Lawyer & Law Firm Network News
Donald E. Jose Partner in the law firm of Jose & Wiedis discusses How to Avoid Radiation Litigation and other not too well known facts about the nuclear industry, especially regarding commonly misunderstood "radiation myths".
Don discusses in each of these areas why radioactive materials licensees are ripe for lawsuits, how to determine worker's radiation risks, radiation risk models, relative risk and probability of causation, strategies for avoiding litigation, and preparing for litigation if necessary. He also discusses how to deal with "junk science," how to prepare and present expert testimony, and how to effectively communicate with attorneys, judges, and juries. Another critical issue covered in depth is the importance of documentation and recordkeeping.
Don states that very few, if any, radiation induced cancers should appear among nuclear workers in the United States. The existing safety standards and lifetime doses received under the operation of those safety standards are such that less than 1% of the cancers that appear in nuclear workers should be related to their occupational radiation exposure. This small numbers of valid claims is a tribute to the effectiveness of the federal safety standards and to the ALARA professional philosophy of achieving excellence in radiation protection which has marked the field of health physics since its inception.
Over the last three decades, radiation litigation has become a unique field of toxic tort litigation, with many new precedent setting decisions providing guidelines establishing how cases will be litigated in the future. Don's interview provides a summary of the status of the issues that are being litigated in radiation cases, and suggest recommendations on how pending issues should be resolved in the future.
Dennis Fritz, best selling author of shares his own horrific story in "Journey Toward Justice".
Dennis relates how he walked out of court a free man after spending 11 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. An overzealous prosecutor bent on winning relied on flimsy circumstantial evidence and Dennis was convicted and sentenced to life in prison while his co-defendant, Ronnie Williamson was sentenced to death. After eleven years of incarceration, with the help of Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project, and DNA testing, Dennis and Ronnie were exonerated and the real killer is found guilty. On April 15, 1999, Dennis and Ronnie walk free from prison.
"The story of the unwarranted prosecution and wrongful conviction of Dennis Fritz is compelling and fascinating. After serving eleven years for a murder he did not commit, Dennis was exonerated and had the strength and courage to put his life back together." John Grisham
Barry Scheck said it best, ""As I write these words, there have been two hundred post-conviction DNA exonerations in America. The exonerated, many crime victims and their families (including the Carter family from the Fri and Williamson case) are the heart and soul of this movement. In this unique and brave community of survivors, there is no more decent and dignified a man, nor a more gentle soul, than Dennis Fritz. For eight years he has unstintingly supported our work in every way possible, re-living what are often very painful memories in service to a just cause. And now he has had the fortitude to tell his whole story. As always, I am in awe of his courage and humbled by his efforts." Barry C. Scheck Co-Director The Innocence Project
Jack Girardi, Partner at Girardi & Keese, one of America's Finest Trial Lawyers and our Co-Host, as always, brings out the most important key elements to the success of today's guests. He and his firm have been dedicated to working hard and getting the best possible recovery for its clients.
Girardi & Keese's mission is to provide aggressive representation of individuals and businesses who have been injured in some way, whether by physical harm, property damage, damage to business, or damage to economic interests. Girardi & Keese has two offices in California: Downtown Los Angeles and San Bernardino.
You can contact:
Don Jose
(610) 436-1888
Jack Girardi
(213) 977 0211
www.girardikeese.com
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