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The Texas Lawyers Blog provides useful information on the law and Texas lawyers. For more information on this Blog or a legal topic, please feel free to submit an inquiry or send an e-mail message to blog@texaslawyers.com

Monday, September 9, 2013

Report Hospital Billing Fraud and Collect Large Financial Rewards: Medical Professionals That Properly Report Hospital Billing Fraud Can Collect Large Financial Rewards By Hospital Billing Fraud Lawyer



Report Hospital Billing Fraud and Collect Large Financial Rewards: Medical Professionals That Properly Report Hospital Billing Fraud Can Collect Large Financial Rewards By Hospital Billing Fraud Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Hospital billing fraud includes upcoding, false coding, false certifications, double billing, phantom patients, unbundling, and illegal kickbacks.  These forms of billing fraud are costing the government billions of dollars and can be the basis of qui tam whistleblower reward lawsuits that offer large financial rewards to medical professions including hospital administrators and other hospital employees that properly expose significant hospital billing fraud.   

For more information on properly reporting hospital billing fraud and having a potential hospital billing fraud case confidentially reviewed, please feel free to contact Hospital Billing Fraud Lawyer, Jason S. Coomer, via e-mail message or go to the following webpage: Report Hospital Billing Fraud and Whistleblower Reward Lawsuit.  

Being the First to File on a Hospital Billing Fraud Scheme is Essential for Recovery Under the False Claims Act

It is essential to not delay in coming forward with a Hospital Billing Fraud Qui Tam Whistleblower Action as the first whistleblower to file is eligible to be a relator and can make a large recovery for exposing the fraud.  Additionally, when the fraudulent scheme is exposed, the people that kept the fraud secret can sometimes be found liable for criminal activity for not exposing the fraud that was being committed.

Hospital Billing Fraud Whistleblower Lawsuits Include Upcoding Qui Tam Whistleblower Lawsuits and Coding Fraud Whistleblower Lawsuits

Upcoding occurs when a medical service provider intentionally and fraudulently upcodes services to obtain a higher reimbursement than one that is entitled to for the service that was actually provided.  In both the Medicare and Medicaid systems a set of billing codes is used by healthcare providers to bill for services. These codes are known as the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). A service provider that intentionally uses a higher paying code to fraudulently reflect that a more expensive procedure or device was involved in the patient’s treatment than actually was used or was necessary.  A pattern of intentional upcoding treatment can result in large profits for the healthcare provider, but also cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

Upcoding fraud is typically hard to catch without the help of persons with inside information because that Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes are billed electronically and can easily slip through the system.  Therefore unless the upcoding is caught through a random audit (approximately 2% of the claims per year are audited), it is up to insiders, informants, heroes, and health care professionals to catch fraudulent upcoding.

Another type of coding fraud is “unbundling”, where bundled related procedures or composite lab tests are run together, but billed separately by the lab or healthcare provider to obtain more compensation.  These types of billing fraud also allow healthcare providers and labs to make higher profits by bilking Medicare, Medicaid, and taxpayers out of millions of dollars.  These unbundling fraud schemes are also hard to detect without someone that is familiar with the codes and billing.

Hospital Billing Fraud and Other Forms of Health Care Fraud Are Costing The United States and U.S. Taxpayers About $100 Billion Each Year

Law enforcement authorities estimate that health-care fraud costs taxpayers about $100 billion each year.  Through Health Care Fraud Qui Tam Lawsuits billions of dollars have been recovered from individuals and organizations that have committed health care fraud on the United States Government and State Governments. 

HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE NETS RECOVERY OF $1.7 BILLION 

HCA Inc. (formerly known as Columbia/HCA and HCA - The Healthcare Company) and HCA subsidiaries agreed to pay the United States over $1.7 Billion including $631 million in 2003 for civil penalties and damages arising from false claims the government alleged it submitted to Medicare and other federal health programs. In 2000, HCA subsidiaries pled guilty to substantial criminal conduct and paid more than $840 million in criminal fines, civil restitution and penalties.  HCA will paid an additional $250 million to resolve overpayment claims arising from certain of its cost reporting practices.  In total, the government will have recovered $1.7 billion from HCA.

This Qui Tam settlement resolved fraud allegations against HCA and HCA hospitals in nine False Claims Act qui tam or whistleblower lawsuits pending in federal court in the District of Columbia. Under the federal False Claims Act, private individuals may file suit on behalf of the United States and, if the case is successful, may recover a share of the proceeds for their efforts. Under the HCA settlement, the whistleblowers will receive a combined share of $151,591,500.00.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Report Hospice Fraud: Hospice Fraud Whistleblowers Are Needed To Report False Certifications and Other Hospice Fraud by Hospice Fraud Qui Tam Lawyer


Report Hospice Fraud: Hospice Fraud Whistleblowers Are Needed To Report False Certifications and Other Hospice Fraud by Hospice Fraud Qui Tam Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Large financial rewards are being offered to hospice fraud whistleblowers that are the first to step forward to report large hospice care providers that are committing hospice fraud.  If you are aware of a large hospice care provider or other health care company that is committing hospice fraud, please feel free to contact Hospice Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer, Jason S. Coomer.

For more information on hospice fraud, please read below or go to the following web page: Report Hospice Fraud Information.

Large Hospice Providers in The Unites States Are Receiving Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Government Benefits and Some Have Been Committing Hospice Fraud

Hospice fraud is on the rise as many large corporations have tried to increase their profits through false certifications, over billing, and other forms of hospice fraud.  Because Medicare, the health program for the elderly and the disabled, automatically pays the vast majority of the bills it receives from companies that possess federally issued supplier numbers, many large companies have learned that hospice fraud is lucrative and is often not detected.

However, there have been several large health care providers that have been made to pay large multimillion dollar fines for hospice fraud lawsuits.  These lawsuits include cases against Odyssey Healthcare Inc. and SouthernCare. There are several other hospice fraud lawsuits that are currently pending and large rewards are being offered to professionals, employees, and other whistleblowers that are the first to be able to expose large scale hospice fraud being committed by a large hospice provider.  Some of the largest hospice providers in the United States include: Vitas, Gentiva, HCR ManorCare, Amedisys, Aseracare, Hospice of the Valley, Compassionate Care Hospice, Seasons Hospice, Hospice Compassus, Southern Care, Providence, Harden Healthcare, Crossroads Hospice, American Hospice, Tidewell Hospice, Hospice of Palm Beach County, Suncoast Hospice, Community Hospice of Northeast, Hope Hospice; Community Services, and Hospice of the Western Reserve.

Hospice Fraud Can Occur When A Hospice Care Provider Falsely Certifies or Recertifies Patients That Are Not Eligible For Hospice Benefits

Hospice Care Providers that practice a pattern of enrolling and recertifying non-terminal patients and billing for continuous care that isn't necessary or reasonable can be committing Hospice Medicare Fraud.  Other Hospice Care Providers that fraudulently maximize the use of Medicare’s hospice benefit by pressuring its employees to enroll people into hospice who aren’t dying and resist discharging them despite evidence they weren’t deteriorating can also be committing Hospice Medicare Fraud that can be the also be the basis of a Hospice Federal False Claims Act Whistleblower Reward Lawsuit.  These Hospice Medicare Fraud Schemes typically have a large health care and hospice provider recruite patients eligible for skilled nursing care for 20 days, for which Medicare pays the entire bill. After the 20 days, when Medicare requires patients pick up a part of the tab, the health care and hospice provider will send the patients to hospice to collect a flat payment from Medicare for each day they are enrolled.  In these fraudulent arrangements a patient will typically be referred and re-referred until that patient has received—and Medicare has been billed for—the maximum number of days of skilled nursing care, including rehabilitative therapy, home health care, and hospice care. 

By being the first to expose a hospice Medicare fraud scheme, a hospice Medicare fraud whistleblower can receive a substantial reward for properly blowing the whistle on fraudulent hospice care providers. 


Hospice Fraud Whistleblowers Can Include Doctors, Nurses, Hospice Employees, or Anyone With Original Knowledge of Hospice Fraud

Hospice fraud whistleblowers are needed to step forward and blow the whistle on large hospice care providers that are committing hospice fraud.  If you are aware of a large hospice care provider or other health care company that is commiting hospice fraud, please feel free to contact Hospice Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer, Jason S. Coomer.  

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Texas Animal Attack Lawyer and Texas Child Dog Bite Lawyer: Uncontrolled Vicious Dogs and Dangerous Animals Can Seriously Injure and Kill Children, Women, and Elderly Persons by Texas Fatal Animal Attack Lawyer and Texas Child Dog Bite Lawyer

Texas Fatal Animal Attack Lawyer and Texas Child Dog Bite Lawyer: Vicious Dog and Dangerous Animal Attacks Can Result When Careless Owners Fail to Protect Neighbors, Children, and Invitees from Being Attacked From Dangerous Animals by Texas Fatal Animal Attack Lawyer and Texas Child Dog Bite Lawyer

Vicious dogs and dangerous animals can cause serious injuries or even death when not properly restrained.  Property owners that keep dangerous animals and fail to properly restrain their animals can often be help liable when their animal attacks and seriously injures or kills a neighbor, invitee, or child.

It is estimated that there are over 4 million dog attacks each year.  Of these animal attacks, some of them are vicious animal attacks that kill or seriously injure children or groups of dangerous animals that hunt or attack an adult or elderly person.  These attacks can leave a child or adult permanently scarred and injured for life or result in death.  Though children and elderly people are typically the most vulnerable to attacks by vicious dogs, multiple dogs or unexpected attacks can injure anyone and cause serious injury or death.

Though dogs are the most common animal that attacks and causes serious injuries, other animals can also attack causing serious injuries or death.  Owners of these potentially dangerous or deadly animals are required to take reasonable care of their animals to make sure that they are not able to get free to attack neighbors or attack invited visitors.  When a landowner is careless and allows an animal to attack someone and should have been aware of the potential danger of their animal, the owner can often be held liable for the attack and any serious injuries or fatal injuries that the animal attack caused.

For more information on this topic, please read below or follow the below links:  Texas Animal Attack Death Lawyer and Texas Dog Bite Lawyer or Austin Texas Fatal Animal Attack Lawyer and Austin Texas Child Dog Bite Lawyer.
 
Austin Texas Dog Bite Lawsuits, Austin Dog Attack Lawsuits, and Austin Animal Attack Lawsuits

Unfortunately, some people fail to train or keep control of their animals.  Even worse some people train their Pit Bulls, Chows, Rottweilers, and other dangerous or vicious dogs to be attack dogs.  When these untrained and attack dogs attacks a child or neighbor, the injuries can be severe or deadly. 
The City of Austin has special laws in place that require owners of dogs to keep the dogs leased, unless the dog is in a specially designated area.  If the owner fails to keep track of their dog and that dog attacks someone, the own can often be found liable for the injuries that the dog causes.
In being an Austin Texas Dog Attack Injury attorney, I have been fortunate enough to represent some really good people that had been injured by dog attacks.  Helping these people obtain compensation for significant medical expenses, impairment, disfigurement, pain & suffering, and future medical, is a big part of being a lawyer and helping people recover from a vicious attack.

As an Austin Personal Injury Lawyer, Jason Coomer has worked on a wide variety of cases including several wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases.  He commonly works with other excellent lawyers including Dallas Personal Injury Lawyers, Houston Animal Attack Lawyers, San Antonio Dog Attack Lawyers, and Austin Canine Attack Lawyers.  Assembling litigation teams of Texas Wrongful Death and Personal Injury Lawyers for the larger cases and building multimedia presentations for mediation, arbitration, hearings, and trial can be time consuming, but when you are dealing with someone's life and the devastation that can be caused by a serious injury, a vicious animal attack, or loss of a loved one, the effort is worth it.  Individualized attention to a Texas Animal Attack Claim is extremely important.  Make sure that you have a Texas Dog Attack Attorney that knows your name and is familiar with your death claim or personal injury claims as well as your wants and needs.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer: Texas Family Business Inheritance Can Often Be Lost Through Improper Estate Planning and The Probate Process by Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer and Texas Real Estate Inheritance Lawyer: Texas Family Business Inheritance and Texas Real Property Inheritance Can Often Be Lost Through Improper Estate Planning, Lack of Communication, Lack of Resources, and Failure To Understand The Texas Probate Legal System by Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer Jason S. Coomer


Some Texas families have been able to build successful businesses, obtain large real estate holdings including mineral interests, and accumulate significant wealth.  However, many of these wealthy Texas families will lose this wealth through inaction, failure to communicate essential business information, and failure to understand Texas probate and inheritance issues.  

As a Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer and Texas Real Estate Inheritance Lawyer, Jason Coomer works with family members throughout the World to protect, claim, and transfer wealth including family businesses, family farms, and family mineral interests.  For questions regarding Texas probate and inheritance law, protecting family businesses or property through probate, claiming family wealth, and clearing title to real estate after a death, please feel free to send an e-mail message to Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer Jason S. Coomer or use our contact form to submit an inquiry regarding a Texas Real Estate Inheritance or Texas Family Business Inheritance Matter
Many Situations Can Cause Texas Inherited Real Property and Texas Family Business Inheritance To Become Trapped After The Death of a Family Member: Failure To Clear Title To Texas Inherited Real Property and Texas Family Businesses Can Result In The Loss Of Family Wealth
 
After a family member dies, their real property or business can become stuck in the inheritance process and if proper action is not taken it can be lost to foreclosure, taxes, competitors, non-family members, or the State of Texas .  These situations are especially common when the person dies without a Will, leaves no instructions as to what they want done with their possessions after they die, and/or has no accurate inventory or accounting of their wealth.  In these situations, Texas real property and Texas businesses will need to be transferred under Texas intestate law.  As such, it is important to understand what Texas intestate law says on how the estate should be divided and how title to the real estate and ownership of the business can be transferred.

In addition to the issue of intestate succession, there are also a number of other common situations that can cause inherited real property and businesses to become stuck.  The first situation occurs when the family is unable to move forward with the probate process because of lack of resources.  The second situation occurs when the family is unable to move forward with probate because of proximity issues.  In other words, the heirs do not live in Texas or close to where their loved one died.  In a third situation, family members can start fighting over their loved one's estate.  In a forth situation, there is not sufficient information to know the amount of or location of wealth that needs to be transferred.  In other words, the family member that died or become incompetent did not do sufficient estate planning or communicate with their family members regarding their wealth.   In all these situations, Texas real estate and businesses can become stuck for years or can even be lost.
 
Clearing Title To and Transferring Texas Real Property and Texas Businesses Through Probate Usually Requires The Services of One or More Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyers

Depending on the reason that caused Texas inherited property or a family business to become stuck in the probate process, the solution may be hiring a Texas family business inheritance lawyer or a Texas real estate inheritance lawyer.  In the situation where the surviving family cannot afford the probate process, a Texas real estate inheritance lawyer or Texas family business inheritance lawyer can sometimes work out a contingent contract or a hybrid contract where the lawyer will work to clear title to the Texas real property or family business so it can be sold or mortgaged allowing the heirs, beneficiaries, court costs, attorney's fees, and other expenses to be paid out of the sales proceeds of the real property or business.  In these situations, families can often prevent losing inherited wealth through foreclosure or taxes.
 
In the situation where the family lives outside of the State of Texas, a Texas real estate inheritance attorney can often be appointed the local agent for the administrator or executive and help with many of the tasks that need to be handled in administering the estate.  This can greatly limit the need for the family to make numerous trips to Texas or the county where their loved one died and allow a busy family member to handle probate issues without a significant drain on their time.
 
In situations where the heirs and beneficiaries start fighting, it is often necessary for multiple Texas real estate inheritance lawyers to become involved.  In these situations, it is typically best for each side to have their own legal counsel to advise them as to their rights under Texas law and if necessary to have legal counsel that can advocate for their rights.  These contested probate lawsuits can be expensive, but can be necessary when someone is attempting to steal family inheritance or the family needs experienced legal help to settle a disputed probate matter and prevent the loss of inherited real estate in Texas. 
 
Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer and Texas Real Estate Inheritance Lawyer
 
For more information regarding Texas probate and inheritance law, claiming family wealth, and clearing title to real estate after the death of a family member, please feel free to send an e-mail message to Texas Family Business Inheritance Lawyer Jason S. Coomer or use our contact form to submit an inquiry regarding a Texas Real Estate Inheritance or Texas Family Business Inheritance Matter
 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Rewards for Exposing False Books and Accounting Records: Ex-JPMorgan Chase Employees Charged Over 'London Whale' Scandal

SEC Bounty Action Whistleblowers Can Receive Large Rewards for Exposing False Books and Records, Wire Fraud, and False Regulatory Filings

Persons with evidence of false accounting records, securities fraud, insider trading, false information on SEC filings, insider trading; stock manipulation schemes, embezzlement by stockbrokers, or other securities fraud schemes, should contact a SEC Whistleblower lawyer to have their potential Bounty Action confidentially reviewed.

SEC Bounty Action Whistleblowers can work through a SEC Whistleblower Reward Lawyer to have a potential bounty action confidentially reviewed prior to exposing their identity.  This protection of a whistleblower's identity combined with large potential rewards that a whistleblower may receive for properly exposing SEC violations are intended to encourage high end financial professionals and investors to step forward and expose significant securities and investment fraud schemes.
   
Ex-JPMorgan Chase Employees Charged Over 'London Whale' Scandal

U.S. prosecutors have charged two former JPMorgan Chase employees, Javier Martin-Artajo and Julien Grout, for their role in the "London Whale" scandal.

The charges are a milestone in the government's response to what has been an embarrassing and costly episode for the biggest U.S. bank, which still faces the prospect of civil penalties. But it once again places the heaviest legal burden on players fairly low in the bank's hierarchy.

In criminal complaints unsealed on Wednesday morning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation accused Martin-Artajo and Grout of falsifying books and records, wire fraud and falsifying regulatory filings about bad trades in credit derivatives last year that cost JPMorgan more than $6.2 billion in losses. The FBI said it wants to arrest both men, who were also charged with conspiracy. Arrests could be challenging, as both are in Europe and out of the reach of U.S. law enforcement at the moment.

Separately, the Justice Department said another former JPMorgan employee, Bruno Iksil, known as the London Whale, had entered a "non-prosecution cooperation agreement." The government agreed not to prosecute Iksil as long as he cooperates and testifies truthfully about the trades and the alleged cover-up. Iksil has been helping the government build its case against other former JPMorgan employees, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

SEC Fraud Whistleblower Bounty Actions Are Designed to Expose Significant SEC Violations and Provide Large Financial Rewards For People That Are The Original Source of Information That Expose The Fraud Against The SEC

SEC Fraud Whistleblower Lawsuits or SEC Bounty Actions are a product of the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  These laws were designed to create bounties that can be collected by whistleblowers that properly report SEC violations, financial fraud, securities fraud, commodities fraud, and stimulus fraud that result in monetary sanctions over one million dollars ($1,000,000.00).  The SEC can award the whistleblower up to 30% of the money collected.

By creating whistleblower bounties for investors and people with specific information of fraud, it is expected that hard to detect fraud will be exposed to help regulate the financial market and prevent large investment corporations, banks, hedge funds, and other large corporations from committing financial fraud of billions of dollars.

For more information on this topic, please go to the following web page: SEC Whistleblowers Receive Rewards for Exposing False Books and Accounting Records.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawyer: Facts About Intoxicated Drivers and Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits by Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawyer Jason Coomer

Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawyer: Facts About Intoxicated Drivers and Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits by Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Alcohol is the number one killer on our roads and the most abused substance in the United States.
About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related vehicle collision at some point in their lives.  In 2009, there were 33,808 traffic fatalities in the United States, and the state of Texas accounted for 3,071 of those. In this same year, alcohol-impaired driving was a factor in 32% of the fatalities in the United States, and 45% of alcohol-related fatalities in Texas.  At any given time it is estimated that on the road, one out of every 100 drivers has a BAC of .10% or more.  Further, on Holidays, weekends, bar closing times, and during many special events this number increases dramatically.

One reason for the large number of drunk drivers on Texas roads are bars, night clubs, party hosts, fraternities, and restaurants that serve alcohol to customers that are already drunk.  Under Texas law a bar, night club, or restaurant that serves a drunk person alcohol can be held liable if they let that intoxicated person drive and the intoxicated person causes an automobile accident.  For more information on Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits, please read below or go to the following web pages: Texas Happy Hour Crash Lawsuits, Texas Fatal Drunk Driver Lawsuits, and Texas DWI Crash Lawsuits.

Texas Bar Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits, Texas Happy Hour Lawsuits, Texas Drink Special Lawsuits, and other Texas Dram Shop Lawsuits

A Texas Dram Shop Lawsuit refers to Texas Bar Lawsuits, Texas Happy Hour Lawsuits, and Texas Drink Special Lawsuits where a bar, restaurant, or nightclub over serves drunk customers.  These lawsuits are against the bar, restaurant, or nightclub that violated Texas law.  More specifically, a dram shop is any drinking establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold including bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.  The term "dram shop" relates back to a time when a drinking establishment served patrons alcohol by the measurement of a dram which is one eighth of a fluid ounce.

The Texas Dram Shop Law was passed in 1987. This law allows individuals to bring civil lawsuits against a person or business who serves, sells, or provides alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated to the extent that he presents a clear and obvious danger to himself or others. In these Texas Bar Drunk Lawsuits the injured person or family of the person who was killed by a drunk driver need to prove where the drunk driver was drinking, the drunk driver caused the accident, that the intoxicated person was served after they were obviously intoxicated, and the intoxication was the proximate cause of the damage incurred.

In September 2004, the Texas Supreme Court clarified the law surrounding the responsibility between patrons and drinking establishments when they held in the Duenez decision that a licensed alcohol seller is jointly responsible with its patron when it provides alcohol to an obviously intoxicated patron and that patron harms another.

Texas Bar Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits, Texas Happy Hour Lawsuits, Texas Drink Special Lawsuits, and other Texas Dram Shop Lawsuits

If you have lost a loved one in a drunk driver crash and that drunk driver was drinking and over served at a bar, nightclub, or restaurant, please feel free to submit an inquiry to Texas Bar Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuit Lawyer Jason Coomer for a Free Online Evaluation of your potential claim.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Texas Fatal Boat Accidents Can Occur When Drunk and Inexperienced People Operate Water Craft on Texas Lakes By Austin Texas Fatal Boat Accident Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Texas Fatal Boat Accidents Can Occur When Drunk, Intoxicated, and Inexperienced People Operate Water Craft on Texas Lakes and Waterways By Austin Texas Fatal Boat Accident Lawyer Jason S. Coomer 

Every year negligent, careless, and drunk boat & water craft operators cause boating accidents that kill and seriously injure a large number of Texans.  In many of these boating accidents, alcohol, drugs, and untrained boat operators are the cause of the boating accidents.  A main cause of these Texas fatal boating accidents is that marinas, boat rental companies, and boat owners fail to warn inexperienced and untrained boat operators about the dangers of operating water craft while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  In fact, some of these marinas, boat rental companies, and boat owners sell or give alcohol or drugs to inexperienced boat operators.

Under Texas law, it is illegal for drunk persons to operate motor vehicles, water craft, and air craft.  Further, if a drunk person causes an automobile accident or boating accident that causes serious injuries or death, they can be charged under Texas law with intoxication assault or intoxication manslaughter both serious felonies.  A person is considered drunk or under the influence if they do not have the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol, a controlled substance, a drug, a dangerous drug, a combination of two or more of those substances, or any other substance into the body or if they have a blood alcohol concentration of over .08.

It is also possible under Texas law to hold boat owners, marinas, and boat rental companies accountable if they give a drunk boater a boat to use and that drunk boat operator causes a fatal boating accident.  These fatal boating accidents are all too common in many lakes throughout Texas including Lake Travis, Lake Austin, Lake LBJ, Lake Buchanan, Canyon Lake, Lake Conroe, Inks Lake, Town Lake, Medina Lake, and Granger Lake.

For more information on Texas Fatal Boat Accident Lawsuits, please feel free to contact Texas fatal boat accident lawyer Jason S. Coomer or go to the following web page: Texas Boat Accident Lawyer and Texas Boat Rental Accident Lawyer

Saturday, June 15, 2013

SEC Bounty Actions and Confidential Reviews: New SEC Bounty Action Laws Help Protect The Identity of SEC Whistleblowers by SEC Bounty Action Whistleblower Reward Lawyer Jason S. Coomer


SEC Bounty Action Whistleblowers can work through a lawyer to have a potential bounty action confidentially reviewed prior to exposing their identity.  This protection of a whistleblower's identity combined with large potential rewards that a whistleblower may receive for properly exposing SEC violations are intended to encourage high end financial professionals and investors to step forward and expose significant securities and investment fraud schemes.

Persons with evidence of  securities fraud, insider trading, false information on SEC filings, insider trading; stock manipulation schemes, embezzlement by stockbrokers, or other securities fraud schemes, should contact a SEC Whistleblower lawyer to confidentially review their potential case.

SEC Fraud Whistleblower Bounty Actions Are Designed to Expose Significant SEC Violations and Provide Large Financial Rewards For People That Are The Original Source of Information That Expose The Fraud Against The SEC

SEC Fraud Whistleblower Lawsuits or SEC Bounty Actions are a product of the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  These laws were designed to create bounties that can be collected by whistleblowers that properly report SEC violations, financial fraud, securities fraud, commodities fraud, and stimulus fraud that result in monetary sanctions over one million dollars ($1,000,000.00).  The SEC can award the whistleblower up to 30% of the money collected.

By creating whistleblower bounties for investors and people with specific information of fraud, it is expected that hard to detect fraud will be exposed to help regulate the financial market and prevent large investment corporations, banks, hedge funds, and other large corporations from committing financial fraud of billions of dollars.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and SEC Whistleblower Incentive Program

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (frequently abbreviated SEC) is a federal agency which holds primary responsibility for enforcing the federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry, the nation's stock and options exchanges, and other electronic securities markets in the United States. The mission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.

In July 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was signed into law which includes significant new financial fraud bounty whistleblower provisions.  These provisions create economic incentives for SEC violation whistleblowers and other financial fraud whistleblowers with "original information" of SEC violations and financial fraud to blow the on large scale financial fraud and SEC violations.

These SEC bounty claims must be brought voluntarily under the SEC Bounty Programs by one or more individuals.  The whistleblower or whistleblowers must be a natural person or natural persons, companies or other entity is not eligible to be financial fraud bounty whistleblowers.  Successful SEC violation bounty whistleblowers and financial fraud whistleblowers can collect financial rewards for whistleblower bounty actions that result in the imposition of monetary sanctions of greater than $1 million dollars.  This new financial fraud SEC bounty program is called the "Securities Whistleblower Incentives and Protection".

Through SEC Whistleblower Bounty Actions the SEC will award between ten percent and thirty percent of the money collected to a qualified whistleblower who voluntarily provides the SEC with original information about a violation of the securities laws that leads to a successful enforcement of an action brought by the SEC that results in monetary sanctions exceeding $1,000,000.00. 

So long as the financial fraud whistleblower or financial fraud whistleblowers base their claims on "original information", any person (not just an employee or insider) may file a SEC financial fraud bounty claim.  Further, if the financial fraud whistleblower is represented by an attorney, the whistleblower may file the financial fraud bounty claim anonymously.  However, before the financial fraud bounty award is paid, the whistleblower's identity shall be revealed to the SEC and SEC shall be provided information about the whistleblower that it requests.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Texas Probate Litigation Lawyer: Several Factors Can Create a Contested Probate Lawsuit by Texas Probate Litigation Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Texas Probate Litigation Lawyer:  Several Factors Can Create a Contested Probate Situation Where Family Members and Beneficiaries Are Drawn into a Texas Probate Litigation Lawsuit  by Texas Probate Litigation Lawyer Jason S. Coomer
Several situations can create an environment for contested probate litigation between family members or between family members and beneficiaries.  These factors can include a communication failure or lack of estate planning by a decedent (failure to wishes prior to death), "do it yourself" Wills, discovery of new family wealth including mineral interests, unreasonable family members, greedy opportunists, and the proximity of families living in different locations.  These factors often can create an environment where a contested probate lawsuit is necessary.

For questions on a Texas probate litigation matter including Texas contested and uncontested probate lawsuits, inheritance, and estate matters, please feel free to send an e-mail to Texas Probate Litigation Lawyer Jason S. Coomer.

The Most Common Scenario For Contested Probate Litigation

The most common contested probate scenario occurs when an aging or elderly person with limited capacity signs a new Will during the last year of their life and the new Will drastically changes the disposition of inheritance.  This can shift of disposition can sometimes be the result of elderly person appreciating the help and companionship of those taking care of them and providing support during their later years.  However, in other situations, the elderly person was forced, coerced, or fraudulently tricked into signing a Will by someone who is close to them or wants to take advantage of them.  In the later situation, the person exerting undue influence on the elderly person can be a family member or an outsider that has access to the elderly person and is taking advantage of a person with limited memory or capacity.

For family members that live in different cities, states, or countries, it is often difficult to determine if the change of disposition was intended.  From a legal perspective, the key issue in these situations is to determine if the testamentary disposition is the result of undue influence or incompetence, and if so should the Will be held to be invalid?  
Many Families have Spread Out Across The United States and Throughout the World, Therefore it is Often Helpful to Hire a Texas Probate Lawyer to Assist with the Texas Probate Process and to Handle Estate Issues

Many families have spread out throughout the United States and around the World. For many families, gone is the time where several generations live with in a few miles of each other in the same town, city, or county. This lack of proximity can make it difficult, when a family member becomes incapacitated or passes away. This can be especially true when a new Will pops up that disinherits relatives living in other states or other parts of the World in favor of someone that has had access and influence over the decedent. 
In these situations, the family members that live out of state are often caught off guard and need help from a Texas probate litigation lawyer that is familiar with the Texas probate process, Texas probate law, Texas guardianship issues, and Texas probate courts.  For these family members, it can be extremely important to act quickly and hire a Texas probate litigation lawyer that can help expose an invalid or fraudulent Will.
With The Growing Popularity of "Do It Yourself" Wills Texas Will Contests, Fraudulent Wills, Forged Wills, and other Texas Contested Probate Lawsuits will become More Common

As "do it yourself" Wills and other "do it yourself" estate planning packages become more popular, many Texas families are opting to save money in the short term by using these cheap Will packages.  However, some of these "do it yourself" Wills are not compliant under Texas probate law and do not come with a Texas probate lawyer that can make sure that a valid Texas will has been created.  In some of these situations, the "do it yourself" Will can be determined to be an invalid Will and can result in the Will being thrown out and a prior Will or no Will being able to be probated.  In both instances, the wishes of the decedent will not be adhered to and either earlier testate dispositions will be used or Texas intestate dispositions will be used.
Both earlier testate dispositions and Texas intestate dispositions can cause a huge change in inheritance and can cause some beneficiaries and heirs to lose a significant amount of inheritance.  These shifts in inheritance can often result in Texas contested probate lawsuits.

Failure to Communicate and An Unexpected Death Can Often Result In Texas Contested Probate Litigation


All too often a loved dies unexpectedly and does not leave a Will or any directions on what needs to be done if they die.  In these situations, a Texas Probate Court will apply intestate statutes to determine the rightful heirs of the decedent's property.  For more information on Texas intestate law distribution feel free to go to the following web page Texas intestate law.  In these situations where the decedent has substantial wealth and real property, the decedent's estate will often have to go through the Texas Probate Courts to determine who the proper heirs are, to settle the decedent's estate, and transfer wealth to the rightful heirs.  For more information on this process, feel free to go to this web page on Texas Suits to Determine Heirs.

On other occasions the death of a loved one brings in estranged family, fraudulent claims of inheritance, and opportunists that prey on the elderly and disabled or those left behind.   In these cases, it can be difficult to gather up information on what property is in their estate or to fight off aggressive family members from wrongfully taking inheritance.  In these situations, it is often best to have an experienced Texas Contested Probate Lawyer help you through the probate process and explain your rights and what needs to be done to protect the rightful heirs and beneficiaries of an estate.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Texas Shareholder Suppression Lawsuits: Majority Shareholders and Directors That Commit Corporate Malfeasance, Fraud, and Breach of Fiduciary Duty Can Often Be Held Liable Through Texas Shareholder Lawsuits by Texas Shareholder Suppression Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Texas Shareholder Suppression Lawsuits: Majority Shareholders and Directors That Commit Corporate Malfeasance, Fraud, and Breach of Fiduciary Duty Can Often Be Held Liable Through Texas Shareholder Actions by Texas Shareholder Suppression Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Majority shareholders sometimes wrongfully and fraudulently use their controlling interest in a company for their own benefit at the expense of minority shareholders.  When a majority shareholder commits corporate malfeasance, fraud, or breach of fiduciary duty, minority shareholders may have a viable shareholder suppression lawsuit against the majority shareholder. 

If you have a questions about a Texas shareholder suppression lawsuit or other Texas business fraud lawsuit, please feel free to send an e-mail to Texas Shareholder Suppression Lawyer Jason Coomer or go to the following web pages: Texas Shareholder Suppression Lawsuit Information and Texas Business Tort Lawsuit Information.    

Texas Business Litigation Understanding Rights, Duties, and The Importance of Evidence

In any Texas shareholder suppression lawsuit, corporate malfeasance lawsuit, or breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit, it is important to understand the rights, fiduciary duties, and responsibilities of the majority shareholders, board of directors, managing partners, corporate officers, corporate counsel, chief financial officers, and managers.  It is also important to obtain as much evidence of the malfeasance, self dealing, fraud against shareholders, wrongful suppression, embezzlement, or other bad acts as possible prior to the start of litigation.  In many of these cases, once litigation has begun, obtaining evidence of the unlawful and bad acts are difficult and heated battles as many documents begin to disappear and proving spoliation becomes a key issue.  The term spoliation broadly refers to the intentional, reckless, or negligent destruction, loss, material alteration or obstruction of evidence that is relevant to litigation.

Texas Business Torts and Unfair Competition

Unfortunately, some businesses face illegal challenges from businesses that commit unfair and illegal actions to steal business, trade secrets, intellectual property, and customers for the purpose of increasing their own profits and putting their competitors out of business.  This illegal competition, unfair competition, or corporate malfeasance can include theft of trade secrets, release of false press releases, use of short term predatory pricing, making demands of exclusive contracts from suppliers, forcing lenders to call in loans, stealing business & customers, hacking computers, infringing on intellectual property, and spreading false information in the business community.

If you are a Texas business owner and have been unfairly harmed by illegal and unfair business actions and are looking for a Texas Business Litigation Lawyer, feel free to send an e-mail message to Texas Illegal and Unfair Business Competition Lawyer Jason Coomer or use our online submission form.  As a Texas Illegal Business Competition Lawyer, he provides advice to Texas business owners concerning business torts including unfair competition lawsuits, intentional interference with business contracts, theft of trade secrets, and breach of contract claims.