The endless phone calls; the letters piling up in your mailbox; the questions from your friends and family about who has been asking about you. When a creditor comes after you for a debt, collection efforts can run the gamut from merely annoying to a serious disruption of your day-to-day routine. Fortunately, there are a range of legal protections at your disposal under both state and federal law -- but you may not know about them. Although a Los Angeles bankruptcy attorney may be your best resource for dealing with creditor harassment in California, even a cursory review ...

Missouri uses a merit-based judicial selection process called the Nonpartisan Court Plan. Over the years, the selection process has become known as the Missouri Plan. The plan was adopted in 1940 to counter widespread abuses in the judicial system by "Boss Tom" Pendergast and his political network across the state. Since the adoption of the Missouri Plan, 34 other states have used it as a guide in crafting their own policies to fill judicial vacancies. And yet, the state's legislature may be shaking things up again. Earlier in the year the legislature attempted ...

In late March 2012, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, announced study findings important for the future of commercial trucking safety. Extensive research showed that installing speed limiters, also called SLs or speed governors, on large commercial trucks provides a "profound safety benefit." Profound indeed -- the study concluded that such devices reportedly reduce crash rates by half. An SL is an electronic device that keeps a truck engine below a programmed speed limit. SLs are already voluntarily ...

When you go to the hospital, you expect that medical professionals will be able to diagnose and treat any conditions you are suffering from. To do so, doctors may run a battery of tests, and sometimes perform exploratory surgery. Some tests may take days to run, so occasionally, patients may be discharged from the hospital before these tests return. One would hope that doctors would still review these test results. Unfortunately, this sometimes doesn't happen, resulting in the potential for misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. New York Case of Delayed Diagnosis Take ...

Despite difficult economic times, the American Bankruptcy Institute has noted the number of bankruptcy filings has dropped across the country. However, a recent opinion from the Illinois Appellate Court confirms that trial lawyers from both sides of the bar should be aware that bankruptcy filings can, and will, impact your case. In Berge, the First District found that the doctrine of judicial estoppel bars a plaintiff from proceeding with a cause of action in state court where the plaintiff fails to disclose the action as an asset in a bankruptcy petition. Berge v. Kuno ...

The surgery went fine, but the result was not. Florence Fiedler, now 81, of New Canaan, thought she was going to Yale-New Haven Hospital for what has become a fairly routine procedure - implantation of a pacemaker. As expected, the surgery went fine. However, while still sedated she fell from the operating table to the floor, crashing with such force that she suffered from traumatic brain injury, a broken collar bone, broken hip and broken toe. Hitting her head caused bleeding around the lining of her brain. She also damaged her back. Atty. James Horwitz, the lawyer ...

14 additional players are joining the roster of retired football players suing the NFL for purposefully attempting to hide a well-known link between concussions and permanent brain injury. The group filing suit now totals 46, says attorney Matthew C. Matheny of the Provost Umphrey law firm. "These players are suffering permanent brain injury that they and their families must endure for the rest of their lives as a result of playing for the National Football League. Its time for the NFL to admit they have known for years about the connection between multiple ...

Today the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System (OLERS) filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas against the Allegheny County-based Education Management Corp. (EDMC) and its board of directors stemming from the company's systemic misconduct and blatant violations of federal education regulations. Read the complaint here. Specifically, EDMC, one of the country's largest for-profit education providers, has engaged in aggressive and illegal recruiting and has compensated its recruiters based solely on the number of new student enrollments, which ...

Distracted driving is a problem that affects even the most experienced drivers, so it's not surprising that newly-minted teenage drivers -- who often have trouble controlling their impulses -- are susceptible to driving while distracted. According to AAA, the most common distractions among teenage drivers are using electronic devices (for both talking and texting), adjusting controls in the car, and eating or drinking. Teens Don't Believe Distracted Driving Is a Problem Despite the research that shows that teenage drivers engage in distracted driving, they believe ...

If you have been implanted with a DePuy artificial hip, or have already had one replaced due to pain, discomfort or problems with the initial surgery, you should contact a lawyer to seek recovery of your damages from DePuy. Depuy initiated a voluntary recal of several of its artificial hip implant systems. Recalls Specific to Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Systems: DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System. On August 24, 2010, there was a voluntary recall of the DePuy ASR total hip system because of new, unpublished data from the UK joint registry indicating the revision rates within ...

Be careful making a right hand turn on a one-way street in New York, because if new legislation is passed, you could end up in jail for a long time. New York drivers take note, if you drive recklessly enough, you may lose your right to vote--indeed, you may become a felon. A few months ago, the New York State Senate passed legislation that makes wrong-way driving and other reckless driving a felony offense. A felony is a very serious offense; most states, including New York, require imprisonment for over a year for a felony. And once you have a felony conviction ...

The Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport Hotel (North, I-85) is now offering the perfect summer package. Available at participating Hampton hotels, The Great Getaway lets guests save 15% to 40% off Best Available Rate for trips booked by July 23, 2012 for stays through September 30, 2012. Some restrictions may apply; special offers and rates are subject to availability. Conveniently located near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, this Atlanta Airport hotel is the perfect place for families traveling to the area this summer to stay. "The Great ...

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Newberry SC Hotel offers convenient lodging to guests attending upcoming summer workshops at Carter and Holmes Orchids. A leading attraction to visitors of Newberry, Carter and Holmes Orchids has been a premier source of orchids for 65 years. Upcoming 2012 events include: - Advanced Repotting Workshop, June 16 - Cattleya Workshop, July 14 - Fall Open House and Sale, August 23-24 Registration for the workshops is high recommended and can be done by contacting Carter and Holmes Orchids. A leading place to stay among other ...

The Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Airport Hotel (North) recently announced a special Memorial Day weekend offer. From Saturday, May 26 - Monday, May 28, 2012, United States military and veterans who eat at the hotel's Great American Grill or Pavilion Lounge will receive 20% off their food and beverage purchases (including alcohol); tax and tip not included. Guests must have a valid U.S. Military ID Card or Veteran ID Card to receive this discount. "Conveniently located only minutes from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, our property is the perfect ...

VPS hosting company 4t Networks is pleased to announce its status as a Veeam Gold ProPartner. As Veeam technology leads the industry of virtual machine data protection and backup replication, achieving Gold ProPartner status is a great honor for 4t Networks. "We are proud to be Gold Partners with Veeam," says Kevin Gray, President of 4t Networks. "Because companies must be selected by Veeam for Gold Partner status, it also speaks volumes for the quality of service we offer at 4t Networks." To become a Gold ProPartner with Veeam is indeed an incredible ...

Atlanta exterminators Team Pest USA encourage Atlanta homeowners to treat their yards for fire ants before using them this spring. Fire ants present a major pest control Atlanta nuisance for families, and it can be a terrifying and painful experience to accidentally trip across a fire ant bed while enjoying your outdoor space. "Fire ants are a huge Georgia pest control issue" says Brandon Pelfrey, owner of Team Pest USA. "We want to enjoy our yards, but fire ants can turn our backyards into metaphorical minefields. Before you start to use your yard this ...

J. Martinez & Company, importers and roasters of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, Hawaiian Kona Coffee, and other estate and specialty coffees, are doing their part to get the word out to consumers about recalled Tassimo single-cup coffee makers. This particular brand of coffee maker is not sold by J. Martinez & Co., though in the interest of public safety, they are spreading the news of this recall to other gourmet coffee lovers in order to prevent further injury. The recall includes Tassimo specialty coffee makers with the Bosch brand name and some of the Tassimo ...

Choice Hotels Europe, the company behind the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands in Europe and part of Choice Hotels International, one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors in the world, has launched a promotion enabling members of Choice Privileges, its award-winning rewards programme, to earn double points every time they stay in a participating Choice-brand property. Between 17 May and 15 August, 2012 Choice Privileges members enrolled in Europe can now earn double bonus points for every qualifying stay at any hotel worldwide that participates in ...

Hotel du Vin has announced the launch of a new lunch menu and a revised a la carte menu. The new lunch menu offers one, two or three courses, as well as a selection of salads, sandwiches and tartines, giving diners the flexibility to enjoy Hotel du Vin's delicious cuisine even when time is short. The new a la carte menu retains its great grill section with delicious dry aged steaks that have been matured for at least 28 days, but returns to the classics of French bistro dining in its choices for all courses. On the reverse of the a la carte menu Hotel du Vin's Wine ...

Kuoni and John Lewis have announced a new partnership which will see the travel company open exciting new travel concessions in four of the retailer's shops. The Kuoni concessions will open in Autumn 2012 at John Lewis shops in Oxford Street, Reading, Southampton and Cardiff, and will offer the full range of holidays available from Kuoni shops. The move will create 19 new full time jobs. The concessions will range from 444 sq ft - 821 sq ft and combine the look and feel of the two brands, with John Lewis furniture and Kuoni fittings. They will be situated in the ...

Atlanta plumbers Plumb Xpress Plumbing and Drain feel strongly that it's important to give back to the senior citizens in Atlanta. That's why they offer senior citizens a 10% discount on all plumbing services, up to $50. Plumb Xpress, an Atlanta plumbing company, makes it easy for senior citizens to receive 10% off of any plumbing repairs and services. Simply visit the Plumb Xpress website and print the coupon for senior citizen discounts prior to your service call. The discount is good for 10% off of your service call up to a value of $50. Family owned and operated, ...

Atlanta air conditioning maintenance company Triad Mechanical recommends that homeowners use ceiling fans when they use their air conditioning to save on energy expenses. It may seem counter-intuitive, but using ceiling fans while you use your air conditioning unit can, in fact, help to save you money by both reducing your energy costs and reducing the load on your AC unit. The repair experts at Triad Mechanical know that air conditioning in Atlanta can be tough on AC units, so they understand that any load reduction can help lengthen the life of your HVAC system. More ...

As spring storms approach, Atlanta tree removal service Yellow Ribbon Tree Experts wishes to remind Atlanta homeowners to be on the lookout for signs that their trees may be damaged. "Potential tree damage should be taken seriously," cautions Gary Robertson, owner of Atlanta tree trimming company Yellow Ribbon Tree Experts. "By knowing the signs that your tree could be in danger, you will know when you need to call an Atlanta tree removal service like Yellow Ribbon." Atlanta arborists recognize several different signs that a tree may be in peril. ...

Atlanta painting experts The Painting Company encourage homeowners to consider adding accent walls to their Atlanta home painting designs. "Accent walls are a creative design solution to the monotony of single colored walls," notes Chris Camp, owner of The Painting Company. "They can play up a room's features and bring attention to a piece of art or an architectural feature. Adding an accent wall to an Atlanta interior painting project is one of my personal favorite aesthetic choices." There are many different ways to implement painting Atlanta ...

Cameleon Software, the global leader in multichannel, multi-device product configurator, quote, proposal (CPQ) and eCommerce software, today announced that OSEO, the state owned company dedicated to providing assistance and financial support to French SMEs and VSEs in the most decisive phases of their life cycle, chose to financially support the development of the new version of Cameleon's CPQ mobile solution. Cameleon Software is the leader in mobile configuration and provides, since 2010, the first native mobile CPQ application for iPad/iPhone. Today, as the market ...