Legal Malpractice

Shredding, Files, the New Year and Legal Malpractice

By (Andrew Lavoott Bluestone)

Small towns have communities that notice small events.  Here is an example:  a lawfirm throws out old files, and they mistakenly sit on the curb, awaiting the garbage truck.  The local news station finds out, and puts this story on their website.

"A call to the Channel 2 News Tipline asked why open boxes with files were out on the curb in front of a law firm in Orchard Park. Channel 2 News then found some of those same open boxes.

The boxes were on the curb of South Buffalo Street in front of the Berkowitz and Pace Law Firm. One of the open boxes had a visible file labeled "Medical Malpractice" with a name and phone number visible.

Attorney Leonard Berkowitz told us they were remodeling their office and that's why the boxes were thrown out that way. Berkowitz was asked if he felt there could be confidential records or information in the boxes. "These are old boxes. We thought they were going to be picked up immediately. They probably should have been shredded. We're gonna take 'em back in now based upon what you said. It was a mistake and they should have been shredded."

Full post as published by New York Attorney Malpractice Blog on January 07, 2008 (boomark / email).