Binghamton Law Blog: Covering Topics from Personal Injury to Estate Planning Law

Some regard electric scooters as the solution to traffic problems in New York City, and while some city council members brush off the safety concerns, others predict that novice riders will be tempted to take dangerous risks. They believe that many riders will not be able to prevent injuries. A study in another state found that the chances of fatalities on electric scooters are six times higher than in car accidents.

Reportedly, two riders of privately owned scooters lost their lives in Brooklyn in 2018, and another fatal accident on an e-scooter happened in the Bronx. Cities where e-scooters are legally operated by rental companies like Bird and Lime Bike report rising numbers of injuries and fatalities. One city reported that a local intensive care unit treated at least five scooter riders per month, and some of the victims suffered traumatic brain injuries that were life-altering.

With many marriages in New York and other states ending in divorce, it is only natural for parents to want to protect their children's inheritances from being subject to property division in a divorce settlement. Some parents find that establishing trusts is the most appropriate way to do this. Including a trust in estate planning can provide peace of mind to a parent who wants his or her child to have something on which to fall back if the marriage should end.

New York is an equitable distribution state in which each property is divided in a fair way if the couple should divorce, but each spouse is entitled to his or her separate property such as property acquired before the marriage or an inheritance. However, if inheritance funds are combined with the jointly-owned assets of the couple, it becomes marital property that will be subject to division. This happens when inheritance is used to fund payments on a car, a house or if it is deposited into a joint bank account.

The surviving family members of a woman who died after receiving silicone injections in a butt-lift procedure in New York might have grounds to file a civil lawsuit against the person who performed the procedure. The medical examiner linked this death to silicone injections that caused cardiac arrest. Proof of medical malpractice will not be difficult to show in this case because the unlicensed doctor was convicted on two previous occasions for the unlicensed practicing of the medical profession.

Reportedly, the butt-lift procedure took place at the Bronx home of the unlicensed woman. Police responded to a call to this address last June where they found the patient in cardiac arrest. She was rushed to a hospital, but an embolism caused her death soon after her arrival. The silicone was injected into her thighs and buttocks.

Farmers in the Binghamton, New York, area may be considering the many years of hard work they put in and how they would deal with passing their legacies on to their successors. Transferring ownership, sharing management and control, and dividing assets require more than drafting wills and sitting back. The dynamics of each family who is involved in an agricultural business are unique, and looking at succession goals without emotion might be challenging.

Different family members and even in-laws often form part of an agricultural enterprise, making family meetings essential. Matters to discuss will include the roles and responsibilities of each person during the transition. It is also crucial to evaluate and prepare the leadership of the next generation. The successful continuance of a legacy often depends on the quality of the communication between all parties.