With a background as a paralegal, focusing on criminal defense and civil rights, Sandra Dalton launched her freelance writing career in 2000 with a weekly column on Freedom for Suite 101 and pro bono projects for individuals and organizations supporting causes close to her heart. One of her first projects was for the Police Compliant Center writing about police misconduct. Sandra’s legal writing quickly expanded to include personal injury, animal welfare, criminal defense, disability discrimination, family law and much more.

Labor Day: Why Taking Time Off is So Important

According to Project Time Off, 55% of Americans did not use all of their paid vacation time in 2015. Does that mean we’re getting more done? No. Just the opposite. Failure to take time off decrease productivity and creativity. It’s bad for your health and your relationships. It is even bad for the entire country, […]

Safety During Heat Waves

At least four people have died in a heat wave in Philadelphia this month. Six heat-related deaths were reported in July, when a heat wave hit central and eastern U.S. One of those victims was a 12-year-old child who died of heat stroke while hiking in Arizona. There were an average of 618 heat-related deaths […]

Salute to Service Animals

Most people are familiar with “seeing eye dogs” for the blind, and even service dogs who assist people in wheelchairs, but many are still unaware of the life-changing, and sometimes life-saving, assistance that service animals provide for people with invisible disabilities and for children with serious health conditions. Service animals are a lifeline for people […]

Labor Day Accidents

The National Safety Council (NSC) predicts that this year’s Labor Day weekend will be the deadliest on U.S. roads in eight years. The organization estimates that there will be more than 50,000 injuries and about 438 traffic deaths over the three-day weekend in 2016. In 2008, the NSC predicted 439 deaths, and the actual total […]

Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing

Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is a computer program used to assess cognitive function after possible concussion. It is not meant to be a stand-alone diagnostic tool, but as part of medical evaluation for signs and symptoms of brain injury. On August 22, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave permission […]

Premises Liability in Mass Shootings

Can businesses and property owners be held liable in mass shootings? No one will dispute that the ultimate responsible party is the shooter, but what about the businesses that fail to look after the safety of their customers, employees and other guests? The answer isn’t simple. Each case is unique. Businesses and property owners can […]

Industrial Hearing Loss

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to dangerous levels of noise at work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that about 22 million people are exposed to hazardous noise levels on-the-job and nine million more are exposed to chemicals that are […]

Safety Precautions in Rio this Summer

If you have been following the coverage leading up to the athletic events in Rio this summer, you may be wondering if the real competition is which host city can provide the most deplorable conditions. Problems with water, and more, plaguing the athletes’ housing in Sochi made headlines in 2014, but Rio takes the cake. […]

Sexy Swimsuits Shun Safety

Heightened awareness of the risks of UV exposure and skin cancer, not to mention premature aging, have been successful in sending many of us running for the sunscreen aisle, seeking out better, more effective sun protection products, and opting spray tans instead of the real thing. But sexy swimsuits are still the hallmark for fun […]