Demopolis Legal Issues Blog

Suffering a catastrophic injury - the pain, suffering and long recovery - is difficult enough. For some, such injuries can cause lasting damage, so much so that a return to work may not be possible. When this is the case, many people turn to social security disability insurance to provide much needed financial support as a way of addressing the financial ramifications of the loss of work-based income.

Unfortunately, in some cases an initial application for SSDI benefits will be denied. This can happen for a number of reasons. For example, questions about whether medical advice was properly followed could cloud the application and lead to a denial. In addition, incorrectly or incompletely filling out necessary application forms can be cause for a denial. Because the government wants to ensure those receiving these benefits meet their guidelines, reviewers will be strict on the process and can be harsh in review.

Nursing home abuse happens across Alabama, with neglect being one of the most common forms. But, it is also one of the most unrecognized. There is a wide variety of information that can be found online detailing ways to identify these crimes. Many state and non-profit organizations offer resources to better educate the public on how to identify and report nursing home issues.

Here, we are going to identify some things to watch out for that could help identify nursing home neglect. First, if one notices that most of the residents at a nursing home, or even just a friend or loved one, are always exhibiting poor hygiene, this should be a red flag. Sometimes nursing homes can be understaffed, leading to neglect of simple tasks such as changing resident's bedding, brushing teeth, or bathing. Second, if the facility seems unsanitary, this is another red flag. Examples of this may be trays with old food sitting around, stains on blankets or furniture, or dirty bathroom areas. These are signs that should be brought to attention and addressed immediately, as they can cause infectious diseases to spread.

In the fifth and final installment of our consumer fraud series, we are going to discuss high yield investment fraud. Although it can happen to anyone, this type of fraud is more common among those in a higher income class. In addition, victims can be non-profits, charitable organizations, or even municipalities. The reason is that those individuals or organizations are more likely to show interest in a high yield investment opportunity.

So, what does "high yield" mean? A high yield investment in one in which the investor is promised a large return on investment. However, the financial instruments offered in these scams are fake, though they appear to be from a top world bank, also called a prime bank by the SEC. This means that they do not exist in the banking system and have been created by the scammer for the appearance of legitimacy. Therefore, when an investor hands over money and accepts these instruments, a scammer can then disappear with the money. The investor does not receive any kind of return and loses their initial investment. Often, that initial investment can be thousands of dollars, if not more.

Several military families recently filed suit against the companies that own Keesler Air Force Base properties in Biloxi, Miss. over the presence of so-called toxic mold. The suit alleges that the mold was not cleaned up correctly, and the issues that caused the mold were not properly addressed.

The families are charging the companies with fraud, gross negligence, breach of contract, conspiring to conceal dangerous conditions and other charges. They are seeking compensation for medical bills, moving expenses, punitive damages and attorney fees.