Category Archives: Lincoln

Lincoln skywalks promote safety in all seasons

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Lincoln’s Skywalk system helps prevent slip and fall injuries in the winter.

As snow and ice return to Lincoln, discussions between downtown Lincoln businesses and city officials about the future of the Skywalk system become even more important to workplace safety.

The skywalks once served as an indoor mall in downtown Lincoln connecting stores, parking garages and hotels. (My mom worked at Miller and Paine in the 1970s and 1980s in a building that now houses Nelnet) The skywalks and buildings served by them mainly serve office workers in downtown Lincoln. I frequent the skywalks when I have work obligations downtown. Many major downtown employers, such as Nelnet, subsidize employee parking in various downtown garages. Employees can access those garages through the skywalks.

Downtown parking garages can also be accessed from the street. But with winter comes ice and the risks of slips and falls. The question becomes who would be responsible for a slip and fall when an employee is walking to and from a company assigned and subsidized parking spot off-site. Arguably a slip and fall in this situation would be covered under workers’ compensation under the “parking lot” rule articulated in Nebraska in Zoucha v. Touch of Class Lounge. It’s also possible that an employee injured while walking to and from employer subsidized public transportation, could have a workers’ compensation claim as well.

In theory, indoor walkways like the skywalk system would reduce the chances of slip and fall accidents. But from a recent observation, maintenance is lacking some parts of the Skywalk. I observed a leaky roof that lead to wet carpet on an internal walkway in the US Bank building in August.

I recently represented a downtown office worker who feared being assaulted walking to her parking spot late at night. Skywalks can help reduce the risk of employees being assaulted on the way to their cars.

My view is that downtown business owners and the city need to work together to maintain the skywalk system in the interest of worker safety.

The offices of Rehm, Bennett, Moore & Rehm, which also sponsors the Trucker Lawyers website, are located in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. Five attorneys represent plaintiffs in workers’ compensation, personal injury, employment and Social Security disability claims. The firm’s lawyers have combined experience of more than 95 years of practice representing injured workers and truck drivers in Nebraska, Iowa and other states with Nebraska and Iowa jurisdiction. The lawyers regularly represent hurt truck drivers and often sue Crete Carrier Corporation, K&B Trucking, Werner Enterprises, UPS, and FedEx. Lawyers in the firm hold licenses in Nebraska and Iowa and are active in groups such as the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG), American Association for Justice (AAJ), the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys (NATA), and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). We have the knowledge, experience and toughness to win rightful compensation for people who have been injured or mistreated.

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Lincoln needs more bus benches

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Star Tran bus stop near 9th and P

Spending for Star Tran, Lincoln’s public transit system, will be an item of discussion as the city council holds a public hearing on the city buidget today. I agree with public transit advocate and retired attorney Richard Schmeling that Lincoln needs more bus benches and bus shelters.

According to Schemling, only 100 out of 800 stops have a bench and/or shelter. The number of bench/shelterless stops increased as Lincoln shifted routes onto arterial streets in a move that has increased ridership by 11 percent.

Bus benches and shelters are a matter of basic human dignity. The fact that someone taking the bus to work as a housekeeper or nursing aide can’t sit down or get out of the elements while waiting for transportation makes me feel sad and angry. The lack of benches and shelters is quite visible along South 13th Street with  groups of people stand along the street waiting for the bus.

Lincoln touts its innovation in transportation. We are testing a driverless shuttle. We have rental bikes. Lincoln also touts its use of green technology. We have a park bench/charging station powered and covered by a solar panel. Lincoln also touts its public art  which improves the quality of life in the city. I would like to see that same focus on innovation and aesthetics applied to improving the comfort and experience for riders of our public transportation system. This would raise the quality of life within the city of Lincoln.

The offices of Rehm, Bennett, Moore & Rehm, which also sponsors the Trucker Lawyers website, are located in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. Five attorneys represent plaintiffs in workers’ compensation, personal injury, employment and Social Security disability claims. The firm’s lawyers have combined experience of more than 95 years of practice representing injured workers and truck drivers in Nebraska, Iowa and other states with Nebraska and Iowa jurisdiction. The lawyers regularly represent hurt truck drivers and often sue Crete Carrier Corporation, K&B Trucking, Werner Enterprises, UPS, and FedEx. Lawyers in the firm hold licenses in Nebraska and Iowa and are active in groups such as the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG), American Association for Justice (AAJ), the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys (NATA), and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). We have the knowledge, experience and toughness to win rightful compensation for people who have been injured or mistreated.

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