About Steph Weber
Steph Weber is an award-winning journalist specializing in healthcare, business, and law. She has written for Physicians Practice, Medscape, and Rheumatology Network and created content for several other industry publications, companies, and colleges. As a frequent Super Lawyers contributor, she enjoys drilling down complex legal topics into bite-sized, actionable advice for readers and interviewing the nation’s leading attorney voices, highlighting their most memorable achievements and lessons learned. She lives in Northern Indiana.
Articles written by Steph Weber
Legal Tips for Michigan Commercial Liability Insurance
Small business owners pay substantial premiums for insurance coverage year after year. When a claim or lawsuit arises, they anticipate the policy and insurer will afford them reasonable protection. But they don’t know until they file a claim. Although commercial policies vary, general liability insurance typically covers bodily injury and property damage — the latter “not so much if you had a fire in the building, but if your employee went and damaged somebody else’s property and that …
California Business Dispute Resolution: Mediation vs. Arbitration
Settling business disputes can be costly, especially if the case ends up buried in time-consuming litigation. But for those who have reached an impasse with a vendor, manufacturer, or other commercial entity, alternative dispute resolution is an increasingly popular option. “If there’s a dispute, many times business contracts call for the executives to discuss it and try to resolve it,” says Zela Claiborne, a San Francisco-based attorney specializing in mediation and arbitration. “And …
What Is Considered a Personal Injury?
Personal injury is an act of physical harm or mental anguish caused by negligent conduct, intentional actions, professional malpractice, or reckless behavior. The injury victim, known as the plaintiff, files a personal injury lawsuit to show the defendant is liable for causing the injuries because they breached their duty of care and caused bodily injury or wrongful death. The plaintiff in a personal injury claim can get financial compensation to pay for their medical bills, property damage, …
How To Protect Your Most Valuable Assets in an Estate Plan
Misconceptions surrounding estate planning are plentiful: It’s only for those with substantial wealth; a will should suffice; preparations can wait until retirement. Some people also fall into the trap of doing nothing. “They believe they don’t have any options at all,” says Jeff R. Hawkins, an estate planning and probate attorney at Hawkins Elder Law in Sullivan. But with a range of tools at your disposal — wills, trusts, real estate deeds — it’s possible to preserve assets and …
When Is Different Treatment at Work Illegal Discrimination?
Disparate treatment at work is illegal discrimination under Title VII, and employees can meet the burden of proof to show that employment practices have a disparate impact. Employers have liability for adverse employment action taken against a protected class based on a discriminatory motive. Employees can report a hostile work environment to human resources or file an EEOC complaint for civil rights violations, including failure to provide reasonable accommodations. For wrongful termination or …
3 Essential Estate Planning Documents Everyone in Massachusetts Needs
Estate planning is about three things, says Deborah Manus, an estate and trust attorney at Nutter McClennen & Fish in Boston: “You, your stuff and your people. It creates a guide that helps others navigate what should happen if you’re not around.” Unfortunately, fewer than half of U.S. adults have one. “Pretty much everyone should have three documents,” says attorney Eric Correira, who specializes in estate planning and administration at Correira Law in Boston. A healthcare proxy …
What To Do if You're Targeted by Discrimination at Work
If you're targeted for workplace discrimination, make an internal complaint, file an EEOC charge, and get a right-to-sue letter for a hostile work environment claim. Employers cannot take adverse employment action against protected classes under Title VII, and workers should report to HR any employment discrimination. Employees facing workplace harassment or employer retaliation should preserve records and document evidence of wrongful termination. An employment attorney can file a constructive …
Why Do Life Insurance Policy Benefits Get Denied?
Life insurance policy benefits get denied because of material misrepresentations, policy lapse for premium nonpayment, medical nondisclosure, or fraudulent applications. Insurance covers accidental death, with excluded activity for death certificates tied to illegal acts or with suicide clauses. Claims during the contestability period are subject to policy rescission for missing documentation, age misstatements, or incomplete investigations. Life insurance may delay payouts because of a …
California Business Contracts: Clauses To Include for Safety
When a local bakery owner asked Daniel Blomgren to review a new commercial lease, a seemingly innocuous word caught his attention. “There was a section about a step up in rent, and it said ‘and’ instead of ‘or,’” says Blomgren, who represents entrepreneurs and small business owners at Coepio Legal in San Francisco. “I calculated the difference in cost over the course of the lease due to that one single word, and it was tens of thousands of dollars,” he says. “A bad …
From Southwestern Indiana to West Point
C. Erik Chickedantz spent the '60s in service to his countryWhen C. Erik Chickedantz arrived at the United States Military Academy at West Point in the summer of 1959—a long way from his small southwestern Indiana hometown of Washington—he began his “plebe year” with a grueling eight-week basic training session known as “Beast Barracks.” “It was very regimented. Reveille every morning at 0530, except on Sundays. A lot of military training,” recalls Chickedantz. “We’d march to classes and to the mess hall for three square meals. You …
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