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Concerts and fairs are meant to be fun. But, tragedy struck a recent Indiana fair. Deaths, injuries and mayhem occurred when a stage collapsed prior to a Sugarland concert. Over the weekend, around 12,000 fans had gathered to watch the concert, reports CNN. Sara Bareilles, the opening act for Sugarland, had just finished performing. That’s when a gust of wind sent metal scaffolding from the stage onto the “Sugarpit,” killing five and injuring about 40 others....

When you’re injured on someone else’s property, the owner of that property may sometimes be held liable for your damages. Generally, a legal doctrine known as premises liability makes the owner of property liable for damages caused by conditions on that property. But whether an injured person is able to recover for his or her injuries from a property owner depends on a number of different factors. What should you know about suing for injuries on another person’s property?...

The L.A. City Council crackdown on marijuana dispensary operations has been happening in stages. As previously discussed, since the boom in marijuana dispensaries unlike that in any other California city, the LA council has been working strategically to restrict the number of dispensaries. A new federal approach to medical marijuana laws also puts the onus on states to crack down on those who profit by selling pot to people who don’t qualify as medical users....

All too frequently, children are injured in driveway backover accidents. These accidents tend to occur when children are playing in the driveway, behind a vehicle. Sometimes the vehicle gets put in neutral or the brake is disengaged on accident by another child playing inside the car. Sometimes it’s a relative, friend, or neighbor who just didn’t expect a child to be sitting down in the middle of their driveway when they decided to back out....

A Miami deck collapse left 33 people hurt, two of them seriously, at a waterfront sports bar Thursday night. Who could potentially be held liable for the injuries? About 100 people were on an outdoor deck at Shuckers Bar and Grill, a popular restaurant in North Bay Village, watching the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. About 9:20 p.m., the deck collapsed and sent dozens of patrons plunging into the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay, authorities told WTVJ-TV....

Hurricane Matthew recently brought natural disaster insurance issues to many a small business’s doorstep. Stores, shops, and service providers were faced with wind and flood damage, as well as a loss of business following the storm. And for some who turned to their insurance carriers for coverage, they may have been surprised to find it wasn’t covered under their policy. Make sure your small business doesn’t suffer the same fate – ask these six questions, and make sure you have the answers....

Why just use a regular shoe to exercise when you can use a shoe designed to burn extra calories and tone your muscles? According to a recent New Balance lawsuit, because the shoes don’t have any extra fitness benefits, and may even cause injury. According to a New Balance class action lawsuit against New Balance filed Monday in Boston, New Balance used deceptive marketing tactics to promote its True Balance and Rock & Tone toning shoes....

You read that right. As a precursor to Wednesday’s annual presidential turkey pardon, President Obama has pardoned real live people. He even issued a commutation, too. President Obama’s pardons include three men convicted of federal marijuana charges, one convicted of transporting stolen property, and another of illegal gambling. The commutation – the first of his presidency – involves Eugenia Marie Jennings, who was convicted in 2001 for distributing cocaine. Since commutations involve a lessening of a crime’s penalty, Jennings will be released after only serving 10 years of a 22-year sentence, reports the Associated Press....

At 61, Birgilio Marin-Fuentes knew it was time to head to the hospital. Getting in his car at a little past midnight, he drove less than two miles to Portland Adventist Medical Center. Pulling into the emergency room parking lot, he suffered a heart attack, crashing into a steel pillar. He was only 125 feet from the emergency room entrance, reports The Oregonian. Twenty minutes later, two officers were called to the scene....

Road rage incidents are nothing new, with drivers getting shot at and even getting killed over incidents that could have been easily avoided. If the actors in these cases had utilized some road rage avoidance tips, the situations may have passed without incident. Instead, seemingly minor disputes have led to serious criminal consequences, including murder and weapons charges. If you don’t want to get shot at this holiday season, here are some road rage tips you should keep in mind:...

Congress is currently attempting to renew the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which provides funding to small businesses engaging in specific research and development. At issue is the extent to which businesses backed by large venture capital outfits and institutional investors should be eligible to receive SBIR grants. The current debate about renewal of the program primarily revolves around two issues: To what extent should venture capital backed companies receive SBIR awards?...

Higher education is important to many people, but it doesn’t come cheap. In order to get a college or graduate degree, many people need student loans. Of course, the hope is that once you receive a degree, you’ll be able to get a job, and repay your student loans. What Would Be Changing? The budget plan, as currently written, would do away with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and curtail income-based loan repayment plans....

California’s excessive prison sentences, along with the state’s three strikes law, have caught the attention of Justice Anthony Kennedy. The Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court addressed Pepperdine University School of Law and discussed his view of California’s over-incareration problems, criticizing the state’s three strikes law. According to the New York Times, Justice Kennedy not only disapproved of how the three strikes law puts people behind bars for 25 years to life if they commit a third felony, even a nonviolent one, but of the fact that the law’s sponsor was the correctional officers’ union – saying, “… that is sick....

The Supreme Court today trimmed down police authority to search the passenger compartment of a vehicle after they’ve made an arrest on an occupant. Under the rule outlined by the Court, police may search the passenger compartment of a vehicle after arresting an occupant only if “it is reasonable to believe” that the arrestee might be able to access the vehicle or that the vehicle contains evidence related to the offense he or she got arrested for....

Guest post by Jennifer K. Halford, Esq. In a prior post I shared three reasons why your company policies should be in writing. That post generated valuable feedback from employers seeking clarification about which company policies must actually be placed in writing. Let me clarify that it is not practical or cost-effective to put every conceivable policy in writing. Nor is it legally advisable. For instance, you do not want to have a written policy that you are not going to consistently and fairly enforce....

Yesterday San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) averted a strike that would have halted the City’s Monday morning commute. The parties involved appear to be settling on terms of a proposed contract, but the incident brings up the topic of striking workers. What rights do striking employees have? Are they entitled to unemployment insurance? Top 3 Things to Know if You Are Going on Strike: 1. Most states do not allow unionized striking worker to collect unemployment benefits....

Is there anything better than that new car smell? And is there anything worse than a new car that spends all day sitting in the shop? Automobiles, new and used, are serious investments, which is why most states have so-called lemon laws that require dealers or manufacturers to either fix or buy back vehicles with seemingly irreparable defects. Lemon laws can vary from state to state, however, so when is it too late to bring a lemon car back to the dealer?...

When a child custody case requires a judge to make a decision regarding custody, then the judge’s decision can be appealed. However, most child custody cases are resolved via agreements between parents that get approved by the court. Settlement agreements are not appealable, though if the judge made an error in approving the agreement, that may be appealable. However, appeals are typically only used when a party believes a judge made an error (legal or otherwise) in reaching their decision....

Three teens in a stolen car were involved in a serious accident following a high-speed police chase in San Diego earlier this week, raising potential questions about liability. Racing at an estimated 60 miles per hour, the driver of the stolen Honda Civic slammed into an SUV after running a red light. The occupants of the SUV sustained minor injuries; the three suspects were more seriously hurt. But who’s liable for police chase injuries?...

Things are getting heavy in Wisconsin. The state’s Republican-dominated Legislature is prepared to vote to strip collective bargaining rights from public employees. The measure has sparked Wisconsin state workers to protest. The measure was so controversial that all 14 Senate Democrats boycotted the vote on a controversial bill and left the state, Fox News reports. The Wisconsin protests have also led many of the schools throughout the state to close for the second day in a row....