Hurricane Irene, with all of its devastating impact, has finally moved past the United States. Now the insurance battles start, as self-interested insurance companies pull out all of the stops to avoid having to pay out claims on homeowners’ policies. Remember, insurance adjusters who come to evaluate damage to your home are not your friends, and in… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: August 2011
Honda Car Leases: Paying For “Unused Miles”
Under a standard Honda lease agreement, the consumer agrees to make a monthly payment in exchange for the privilege of driving the car a certain number of miles. The amount of the monthly payment is a function of a number of variables, including the length of the lease term, the number of miles allowed to… Continue Reading
Phone-Bill Cramming Costs Consumers $2 Billion Each Year
Do you closely review your monthly phone bill for extra charges? Few people do. More should. Scammers bill consumers for nearly $2 billion each year in unauthorized charges, which are "crammed" on their phone bills without their knowledge or consent. According to a very recent report issued by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science,… Continue Reading
Internet Travel Sites Charge For Unwanted Travel Insurance
Meiselman, Denlea, Packman, Carton & Eberz P.C. is currently investigating a potential class against Travelocity, Orbitz and other internet travel vendors concerning the sale of unwanted travel insurance to commuters. As angry consumers have documented, Travelocity, Orbitz and others have pre-checked the boxes selling travel insurance on their reservation forms. As a result, consumers who… Continue Reading
The Dangers Of Levaquin
For years, Levaquin has been among the most highly-prescribed fluoroquinolone antibiotics, used by patients to treat severe bacterial infections and those that fail to respond to other antibiotics. While the drug is effective in treating ailments such as respiratory tract infections and meningitis, it is also associated with severe adverse reactions, including tendon ruptures. Indeed,… Continue Reading
Citibank And Essentials Gold May Be Imposing Unauthorized Charges
It is virtually impossible to live in modern society without a credit card. Consumers need plastic to rent cars, make on-line purchases, prove their identity, and even buy a bag of peanuts on an airplane. As a result, consumers have to increasingly rely on the honesty and integrity of credit card companies with whom they have accounts. Given… Continue Reading
Android Apps Leaks Can Be Expensive
In recent times there have been great strides made in the means of communication and the dissemination of information. We now have the ability to make telephone calls from virtually anywhere with our cell phones, and obtain instant information on every possible subject with our laptop computers, smart phones, iPads and Android Operating Systems. These… Continue Reading
Cramming Is A Huge Problem
We have written before about the practice called "cramming." A report recently issued by Senator John Rockefeller of West Virginia highlights the tremendous impact that cramming has on consumers. Cramming is the practice in which consumers find mysterious charges on their telephone bills for services that they had not purchased. The report issued by Senator… Continue Reading
Dangers Of Cell Phone Radiation
On May 31, 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO/IARC) issued a report based on its review of available scientific evidence regarding the association of cell phone radiation and brain tumors. The review, while not conclusive, did find that epidemiologic studies conducted to date showed an "increased risk,"… Continue Reading
Are Delivery Drivers Being Fairly Compensated?
Meiselman, Denlea, Packman, Carton & Eberz P.C. is currently investigating potential class action lawsuits on behalf of delivery drivers for Quiznos, Dominos, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns and other restaurants or businesses. Under federal and state law, delivery drivers must be properly compensated for gas and wear and tear on their vehicles. This compensation must be… Continue Reading
The Coconut Water Craze: It May Not Be All It’s Cracked Up To Be
Coconut water is the new drink of choice among celebrities and athletes and is a staple at marathons, triathlons and other sporting events. Its popularity stems from marketing campaigns billing coconut water as a great way to stay hydrated and recover after a workout and is seen as a natural alternative to sports drinks. The beneficial claims… Continue Reading
Dangers Of Oral Osteoporosis Drugs (Bisphosphonates)
On July 21, 2011, the FDA announced that it was continuing to review data from published studies to evaluate whether the use of oral bisphosphonate drugs used for the treatment of osteoporosis (e.g., Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel) is associated with an increase in the risk of developing esophageal cancer. The evidence is not conclusive, but one… Continue Reading
Beware Of CheapTickets.Com’s Bait And Switch Practices
In recent times travel arrangements are frequently made by the individual traveler rather than through a travel agency. Several organizations have answered the call for to facilitate individuals to make such arrangements. These organizations include, among others, Travelocity, Orbitz, and CheapTickets.com. The modern-day traveler must be very careful when making travel arrangements through such organizations… Continue Reading
Rodale Bills Customers For Books And Magazines Not Ordered
There’s no free lunch, and there are no free books or magazines either. That’s the lesson that consumers learned the hard way from Pennsylvania-based Rodale, Inc., the publisher of Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Prevention, and other magazines. Customers have complained for several years that Rodale billed them for books and magazines they never ordered. An investigation… Continue Reading
Unfair Marketing Activities Of Prescription Drugs Temodar, PegIntron And Intron A
Meiselman, Denlea, Packman, Carton & Eberz P.C. is currently investigating a potential class action against Merck & Co. ("Merck") concerning the drugs Temodar, PegIntron, and Intron A. As recently reported by the Wall Street Journal (August 9, 2011), the Justice Department has issued a subpoena to Merck as part of a criminal investigation into the… Continue Reading
Vogue Tires Fail And Vogue Fails To Live Up To Warranty
Custom car enthusiasts spend significant sums on parts and accessories to dress up their vehicles. One such product, Vogue tires, are popular with these consumers because they have a nostalgic "whitewall" and a unique, rich looking gold stripe around the tire. These tires are available as a custom, after-market purchase and also come equipped on… Continue Reading
AT&T Wireless Faces Class Action Lawsuit By Home-Based Employees
A federal class action lawsuit has been filed against AT&T Wireless alleging that the carrier has violated the rights of at-home virtual call center employees under the California Labor Code. According to the class action complaint, AT&T has hired at-home call center employees to provide billing and technical support for AT&T customers. The complaint alleges that… Continue Reading
Ameriloan — Convenience May Be More Expensive Than You Think
Ameriloan is an online lender which purports to provide "instant" cash loans. It operates through its Internet domain and provides various types of fast loans to customers with financial difficulties, such as payday loans, paycheck advances, etc. On its site, it represents that it "provides you with emergency cash when you need it most…usually between… Continue Reading
Verizon May Not Honor Its “Price For Life” Promises
One of the hottest areas of competition in the telecommunication arena is between Verizon and its DSL Internet service and cable companies that provide high-speed Internet. One of the marketing ploys Verizon used to increase its market share was to promise its customers a monthly "price for life" of as little as $29.95 per month,… Continue Reading
Zicam Products With Vitamin C Mislabeled
Zicam, in various formulations, has been marketed for years in retail stores and on the Internet as a homeopathic remedy for the common cold. Yet Zicam has repeatedly been the target of regulatory scrutiny. For instance, in 2009 the FDA advised consumers to discontinue use of several Zicam non-prescription nasal sprays because of the risk… Continue Reading
Membership In Hobby Clubs Often Involve Hidden Costs
If you receive an unsolicited offer in the mail to enroll in a "free trial membership" for some type of special interest or hobby club, find out all you can about that club before you join. The simple act of sending in the acceptance form can subject you to a high-pressure marketing barrage that is… Continue Reading
Surgical Mesh Provides Little Benefit But Still Causes Serious Complications
Surgical mesh is used to treat pelvic organ prolapse (slippage out of place of the uterus or bladder) and stress urinary incontinence in women purportedly by strengthening the vaginal tissue. Yet, for several years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received thousands of reports involving patients in whom surgical mesh was implanted who subsequently… Continue Reading
Banzai Water Slides May Be Smaller Than They Appear
During a hot summer day, nothing is nicer than a dip in the pool. Unfortunately, not all parents can afford pools for their children. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of affordable and fun alternatives for backyard water fun, from the trusty slip ‘n slide to the plastic wading pool. In fact, consumers have many choices in buying… Continue Reading
Retail Gift Cards Rendered Worthless Through Bankruptcy
Many people find it easy and convenient to give their friends and family gift cards to retail establishments so that the celebrant can choose their own particular gift at a store or through the retailer’s Internet website. But what happens to your gift card when a retailer that has taken in large sums of money… Continue Reading