our St. Louis bullying attorneys and Missouri cyber bullying lawyers answer your important questions.

STOK Gas Grills Recalled

Hoffman & Gelfman — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:00:07 +0000

The summer months will soon be with us and the family barbeque season in St. Louis will be in full swing. People who have purchased a new grill or are thinking of doing so need to know that the STOK Island and STOK Quattro gas grills have been recalled. There are over 87,000 of these grills in the U.S. and Canada sold by Home Depot and Direct Tools Factory Outlet stores from March of 2011 to February of 2012.

The grills in question have regulators that leak propane and there are 569 reports of these leaks. No injuries have been reported but the company warns of fire and burn hazards so it makes sense to check the name on your grill before using. If you have this item we at Hoffman & Gelfman strongly recommend that you return it immediately.

Any injuries caused by a faulty product should be discussed with a St. Louis personal injury attorney immediately. Burns, scarring and permanent injuries due to products that should not be on the market must be compensated for by the manufacturer. A conference with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys will establish what rights you have following sustaining an injury as a result of a faulty or defective product.