June 8, 2016

Injured in an Accident? Don’t Forget Mental Trauma

Accident victims are usually (and understandably) focused on their physical injuries. But what many injured people do not understand is that emotional trauma, very common following a car accident, is also a compensable damage. Emotional Distress Many accident victims are too busy dealing with their physical injuries, medical bills, and […]

June 6, 2016

Fatigued Driving: An Emerging (and Deadly) Problem

Although drunk driving is no doubt a very serious problem, another deadly habit is proving to be even more widespread: drowsy driving. According to NHTSA’s National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Study (NMVCCS), drowsy drivers involved in a crash are twice as likely to make performance errors as compared to drivers […]

June 2, 2016

Ways to Determine Who was at Fault in an Auto Accident

The process of sorting out who was at fault in an auto accident is not usually easy, but is extremely important to everyone involved for one basic reason: establishing liability. Generally, the at-fault driver must pay for all the damages, but it is ultimately the drivers’ insurance companies who assert […]

May 31, 2016

Legal Tips for Getting a Divorce

Divorce is a painful process, but there are certain things couples can do to make a difficult experience run as smoothly as possible. Prepare for the divorce. The best way to make sure your divorce goes as smoothly as possible is to be prepared for the process. This includes knowing […]

May 27, 2016

Legal Tips for Choosing a New Daycare

The demand for daycare is both widespread and problematic. According to the New York Times, approximately 12 million American children age four and under are cared for on a daily basis by someone other than a parent, not counting the millions of school age children who require care when school […]

May 25, 2016

Damages Available in a Wrongful Death Case

When someone dies due to the fault of another person or entity, compensation for the family of the deceased can come through a wrongful death lawsuit. Wrongful death claims can involve a variety of matters, including fatal car accidents, medical malpractice, or dangerous or defective products, and the damages available […]

May 18, 2016

Settle or Sue – How Do You Know?

Many people assume that personal injury lawsuits frequently go to trial, but the opposite is actually true. According to TheLawDictionary.org, 95-96 percent of personal injury cases are settled before trial. What’s more, 90 percent of the cases that do go to trial don’t end with a favorable result, although the […]

May 10, 2016

Your Prior Medical History: Why Insurance Companies Try to Make It Their Business

Insurance companies will do their best to limit the amount of damages that they have to pay out in personal injury claims any way they can. When you suffer a personal injury and the insurance company for the at-fault party does an initial evaluation of your claim, they’re essentially looking […]

May 5, 2016

How Do Unmarried Fathers Establish Paternity?

Paternity is legally determining the father of a child. Because every child deserves the financial and emotional support of both a mother and a father, establishing paternity is extremely important. Why Establish Paternity? Establishing paternity creates a legal relationship between a father and a child, and is particularly important for […]

May 3, 2016

North Dakota’s Abortion Lawsuit Fund In Danger of Being Drained

Lawyers representing North Dakota’s only abortion clinic have announced that they will seek litigation costs from the state after the U.S. Supreme Court refused last month to review lower court rulings overturning the state’s ban on abortion at six weeks of pregnancy. Federal law allows attorneys in civil rights cases […]

April 27, 2016

North Dakota Voters May Consider Legalizing Marijuana in November

Dependent upon North Dakota Secretary of State approval, a group of supporters have until July 11 to gather the 13,452 signatures needed to get a measure legalizing marijuana for recreational use on the statewide ballot in November. Supporters of legalization say that should the measure pass, North Dakota would be […]

April 25, 2016

Major Players in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Most people who are injured and subsequently file a personal injury lawsuit have little or no experience with the U.S. legal system, and a thorough understanding of who is involved in a typical personal injury case can alleviate some of the associated stress and help make the case run more […]

April 21, 2016

Tips for Preparing for Divorce

Every day dozens of couples decide to end their marriages. Divorce, or dissolution of marriage, may be pursued for a number of reasons, including spousal abuse, an unfaithful spouse, or irreconcilable differences, and North Dakota recognizes both fault and no-fault grounds. Regardless of the reasons for a divorce, spouses should […]

April 19, 2016

Times When You Should Have Your Attorney’s Number on Speed Dial

Depending upon what may be at stake, there are certain situations when you should definitely consider hiring an attorney, including if and when: You are arrested. While this might seem obvious, some people fail to consult with a criminal defense attorney when they are arrested or taken into custody. This […]

April 11, 2016

Transgender Bathroom Law Facing Early Challenge

One week after North Carolina’s transgender bathroom law was passed, opponents of the new law have challenged it, calling it discriminatory and saying that it singles out LGBT people for “disfavored treatment.” The law, passed by a Republican-led legislature during a one-day special session called to repeal a Charlotte city […]

April 7, 2016

Do I Need a Lawyer If I Win the Lottery?

If you hit the jackpot and win the lottery, you’ll never have to worry about money again, right? Wrong. With good money management you could live well for many years, but from the moment you claim your prize, the temptation to squander your winnings will be ever present. One of […]

April 5, 2016

Are There Advantages to Legal Separation Over Divorce?

These days, more and more couples are deciding to remain separated rather than divorce, even though they no longer wish to be married. Sometimes choosing to legally separate instead of get a divorce is a good financial decision, although other reasons may also come into play. Financial Benefits One of […]

March 30, 2016

Collision With a Large Commercial Truck: No Small Matter

Because of the weight and size of commercial trucks as compared to passenger cars, collisions involving the two often result in very serious injuries, particularly for those traveling in smaller vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 3,964 people killed and 95,000 people injured in crashes […]

March 28, 2016

Can a Person Drive Safely – and Legally – After Smoking Marijuana?

Although few would argue with the statement that marijuana and driving do not mix, one challenge is that the effects of marijuana upon driving ability are hard to quantify. Marijuana Affects Driving Differently Than Alcohol Alcohol’s effects upon drivers differ greatly from those of marijuana. The detrimental effects of marijuana […]

March 24, 2016

GPS Convenient, But Sometimes a Dangerous Distraction for Drivers

When it comes to navigating our way to new destinations, we’ve come a long way since folding out road maps and stopping to ask strangers for directions. Today, drivers across the globe are able to utilize Global Positioning System (GPS) technology that comes equipped on their phones or in their cars to provide […]

March 22, 2016

The IME: Why There’s Nothing Independent About It

Sometimes a personal injury defendant will request that a doctor of the defendant’s choice examine the plaintiff. This may sound harmless enough, but there is one big problem with independent medical examinations, also known as IMEs. There is no such thing as an independent medical examination. Adverse is a more […]

March 16, 2016

AAJ Urges CMS to Ban Forced Arbitration Clauses in Nursing Home Contracts

On October 14, 2015, the American Association for Justice (AAJ) held a press conference with former U.S. Representative Henry Waxman to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to protect seniors’ rights by banning forced arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts. The press conference caught the attention of […]

March 14, 2016

What Happens When the Driver Who Hit You Doesn’t Have Insurance?

When an accident occurs, one of the first things the drivers do is to exchange insurance information. Insurance coverage is an integral part of a personal injury case, since coverage ultimately determines how the damages are paid. Uninsured/underinsured motorist protection is insurance that you buy to cover yourself and your […]

March 10, 2016

How to Keep Employees from Competing in a No-Non-Compete State

Many employers in North Dakota, particularly those with headquarters out of state, often find out about a unique aspect of North Dakota business law once it is too late. Only after an employee quits and starts a competing business does the employer discover that North Dakota law provides non-competition agreements […]

March 8, 2016

ND Fetal Heartbeat Law Blocked by High Court

North Dakota’s “fetal heartbeat” law, the toughest ban on abortions in the nation when it was enacted in 2013, has been blocked permanently when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review a lower court’s ruling that overturned the law. The law banned abortions as soon as a heartbeat was detected […]

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