Recent Publications


Handbook’s Disclaimer Insufficient to Bar State Wage Claim
March 31, 2013 | Insurance Coverage | Labor & Employment | Appeals

The plaintiffs in this case brought a class action in federal court against Comcast Corporation and Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC, alleging among other things that the defendants had violated the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (IWPCA) which requires every employer “at least semi-monthly, to pay every employee all wages earned during the semi-monthly pay

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Optics Maker Burnt In Magnifying Glass IP Row Against Rival
March 25, 2013 | Intellectual Property | Insurance Coverage

Please click the link below to view Optics Maker Burnt In Magnifying Glass IP Row Against Rival. Adobe Reader is required to view the bulletin. If Adobe Reader is not installed on your PC, click here to download and install.

Optics Maker Burnt In Magnifying Glass IP Row Against Rival

Reprinted with permission from Law360. 

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Governor Cuomo’s Proposed Budget 2013-2014: Major Proposals Addressing Cost-Cutting and Reorganization
March 8, 2013 | Health Services

On January 22, 2013, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued the Executive Budget for 2013-2014.[1]  The plan proposed, without the addition of federal aid, a $136.4 billion state budget, which is a 1.9% increase over the prior year. The major proposals, discussed below, focused on reduced spending and increased efficiency. 

Cost Cutting

The plan extended the 2%

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As Part of CON Reform, New York State DOH Seeks Stakeholder Input On Regulation of Physician “Mega Groups”
March 8, 2013 | Health Services

Significant changes to New York’s Certificate of Need (“CON”) process are underway.  The Public Health and Health Planning Council (“PHHPC”) was charged last year by Governor Cuomo and Health Commissioner Shah with redesigning the CON system in light of the recommendations and requirements of both the Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid Redesign Team.  PHHPC’s

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Section 638 of the Fiscal Deal: Extension of Recovery Time For Non-Fraudulent Medicare Overpayments
March 8, 2013 | Health Services

An obscure provision in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (“ATRA”) extends the time period to recover non-fraudulent Medicare overpayments from three to five years.  However, its impact on healthcare providers remains uncertain. 

Previously, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) was limited to recovering non-fraudulent overpayments by a three year limitation period

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Issues Final Rule Implementing Changes to HIPAA Arising from the Hitech Act
March 8, 2013 | Health Services | Corporate

Since its enactment in 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) has prohibited covered entities from using or disclosing a patient’s individually identifiable health information except either as HIPAA permits or requires or as the patient authorizes in writing.  Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published a final

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Proposed Legislation Would Help Fight No-Fault Insurance Fraud
March 1, 2013 | Insurance Coverage | Appeals

No-fault insurance fraud continues to plague New York, with estimates of its cost to consumers and insurance carriers reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.[1] The growing wave of fraud persists notwithstanding efforts by federal and state prosecutors to bring criminal actions seeking to punish alleged fraud[2] – and despite guilty pleas in some of these actions.[3] 

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New York Insurance Coverage Law Update
March 1, 2013 | Insurance Coverage

Court, Not Arbitrator, Must Decide Whether Accident Involved an Uninsured Motorist

After Alexander Aizin was involved in a motor vehicle accident, he sought arbitration of his claim against his automobile insurer for uninsured motorist benefits. The insurer moved for a stay of arbitration, arguing that, based upon the police accident report, Aizin was not involved

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Second Circuit Severely Limits ADA Claims Against Government Employers
February 28, 2013 | Labor & Employment | Appeals

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has ruled that a former employee of the Central Islip Public Library may not bring an employment discrimination claim against the library under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).

The circuit court’s decision, in which Rivkin Radler LLP represented the library, resolves an

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Facebook Photos Doom Employee’s FMLA Retaliation Claim
February 28, 2013 | Insurance Coverage | Labor & Employment | Appeals

After working for Advantage Health Physician Network for about 18 months, the plaintiff in this case began taking intermittent leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, claiming that she was incapacitated from pain from a back injury she had sustained years earlier. About five weeks into her leave, several of her coworkers saw pictures

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Coverage of Claims against Restaurant after it Dumped Cooking Grease into Sewer Is Barred by Pollution Exclusion
February 28, 2013 | Insurance Coverage

The Colorado Supreme Court has reversed an intermediate appellate court and decided that the pollution exclusion in a commercial general liability (“CGL”) insurance policy issued to a restaurant barred coverage under the policy of claims against the restaurant that arose after it dumped cooking grease into the sewer and created a grease clog. 

The Case

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Idaho Supreme Court Rejects “Baseball Rule” in Case Seeking Damages for Injury from a Foul Ball
February 28, 2013 | Insurance Coverage

The Supreme Court of Idaho has rejected a minor league baseball team’s argument that the “Baseball Rule” limited its duty to spectators hit by foul balls.   

The Case

Bud Rountree was struck by a baseball while attending a minor league baseball game and, as a result, lost an eye. He sued the team and a

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Court, Not Jury, Should Decide whether Exclusion was Ambiguous and Had Been Brought to Insured’s Attention, West Virginia’s Top Court Decides
February 28, 2013 | Insurance Coverage

The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has ruled that a court – not a jury – had to decide whether a policy exclusion was ambiguous and had been brought to the attention of the insured.

The Case

Gerald Kirchner was accidentally shot and killed by Robbie Bragg while both were working at Grimmett

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Alaska Supreme Court Rejects Bad Faith Claim and Upholds Award of Attorney’s Fees and Costs to Insurer
February 28, 2013 | Insurance Coverage

The Alaska Supreme Court has affirmed a decision rejecting a bad faith claim against an insurer and awarding the insurer attorney’s fees and costs.  

The Case

On the morning of September 3, 2000, Alya Landt and Innocent Dushkin ? both of whom were intoxicated ? were in a rented truck that Landt was driving. The

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Court Clarifies Copyright Issues of Online Photo Posting
February 19, 2013 | Professional Liability | Intellectual Property | Complex Torts & Product Liability

Various social media tools, from TwitPic and Instagram to Flickr and Pheed, enable ? indeed, encourage ? users to post their photos online.[1]  Posting a “real time” image from the Mideast, a political event, the Super Bowl, or a snowstorm can be informative and even exhilarating for both the poster and the viewer.  However, there

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