Monthly Archives: <span>November 2017</span>

S.C. State Sen. Campbell Disputes DUI, Lawyer Calls for Resignation

Troopers say a South Carolina state senator charged with driving under the influence had a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit, but Sen. Paul Campbell said that doesn’t matter because he wasn’t driving. Campbell’s blood-alcohol level was 0.09 percent on …

Rhode Island Supreme Court Enforces Suit Limitation Provision in Policy

In the past, Rhode Island courts have upheld insurance policy provisions that require insureds to commence legal action against the insurance company within a time period that is less than the legislatively-enacted statute of limitations. See, e.g., National Refrigeration, Inc. …

Iowa City Reconsiders Two-Way Streets for Downtown

Officials in Des Moines, Iowa, are considering turning most one-way downtown streets into two-way and adding more bicycle lanes in an effort to increase safety and promote retail development. The city, the Urban Land Institute of Iowa and the Greater …

FEMA Reconsiders Ban on Disaster Aid to Church Buildings

When disaster strikes, houses of worship are often on the front lines, feeding and sheltering victims. Yet churches, synagogues and mosques are routinely denied aid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency when it comes time to repair or rebuild their …

AGCS Report: As Hurricanes Increase in Severity, Costs Balloon

A new report by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) outlines how increasingly destructive storms and their extraordinary costs are becoming a “new normal” in the U.S. The average amount paid for extreme events, including windstorms, by insurers between 1980 …

Moratoriums in Massachusetts Towns Could Mean Longer Drives for Legal Pot

Although retail sales of recreational marijuana can begin in July, many customers across northern Massachusetts may have to travel significant distances or wait several months to acquire the substance. Moratoriums are becoming widespread, with many towns opting to block any …

Prepare for the Storm of Construction Claims From the 2017 Hurricane Season

The aftermath of this year’s hurricanes includes massive reconstruction across the impacted areas, which in turn creates an increased possibility for construction defect claims that would affect the liability insurance market. When Hurricane Harvey swept over large portions of Texas, …

Family to Get $4.8M in Crash Involving ‘Melrose’ Actress

The family of a woman killed in a 2010 crash involving a “Melrose Place” actress will receive a $4.8 million settlement. A jury convicted Amy Locane-Bovenizer in 2012 for the crash that killed 60-year-old Helene Seeman in Somerset County, N.J., …

Deadly California Warehouse Fire Suspect Says Landlord Also Responsible

A man charged with involuntary manslaughter in a California warehouse fire that killed 36 people last December says the building’s owner shares responsibility for the deaths. Derick Almena said in a jailhouse interview airing on Oakland television KTVU Monday night …

More Than 63,000 Recreational Boats Affected by Harvey and Irma

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), a national advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters, estimates that more than 63,000 recreational boats were damaged or destroyed as a result of both Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, with …