Texas Insurance Defense and Litigation

NYT reports that the GAO will be issuing reporting condemning oversight of nursing homes

The New York Times reports in a story that next week, the Government Accountability Office will issue a report that concludes that the Department of Health and Human Services “fails to hold [nursing] homes with a long history of harming residents accountable for the poor care provided”.  The report will also state that “[s]ome of these homes repeatedly harmed residents over a six-year period and yet remain in the Medicare and Medicaid programs”.

Federal Judge in Tulsa, Oklahoma orders new trial in $15M Ford Explorer rollover case

A Federal Judge in Tulsa Oklahoma ordered a new trial for Ford in an Explorer rollover case in which the jury awarded $15 million.  In her order, the judge referenced personal attacks on Ford attorneys and witnesses.  The Judge specifically referenced the closing argument of the plaintiff’s counsel, wherein he "blatantly suggested that Ford Explorers were responsible for 10,000 deaths per year, and he had the temerity to compare this improper suggestion to the number of deaths in the Iraq War."  The Judge found that because the argument was made in the final portion of plaintiff’s counsel’s final argument, Ford had no opportunity to respond or to cure any resulting prejudice.

For the full story, go here.