In the recent Pennsylvania case of Bardine v. Bardine, a husband and wife entered into a marital settlement agreement to divide their assets. They agreed to split evenly the monthly distribution payments out of the husband’s pension, which they thought would be $788 per month. A written marriage settlement agreement was signed and [...]
Pennsylvania law has rules that must be followed before anyone enters a safe deposit box upon the death of an owner of the box. Even spouses and joint owners of the box must follow these procedures. A safe deposit box may be entered to remove a Will or burial instructions, but a bank [...]
Anne Murphy worked as a firefighter for the City of Pittsburgh for 16 years. In 2004, she was diagnosed with cancer and had to leave her job. In June 2011, Pennsylvania Act 46 was passed. Under Act 46, if a firefighter worked at least 4 continuous years, was exposed to certain carcinogens during [...]
One of the most important legal documents that a person can create is a Last Will and Testament. If a person dies without a Will, the state law decides how your property gets distributed. For example, if you die without a Will in Pennsylvania and you have a living spouse and children, then [...]
Eric Gardner was employed by DelVal Staffing Agency, which assigned him to work as a food packer at MIA Products Company. Gardner encountered a slippery spot while removing food from a freezer and fell, sustaining injuries. Gardner received workers’ compensation benefits from DelVal and also filed a negligence lawsuit against MIA. MIA argued [...]
If you own real or tangible personal property in Pennsylvania at the time of your death, you may owe Pennsylvania inheritance tax. This applies to both Pennsylvania residents and to nonresidents who own property in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania imposes an inheritance tax on the value of the assets owned by the decedent located in [...]
The Pennsylvania Superior Court recently issued a decision in the case of Straw v. Fair, which arose from a May 1, 2012 accident in which Thomas Straw was driving a vehicle along Route 28 near Pittsburgh, with his wife and two minor children as passengers. The front hood latch on the vehicle malfunctioned, [...]
A Bill introduced by Senator Don White regarding who has legal standing in a custody action was signed into law on May 4, 2018 (Act 21 of 2018) and becomes effective July 4, 2018. “Standing” is the legal requirement that determines which parties can be in the courtroom pursuing custody of a child. [...]
Anthony Vella was injured in a car accident caused by Carol Hopkins. Both Vella and Hopkins were insured by State Farm. Vella asserted claims against Hopkins for causing the accident and also filed a claim under his own Underinsured Motorist (“UIM”) policy with State Farm. A Pennsylvania driver can buy UIM coverage to [...]
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently held that a consumer who lived outside Pennsylvania was entitled to the protections of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (“UTPCPL”). The plaintiff in Danganan v. Guardian Protection Services lived in Washington, D.C. and purchased a security system for his home from a Pennsylvania-based company. After [...]
