The Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles defines a snow machine as a mechanized vehicle running on skis, belts, skids, treads or low-pressure tires that is designed primarily for use on the ice or snow. Many Alaskans (and the countless tourists that visit the state each year) just know them as a great way to spend time outdoors enjoying all that Alaska has to offer. As fun as snow machines (also known as "snowmobiles" and "snow vehicles" in other states) can be, though, since they move at high speed through wooded areas, over frozen bodies of water ...

Massachusetts' drunk driving laws have recently undergone significant changes. Following the implementation of Melanie's Law and legislation enacted in the wake of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's decision in Souza v. Registrar of Motor Vehicles, the penalties for an Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs conviction or chemical test refusal can be severe. Some of the consequences include driver's license suspension, fines and possible required use of an ignition interlock device. Massachusetts' OUI laws In Massachusetts, a driver may be convicted ...

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., has one of the most recognizable names in America. He is beloved across the country by NASCAR fans for his own talent and his impressive racing pedigree. Something he was not as well known for until recently, though, was head injuries. Earlier this year, Earnhardt was involved in two major accidents within a five-week time span. The first crash involved him hitting the wall at Kansas Speedway after a tire blowout. He struck the wall with an estimated 40Gs of force, and even though he was checked out by NASCAR physicians after the accident and continued ...

When a couple separates or divorces in California, the court may order one spouse to pay the other a specific amount of money each month. This is called "spousal support" or "alimony" for married couples and "partner support" in domestic partnerships. How is spousal or partner support accessed? When a family law court calculates spousal or partner support, a judge considers some of the following factors: - The length of the partnership or marriage - Each person's needs based on the standard of living experienced during the marriage ...

When you or a loved one is suddenly faced with a serious medical crisis, the best option is often to go quickly to the emergency room at the nearest hospital. In such situations, the sick or injured individual must put trust in the trained medical professionals to provide the best possible quality of care. Unfortunately, results from a study recently conducted by Oregon Health and Science University have revealed that patients in emergency rooms are less likely to receive adequate care when the emergency department is busy. The study examined almost one million emergency ...

As cases of sexual abuse are uncovered and investigated in the news, state legislators are attempting to tighten laws that address these types of cases. According to the federal Child Welfare Information Gateway, 47 states and Washington, D.C. impose penalties on mandatory reporters who knowingly and willfully fail to report alleged child abuse. In three states, failure to report purported abuse is a felony. In Maryland, health practitioners, educators, social service workers and police officers are required to report suspected child abuse to authorities. Furthermore, ...

Annually, there are more than four million births in the United States. And while many of these deliveries are problem free, that is not always the case as roughly 52,000 women are impacted by severe childbirth complications each year, according to the Wall Street Journal. Even more concerning is that a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered a drastic 75 percent increase in delivery emergencies in the decade ending in 2009 - emergencies such as heart attacks, stroke, respiratory problems and kidney failure. Also during ...

In spite of diligent work by government officials, the nation's disability law attorneys and advocates for the disabled, the interminable wait continues for countless Americans seeking Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. A recent expose published by The Baltimore Sun newspaper shows that applicants are waiting anywhere from 150 days to 635 days for an award of disability benefits. That is, of course, after disabled people have already waited a minimum of five months before a benefit will be paid; the initial delay ...

As technology becomes more and more integrated into our daily lives, well-intentioned people out to make some quick money have taken to getting rid of leftover prescription medications by selling them online. New York has seen a spate of arrests from an 11-month investigation code-named "Operation dot com" that saw undercover officers and informants purchase nearly $20,000 worth of prescription pain, anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder and erectile dysfunction drugs. Some see the sale of a handful of unused pills online as a "victimless" ...

The winter is upon us and that means that there's plenty of snow and ice located on many types of surfaces including roadways, driveways and sidewalks. Unfortunately, slip and fall injuries go in tandem with these types of conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 1 million people every year in the U.S. sustain some type of fall. Many of these falls occur on premises and, unfortunately, are often times avoidable. Duty of property owners in Illinois In certain cases, property owners, or those in control of a property, who fail to correct ...

A judge from Coconino County, who was responsible for hearing felony DUI cases, was recently removed from his judicial duties. Last month, the judge was pulled over while driving in Flagstaff, after he was observed swerving toward oncoming vehicles. The law enforcement officer who conducted the traffic stop believed the driver was under the influence of some type of intoxicating substance. Consequently, the judge was given a breathalyzer test. According to the officer, the driver's BAC was 0.229. Law enforcement officials reported that the judge indicated he had consumed ...

In recent years, Arizona's legislature has been quick to address the dangers posed by impaired driving. Unfortunately, a similar widespread desire to prohibit distracted driving has not been seen. While Arizona currently has some of the strictest DUI penalties in the nation, including mandatory installation of ignition interlock devices after a single DUI conviction, there are still scant laws on the books regarding cellphone usage while behind the wheel. One state senator from Tucson is determined to change that disparity in 2013, after years of pushing for stronger ...

With the New Year already upon us, many workers are just getting back from family vacations and holiday celebrations. As workers attempt to get back to the full swing of things, it is a perfect time to review workplace safety standards, especially in inherently dangerous and accident prone industries such as construction. With that in mind, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released their preliminary Top 10 most cited workplace safety violations of 2012. Texas workers should pay particular attention to this list as it may delineate some ...

By now, most of us are familiar with the dangers of distracted driving. Many states are trying to develop new methods to reduce the number of accidents caused by drivers that take their eyes off of the road. While many states have rules that restrict all drivers from texting or using a cellphone while driving, Missouri does not have these laws in place. Currently, Missouri distracted driving laws are focused on the driving behavior of novice drivers, defined as those 21 and under. These motorists are restricted from texting while driving, but there are no other distracted ...

Tax season is coming, and that means it is once again time to gather your receipts and start navigating the complex web of deductions, exemptions and special regulations that are the federal income tax system. Preparing an income tax return is more complicated for some people than it is for others. Every tax return triggers different considerations depending on how much money the taxpayer earns and where that income comes from. For many taxpayers, including middle-class earners, the Alternative Minimum Tax is always an important consideration. What is the Alternative ...

Many people are struggling financially as a result of the underperforming economy. In 2012, the IRS expanded its Offer in Compromise program to give those burdened with tax debts a chance to settle them and make a fresh financial start. People with tax debts should understand what the OIC program is, the changes the IRS made and how those changes may benefit taxpayers. What is an Offer in Compromise? The Offer in Compromise program allows taxpayers to make proposals to the IRS to settle outstanding tax debt for amounts less than the full amount they owe when paying ...

A Connecticut woman mauled in a 2009 chimpanzee attack has settled her personal injury lawsuit against the estate of the chimp's owner, several news outlets reported recently. According to ABC News, the lawsuit settled for about $4 million. The woman was mauled by a friend's pet chimp in 2009 while attempting to help the owner lure the animal back inside the owner's home in Stamford, Connecticut. The 200-pound chimp attacked, leaving the woman blinded and severely disfigured; she lost both hands in the attack and later received a full face transplant. Shortly after ...

When we are behind the wheel of our vehicles, we know that there is the potential for accidents at any time. No matter how safe we drive, other motorists may make it impossible to avoid collision. Many of these accidents will only result in minimal damage to vehicles, with all occupants being able to walk away without injury. However, when a large vehicle is involved in a crash, the odds for a serious injury or death often increase dramatically. State and federal officials have been long concerned with reducing the number of deaths caused by trucking accidents, and have ...

When a parent loses a child, that parent will do just about anything he or she can do to right the wrong. That is what a Missouri mother did when she filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the healthcare center that housed the teenager who killed her nine-year-old daughter. The mother is claiming that the mental health clinic knew of the teenager's violent tendencies and threats and therefore should have detained the girl. The mother claims that the teen who killed her daughter had shown signs to personnel at the mental health clinic that she wanted to harm the young ...

Among fines, community service and loss of license, some DUI offenders in Florida will be required to install what's known as an ignition interlock device on any vehicle they wish to drive. Unfortunately, high maintenance costs and fees come associated with the condition. What is an ignition interlock device? An ignition interlock device, or IID as it's known, is an apparatus that typically attaches to the dashboard of a motor vehicle and requires that the driver breathe into the mechanism before operating the car. If the car detects the driver's alcohol breath content ...

Nationwide, increasing attention is being drawn to the problem of distracted driving. Although people commonly think of teenagers and cellphones when contemplating distracted driving, the truth is that it can take many forms and affect all age groups. The consequences of distracted driving can be severe, ranging from a traffic ticket to the tragic situation of a severe injury or death. When someone is injured in a car accident with a distracted driver, however, there may be legal options available to hold the driver accountable and obtain compensation. Distracted driving ...

The holiday season is a time of merriment and joy, gifts and good times, family and friends coming together. Many of the holiday gatherings of relatives, acquaintances and co-workers around the state have one thing in common: holiday "cheer" in the form of alcoholic beverages. The Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS) and individual police jurisdictions recognize that eggnog, wine, mulled cider and festive cocktails are a fact of life during the holiday season. That is why they have beefed up patrols on the state's roads and will man additional sobriety ...

Florida's geological landscape makes to presence of sinkholes more common than most homeowners would like. Sinkholes are not only dangerous but can cause devastating property and home damage - making Florida sinkhole coverage a must-have for many Florida homeowners. Sinkholes in Florida Florida residents can thank carbonate rocks, such as limestone, for their sinkhole woes. According to Florida's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the underground dissolution and chemical weathering of limestone is a major cause of sinkholes. Basically, as acidic rainwater ...

Although there have been recent signs of reductions in the average hearing processing times for those applying for Social Security disability benefits, the process can be an exercise in patience for most people. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently reported that the average hearing processing was 353 days in 2012, compared to 360 days in 2011. In addition to the long processing times, the SSA recently reported that there are 816,575 Social Security disability claims that are waiting to be processed as of the end of the fiscal year for 2012. Social Security ...

In the aftermath of Hurricane/"Superstorm" Sandy, the world watched as resilient New Yorkers braved the wind, rain, snow and cold to begin rebuilding their lives. While the property damage can likely be repaired with the help of insurance payments and laborers willing to toil in harsh, wintry conditions, the economic impact on the region will last much longer. The data A study by researcher Robert Lawless at the University of Illinois College of Law has demonstrated a causal link between hurricanes (and other large-scale natural disasters) and bankruptcy ...