5 Tips For Finding an Affordable Divorce Lawyer

Legal

There is so much to consider when getting divorced, from dividing marital assets, to spousal support, to child custody and support.

Divorce can also be an incredibly expensive process.This is especially true when it comes to hiring legal representation. In fact, divorce lawyers can take up the majority of the budget that you have set aside for divorce proceedings.

It is therefore not only important to find an attorney that is suitable and experienced for your particular case, but also to find legal representation that fits within your budget. This is why we have created a list of helpful tips for finding a cheap divorce lawyer.

Shop Around

It is important not to be impulsive when choosing a divorce lawyer, so don’t just go for the first attorney that you meet. Remember that you are not obligated to retain an attorney when you meet with them, or do you have to pay them anything unless you have agreed to do so. When meeting with an attorney, be sure to ask them about their fees and billing structure. A reputable attorney will be able to provide you with their fee schedule or hourly rate before you hire them. 

Some attorneys will offer flat-rate packages, particularly for “uncontested” divorces. With flat-rate packages, attorneys have an incentive to work more quickly and efficiently. However, this may not be the right move for everyone, particularly if your case could be dealt with at a lower cost on a per-hour basis.

With flat-rate packages, it is pretty straightforward to compare rates. Otherwise, it can be tricky to calculate the exact fee an attorney will charge (given that they are working on a per-hour basis). 

Therefore, it is important to check online reviews and consider word-of-mouth to ascertain the general cost of a particular attorney. After doing so, you should arrange initial consultations with the attorney to determine both their suitability for your case, as well as their hour rate and retainer fee (this is an upfront sum).

Explore Legal Aid and Family Law Clinics

For matters such as divorce and child custody, some cities and states offer legal aid services for lower-income residents. Others work with non-profit programs to offer low-cost, or free, family law clinics.

If you do not qualify for these programs, city and state websites often offer lists of reputable and cheap divorce lawyers. Make sure to look at your city’s website, or the website of the court where you will file, to find resources like these.

Explore Law Schools and Paralegal Programs

If you are unable to find any public legal clinics, the next step is to contact a law school or paralegal program. Many of these will offer clinics to help students gain experience working on everyday legal issues. 

These clinics are supervised by a licensed attorney who will review any legal documents that the students and paralegals prepare. Although these types of clinics will likely not be able to help you if your legal matters are highly complex, they can be a great alternative if you cannot find a divorce attorney that fits your budget.

Think About A DIY Divorce

Some people may be tempted to avoid looking for legal representation and handling the divorce themselves. However before thinking about this route, it’s worth considering the time that this will take, as well as how complicated your particular situation is.

If both parties agree on the most substantial issues involved in the case, then a DIY divorce from someone like 3Step, Divorce.com or Divorce Bob could be an affordable and relatively easy option. Some courts even offer simplified processes such as a “joint simplified” divorce. These can be quite quick and easy to accomplish, and will save both parties the cost of hiring an attorney. 

If you are unable to use a simplified divorce process, then another option is using an online divorce service. 

These services reduce the time spent figuring out which forms to file, how to file them, and in what order everything needs to be done. They guide you through the entire filing process and can save a lot of time. Many will also connect you with legal professionals who are able to answer your questions and review your forms for a reasonable per-hour or flat consultation fee. 

Continue Reading

Sexting: A New Form Of Sexual Harassment

Legal

Sexual harassment is a problem that has been faced by women in almost every society. Recently, with the rise in technology and information, sexual harassment has taken an entirely new form. Where before women had to experience catcalling or lewd glances when they were in public, now women (and men) can be coerced into giving personal pictures through sexting. As more people become comfortable sharing their bodies over the Internet, there is a risk.

Sexting is the act of sending sexual pictures or messages over the Internet. In recent years sexting has become much more familiar with the breakthrough in technologies. In the past, which still happens today, women have been subjected to sexual harassment from unwanted looks and catcalling in public. Now men can ask for personal photos simply by messaging a woman on social media websites. This is especially dangerous because it threatens the safety of the person in question. This form of harassment has become prevalent in both relationships and on social media sites. In relationships, it is often used to manipulate the other partner into accepting treatment they would not otherwise let themselves be subjected to. The issue has also been raised with regards to social media sites, including people without consent posting pictures from personal accounts.

Sexting is becoming increasingly popular; people find new ways every day to share their bodies over the Internet. However, this poses risks to both parties involved. Women can be coerced into sending intimate pictures of themselves.

How Does Sexting Occur?

Sexting can occur in two different ways. The first is that the person sends a picture to another person, with or without consent. It can be done through insecure applications such as Snapchat, where it is meant to disappear after a few seconds, but if the receiver takes a screenshot of the image, then it’s too late. Another way sexting can occur is when someone is coerced into sending a picture of themselves. This type of sexting is more dangerous because the sender can be threatened or even assaulted if they refuse to send it.

This type of sexting usually happens through social media applications such as Facebook Messenger. If a person sends a sext and then is coerced into sending another one, it can escalate into an issue that puts the sender at risk.

Sexting has increasingly become a form of sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexting may not be as severe as physical or verbal abuse, but it is no less than bullying, and if you feel uncomfortable with this type of activity, then you should take action. This can include reporting the incident to your superior or human resources department, depending on what the company’s policies are regarding sexting.

In 2012, Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old girl from Canada, committed suicide because she was being blackmailed after sexting someone over a webcam. The perpetrator forced her to send more indecent pictures by threatening to post the ones he already had. She ended her life out of fear of what could happen next if she did not comply with his demands.

In 2013 Rehtaeh Parsons from Canada attempted to kill herself after pictures were distributed around her school of her being raped by multiple boys.

How Can You Fight Sexual Harassment Online?

There are a number of ways that we can fight sexual harassment through the Internet. As technology evolves through time, so do the means of harassment and bullying. In addition to social media, there have been cases in which employers have harassed their employees. Even children have been subject to sexual harassment from adults on social media. In order to combat this, we can create better laws and rules for materials online.

In situations, you may even need a sexual harassment lawyer. Laws and regulations do not currently address all the forms of sexual harassment that can take place on the Internet. It is important that victims comprehend that they have a right to feel safe wherever they go and whoever they talk to. We must continue to fight sexual harassment and find ways to deal with it appropriately.

If you feel like you are in immediate danger, then call the police. There are many other laws and lawyers that can be used to get you out of this situation. You can get in contact with a lawyer that specializes in cyber-harassment, or you can go through human resources.

Researching for a lawyer can be time-intensive. Fortunately, you can look online to simplify this process and find the best lawyer for your case. If you feel like someone is harassing you over the Internet, stay calm and make sure to record every single thing that occurs in case you need evidence later on. For those who need more info, you find helpful resources through a sexual harassment lawyer Los Angeles firm. Although it may be difficult, strategize any possible solutions in order to avoid feeling helpless.

Sexual harassment is a serious criminal offense and can take many forms. Although sexting may not be as severe, it is still a form of bullying that can take place anywhere. It targets a person’s sexuality and forces them to do something against their will. Sexting has become a major problem among teenagers and adults because they are constantly using social media sites to communicate with one another online. In addition to this, receiving unsolicited sexual images from strangers over social media can cause young adults distress. No matter what age you are, there are ways that we can fight sexual harassment through the Internet by creating stricter laws and rules for materials put online. In order to combat this effect, we must continue fighting sexual harassment and find effective solutions. There are thousands of online groups dedicated to helping victims of sexual harassment through social media or email. We must continue fighting for our rights against sexual harassment no matter what form it takes. The Internet isn’t entirely a secure place, and you can find yourself in dangerous situations. It is good to have an awareness of these threats and know that you have the power to fight them off.

Continue Reading

What to Look For in Hiring a Long Term Disability Attorney

Legal

Is it finally time that you hire a long term disability attorney? It can feel overwhelming in where to look for one. It can feel overwhelming in the process of who to trust and who won’t be too expensive. Long term disability insurance attorneys can do a wonderful job, but it’s still important to do your research so that you find that trustworthy long term disability attorney. These 7 steps will help you find that person!

 

What have previous clients said about them?

It’s important to know what previous clients have said about the specific long term disability attorney. Do you have a friend or family member that has used them before? If so, they will be able to tell you good or bad stories about a specific one. Perhaps they know someone that has used a long term disability attorney and can steer you in the correct direction or tell you who not to be trusting. Regardless, they will be able to be of assistance. If you are new to the area and don’t know who to ask or you don’t have friends or family members that have used one before, a great alternative is to check out reviews online. These people will be able to tell you what experience they had with a specific long term disability attorney. Make sure that you read them too and not just the star amount. This will tell you specifics about what that attorney can help with. You can check Yelp, their personal business Facebook page, and Google to see some different reviews.

 

Are they available?

You don’t want to work with an attorney if they are too busy for you. That is why it’s important to find out right away how busy that attorney is. Will they be able to make time to meet with you? Will they have enough time to do the proper steps? Will they do a good job? This all can partly be answered by finding out the availability of the schedule of the attorney and how free they are. It also can be a bad sign if their schedule is completely open. Why are they so free? Is that a bad sign? Make sure that you try and find this out right away when you start calling around.

 

What will the process be?

It’s important that you understand the process. This will not only allow the attorney to show that they are educated and know what they are talking about but it will allow you to understand your process and exactly what you would be paying them to do too. You may not need or want all of the details and you want them to take it over, but understand what will happen when will help you in making your decision of which attorney will help you and help the process move along the best.

 

How long have they been in business?

Although it’s not always a bad thing if an attorney is new. They may have fresh new ideas and a lot of energy. With that said, an experienced long term disability attorney has seen it all and knows what to expect. Both can be positive but someone that has been in a business multiple years and has been successful should be an added bonus for you.

 

Can they legally practice in your state?

It may seem obvious but it’s important to ask if they can legally practice in your state. Make sure that you ask where they went to school and verify that they legally can be an attorney in your specific state. It could end up saving you a lot of time and money.

 

What happens if I lose?

You never want to think about losing your case, but it’s a good idea to realize that it can happen. Ask the long term disability attorney what happens if they lose. Do they charge less? Can you reapply? What is the following process and what are they going to do to ensure or hopefully ensure that does not take place. As we said, you want to prepare yourself for every situation, and even losing, even though you don’t want it to happen, is a possibility.

 

What is the cost?

The cost is one of the most important things. Long term disability attorneys can truly vary in cost ranges. Before you start working with them and looking around, make sure that you set a price for yourself. Some people can end up getting ahead of themselves when they hear a good pitch and put in too much money. This is especially harmful if you lose. Make sure that you understand losing is a possibility so you would end up losing that money too. The most expensive attorney doesn’t always mean the best one. Just as the cheapest attorney does not always mean it is the worst. That is why these other steps are so important in choosing your attorney and going through the entire process. Make sure that you take cost into consideration and have a budget but make sure that it does not make your final decision. That can end up costing you even more money if you do this.

 

There are a lot of questions that can be asked to a potential long term disability attorney, these are 7 of the best ones that will help you understand if they are an attorney that you want to work with and one that you can trust. Make sure that you trust your gut throughout the entire decision and don’t feel pressured into working with any of them right away. From there, you will find your answer and be on your way to winning your case!

Continue Reading

Is Someone Missing in Your Life?

Legal

Over time, you may lose track of one or more people you were close to at some point in your life. As a result, you may try a variety of means to find them.

That said there are options on the table for you when it comes to tracking down those you would like to know about.

Whether to make contact or curious what they have been up to, use resources available to try and get the job done.

With that in mind, is someone missing in your life?

What Resources Can You Turn to?

In trying to find someone missing in your life, one of the first options on the table for you is the Internet.

Yes, countless people go online when trying to learn information on a wide variety of topics.

So, what if the person you are missing may have ended up in jail at one time or another? What if they are there now?

You could go online and conduct a free federal inmate search.

Such a search can get you closer to finding out where the person is, how they are doing and more.

Sure, you are likely not happy they are in jail in the first place. That said they are there for a reason. The hope is it is not anything serious and they will be out of jail sooner than later.

Whether you decide to reach out to them is of course up to you.

For some people, contacting a person in jail that they know can be tricky. Do they want to try and regain contact with the individual given the circumstances? This is especially true if children are involved. Some adults may not want to have any contact with one they know in jail due to the safety of their children.

Again, use the Internet and also word-of-mouth to try and find that person you have been missing for a while now.

Someone in your life may know the person you are trying to find. As such, they may have a resource or two that can lead you to locating that person.

Do They want to be Found?

Of course one of the questions you will have to try and answer is does the person want to be found in the first place?

Yes, some people do try and disappear from the world for a wide variety of reasons.

Among the reasons can be:

· Troubled life and running away from one or more things

· In need of a fresh start

· Chasing after someone they want to be with

No matter the reason or reasons the person missing left, you have no guarantees they want to be found.

In the event you do reach them and they want to be left alone, it is best more times than not to honor such wishes. Trying to force yourself back into their life will often go nowhere.

When you are trying to find a person, weigh the pros and cons of reaching out to them in the first place.

If it sounds like a good thing to do, use any resources possible to find where they are at.

Continue Reading

Have You Been Accused of a Crime? What Should You Do Next?

Legal

You generally consider yourself a stand up person. For your whole life, you have stayed on the right side of the law. But what happens if someone accuses you of a crime? You know that you didn’t do anything. But in a court of law, even though you are not presumed guilty, you still have to take steps to defend yourself.

How exactly do you do this? Your first step is always going to be to call a lawyer. Second, you should have some experience reading up on specific laws yourself. There are a tremendous number of resources available to you. And third, make sure that you look over your social media profiles. 

If you have been accused of a crime, and there is something in your social media profiles that suggests that you were more likely to have committed this crime, then it’s a good idea to scrub all of that data sooner rather than later.

Call a Lawyer

After you’ve been accused of a crime, your first step is always going to be contacting a criminal defense lawyer. You may not know what details you have to present to ensure that you get a fair trial. What might seem like common sense to you may not be appropriate in a court of law. 

Because of this, your lawyer is going to be your best friend. They will show you how to prove your innocence beyond any doubt. That puts the burden of proof on the person who is accusing you of this crime.

Read Up on the Law

If you want to learn about the law to help yourself out after you’ve been accused of a crime, there are plenty of resources for you to check out. You can read up on cases that are similar to yours. You can search through digital archives quite easily for any reference material that makes sense in your case. 

You can look up the likelihood of you being either convicted or found innocent. Statistics can be very helpful, and reading and researching on your own will make it so that you know what to focus on as you’re defending yourself.

Look Over Your Social Media Profiles

When was the last time you looked at your social media profiles from the perspective of a stranger? If you look like a person who has committed a crime in your social media profile, someone may use that against you. 

It’s not necessarily legal to do this, because it’s only going to be information that gets presented accordingly in court that is totally viable. However, the court of public opinion can be brutal, especially if the media gets a hold of some of the comments you have made that are controversial. Because of this, it’s always good to have a sanitized set of online materials, but especially after you’ve been accused of a crime.

Continue Reading

4 Things To Know About Suing Someone

Legal

There are hundreds of reasons why people want to sue others. Whether they damaged your property or injured you as a result of negligence. Whatever the motivation is for taking someone to court, it’s essential to know some important facts first.

If you’re considering taking someone to court to pursue compensation, then take a look at some basic information that you should know first. 

It Can Be a Long Process Getting Paid

Unfortunately, even if you win your case, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll even get paid. As the saying goes, you can’t squeeze blood from a stone. Meaning, if someone doesn’t have the money to pay you, then attempting to collect the judgment from them may be a long process.

The pros suggest that before you take someone to court to sue for damages, ensure that they have the money to be able to pay. Otherwise, it’s you that will lose in the end. 

Civil Litigation Isn’t Like Crime TV

Let’s face it; some people have watched way too much crime TV. When they have intentions of taking someone to court, they envision a murder case in a southern courtroom with a jury, judge, and two lawyers fighting passionately. 

However, civil litigation isn’t anything like this scenario. Most crime tv and films are about criminal law, which is nothing like a civil case. There is usually no jury, and you won’t see Julia Roberts anywhere in the courtroom. Therefore, if you go in with realistic intentions, you’ll be in for less of a surprise. 

There Are No Guarantees

The crazy thing about law is that you never know which way a case can go. One minute you’re convinced you’ve got it in the bag, and the next minute you find that the judge didn’t see it that way at all. Every case is unique, every judge is unique, and nothing is guaranteed. 

If you hire a lawyer that guarantees they can win your case, run for the hills. A good lawyer knows that there is no such thing as a guaranteed win. 

Attorneys Cost Money

Surprise! Taking someone to court will involve hiring a professional attorney who is experienced in your type of case. What’s more, is these guys cost a significant amount of money. Don’t expect them to fight for your cause out of the kindness of their hearts. 

You’ll need to invest a significant amount of money on a qualified lawyer who knows what they’re doing. Otherwise, you might as well not go to court at all.  

By understanding these facts about civil litigation before diving in, you’ll be much less confused and frustrated when you see the reality of what it’s like.

Continue Reading

Why Medical Malpractice are Such Difficult Legal Cases for Plaintiffs

Health & Fitness Legal

The medical industry in the US is the largest private industry in the country and it includes hundreds of thousands of workers who collectively operate healthcare, research, and other health sectors. For those who become ill, their typical interaction with this industry is with the health professionals they engage with when they become ill.

These are the doctors, nurses, therapists and medical specialists who are professionally trained to provide medical treatment to those who need it. Because healthcare is such an important element in life, those who provide care to patients are often revered and their advice and opinions are followed to the letter. Patients depend on and trust medical practitioners in a way that they do with few other professionals.

They are depended upon to be precise and accurate in their words, advice and actions and when they are not people are usually injured and in some cases sustain very serious injuries.

For this reason, there are specific laws created to protect patients from those medical professionals who are negligent or on incompetent. Unfortunately there are lots of cases where medical practitioners are negligent or incompetent and this has led to medical malpractice cases being some of the most popular types of personal injury cases and providing lots of work for reputable medical malpractice attorneys. If you are a patient and you have been injured in a medical situation you should contact a good lawyer who specializes in this area of practice. You need to contact a local lawyer where the injuries occurred. For instance if you were injured at a Cleveland clinic or hospital you need to contact a reputable and skilled Cleveland medical malpractice attorney.

The reason you need a skilled medical malpractice attorney is because these cases are very difficult to win. Here are some things to understand about medical malpractice cases.

What Sets Up Medical Malpractice?

Medical professionals are required to provide a minimum standard of medical care to patients. There are legal guidelines for this and each medical professional who interacts with patients is held to these standards. However medicine in an inexact science. Doctors must make judgment calls and take best guesses at times and sometimes under stressful situations. So if a doctor makes an error or the patient does not get the expected outcome from a procedure or medication this alone does not mean medical malpractice. The doctor must have been negligent or incompetent in his actions.

The Job of the Plaintiff’s lawyer in a Medical Malpractice Case

The plaintiff or injured party’s attorney must show that the medical professional did not perform his or her job up to the expected quality of care regarding the plaintiff and as a result the injuries occurred to the plaintiff.  And the reason the medical professional fell short of expectations was due to his or her deliberate actions or inactions. Quite often an attorney must get into the head of the medical practitioner and understand what the person was thinking or the person’s state of mind when the injuries occurred.  The medical practitioner will not typically cooperate with the plaintiff’s attorney because so much is at stake for that person, but a good attorney can get the right answers and piece things together properly.

There is also considerable time and cost required to try these types of cases. Medical professionals are always supported by insurance companies that do not want to pay. They will usually put up resistance that will mean more time and resources must be dedicated by the plaintiff’s side. These high costs will sometimes cause a plaintiff to give pause, but the right law firm will work with the plaintiff to make sure all costs are covered during the case.

Medical malpractice injuries cause physical and emotional pain. If you believe that you have a medical malpractice case, you should contact a reputable attorney who has a great track record for winning these types of cases and getting their clients good settlements.

Continue Reading

What Can An Attorney Do For Me If I’m Injured?

Health & Fitness Legal

Injured

Injured

If you have been injured you may be looking for an attorney to get you. This is a great idea. Going at this process alone will not only be time-consuming and stressful but it won’t help your odds in winning the case. An injury attorney will help you get compensated the way you are looking for and help you answer any questions along the way.

That is why the atlanta medical malpractice attorney experts are here to share exactly how an attorney can help you if you are injured. Keep reading to learn more.

The first thing to note is that most people settle out of court cases. This is one of the steps that an attorney can help you with which will actually make you save money in the end. If you hire a good lawyer, they can help this process take place and help you get what you are looking for.

It’s first important to note what your insurance coverage is. How much were all your medical bills? How much time did you need to take off of work? What is ultimately fare for the settlement? This is important for you to start writing down. After you have it figured it out you can speak with an injury attorney and they can help you know if that is fair, if you missed anything, or if you are not asking for enough. Remember, this step is very important. You don’t want your rates to increase for your insurance and that is one of the reasons why many people settle it out of court. This way no one’s coverage gets increased and it can be settled easier and quicker.

The process is very straight forward if you hire a good attorney. They can help you to know what to expect, what will happen next, and what the outcome can end up being. If you are by yourself you are always swinging into the unknown. The process can end up drawing out longer than it needs to because you are unsure of what exactly to say and do. If you hire an injury attorney they will be able to answer your questions and let you know the status of your settlement at all times.

There are many steps that go into winning your case. This is one of the most important steps an attorney will help with. The first step is getting witness statements. This means anyone that was in the area that saw it happen. Whether they were walking on the street, another driver, on there with you, these statements are critical in winning your case. You also need to receive an official report from the accident and ensure there are photographs. This is important evidence to always have and be included when filing a claim. Without it, it is hard to show something happened and why the outcome is the way it is. This report will also help to determine who really was at fault.

If you hire an injury attorney, they will then continue to show how a doctor helped you recover. They will show what happened through the doctor’s eyes in the accident and what is needed for you to get back to being 100%. The injury attorney can show employee report, medical reports, and anything else that establishes credibility. This process will take a while to not only obtain but to go through as well. You want the doctor to not just sign something quickly, but to write an in-depth report to show what is going on with your body and how it needs to be repaired.

Typically, insurance companies are not very quick. They need to review the information and make a decision on what they will cover and let you know. From here you will be able to figure out the final tally of what should be owed. This is where the fair settlement will come in through negotiations. If you hire an injury attorney, they will be trained in negotiating the terms and exactly what is fair. Every piece of information received will assist you in making your final claim.

After every part of this is complete you will request a trial date. This is when the other party may want to handle the case outside of the trail and simply give you money. They also can want to continue in making the lawsuit and everyone goes to court. During this case, the injury attorney will gather more evidence and speak to you so you have a much better chance of winning the case.

It’s important that you have good health care during the process. The first reason is that a small injury can end up being a lot larger of an issue than you realized. The next reasons are because you need to have a treatment plan in order to heal properly. When you have good health care insurance, they will help you do that no matter how long it takes. This will also slow down getting back to work which will cost you more money if you don’t have insurance. You can end up being financially responsible for more than you thought you were without insurance.

It’s important once you hire an injury attorney that you leave it up to them to handle your case. Don’t respond to any emails or questions about your case. You hired them for a reason, let them take care of the stressful items you may have had to deal with before. It’s also important to not sign any documents without consulting with your lawyer first. This is what they are here for. They are giving you real-life advice on what will be the best course of action. If you receive any information, any bills, or anything related to your case, make sure your injury lawyer has it right away. Communication and keeping them in the loop is so important.

If you have any questions about hiring an injury attorney or what they can do for you, contact us today. Our Injury attorneys understand the entire process to help you get the settlement you deserve. We look forward to hearing from you.

Continue Reading

How to Stay Safe While Riding Your Bicycle

Entertainment Health & Fitness Legal

Bicycles are a lot of fun to ride. In addtiion to a sense of freedom, you can also get some needed physical fitness and burn off some unwanted pounds. Some say that riding a bike allows you to get directly in touch with the natural part of life and move at a pace that is closer to what humans need to be calm and in control.

When you are riding a bicycle in the streets however you need to be aware and constantly look out for dangers because it is also a potentially hazardous past time. After all, you are on the road with motor vehicles and pedestrians. Sometimes the roads have specific bike lanes and other times it is paved and lit well, but most times this is not the case. And cars, trucks and motorcycles are usually looking to occupy the same space and are a dangerous to the bike rider.

Because of the dangers, the bicyclist must be extremely alert and if the bike rider is injured by a motor vehicle, needs to hire a reputable attorney for representation in a personal injury case. The bicyclists must hire a local attorney. So if the accident occurs in Portland Oregon, the bicyclist must hire a bicycle accident attorney in Portland, OR. But to avoid accident the bike rider needs to take extra precautions. Here are a few of the most important things a bicyclist needs to look out for on the road.

Distracted Drivers

Distracted drivers are becoming the largest cause of motor vehicle accidents. Distracted driving includes texting, phone calls, watching videos, and any other activities that cause a driver to not pay attention to what’s going on in the road. If a driver’s attention is taken away from driving for even a few seconds, the driver can become disoriented and cause an accident. Bicycle Riders must be tuned to any drivers that are not looking at the road and I was driving erratically because of it.

Impaired Drivers

Driving while impaired includes drivers who are drunk, under the influence of illegal drugs, and under the influence of prescription drugs that should not be taken while driving. These drivers I have poor hand eye coordination, slow reflexes, and I generally unaware of their surroundings. Funny when riding a bicycle around and impaired driver, it can be a very dangerous situation. If a bike rider sees a drivers swerving in and out of lanes or speeding up and slowing down for no reason, this may be an indication that the person is impaired. The bicycle Rider should immediately move to the side of the road and the way from that automobile.

Bad Weather

When it is rained or snowed, or is doing so currently, it is a very dangerous time for bicycle rider. The limited visibility, reduced traction, and increased stopping distances mean that both the bicycle Rider and any automobile will have a difficult time operating on the road. Bicyclists should take into account inclement weather and consider not riding on the roads until the weather improves. If the bicyclist must go out in bad weather, the road conditions must be taken into account. The bicycle should ride slower and keep greater distances between Motor Vehicles.

No matter how careful a bicyclist is on the road, there is always the chance that they will be an accident with a motor vehicle. If this happens, the bicyclist should hire a reputable attorney for representation and to gain compensation for any injuries and other negative effects from the accident.

Continue Reading

The Most Important Advice for Winning a Personal Injury Case

Auto Legal

Personal injury is often misunderstood because it covers such a wide area of legal claims. What is and is not personal injury can be confusing, but it is defined as a wide range of circumstances where one party’s negligence or deliberate action causes harm and injuries to the mind, body or emotions of another party. Personal injury is one of the most common types of legal cases filed, and women file as many personal injury claims as men.

A personal injury case is a civil case meaning the objective in a personal injury case is for financial compensation from the defendant. Since there is no criminal element in the case, the defendant cannot receive jail time if he or she loses the case. Also, since it is a civil case, the burden of proof for personal injury is much lower than in a criminal case. To win, the plaintiff lower must prove fault based on a preponderance of the evidence, rather than reasonable doubt which is required in a criminal case.

The important components necessary for a plaintiff to win a civil case is for the plaintiff must show that:

  • the injuries were caused by the defendant’s behavior,
  • that the defendant’s behavior was reckless, willful, or negligent, and
  • that the injuries caused by the defendant have a financial impact to the plaintiff that can be quantified.

Personal injury lawsuits are so common partly because personal injury can happen in nearly any circumstance. They are most often however filed for defective products, traffic accidents, medical malpractice, assault, and slip or trip and falls on private and public property. The injuries sustained from personal injury may be physical, mental or emotional and can be short term or lifelong. The damages sought in a personal injury case will seek to cover medical bills, loss of work, pain and suffering, impaired or diminished quality of life and other things that have occurred due to the injuries caused by the defendant.

When a plaintiff brings a personal injury claim, there are important things to do that will greatly improve the odds of winning the case, Here is a short list:

Hire a Good Local Personal Injury Lawyer

You must hire an attorney in the jurisdiction where the personal injury occurred. For instance, if you were injured in a car accident in Miami, you must hire an attorney licensed in Florida, and it is best to hire a good personal injury lawyer in Miami because they know the court system in that city and can do the best job for you. Your lawyer will instruct you on all of the necessary things that you both need to do to win your case.

Make Sure You are Prepared

Your personal injury case will include hundreds of big and small details. You will be required to recall every event and circumstance related to your injuries while the defendant will try and prove that the fault was yours. You must be completely prepared with all of the facts. This means that you must take good notes regarding the car accident; get a police report, take down and contact any witnesses, and take all of the details and personal information from the defendant and anyone else involved in the car accident, and any witnesses to it as well. You need to notate all of your doctor and rehab visits and those with your attorney as well. Also keep a record of the work you lose because of your injuries and the loss of quality things in your life including intimacy.

One additional major aspect is the mental anguish you can sustain. Car accident victims often develop phobias, anxiety, and other mental issues when they are in a bad car accident. You can receive compensation for these issues as well so you should note them. Being well prepared for your personal injury case with great notes will help your lawyer make your best case and get you the most compensation.

Hire a good local lawyer and take good notes and it will greatly improve your chances of winning your personal injury lawsuit.

Continue Reading