2011 Community Association Legislative Update
A number of bills were introduced in the Minnesota legislature in the 2011 session that impact community associations. Those that were enacted into law (effective August 1, 2011) include some technical amendments to the Minnesota Common Interest Ownership Act (“MCIOA”) to clarify some of the amendments that were made in 2010 and a provision specifically […]
Construction industry found to have the highest number of traumatic brain injuries
When someone describes a traumatic brain injury (TBI), most people think of athletes such as those in the NFL or baseball players like Justin Morneau. Thankfully, gone are the days when concussions were seen as minor annoyances and kudos were given to athletes who immediately got back in the game. Unfortunately, much of the media […]
Maximizing your automobile insurance coverage
One of the most common problems individuals face is insufficient automobile insurance coverage. This is because people often believe that “full insurance coverage” is enough coverage. Minnesota law requires that we all buy no-fault, liability, underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage. But, what does this mean and how much should you have to protect you and […]
Not So Boilerplate
Business contracts usually contain a “Miscellaneous” or “General” section at the end of the document. The provisions under such a section are often viewed as boilerplate. However, such provisions can dramatically affect business terms and associated risks. Typically, the focus is appropriately on pricing, timing and manner of payment, delivery dates, warranties, liability considerations and […]
Considerations for your company’s privacy and social media policies
In the United States, companies are still primarily under a “self-regulation” model when it comes to privacy considerations. There are exceptions for regulated entities (i.e. financial institutions subject to Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and healthcare providers subject to the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) which must follow statutory based regulations on the development of privacy and […]
Considerations for home construction contractors handling insurance work
The Departments of Commerce and Labor and Industry published Bulletin 2010-4 (the Bulletin) in 2010 to address complaints of consumers and the insurance industry regarding perceived abusive practices being done by building contractors. In particular, consumers were concerned about contract language that required payment even if the homeowner did not pick that contractor to do […]