Partner Tom Edwards honored
Posted on | August 31, 2010 | No Comments
Numerous Jacksonville attorneys, including partner Tom Edwards were recently recognized by Super Lawyer and Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite. Both publications are respected for the peer review formulas used in selecting their honorees.
Tom was honored in the following categories:
- Insurance Coverage
- Personal Injury Plaintiff – General
- Personal Injury Plaintiff - Medical Malpractice
Source: Daily Record
View Complete list here:
Family receives $1 million policy limit for crash with cocaine-impaired truck driver
Posted on | August 13, 2010 | No Comments
Edwards & Ragatz, P.A. obtained a policy-limits $1 million settlement resolution July 19 for a Jacksonville mother and son who were injured by a semi tractor-trailer driver at the interchange of Interstate 95 and Interstate 10. The collision was every motorist’s nightmare.
A 60,000-pound semi tractor-trailer inexplicably swerved out of its lane, careening off the road while it was hooked to Edwards & Ragatz’s client’s vehicle.
The tractor-trailer knifed through the plaintiff’s vehicle like a can opener and dragged it for approximately 300 yards before the two vehicles separated. The tractor-trailer careened through the median, nearly killed two Florida Highway Patrol officers, and crashed into one of their parked vehicles. The nearly deadly crash occurred on a Saturday morning (Feb. 27, 2007).
Two days after the bizarre collision which was caused by the tractor-trailer driver, the driver failed a post-accident drug test required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and tested positive for cocaine. The truck driver eventually testified that it was his habit to snort cocaine on the weekends which is when the crash occurred.
A 45-year-old Jacksonville woman and her 28-year-old son obtained the settlement from the insurer of the Jacksonville-based crane rental service company that owned the truck.
Both plaintiffs suffered.... Read more...
Hospital ER’s negligence leads to nurse’s disfigurement
Posted on | August 3, 2010 | No Comments
A local 39-year-old mother of two lost both legs, all of her fingers on both hands and suffered disfiguring injuries to her face. Jean Law can no longer live any part of the life she had before she sought treatment this past February from the ER at Baptist Hospital South. She suffered a high fever, chills, nausea, pain and difficulty in walking, common symtoms of sepsis that went undiagnosised.
Jean Law knew her symptoms were serious – she had been a nurse with Baptist Hospitals for 17 years and on duty at Baptist South for the past five years. Her temperature, was at the dangerously high level of 104.6. This and her other symptoms are consistent with serious bacterial infection. Although the ER treating Doctor ordered blood and urine tests, after approximately five hours, he diagnosed a viral flu, prescribed Motrin and discharged Law to go home. Doctor's notes from this interaction state, “…serious causes have been ruled out, and there is no indication that she needs antibiotics.” Because of his diagnosis, Law was neither admitted to the hospital nor treated with any type of antibiotic treatment.
Law and her husband Jonathan were surprised and confused. As a nurse, she had expected to.... Read more...
Eric Ragatz receives AV Rating
Posted on | August 2, 2010 | No Comments
Eric C. Ragatz, a senior partner at Edwards & Ragatz has received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating available by the national attorney peer review rating service. An AV ® Rating signifies that the lawyer has reached the heights of professional excellence, has usually practiced law for a number of years and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity.
Martindale-Hubbell has maintained Ratings for lawyers for more than a century. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of bar members and the judiciary, and attest to the individual lawyer's legal ability and adherence to accepted professional standards of ethics. Exclusively developed and assigned by the Martindale-Hubbell ® Law Directory, ratings are considered valuable benchmarks intended for use by members of the profession.
Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., is a law firm located in Jacksonville, Florida, that represents the injured, victims and consumers in all courts. The firm’s attorneys are experienced in handling all types of personal injury and death cases, as well as complex commercial litigation. They also serve in prominent positions in local and state trial lawyers’ associations and have testified before the legislature on issues of importance to the justice system.
Martindale-Hubbell is a service mark and.... Read more...
Tom Edwards named to Florida Bar Association Trial Lawyers Section Executive Council
Posted on | June 28, 2010 | No Comments
Thomas S. Edwards Jr., a partner at Edwards & Ragatz P.A. and former Jacksonville Bar Association president, was named a member of the Florida Bar Association Trial Lawyers Section Executive Council during the Bar’s annual convention June 23-26 in Boca Raton, Fla.
Edwards previously served as president of the Florida Justice Association/Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (2008-2009), president of the Jacksonville Bar Association (1998-1999), president of American Board of Trial Advocates – Jacksonville Chapter (2006), and president of the Jacksonville Justice Association/Jacksonville Trial Lawyers Association (2000). Edwards also is currently a member of the Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions – Civil.
The Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar provides a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas leading to the improvement of individual trail abilities. The three essential purposes of the Trial Lawyers Section are: to assist the courts in establishing methods for the more certain and expeditious administration of justice; to advise the various committees on rules regarding desirable amendments to improve and standardize judicial procedures; to instill in members of the Florida Bar generally a desire to increase their effectiveness in the courtroom and in chambers to better serve their clients and the cause of justice;.... Read more...
Duval County Courthouse Q&A
Posted on | June 28, 2010 | No Comments
On June 10, David Schneider, senior project manager for the City of Jacksonville talked with newsletter editor Jayne Krichbaum about the new Duval County Courthouse construction.
How is the construction progressing?
Very well – on schedule and within budget. The structure was topped out Tuesday, June 8, 2010 and there is much work going on inside.
What will the address be?
501 W. Monroe St.
How much of the structure is completed?
37 percent as of May 31, 2010
What is the projected completion date?
May 14, 2012
What is the square footage?
800,000 square feet
What is the length and width of the courthouse?
The ground floor is roughly 680 feet by 310 feet. The length is over two football fields long. The surface area of the first floor is equivalent to 4 1/2 football fields!
How tall is the building?
Seven stories.
Where will people park?
The parking garage is across the street located at Clay and Adams streets. It contains 1,200 spaces.
Will it be the largest building in Jacksonville when complete?
Probably, but I do not know and have no easy way to check. I’m told the current largest building downtown (in terms of square feet) is the Pre-Trial Detention Center.
June 28, 2010: View.... Read more...
Sandra K. Johnson joins E&R
Posted on | June 21, 2010 | No Comments
Sandra K. Johnson has joined the law firm of Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., as a legal assistant. Johnson has 17 years experience as a paralegal. She earned her paralegal degree from Florida Community College at Jacksonville.
Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., is a law firm located in Jacksonville, Florida, that represents the injured, victims and consumers in all courts. The firm’s attorneys are experienced in handling all types of personal injury and death cases, as well as complex commercial litigation. The firm’s attorneys are recognized nationally as trial experts. The attorneys serve in prominent positions in local and state trial lawyers’ associations and have testified before the legislature on issues of importance to the justice system.
Click Here to view this release on.... Read more...
Daily Record: Florida drivers not the most knowledgeable
Posted on | June 14, 2010 | No Comments
Florida drivers are among the least knowledgeable drivers on the road out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to GMAC Insurance based on its National Drivers Test.
For 2010, Florida drivers rank No. 41 with an average score of 75.2, compared with the drivers in Kansas, the best at 82.3, and in New York, the worst at 70.
Florida drivers don’t appear to be improving much.
Florida drivers rose from No. 43 in 2009 but fell from No. 28 in 2008. The average grade for drivers in the Sunshine State rose from 74.1 in 2009 but dropped from 78.6 in 2008
GMAC reported that its sixth annual test indicates that about 38 million licensed drivers in the country lack basic driving knowledge. It surveyed 5,202 drivers representative of the 50 states and D.C. who completed 20 questions from Department of Motor Vehicle tests.
GMAC found two primary trouble spots: Following too closely and not knowing what to do at a traffic light displaying a steady yellow signal (which GMAC says is to stop if it is safe to do so). The survey also found that drivers are distracted.
In addition to the 20-question exam, GMAC asked about habits and found:
- 52.... Read more...
Jennifer Millis to speak on panel at Florida Bar Convention
Posted on | June 1, 2010 | No Comments
Jennifer Millis, an attorney at Edwards & Ragatz P.A., has been invited to speak on a panel about patient privacy and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act issues, at the 2010 Florida Bar Convention in Boca Raton, Fla.
The symposium is part of the bar’s continuing legal education program and will be chaired by three people: Millis; William Dillon, an attorney with Messer, Caparello & Self in Tallahassee, Fla.; and Jack Hartog, an attorney with Gray Robinson, Miami. All three were chosen by Charmaine Chiu, a shareholder at Smith Hulsey & Busey, Jacksonville, who has been chair of the CLE programs for the health law section of the Florida Bar Convention for three years.
Millis has been an attorney for 11 years, specializing in health care, medical malpractice and nursing home litigation.
Those attending the three-hour symposium will get three hours of ethics and regular CLE credits. There is no fee for the symposium, Chiu said, but attendees will need to register for the annual meeting.
The symposium is from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, June 25, at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The convention will be held June 23-26. For more information visit The Florida Bar.... Read more...
Daily Record: First ‘Law Day in May’ held in Riverside
Posted on | May 11, 2010 | No Comments
Supporting Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and having fun doing so were the goals of the first “Law Day in May” event sponsored by the Edwards & Ragatz law firm. Click Here to View the Whole Daily Record Article
The firm wanted to contribute to “Law Week” festivities by hosting a signature fundraiser for JALA. It achieved those goals with the help of participants, food and entertainment Thursday evening at the Everbank Building in Riverside.
“It was a great turnout for an organization that does amazing work in Jacksonville,” said Eric Ragatz, partner with Edwards & Ragatz.
“We are proud of the money we were able to raise and the president of The JBA gave us a heartfelt thanks. We promised to make it a yearly event,” he said.
While the final tally is being calculated, early estimates show that donations will exceed $5,000 for.... Read more...
Press Release: Edwards & Ragatz hosts first annual law day
Posted on | May 6, 2010 | No Comments
Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., will host its 1st Annual Law Day in May Celebration, a benefit for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 6. The reception and fundraiser will be held at EverBank, 501 Riverside Ave., Jacksonville, and will feature music, cocktails, and some of Jacksonville’s best barbecue and locally brewed beer.
The suggested donation for JALA is $25.
For more information or to RSVP to the 1st Annual Law Day in May Celebration, e-mail Jayne Krichbaum at JLK@edwardsragatz.com or call (904) 399-1609.
This is just one of several events planned in Jacksonville and throughout the country in conjunction with 2010 Law Day. This year’s Law Day theme is “Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges.”
The Jacksonville Bar Association 2010 Law Day committee plans to hold a Law Day naturalization ceremony and the second annual Rendezvous on the River fundraiser today. Other events include a Law Day proclamation on April 13 by the Mayor John Peyton, a National Citizenship Day April 17 at Florida Coastal School of Law, a Law Day High School Mock Trial.... Read more...
Jeffrey Totty Makes Jacksonville.com's Business Movers
Posted on | April 23, 2010 | No Comments
Jeffrey T. Totty has joined the law firm of Edwards & Ragatz, P.A., as a litigation attorney. Totty has 10 years experience practicing in the areas of personal injury, commercial litigation and criminal defense. He is admitted in the State Courts of Florida, Georgia and New York; the U.S. District Courts in the Middle District of Florida; and the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. To read the rest of the article visit.... Read more...
Memorial Bed Sore Cases-February 2010
Posted on | April 19, 2010 | 1 Comment
Memorial Hospital faces six lawsuits for related medical negligence "Never Events"
February 23, 2010
Six families are in the process of filing suit against Memorial Hospital for neglect and negligence that allowed patients to contract decubitus ulcers (bedsores) that led to complications ranging from disfigurement to death. The United States Department of Health and Human Services classifies bedsores as a "Never Event." According to the National Quality Forum, "Never Events" are errors in medical care that are clearly identifiable, preventable and serious in their consequences for patients and that indicate a real problem in the safety and credibility of a health care facility.
Bedsores are caused by unrelieved pressure to the skin that cuts off blood circulation to the affected area. Parts of the body where bedsores most commonly develop when a patient is not moved, turned, kept dry and clean or given proper nutrition while confined to a hospital bed, are the sacrum, coccyx, heels, elbows and ankles.
Preventing bedsores is a standard of care universally known by and applied to all medical care facilities in the United States. Although bedsores have been commonly associated with nursing home neglect, studies show that the problem is increasingly being seen in hospitals. A study conducted by the Agency.... Read more...
