Technology

Apple recently caught up to Google and Facebook in the ever growing need to find a way to protect digital assets and accounts after an individual passes away.  Now, thanks to the new update to Apple’s iOS 15.2, you designate up to five people as Legacy Contacts who can access the data and personal information stored in your iCloud account.  Until this new feature, when a loved one or family member passed away, it was very difficult to access their digital information locked away in their iPhone or other Apple products, unless your loved one knew their passcode.  This is a great feature that Google and Facebook had already offered which can really help protect your digital assets as well as keep safe old messages, photos, videos, and other media that may hold invaluable sentimental worth to your family.

It is amazing to think about how far technology in automobiles has come over the years.  It may seem like ancient history, but there was a time when there was no way to make a telephone call while driving.  Then technology brought us large corded phones that you could pull out of little portable suitcases that could be carried into the car.  Now we keep our mobile device in our pocket and makes calls using our vehicle's operating system.  Automobiles now have lane departure detection technology, GPS tracking, cameras at all angles to assist with parking, and some vehicles can even operate the car for you.
Read more . . .

Online and digital profiles and currency have only increased in popularity over the past decade and will likely do so for the foreseeable future.  Cash is being replaced by PayPal, Venmo, and BitCoins; the phone book has been replaced by Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor; and bank and financial institutions send bills and statements through e-mail as opposed to regular mail.  While all of these technological innovations have their benefits, there is still the lingering question of what happens to your digital estate after you have passed away.  A recent Massachusetts case has analyzed a personal representative's authority to obtain access to the contents of a decedent's email and digital assets without express instructions from the decedent.

On August 10, 2006, John Ajemian passed away unexpectedly leaving no will.
Read more . . .

Technological advances are one of the most exciting and innovative aspects of our times.  Whether it be the new features on the latest Android or iPhone or high definition drones capturing memorable moments in the sky, advances in technology are happening at more and more rapid pace.  But can the law keep up with technology?

Drones are heavily regulated but these regulations are both not well known to the public and not always followed.  There have been reported personal injury claims associated with drones from defective drone equipment and drone operator negligence.  Sometimes it is not clear which was the cause of someone's injury (and considering how frequently drones are being used at large public events, the risk of injury is only getting higher and higher).
Read more . . .

If you have spent anytime driving on the highways of Rhode Island recently, you will have noticed the signs that on June 1, 2018, drivers in Rhode Island will need to put their phones down.  If not, drivers will face a one hundred dollar fine - each time they are caught.

Rhode Island state police have suggested that the dangers of distracted driving are the same as the dangers of drunk driving.  That is why beginning on June 1st, the police will be looking to pull over anyone holding their phone while they are talking and driving.  Drivers will be allowed to use the phone only with a hands-free devices, like a mount inside the car or a Bluetooth.

It is estimated that three-fourths of all adults who use the internet are on Facebook (roughly 58% of the population in the United States).  Only a small fraction of those people have made arrangements for what happens to their Facebook profile after they die.  Some people may not be concerned with how, or if, their Facebook profile lives on after they die, but what about other digital assets?

In today's world, many people have digital currency, such as an account with PayPal.  Many people have stored Amazon gift cards that can amass hundreds of dollars.  Unless someone gains access to your password after you die (and hopefully that someone is someone you would want to have access to your password), this money can be lost in cyberspace and not passed on to your loved ones.
Read more . . .

We all know what a breathalyzer is.  We all know what it means if a person fails a breathalyzer.  We all know the consequences if someone fails a breathalyzer following an autmobile accident.    What not everyone knows is that a similar device may be on its way that could have a strong impact on a person's personal injury claim.  That device is being referred to as the 'textalyzer.
Read more . . .

There has been a troubling trend in Massachusetts and Rhode Island over the past couple of years- deaths from motor vehicle accidents have been steadily increasing.  In fact this trend can be seen nationwide. 

So what is causing this unfortunate rise in accidental (and usually preventable) deaths?  Experts believe an increase in distracted drivers is what is fueling the increase.  And if you think it is just young, inexperienced new drivers and their cell phones, you are wrong.  According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, over fifty-eight percent of accidents related to distracted driving are caused by drivers ages 20 to 39.
Read more . . .