Blog

Everyone would agree that being seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident and having no insurance for damages, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, is a bad thing. Uninsured motorist insurance can be very beneficial in such situations.However, you may be surprised to learn is that simply having uninsured motorist coverage does not ensure a quick and easy payout of benefits to the injured party. To the contrary, as the circumstances presented in the recent case of Countryway Insurance Company v. United Financial Casualty Insurance Company illustrate, an injured person sometimes has to battle for the benefits to which he or she is entitled. Read More

By Nathan Vinson, attorney English, Lucas, Priest and Owsley, LLPAn interesting question popped up in social media during the 2016 Summer Olympics: will U.S. athletes taking home a medal be taxed on the value of it – particularly those who win the gold?News accounts have confirmed that yes, U.S. medal-winning athletes will be taxed, but not on the value of the medal itself. It’s the cash prize that comes with each medal that is taxed.Swimmer Michael Phelps, who has broken all kinds of records this year, may owe the government $55,000 in taxes for the cash prizes that go along with his five gold medals and one silver medal, reports USA Today. Each gold medal is accompanied by a check for $25,000, while each silver earns $15,000 and each bronze $10,000. If Phelps is taxed at the highest income tax rate of 39.6 percent, he would owe around $55,000, the newspaper reports. I checked the math, and yes, that’s about right.Ouch. Read More

The obvious defendant in a motor vehicle accident case is the person whose negligent driving caused the wreck. However, for a variety of reasons, it is possible that other defendants may be named in some lawsuits. In a fatal drunk driving accident, the plaintiff may want to sue those besides the driver who the plaintiff believes is partially responsible for the state of intoxication the driver was in.It is usually to the plaintiff's advantage to name as many potential defendants as possible in order to increase the chances of a settlement or judgment, especially if some defendants may be be uninsured, underinsured, or immune from suit. Read More

Employers should protect employees from Zika exposure Read More

By Nathan Vinson, Attorney English, Lucas, Priest and Owsley, LLPMost of us want to do the right thing when it comes to taxes.MOST of us. Or, perhaps we just don’t look good in orange.If we legitimately owe taxes on our income or an inheritance, we understand we have to pay. This is part of being an adult. (The boring, terrible part.)But it’s not as simple as writing a check to pay an invoice. Taxpayers, especially in Kentucky, are left to decipher the state’s tax laws and decide if it applies to their situation. More often than not, Kentucky tax laws are not black and white. Read More

Property owners and business operators owe certain duties to those who come onto their premises for a business or social purpose. A breach of this duty can potentially result in a finding of liability against the landowner and an award of damages in favor of an injured party. This is most commonly referred to as a "slip and fall" case, in which someone is injured because of property that isn't maintained, such as a cracked sidewalk or other similar issue.For this reason, it is increasingly common for would-be defendants to ask for a waiver of liability from those with whom they do business. It is up to the courts to determine whether such waivers are valid under the facts of an individual case. Read More

Lawsuits arising from negligent operation of a motor vehicle typically involve two drivers, each driving his or her own vehicle. Passengers in one or both vehicles may also be parties to the suit if they were injured in the collision. Sometimes, the case involves a pedestrian accident.Regardless of whether the person seeking to recover compensation following an automobile accident is a motorist, a passenger, or a pedestrian, the plaintiff has the burden of proving that the defendant was negligent. This means that he or she failed to act in a prudent manner, causing harm to the plaintiff. Read More

By Nathan Vinson, attorney English, Lucas, Priest and Owsley, LLPThis time of year is nice, isn’t it? It’s warm and pleasant out, and maybe a little bit more laid back at work. Tax time is behind you (yes!) and it’s not time to think about next year’s taxes.OR IS IT?Well, we hate to break it to you, but yeah, it is time to think about it NOW. It’s July. More than half of the year is gone. If you haven’t set up a good filing system for your receipts and other tax-related information, you need to – and soon. If you’ve got a giant pile of paperwork and receipts, hey, you’re not alone – but don’t let this linger. Read More

  Earlier this month, a jury in Pennsylvania delivered the largest verdict yet against the maker of Risperdal, an antipsychotic medication. A jury awarded a family $70 million as compensation for devastating drug side effects suffered by their son. According to media reports, this is the fifth such lawsuit… Read More

Do you know how much uninsured motorist coverage you have, or whether you have such coverage at all? One man thought that he had such coverage, but, as it turns out, uninsured motorist coverage was not part of his insurance plan with Allstate.In a case that went all the way to the state's highest court, the parties vehemently disagreed about the issue of coverage. Ultimately, the man lost his case in an appellate court opinion issued some 10 years after the automobile accident that led to the dispute. Read More