According to a report recently issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), after 10 years of decline, the number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents is rising in Minnesota, as well as nationwide. The NHTSA report said that 4,280 pedestrians were killed and about 70,000 were injured by motor vehicle accidents nationwide during 2010. This represents a four percent increase from 2009. Minnesota showed a similar increase--the number of statewide pedestrian deaths increased to 41, 36 and 40 for the years of 2009, 2010 and 2011, after having ...

Virginia parents who have lost a child know it is a devastating experience. The pain often lasts a lifetime. The Virginia Senate recently approved a bill that allows parents to sue for the wrongful death of a fetus. The bill is part of several bills related to abortion rights that were also introduced during the current legislative session. The bill creates a cause of action for death of a fetus caused by a wrongful act or neglect. It creates the greatest expansion of a cause of action for wrongful death in Virginia since it was first recognized in 1871. Many other ...

Arizona law prohibits drivers from operating motor vehicles while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The legislature has designated a number of criminal offenses based on the level of impairment, the driver's blood alcohol level, as well as whether an accident occurred (e.g. misdemeanor DUI, felony DUI, extreme DUI). If blood, urine or breath tests show a blood alcohol level of .08 or above, a driver is presumed to have committed a crime While a correlation can be drawn between BAC and impairment, this parallel does not necessarily exist when considering marijuana ...

The severe forces experienced in a car or truck accident or other violent event can lead to devastating injuries and tragic fatalities. Among the worst harm that accident victims can suffer are brain and spinal cord injuries that leave a person with a lifetime of medical and financial challenges. While the forces that harm head and back injury victims need not be severe to cause lasting harm, one of the most apparent and difficult outcomes of a serious accident injury is paralysis. A Florida group, the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, recently announced FDA approval ...

Federal law enforcement officials have arrested a Texas doctor and charged him with health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. A second doctor has also been named, but has yet to be apprehended and is presumed to be on the run from the law. The doctors are charged with defrauding the federal Medicare program that provides medical care to seniors and other individuals who meet certain conditions. The arrest was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Texas Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Office ...

A separate justice system for juveniles is not some sentimental Victorian notion that has no place in today's tough-minded criminal justice system. Cutting-edge research increasingly shows that the parts of the brain regulating risk taking and rational control are still not fully formed in teenagers. Holding juveniles to adult standards, then, is a very problematic policy. Fortunately, Connecticut has finally passed "Raise the Age" legislation to require young offenders under the age of 18 to have their cases heard in juvenile court and be segregated from adult ...

In August 2012, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that workers' compensation carriers that refuse to pay out on valid claims cannot be sued by injured workers to whom they owe money. In 1995, Wade Stancil was injured while working at Orient Originals, a carpet warehouse, and received workers' compensation benefits from compensation carrier ACE USA (ACE) for his injuries. After a 2006 trial, the compensation court found Stancil was completely disabled and in 2007, Stancil filed a motion to compel ACE to pay his outstanding medical bills. The compensation court ordered ...

When discount bus carriers cut too many corners on safety, they put people's lives at risk. Double-decked Megabuses, in particular, have been involved in at least five fatal accidents in the last two years. This article will discuss the safety issues posed by curbside bus companies, particularly the operator of Megabuses. More needs to be done to prevent bus accidents caused by these companies. Such accidents do not only injure bus passengers; they put pedestrians and other motorists at risk as well. Megabus Crashes in Illinois Megabuses are double-deck buses manufactured ...

In the first reward of its kind under the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) awarded money to an unnamed whistleblower who helped the SEC bring an enforcement action resulting in over $1 million in sanctions. The informant received 30 percent of the $150,000 in sanctions collected so far, which is the maximum percentage allowed under the Dodd-Frank Act. Robert Khuzami, head of the SEC's enforcement division said that "[h]ad this whistleblower not helped to uncover the full ...

Divorce can be an intense and taxing process for the spouses involved and their families. Not only will a family be divided, but so too will all of their assets. While the emotion of the situation can overcome logic, there are a few things those getting divorced should focus on doing to ensure their emotions do not jeopardize their financial stake in the separation. The sometimes lengthy period between the time a divorce petition is filed and the divorce is finalized is the time when everyone should be on their best behavior. The opposing spouse is almost always watching ...

In August 2012, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration officially published detailed public notice of the standards by which it decides whether to allow a commercial trucker or bus company to operate, or whether to restrict or take away that permission. The FMCSA, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is the federal agency with the mission to prevent injury and death related to large commercial vehicle travel. This mission includes the establishment and enforcement of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, in large part to prevent dangerous semi-truck ...

Nearly all kids like riding bikes. However, a lot of them don't like wearing helmets. This is especially true for older children, many of whom see helmets as "nerdy" or "uncool." Parents, though, are right to consider wearing a bike helmet as a non-negotiable rule. There are few things that can protect a child in a bicycle accident as much as a helmet does. This common-sense principle was recently proven in a scientific test. According to a study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, bicycle helmets can reduce skull acceleration ...

After a workplace injury or fatality, many legal issues can arise, including eligibility for workers' compensation benefits and whether a contractor or other third party is also liable for a worker's injury. The key issue in the aftermath of a recent Missouri wrongful death case had nothing to do with issues of liability, but instead addressed whether an employee's death was covered under a business owner's insurance policy. The Missouri Supreme Court recently resolved this issue in Mendenhall v. Hartford Insurance by holding that business insurance coverage applied ...

If you have not yet begun a plan to protect your organization's data, now is time to start; 4t Networks is reminding New Yorkers to prepare for hurricane season with a backup and disaster recovery plan. To make it more affordable than ever to finally start with a disaster recovery service, 4t Networks is offering a half-off coupon for your setup costs until the end of hurricane season, November 30th (all you need is the coupon code, HURRICANE2012). Once you are all set up, you will have a store of replications of your data, securely transferred to 4t Networks' cloud. ...

4t Networks wishes to encourage businesses in Mississippi to be prepared with a viable backup and disaster recovery plan. Though your data may not be the first asset that your mind jumps to in the event of a hurricane, a disaster recovery service can mean the difference between your business surviving a natural disaster, or not. That may sound extreme, but 90 percent of business owners without any disaster recovery solutions have to declare bankruptcy within three years of their first reported disaster. Even for those who are not the most tech savvy, disaster recovery ...

Atlanta limousine company Topper Worldwide would like to encourage adults to trick-or-treat in style and stay safe traveling to costume parties this Halloween. This October, get into the spirit by having as much fun as you did when you were a kid while you party like an adult. Once you have assembled the perfect costume, step out to show it off. One of the easiest ways to make a big impression is to arrive at a costume party in an Atlanta limousine. By using an Atlanta limo service to chauffeur you to your Halloween parties, you are coving all of your bases. You should ...

America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses is pleased to announce that the company now carries new novelty contact lenses, just in time for Halloween. The national eyewear retailer is pleased to offer Orion Vision's Gothika Theatrical, Gothika Custom, and Rave contact lenses. Available in over 47 styles, the Gothika lenses from Orion Vision feature designs such as cat and wolf eyes, vibrant solid colors, patterns such as flower petals and snowflakes, and even lenses that glow in black light. Whether you plan to celebrate Halloween dressed as an mischievous fairy or a devilish ...

Express Oil Change & Service Center realizes that many people start coming there because of their oil changes, but figures some may not realize that their auto mechanics do more than just oil changes. In fact, they worry that people might not know they can have all their car repair needs taken care of by the same mechanic who changes their oil. The Atlanta auto repair shop recommends that car owners consider the benefits of having a single car service take care of all their automotive maintenance needs. With a single Atlanta mechanic doing all your car repairs, there ...

McCart Insurance, a Georgia health insurance provider and broker of Coventry One health insurance, wishes to explain the differences between a health insurance co-pay and co-insurance. With so much insurance verbiage to learn, it can be difficult to understand the subtle differences between them. It can leave clients frustrated, but McCart insurance is here to ease that pain. If you have Georgia health insurance, chances are good that it does not cover every single healthcare expense 100%, which means that you have to pay any expenses the insurance doesn't cover out ...

Atlanta caterers A Legendary Event were recently featured on the 11Alive show Atlanta & Company to display some of the talented event planning team's creations and give viewers an inside look on how some truly impressive pieces come together. The July 11th segment invited Robyn Spizman, Vice President of Communications and Business and Development, and Jeanna Graham, Floral Director, to represent the Atlanta catering company. Spizman and Graham were enthusiastic to be able to showcase some of the gorgeous creations designed by the A Legendary Event Team. These included ...

Nurturing Tales, creator of story apps with a message, has released its second interactive story for the iPad, the Three "Little" Pigs: A Summer to Remember. This classic tale has been reimagined with positive messages and teachable moments to help parents talk with their children about teasing and bullying. As the pigs match wits with the Big Bad Wolf, parents can reference special tips designed to encourage a conversation around empathy and compassion. "Pigs aren't little and that always struck me as odd," said Kevin Horn, the app's creator. "So ...

Recent headlines and empty store shelves underscore a recurring theme in the natural bar industry - massive product recalls due to contamination issues. Widespread complaints about mold and salmonella found in peanut butter is forcing a few of the top bar brands to pull their bars off the shelf. When the bar industry goes nuts like this, what's safe and healthy for the bar consumer to eat? Turn to The Good Bean Fruit & No-Nut Bar! Made with whole roasted chickpeas, and 100% gluten-free and non-GMO ingredients, the bars are free of nuts, making them not just a safe ...

Southwest Media Group, the Southwest's premier media services company, will host its fourth-annual digital summit, "Immersion 2013: Explore Your Digital Soul," Feb. 6-7, 2013, at The House of Blues in Dallas. The event's condensed educational platform exposes attendees to a wide variety of emerging technologies, services and thought leaders in one setting. It combines speaker presentations, hands-on technology immersion sessions and fireside chats, as well as panel discussions and "ignite" mini presentations. "Explore Your Digital Soul is ...

ABC News delivered a realistic look at the body ad tattoo phenomenon, a trend that grew in popularity with the internet boom, but did not bust along with many of the dotcoms that still appear on Mr. Gibby (watch the ABC's video clip about online pawn shop tattoo here). Despite what many people think, body billboard advertising is still going strong, and PawnUp.com online pawn shop is in good company on Mr. Gibby's body, with websites such as GoldenPalace.com, who many say pioneered the ad tattoo craze when they tattooed champion boxer Bernard Hopkins in 2001. By doing ...

October is National Dental Hygiene Month, and in keeping with this year's theme "Keep them healthy. Keep them clean.", Plackers, a leading provider of oral care products, surveyed Americans about their oral hygiene habits and asked why they don't floss as often as they should. The American Dental Hygienists' Association recommends that people floss daily as part of their oral health routine, but studies have shown only about one in five people do so. In Plackers' latest national survey of adults, 40 percent say it is because they forget and 30 percent indicate ...