Articles by Bill Kaczor

BP Says $332 Million in Florida Oil Spill Claims Approved

The administrator of a class-action settlement between petroleum giant BP and oil spill claimants said that more than 34,000 Florida businesses and individuals so far have been approved to receive $332 million. Patrick Juneau was in Tallahassee to meet with …

Florida Court Bans Private Doctor-Lawyer Meetings in Malpractice Cases

Malpractice defendants must not try to circumvent a Florida law that bars them from obtaining confidential medical information about plaintiffs from other doctors or dentists who are treating them, the state Supreme Court said in a recent ruling. The 5-2 …

Florida Supreme Court Rules in 2 Sovereign Immunity Cases

The Florida Supreme Court last week put off a decision on whether Citizens Property Insurance Corp. can use its status as a state-backed entity to avoid lawsuits accusing it of bad faith in responding to claims. The justices, though, ruled …

Florida Industry Presses Progress Energy on Nuclear Reactor Insurance Claim

Lawyers for industrial consumers are questioning Progress Energy Florida’s approach to calculating how much insurance money the utility can expect in 2013 to help pay for power to replace output from a crippled nuclear reactor. State regulators didn’t immediately resolve …

Florida Justices Say Fair Court System Being Threatened

Three state Supreme Court justices being targeted by Republicans and other conservatives said Friday that such partisan and special interest attacks are threatening the independence and fairness of Florida’s judicial system. The Florida Republican Party this year broke with a …

Florida’s Anti-Fraud Auto Insurance Law Now in Effect

A trio of constitutionally questionable measures and legislation designed to crack down on no-fault auto insurance fraud are among about 150 new Florida laws going into effect Sunday. A law that bans state and local governments from hiring companies that …

Florida Supreme Court Hears Class Action Arbitration Argument

A pay day loan company’s lawyer argued this week that the Florida Supreme Court must uphold a contract provision prohibiting customers from banding together in class action arbitration cases against the firm because of a 2011 U.S. Supreme Court decision. …

Negligence Claims Bills Sent to Florida Governor’s Desk

A claims bill that would pay $2.4 million to the parents of murdered Tallahassee police informant Rachel Hoffman went to Gov. Rick Scott after a final vote Friday in the Florida Senate. The measure (HB 7131) will allow the city …

1 of 3 High-Profile Negligence Claims Bills Reaches Florida Gov. Scott’s Desk

Aaron Edwards squirmed in delight on his mother’s lap in the Florida Senate gallery Wednesday as the chamber passed a bill to compensate him for negligence during his birth at a public hospital 14 years ago that left him unable …

Florida House OKs 3 Victim Compensation Measures Worth Millions

Three high-profile claims bills that would let victims of governmental negligence receive millions in compensation cleared the Florida House on Monday. The bills now go to the Senate. One bill (SB 4) would require that an insurance company for the …