List of No Fault States
Your options for having damage from an accident paid for by your insurance company depend on the state where you live. Currently, there are twelve states with some variation of the no fault auto insurance laws. These are known as no fault states. To understand your insurance needs and your rights after an accident, you also need to know the differences in requirements among these states. You also should understand your rights if your state isn’t a no fault state. In no fault insurance states, a driver’s auto insurance pays their damages no matter who was at-fault. Depending on the state [...]
Liable Definition: What Does Liable Mean?
Whether they are business owners or individuals, many people are understandably concerned with what the term liable means and how it may affect them either as a defendant or a plaintiff. While the specifics are complex, the fundamentals of this legal concept are quite easy to comprehend. To provide an authoritative legal dictionary definition, liability is… “A legally enforceable claim on the assets of a business or property of an individual. In business, liability results from a breach of duty or obligation by act or failure to act. Liability also refers to the debt or obligation of a business in contrast [...]
Getting in a Car Accident in Company Vehicle
One of the reasons driving a company car is such a huge fringe benefit is that it takes away a lot of the responsibility of driving your personal car. If you have a car accident in a company vehicle, the line of responsibility becomes less clear. In Maryland, the at-fault driver pays damages to the other driver. Under some circumstances, the employer may be liable for the damages in an accident caused by their employee. How Company Vehicles Work Some businesses give employees a car allowance for the time they use their private vehicles while performing company business. This is often [...]
15 Tips for Safely Driving in the Rain
Here in the Baltimore area, we typically get more than 40 inches of rain each year. This means that you'll frequently have to drive in the rain throughout the year. During times of inclement weather, there are far more automobile accidents than on sunny days, and much of this is due to the fact that many people don't know how to properly drive in the rain. Follow these tips to keep yourself and your passengers as safe as possible while driving in the rain. 1. Slow Down When it rains, the roads will be slicker than usual, making it more difficult [...]
How to Treat Chemical Burns
Chemical burns can occur at home, work, school, and almost any place you go. Burns from everyday products you handle regularly can have a serious impact. When you work with strong bases or acids, it’s always a good idea to know what to do when a chemical burn happens to you. Your ability to act quickly could keep the degree of the burn to a minimum. Chemical Burn Treatment Step 1: Always Use Protective Gear Prevention is always the best approach to chemical burns. Start by using the right safety gear to create a barrier between the chemical and your skin. [...]
Malpractice Insurance: What You Need to Know
We’ve all heard stories where surgeons removed the wrong limb or left surgical tools inside a patient. While these examples certainly fall under the heading of medical malpractice, most cases are much more subtle. It’s easy to overlook a case of malpractice if you don’t understand what it means and the laws that apply to making a claim. What Is Medical Malpractice? Medical malpractice is a legal term that refers to an act or omission by a doctor during the treatment of a patient. This act or omission deviates from the accepted norms of practice within the medical community, resulting in [...]
Who Is Covered by Workers’ Compensation?
Given its name, you may think that workers’ compensation covers anyone who is employed. Unfortunately, this misconception could leave you very disappointed if you ever get injured on the job. The truth is that not everyone who is a worker gets workers’ compensation. You may have heard that contractors are excluded, for one. However, what you call somebody is not the definitive measure of whether or not workers’ compensation insurance covers them. Instead, the following elements need to characterize the employee. Acting Independently Independent contractors act on their own, obviously. This is one reason they’re not considered employees. They aren’t given [...]
Loss of Consortium Claims
If your loved one was severely injured or killed in a personal injury or wrongful death case, you may be eligible to file a loss of consortium claim to compensate for your loss. Of course, there is no way that money can truly make up for the loss of someone you love, but the added compensation can help to make your life just a bit easier while you are grieving. These types of cases have many intricacies that determine who can file a claim and how much they might be eligible to receive in compensation. Here's an overview of how the [...]
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) In Workers Comp
Maximum Medical Improvement Many terms are used to describe workers’ compensation and the injuries that result in work-related claims. Of them, the term maximum medical improvement, or MMI, is one of the most contested. When an accident victim relies on fair compensation from workers’ comp insurance to pay their medical bills, reaching MMI puts even more of a burden on the victim to make the best financial decisions going forward. Workers Compensation Workers’ compensation is insurance that an employer must take out to protect their employees. When a worker is injured on the job, workers’ comp pays their medical bills and [...]
How to Prove a Defective Product Liability Claim
If you have used a product and it resulted in injury, you might be able to pursue a defective product liability claim. But before you proceed, it is important to know all of the elements needed in order to create a solid case. Proving a defective product liability claim typically requires four main elements, although each state has different requirements. Generally speaking, these four elements are crucial when building a defective product liability claim: You suffered injuries or losses The product is not functioning as advertised, or is defective Your injury was caused by the defect You used the product as [...]
Understanding Medical Malpractice
You’ve probably heard of medical malpractice before, but might be unsure of what this area of the law covers. Whether you just want to be prepared or you think you may be a victim, keep reading for a better understanding of what medical malpractice entails. A Basic Definition Medical malpractice falls under the personal injury spectrum of the law. Some people mistakenly think that if a medical professional makes a mistake while treating them, this constitutes malpractice, but that’s not necessarily true. Generally speaking, the mistake has to have resulted in verifiable harm to you. This can’t simply be a scenario [...]
When Workers’ Compensation Won’t Get Approved
Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance. It provides employers with a safety net, so that if one of their employees gets injured on the job, they don’t have to worry about a civil lawsuit. That being said, like any other form of insurance, it would be a mistake to think that you’ll be paid no matter what. Restrictions apply and if you find yourself working outside of them, your compensation is no longer a sure thing. Working While under the Influence It should go without saying that working while inebriated or under the influence of some type of drug is [...]