Earlier in the year, two separate plaintiffs sued BNSF Railroad Co. in Montana for injuries that took place outside of the state. Neither of the plaintiffs lived in Montana, and BNSF is based in Texas. The Montana Supreme Court had ruled that the lawsuit was allowable in the state regardless, citing both the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) and state law in Montana. But the U.S. Supreme Court disagreed, voting 8-1 to reverse the lower court's ruling.
What are some common auto insurance myths?
When it comes to getting auto insurance in California, you may not know if you are getting a good deal or if you could do something different to get a better premium. All you do know is it is imperative to have insurance to protect you should you be involved in an auto accident.
Understanding California premises liability law
California residents who go to a store, office, theater, concert, amusement park, friend’s home or virtually anywhere else expect to be safe while they are there. They do not anticipate that they will be in danger or likely to hurt themselves because the property is poorly maintained. In other words, they expect the premises to be safe, both outside and inside.
Who is responsible for repairing damaged sidewalks?
If you live in the city of Oakland, California, you may wonder who is responsible for damage to the sidewalk in front of your home. According to the City of Oakland, local and state laws assign responsibility for the upkeep of sidewalks to you, the property owner. This means if the sidewalk in front of your home is damaged in any way, you must fix it. If someone were to fall and get injured because of the damaged sidewalk, he or she could sue you for medical bills and other associated costs. Essentially, the sidewalk becomes part of your premises liability.
What are your rights under FELA?
If you are a railroad worker in California, you have rights under the Federal Employers' Liability Act. FELA, according to the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, was designed to reduce the number of accidents involving railroad workers. It was enacted when it was apparent the railroad was not doing enough to protect its workers and the federal government decided to step in.
