Legal Recourse

May 9, 2012

Mass Live News-Springfield police arrest 41-year-old Eric Northrop after he allegedly used sledgehammer to break down ex-girlfriends door 1212

Filed under: Car Accident Lawyers — Tags: , , — Lawyer @ 4:39 pm

SPRINGFIELD Mass Live – A 41-year-old city man, who apparently named the sledgehammer that he uses for work after a prominent personal injury lawyer, allegedly used it to break down the door of an ex-girlfriend’s Windsor Street home early Wednesday and threaten her, police said.

The woman and another occupant of the home escaped injury after they barricaded a hallway door with a refrigerator, Sgt. John M. Delaney said.

The incident began about 1:40 a.m. when the suspect, Eric Turhan Northrop, approached the woman’s home and threatened to use the sledgehammer which he referred to as ” Mark E. Salomone” to break down the door if she didn’t let him in, Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said. Salomone is a well-known Massachusetts accident attorney who airs commercials on television.

Delaney, quoting from the arresting officer’s report, said that Northrop “broke through the front door wildly swinging Mark E. Salomone'” and yelled “I am going to get medieval on you like Thor.” A

Responding police officers found the sledgehammer on a table inside the home and arrested Northrop, of 40 Windsor St.

He was charged with home invasion, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, threat to commit a crime and assault with a dangerous weapon, police documents state.

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May 6, 2012

Law Wire News Congress Debates Whether to Allow Student Loan Debts in Bankruptcy 112

Filed under: Car Accident Lawyers — Tags: , — Lawyer @ 3:24 pm

Few students can afford to pay for college completely on their own. The majority of students take out at least some form of financial aid to pay for their college education.

According to the 2007-08 National Post-Secondary Student Aid Study (the last year for which data is available), 66 percent of undergraduate students finished their degree with some debt, and the average debt was $27,803.

Student loan debt for graduate and professional students such as those attending law school or medical school can exceed $100,000.

Students graduating with poor job prospects in a still floundering economy may find themselves unable to pay back these debts. While many government loans offer income-based repayment plans and other options for those experiencing financial hardship, many private loans do not.

The high cost of student debt and the limited options for those with private loans has spurred some legislators to advocate for allowing private student loan debt to be included in a bankruptcy filing.

Proposed Changes

Changes to the bankruptcy laws in 2005 broadened the definition of the type of student loans that were excepted from a discharge in bankruptcy. In essence, the changes made private student loans ineligible for discharge in a bankruptcy – except in extreme cases of hardship, for which a petition to the Bankruptcy Court could be made. Federal student loans have been ineligible for discharge unless a showing of “undue hardship” could be made by the bankruptcy debtor for two decades.

Sen. Rick Durbin (D-IL) has proposed allowing private loans to be included in a bankruptcy. A bill was proposed in 2011 to make these changes, and legislators are currently debating it.

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May 4, 2012

Law Wire News New Breath Test Devices Could Reduce Texas DUI Car Crash Fatalities

Filed under: Auto Accident Lawyer — Tags: , — Lawyer @ 1:32 pm

The United States Senate has built into its version of the federal transportation bill $24 million in extra funding for research on alcohol-sensing technology that could be installed in vehicles. Along with seat belt alarms, perpetual running lights on the floors and the serene guidance of GPS units, this new concept would detect boozy breath in drivers and prevent them from being able to start the car.

As opposed to the interlock device, which functions much like a breathalyzer test and is installed in the cars of some drivers with DUI convictions, these new technologies would be far less intrusive, if not subliminal, and could eventually end up in every car. Not surprisingly, there are many conflicting opinions on the topic, from car manufacturers to restaurant owners to those who have suffered traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and broken bones in drunk driver car accidents.

Dallas Texas personal injury attorney David Glenn, of Glenn Law Firm, sees the anguish drunk driving accidents in Texas cause and applauds any technology that can help save lives, while still appreciating the complexity of the issue. “Of all the types of accidents that cause catastrophic injury,” he attests, “drunk driving accidents may be the most devastating and disturbing for families. There’s no excuse for a drunk driver whose negligent actions cause serious injuries or lead to the loss of life.”

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Legal News New Safety Testing Reveals Women and Children May Be at Greater Risk of Injury or Death in a Car Accident

Filed under: Car Accident Lawyers — Tags: — Lawyer @ 9:57 am

Women often spend a lot of time driving their children to and from school, extracurricular activities like sports, and family activities.

Because they spend so much time on the road with such precious cargo, women often choose vehicles based on their safety rating and other perceived safety features. Yet new vehicle ratings reveal that safety information had been skewed for men, and that women and children may actually be at greater risk of serious injury from car accidents than previously thought.

Starting with 2011 models, the federal government began using a smaller “female” crash-test dummy for some safety tests, instead of the standard, average-sized “male” dummy. The result has been a lower safety rating for many vehicles – as much as two stars – to reflect the increased risk of serious injury for smaller passengers, such as women and children.

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