News & Community
Pennsylvania Injury Lawyers
- Schmidt Kramer donates to Hospice of Central PA
- Staff Corner
- Rebate RAGE!
- Courts and courting
- Auto airbag FRAUD
- Consumer protection: New car purchases
- Client-attorney privilege
- For your safety: Recalled product roundup
- UCP Attitudes Essay Contest
Schmidt Kramer donates to Hospice of Central PA
Charles E. Schmidt, Jr., and Gerard C. Kramer, partners at Schmidt Kramer PC, are seen presenting a $500 donation to Karen Paris, Chief Executive Officer, and Dan Hayward, Director of Planned Giving, of Hospice of Central Pennsylvania. Schmidt Kramer is proud to support Hospice and their mission.
Hospice of Central Pennsylvania is an independent nonprofit agency that provides care and support for terminally ill patients and their families. Hospice provides the terminally ill of Central Pennsylvania and their families with compassion, dignity, and care through the coordinated delivery of emotional, physical, and spiritual support of the highest quality. They exist solely to care for individuals and families who are coping with a life-limiting illness. You can get additional information at www.hospiceofcentralpa.org.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Attorney birthdays: Terry Hyman, April 15, and Gerry Kramer, June 10. Staff birthdays: Jessica Niblett, May 6; Dana Shanaberger, May 23; and Jen, July 26.
Jen Garcia’s husband Oliver and son Hayden were both featured in our local Sunday Patriot-News for Father’s Day. Oliver was interviewed on the joys, frustrations, and disciplines of parenting and recalled growing up with his own father.
Melissa (Missy) Leininger’s wedding day turned out beautifully. A lot of planning went into her special day, and Missy decorated everything herself, made her own flowers, and added special touches to make it a memorable occasion.
Andrew (Chuck Schmidt’s son) and his new bride, Meghan Schmidt, also had an outstanding day. A beautiful ceremony shared with friends and family, a fantastic band, dinner, and dancing completed the special evening. The happy couple is pictured at right.
Carla Salada organized a Schmidt Kramer team that participated in a charity walk-a-thon to support the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind. Carla (far left) is all smiles!
Leah Cooper, Scott Cooper’s daughter, gave it her best during a recent whitewater rafting trip. Leah is the young lady over the word “Whitewater” on the raft!
Rebate rip-offs have sparked consumer lawsuits and new legislation. Many who buy products promoted with “cash” rebates are enraged when the rebate is too hard to apply for, is unreasonably delayed, takes the form of a “reward” credit card, is a credit toward purchases limited to the issuing manufacturer, or never arrives at all.
A federal court in California has allowed cell phone buyers who received Visa “reward cards” to file a class action. Purchasers allege violations of federal laws against unfair competition, false advertising, and unjust enrichment.
There are other consumer-rebate cases as well:
- When thousands complained to InPhonic, Inc., in 2006, Washington D.C.’s attorney general sued for the company’s failure to honor rebates. The city and InPhonic reached a multimillion-dollar settlement.
- In 2007, California computer retailer Soyo, Inc., reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over complaints about excessive delays in rebate processing.
What a buyer can do
Obtaining rebates can be challenging. To avoid rebate rage…
- Shop at reputable merchants.
- Obtain duplicate cash register receipts.
- Apply for rebates immediately.
- Photocopy all submitted materials.
- Submit via certified mail.
- Maintain transaction and call notes.
- Be persistent.
- Cash rebate checks immediately.
©2007-2008 Simplexity, ©L.L.C., SOYO® Group, Inc.
Jury duty can be very rewarding.
Queens County, New York, Supreme Court Justice Daniel Lewis, presiding over a criminal trial, said, “Some juries are serious, some are somber, but this jury seemed like it was full of beaming, happy people.”
No wonder. After noticing an attraction between two of their 30-something copanelists, fellow jurors convinced the two to go out on a date. They went to lunch together during a trial break.
A year later, the couple was engaged and planned to be married…by Justice Lewis.
Drivers who are in accidents, purchase used cars, or visit “weekend” mechanics may be at risk of a very dangerous scam: airbag fraud.
Airbags are valuable, so some dishonest mechanics have removed and sold original airbags. Fraudulent mechanics replace bags with cheap knockoffs, rebuilt equipment, or even stuff cavities with rags—then replace covers. This exposes drivers and passengers to extreme accident-injury risk.
Precautions
Get an inspection. Have a trusted mechanic verify that airbags are present and working properly.
Check dash lights. On recent models, dash lights blink at start-up, indicating that the airbag system is working.
Review invoices. After accident repairs, have mechanics certify that airbags have been replaced and are working.
Verify vehicle history. Obtain a commercial service report.
Never tamper. Opening airbag wells is dangerous.
Contact an attorney if you feel you are a victim of airbag fraud.
Consumer protection: New car purchases
Consumers have several important protections for new car purchases.
The Federal Trade Commission Web site offers guidance for purchasing a new car, trade-ins, financing, and service contracts. State governments provide buyers assistance with problems such as false advertising, predatory auto lending, and lemon laws.
Car buyers can also contact resources such as Consumer Reports magazine, rating guides, and associations such as the Direct Marketing Association and the Better Business Bureau for information about manufacturers, vehicles, and dealers.
A not-so-new car
After a buyer purchased a vehicle from a dealership that represented it as new, she discovered the car had been previously owned. When she began to experience trouble with it, she attempted to take the car back. The dealership threatened her, relocated the disabled car to a tow-away zone, and laughed in her face. Her attorney sued for fraud and violations of a state consumer protection act. A jury awarded the victim an award a dozen times the vehicle cost, plus punitive damages.
Q: Who holds the “privilege?”
A: The client. An attorney can release information only with authorization from the client.
Q: So, clients can trust their attorneys with confidential information?
A: Yes. An attorney may not reveal anything disclosed without client consent.
Q: Why?
A: Regulations governing evidence and rules of professional conduct require that attorneys maintain all specifics of a client-attorney relationship as strictly confidential.
Q: Should clients tell their attorneys everything?
A: Yes. It’s important to fully disclose all the relevant details of a case to a lawyer—positive and negative—so that counsel can represent the client confidently and appropriately.
Q: Why’s that?
A: A client’s failure to be fully candid may adversely affect a case if the attorney is surprised or blindsided by critical information coming from anyone but the client at any time in the case. If there are problems with conflicts of interest or ethics issues, the attorney will advise a client immediately.
For your safety: Recalled product roundup
Here are some recently recalled products you may have in your home or at work:
- Campbell Hausfeld has voluntarily recalled 233,000 Campbell Hausfeld and Husky Air Compressors with motor protective covers that can ignite and burn users.
- Kids II, Inc., has called back 15,000 Baby Einstein Baby Neptune™ Soothing Seascape Crib Toys with straps that can detach, posing choking hazards to young children.
- Dollar Tree Stores, Inc., asks buyers to return 253,000 Crafters Square Electric Hot Mini Glue Guns, which can short-circuit, catch fire, and shock or burn consumers.
- Sears, Robuck and Co. Kmart Corp. recalled 17,000 “My First Kenmore” Play Stoves. Metal brackets may cause a tip-over when the oven door is opened and injure young children.
- Manttra, Inc., voluntarily recalled 38,250 Pressure Cookers. When closed improperly, lids can separate, release hot contents, and burn users.
Schmidt Kramer sponsors UCP Central PA/Schmidt Kramer Attitudes Essay Contest each year. This year, nearly 400 students from 21 schools throughout Central Pennsylvania participated in the contest.
The purpose of the contest is to have students think and write about the positive abilities and potential barriers that exist between people with and without disabilities. These students illustrate amazing insight and understanding about disabilities and the barriers people with disabilities face.
Some Schmidt Kramer staff, along with UCP staff, parents, and volunteers, take time to read the essays and judge the top three winners in each age category. The top three winners in each age category receive cash awards.
This year’s winners were:
| Grade: | Place: | Name: | School: |
| 3-4 | 1st | Lia Acri | Sr. Catherine Laboure |
| 3-4 | 2nd | Lucy Spicher | Halifax Elementary |
| 3-4 | 3rd | Koby Minnich | Halifax Elementary |
| 5-6 | 1st | Cathy Harwin | Londonderry Elementary |
| 5-6 | 2nd | Brendon Kline | Londonderry Elementary |
| 5-6 | 3rd | Maggie Mostoller | Londonderry Elementary |
| 7-8 | 1st | Jeanette Lazusky | St. Joan of Arc |
| 7-8 | 2nd | Gabriella Bellezza | St. Joan of Arc |
| 7-8 | 3rd | Gabriella Bellezza | St. Catherine Laboure |
| 9-12 | 1st | John F. M. Kocsis | Cumberland Valley High |
| 9-12 | 2nd | Hannah Kauffman | Bible Baptist |
| 9-12 | 3rd | Heather Zentz | Bible Baptist |
Free Consultation
Have you been injured? Contact a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer at SchmidtKramer today. Our office is located in Harrisburg and we have successfully advocated for clients throughout Pennsylvania, including Camp Hill, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Harrisburg, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lewisburg, Lewistown, Mechanicsburg, Palmyra, Perry County, Pottsville, Shippensburg, State College, and York. Complete a FREE Online Consultation Form or call us today.
Pennsylvania Office209 State Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: (717) 232-6300
Fax: (717) 232-6467
1 (800)232-6301
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