Auto Insurance: what’s the best protection for you and your family?
By: Stephen P. Lagoy You and your family are at risk from automobile-related injuries if you don’t have both full tort and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages at the maximum permissible levels under your policy. Many people decline these coverages because they believe that, by doing so, they will reduce the cost of their automobile insurance. …
Bidding on a Pennsylvania State Agency Contract? What you need to know.
Are you bidding (or contemplating bidding) on state agency contracts? Do you know when a bidder on a construction contract can file a bid protest? Recent court decisions raise questions about when a bidder on a construction contract with a Pennsylvania state agency can file a bid protest. Prospective bidders who wish to challenge the …
Arbitration Clauses in Investor Agreements
What does an arbitration clause mean to me? Most, if not all, customer account forms used by brokerage houses contain arbitration clauses. An arbitration clause is a commonly used clause in a contract that requires the parties to resolve their disputes through an arbitration process. Although such a clause may or may not specify that …
My Investments are Depreciating: Do I Have a Claim?
The fact that your investment has decreased in value or that you, like millions of others, have lost money does not automatically mean that your broker or brokerage firm has engaged in actionable misconduct. Almost all investments involve risk and there is no bailout when you lose money in risk appropriate investments. However, if your …
Why Mediation?
By: Stephen P. Lagoy Mediation may be defined most simply as facilitated negotiation. Unlike litigation and arbitration, mediation does NOT involve a decision maker nor are there formal proofs or arguments. Its goals include avoiding or breaking impasses, diffusing controversy, and encouraging parties to generate settlement options. These goals are foreign to the adversarial …
A Residential Real Estate "For Sale by Owner" caution
In this difficult real estate market selling a home without using a realtor or attorney may seem like a good idea. The money saved, however, can easily be paid out in legal fees and damages if a seller fails to comply with certain statutory duties. Did you know that in Pennsylvania, residential real estate sales …
Builder Clients ALERT
Update on coverage for claims involving faulty workmanship under commercial general liability policies On December 30, 2008, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied the Petition for Allowance of Appeal from the Order of the Pennsylvania Superior Court in the case of Millers Capital Ins. Co. v. Gambone Bros. Dev. Co., 941 A.2d 706 (Pa. Super. 2007). …
New FMLA Regulations effective January 16, 2009
The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has published a final rule that became effective January 16, 2009, which is available at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/finalrule.htm. This rule updates the Family and Medical Leave Act regulations. For more information about how the new regulations may effect you, please contact our office.
Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees – Litigation
Welcome to the Litigation Section’s blog. Our firm is located in West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania. This blog is intended to provide a litigator’s perspective on a wide range of specific legal issues, along with commentary on emerging legal trends. The content is intended to be useful to individuals and …