A look at the analytics of web site users of www.diyornot.com reveals their preferences in the home improvement projects they're planning. The focus of the site compares the cost of hiring a contractor with doing it yourself and features cost data for hundreds of repair, redecorating and remodeling jobs. It gives site visitors a starting point for planning a budget and an overview of what's involved which is featured on the main site and its companion mobile site www.m.diyornot.com. On both sites the most viewed project is the job cost for refinishing hardwood floors ...

Virtual reality training program may reduce risk of work related injuries Tactus Technologies recently revealed development of a new virtual reality forklift operator training program. The virtual reality technology is similar to gaming technology used for military training drills. It makes use of steering wheels, joysticks and pedals to navigate through virtual warehouses and other settings commonly found in the workplace. Ultimately, the program is designed to reduce the risk injuries and deaths associated with accidents from the use of forklifts and other dangerous ...

Social media sites face challenges in implementing sex offender policies Earlier this year, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago struck down as unconstitutional an Indiana law barring registered sex offenders from using social medial sites such as Facebook. The Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the law on behalf of multiple sex offenders, all of whom were affected by the ban even though they had served their sentences and were no longer on probation. The three-judge panel found that the law was far too broad as written and prohibited ...

Changes to federal hours of service regulations may be delayed In 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration began the process of amending its hours of service regulations - rules that govern the amount of time that commercial truck drivers working in interstate commerce can remain on-duty and behind the wheel of a truck before rest is necessary. The proposed changes to the HOS regulations, set to go into effect later this summer, are intended to make drivers take more breaks and spend less time driving without interruption. While some see these changes as ...

Injured At L.A. LIVE? When you go to L.A. LIVE for a concert, movie, sports event or dinner, you expect to have a good time. Yet, like in any entertainment district, some people leave with injuries caused by slip-and-falls, inadequate security and improper maintenance. If you were injured in an L.A. LIVE venue, hotel or restaurant, can you bring a lawsuit against L.A. LIVE or the business owners who failed to protect you? L.A. LIVE is an entertainment district surrounding the Nokia Theatre and Staples Center. It is billed as the "premier destination for live ...

California employees face new difficulties proving discrimination On February 7, 2013, the California Supreme Court issued its opinion in Harris vs. City of Santa Monica, a case dealing with employment discrimination. Many had been anxiously awaiting the decision because of the potential impact the case could have on employees who bring lawsuits alleging employment discrimination. Now that the court has spoken, many fear that employees face more difficulties successfully recovering for employment discrimination. Sex discrimination allegations The case stems from ...

Improvements sought for dangerous intersections in Trenton, New Jersey A New Jersey man lost his leg due to injuries suffered in a car and pedestrian accident at a West Windsor intersection in Trenton last year. Area residents and county officials are seeking road improvements in an attempt to make the intersection safer for pedestrians following the collision that nearly killed the man as he was walking his dog. His pet died following the accident. Although police report that the intersection has not seen an inordinate number of car accidents over the past years, ...

New treatment options bring hope for those with spinal cord injuries Spinal cord injuries remain a serious problem across the country and in Virginia. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that each year, somewhere between 12,000 and 20,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries in accidents ranging from car crashes to falls. The leading cause of these injuries continues to be auto accidents. Costs for lifetime medical care after a spinal cord injury can vary from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars depending on how severe the injury. Most spinal cord injuries ...

Owe the IRS? There are options available to taxpayers Tax day is rapidly approaching. As individuals and businesses gather the information they need to file, they want to be sure that all of their returns are filled out properly. If the IRS reviews their documents, it could mean that they will receive less money back, or potentially have to pay more in taxes. In some situations, the IRS may notify an individual that he or she did not pay the complete amount of taxes owed. This means that the taxpayer will have an opportunity to challenge the finding of the IRS. If ...

US Supreme Court to consider legality of warrantless blood draws When a motorist is pulled over in a suspected DUI case, how far are law enforcement officers allowed to go to determine whether the driver is under the influence of alcohol without first obtaining a warrant? The U.S. Supreme Court will have to consider that question when issuing its decision in a case recently before the court. The case at issue -- Missouri v. McNeely -- involves a motorist who was pulled over for speeding. The law enforcement officer believed the motorist was driving under the influence. ...

Minnesota employer ordered to pay back wages for overtime violations Several farms in southern Minnesota were recently ordered to pay back wages and unpaid overtime wages. One of the farms argued that their workers met an exception to the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act (MFLSA) overtime requirement. Under the MFLSA, farm workers must be paid time-and-a-half when they work more than 48 hours a week unless paid a salary above a certain floor (48 hours of minimum wage plus 17 hours of overtime). The farms argued that while there workers were hourly they received more ...

Business execs push for relaxed laws around work visas for tech employees A recent survey conducted with Duke University found almost 90 percent of chief financial officers are in support of an immigration system based on merit. Such a system would allow immigrants to enter the country based on the expertise they can bring, as opposed to the current lottery based system. These executives are concerned that if this step is not taken, the alternative will result in a "train then drain" scenario. In this scenario, workers are trained in the United States only ...

Jury awards $8.3 million in first DePuy hip replacement case On August 24, 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson, announced a recall of its highly-touted Articular Surface Replacement hip devices. When DePuy first began to market the ASR hip devices in 2005, the company claimed that the design would last much longer than traditional hip replacement devices. However, reports of adverse patient reactions to the ASR devices began to flood in, until the company was forced to recall the devices. Over 10,750 people filed lawsuits because of the injuries ...

Supreme Court to decide constitutionality of involuntary blood tests This year, the United States Supreme Court will decide whether law enforcement must first obtain a warrant before forcing drunk driving suspects to take a blood test. The court's decision in the case, Missouri v. McNeely will decide the extent that the Fourth Amendment--protection against unreasonable searches and seizures--goes in such instances. Facts of the case The McNeely case began when a Missouri Highway Patrolman pulled over Tyler McNeely for speeding. During the stop, the officer suspected ...

Number of people killed in traffic accidents rose in 2012 Over the past seven years, the number of people who died in motor vehicle accidents across the country has been declining. Unfortunately, that trend reversed in 2012, when the number of traffic fatalities year-over-year increased. According to the National Safety Council, approximately 36,200 people died in auto accidents in 2012. In 2011, there were around 34,600 traffic fatalities -- constituting a 5 percent increase from 2011 to 2012. In addition, the number of people who sustained personal injuries as a ...

As spring time approaches the Ohio Valley, so does the risk of severe storms damaging our homes and businesses. Being prepared in the event you sustain storm damage will make the claim process easier and, in the event your insurer does not handle your claim fairly and in compliance with its policy obligations, you will be prepared to take the appropriate legal action. Below are some helpful hints to assist you in dealing with the results of a damaging spring or summer storm: Read your policy carefully. Know what is and is not covered and whether you have purchased ...

Divorce carries both emotional and financial tolls. Below are a few important tips to avoid some of the most common mistakes: 1. Do not assume your spouse is going to be "fair" or "reasonable" While a good divorce attorney will do their best to help encourage collaboration, sometimes this is not possible. While hoping for the best, it is important to prepare for the worst in the adversarial system. 2. As soon as you feel your spouse may be considering separation or divorce, take steps to protect yourself. - Make copies of all important ...

There are many different types and degrees of burn injuries. Burns can be caused by direct exposure to a flame, natural gas or other explosions, contact with extremely hot objects, exposure to certain chemicals and many other causes. A burn from an accident is referred to as a burn from trauma (a "trauma" being the precipitating event). Burns from trauma can cause severe disfiguration, extreme pain, blistering of the skin, charred or cooked layers of skin, burnt hair, damaged nose, throat, and lungs from smoke inhalation, and many other crippling or disabling ...

The medical treatment required for a burn victim is often multi-faceted and not without complications; burn injury treatment can include skin grafts, plastic surgery, treatment for infections, rounds of antibiotics and pain killers, and more. Also, complications from burn cases can include shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, respiratory distress, mental impairment including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and much more. The intensity and duration of the medical treatment obviously depends greatly upon the severity of the burn. Most people are familiar ...

When thinking of serious injuries, severe burns may not initially come to mind, because they are so rare. But, they are among the most painful and devastating injuries we encounter as personal injury attorneys. In addition to the extremely horrific nature of experiencing a severe burn, the medical treatment the victim requires can often continue for many years; Even after receiving adequate treatment, many burn victims' lives are never the same due to the medical complications, disability, and disfigurement associated with burn cases. Many times negligent individuals, ...

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 82% of Americans take prescription medications and that almost 30% take five or more prescription medications. With all those prescription drugs, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that 1.3 million Americans are injured every year from errors in their prescription or errors in the medication. "Pharmacists and drug companies commit pharmaceutical malpractice when they fail to provide proper instructions for taking the medication, mislabel the medications, or fail to adequately and honestly test the drug ...

North Fulton Pest Solutions understands that mosquitoes are an annoyance and a pain when you are trying to enjoy the outdoors. To make your outdoor enjoyment this fall just a little easier and a lot safer, North Fulton Pest Solutions is offering new customers a $50 off coupon for its initial annual mosquito control plan. With the weather finally cooling off to make it easier to enjoy your time outdoors, the need for mosquito control in Atlanta has increased dramatically. A surge in incidences of West Nile virus throughout the southeast has made Atlanta mosquito control ...

Every bride has her perfect wedding day mapped out in her head with each detail planned just so. Unfortunately, many brides discover after they become engaged that the wedding of their dreams is far out of their price range. One of the most expensive costs of all is the detail many brides focus the most energy on: their wedding dress. What is a bride to do? You could blow your budget on the perfect designer dress, or you could try to smile in a dress you just don't love - or is there a third option? Fortunately, there is. Once Wed offers premium used wedding dresses ...

Cummings & Middlebrooks and each Atlanta wrongful death attorney at their firm would like to remind residents that they offer free case consultations to all of their clients. Unlike many law firms that charge a fee for this service, every Atlanta workers' comp attorney you speak to at this firm initially will be doing so free of charge. No matter what the circumstances, they stand by their word. In a still-recovering economy, it is not hard to see why many businesses have rescinded free consultation. Time really is money these days, and it is often an unfortunate ...

The Knoxville bankruptcy attorneys, Clark & Washington, want to discuss the recent bankruptcy filing made by car manufacturer American Suzuki Motor Corporation. Known best for its motorcycles, the company simply did not have a solid market in the U.S. to continue selling cars and trucks. According to the bankruptcy attorneys in Knoxville, the firm owes anywhere from $100-500 million in liabilities to 1,000-5,000 creditors, a fact that led them to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early November. Suzuki has acknowledged their shortcomings, but has stated they intend ...