Personal Injury - Premises Liability - Slip & Fall Accidents

 Question: What is "premises liability" under Rhode Island (RI) law?

Answer: In Rhode Island, Premises liability pertains to the area of law, which attempts to hold a real estate owner or the person in possession of the real estate liable as a result of an accident causing injuries to a person who was using the property.

A premises liability case is a type of personal injury case. The broader term of Premises liability also encompasses "slip and fall" or "trip and fall" personal injury accidents. A premises liability claim typically involves the real estate owners or occupants failure to properly maintain the premises in a safe manner. It can also involve failure to fix an unreasonably dangerous conditions on the property of which they either knew or should have known about. This Rhode Island Law article should not be a substitute from seeking independent legal advice from a RI Personal Injury Lawyer.

The area of premises liability is not just limited to slip and fall but also includes: asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, lead paint exposure, dog bites, Inadequate security measures enabling assaults, Sidewalk or roadway defects, Poorly lit stair cases, falling debris, falling merchandise, or hanging hazards, carbon monoxide leaks, iced entrance ways, slippery or obstructed floors, electric shock due to exposed electric wiring.

What are the most frequently pursued Personal Injury / Premises Liability / Slip and Fall cases in Rhode Island (RI)?

Slip and fall, personal injury cases, are the most frequently filed types of premises liability lawsuits in RI. Many slip and fall accidents are caused by substances or foods such as water, liquids, foods, fruits, grapes, vegetables, condiments, salad, ice, slush and or oil located on the floor. The substance could be slippery or even sticky. Some slip and falls are caused by uneven surfaces, holes in the floor or defective conditions on the floor or stairs.

A RI "premises liability" personal injury case is not limited to only slip and fall cases but includes other personal injury claims such as dog bites and animal attacks, inadequate lighting, inadequate security, unsafe design or construction

Where do most slip and fall cases occur in Rhode Island.?

Slip and falls most frequently occur in restaurants, supermarkets, driveways, entranceways, porches, department stores, sidewalks, grocery stores, banks and hospitals. Any owner of property and certain occupiers of the property may be held liable for premises liability including but not limited to corporations, Limited Liability Company (LLC), partnerships, trusts, sole proprietorships, government entities such as cities, towns, or the state itself.

Many of the slip and fall cases are a result of food or liquid on the floor of a supermarket or restaurant. Slip and fall claims also can result from a landowner or occupier failing to take adequate steps to shovel snow, clear ice from an entranceway, remove ice from a sidewalk, driveway or parking lot.

If I slip and fall as a result of negligence of another person or entity who can be held responsible?

The Supreme Court of Rhode Island (RI) stated "[A] landowner has a duty to exercise reasonable care for the safety of persons reasonably expected to be on the premises, and that duty includes an obligation to protect against the risks of a dangerous condition existing on the premises, provided the landowner knows of, or by the exercise of reasonable care would have discovered, the dangerous condition. The burden of proving that sufficient evidence existed to show that the defendants knew or should have known of an unsafe condition on their premises is on the plaintiff." Lieberman v. Bliss-Doris Realty Associates

Children and the elderly are more likely to slip and fall. Is it more difficult for them to recover damages for their injuries, medical bills, and pain and suffering?

Answer: No, In Rhode Island you take the injured party as you find them. As far as liability is concerned, Rhode Island law does not differentiate solely based on age or pre-existing conditions. Even people who aggravate an existing injury have a right to compensation, if negligence can be proved.

Property owners owe everyone who lawfully comes upon the premises (with exceptions for trespasser) a duty of due care. Everyone with the exception of trespassers should expect that the premises is maintained reasonably in a relatively safe manner. So long as the injuries are caused by the negligence of a person or entity, the injured person has the right to seek damages.

Keep in mind, that if the injured person was acting carelessly or not paying proper attention and that contributed or partially caused the accident than there may be comparative fault involved. Comparative fault is described below property owner.

Also, keep in mind, that there are particular laws concerning children who trespass and are lured onto the property because of an attractive nuisance

What is comparative negligence in Rhode Island personal injury law?

Answer: Comparative negligence is the doctrine used in personal injury accidents in Rhode Island. Comparative negligence is a question of fact that a jury must determine. The jury must figure out what percent each party involved in the accident is at fault for the accident. In Rhode Island, even if an injured person is 99 percent at fault for an accident they are still eligible to obtain damages of 1 percent from the negligent landowner, corporation or person. You should contact a Rhode Island Personal injury lawyer / attorney to obtain an initial opinion as to whether or not there was comparative fault involved.

IPTV: How It Is Changing the Sports Broadcasting Industry

 

Watching your favorite sports event used to mean two things only: buying tickets to see the game live and waiting for it to be broadcast on television. Things have changed nowadays as sports fans now have a better option in the form of IPTV or Internet Protocol Television.

IPTV is a broadcasting method that makes use of Internet lines to deliver video feeds. It does not rely on a browser in order to function. Instead, an IPTV provider connects a decoder box to your television for you to be able to view videos. The videos are given to you online and in real-time. The only important requirement for you to enjoy IPTV service is a high-speed Internet connection (specifically high bandwidth broadband).

How IPTV Works

To receive IPTV content, you will need to have a set-top box or an IPTV box. This box is connected to your television source or Internet line/broadband. The box receives packets that it reassembles so that the video stream is decoded into an acceptable format.

The set-up box is like the menu or the basis for what a viewer wants. An "operator" gets content from producers and broadcasters and this is what is converted in to the IPTV video format.

A high-speed Internet connection is essential in making sure that the packets are received without disruption or delay.

What It Can Offer Sports Fans and Broadcasters

In the past, it was quite difficult to follow a game's progress if you are stuck in traffic or swamped with tons of paperwork in the office. Today, IPTV has made it possible for sports broadcasters to deliver games whenever and wherever. Viewers are given three options as to how they want the content given to them. Linear or Broadcast TV allows for live streaming of games and sports events. VoD or Video on Demand enables users to choose what they want to watch and how they want to watch it. They can pause, forward or rewind the video. This way, they're sure to catch every breathtaking moment of their favorite sports games. IPTV users can also choose to use their personal video recorders whenever there's a match or sports event that they want to record.

Here are other IPTV advantages that both sports fans and broadcasters can enjoy:

IPTV broadcasts are in high-definition so it's definitely a higher quality experience compared to traditional TV viewing technologies.

Unlike satellite TV, IPTV is not easily affected by storms and other similar weather disturbances. For sports broadcasters, this means uninterrupted delivery of sports events in the easiest way possible. For sports fans, this is equivalent to unparalleled excitement when watching their favorite sports events.

Greater interactivity compared to traditional broadcast TV means users can control what programs to watch and even when to watch them (via VoD).

Viewers are more into the program or game because of the interactivity feature. For instance: they can use their remote to vote for their favorite player of the game. IPTV gives them an opportunity to be part of the most important sports events.

Sports fans can use the camera selection feature when watching games or events. This offers a more personalized way of viewing videos.

For sports broadcasters, streaming live games, matches and events becomes easier and more convenient. IPTV also offers more opportunities for lesser known sports like kayaking and sculling to be exposed to the viewing public epl중계.

Sports teams and broadcasters can also use the medium for extra revenue and fan reach through advertising and promotions. Broadcasters can even dedicate one channel to a specific sport - like mountain biking or rugby. Football and sports stadiums in the UK now use IPTV to bring games to larger audiences when they happen and as they happen.

IPTV also works on smartphones, iPods and personal computers. Because of this, sports broadcasters are assured of wider exposure and fans get uninterrupted viewing of video content coming from different parts of the world.

Conclusion

Internet Protocol Television has made sports broadcasting more exciting. Sports broadcasters now have more options (in terms of creativity) in bringing their content to the public. It offers them more choices in getting and sustaining the attention of sports aficionados. It is the perfect choice of broadcasters in delivering live games to those who may not have the time or the means to buy tickets and watch the game personally. Best of all, IPTV presents a lot of opportunities for broadcasters to encourage people to embrace sports as a fan, a follower or as an aspiring athlete.

Your Local Bakery Is Where Cookies Are Made

Many kinds of cookies are being sold in stores and groceries across the country. There are a lot of brands to choose from that will make any person with a sweet tooth drool for more. On the shelves, there are commercial brands that are nicely packaged with all the great ingredients added. Choose chocolate chip, some with nuts, or others made of oatmeal. The options are practically limitless.

However, there are still those who prefer the sweet treats made in bakeries. Like it or not, there is really something great about freshly baked cookies that will keep you coming back for more. It could be the taste, the sight or even the smell. Whatever the reasons are, cookies that were just removed from the oven really do magical things.

Finding a local bakery is the best way to get a cookie fix. Imagine the cookies made commercially. It is baked on a large-scale basis. This means the quality of the ingredients as well the as process involved are commercial as well. What made this a not-so-good thing? It is the fact that it is mass produced or that it can be made with lots of preservatives in order to prolong shelf life. Also, commercially made cookies may have commercial grade selection of ingredients. Oftentimes, the quality of the ingredients is sacrificed in order to answer for the demand. In the end, the taste of the cookies may not be exactly what is expected. From the taste to the texture, the cookies become much less appealing to the taste of many cookie bakery.

This is the reason your local bakery get the most preference. Generally, a smaller neighborhood bakery concentrates on the taste and quality of the goodies that they offer to their customers. They do not produce cookies on a large scale. Instead, they bake just enough cookies for the day; estimating only how many cookies will be sold for the day. The next day will be a new batch of freshly-baked goodness to please anyone's palate. No one would dare to disagree with the fact that there is really a big difference on the way freshly made cookies smell and taste as compared to those bought in groceries. There are more flavors and the texture is definitely richer.

Moreover, many in some cases the local bakery makes cookies to answer for the special dietary needs of their customers. There are flourless cookies and sugar-free cookies, which are made fresh every day. They can be found in neighborhood bakeries and are created specifically for those who are diabetic or those with issues in digesting carbohydrates and other sugars.

The A-Z of Membrane Keyboards and Mechanical Keyboard

Introduction

Are you out in the market to buy a new keyboard? Do you use your computer only for personal purposes or just gaining information? Yes! Are you surprised about the topic regarding keyboards? The reason, you thought every keyboard is the same. Please note, there are many types of keyboards from brand manufacturers. However, many happen to be either a membrane keyboard or mechanical keyboard. To be honest, unless you are a game addict, there is no reason to get worried about this integral part of your computer. For the gamer, however, the keyboard is a valuable tool to take his/her gaming experience to the next level. For him/her, the keys should perform as per the typing speed enabling to deliver a superior performance. In this article, let us look at the differences between a membrane keyboard and mechanical keyboard.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Membrane Keyboards

A. Cost

Are you on a tight budget to buy a keyboard at the earliest? Then, unless you are a gamer, opt for the membrane keyboards. You can get the best models for a decent price than mechanical keyboards.

B. Preference

Gamers do not like these keyboards. If you work in a job that is a stickler for no-mistakes, then do not purchase the membrane boards. There are times, when in an emergency and fast typing, you may miss some alphabets. The reason, you will have to press the keys at an equal pace at all times.

C. Reliability

True, you may find many types of membrane keyboards in the market, but many models get manufactured from cheap parts. So, the inside parts may get loosened in quick time. So, the lifespan of a membrane keyboard is very less. A survey describes the number as 5 to 20 million key presses.

D. Replacement Parts

If any key gets worn out or damaged, you will have no option but to discard the keyboard. The reason, the individual parts are not held together. Another disadvantage, you will not be able to take off the key caps.

E. Easy to Carry

Their main composition is plastic and hence, less weight. You find more membrane keyboards in the market, because there are more manufacturers.

F. Sound

You can work like a dream. The keys do not make any sound during the typing process

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mechanical Keyboards

A. Cost

This keyboard, although with the same features, as a membrane keyboard will be more expensive. The reason, it contains metal parts.

B. Preference

A hard-core gamer will prefer only the mechanical keyboard. The reason, he/she is more likely to work on two or more keys at the same time.

C. Reliability

The life span can come to 10 to 15 years and a minimal lifetime of 50 million key presses. The mechanical keyboards can last a lifetime.

D. Replacement parts

The best advantage about the mechanical keyboard is they consist of individual parts. If a specific key swaps out of the keyboard, then it is possible to put the same to the original position, if you have soldering skills. This keyboard can be repaired in quick time. The cleaning process is also easy, and you can remove the key caps best 75 percent keyboard.

E. Move Around

They contain plastic and metal gears. So, they are a little heavier than membrane keyboards.

F. Sound

They make more sound during the working process. However, many data entry operators or gamers prefer this keyboard.

Conclusion

The above mentioned factors are quite a few to be considered before purchasing a keyboard. However, do always remember, a keyboard is the connection to the computer. So, from our side, we hope you purchase the best type as per your need.

Sathyanarayana B has done Masters and he is interested in writing articles on recent trends, pet care, martial arts, travel, word press themes, IT trends, herbal remedies, daily health tips, spirituality. In addition, he is also interested in Digital marketing, social media and content marketing.

What Is Design Thinking And Why Is It So Important?

 

You have been hearing the words design thinking everywhere of late. Design conventions, product workshops, design Meetups, in the boardroom, at the cafeteria - name any place of congregation of people, and it's abuzz with the term. This must have prompted you to look up the term on the web, which then led you to this page.

First things first - is not a new entrant in the long list of buzzwords that is either being used loosely by newbies or discussed fervently amongst product managers these days. Nor it's the property of designers. As a matter of fact, it has long been practiced by stalwarts of music, literature, science, engineering and business.

Then what's made design thinking so buzzworthy today? Why have some of the most iconic tech brands of our times - Google, Apple, Samsung - adopted design thinking approach? Why are some of the most elite institutions/universities in the world teaching the subject? Why are branding agencies making it mandatory for its design teams to adopt design thinking process?

Definition: Is an iterative process in which problem solvers strive to cognize the needs of users, contest their own assumptions, and redefine the problem at hand for the purpose of identifying myriad strategies and solutions that might not be obvious with their preliminary level of understanding.

To create robust products for the always-on user, it is essential that we understand his requirements. Design thinking enables companies and their design teams to observe and cultivate empathy for users. Being iterative in nature, it has designers questioning the problem, assumptions and results over and over again until a human-centered design led solution is arrived at, which is then prototyped and tested. If needed, the entire process is repeated until every stakeholder is convinced of the product's usability and marketability.

What are the steps involved in design thinking?

While every brand identity agency or web design agency has its own approach towards design thinking, the fact is that almost every approach is similar. In essence, there are 6 most pertinent steps of design thinking:

Researching and empathizing with users

Defining user needs, problems

Ideating for innovative solutions

Prototyping

Testing

Implementing

What are the benefits of design thinking?

It's holistic: Design thinking involves number of people from several departments. More the number of inputs from people with varying levels of expertise, more perspectives for tackling the problem at hand.

It's scientific: Requires analyzing how users engage with products and examining the conditions in which they will use the product. Design thinking also entails investigating ambiguous elements for unearthing innovative strategies.

It's non-linear: The 5 steps enlisted above needn't be sequential. The design team can use the results at each step to review and crystalise their suppositions, learnings, and results. This helps redefine the problem and open windows to new insights, which then can be used for arriving at alternatives.

It's for everybody: UX/UI agency, creative employees, freelancers, leaders - just about anyone who wishes to solve a greater range of problems Contextual Design.

It encourages testing: Lots and lots and lots of it. No harm has ever come a user centered design agency's way as a result of rethinking and testing over and over again.

Who is a design thinker?

Anyone who embodies the following characteristics can be a design thinker:

Concern for humans and the environment they operate in

Penchant for multi-functionality

Love for teamwork

Ability to visualize

Systemic vision

Prepared to use language as a tool

The take away

Design thinking is a problem solving, iterative process. It can not only be adopted by designers, but by anyone with a penchant for solving problems. It offers stakeholders the means for digging deeper for ways of enhancing user experience. At its heart is the intention to improve products by scrutinizing how users interact with them in different environments.

Social Media: Marketing Considerations for Small Business

 Social media marketing, will it deliver results for my business?

It's clear that social media has grown dramatically over the last few years and that with more than 800 million active users, the number of Facebook users is easily more than twice the size of the entire population of the United States!

Its growth has been astronomical and today, millions of people are posting more personal and business information online than ever before. It's happening at lightning speed with thousands of posts, tweets and uploads occurring every hour.

Recent research conducted by the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) commissioned by Sensis Pty Ltd (May 2011, p. 10) indicates, that "62% of Australian Internet users use a variety of social media sites, with many visiting every day and most at least a few times a week." It's no surprise that with the millions of prospective customers from all over the world using these sites, every day, that so many businesses have decided to include social media marketing into their marketing mix. However it also important to get an understanding of how these sites are being used and what's involved in maintaining or resourcing your business presence on these sites. Your online footprint can stick around for a long time so don't underestimate how this can affect the perception of your brand in the market place. Spend some time upfront thinking about whether social media is right for your business.

1. Seek first to understand - It is very important that you understand the fundamentals of how is social media actually works and how it's being used. What are people and businesses doing with social media? What gets them results? Some of you may be thinking, how do I do this? Perhaps you could consider trying it out for yourself by setting up a personal account, then testing some of the features, or get a trusted friend to show you their account and guide you through. Alternatively there are so many resources and 'how to' items online about social media, that you could run a search on Google or on YouTube on a particular topic of interest and watch the video tutorials to get informed.

2. Understand your purpose - What is your purpose is for using social media? What do you hope to achieve for your business by using it? It's really important that you identify your purpose for getting involved in social media (or any other marketing activity for that matter). You need to work out why you are taking part. What do you expect to achieve? Do you simply want to build brand awareness, engage with your customers or identify new sales opportunities? Remember to be realistic about what you believe you will be able to achieve.

3. If you decide to engage in social media, which sites are best for you? - With the plethora of social media sites available, which ones are best for your business? Think about where your target audience would socialize online, and think about the amount of time and resources you would realistically be able to commit to maintaining and administering your site presence. Which ones are right for you? You might find that some are a better fit than others.

4. Quality Content - If you decide that social media is right for your business, carefully consider the amount and quality of information you want to share in the online sphere. Remember it will probably stay there for a long time, so you need to make sure it accurate and reliable information that is valuable to your target audience. It has to be relevant, otherwise people will not read it.

There are a host of reasons for engaging in the social media community including:

It's cost-effective. Many accounts on various social media sites are free to set up.

Huge global audience.

Enables you to receive feedback in real-time and communicate with customers in real-time.

Provides your business with an additional marketing channel, to increase the awareness of your product, brand or organisation.

However social media does present some obstacles for businesses that need to be measured up:

Time and Resources - you must be willing to devote the time needed to come up with fresh new content. So it is important to consider whether you have the time and the resources to effectively manage your social media presence.

Handing over brand control - You hand over some of the control of your marketing efforts and effectively your brand to your target audience. They will have the ability to comment on posts or other content and you need to be prepared for both positive and negative comments. However even if you are not administering a company Facebook page, it's important to keep in mind that there is nothing to stop customers from posting comments on their own blogs or other public forums about your products and services.

Measuring ROI - The introduction of web tracking and analytics tools also brought with it the ability to more easily measure the success of certain online marketing and advertising campaigns. However the nature of social media means that you might not always be able to see the results of your campaign right away. Your social media efforts might allow your consumers to ask more questions or further engage with your brand or product, but like most other relationship building activities, it takes time to build brand loyalty and repeat sales, it is likely that your social media activities will not have an immediate impact on sales that can be easily measured, there may be a lag.

Social media, how is it being used?

When it comes to consumer adoption, the growth of social networking sites has been exponential, however as more research is being done regarding site usage and consumer behaviour, we begin to gain greater insights into the types of tasks and transactions people engage in when visiting social media sites. Interestingly, the top three reasons identified in the Sensis Social Media Report, for using a social networking site were:

1. To catch up with friends and family.

2. To share photographs and videos.

3. To co-ordinate parties and other shared activities.

The results of the Sensis Social Media report, Sensis Pty Ltd (May 2011, p. 18) were based on the responses of 490 telephone respondents located in Australia who identified themselves as using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. As we can see from these survey results, people are still predominately using many of these sites for the fundamental reason that they were created. I.e. To "socially" interact with their network of family, friends, or peer group. I am not suggesting that we ignore the fact that 15% of the respondents did indicate that they use social networking sites to find out about particular brands or businesses, or that there are some excellent case studies where successful social media campaigns have been launched using Facebook or Twitter, however I think it is important for us to keep things in perspective and understand that just like traditional types of marketing and advertising, social media marketing needs include the fundamental elements of any good campaign for it to be successful. We need to remember that many of the same rules apply online as they do offline Instagram panel.

Further research findings seem to suggest that it is still more typical for a consumer to look to a company website when making a purchasing decision, than on 'fan pages' and that a company website provides a more influential source of information. "It seems that only about a third of respondents admit that they are influenced in their purchasing decision by fan pages while almost half say they look to company websites instead."

It seems social media is here to stay, and that the Web 2.0 revolution and the Internet will continue to evolve, shaping the way we communicate and do business. There are clear indicators that consumers are now much more empowered to use the online sphere to voice their concerns, preferences and needs. This makes it increasingly important for businesses to figure out ways to respond to these evolving customer relationships in order to capture these markets and opportunities.

Are Calcium Citrate Supplements Better?

 Calcium citrate supplements have benefits of their own and in some cases they are better than calcium carbonate supplements. However, a great majority of calcium tablets available on the market are products made of calcium carbonate, especially coral calcium which comes under this category and is gaining widespread popularity nowadays.

Choosing the right calcium supplement depends on your age and recommended dietary allowance. Calcium citrate is an acidic form of calcium, and therefore it has a better absorption rate. However, calcium citrate supplements normally provide much less amounts of calcium when measured in milligrams than other kinds of calcium compounds. Since calcium is used to reduce acidity in the stomach, people who are already suffering from an acidic stomach should avoid calcium citrate at all costs.

Calcium carbonate, on the other hand, is ideal to be taken after meals since it reduces acidity and helps in proper digestion of food. When measured in milligrams, capsules or tablets containing calcium carbonate provide more elementary calcium than calcium citrate supplements. If you think your everyday diet is not sufficient to fulfill calcium RDA then you should buy calcium carbonate supplements easily available for purchase.

High levels of calcium in the blood are just as much dangerous as low levels. Therefore, don't consume more than 2000 mg of calcium daily, either through food or through supplements. A good alternative to calcium citrate supplements is provided by tablets made from coral calcium. This kind of calcium is better absorbed than normal calcium carbonate and can be taken with other vitamin and mineral supplements.

The amount of calcium absorbed by the blood depends on many other factors including age, level of vitamin D in the blood and pregnancy. Caffeine, alcohol and a protein-rich diet can reduce calcium absorption. Similarly, sodium is responsible for calcium loss through urine best calcium tablets.

If you intake calcium citrate supplements, you have to take more tablets to receive the same amount of calcium as you would receive from a coral calcium tablet. Fortified-orange juice and cereals make use of calcium citrate to increase their nutritional value. Calcium absorption is also affected by the time at which you consume the tablets. Normally, it is recommended to take calcium pills right after meals. And it is also useful to go for a walk after a meal or exercise on a regular basis if you want to reduce calcium loss.

For optimal bone health, we have been using a special natural calcium formula and for good reason, this formula is known as Bone Protect