Property owners’ negligence can put you at risk in a variety of different ways. Wet floors without warning signs can cause you to slip in stores, public buildings and more. Uneven sidewalks, damaged outdoor steps and icy sidewalks can put you at risk during a simple walk around the block. Unrepaired loose handrails can leave you without the support you need.

While some may wrongfully dismiss these falls, the truth is that they can cause serious injuries and have a significant impact on the lives of people who experience them. How common is it for someone to suffer a slip, trip or fall because of a property owner’s failure to properly maintain their property?

How common are trips, slips and falls?

Slip and fall injuries are the top cause of emergency room visits. Falls account for around one-quarter of injury-related emergency room visits nationwide. In addition, more than 200,000 people each year are forced to spend time away from their work because of a fall, slip or trip, leaving them without that income at the same time they face increased medical costs.

Falls can be especially common and especially dangerous for elderly people. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one-quarter of elderly adults experiences a fall each year. This leads to 3 million people over the age of 65 visiting the emergency room and over 800,000 hospitalized due to fractures from a fall.

If you or a loved one experienced a fall as a result of the negligent actions of a property owner, you may want to take legal action. A personal injury lawsuit may help you get the financial support that you need to recover.

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Creating an estate plan can offer you peace of mind in knowing that your loved ones will have the support they need in the future. Choosing the right documents for that estate plan allows you to tailor your plan to achieve your unique goals. What estate planning documents should you consider?

Wills are often the foundation of an estate plan.

A will is the most common document used in estate plans. These documents address all of the property that you own, allowing you to name beneficiaries and specify what those people will inherit. You can also name a guardian for underage children in a will, making them especially important for new parents who want to choose the person who will care for their family if they pass away.

Trusts offer greater flexibility and financial benefits.

While a will acts as the foundation of many estate plans, you should also consider the benefits of other estate planning documents like trusts. Because they do not go through probate, trusts can avoid the costs associated with this process and keep the details of your estate confidential. Trusts can also protect your beneficiaries, especially those who receive disability benefits and may lose those benefits if they inherit a large sum at one time.

It is important to remember, though, that a trust can only manage the property and money that you place in trust. Because of this, many people use a will and a trust together to ensure that their estate plan addresses all of their property.

Powers of attorney ensure that your health and finances are protected.

While most people associate estate planning with their legacy, the truth is that an estate plan can also support you if you become incapacitated due to an injury or illness. Financial powers of attorney give someone you trust the ability to make financial decisions in your name if you cannot do so yourself. This includes paying taxes, making investments and selling property.

Healthcare powers of attorney, on the other hand, allow another person to make important decisions about your health care. They can choose your doctor, determine which treatments you receive and make other major medical decisions.

Because there are a wide variety of estate planning documents available to you, it can be important to speak to an attorney about your goals. They can help you explore your options and create an estate plan that supports your loved ones for years to come.

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When a police officer catches you driving without a license or driving with suspension or revocation status, the consequences will only build and worsen. So, if you’re facing license suspension or revocation, the process of regaining driving privileges should be a careful one taken with seriousness and patience.

There are a lot ways one can wind up facing license suspension — from a DUI to one too many traffic violations. Although, it’s not an uncommon occurrence, that doesn’t take away how inconvenient not having a license can be. However, you shouldn’t drive as you normally would, because of the many unfavorable outcomes of an aggravated unlicensed operation charge. These consequences can include fines and a negative impact on your reputation or future employment.

Financial burden

Not only will you face fines, court and other fees from the initial license removal. But driving with a revoked or suspended license is known as aggravated unlicensed operation (AUO) in New York and can result in more fines in fees. Specifically, with an AUO charge, you’d have to pay a $200 to $500 fine. And if you drive a large hauling vehicle or bus, this isn’t your first offense of this kind or you are guilty of other crimes at the time of your arrest, the fines will be greater.

Impact on personal life

Not being able to take yourself, friends or children from place to place can create difficulty carrying out responsibilities and in social situations. You might have to rely on others, public transportation or rideshare services to travel. Plus, potentially serving jail time can also put a damper on your family life and relationships with friends. It might be harder for someone to trust or rely on you after a criminal conviction.

Compromised career goals

Having a mark on your criminal record can also create issues with your current or future employment. If your job requires you to have a valid driver’s license, then you could be jobless after an AUO charge. Or if you’re on the hunt for a new job, then you might not be able to land one once the employer receives background check results.

If you are facing an AUO charge, an experienced criminal defense attorney can work with you to lessen the weight of the consequences.

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Family outfits account for nearly all business activity in the U.S., but most don’t have a plan for the future. If you’ve got a business to take care of now and in the future, it’s never too early to take steps for preservation.

Surveys suggest that up to 90% of all business comes from family operations, which adds up to over 60% of the country’s gross domestic product. Those big numbers mean big responsibility, but maybe more daunting is how to keep your company contributing long after you’re gone.

Staying the course

Even if your family-run business is a tight ship now, it could quickly start to spring leaks when you’re no longer here to steer:

• Around 30% can make it to the second generation
• 12% last long enough to pass to the third generation
• 3% are still operating when the fourth generations and beyond take over

Crafting a plan

It’s best to form a solid plan for transitioning from one family member to the next to make sure your business stays strong for the generations to come:

• Valuation: Finding an accurate price tag can be difficult, and you’ll have to determine which system works for you. Looking at similar business, taking stock of assets or projecting with income could all help you nail down the worth.
• Communication: Conveying your wishes will be just as important as hearing your family out. It may surprise you who wants what kind of responsibility going forward, and you might have to change your plan in accordance with their wishes.
• Determination: Finally, you’ll have to set some things in stone. You’ll want to outline what roles family members take, any parts of the company that you’ll sell off and what the transition looks like for management and training.

Passing control of your business can be extremely stressful and complicated, but ultimately satisfying when done with proper care. Make sure you understand what a transition takes, and you could have a business that stands the test of time.

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More than 1 million Americans are arrested for drunk driving each year after going through a litany of tests, including portable breath tests, which are designed to measure a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

However, a New York Times investigation reveals many of the devices used in measuring BAC are unreliable, resulting in flawed measurements and forcing many judges to disallow the readings to be used as evidence.

Thousands of breath test results thrown out

Breath test devices are a bedrock in proving DUI charges and are found in just about every police station across the United States. While marketed as being accurate within three decimal points, many routinely yield results that are off by as much as 40%.

As a result, judges in Massachusetts and New Jersey threw out more than 30,000 tests over the past year due to human error and careless oversight. Judges in Queens County, New York, have also tossed out individual cases over questions about the machines’ accuracy.

Reasons for flawed test results

Breathalyzers and other portable breath tests are sensitive scientific instruments that require stringent standards for setup and maintenance. Errors can frequently happen when:

• Devices are not properly calibrated before being put into use
• Officers are not adequately trained to administer the tests
• Software errors and programming mistakes occur
• False positives are registered in people ingesting certain types of medication, foods and other substances

Thousands of cases are in limbo

Tens of thousands of breath test results have been discarded in pending DUI cases across the country, while in New Jersey and Massachusetts, another 42,000 convictions are at risk over flawed data. Thousands of others have been acquitted in cases without other credible evidence.

Many drivers fear they have no recourse if their BAC is 0.08% or higher when taking a breath test after being pulled over. If you are charged with DUI, an experienced defense attorney will challenge those results and fight for your rights in court.

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