MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) - There are still more questions than answers in the Mt. Zion Baptist bus crash. This is an emotional situation, with a family mourning the loss of a daughter, and many other families praying that their loved ones will heal at the hospital. Investigators also have a job to do - to see if accidents like these can be prevented. "They’re going to look at everything," says Tony Mastando, a local (Huntsville based) attorney. Mastando says, naturally, most crash … [Read more...]
Volkswagen Set to Plead Guilty and to Pay U.S. $4.3 Billion in Deal
Volkswagen is on the verge of pleading guilty to criminal charges and paying $4.3 billion in fines, in a deal that would resolve a federal criminal investigation into its cheating on vehicle emissions tests, the automaker said on Tuesday. Read the article One notable aspect of the proposed deal to settle the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal is that company executives are facing criminal liability for their actions to defraud the government and consumers. Companies typically have paid … [Read more...]
Pokécraze Related Wreck — Not Mewtwo?
Police departments nationwide are warning about the dangers of playing “Pokémon Go.” From New York, where the first confirmed game-related serious car crash occurred http://www.businessinsider.com/first-car-crash-caused-by-pokemon-go-2016-7, to ambushes in Philly https://twitter.com/PPD35Dist/status/752302490666827776, law enforcement officials are reminding people who gotta catch ‘em all to use common sense. Their advice: Do not use the application when you are operating a motor vehicle or … [Read more...]
Auto supplier Bosch sued in Alabama for conspiring with Volkswagen
Story By Challen Stephens | cstephens@al.com Email the author | Follow on Twitter The lawsuit filed on behalf of affected Volkswagen owners in Alabama now adds Bosch to the list of defendants, claiming the software supplier knew what Volkswagen was doing to cheat emissions standards and assisted in duping the American public for eight years. "Instead of refusing to provide Volkswagen with the defeat devices that Bosch knew would enable Volkswagen to engage in criminal fraud, Bosch … [Read more...]
Volkswagen Lawsuit – Mastando & Artrip LLC in the News
Less than four days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) had designed some of its diesel models to cheat emissions tests, lawyers have brought at least 25 class actions on behalf of scores of car owners in all 50 U.S. states. Tony Mastando of Alabama's Mastando & Artrip sued on behalf of a friend who used to boast about her car's fuel economy. He said he and his partner have plenty more friends just like her. "These cars appealed to a … [Read more...]
Facts & Figures: Learn More About The False Claims Act
The U.S. Department of Justice announced a record $5.69 billion in settlements and judgments from civil cases involving fraud and false claims against the government in fiscal year 2014. Of this total, the government paid out $435 million to the whistle blowers who exposed fraud and false claims by filing a qui tam complaint -- in 2014 alone. Growth In The Use Of The False Claims Act The number of qui tam suits rose from 30 in 1987, to 300 to 400 a year from 2000 to 2009, to more than 700 … [Read more...]
Net Neutrality: FCC Chairman Circulates Proposed Rules for Internet
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is circulating newly-minted draft rules for regulation of the Internet. He proposes to use some old-school utility regulation to keep the large infrastructure companies (read: cable and phone companies, like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T) from slowing down content on the Internet for their own competitive and monetary advantage. What this means in a practical sense is that companies like Comcast, which own the coaxial cable into people’s homes, wouldn’t be … [Read more...]
UM/UIM Insurance: An Ounce of Prevention Worth Gallons of Cure
Gas prices at the pump have dropped by half. A year ago gasoline hovered around $4 per gallon in North Alabama -- now it’s crashed below the $2 mark. Filling the tank has gotten a lot less painful, and I find myself driving more because of it. Since the average US household uses around 1,000 gallons of gas per year, that equates to a “savings” of $2,000. So, what would you do with an extra $2,000? I have a practical, driving-related suggestion for you – at least for just a few … [Read more...]
Everything You Need to Know About the False Claims Act
In Tony Mastando's presentation you'll learn the technical aspects you need to know about the False Claims Act. We've also included this simplified and helpful PSA video from TAF Education Fund to give you all the information you need about whistle blowing and your protections under the False Claims Act. Symposium Presentation On False Claims The North Alabama Chapter of the Federal Bar Association holds an annual symposium to increase awareness about legal issues in military defense … [Read more...]
Junk Faxers and Fax Blasters Beware!
Anyone with a fax machine or fax account has received them – ads for vacations in Orlando, Las Vegas or Cancun; the latest mortgage rates and refinancing options -- fabulous offers all! Like autumn leaves, they fall from paper fax machines or clog the gutters of online fax accounts. Some ads are legit. Others, not so much. Junk Faxes Companies that send advertisements by fax, so-called “junk faxes,” to potential customers should pay close attention to the FCC’s latest rules. Otherwise, … [Read more...]
