by brettb on July 30, 2010
As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, the U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Oracle Corporation alleging that the Bay Area software maker defrauded the government in a software contract.
Oracle Headquarters at Redwood Shores near San Francisco
The lawsuit claims that Oracle defrauded the U.S. federal government out of hundreds of millions of dollars, which was discovered once a whistleblower came forward regarding Oracle’s actions.
The contract or agreement at the heart of the lawsuit was in place from 1998 to 2006, between Oracle and the General Services Administration. Under the terms of the agreement the software maker was to extend its commercial discounts to government customers, but the suit alleges that the company misrepresented its sales practices and polices.
The lawsuit was filed under the False Claims Act. The Act allows normal citizens to bring fraud lawsuits on behalf of the federal government. According to the San Francisco paper, the suit was originally brought by Paul Frascella, senior director of contract services at Oracle.
by brettb on July 29, 2010
Bloomberg Markets magazine is publishing the results of a six month investigation into whether giant life-insurance companies have found a way to not pay benefits to the families of troops killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The report comes out in the magazine’s September issue, but the word is – it’s not pretty.
Marines clear a house in Al Anbar
Here is the scenario: a U.S. soldier goes to war in Iraq or Afghanistan. And, because he is responsible and trying to lookout for his family, he buys a life-insurance policy that the insurance companies are just too happy to sell. Then the unthinkable happens. And the insurance company keeps the money for the beneficiaries of the policy in an investment account telling the family that they will pay 0.5 percent interest.
But, here is what they are not telling the family – the family could beat that interest rate at any bank across the country in an annuity or money market account that is FDIC backed. Further, the money is being kept in the insurance company’s corporate investment account.
The bottom line: the insurance companies involved with this scheme have found a convenient way to make money off the deaths of our troops without giving their families all the facts.
by brettb on July 25, 2010
Over the past year the NFL has had to deal with several controversies including their policies and procedures regarding traumatic brain injuries and concussions or MTBI.
We here at San Francisco Personal Injury Law Answers have reported on those issues – see Traumatic Brain Injury & NFL. But now it appears that the National Football League has another issue on their hands: whether or not the Browns hid the risk of staph infections from players.
According to the Baltimore Sun, former NFL center LeCharles Bentley has filed a lawsuit against the Cleveland Browns over a staph infection he contracted while using the team facilities for rehabilitation.
The lawsuit claims that Bentley was not made aware that numerous other players had contracted staph infections in the past from the same facility.
Bentley is accusing the team of fraud and negligent misrepresentation in the suit.
by brettb on July 19, 2010
California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election this fall, sending a seismic jolt through the state’s legal landscape, and even his fellow Supreme Court justices.” His decision “ends 38 years of service on the state’s courts, including 19 on the Supreme Court, 14 of those as chief justice.” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger “has until Sept. 16 under the California Constitution to name George’s successor.”
California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George announced last week that he is retiring and therefore will not seek re-election this fall.
California Supreme Court Building in San Francisco
Justice Ron George has been Chief Justice of the Court for the last 14 years and has served on the California Supreme Court for the last 19.
The 70 year-old Chief Justice has written 50 volumes worth of legal opinions but will most likely be remembered for the 2008 opinion that legalized same-sex marriage as well as his ruling that upheld Prop 8.
The Chief Justice was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson in 1991 as an associate justice. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has until mid-September appoint the a successor.
