Posted On: January 21, 2011

Sleep Tight Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

A bed bug is a little bigger than a tick and flat. It lives in and around your bed and feeds on your blood. These bugs do not just infest the dirtiest of homes and hotels, they are in upscale neigborhoods, movie theaters and hotels among other places.

The bed bug infestation is almost out of control in some areas. In the last three years bed bug infestations have multiplied. They are being brought here because people are traveling more and the bugs can hide anywhere. Bed bugs in New York are almost taking over the city. There are also bed bugs in South Carolina along with bed bugs in Florida and many other places.

If you think you have been bitten by bed bugs, look for red bites that look like mosquito bites after you wake up in the morning. Also, look at your bed for red or black blood spots where you may have rolled over and killed them.

If you are one of the lucky ones that brings bed bugs home with you from a business or is attacked while sleeping in a hotel, make sure that you do not ignore the infestation. Clothing should be washed in hot water. Anything that can be bagged should be bagged in a black bag and put outside to absorb the heat. Anything over 114 degrees will kill the bed bugs. You will need to call an exterminator as well.

Bringing bed bugs home with you can be embarassing as well as costly. If you have been infested or bitten by bed bugs in South Carolina, New York or Florida please call The Mace Firm to schedule a free consultation. Our New York bed bug lawyers at The Mace Firm can help. We are also licensed in Florida and South Carolina.

Continue reading " Sleep Tight Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite " »

Bookmark and Share

Posted On: January 19, 2011

North Myrtle Beach Plane Crash

At about 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday January 18, 2011, a single-engine plane identified by CNN as a Cessna 172 crashed into Briarcliffe RV Resort located in North Myrtle Beach, SC. The plane was coming in for a landing at the Grand Strand Regional Airport when it exploded on impact. According to the Horry County Coroner, the plane's pilot and a lady in a camper were killed. The lady was vacationing with her husband from New Hampshire. The husband was able to make it out of the camper with third degree burns. He was rushed to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. There was one other person who was in the vicinity who suffered only minor injuries and refused treatment.

Federal and local officials are at the site of the fatal plane crash with the investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and expect to be there for atleast the next two days. North Myrtle Beach officials are assisting investigators and providing police services at the site. North Myrtle Beach Public Work's Department has provided a truck to assist with the cleanup.

This is the second plane crash in North Myrtle Beach within one year. The plane was licensed to an LLC and had been kept a the North Myrtle Beach Airport. The pilot had been performing "touch and goes" at the airport when the crash happened.

We at The Mace Firm know how difficult it is to be left behind by a loved one. Our South Carolina plane crash lawyers are very compassionate and skilled when handling plane crash cases. If you or someone you know has been killed or injured in a plane crash, please call one of our Myrtle Beach plane accident attorneys to schedule a free consultation.

Bookmark and Share

Posted On: January 13, 2011

Amusement Park Accidents

As the spring and summer seasons approach, so do accidents at Myrtle Beach amusement parks. Amusement parks and water parks can be very fun places to visit; however, they can also be dangerous places to visit. Amusement park accidents can be serious resulting in permanent injury or possibly even death. Serious amusement park injuries include whiplash, heart attacks, internal injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain injury, and back injuries.

The owners of the Myrtle Beach Amusement Parks have a duty to ensure that their guests are not involved in amusement park accidents. This means that they are responsible for making sure that the rides and attractions are running properly and maintained in a reasonably safe condition. Reasonably safe condition means that if someone was hurt at an amusement park and the park could have prevented the accident by taking reasonable steps to make sure the property was safe, the person may be able to sue for compensation for their amusement park injuries.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Myrtle Beach waterpark or amusement park, please call our office to schedule a free consultation with one of our Myrtle Beach amusement park accident attorneys.

Bookmark and Share

Posted On: January 10, 2011

Alimony Today

Ask anyone presently paying alimony and I’m sure they will agree that the institution needs a major overhaul. Alimony was not always so complicated, but with the social transformation of the past half a century, and women and men sharing more of both the workforce and the home, alimony is a complicated and serious issue arising in any divorce action. Alimony is more likely granted in cases where the parties have been married for an extended period of time and/or where one party is deemed at fault for the breakdown of the marriage. Every case is unique and with at least 13 determining factors used in South Carolina alone, with regard to the amount, duration and merit of an alimony award, there is no hard and fast rule that is applicable when seeking this sort of relief.
Just to clarify, alimony and child support are not the same nor are they particularly connected. Alimony can be ordered either permanently, temporarily, or in one large lump sum at the conclusion of your divorce. Historically, alimony was meant to fulfill one spouse’s obligation to the other to care and provide for them as promised, “til death do us part.” As divorce rates rose and women entered the work force, alimony also evolved. Some say the whole concept of alimony should be abolished and that such an antiquated system is being abused. Others want to see alimony adapted to our time and limited always and only as temporary and rehabilitive.
If you are facing divorce, you may not have stopped to consider whether or not alimony is an issue. I encourage anyone that is considering such to seek the advice of an aggressive family law attorney and explore whether or not their case may be subject to alimony and if so, what they can reasonably expect as their case is either negotiated toward settlement or tried.
Call The Mace Firm today and schedule your consultation with a skilled family law attorney who can give you the counsel you need to get the outcome you deserve.


Continue reading " Alimony Today " »

Bookmark and Share

Posted On: January 6, 2011

McDonald's Coffee Case

Everyone has heard about the infamous McDonald's coffee case where a woman named Stella Liebeck, who was 79 years old, sued McDonalds and received $3 million. This has been an extremely misreported story and misunderstood case. These are the facts according to Stella Liebeck's attorney, S. Reed Morgan.

Stella Liebeck was a passenger in her grandson's car. They stopped at McDonald's to purchase a cup of coffee. While the car was stopped, Ms. Liebeck attempted to hold the cup of coffee between her knees while removing the lid. The cup tipped over and poured scalding hot coffee over more than 16 percent of her body, giving her third degree burns. She ended up in the hospital for eight days and had to undergo whirlpool treatment to remove the dead tissue from her wounds, skin grafting, scarring and a disability for more than two years. Ms. Liebeck offered to settle with McDonalds for $20,000; however, McDonalds rejected this offer. The jury awarded $200,000 in compensatory damages, reduced to $160,000 because the jury found her 20 percent at fault. She was also awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages for the cruel conduct of McDonalds. Keep in mind that McDonalds makes more than $1.3 million a day for coffee sales. The punitive damages were also reduced to $480,000.

The Shriner's Burn Institute in Cincinatti had published warnings to the franchise food industry that its members were unnecessarily causing serious scald burns by serving beverages above 130 degrees Fahrenhiet. Morgan, The Recorder, September 30, 1994.

After this verdict, the McDonalds in Albuquerque where Ms. Liebeck was burned began selling coffee at 158 degrees rather than 180 to 190 degrees which will cause third degree burns in 60 seconds instead of two to seven seconds.

This is how most people are forced into hiring a personal injury attorney. The business that caused the accident will promise to pay the hospital or physician bills that are incurred due to the injury. Once the injured person has received the bills, they try to contact the business where they were hurt and no one returns their call, they decide they will not pay anything or they will not pay the full amount for the injury related bills. This is where the Myrtle Beach personal injury attorney steps in and makes sure that the injured person is compensated for their injury.

If you or someone you know has been injured due to someone else's negligence, please call The Mace Firm to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced South Carolina personal injury attorneys.

Continue reading " McDonald's Coffee Case " »

Bookmark and Share