Children of Divorce More Likely to Become Smokers?

 Posted on June 21, 2013 in Family Law

According to a recent article, a study has concluded that children of divorced parents are more likely to become smokers later on in life than those of married parents.

After a divorce, children cling on to many things, such as blankets or stuffed animals, that they view as security objects.  These items can often serve as coping mechanisms for stressful times.  It is true; however, that sometimes these children continue to look for that security and reassurance into adulthood.

Research conducted at the University of Toronto found that people whose parents had divorced when they were children were much more likely to become smokers as adults.  That being said, they were not able to directly prove that the cigarettes are used as adult coping methods or security objects, like the stuffed animals that were mentioned before.

Continue Reading ››

Illinois Workers' Compensation Law Basics

 Posted on June 20, 2013 in Personal Injury

Warning: stripos(): Offset not contained in string in /home/ocvaws/public_html/system-joomla-shared-core/components/com_easyblog/easyblog.php on line 6

Continue Reading ››

Accident Procedures for Illinois

 Posted on June 16, 2013 in Personal Injury

Warning: stripos(): Offset not contained in string in /home/ocvaws/public_html/system-joomla-shared-core/components/com_easyblog/easyblog.php on line 6

Continue Reading ››

Family of Drown Boy Seeks Compensation from Park District

 Posted on June 12, 2013 in Personal Injury

Warning: stripos(): Offset not contained in string in /home/ocvaws/public_html/system-joomla-shared-core/components/com_easyblog/easyblog.php on line 6

Continue Reading ››

Domestic Violence in Illinois

 Posted on June 12, 2013 in Family Law

People get divorced for various reasons, from growing apart from your spouse to having an affair. Regardless of the reason for the divorce, one spouse has to suggest the divorce without fear of a violent reaction. Sometimes, though, when someone is being abused by their spouse and they want out of the relationship, they are too afraid to suggest it.

According to the Illinois State Police, 40% of total murders of women are women killed by their husbands. These are women who are more afraid to attempt at escaping their relationship than they are of the abuse they face if they stay in the relationship.

The Illinois State Police also reported that there is no particular race or socioeconomic level at which abuse of women is more common, it happens every day to women of all types. If you think that you are alone because you are of a certain economic level that is less abusive, or another group that is less abusive, you are wrong. It happens to everyone and you should not be embarrassed about it, there are other women just like you.

Continue Reading ››

Car Insurance Minimum Raised in Illinois

 Posted on June 08, 2013 in Personal Injury

Warning: stripos(): Offset not contained in string in /home/ocvaws/public_html/system-joomla-shared-core/components/com_easyblog/easyblog.php on line 6

Continue Reading ››

Age Not the only Factor in Determining Road Readiness

 Posted on June 05, 2013 in Personal Injury

Many parents will joke about their children driving. However, allowing a child behind the wheel of a vehicle is perhaps one of the most stressful decisions that a parent can make. Most states allow kids to get a driving permit at the age of 15 and a driver's license at the age of 16. However, it is up to the parent to decide if the child is truly ready to drive. The ability to drive is not solely based on the actual skill of operating a motor vehicle. Driving involves the physical act of operating the car, good vision, perception, as well as the ability to properly process hazards that may get in the way. Many kids think that just because they can drive a car perfectly on a video game, it will be just as easily in real life. As adults, we all know that is very far from the truth. Driving opens a new door for both freedom and responsibility for teenagers. As a parent, there are some good driving habits that we need to instill in the children from an early age. Children often do things the same way that they see their parents do things. Therefore, this is the time to lead by example. Here are a few things that you need to discuss with your kids before they drive alone.

• Seatbelt safety

Continue Reading ››

Division of Property in an Illinois Divorce Case

 Posted on June 05, 2013 in Family Law

Whether you’re facing your first divorce, or are trying to enforce the terms of a prior divorce decree, we know there are a lot of questions about how the law works in Illinois. When it comes to property division, unlike some other states, Illinois is not a community property state. Money or property acquired during the course of the marriage is presumed to belong to the marriage and, as such, is subject to an equitable division upon divorce. What is "equitable" is decided on a case-by-case basis.

Some examples of the property that is divided in a divorce include homes, automobiles, household furniture and furnishings, bank accounts, pensions and retirement plans, stocks and stock options, and businesses and business interests.

In dividing marital property, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act require that the Judge consider the following factors:

Continue Reading ››

Family Files Lawsuit against Nursing Home after 57 Maggots Found in Patient's Ear

 Posted on May 31, 2013 in Personal Injury

Warning: stripos(): Offset not contained in string in /home/ocvaws/public_html/system-joomla-shared-core/components/com_easyblog/easyblog.php on line 6

Continue Reading ››

Weight Gain Is Grounds For Divorce?

 Posted on May 31, 2013 in Family Law

While it may not seem politically correct to discuss, and could even be considered unsavory, the fact is that many people seek divorces because their spouses gain a significant amount of weight. “One of the biggest causes of marital unhappiness—right up there with cheating, sex, and money—is fat,” according to the chtribune. According to the Tribune, the trouble for some peoples starts with pregnancy. This was true for Caitlin and Matt, who at first wouldn’t admit why he didn’t want to have sex with his wife. Caitlin all but threatened to divorce him for his lack of libido (another valid reason for divorce, according to a different article in the Tribune). Only then did he tell her it was her weight that was keeping him distant.

“Weight, energy levels, health, and self-esteem change over seasons and years,” according to New York magazine, and “couples in long-term relationships must navigate those changes.” For some, according to New York, “weight gain is grounds for divorce.” Technically, of course, no state lists excessive weight gain as an actual reason for a fault-divorce, but when the Huffington Post posed the question to readers as to whether weight gain was an acceptable reason for divorce, answers were split. Most people who said that weight gain would be a reason for divorce cited the fact that sex lives change with excessive weight gain, and that changes the marriage. It’s more than appearance—it’s health, intimacy, and the limitations of weight gain on shared activities that many said weight gain was a reason for divorce.

Continue Reading ››