Seattle to Require Health Code Inspection of All Rental Properties

The Seattle City Council today unanimously adopted a program requiring the registration and inspection of all residential rental properties in Seattle.  Implementation of the program begins in 2014.

The new law requires landlords to complete a checklist certification that units meet City health and safety code.  Units will be inspected every five years.  See more in this article.

Ackley Law Group Represents Two in Nationwide Tattoo Ink Infection Outbreak

Health officials have traced an outbreak of tattoo infections, causing bubbly rashes, not to problems with the needles or equipment sterilization, but to infected ink.  Specifically, the infection is traced to contaminated water used in making the ink.  Read the full CBS News article here.

Ackley Law Group represents two individuals in Washington State with infections caused by tattoo ink.  The culprit bacteria can cause itchy and painful blisters that often require antibiotics with serious side effects, and months of treatment, to clear up.

Both the federal Center for Disease Control and our local Department of Public Health have investigated the outbreak.  

 

Ackley Law Group Assists Man Targeted By Online Embarrassment Extortion Scam

If it seems illegal, it probably is.  This is what 29 year old Alan Chalfant of Tacoma suspected and confirmed after he was targeted for embarrassment and extortion by the site baitmymate.com.  Alan was part of an ordinary dating website plentyoffish.com, where he contacted a girl he thought was pretty.   The girl led him to a Facebook chat page and then abruptly ended all contact.  Later, Alan found out the chat and his real name and information were posted by Baitmymate, listing him as a busted cheater.  The problem?  Alan was not in a relationship.

After contacting the site, the "removal department" indicated that someone had paid them to stage the conversation, lure him into a chat room, and post Alan's information.  The problem?  Alan initiated the conversation with the "woman."  The "removal department" emphasizes the embarrassing exposure caused by their posts, dismisses any legal ramifications of their actions, and even goes so far as to offer him a payment plan on the cost to take down the embarrassing post.  Baitmymate has victimized people all over the country in similar fashion, and appears to be doing so with impunity.

Baitmymate.com is registered through Moniker Privacy Services, a domain registration company that refuses, absent legal compulsion, to reveal the true identity of the web domain registrant.  The IP address associated with the site has been linked to Panama, but may originate elsewhere.

Thanks to a story by Brandi Kruse at KIRO 97.3 FM, the Department of Justice is currently investigating scams such as this.

If you are a victim of an internet-based crime, file a complaint with the IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center).

Andrew Ackley on Protecting Your Rental Deposit as a Tenant

I recently spoke with Brandi Kruse of KIRO 97.3 FM here in Seattle about protecting your rental deposit as a tenant in Washington.  Link for the article and news piece is here.

Andrew Ackley Speaking at National Seminar on Social Media in Personal Injury Discovery

Fellow Lawyers:

Here is the link to sign up for the seminar and CLE credit.  In the materials you will get a list and summary of most of the on-point cases from around the country.  Never go searching through Blawgs and offbeat news again for support!

Andrew

Facebook Steps Up Anti-Bullying Features for Teenagers

After teaming up with Yale, Columbia, and Berkeley for months of research and focus groups with kids, teachers, and clinical psychologists, Facebook has developed an interactive tool for teenagers not just to "report" bullying, but to effectively triage the complaint and provide assistance based on the severity and urgency of the problem.  CNN describes the new feature in detail here.

Also, here is Facebooks Tools for Addressing Abuse page.

Security Life Selling Illegal Dental Policies in Washington

About three years ago I purchased a dental insurance plan from Security Life Insurance Company.  I had no idea that Security Life failed to file the policy with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC), and was therefore selling the plan illegally.  The OIC apparently notified Security Life about the illegal sale more than two years ago.  Nevertheless, Security Life continued to renew (and in fact increase the price of) my policy.

In the middle of May Security Life sent me a letter indicating they were canceling my policy at the end of June.  There are other fish in the sea, as they say, but here's the thing:  My policy has several lengthy waiting periods and time period restrictions for coverage of certain expenses--standard things we all need from time to time.  That means I've been paying into their system (much more than I am receiving in return) for an extended period to obtain the benefit of my continued payments (more coverage).  Because Security Life was selling an illegal policy, however, my accrued benefits are going to waste.

Definitely filing a complaint with the OIC under the Insurance Fair Conduct Act, and will hopefully find out when their investigation is complete how many others have been affected by this.