| Volume 34 Number 4 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Starting a new business can be risky, and the type of business determines your individual liability. If you run a business in your own name, or as a partnership, you are responsible for all the liabilities of the business. To protect yourself, consider operating the business as a corporation or limited liability company. An attorney can help you make the right choice. Click here for more.
Aetna to Pay $5 Million to Overcharged Consumers
Some 73,000 students from more than 200 colleges were charged outdated rates for care outside their network. As a result, Aetna agreed to pay over $5 million plus interest and penalties for overcharging. If you think you may have been overcharged, contact Aetna customer service at (866) 805-7643. Click here for more.
Tentative Stimulus Agreement Reached
US Senators spent this past Saturday debating a stimulus agreement that already reflected billions in new spending cuts. Discussions are set to continue Monday, with an anticipated vote coming on Tuesday. Additional parts of the revised plan include tax breaks for new home and car buyers. Although the bill is expected to pass, strong opposition still remains, simply calling the package a "spending" bill. Click here for more.
Banks Want to Return TARP Funds
Goldman Sachs is getting anxious about paying back the federal funding it received through the Troubled Asset Relief Program. In fact, Goldman representatives suggest it would be easier for the company to run its business if it could just pay back the $10 billion it received in federal funding. The move comes after President Obama capped executive pay at $500,000. Fearing what additional restrictions may come, banks aren't as interested in taking the financial help, and some want to outright avoid it. Click here for more.
Great Deals Available for New Car Buyers
If you are considering buying a new car, you may be able to get a great deal. The best way to find a deal is to engage in comparison shopping. For a new Honda, prices ranged from $22,000 to $29,000 for a particular model. It's important for you to recognize your value - you are one of relatively few consumers interested in buying a new car in this economic climate. Use this to your advantage by engaging multiple dealers in comparison shopping. With some strategic effort, you may walk away saving thousands of dollars. Click here for more.
Your Money
What is the true cost of paying the minimum on your credit card bill? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Consumers can't preemptively strike arbitration clause. The California Supreme Court has held that cellular telephone customers can't sue preemptively to strike arbitration clauses from their service contracts because they cannot demonstrate that they suffered any injury from the purportedly unconscionable terms. The phone company argued that the plaintiffs lacked standing because they didn't claim that they had been damaged by the arbitration provisions or that the company had otherwise sought to enforce those clauses against them. The court agreed that "injury in fact" is a prerequisite for suing under state law. California Supreme Court. Click here for more.