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Although it may seem like the sky is the limit when it comes to personal injury damage awards, in many cases a damages cap may limit compensation in an injury case. A damages cap can apply in a number of different situations. Case in point: In a lawsuit brought by a 13-year-old girl injured in the 2011 stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair, the Indiana Court of Appeals this week upheld an Indiana law limiting the state’s total liability for an incident to $5 million....

School bullying happens to a lot of kids but the serious consequences of bullying have spurred lawmakers to respond to the crisis. Anti-bullying laws now exist in almost every state which gives parents greater recourse if their child is bullied. But the law is only as good as its enforcement. If you don’t know what your rights are then it’s difficult to protect yourself and your children in the event of bullying....

When you have to go, the last thing you want to hear is “no.” Depending on the circumstances, it’s possible you could have a legal claim for discrimination. Under both federal and state laws, discrimination in the provision of services or goods by businesses that are open to the public is illegal. Essentially, any business that is a public accommodation cannot discriminate against customers that walk in seeking goods or services....

With election season approaching, your may have employees who are running for local, state, or – who knows? – even national office. While many employers encourage their employees to get involved politically off the clock, in some cases, an employee’s political campaign can become an unwelcome distraction or even a potential conflict of interest. In cases where an employee’s political aspirations begin impinging on his professional obligations, is it legal to fire a worker for running for office?...

Can a teenager’s alleged church confession to his minister be used against the teen in court? A Michigan appeals court is set to decide, in a case that could set a precedent with regards to the state’s priest-penitent privilege. Samuel Bragg, now 19, faces a sexual assault charge in connection with an alleged rape in 2007. The victim was a 9-year-old girl; Bragg was 15 at the time, the Detroit Free Press reports....

A Nashville radio personality has brought a lawsuit against the Nashville Predators for a hockey stunt gone wrong. Adam “Intern Adam” Davis filed the lawsuit against the hockey team claiming that he was seriously injured last December when he was invited to take part in the “human hockey puck” stunt. Davis is suing the team for $25,000 for medical bills. He says he broke his ankle when he was shot across the rink in a giant slingshot directly into a wall, reports The Associated Press....

North Dakota voters opted to keep the state’s property tax system intact this election in spite of the outspoken support in favor of abolishing it. Local and national news sources brought attention to the measure which early polls indicated was a long shot to pass. While most North Dakotans opposed abandoning property taxes, a vocal minority kept the measure in the public eye right up to the vote on Tuesday....

A federal judge last week ruled that a Louisiana statute requiring booksellers and publishers online to verify the age of website visitors is unconstitutional. The law is intended to protect minors from harmful materials, reports the Courthouse News Service, but the court found it violated free speech rights. The American Civil Liberties Union called the ruling a victory for free expression, and local booksellers and publishers are no doubt breathing a sigh of relief....

Two federal judges have sentenced President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort to a combined seven and a half years in prison for assorted financial crimes, conspiracy against the United States and conspiracy to obstruct justice. And his troubles may not be over yet. Minutes after his second sentence was handed down today, state prosecutors in New York announced Manafort has been indicted on multiple felony counts relating to financial fraud....

When a pedestrian or cyclist gets hit by a car, it is a frightening experience. Cars are large, heavy objects that, even at low speeds, can cause severe injuries to individuals. After a car accident with a pedestrian, it is important for the pedestrian to take a few steps to ensure that they will be able to hold the at-fault driver accountable, similarly to a regular car accident. While it may be impossible for an injured pedestrian to do anything after getting hit by a car, if they are able to do the following, it may greatly improve their legal prospects....

The SBA announced that it would expand access to the most common type of federally guaranteed small business loans, its 7(a) loan program. The change will allow access to 7(a) loans for some businesses previously excluded due to having too much in annual sales. The temporary change is a good time to look at how SBA size limits work. As reported by Reuters, the SBA announced that from now through September 30, 2010, there will be an alternative size limit for prospective SBA backed 7(a) loan applicants....

Your small business is focused on brainstorming innovative ideas, generating revenue, and cutting costs to stay ahead of the current economy. The last thing you want to think about is a workers’ compensation claim. But if one does come up, we want you to have resources to help you know what to do and what your role is. That way, you can spend less of your hours filling out paperwork, and stay focused on building your business....

A handful of auto plants have closed in Japan, waiting to be repaired from tsunami damage. Because the U.S. auto industry is so tied to Japanese production plants, the electronic part shortage is expected to cause Toyota, Nissan and even General Motors to temporarily close about a dozen U.S. auto plants. Employees are expected to be temporarily laid off until the Japanese auto plant closures are reversed. Even though they may be rehired in a few months, the employees could be entitled to unemployment benefits....

Accidents and injuries happen every day. And often, people don’t seek compensation for their injuries because they are worried about the cost of an injury claim, or they think whatever they might get paid won’t be worth the time and effort. While this may be the case in some instances, it’s not always true. So how much does it cost to bring a personal injury lawsuit, and how do you know if it will be worth it?...

President Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro continue to work on improving US-Cuban relations, last week announcing flights between the two countries will resume. But most Americans are still officially prohibited from traveling to Cuba, according to the State Department, and there are no plans in place to actually resume commercial flights anytime soon. They have just been approved. Despite the prohibition on American tourist travel to Cuba, some Americans and countless other tourists from around the world have long visited the island nation even without direct flights....

From refusing to “power down” electronic devices to dressing scantily, passengers regularly get in trouble for giving the cold shoulder to flight attendants’ orders. But legally speaking, what can happen when you disobey a flight attendant? Federal law prohibits passengers from interfering or physically assaulting (or threatening to physically assault) airline crew members. This means injuring or intimidating a crew member – or attempting to do so – can result in a felony conviction if the defendant has interfered with the performance of the crew member’s duties....

It may surprise you to learn that Congress is now considering a bill that would require cruise ship companies to report crimes and death on their vessels, even if it’s only surprising to learn that cruise ship operators weren’t already contacting authorities if a passenger was robbed, assaulted, or died at sea. It may also surprise you to learn a similar bill has been floating around the federal legislature since 2013, and has yet to be passed....

A gay couple who tied the knot in Massachusetts got their divorce finalized Monday in Colorado – the first same-sex dissolution under Colorado’s civil union law, which took effect in May. It may seem counterintuitive to the marriage equality movement, but for gay Coloradoans like Juli Yim, the ability to get her out-of-state marriage dissolved while still residing in Colorado was a boon, reports The Coloradoan. Why does legally ending out-of-state gay unions in Colorado matter so much?...

2014’s holiday travel season is expected to get off to a big start during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. More than 24 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines during the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period from November 21 through December 2, reports CBS News. Unfortunately, for some of these travelers, their holiday travel plans may be interrupted due to what’s in their luggage. Attempting to bring prohibited items on a plane may result in delayed travel, fines, and in some cases arrest, such as the San Francisco man recently arrested for attempting to bring three pounds of marijuana on his flight....

A brick-and-mortar office is becoming as ancient as it sounds. Companies across every field are turning to running virtual offices and managing telecommuters. A virtual office saves employers money, and employees generally love the freedom of working from home. Unless you own a business like a restaurant or a medical office, you probably have no need for an actual physical office. With a virtual office, you have the flexibility of working from almost anywhere on a shoe-string budget....