Texas Tells Podcast

On today's episode, we'll be going over the toll of the pandemic on nursing homes in Texas, and what the state must do to keep our most vulnerable safe. Cissy Sanders, an advocate with Families for Better Care, who has fought for nursing home safety, is our guest this week.

Executive Director Ware Wendell updates the public on our pressing consumer, policyholder, patient, and worker safety priorities as we approach the next legislative session.

Broadus Spivey is one of the most respected and experienced attorneys in the country. He is a real-life Atticus Finch who has dedicated his life to helping others. We sat down with him to discuss his career on this week's edition of Texas Tells.

The latest edition of our podcast goes over the most successful session in the 20-year history of Texas Watch. In addition, we highlight some of the big issues of this session.

Too often, insurance companies "swoop and settle" claims right after a wreck when an injured person is vulnerable and unaware of the full extent of their damages. The latest edition of our podcast tells the story of Rayza, a nineteen-year-old child care worker who released her legal claims right after a wreck when an insurance company called her and took a recorded statement. HB 2374 by Rep. Julie Johnson would end this predatory insurance practice and protect your family.

This week, Executive Director Ware Wendell goes over how the insurance lobbyists have destroyed your property rights. To learn how lawmakers voted, please visit: http://www.texaswatch.org/blue-tarp-bill-how-your-lawmaker-voted

When Leroy Torres first arrived on the Balad military base in Iraq, he said he immediately noticed the smell. It was coming from the base’s burn pit, a pile of everything disposed of on a base, including trash, medical waste, chemicals, and more, which was set ablaze and burned all day, every day. Soon after arriving in Iraq, Leroy fell ill and doctors didn’t have the answers for his symptoms.

When Marcia and Mathew Seebachan bought their Honda Fit in 2013, they did their homework. But, nothing told them that the car had been previously repaired for hail damage to its roof or that those repairs did not meet manufacturer standards. That shoddy repair work turned out to be pivotal when just four months later, they were struck head-on by a Toyota Tundra truck hydroplaning out of control.

This month, we talked to Marcia about her fight for justice and holding the repair shop and insurance company accountable in court.

Wells Fargo. Equifax. Recent consumer scandals have brought to light important questions of how we could have prevented millions of consumers from being put at financial risk. Enter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which announced a rule this summer to ban forced arbitration provisions in financial contracts that prevent harmed consumers from banding together in court. This allows consumers to hold wrongdoers fully accountable in court. But, the new rule may be in jeopardy.

In 2003, Texas passed radical medical malpractice laws under the guise of "improving patient access to care" and "improving medical care: by reducing purportedly "burdensome lawsuits." Fourteen years later, these promises have not been kept, and patients, their families, and taxpayers have paid the price.