After taking a beating from Manny Pacquiao, boxing luminary Miguel Cotto has taken a legal blow after Martha Chacon Acevedo, a former employee, has sued him for sexual harassment.

In the suit filed in U.S. district court in San Juan last Aug. 24, the woman claimed that the former boxing champion made unwanted sexual and romantic advances towards her while she worked as an administrator in a residential property owned by Cotto in Puerto Rico.

She alleged that he offered her money and other benefits such as lingerie, lotions and body creams, champagne, and supposedly pornographic DVDs which turned out to be “Sex and the City” and “Nip/Tuck”.

According to her lawsuit, the woman consented to have sexual relations with Cotto for fear of losing her job. Acevedo further claimed that when she reported the sexual harassment to Cotto’s father, he condoned his son’s actions and told her to give in. But she allegedly got fired in October 2008, when she broke off the relationship.

She is now seeking worth more than $500,000 in damages. Cotto’s camp however, has derided the sexual harassment claim and said it was a total fabrication.

Sexual harassment, whether committed against a female or male employee is against the law. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in particular, defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Offensive remarks about a person’s sex can also be considered sexual harassment.

Whether the sexual harassment is Quid Pro Quo (“something for something” or a job benefit in return for sexual favor) or it is a hostile environment sexual harassment, can file a case of sexual harassment against the employer if the employer still persists in making unwanted sexual advances or retaliates against the employee for refusing to grant sexual favors.

Employees who are a victims of sexual harassment, may also course their complaints through the EEOC within 180 days from the commission of the offense.

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In a tragic twist of fate, a Department of Motor Vehicles instructor was injured in a car crash while conducting a driving test in Petaluma.

The victim, Roberto Mascardo, 63 was with Maria Adela Morales-Monterosa, 57, of Richmond as she went through her driving test when the Toyota Camry they were in got broadsided by an SUV as she was turning left.

The 1992 Ford Explorer driven by Raymundo Alvarez Sanchez struck the passenger side of the Camry where the DMV employee was seated.

Mascardo was injured and taken to the hospital where his current condition remained undisclosed. Both Monterosa and Sanchez were left uninjured.

A lot of motor vehicle collisions happen when the other car is making a left turn. It happens when turn signals are not properly used, or when the other driver is inattentive, or when the another car is moving too fast to stop from hitting a car making a left turn.

But left turn car accidents can be avoided especially if it is done safely and properly. Here are some guidelines to observe when making a left turn:

•    Always use your turn signals so the drivers behind you will know your intent to make a left or right turn.
•    A left turn against a red light can only be made from a one-way street onto a one way street.
•    To make a left turn, drive close to the center divider line or into the left turn lane. Signal about 100 feet before the turn and reduce your speed.
•    When waiting to make a left turn, keep your wheels pointed straight ahead. If your wheels are pointed to the left and a vehicle hits you from behind, you could be pushed into oncoming traffic.
•    When turning left, do not turn too soon and “cut the corner” of the opposite lane of the vehicles coming towards you.

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They say there is no price high enough for beauty, but apparently there is.

Solange Magnano, former Miss Argentina in 1994, paid the ultimate price to have a slightly firmer behind.

Magnano, died after undergoing cosmetic surgery on her buttocks in Buenos Aires.

The procedure was called gluteoplasty and involved placing implants in the buttocks to improve its outline.

She died of pulmonary embolism after three days in critical condition.

According to some reports, the liquid that was injected into her buttocks went to her lungs and brain.

Authorities are now investigating the cause of death.

The family of Magnano should seriously consult a wrongful death attorney to know their legal options.

If there was negligence done by the doctors and medical professionals during the procedure then they and the hospital should be held liable for their actions.

I do not know the law that covers negligence and medical malpractice in Argentina but I am sure that they will be going after the people involved in this tragedy.

Hopefully her family can find justice for her death.

Solange Magnano was 37 years-old and is survived by her twin 7-year-old daughters.

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There was very little reason to celebrate and be grateful over the Thanksgiving weekend in California as the California Highway Patrol has reported an increase in traffic accident fatalities from last year.

While celebrities like Tiger Woods and David Hasselhoff’s ex-wife Pamela Bach had run-ins with the law for a single car crash and a DUI respectively, they were more fortunate than the 30 other people who were killed on California highways during Thanksgiving.

The CHP has noted that DUI was a major factor in most fatal road accidents. Across the state, nearly 1,314 drivers were arrested for DUI offenses by CHP officers during the first 84 hours of the Thanksgiving weekend.

One tragic motor vehicle accident involved a family of four from Sonoma who were killed by a suspected drunken teen driver. John Maloney, 45, Susan Maloney, 42, and their children Grace, 5, and Aiden, 8, died on impact. The driver, Steven Culbertson, 19 died on Sunday.

Last year, only 24 people were killed over the Thanksgiving weekend as compared to this year’s reported figure of 30 fatalities.

It is always inevitable that there will be alcoholic beverages served during holiday celebrations. More often than not, the beer and wine will be free-flowing over stuffed turkey and pumpkin pie.

While drinking and imbibing spirits is a part of the revelry, there is still no excuse for drinking and driving. Even a BAC of .05 percent increases a driver’s risk for a car crash significantly and this is roughly equivalent to 2-3 alcoholic drinks.

While having a drink or two during thanksgiving would seem harmless, there are just some risks not worth taking.

During occasions, if you intend to drink, have a designated driver. If you brought your own car but got drunk in the course of the celebration, get a cab. Driving drunk is a decision that could change your life forever.

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