Law firm Leon Kaye has launched an investigation into the legal implications of Skipton Building Society’s decision to scrap the ceiling on its standard variable rate.

Money Marketing first revealed last month Skipton’s move to scrap the ceiling rate on its SVR, which had meant borrowers would not pay more than 3 per cent above the base rate.

The society blamed “exceptional circumstances” for removing the ceiling.

Leon Kaye Solicitors says such clauses are normally built in to contracts to ensure the lender has some control but it is investigating whether Skipton could be in breach of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.

Leon Kaye Solicitors’ statement says: “Those borrowers who cannot switch mortgages will be exposed to significant increases in their interest payments despite taking out an SVR for added protection against such rises in the interest rate.

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“Dr. William J. Erwin failed to comply with the appropriate standard of care for an OB/GYN in the year 2007, and as a result, Rebecca Gatti, a newborn baby girl, suffered severe brain damage which is lifelong and irreversible.” Those brutally frank words were from the Louisiana Medical Review Board to Ryan and Susan Gatti, the parents of their new baby girl Rebecca, explaining the irreversible brain damage Rebecca suffered due to the negiligence of Dr. Erwin. Rebecca now requires round-the-clock care for the rest of her life, with no chance whatsoever for improvement. Today, The Insider Exclusive will take you “Behind the Headlines” of this real life couple, Ryan and Susan Gatti, who entrusted their child’s health and welfare to this grossly incompetent doctor. We will meet not only the Gattis’ but also their lawyer, John Hammons of Nelson & Hammons, who for almost 30 YEARS has been one of Louisiana’s leading medical malpractice and nursing home negligence lawyers, “Standing Up for People Who Cannot Stand Up for Themselves.” The Insider Exclusive has also learned some hard cold facts that completely contradict all the myths that the insurance companies and their lobbyists have been feeding the public for years regarding medical malpractice cases like the Gattis’ and why they falsely claim that caps on medical malpractice verdicts are necessary. All of these myths are designed to protect the insurance companies’ and the doctors’ financial interests, while victimizing the healthcare interests of patients.

John Hammons is one of Louisiana’s leading medical malpractice and nursing home negligence lawyers, and is often called upon by individuals as well as by other lawyers to assist them in the most difficult of cases. He has served on the Governor’s Commission on Medical Malpractice, which provided him with significant insight in this area of developing law. John was also among the first lawyers in Louisiana emphasizing the handling of medical malpractice cases three decades ago. He has been at the forefront of precedent-setting cases, and is often invited to speak before legal and medical groups. John holds an undergraduate degree from Northeast Louisiana University and a law degree from Louisiana State University.

Nelson & Hammons has championed the rights of victims of medical malpractice since 1980, having successfully represented hundreds of such patients or their families. With its office in Shreveport, Nelson & Hammons remains committed to quality medical care for its clients and their families as well as obtaining just compensation for those patients who have been seriously injured as a result of substandard medical care. With two attorneys specializing in the handling of medical malpractice, nursing home negligence and related matters, Nelson & Hammons is uniquely positioned to effectively and thoroughly investigate and prosecute such cases.

Montgomery law firm Beasley Allen Crow Methvin Portis & Miles PC recently filed a lawsuit against Toyota Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Sales USA on behalf of more than 500,000 Toyota Prius and Lexus Hybrid owners.

The firm, which filed the case in the U.S. District Court Middle District of Alabama, alleges that Toyota concealed facts relating to the defects in the accelerator braking system. Beasley also filed complaints of breach of implied warranty of merchantability, fraudulent concealment, unjust enrichment and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, according to a written statement.

“Toyota knew about these defects long before they issued a recall, yet they continued to market the vehicles as safe and reliable,” said Dee Miles, head of Beasley Allen’s consumer fraud and class action department.

Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM) has been under scrutiny recently after initiating several recalls on millions of vehicles. One of the most recent recalls included fixing accelerator pedals that began to stick over time, preventing drivers from stopping with their brakes, according to news reports.