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GM has agreed to compensate 42 claimants for deaths related to an ignition-switch defect, part of more than 2,000 death and injury claims that have been filed against the car manufacturer so far. Victims and their families who were injured by the faulty ignition switch have until January 31 to submit their claims, which will be categorized based on the severity of the injuries, reports MLive.com. GM anticipates that total compensation related to the ignition-switch defect will run anywhere from $400 million to $600 million....

Managing payroll is a big part of running a business, as well as one of a business’ biggest legal challenges. Labor laws are strict, and violating them will only cause you trouble. This is why it’s important to understand when you must pay your employees and how much. With President’s Day (aka Washington’s birthday) coming up, many business owners are wondering if they must pay overtime on federal holidays. The short answer is no....

The debate over older driver laws and just how old is too old to drive was brought up this week when a 100-year-old driver backed his Cadillac into a group of school children in Los Angeles. Fortunately, no one was killed in the accident, but the incident probably brought up memories of near misses you have had with older drivers. Too often, we’ve heard stories of older drivers running red lights, failing to see stop signs, and just generally reacting slowly in causing accidents....

Do you advertise your business using telemarketing? If so, you should be aware of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). In reaction to growing telemarketing practices, Congress passed the TCPA in 1991. The law prohibits the use of automatic dialing systems, and sets strict restrictions on calls and text messages sent to consumers. Several large companies have already been sued for millions of dollars under the TCPA. In 2013, Domino’s had to pay up to $9....

We all make mistakes. And when small business owners make a mistake on a hire, it could be costly. A bad hire could have a negative impact on your company’s morale and its bottom line. So dealing with a bad hire (and doing it legally) can save you time, energy, and money. Address It Early Sometimes the hardest part about dealing with a bad hire is admitting that you may have made one....

Who are the real victims of the federal auto bailout? Accident victims. While taxpayers are rightfully upset at the expenditure, the resultant bankruptcy and restructuring have left car-related product defect and personal injury victims in the lurch. And, sadly, many of these people will never receive a cent of court-ordered compensation for a family member’s death or a life-altering injury. Though General Motors and Chrysler have begun to repay the government and banks in recent months, thousands of successful personal injury victims have still received nothing....

You’ve probably heard of a wide variety of DIY projects before – home renovations, car mechanics, furniture builds, and the like. But what about more scientific DIY projects? Can you experiment with DNA and DIY gene therapies? Is it legal to sell these and other biohacking tech? With biohacking gaining popularity, the FDA is attempting to crackdown on the sale of these products, but many enthusiasts argue there is no law against what they’re doing....

Just months after a jury ordered the company to pay $72 million to a woman’s family after her death from ovarian cancer was linked to its talcum powder-based products, Johnson & Johnson is being sued again. A Los Angeles man filed a wrongful death claim on behalf of his wife, claiming her fatal ovarian cancer was also due to using Johnson & Johnson products. This is on top of around 1,200 lawsuits in Missouri and New Jersey that have been filed against the company, accusing it of failing to warn consumers of known cancer risks....

A push-pull on school spending is a constant in many states. In California, it is part of the political landscape. In Kansas, it is now part of the legal landscape with a new lawsuit over cuts in funds to Kansas schools. A group of 63 school districts in Kansas filed suit on November 1, claiming that the legislature’s cuts in funding violate the state constitution. The plaintiffs in the suit say that despite a 2005 agreement to fund Kansas schools at a set level, state lawmakers have cut at least $303 million from the schools, according to the Kansas City Star....

Noncompete clauses are a great tool for keeping your former employees from becoming your new competition, but do you really need them? According to The New York Times, noncompete agreements are on the rise even in industries which have been traditionally light on paperwork. Case in point: a Massachusetts man whose job involves spraying pesticide on laws “had to sign a two-year noncompete agreement,” the Times reports. Should your business be including noncompete clauses in work contracts by default?...

Restrictions on the licensing of older drivers have taken center stage for some lawmakers in recent weeks, in part because of high-profile accidents involving older drivers. Massachusetts, for one, is taking a closer look at possibly requiring driving tests for older drivers who want to renew their licenses. Currently, only two states (Illinois and New Hampshire) require additional road tests specifically for older drivers. In both of those states, drivers age 75 or older must take and pass a driving test before they can renew their driver’s license....

It should go without saying that shooting someone in the eye with a paintball gun or any other weapon is a really bad idea. But for some strange reason we have this form of entertainment. To make matters worse, children are particularly inclined to engage in this activity. So what happens when someone sustains a paintball injury? Does insurance have to pay for this? Recently a judge in Delaware Superior Court decided that State Farm Insurance does not have to indemnify a policyholder in a paintball injury lawsuit....

Yellow Pages! What are they good for? Absolutely nothing! Well, unless you count doorstops and booster seats. But even then, most people would jump at the chance to opt out of yellow pages deliveries. Actually, if you live in Seattle, you can–and with the blessing of a federal judge to boot. Late last year, Seattle’s city council passed an ordinance that requires yellow pages and phonebook publishers to pay the city a 14 cent fee for every directory delivered, reports The Seattle Times....

Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a new abortion bill into law on Thursday. The law bars abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and places restrictions on doctors wishing to perform legal procedures. The Texas law was initially blocked in late June by State Sen. Wendy Davis’ now-famous filibuster, but Perry called lawmakers back for a special session to vote on the bill. Texas now joins 12 other states that have enacted similar bans on abortion after 20 weeks, reports Reuters....

Smart, educated, working, independent, wants to have a family. No it’s not an introduction from an online dating website, it describes the profile of single women and men hoping to adopt these days. Single would-be parents have been coming forward in force over the past decades, seeking to fulfill a part of their lives by bringing a child into the picture. It is estimated that 5% of all adoptions are done by single people....

Food poisoning is a terrible way to end a meal, and for those who aren’t hospitalized after eating tainted food, it may seem like there’s no way to legally recover. Responsibility for serving tainted food isn’t erased if the victim doesn’t seek medical help, and even if you never visited a hospital, you can potentially collect from food poisoning injuries. Whether or not the victim goes to the hospital, how can one sue for food poisoning?...

The 2014 year was like many before it, full of injuries, dangerous defects, and personal injury lawsuits. FindLaw’s Injured wants its readers to know what legal options exist for those who are injured or placed in dangerous situations, and 2014 has not failed to educate. So let’s look at the 10 most popular Injured stories for 2014: Can the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ Lead to Injury? – The latest in a long string of viral video challenges was the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” and it presented a great deal of legal issues....

The Cash for Clunkers program (CARS) may be taking its final bow this evening, but all the cash-for-clunkering has just been too fun to give up altogether. The federal government has earmarked $300 million towards supporting the sale of energy-efficient home appliances including refrigerators, washers, and dishwashers. Promising rebates of $50-$200, the program– nicknamed “Cash for Refrigerators”– hopes to spark a turnaround in the slowed production of appliance manufacturers such as Whirlpool and Electrolux....

The fascinating thing about law is that it’s always changing. Whether legislators create new ones or the judiciary clarifies or invalidates existing ones, what was legal yesterday might not be legal tomorrow. This is certainly true in the realm of criminal procedure and criminal justice, where prosecutors, law enforcement, defense attorneys, and civil rights activists all battle over what justice and public safety look like. But what happens when the law changes?...

The holidays are over, but the worst of the winter weather may still be ahead. That means icy roads, low visibility, and a lot of accidents. But that doesn’t have to be your fate. With the right preparation coupled with good decision-making, you can avoid the injuries that come from car accidents. Here are a few ways to stay safe out on the roads this winter. Before you hit the highway, you should run a complete check on your car....