Londonderry Law Blog

Summer heat can lead to surprising injuries

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm on Saturday, July 13, 2019.

One condition that is sometimes misdiagnosed is heat stroke. While it should be fairly obvious, the early signs are similar to anxiety attacks, heart attacks and other illnesses that may or may not need immediate care.

When someone is in a hot environment for a period of time, they begin to sweat. When the body can't cool itself fast enough or becomes dehydrated, it heats up. This can lead to heat stroke. It's particularly common for workers in hot environments in the summer months, and it's something to watch out for.

IIHS: cars with ADAS not self-driving, but many think otherwise

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

Advanced driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking can help prevent accidents in New Hampshire and across the U.S. The only problem is that many do not understand their limitations. ADAS are meant to assist drivers, not replace them; they do not make a car self-driving. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has conducted a survey to find out just how widespread the confusion is.

More than 2,000 drivers participated in the survey. To begin with, most did not know that there are five levels of automation. At level five, a car drives itself under any circumstances. Most ADAS put a car at level two, the level at which drivers are still expected to be alert and actively engaged in driving.

Should you consider divorce mediation?

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm on Saturday, June 15, 2019.

When facing a messy divorce, you may assume that litigation is the only way to work through the finer details of your case. While this may be necessary at some point, you shouldn't overlook the benefits of mediation.

With divorce mediation, you and your soon to be ex-spouse are able to take control of the process from start to finish. Since there is no family law judge, it's your responsibility to negotiate and compromise on your way to settling every disagreement.

The concept of negligence in auto accident cases

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.

Vehicle accidents are usually caused by the negligence of one or multiple parties involved. New Hampshire residents who have been in an accident may be wondering if they are eligible for compensation. However, this depends on who was negligent and to what degree. All drivers have a duty to exercise reasonable care. When they fail in this, they are negligent. When negligence directly leads to injuries or other losses, victims may file a claim.

Negligence is easy to determine in some cases. Breaking traffic laws as well as following too closely behind other vehicles can be classified as negligence. Speeding is always negligent too. There are times, though, when a driver needs to lower their speed below the posted limit. This may be necessary in times of inclement weather or when visibility and traction are being undermined.

AFL-CIO, NSC draw attention to workplace deaths, illness

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm posted in Workers' Compensation on Friday, June 7, 2019.

There were 5,147 workplace fatalities in 2017, according to the AFL-CIO. In its report entitled, "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect," the labor union federation is calling for more awareness of the hazards faced by workers and for the implementation of safer practices. New Hampshire residents should know that this report was released as a part of Workers' Memorial Week, which took place from April 22 to 29, 2019.

The three leading causes of workplace fatalities were transportation incidents(killed 2,077 workers in 2017); slips, trips and falls (killed 887 that year); and workplace violence (killed 807). In the private industry, workplace violence was to blame for some 29,000 injuries resulting in lost time from work.

Why Lyme disease is hard to diagnose

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm on Sunday, June 2, 2019.

The summer months are often the most enjoyable as the weather allows you to experience the great outdoors in all their glory. Unfortunately, the span of May through August is also peak season for Lyme disease, an ailment transmitted to humans from ticks found outdoors.

Lyme disease begins with a rash and fever and can advance to joint and muscle problems if left untreated. It typically takes a tick 48 to 72 hours of being attached to its host to transmit the disease and Lyme disease symptoms can emerge up to one month after the bite.

Heart attacks are often misdiagnosed in female patients

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.

When you go to the hospital for any kind of emergency, you expect that it will be taken seriously. Mistakes happen, though, especially when bringing in patients who are going through emergency medical concerns.

One of the problems with emergency care is the potential for a misdiagnosis in the heat of the moment. A misdiagnosis of a non-life threatening condition may not be serious, but failing to diagnose something like a heart attack or aneurysm can result in a patient's death.

What do stay-at-home mothers deserve in a divorce?

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm on Friday, May 17, 2019.

When a couple decides to divorce, they will have to divide their property equally. However, a 50/50 split is not always “equal.” Many factors can determine how property should be distributed when a marriage ends.

Equitable division can be important for stay-at-home mothers who either never worked or left work to care for the family. While they may not be adding to the family’s wealth via an income, their contributions still matter.

Study looks at property division for stay-at-home mothers

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm posted in divorce on Monday, May 6, 2019.

When people in New Hampshire get a divorce, their property is supposed to be divided equitably. Equitable division is the standard in most states. A study conducted by Vanderbilt University researchers examined how men and women interpret "equitable" when it comes to divorce and stay-at-home mothers.

Around 10 percent of American mothers whose level of education is at least a master's degree stay home with their children, and more than 25 percent of all mothers do. This is compared to just 7 percent of fathers. For the study, researchers created a scenario in which a couple was married for 17 years before the husband filed for divorce. Once they had children, five years into the marriage, the mother stayed at home to raise them. The participants were given six variations on the educational level, property and profession of each spouse and were told to divide property.

Hazards workers commonly experience on the job

On behalf of Solomon Law Firm posted in Workers' Compensation on Wednesday, April 24, 2019.

People in New Hampshire and everywhere else face a certain level of risk while on the job. The 2019 Liberty Mutual index has ranked the most common types of injuries based on data collected in 2016. The most common injury on the list was overexertion caused by outside sources. However, the most common injury in the construction and professional services industries was falls from the same level.

Nationally, overexertion injuries involving outside sources resulted in $13.11 billion in losses while falls from the same level resulted in $10.38 billion in losses. Combined, the top 10 injuries from the 2019 index cost employers $46.93 billion and accounted for 84.66% of all disabling injuries. Other types of injuries on the top 10 list included falls from different levels, being struck by an object and slipping and tripping without any warning. Those types of accidents accounted for 8.99%, 9.42% and 3.93% of injuries.