Brende v. Hara - Amended Decision - Medical Privacy for Litigants
Personal Injury News Items
The Hawaii Supreme Court has issued its amended decision in the Brende v. Hara writ of mandamus proceeding. It appears to reaffirm the initial decision which granted substantial meaningful protections for litigants' personal and confidential medical information. For example, an Arbitration Judge at the trial court level, in a recent decision interpreting the amended decision in Brende, granted a Protective Order for medical information disclosed in the proceedings and refused to adopt exceptions proposed by defense counsel Matsui, Chung which would have swallowed all privacy protections whole. Using comments found in footnote 6 of the Supreme Court's opinion, defense counsel argued that the Protective Order should have had an exception that it not affect "the maintenance and record keeping obligations, requirements or practices of any insurance carrier or law firm involved in this proceeding". Since big insurance has had the objectionable "practice" of databasing confidential medical information about Hawaii litigants for years, they would have used this as an excuse to continue to do so contrary to HIIPA and the Hawaii Supreme Court's expressed result. See the amended Brende v. Hara decision here.
Moving a flagpole near live electrical wires can be very dangerous. A Grayson County, Texas jury has awarded more than $15.6 million to the families of 3 victims of an accident that occurred while they were moving a flagpole in May 2017. The electrocution killed 1 and injured 2. The property manager of the apartment complex where the flagpole was located was found to be negligent for placing the flag pole too close to overhead power lines. See, An award of $15.6 million for 3 victims of electrocution.
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