Anchorage Legal Issues Blog

When you receive an injury while working, it is imperative you report the incident right away to your employer, seek immediate medical care and follow your treatment plan. Taking these first steps can significantly increase the chances of your workers' compensation claim going through so you can receive benefits.

The benefits you are eligible for depend on the circumstances of your case. The following are the different benefit categories in Alaska.

• Temporary partial disability: This applies to when your injury affects how much you can work but does not prevent you from working altogether. You will recover and be able to work normally again. Financial benefits will only last until you heal, with a maximum of five years.
• Permanent partial impairment: This category covers injuries that are more severe and long lasting, such as an amputation. You receive a lump payment based on percentage of physical loss. If you are re-entering the workforce, payments will occur every two weeks instead.
• Temporary total disability: Some injuries are serious enough to totally disable you, but thankfully not for the rest of your life. You can receive benefits during your recovery.
• Permanent total disability: When you cannot work at all ever again due to the bodily harm you have sustained, you are eligible for long-term financial compensation. However, factors such as age, impairment, education, training abilities, industry and employment options all affect qualifying for this classification.

Nobody gets married with the anticipation that they will eventually get divorced. You are optimistic and in love, but the unfortunate truth is that divorce is a frequent occurrence. Its commonness is likely little comfort if you are in the midst of a separation, but it is important not to lose sight of the future as you go through this process. Too many people become susceptible to stress and make regrettable mistakes.

There are several mistakes, in fact, that can seriously damage your case. Whether you are separating amicably or dealing with a contentious court battle, you should always be aware of the consequences your behavior may have. Avoid the following three errors that could be costly to your case.

You are struggling with your ex to figure out child custody issues. For example, perhaps you want joint custody while your ex wants sole custody. You go out to a bar one night, have a few drinks, leave, and the next thing you know, you are being pulled over and charged with a DUI.

Can this charge affect your custody case? Yes, it can. 

If an Alaska law enforcement officer pulls you to the side of the road for any reason, and he or she has a reason to believe that you may have been drinking, you may have to take a standardized field sobriety test. This battery of three tests can indicate a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent. 

AAA points out that even though courts often consider test results to be scientific evidence, they may be flawed.