Archive for 'By Ruben Ortiz' Category
Jun 12, 2013

Deep in the heart of Texas, countless bikers enjoy riding wild and free on vast expanses of picturesque roads. Unfortunately, the joy of riding is too often tainted by the news that a fellow biker has suffered a devastating injury or has been killed due to the negligence of a reckless driver. Thankfully, the rate […]

May 30, 2013

Five years ago, Congress amended the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In so doing, it effectively expanded the rights of pregnant women in the workplace. In particular, Congress clarified that disability protections extend to pregnancy-related impairments. Unfortunately, the passage of this amendment has not effectively ended pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. When disabled persons are […]

Apr 26, 2013

When humans become suddenly and overwhelmingly afraid, their biology introduces a fight or flight response into their bodies. Whether it is best to flee or fight is dependent upon the particulars of the frightening situation. Two years ago, Texas lawmakers passed legislation designed to inspire frightened underage drinking buddies to call the police rather than […]

Apr 3, 2013

Over the past few years, the media has paid increasingly close attention to the presence of hazardous, toxic and defective consumer products available in the marketplace. Despite heightened legal consequences for marketing dangerous products and increased enforcement of product safety laws, defective and dangerous consumer products seem to be abundantly available for purchase. Unfortunately, it […]

Feb 28, 2013

Anyone can experience discrimination and hostile conditions in the workplace. However, some workers tend to become targets more frequently than others. The law recognizes several protected classes, specifically because these individuals tend to experience greater rates of discrimination and unfair treatment. These protected classes include gender, race, national origin, and religious affiliation. One group that […]

Jan 16, 2013

The New York Times recently profiled an approach of one trial judge that is slowly being adopted by more and more members of the bench. This particular judge was frustrated that those appearing before him with convictions for drug crimes tended to end up right back in his courtroom after a period of time. Rather […]

Oct 26, 2012

Rollover accidents are the number one motor vehicle accident-related killer of drivers and occupants of SUVs, trucks and mini vans. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 10,000 lives are lost in the 280,000 rollover accidents reported each year. Rollover accidents often eject occupants from their vehicle, which contributes to the high rate […]

Sep 13, 2012

By now, most people are aware of the dangers of distracted driving, and there are substantial national and local efforts aimed at eliminating it. In fact, in 2010, the El Paso city council passed a law banning talking or texting on a cellphone, and El Paso is currently the only city in Texas with a […]

Sep 1, 2012

New crash avoidance technology is supposed to reduce car accidents. A recent study by the Highway Loss Data Institute praises some of that technology for its effectiveness and criticizes others. Some of the technology that has been found effective in the reduction of the number of car accidents is forward collision warning systems and adaptive […]

Jul 13, 2012

There is nothing more tragic than hearing or reading in the news about a child drowning, especially when so many of these deaths are preventable. Owners of swimming pools or spas can install and maintain certain safety equipment thus saving the lives of those young children who are most at risk for drowning. In states […]