| Volume 137 Number 1 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
The “statute of limitations” for a debt generally is four years after default. If you are sued after that, you can have the suit dismissed. Click here for more.
Sparkler safety tips to help keep kids safe
Glittery handheld sparklers are a staple at many Fourth of July gatherings, but even the innocent backyard sparkler can cause eye injuries and burns, experts warn. Children age 5 and younger are most at risk of sustaining injuries while holding sparklers, which can heat up to a blazing-hot 1,800 degrees. School-aged children suffer an estimated 1,900 fireworks-related burns and eye injuries per year during the weeks surrounding the Fourth of July -- and sparklers, statistics show, are the most frequent cause of fireworks injuries. Here are a few safety tips from the National Council on Fireworks Safety: never light more than one at a time; wear closed-toe shoes; closely supervise kids; consider using glow sticks instead; and watch a professional show.
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Your Money
Earn Frequent Flyer Miles for Refinancing Your Student Loans? You Bet! Members of JetBlue’s TrueBlue program can now earn one TrueBlue point for every $2 of student loan debt refinanced with SoFi. The offer, which caps at 50,000 points and is only available to new SoFi customers, was described by JetBlue as a first of its kind in the airline industry. But with record levels of student loan debt and millennials putting off travel in some cases because of that debt, this partnership addresses a growing market opportunity. The program doesn’t have a lot of hidden details. There are no blackout dates for using the miles earned through the refinancing offer, and no expiration date either. However, JetBlue’s route system is limited to the U.S., the Caribbean, and select destinations in Latin America, so you have to be in a major JetBlue city for this to make sense. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Arbitration clause unenforceable because it did not clearly notify customer she was waiving her right to pursue her claims in court. A New Jersey appellate court held that an arbitration provision, as with any contractual provision that provides for the surrendering of a constitutional or statutory right, must be sufficiently clear to a reasonable consumer and found that the provision at issue was not. The court stated, “an arbitration provision, as with any contractual provision that provides for the surrendering of a constitutional or statutory right, must be sufficiently clear to a reasonable consumer and found that the provision at issue was not.” Kernahan v. Home Warranty Admin. of Florida Inc. (N.J. 2017). Click here for more.