Defective & Dangerous Products

• Nevada's Short Trial Program

  Steve Klearman | April 28, 2006 3:21 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  As I indicated a blog or two ago, cases that are appealed from arbitration or fail in mediation may proceed into Nevada's Short Trial Program. Here's an overview of that program:-A presiding judge is appointed and hears all motions. -The parties exchange document and witness lists and meet for a pretrial conference to chart out the course of the case.-The case is calendared and set for trial...

• Nevada's Path Through ADR

  Steve Klearman | April 27, 2006 3:35 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  The Nevada judicial system has continued to refine its attempt to route smaller cases (generally those with a value of under $40,000) away from district court jury trials and through a series of alternative dispute resolution programs.In Washoe County, Nevada, there are two basic choices in cases of this nature.First, parties can proceed through arbitration. In this form of alternative dispute...

• Politics and Drugs

  Steve Klearman | April 03, 2006 11:45 AM | 1 CommentReno, NV

  This set of observations come from the Greedy Trial Lawyer blog at http://www.greedytriallawyer.com. I reproduce this here in an attempt to occasionally touch upon the unsavory relationship between our pharmaceutical companies and our politicians:In the closing days of the 2005 legislative year, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and the White House fail to obtain the needed support for a...

• The Riddle of Damage Caps

  Steve Klearman | March 16, 2006 3:56 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  Florida attorney Bob Carroll notes that a Florida newspaper recently posed questions to consider in the context of whether to impose damage caps:How much is the lifetime use of a right arm worth? What is fair compensation for spending 60 years blind because of a doctor's error? If a surgeon makes a mistake and cuts a nerve during routine surgery, forcing you to eat and drink through a tube for...

• New Nevada Rules Off to Slow Start

  Steve Klearman | March 09, 2006 1:40 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  Much of litigation in Nevada is governed by the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure.On January 1, 2005 major amendments to the rules became effective. It's difficult to teach old lawyers (and judges) new tricks, though, and many district courts here are only now requiring compliance. The new rules track the Federal Rules in numerous respects and require parties to think about and organize cases...

• Stages of Litigation in Nevada - Part II

  Steve Klearman | January 05, 2006 2:42 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  There are numerous types of courts in Nevada, but injury cases are generally handled in the Nevada district court system.Generally speaking, there are two phases to most cases: 1) the settlement phase, and 2) the litigation phase. The litigation phase of a case can be divided into three distinct stages: 1) the complaint and answer stage, 2) the discovery stage, and 3) the trial stage.This is the...

• Stages Of Litigation In Nevada

  Steve Klearman | December 18, 2005 9:53 AM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  There are numerous types of courts in Nevada, but injury cases are generally handled in the Nevada district court system.Generally speaking, there are two phases to most cases: 1) the settlement phase, and 2) the litigation phase. The litigation phase of a case can be divided into three distinct stages: 1) the complaint and answer stage, 2) the discovery stage, and 3) the trial stage.This is the...

• Assessing Your Risk In Personal Injury Litigation

  Steve Klearman | December 11, 2005 8:56 AM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  If you've been injured, and there's a settlement offer from the other side on the table, you may be wondering whether to push forward through litigation or to settle. Every case is different and requires specific evaluation. In general, though, you should assess a variety of factors, including the following:Case SizeHow big is the case? Litigation can be very expensive and you, the injured...

• Ortho Evra Blood Clot Risk

  Steve Klearman | November 16, 2005 12:58 PM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  Public Citizen, the consumer watchdog group, has called for women to stop using the dangerous Ortho Evra birth control patch.Public Citizen warned consumers about the patch over two months ago, but just last week, the FDA acknowledged the increased risk of blood clots, which can ultimately lead to death.According to the Ortho Evra statement from Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Director of Public Citizen's...