The Carmack Amendment is a federal law that regulates the interstate transportation of goods. It provides a framework, and exclusive cause of action, for determining liability for loss or damage to goods during transit and sets forth procedures for filing claims against carriers.

As a broker, it is important to understand the provisions of the Carmack Amendment and how they impact your business. Here are some key things to keep in mind:

1. Liability for Loss or Damage

Under the Carmack Amendment, carriers are generally liable for loss or damage to goods that occur during transit. However, this liability is not absolute and is subject to certain limitations.

2. Filing Claims

If goods are lost or damaged during transit, shippers or their brokers must file a claim with the carrier within a specified time period. Failure to do so can result in the loss of the right to recover damages.

3. Defenses to Liability

Carriers can assert certain defenses to liability under the Carmack Amendment, such as the “act of God” defense. However, carriers must prove that the loss or damage was caused by an event beyond their control and not the result of their own negligence.

4. Limitation of Liability

Carriers can limit their liability for loss or damage to goods by including provisions in their contracts with shippers. These provisions must be written and agreed to by both parties in advance.

5. Insurance Requirements

Brokers should ensure that carriers have adequate insurance coverage for the goods they are transporting. This can help protect against losses that exceed the carrier’s liability under the Carmack Amendment.

In conclusion, the Carmack Amendment is an important federal law that brokers must be familiar with. Understanding the provisions of the Carmack Amendment can help brokers protect their clients’ goods and ensure that they are adequately compensated in the event of loss or damage during transit. If you have questions about the Carmack Amendment or need assistance with a transportation-related matter, consult with an experienced transportation law attorney who can provide guidance and assistance.

In the realm of personal finance, trust is paramount. When seeking the expertise of a financial planner to guide them through the labyrinth of investment decisions, retirement planning, and wealth management, individuals naturally expect their chosen advisor to act in their best interests. However, not all financial planners are bound by the fiduciary duty to prioritize their clients’ needs above their own.

The Fiduciary Standard: A Pledge of Loyalty:
At its core, the fiduciary standard is a commitment to act in the best interests of a client, even when those interests conflict with those of the financial planner. Fiduciaries are legally obligated to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, to provide unbiased advice, and to ensure that any recommendations they make are rooted in the client’s unique needs and goals.

In contrast, non-fiduciary financial planners operate under a less stringent “suitability standard,” which simply requires that their recommendations be suitable but not necessarily the most optimal choice.

Non-Fiduciary Financial Planning: When working with a financial planner who do not adhere to the fiduciary standard, clients face a variety of risks, which may include:

1. Conflicts of Interest: Non-fiduciary financial planners may be motivated by commissions or other incentives that can influence their recommendations. As a result, clients may be steered toward investment products that generate higher profits for the planner, rather than those that are truly in the client’s best interests.
2. Lack of Transparency: Without the fiduciary duty to disclose potential conflicts of interest, clients may be left in the dark about the true motivations behind their financial planner’s recommendations. This lack of transparency can hinder informed decision-making and erode trust in the advisor-client relationship.
3. Suboptimal Financial Advice: Under the suitability standard, non-fiduciary financial planners are not required to provide the most advantageous advice for their clients. Consequently, clients may receive guidance that, while suitable, is not the most effective strategy for achieving their financial goals.
4. Increased Costs: When financial planners prioritize their own financial gain over the best interests of their clients, clients may be saddled with hidden fees, higher expense ratios, or costly investment products that do not align with their objectives.
5. Erosion of Trust: Engaging with a financial planner who does not adhere to the fiduciary standard can undermine the foundation of trust upon which the advisor-client relationship is built. This erosion of trust can lead to uncertainty and unease, ultimately detracting from the client’s overall financial well-being.

When seeking guidance in the realm of personal finance, individuals are best served by financial planners who pledge to act in their best interests. By insisting on a fiduciary commitment, clients can protect themselves from the potential pitfalls associated with non-fiduciary financial planning and enjoy a more secure, transparent, and trusting relationship with their advisor. The value of requesting that your financial advisor is a pledges to be your fiduciary cannot be overstated.

The Americans with Disability Act is an important piece of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination based on a disability. There have been serval amendments of the ADA, and Michigan has its own civil rights legislation that also provides protections for disability and other classes.

Title I — Employment
In an employment setting, disabled persons may face discrimination over the type of disability they have as well as with their ability to have a service animal. The ADA, Elliot-Larson Civil Rights Act of Michigan, and the Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act, and others offer protection over disabled employees (with certain exceptions).

Here are few short questions that may settle some questions for employers as well as employees. Our answers are generalities as there are numerous exceptions and procedures; for example the CFR is constantly evolving and implements the statutes in a more digestible fashion.

May an employer ask whether or not I am disabled before a job offer has been made?
No, but an employer can ask whether or not you can perform the duties of your job with or without a reasonable accommodation (see 42 USC 12112(d)(2))

May an employer ask whether or not I am disabled AFTER a conditional job offer has been made?
Yes, provided all entering employees are subject to such an examination (see 42 USC 12112(d)(3)).

May an employer ask job related inquiries as to the nature of a disability?
Yes, provided such inquiries are shown to be job related and consistent with business necessity (see 42 USC 12112(d)(4)).

What is a reasonable accommodation?
The term reasonable accommodation generally includes making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities; and job restructuring, acquisition or modification of equipment, and other accommodations for individuals with disabilities (see full definition at 42 USC 12111(9)); the general caveat to reasonable accommodation comes down to whether or not there is an undue hardship on the employer (see 42 USC 12111(10) and 12112(b)). And where such action would otherwise be discrimination by an employer for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation (see 42 USC 12112(b)(5)).

When do I need to tell an employer I am disabled?
If you believe you need a reasonable accommodation (during the application process or for your employment), it is generally on the employee to tell the employer of your physical or mental limitations (see 42 USC 12112(b)(4) and (5)), it may be sufficient to say categorical disabilities such as “anxiety disorder” or “mobility disability”  if you do not want to tell your employer about your specific disability.

However, when the disability or accommodation is not an obvious one, the employer may ask the disabled person for reasonable documentation about their disability and functional limitations (see  29 C.F.R. pt. 1630 app. 1630.9 (1997); see also EEOC Enforcement Guidance).

After requesting a reasonable accommodation what may an employer ask about my disability?
The employer is entitled to know that you have a covered disability for which you need a reasonable accommodation. Your employer may ask for your specific and reasonable accommodation in writing and to generally describe your condition and how it affects your work, but may not refuse your initial request. Without making such a request the employer wouldn’t know what accommodation you need to be able to perform your job and whether or not they can assess if such accommodation is an undue burden. It may be an option to have the health care provider write a letter containing what accommodation is being requested, particularly if the disability is one you do not want disclosed.

Reasonable documentation means that the employer may require only the documentation that is needed to establish that you have an ADA disability, and that the disability necessitates a reasonable accommodation. You may be asked to sign a limited release allowing the employer to submit a list of specific questions to the health care or vocational professional. See Enforcement Guidance: Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Alternatively, an employer may simply discuss with you the nature of your disability to verify the existence of an ADA disability and the need for a reasonable accommodation.

Is a reasonable accommodation ever an animal?
It is important to identify Title I from Title III. While Title III defines service animals (and creates a right), Title I does not. Therefore, an employer must assess whether or not the animal is a reasonable accommodation, and subsequently whether or not it is an undue burden.

What is the penalty for first offense drunk driving? Amongst other penalties and consequences (employment, public scrutiny, etc.) for an OWI, you may see jail time (0 to 30 days minimum) imposed in consecutively more harsh minimums for each subsequent offense.

Michigan’s limit for citation of an operating while intoxicated (OWI) driving under the influence  (DUI) is (a) a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater or (b) any amount of a controlled substance in your body. Furthermore, if you are operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs you may be charged with an OWI or other related crime. This extends to operating while visibly impaired if, from an observer, you are driving with less ability than a ordinary, careful and prudent driver would be driving.

Are there consequences for refusing to take a breathalyzer in Michigan? Yes, you could be penalized with a year or more of suspended license.

A DUI in Michigan is a serious matter that will potentially follow you for the rest of your life, it is important that every defendant hires an attorney; the difference can impact your life long earning potential, employment, friends and family. Criminal Defense Attorneys who can help.

In Michigan, property lines may be adjusted through various means, one of the most common is adverse possession. Which in essence involves one party actively working to take land from another, usually as neighbors. Often times this is done through real hostility and aggressive behavior. And that ends up deterring a more reasonable and less confrontational neighbor from telling their neighbor they believe their neighbor is trespassing and to stop, solidifying the adverse possession attempt after the statute of limitations have run.

Adverse possession is real, happens every day, and is the legally binding end result of a boundary dispute ignored by one party. Adverse possession can have serious consequences with the mortgage, taxes, and other ordinances, if you suspect your neighbor is attempting an adverse possession or you have a boundary line dispute contact an attorney immediately.