Bankruptcy Filings Rise Nine Percent in 2010 Despite reports of an improving economy, Americans are still overburdened with debt and seeking protection by filing for bankruptcy in record numbers. According to a report by the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), 1.53 million Americans filed bankruptcy last year, a nine percent increase over the number of filings in 2009. While the nine percent increase is not nearly as impressive as the 35 percent jump in bankruptcy filings from 2008 to 2009, the sheer number of 2010 filings shows that economic recovery is slow going ...

Lawsuit Loans: Taking Advantage of the Injured? A catastrophic injury impacts a person and his or her family well beyond the bumps, bruises and broken bones. Often, medical bills and wages lost during the recovery period can cause just as hardship as the physical pain. Unfortunately, the rent or mortgage payments, and utility and grocery bills are not put on hold while you wait to recover compensation through settlement or trial. These financial realities have given birth to a relatively new and controversial industry: lawsuit loans. A handful of companies engaged ...

Debt Settlement Companies Continue to Engage in Deceptive Practices Debt settlement companies are not supposed to engage in deceptive practices. Detailed government rules are designed to stop them from doing things like charging up-front fees that often leave debtors worse off, not better, or pushing their services aggressively through telemarketing. But despite new rules from the Federal Trade Commission, many unscrupulous debt consolidation companies continue to prey on vulnerable people. The Difference That an Attorney Can Make Consumers tempted by debt settlement ...

Group Seeks To Prevent Construction of New Uranium Mill in Colorado The dangers of uranium mining and milling are well-documented. Those who have worked in mines or have lived near mines frequently suffer from a wide range of radiation-related ailments, including cancer, birth defects and kidney disease. In 1990, the federal government passed a law specifically providing financial compensation for some people who have developed illnesses as a result of uranium mining and milling, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). No new uranium mills have opened in the ...

Planning for Your Golden Years As Americans continue to enjoy longer life expectancies, having the right elder care plan in place has become a necessity rather than a luxury. The right plan should take into account your individual circumstances, needs and long-term goals. By making these difficult decisions today, you can ease the burden your children and other loved ones would have to face if left to make these decisions for you. There are several key components of your elder care plan that you should consider. Incapacitation Planning A catastrophic accident, ...

Payday Loans Receive Another Look in the Texas Legislature More regulation of payday loans in Texas is currently being considered by the Texas Legislature. Multiple bills have been introduced that would alter how the payday loan business operates. A Senate committee considered a bill that would prevent companies from charging fees to arrange short-term consumer loan. Similar legislation is also pending in the House. Payday loan regulation, such as the bills in the Texas legislature, would effectively curtail a payday lender's ability to collect fees for short-term ...

Survey Reveals Effects of The Great Recession on Divorce Financial problems can place strain on any marriage; this is not news to anyone who has been in a committed relationship. However, the marital effects of the nationwide economic strain caused by the Great Recession are just now becoming clear. For the "Survey of Marital Generosity," researchers collected data from a nationally representative sample of 1,197 married Americans. Researchers working on behalf of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia analyzed this data and released their results ...

2 Fall to Their Deaths at NYC Construction Site The two ironworkers who died after a five-story fall down an elevator shaft on a New York church construction site lacked even the most basic fall protection. Investigators believe Brett McEnroe, 49, and Roy Powell, 51, fell while they were installing steel beams in the elevator shaft and one of the beams gave way or shifted. A representative of the New York City Buildings Department, said it appeared that the workers did not have adequate fall protection, including harnesses, safety netting or a support platform. New ...

Patients Harmed During Hospital Stays However we wind up in the hospital, we expect our doctors to help us heal and get back on our feet. But new research from the Department of Health and Human Services notes that many patients are actually harmed by physicians and hospital staff during their stay. According to the DHHS Office of the Inspector General's report, 13.5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries experienced an "adverse event" during their hospital stay. The study defines an adverse event as any type of "harm to a patient as a result of medical care." A New York ...

Seeking Long Term Disability Benefits? Consult With An Attorney We expect that in our times of greatest need, our insurance companies will step up to the plate and provide us with the benefits enumerated on our policies. This is, after all, essentially the reason for purchasing insurance. However, as many discover when they seek to secure the benefits they ought to receive under a policy, the insurance company's goal is often not to provide full benefits. Insurance companies are largely motivated by profit; they maximize profits by seeking to minimize the compensation ...

Can't Modify Your Loan? Consider Bankruptcy to Discharge Second Mortgage The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Home Affordable Modification Program was created to help homeowners avoid foreclosures through mortgage modifications. For people unable to modify their second or third mortgages, however, filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy is an option that can help them keep their homes. Foreclosure Crisis According to the Department of the Treasury, unless there is a significant change in course, eight to 13 million ...

Fatal bus accident needs further investigation February 14, 2011 A 76-year-old man on his way to the grocery store was hit and killed by a bus. Edmundo Cortes was crossing Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx when he was fatally struck by a NYC Transit bus making a turn. Apparently, the bus driver did not realize his bus hit a pedestrian as he was making a right turn, because he continued driving until a witness stopped him. The pedestrian died, crushed under the wheels of the bus. Police questioned the driver and did not press charges. New York personal injury lawyer ...

The Importance of Business Succession Planning Business succession planning is an important part of operating a business, especially for small-business owners and owners who are nearing retirement. By making business succession arrangements early, owners help make a smooth transition and minimize any negative effects of their departure on the company. Continuing the Business The first point to consider in business succession planning is whether the company will continue to operate after the owner departs. Some business owners choose to simply liquidate the assets ...

New Jersey Supreme Court Rejects Breathalyzer Refusal as Prior DWI Proof New Jersey DWI laws provide increasingly harsh penalties for every previous conviction a drunk driver has on his or her record. But a recent decision from the New Jersey Supreme Court curtails the use of one type of proof of a prior conviction. In a unanimous decision, the court held that a prior conviction for refusing to take a Breathalyzer test does not count against the record of an alleged repeat offender. The case reverses a New Jersey Appellate Division decision from last year. In reaching ...

Attorney Michael Probst of Probst Law Office, LLC, is seeking witnesses to an incident that occurred Saturday March 5, 2011 between 4:45 and 5:30 pm in the afternoon in Columbus Ohio. Former professional wrestler, Shad Gaspard, was attending the "2011 Arnold Sports Festival", and was walking downtown near the convention center and north market. Mr. Gaspard was a witness to a near hit and run at the intersection of Vine Street and Wall Street. He attempted to alert an officer who responded by coming in close proximity to Mr. Gaspard's face provoking an intense confrontation. At ...

Cruise Amour has seen significant business growth over recent months, which is due in no small part to the rapid development of its franchise network. To continue this growth and to bring additional resource and skills to the business as it pursues other opportunities, the company has appointed Kate Scott as business development manager. Kate comes to Cruise Amour from the airline industry where she made a name for herself introducing new solutions into the onboard retail space whilst forging strong relationships with top international airlines such as Virgin Atlantic, ...

Bird and Co Creative has announced the launch of a new Formula 1 tickets website, created by the web development company. With the new Formula 1 season about to start, Bird and Co Creative has launched the dedicated website for buying Formula 1 tickets and getting up-to-date information on all the Formula 1 races. The dedicated website will also provide customers with information on hotels and hospitality venues in the surrounding areas of the race courses, which customers may need if they are travelling a great distance to watch the Formula 1. This allows customers ...

Ideasbynet, the Sheffield based promotional gifts company, has announced it will soon be stocking this season's safer alternative to the controversial snood - Tuggz. Ideasbynet welcomed Sepp Blatter's decision to ban the snood from professional football pitches. The FIFA president claimed the snood, if tugged upon by another player, "can be dangerous, even like hanging somebody". The danger Blatter describes is experienced by amateur footballers all over the country. The son of Peter Howarth, Ideasbynet's Managing Director, is one such amateur footballer. Miles ...

International digital marketing agency bigmouthmedia has been named Best Digital Agency at this year's Ecomm Awards. Widely recognised as one of the most important of the e-commerce and digital industries in Spain, the Ecomm Awards were celebrated at the end of this year's Ecomm retail event where Managing Director of bigmouthmedia Spain, Manuel Jurado Gras, picked up the award on behalf of the company. Securing the award for Best Digital Agency in a fiercely competitive sector, the agency was distinguished for the ability with which the team delivers its digital marketing ...

Ron Sturgeon, an auto recycler who has achieved 8-figure success in the industry, will be giving two presentations at the Greater Midwest Auto Recyclers Expo (GMARE) on Saturday, March 12, at the CoCo Key Water Resort and Convention Center on South 72nd Street in Omaha, Nebraska. From 2:00-3:00 pm, Ron will present "What it will Take to Compete in Auto Recycling in the Next Decade." The talk will cover trends in the industry and keys to becoming best in class in the coming decade. From 3:15-4:30 pm, Ron will present "Peer Benchmarking to Achieve Maximum Profits," ...

Legendary soccer club The New York Cosmos is re-launching for 2011 in spectacular style. The rejuvenation of the world's most glamorous football club will not just be a sporting event: thanks to Umbro's sharply-tailored re-design of the classic New York Cosmos shirt, the team's return is placed firmly on the fashion calendar. Umbro, the leading kit-supplier for the Cosmos, will be in inspiring company. During its existence from 1971-1985, The New York Cosmos was glamorous, fierce and full of swagger: the club's kit and attitude was as famous as the skills of its revered ...

Leading organizations from around the world will convene in San Diego for the Knowledge Foundation's 4th Sample Prep conference which will take place at the Hilton Resort & Spa from April 4-5, 2011. Sample Prep is an internationally-recognized event for experts in sample preparation for detection and identification of viruses, toxins and pathogens. This conference will address the major issues and state-of-the-art in the technologies for real-world sample preparation. Specific topics to be explored when world leaders convene for this high-level symposium include: - ...

The world today is facing dire challenges; with global unemployment this year at a staggering 210 million people and more companies going bankrupt than ever before, the prospects of finding a job or growing a business are eroding on a daily basis. But there is hope; BoostCommunity.com is a brand-new online social networking website that strives to offer a "boost to individuals, entrepreneurs and small business owners around the globe to start their own business or grow their existing clientele. Greg Schellhammer, founder of BoostCommunity.com, says, "Chances are if ...

Craig Sizer keeps Sanomedics (Thermomedics.com) Moving Forward Craig Sizer is a co-founder and chairman of Sanomedics. Sanomedics creates a variety of health products including the Thermopet Thermometer and other infrared thermometers. By taking advantage of new technology and his expertise in the financial arena, they have really taken this company to a new level. Craig may have said in a statement from WCI that he has every intention to bring this company to the top of their market and really provide an excellent product in a lacking industry. The thermometers that ...

Last weekend, more than 23,000 people heard Nicholas Vujicic speak at Northland Church. Born with no arms and no legs, Vujicic has traveled the world and shared his story with millions of people. Northland was originally expecting 15,000 people to attend services over the weekend. Instead, more than 15,000 showed up just in Longwood, with an additional 6,400 people watching live online from every state and 78 countries. More than 400 people made decisions for Christ. Preaching from Jeremiah 29:11, Vujicic encouraged those in attendance to find their value and purpose ...