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Passages Litigation
| "I find the medicine worse than the malady." Author Francis Bacon Of Seditions Greed Raises Its Ugly Head Unfortunately, corruption and greed are as much a part of American industry as apple pie is to our American heritage. Businesses across our great nation reek of such things. One has to look no further than the ENRON scandal or the breakdown of the banking and loan industries. But, the business of medicine and the practice of medicine have always been held sacred. Those who chose work in the area of health care generally did so genuinely with "helping others" being at the forefront of their minds. Unfortunately, this is no longer the norm—the business of medicine has invaded the practice of medicine. And, with the business of medicine comes the ugliness of corruption and greed. One of the saddest areas where corruption and greed have affected the medical industry is in the area of substance abuse and addition treatment centers (drug and alcohol treatment facilities). These facilities have been popping up all of the United States—some claiming better treatment than others while other claim to have a revolutionary approach. Rarely, however, do such facilities advertise the low success rates of their treatment centers. Their hope is to lure in the hopeless, helpless, and desperate, take their money, and sell a "solution" that they know works only a small percentage of the time. Nevertheless, most of these facilities act on the idea that what they provide is useful and helpful. They act on the premise that the medical evidence supports their approach. They act, and solicit customers or patients, on the basis that the medical literature and case studies conclude that their approach is fundamentally valid. However, other facilities have "invented" new approaches to the treatment of drug and alcohol addition. Sometimes the "revolutionary approach" that these places sell is pure fantasy—only "developed" to entice people to "try" a method different from the traditional methods. There is, of course, nothing wrong with this—if the method has been proven to work and/or if the method is supported by medical evidence and/or science. One such facility that has pushed the envelope in this arena is Passages Malibu Addiction Treatment located in Malibu, California. The founders of Passages Malibu, Chris Prentiss and Pax Prentiss, tout that their facility can provide a "cure" for addiction. The facility pushes a book, written by Chris Prentiss, that "saves lives." The founders openly argue that alcoholism and addiction are not "diseases." The facility at one time boasted an 80% cure rate and now offers a "treatment guarantee." The problem is that marketing such as this is directed at people who are reaching out for the end of the rope before they go under. If all of this was true, it would be wonderful. But, the medical evidence is that there is not a "cure" for alcoholism or addiction. The medial evidence is that addiction and alcoholism are diseases. Also, there is apparently no solid support that Mr. Prentiss' book "saves lives." Finally, the facility has never provided support for an "80% cure rate." But, because of this type of marketing that seems to be driven by the almighty dollar, people go to Passages Malibu and places like it. They go on the hope and promise of a "cure". Then, they often return home without the proper tools for success and fail. This type of corruption and greed tears at the very moral fabric of the practice of medicine and treatment of addition and alcoholism. It is very sad—and should not continue if the medical evidence and science does not support it. You Have Been Lured In – What Now? If you feel that you were deceived by Passages Malibu or another treatment center like it, you may have legal recourse. If a facility advertises something that is false, it can be held civilly liable. If a facility uses treatments that are not supported by the medical evidence and/or science, it can be held civilly liable. If a facility utilized lies, told untruths, or promoted half-truths to entice you to admit yourself voluntarily, it can be held civilly liable. Should you feel that you may have a claim in this regard or any related regard, you need to call a lawyer who is qualified and experienced in handling multi-state malpractice, medical abuse, medical fraud, and false advertising claims. The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC is one law firm that can handle these cases. Statute of Limitations and Money Damages The statue of limitations in a case like this will vary from state to state, based on the type of claim alleged, and the forum in which the claim is brought. However, the statute of limitations will generally range from two to four years. If you have a valid claim, you may be able recover money damages of past and future medical bills, past and future lost wages, past and future mental anguish, and past and future pain and suffering. There may be other areas of recovery, depending on the facts, but one such type of recovery is for punitive damages—meaning damages meant to punish the facility should its actions rise to the level of conscious disregard, fraud, intentional bad acts. Why Pinkerton? Chad Pinkerton is a powerhouse in and out of the courtroom. His track record of fighting aggressively and successfully for his clients' legal rights reflects millions of dollars* in recovered damages. Chad's background in medicine and experience in the courtroom forge a strong presence whether he is on the phone with the insurance agents, wrangling with opposing counsel, or cross-examining experts at trial. Pinkerton's focus is to make the jury care about his client's loss and feel empowered to do something about it. |
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If you have questions regarding personal injury or wrongful death law, contact us. Our personal injury lawyers offer initial consultations, are available for evening and weekend appointments. Pinkerton’s wrongful death attorneys can handle Spanish speaking clients. Pinkerton Law Firm PLLC offices are conveniently located in Houston's Museum District.
To contact us toll free, call (866) 764-0412 or (713) 360-6722 .
*Including attorney's fees.
If you have questions regarding personal injury or wrongful death law, contact us. Our personal injury lawyers offer initial consultations, are available for evening and weekend appointments. Pinkerton’s wrongful death attorneys can handle Spanish speaking clients. Pinkerton Law Firm PLLC offices are conveniently located in Houston's Museum District.
To contact us toll free, call (866) 764-0412 or (713) 360-6722 .
*Including attorney's fees.
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