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CrossFit is growing increasingly popular, with gyms catering to fans of the high-intensity workouts opening across the country. But along with CrossFit’s fitness benefits may also come the risk of injury. A 2012 Ohio State study on CrossFit workouts that found although tests subject showed a marked improvement in fitness, several of the subjects were unable to continue with the study due to “overuse or injury,” reports Bloomberg Businessweek. That study is now the subject of multiple lawsuits by both the owner of the gym whose members took part in the study as well as CrossFit Inc....

Daylight Saving Time is about to begin – that time of year when most people in the country lose an hour of sleep in exchange for more light in the evenings. It’s more than just a custom; Daylight Saving is the law in places where it’s observed. The practice of “springing forward” in March and “falling back” in November is observed in most states. The two exceptions are Arizona and Hawaii, according to National Geographic News....

Death by Coca-Cola. What a way to go. Or not. Investigators believe a 2-gallon-a-day Coke habit may have contributed to the death of Natasha Harris, a 30-year-old New Zealand woman. The mother of 8 died in February from what appears to have been a heart attack. Harris was known by her family to eat little and smoke. But she also drank so much Coke that she was suffering from low potassium and caffeine toxicity....

Assistant Attorney General Tony West, who oversees the Civil Division at the Department of Justice, announced last Tuesday, Nov. 24, the newest addition to the fight against financial and mortgage fraud: an Executive Order by President Obama creating the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The Dept. of Justice Task Force will combine the efforts of approximately 20 government agencies working with states’ Attorney Generals and even local District Attorneys to criminally prosecute all types of financial fraud....

Divorce is difficult and emotional. More so if there are children. Even more so if a child has special needs related to a disability. Even though the divorce may be more complex, a court will ask the same question for a special needs child as they would for any other child: what is in the best interest of the child? When a couple that has a special needs child decides to divorce, there are legal considerations that relate to the on-going care of the child that should not be ignored....

Getting injured at work is a pretty common occurrence, but what are your legal options if you get hurt? According to a FindLaw.com survey, more than one in five Americans said they’ve been injured on the job. Workplace injuries not only impact you physically, but it can affect you financially as well. Here are three potential legal options to seek out if you’re injured at work: 1. Worker’s Compensation In most states, worker’s compensation (“worker’s comp”) covers employees who get injured on the job....

The family of a Eureka Police beating victim was awarded $4.5 million on Friday. Three officers from the Northern California city were accused of using excessive force and ignoring Martin Cotton’s medical needs. He died in a Humboldt County jail cell just hours after participating in a violent altercation with police. Those officers were also ordered to pay an additional $75,000 to Cotton’s family. The lawsuit stems from an August 2007 incident at the Eureka Rescue Mission....

Here’s a lesson in how not to handle a bill dispute. Comedian Katt Williams owed music producer Merion Joseph Powers $28,000 for his use of Power’s studio to record some of his comedy routines. Rather than pay or dispute the bill, Williams showed up at the studio with an attack dog. But the attack was not on Powers but on Power’s dog. After giving his dog what Power’s believes was a “verbal attack sign” Williams dog did just that, ultimately inflicting “substantial and nearly life-threatening injuries” on the dog, TMZ reports....

Domestic violence victims often have trouble leaving abusive relationships, despite the threat and reality of physical or emotional harm. Whether due to financial, psychological, or even physical factors, many victims don’t feel like they have the option to get away or get help. But there are resources out there for those in need. From the National Sexual Violence Resource Center to the Hotline, victims can get help in exiting a physically or emotionally violent relationship....

A recent investigatory report in South Carolina uncovered a disturbing trend among many home daycare providers: an alarmingly high rate of providers aren’t in compliance with laws requiring health and safety training. Despite there being a law requiring home daycare providers to partake in annual training, the law lacked any enforcement or monitoring mechanism. The lack of enforcement in South Carolina allowed countless home daycares in several different counties to continue to operate despite being out of compliance with the law requiring home daycare workers to fulfill annual training....

Parents wishing to change out their unwanted adopted children for new ones may want to consider the legal – not to mention moral – implications before participating in an online adoption swap. Now 21, Quita Puchalla was traded by her adopted Wisconsin family at 16 to another family in Illinois – an unofficial swap which placed the teen in the custody of the Easons, a couple who had their own biological children taken away by child welfare authorities years earlier, reports Reuters....

A Kentucky man thought he was going into surgery for a circumcision but ended up with a penis amputation. He will soon be having his day in court. Jury selection has already begun in the lawsuit, brought by plaintiff Phillip Seaton. The doctor in the case maintains that he detected cancer in Seaton’s penis during the procedure, meaning that the organ needed to be amputated. The procedure was done in October 2007....

It’s never easy going into business for yourself, by yourself. But at the same time, it’s never been easier. On the one hand, it’s up to you to create the business plan, do market and competitor research, incorporate your business, secure funding, and handle the day-to-day business decisions. On the other hand, there are more free, online resources for taking care of all that than ever before. But just because you can go solo as an entrepreneur, doesn’t mean you necessarily should....

What can a small business use to weather the current economy? How about zero loan fees. And a 90% guarantee on certain loans. That’s right small business super stars, these features may be available to your company, courtesy of the Small Business Administration (SBA). And just like all good things, you’ll have to act fast before this one runs out… The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) passed in 2009 set aside $375 million for the SBA to guarantee up to 90% of certain loans and eliminate loan fees....

If you’re laying off or firing employees, chances are you’re concerned about being sued. After all, an ex-employee is often an unhappy employee. Besides consulting an attorney to make sure your processes for laying off and firing employees are legally sound, it might also be wise to offer each ex-employee a severance agreement. If you’re not required to offer a severance package when laying off and firing employees, you may still want to....

With everyone from Ashley Madison, to Target, to the federal government getting hacked these days, it’s no wonder people are feeling wary about where and with whom they share their personal information. And it doesn’t get more personal than your Social Security number. Those nine digits are the key to your taxes, your credit … essentially your entire identity. So if a job application asks you for your Social Security number, should you include it?...

A group of Senators from both parties introduced legislation yesterday to help small businesses and those who work for them obtain health insurance. Through the Small Business Health Options Program (dubbed “SHOP”), the legislation would let small businesses join together to negotiate health plans and provide tax incentives for those that pay a portion of employee coverage. As discussed in this blog post, some claim health care costs to be the number one issue facing small businesses....

Last week, the Supreme Court announced that they will be taking up the case of Gavin Grimm, the high school student who has been told he can’t use the boys’ restroom because he is transgender. The case will be heard at some point next year, as the Court has only accepted to hear the case at this point. When a case is appealed to the Supreme Court, one party to a case is asking the Court to review a Federal Appeals Court’s decision....

It’s summertime and the livin’ should be easy for college professors, who often have the season off. But last week, instead of enjoying summer vacation, a few University of Texas professors were busy filing a lawsuit in preparation for the coming semester. Next month, a new law goes into effect that will allow handgun license holders over 21 to carry concealed firearms on campus. The professors argue that the guns are a danger in light of the many emotional social issues discussed in classes, according to U....

Chipotle is following in Starbucks’ footsteps and offering more benefits to all of its employees. Chipotle has prided itself on its “people culture.” To further the aims of that culture, the chain will now offer all employees full tuition reimbursement, sick pay, and paid vacation time. These benefits were previously only for salaried employees, but, starting July 1, all hourly and entry level employees will also receive these benefits. Offering Employee Benefits Do you only offer the bare minimum of employee benefits?...