When a person defaults on a loan, they may lose their home and have their credit rating ruined. But the effects of the default may not be limited to just that person – enough loan defaults can be felt across an entire city. That’s what the city of Miami is claiming in a lawsuit filed against Wells Fargo and Bank of America, trying to hold the lenders liable when irresponsible loans cause broader economic damage....
The digital currency Bitcoin has taken the interest of small businesses again, as a New Mexico legal startup, Law 4 Small Business (L4SB), has announced it will start accepting bitcoins in exchange for legal services. Should your business do the same? L4SB attributes much of its recent success to offering their customers flexible payment methods and options, and adding Bitcoin to this list will appeal to their tech-savvy small business clients, according to a company press release....
In the excitement of driving a new business off the lot, many entrepreneurs gloss over the different business organization types available. This is especially true for individuals looking to start a small business or home-based venture who turn to sole proprietorship as a way to get started quickly and avoid the expense of incorporation, legal fees, and other filing considerations. And for many sole proprietorships, the combination of insurance coverage, keeping overhead costs low, and generating consistent revenue is enough to survive and even flourish....
Mitch Fitzgerald, a South St. Paul teenager, thought he could take a walk with a friend on a snowy March evening. Then a St. Paul police dog named Sarik attacked the young man, then 13 years old. Nobody claims the attack was provoked. Mitch suffered a lip gash requiring three stitches to close at Children’s Hospital of St. Paul. Sarik also ripped open Mitch’s arm, which required 13 more stitches to close....
Taking birth control for acne has risks. But, do pharmaceutical companies actually acknowledge these risks and publicize them - or do they aggressively market off-label uses for contraceptives? Nicole, from North Carolina, started taking Yasmin when she was 13. She was prescribed the drug for acne. She died from pulmonary embolisms when she was 15, and her father believes the embolisms were a result of the Yasmin, reports Courthouse News Service....
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects persons with disabilities, but what is a disability? A better question would be “what is a disability under federal law?” Even if it’s what someone else would call a disability, you don’t qualify for protection if you don’t fall under the government’s definition. Rather than defining disabilities by diagnosis or symptoms, federal protection for disabilities generally kicks in when a person has serious limitations that result from physical or mental impairments....
Psychiatrists, like other health care professionals, can sometimes make mistakes in diagnosis and treatment. In extreme cases, you may find that your trip the psychiatrist caused you more harm than good. But can psychiatrists be sued like other doctors for medical malpractice? And how do psychiatric malpractice cases differ from other medical malpractice cases? What’s Similar About Psychiatric Malpractice Claims Like any other medical professional, psychiatrists owe their patients a certain standard of care....
You may have a sense that something is just not right, but you know that pointing it out is not going to win you allies at work. And the environment already feels hostile to you. Are you being paranoid or are you rightly suspicious of discrimination? Here are five signs a workplace may be discriminatory or that you are being targeted unfairly. Signs of Potential Discrimination Minimum Diversity: If an office is full of people who are all the same age, race, gender, or sexual orientation, it’s likely not a conscious culture....
The world of business write-offs can be complicated, overwhelming and downright confusing. But doing your tax homework is worth it. Any reasonable, ordinary and necessary expenses your business incurs to run smoothly may be fair game for write-offs. Those deductions can add up to a significant reduction in the amount of taxes you may have to shell out. Here are seven business write-offs you may not know about: For more tax advice on business write-offs, you may want to speak with an experienced tax attorney in your area....
Harassment and Humiliation a. Being intentionally referred to by male pronouns and titles with the purpose and effect of humiliating Ms. Schawe-Lane; b. Sexual harassment; c. Disparaging comments and conduct; d. Failure to correct her name in employment records and publicly accessible records and displays; e. Threats of physical violence and other intimidation by coworkers; f. Hostility that impaired her access to the women’s restroom … m. Retaliation from management; n....
American Airlines is facing a lawsuit over its allegedly deplorable treatment of a man with no feet. Michael Mennella, who lost both feet due to an auto accident over five years ago, was removed from an American Airlines flight, for allegedly being intoxicated. Mennella alleges he was removed as a result of discrimination and negligence. The flight was diverted, and made an emergency landing in Texas, where Mennella was removed from the plane by officers....
Law enforcement authorities have stated that no one will be charged criminally in the fatal shooting of an Arizona gun range instructor killed when a nine-year-old girl lost control of the fully automatic Uzi submachine gun she was firing, reports ABC News. But accidents that cause death, even ones that don’t involve criminal conduct, often result in wrongful death lawsuits or other civil litigation. Who, if anyone, might be liable for this tragic accident?...
If you’re a developer in the baby learning app market, be careful about what educational benefits your baby app promises. A number of companies are under fire for making educational claims that allegedly aren’t backed by scientific evidence. A nonprofit child advocacy group has filed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, challenging the idea that such apps are anything more than just entertainment. The FTC complaints can be seen a potential warning for app developers, and not just those developing apps for babies....
A former Nebraska beauty queen is still fighting in court after being thrown into the air by a charging bull at a county fair in 2010. Jessica Littlejohn claims the Scotts Bluff County Fair was negligent in failing to restrain or secure the bull, which broke loose and charged her. The former pageant queen allegedly suffered a brain and closed head injury as well as “personal, psychological, and emotional injuries,” reports the Scottsbluff Star Herald....
Businesses have many tax deductions available to them. Those that were in the path of storms like Hurricane Sandy last year might be able to look to the disaster tax deduction, as well as some tax filing extensions. The Disaster Tax Deduction The disaster tax break is a great tax break for some. And the interesting thing about the disaster tax deduction is that it doesn’t only apply to Hurricane Sandy victims....
Breath test results in California DUI cases could be seeing more challenges in courts soon, thanks to a decision today by the state’s high court. The Supreme Court ruled that defendants can challenge the accuracy of blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) results from a breath test device. So what does this mean for DUI defendants? Well, first off, the ruling affects only those cases involving “generic” DUI charges, as opposed to “per se” DUI charges....
Employees are often subjected to drug tests, especially during the hiring process, to detect the presence of illegal drugs. But what happens if your prescription drugs cause a red flag to pop up on your test? Can you, should you, be fired for it? Plaintiffs who filed suits against the company Dura Automotive Systems say that is what happened to them. Sue Bates is suing Dura Automotive after she was fired when a drug test revealed hydrocodone, according to the The New York Times....
Complexions, a New York based spa, recently saw itself kicked off Facebook after a spa with the same name based in California complained about intellectual property infringement. There was no prior notification. As it turns out, Complexions is not alone. Dozens of business and well-known websites have been summarily kicked off Facebook for alleged infringement without a prior investigation by the social network. Editors of Ars Technica, a popular website that covers technology and related policy (including intellectual property), was surprised to find that Facebook had removed their page Thursday morning....
Whether you’re in the crowd waiting to “Come on Down!” and play The Price is Right or beating Jeopardy! contestants to the answers, you’re probably dreaming of what you could do with all that cash and prizes. But TV game show winnings may be smaller than they appear. Just like lotto winnings, Olympic medals, home run balls, and even free doughnuts, if you’ve won something of value, the IRS is going to want their share....
While you can’t always be your employees’ best friend, you don’t necessarily want to be hated as the mean boss, or be sued for something you said. So, here are some do’s and don’ts for having an effective and legal difficult conversation: Don’t Don’t be angry. You want to conduct these conversations with a clear head. Don’t rush in angry. You’re more likely to say something you will regret later on if you have a difficult conversation while angry....
