Inflated auto-insurance claims? Morgan & Morgan, Dan Newlin deny State Farm allegations

[Baitball Blogger]

Last edited Sun May 27, 2012, 11:58 AM - Edit history (1)

I know many of you don't want to hear it, but I suggest you remain informed. As much as I don't care for M&M I thought this article was relevant because John Morgan is a major Central Florida contributor to the Obama campaign. He is not listed or involved in this lawsuit, but the lawyer was working for him during the time in question (2007-2011) My hope is that the lawyer turns out to be Republican and that this experience will encourage M&M to clean out some of those political Republican hires: Here's the article:

One of Central Florida's best-known law firms and a prominent Brevard County surgeon may have had an "across-the-board agreement" in recent years to inflate by millions of dollars the charges for spinal surgeries in auto-accident claims, according to insurance-company allegations that have sprung unexpectedly from a pair of routine personal-injury lawsuits.

Central to the allegations: Orlando-based Morgan & Morgan, which considers itself the nation's largest personal-injury law firm; Dan Newlin, a 10-year Morgan & Morgan lawyer who left the firm late last year to open his own office; Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, president of the Brevard County Medical Society and a volunteer assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Central Florida School of Medicine; and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., the nation's largest auto insurer.

The two lawsuits, filed by Morgan & Morgan against State Farm auto policies, are each in evidence-gathering phases and months away from possible trials. But they became superheated last fall when a former paralegal at the law firm turned whistle-blower, providing State Farm with ammunition to probe Deukmedjian's billing practices with Morgan & Morgan from 2007 to 2011.

As a result, the insurance company is building a case — "quite aggressively," a federal judge has observed — that Deukmedjian was charging "exorbitant amounts" for surgeries performed on auto-accident clients. It alleges that Deukmedjian's bills were then incorporated into lawsuits filed by Morgan & Morgan lawyers as they sought to win payouts from State Farm, but that Deukmedjian then accepted, under a prearranged agreement, significantly less than his original charge, as long as Morgan & Morgan sent more clients to his Deuk Spine Institute.


http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-05-27/business/os-auto-insurance-inflated-claims-20120527_1_state-farm-morgan-morgan-firm

[The Magistrate]

1. The Article, Sir, Conspicuously Lacks Any Connection To President Obama....

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Oh. I thought that was known on DU.

When Obama comes down to Central Florida, he visits John Morgan, in his home. Major, major campaign contributor.

Unfortunately, the law firm has opted to hire politicos from the Republican party. I have been tracking one of them for several years. Shady past, to say the least. So, armed with that knowledge I'm curious if this lawyer who got caught in this controversy has a similar background.

[The Magistrate]

7. "...John Morgan, is not included as an active figure in the litigation..."

"There have been no allegations of criminal wrongdoing on the part of Deukmedjian, Newlin or Morgan & Morgan, whose founder, John Morgan, is not included as an active figure in the litigation."

[Baitball Blogger]

8. I'm aware of that.

The people who were named in the action were listed in the first four paragraphs.

The events took place from 2007-2011 when the lawyer worked in M&M. I'm just hoping the guy turns out to be Republican so the principals can begin slothing off these political appointments.

[The Magistrate]

9. So, Sir, To Repeat: No Connection To President Obama, Despite Your Opening Line....

[Baitball Blogger]

10. I will edit it to your satisfaction, sir.

[lpbk2713]

11. Well done Magistrate.

Point, set and match.

[Baitball Blogger]

12. How does it look now?

[RB TexLa]

2. And yet we have posters saying doctors only care about their patients LOL

and that insurance companies are evil.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. I don't know why it is that I keep falling through the cracks of other people's

broad brush generalizations. But you are right. You just can't assume anything based on professional licenses. Especially not in Florida. Someone is bound to disappoint you.

[BootinUp]

5. This is some pretty unexciting bait nt

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Wow. How can you call this bait?

It is newsworthy and it is relevant information.