Is Your Kid College Safe?

Most college students have just settled in to the dorms or an apartment.  For many, this will be their first time away from home for any extended period of time.  College brings a sense of independence for most students.  With so much anticipation and excitement, personal safety can be easily overlooked.  Students may believe they are protected because they are surrounded by their peers and feel relatively insulated “in their own community – the college campus.”  Unfortunately, crime can be just as high on campus as it is off campus.

Is your child prepared to step into this unknown territory?  Will he/she be able to withstand peer pressure?  Is your child prepared in case an emergency occurs?

Here are a several campus safety tips to share with your college kids.

Be aware of your surroundings.  This is the single most important tip to ensure your personal safety.  Know the all routes around campus.  Be confident.  Walk with your head up, look around, and notice everything.  Be aware of anyone loitering or hanging around campus, your dorm, vehicle, etc.

Lock all doors and windows.  When leaving your dorm or apartment, make sure that all doors and windows are locked - including the main building entry and exits.  Never prop doors open.  Do not loan your keys to anyone.

Plan ahead.  Be safe when going out alone, even during daytime hours.  Whether your plans are a social event or studying at the campus library, map out a safety plan in advance.  Mention your plans to a friend and let someone know if your plans change.  Avoid potentially unsafe shortcuts.  Travel on well-lit and well-traveled streets.  Carry emergency cab fare.

Avoid going out alone at night.  Try to stay in a group.  Let at least one person know where you are going and who you will be with.

Equip your cell phone.  Program important phone numbers (campus security, police, etc.) in your cell for emergencies.  Put the word “ICE” (in case of emergency) in your cell phone with a parent or guardian number programmed.  The authorities know to look for this code in case an emergency occurs and they need to get in touch with a relative.  Make sure your cell phone is fully charged before going out.

Always trust your instincts.  Trust your intuition.  If something seems “off” it probably is.  Call the police or campus security if something doesn’t “seem” right.

Don’t carry too much money or wear expensive jewelry.  Credit cards, driver’s license, and keys should be concealed in a zippered pocket, security belt or stash pouch.  Make copies of important papers, credit cards, driver’s license, and insurance cards.  Keep the copies in a safe place in case you need to report a lost or stolen document or credit card.  Do not go to the ATM at night.

Watch your drink.  Do not accept drinks (alcoholic or otherwise) from others.  Alcohol is the # 1 date rape drug.

When dating, meet at a populated location.  Choose a restaurant or other public location.   Never meet in a dorm room or apartment.

Check around your vehicle as you approach it.  If there is a van parked on one side of your car get in on the other side.   Check under your vehicles and others around you. 

Consider a wireless alarm system for your apartment or dorm.  It is easy to set up, and you can take it with you when you move.

Practice Internet Safety.  Use caution when posting personal information on social networking sites, such as Facebook.  Avoid becoming friends with people you don’t know.

Don’t succumb to having your photo or personal information published for the campus community.  It is not uncommon for upperclassmen and fraternities to use this information to “target” naïve freshmen on campus.

Call home once a week.  Let your parents know what you plan for the week, dates, social events, etc.  It is just another safety measure to give them peace of mind.

Colleges are generally safe places, but remind your kids to not let their guard down.  Being armed with basic safety tips can significantly reduce their vulnerability.  Book smart is something they can learn anytime; street smart is something they must know and practice every day of their life.

Lawsuit Financial, a pro-justice litigation funding company can provide cash flow solutions and litigation cost financing for the necessities of life while a case is in the litigation process. Call Lawsuit Financial, toll free, at 1-877-377-SUIT (7848), or visit us at www.lawsuitfinancial.com.

When You Need A Lawyer, Who Ya Going To Call? Lawsuit Financial!

Venturing into the litigation arena can be a daunting experience. If you or a loved one is the victim of a wrong doing and need legal advice, where do you look for an experience attorney? You have several options.

Option 1:

Hire an attorney from a television advertisement. Is this a good choice? Many top-notch attorneys do little or no advertising; they don’t need to; their reputation precedes them and speaks volumes. Lawsuit Financial has built strategic, professional relationships with the professionals.  "Television" attorneys are often excellent lawyers and many handle only specialty that they advertise; others are not and do not. Some advertise, but may refer your case to other firms. It is up to you to decide whether this is, for you, the best way to pursue an attorney-client relationship.

Option 2:

Search the Yellow Pages. Select the guy with the biggest advertisement, right? Maybe. The same general principle for television ads applies here. There may be little, if any, correlation between large ads and quality legal representation. Again, many are fine lawyers who may specialize only in the area that they advertise. Some, however, have a lot of money to spend on ads, but have little courtroom experience.

Option 3:

Ask family, friends, and co-workers for recommendations. This may a good option if their case was successfully concluded and was similar to yours. If the attorney did a good job on their case, he will probably do a good job on yours. Sometimes, however, the person recommending a lawyer fails to mention their own type of case.  The case you are seeking to pursue may be something the lawyer dabbles in, but does not specialize in. This can make a huge difference in your case.  If you are seeking to hire someone to handle your personal injury case, for example, it is important to retain an attorney that specializes in personal injury cases. Your brother’s estate planning attorney may not be qualified to represent you. Do your homework; it is important to get at least three recommendations and speak with each one before making a decision.  Even though he is a doctor, you would not go to a dermatologist to treat a heart attack.  The same applies for lawyers.

Option 4:

Search the Internet. The internet is a “virtual” phone book. Researching lawyer directories may provide a comprehensive profile of attorneys, but how helpful is the information they provide? You are still sifting through and finding hundreds of attorney listings in your area. Who do you choose?

Option 5:

Call Lawsuit Financial. If you are looking for legal representation, you need to know that you are entrusting your case to an attorney that has your best interest in mind; an attorney who specializes in cases similar to yours. Lawsuit Financial can assist you in finding the best attorney available in all 50 states because we have strong relationships with the best attorneys nationwide. Within 24 hours, we will have at least one, most often three, top-notch attorneys for you to choose from, and our referral system is absolutely free. Don’t settle for less than the best.

Lawsuit Financial, a pro-justice litigation funding company can provide cash flow solutions and litigation cost financing for the necessities of life while a case is in the litigation process. Call Lawsuit Financial, toll free, at 1-877-377-SUIT (7848), or visit us ate www.lawsuitfinancial.com.

Dangerous Product Burning Consumers For Years. Will the FDA’s New Sunscreen Rules Give Us Enough Protection?

The FDA has traditionally only required sunscreens to protect against sunburn.  Until now, products could claim broad-spectrum protection without any basis for it. Maybe you wouldn’t leave the beach looking like a tomato, but your sunscreen may not have been shielding you from subtle damages caused by Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays.

For the first time in 33 years, new rules will require sunscreens to protect against ultraviolet B rays—which cause sunscreen, and not ultraviolet A rays—which cause skin cancer and wrinkles—to carry a warning label.  The new regulations, effective next year, will force companies to improve the accuracy of their sunscreen protection claims.

Here are highlights of the new rules: 

The claim “broad spectrum” will appear only on sunscreens tested for a minimum standard of UVA protection.

All sunscreens will carry their SPF rating. Those without the broad-spectrum claim, SPF will rate only UVB protection.  Higher SPF numbers mean more protection against UVB as well as more protection against UVA.  Warning labels will read: "Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging."

Sunscreens will have a “fact box” listing warnings and other important information in an easy-to-find location.

Manufacturers cannot make claims that sunscreens are "waterproof" or "sweatproof," or identify their products as a "sun block." Water resistance claims on the product's front label must tell how much time a user can expect to get the declared SPF level of protection while swimming or sweating, based on standard testing. Sunscreens that claim to be water resistant must show how long they last after a person has been swimming or sweating: 40 minutes or 80 minutes.  It must be noted in the “fact box” if they are not water resistant.

SPF values higher than 50 will be labeled as "SPF 50+." FDA does not have adequate data demonstrating that products with SPF values higher than 50 provide additional protection compared to products with SPF values of 50.

The new requirements will be effective by summer 2012, although some sunscreen makers will launch their new labels sooner.  What does this mean for your summer in the sun this year?  Experts say that although the inconsistency is the UVA protection, the SPF tests should be accurate.  Since some protection is better than none, they do not suggest throwing out your sunscreen or staying indoors all summer long.

Here are three simple ways to protect your skin from damaging sun exposure:

• Use sunscreen regularly and re-apply every two hours.
• Avoid the midday sun, when rays are the strongest.
• Wear a hat to shade your face and neck.

You may also check out “Screen Test,” to learn what to look for in your sunscreen and how to apply it for best results.

This article was brought to you by Lawsuit Financial, a pro-justice lawsuit funding company headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. We help relieve the financial pressure during the litigation process by providing a cash advance against your lawsuit.  Can’t pay your bills? Get the money you need now to avoid settling your case too soon, for too little.