Dutchess County Personal Injury Blog

When a divorce is finalized, there are many life changes that need to be considered - including health and life insurance. For those facing separation, it is important to note how a divorce in New York can affect eligibility.

Ex-Spouses and Health Insurance in New York

Currently, an employer-sponsored health insurance plan stops covering the former spouse by default, as the ex-spouse no longer qualifies as a dependent of the beneficiary. However, in many cases the spouse can keep coverage.

COBRA insurance, a type of insurance available under federal law, allows the spouse to continue coverage under the other's insurance for up to three years. COBRA insurance is available for the employee's ex-spouse where the employer has 20 or more workers, or possibly fewer where state law applies. Divorcing parties should discuss how long COBRA coverage will last and who will pay administrative fees and monthly premiums, which are usually handled separately.

It is important to note that private plans may be cheaper than COBRA. Important factors in the choice between COBRA and private insurance include relative health and ability to pay varying deductibles.

The dangers of construction jobs revealed themselves again recently. According to the Wall Street Journal, a construction worker in Syracuse, New York, died during a renovation project. Police report a large section of a lathe and concrete ceiling fell on the man while he worked from a ladder to remove pieces of it. Syracuse Police and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are currently investigating the accident.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry led all others in work-related fatal injuries in 2010. The sector accounts for about 17 percent of all workplace fatalities and falls are the most common cause of death. Improper scaffolding, misuse of transportable ladders and unprotected wall openings and floor holes can present grave consequences for an inattentive or unprepared worker.

The Bloomberg administration has a new initiative-cracking down on alcohol consumption. Called the Partnership for a Healthier New York City, Mayor Bloomberg plans to limit alcohol sales and advertising within the city.

Specifically, the initiative hopes to:

• Reduce "alcohol retail outlet density," to decrease sales at bars and corner stores.
• Reduce advertising of alcohol products found at train and bus stations as well as restaurants and stores.

The main goal of the initiative is to promote consumption of healthy food and drink and discourage the use of excessive alcohol consumption. However, the project also hopes to have an impact on New York City's drunk-driving accidents. Alcohol is a factor in approximately 28 percent of vehicle-crash fatalities in the city and 42 percent of accidental subway deaths. Further, ER visits for underage drinkers in New York City doubled between 2003 and 2009.

Late last month, the effort to connect Grand Central Terminal to the Long Island Railroad turned fatal. A tragic New York construction accident claimed the life of 26 year-old sandhog Michael O'Brien.

Mr. O'Brien was killed after being crushed by a several-hundred-pound patch of concrete that fell from the ceiling of an underground tunnel. The slab was approximately four feet square and eight inches thick.

The concrete had been sprayed wet onto the tunnel's interior via a high-pressure hose and allowed to harden in place. Apparently, it did not adhere properly, possibly because it was applied too heavily.

Mr. O'Brien's father was working alongside his son that day. He tried to perform CPR on his son, but to no avail. Mr. O'Brien could not be saved.

Truck Drivers are not unlike other small business owners in that they are always looking for ways to boost productivity cut costs and increase profits. And, working long, hard hours to get the job done is one way to do it. However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says that many truck drivers suffer from sleep apnea. And one study suggests that those suffering from such a disorder perform similarly to those who are driving while drunk or impaired.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes interruptions in breathing during sleep. Individuals who suffer from this condition do not get the quality of sleep needed during the night. Then, during the day, they experience severe drowsiness and have difficulty concentrating-a huge problem for truck drivers who need to be alert at all times while driving on the road. Astonishingly, the FMCSA indicates that about 28 percent of commercial drivers suffer from this debilitating sleep disorder.

This upcoming December at Christie's New York auction house promises to be a thrill for fans of classic cinema and fabulous jewelry. Elizabeth Taylor, the iconic actress who deed March 2010 at 79 years old, was famous for her talent and her beauty - but she was also legendary for her affinity for stunning jewelry.

The pieces the auction house will present include a 16th-century pear-shaped pearl given to Ms. Taylor by her husband Richard Burton. In addition, the collection includes a ring bearing the 33.19-carat "Elizabeth Taylor Diamond."

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation will receive some of the proceeds from the publications and admissions relating to the exhibition. Her estate will receive the proceeds from the auction.

Why Estate Planning Is So Important

While most of us don't dazzle Hollywood parties with our extraordinary jewelry, we can still take a mental inventory of many items that are important to us and our families. Whether the items are significant because of sentimental value, monetary value or a combination, it's important for people to plan ahead and make sure these items go to the right place when the time comes.

Just last month, 114 years ago, the first person was arrested for drunk driving. September 1897, a 25-year-old taxi driver was arrested in London after slamming his cab into a building. Over a hundred years later, drunk-driving arrests have increased along with alcohol-related car accidents and fatalities.

Throughout the years, states slowly began recognizing the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol and subsequently began passing laws that restrict drivers of such activity. In 1910, the state of New York passed a law prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Public awareness about the dangers of drinking alcohol and driving and increased enforcement of the laws increased in the 1970s and 1980s.