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The Pivotal Law Blog

New Google Scholar Feature

Posted Monday, November 30, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

Google has announced a new feature, Google Scholar, that allows users to search case law and legal journal articles on a variety of topics, and its free! As lawyers most of us have access to this information via a pay service, but now the public can…

Helpful Link on Personal Injury Claims from the American Bar Association

Posted Friday, November 13, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

Here is a useful link from a site maintained by the American Bar Association (ABA) containing a basic overview of personal injury claims. Link: “Personal Injury Claims”, American Bar Association For more information, please contact…

"What is My Personal Injury Claim Worth?"

Posted Thursday, November 12, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

This is probably the #1 question I get asked by my personal injury clients. The short answer: “It depends”. But, most clients or prospective clients don’t want to hear that, so I always take some time to explain what factors affect the…

Washington Supreme Court throws out medical malpractice law

Posted Thursday, September 17, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

The Washington Supreme Court issued a decision invalidating the requirements of RCW 7.70.150, declaring it unconstitutional. Under RCW 7.70.150, a patient who believed that they might be the victim of medical malpractice as a result of the breach of the…

How to Search for Disciplinary Actions Against a Doctor or Other Healthcare Provider in Washington

Posted Monday, July 20, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

In Washington State, the Department of Health regulates physicians, pharmacists and certain other healthcare providers. This includes potential disciplinary actions for misconduct. Some of this information is public record and searchable in an online…

Comments from the American Medical Association on National Practioner Data Bank

Posted Wednesday, July 8, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

I recently discovered this link on the American Medical Association’s (AMA) website and found it interesting. The National Practitioner’s Data Bank (NPDB) is a national database that is maintained for all physicians licensed in the U.S. It…

What You Can Do If You Receive an NSF Check

Posted Sunday, June 21, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

During these difficult economic times you may be facing some unique challenges in your business as many companies and individuals suffer through a downturn in business. Many businesses are experiencing an increase in the number or volume of checks that…

Wikipedia Entry on Medical Malpractice

Posted Wednesday, June 17, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

I recently came across this link and found it to be a pretty good summary of medical malpractice issues, though this is not specifically tailored to Washington law. For example, there are no punitive damages available in Washington for healthcare…

Requesting Changes to Your Medical Records

Posted Tuesday, June 16, 2009 by Christopher L. Thayer

Patients in Washington State have the right to review their own medical records and to request amendments or corrections to their records if they believe certain entries are inaccurate. See, RCW 70.02.100 and RCW 70.02.110 Request correction or amendment…

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