To protect citizens and maintain order within the state, legislators revisit old laws and create new ones. A number of new Kentucky law changes are coming in 2020. As a resident of the state, it’s important to be aware of the changes so you have an idea of how they could impact you.

The Law Office of Todd W. Burris knows about these new law changes and we’re here to share the information with you. While it’s likely you’ll hear about more laws as the year progresses, the ones we’ll discuss here involve the tobacco purchase age limit, vision requirements for drivers, and updates to the ignition interlock device system.

The winter months are notoriously treacherous for drivers on the road. But there are constant cycles of people taking care of it. Snow plows clear the roads and salt trucks help melt the ice. When people are walking outside, the sidewalks and parking lots they need to get through may be slippery with ice and cause them to fall to the ground, resulting in an injury. If you or a loved one has suffered from a slip and fall injury, a premises liability lawyer can stand at your side and fight for you to get compensation.

Parking lots can be hard to navigate, especially during the holiday season. Not only are they packed with cars, but there’s also people walking with children and carts, and they’re probably not paying attention to cars because they have other things on their minds, like their shopping lists.

Whether you’re trying to get into or leave a spot, things can get serious very quickly when an accident occurs. Low speed accidents can be dangerous and cause serious injuries, especially when a pedestrian is involved. Thankfully, most parking lot accidents are not serious and go unreported, but they still happen.

Kentucky has some of the most dangerous roads in the country. In 2017, there were 22,846 people injured in traffic accidents and 664 were killed, according to a report by the Kentucky State Police. The report also stated that compared to the national average, the roadway death rate of our state is slightly higher. The cause could be road hazards that are common in our state. Keep reading to find out what might be causing so many car accidents.

Deer and other animals

Animals are dangerous obstacles on rural roads. As the state with the seventh highest rural road fatality rate, Kentucky back roads have plenty of animals to look out for.  In 2017, there were over 6,000 collisions involving deer and other animals in Kentucky. Most collisions were not fatal, but they still prove to be a road hazard to be aware of.

Drunk driving takes countless lives every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 million people were arrested for driving under the influence in 2016. But the number of drivers who reported they drove while drunk was much higher at 111 million. That means that under 1% of drivers were arrested when they drove drunk.

The problem here is that so many people are driving under the influence, but very few are actually getting reprimanded for their dangerous actions. Police officers can only be in so many places at once. So what is to stop all these people from driving drunk, even though they clearly know that it’s wrong?

As the number of residents in nursing homes rise, the amount of staff either stays the same or lessens. This makes it nearly impossible for you or your loved one to get proper care in a long-term facility. Even though you expect all basic needs to be met, that’s not always the case.

Nursing home staff has a hard enough time meeting the minimum of basic needs for all patients, and dental hygiene can be no different. Other parts of care are prioritized above oral care, which leaves many teeth unbrushed and unattended.

Falls in nursing homes are a frequent problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported as many as 20% of nursing home falls resulted in serious injuries, up to 6% caused fractures. In the same report, the CDC estimated 3 million people 65 and older will live in nursing homes by 2030. By those numbers, at least 600,000 will be seriously injured by falls in a nursing home in the future. A resident will fall on average 3 times per year, including people who cannot walk. We put our trust in long-term care facilities to take care of our loved ones, so why are there so many falls?

In the wake of an auto accident, there’s a number of things to consider when it comes to guessing how long it may take for you to recover—the severity of your injuries, the costs of paying them, and when you’re going to be able to get back to work. One major item may not be at the forefront of your mind, but it’s also an important factor—your car. Did it sustain significant or minor damage? How has it been damaged and what can you do about it? In some cases, the car is damaged beyond the point where it would make financial sense to fix it. When this happens, the insurance company will say the car is totaled.

This decision has advantages and disadvantages for you. You may have been hoping for the car to be totaled. This way, you don’t have to get the car repaired and then drive a car that’s underwent major work. However, sometimes you may not want the car to be totaled for a number of reasons. Buying a new car may not be a viable option for you. There’s also the possibility that you just don’t want to get a new car and would rather repair your vehicle.

When you’ve been in an accident and you decide to file a claim with your insurance company, you’ll need to provide strong evidence that connects your injuries and losses to the incident. At some point in time, the insurance adjuster may ask for documentation about your injuries and medical treatment. One of the documents you could be requested to sign is called a medical authorization form. In general, a medical authorization form will give the adjuster access to your medical records.

It’s important to understand what a medical authorization for is, what your insurance company will do with it, what they will see, and how they will use that information in regard to your claim before you sign anything. Speaking with a lawyer is always a good idea before signing any official documentation from your insurance company, so you don’t run into trouble later. Let’s go over the ins and outs of medical authorization forms and how they could affect your chances of receiving the compensation you need to recover from your accident.

It’s no secret that understaffing in nursing homes is a serious issue in the United States. Understaffing happens for a number of reasons, including a high employee turnover rate and facilities trying to save money. There, however, is never any reason that excuses poor care. If your loved one’s nursing home facility is understaffed, there are steps you can take to ensure they receive the care they need.