Lawyers.com Blog

How Do I Avoid an Auto Accident?

nospam@example.com (James M. Roane) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:21:05 -0500

At Roane Law, our Greensboro car accident attorneys see many victims of serious car accident injuries. Unfortunately, many auto accidents are unavoidable and often unpredictable, whether the cause of a crash is due to dangerous weather conditions or the carelessness or negligence of another driver. In other cases, there are a number of ways you can avoid a collision:

Always look both ways: Whether you are merging onto a highway or about to turn on a local road, it is important to always look both ways and be aware of your surroundings.
Be aware of your blind spots: Make sure you are familiar with where the blind spots in your car are and do not always rely just on your mirrors. Many times drivers rely solely on their mirrors and experience collisions because they did not see another car located in the blind spot.
Avoid tailgating: It is important to always allow enough space between you and the car ahead of you in order to avoid any collisions.
Always be observant: Be aware of your surroundings and other drivers. If you see another car driving too fast, swerving or showing any sort of dangerous behavior, steer clear of that driver.
Be a safe driver: Try to drive during clear and safe weather conditions if possible. If you are feeling fatigued or sick, avoid driving until you feel you are clear-headed and aware enough to drive safely.
Keep your car maintained properly: A number of car accidents occur due to the improper “keep-up” of a driver’s vehicle (i.e. old tires, worn out brakes). It is extremely important to make sure your car is always running properly in order to ensure safety on the road for you and other drivers.
Drive the speed limit: More often not, people feel it is okay to drive above the given speed limit. Speed limits for roads and highways are created for a reason – to keep all drivers safe on the road. Make sure to always obey the speed limit in order to lower the risk of becoming involved in a serious or fatal accident.

Roane Law – Greensboro Car Accident Attorneys

4319 High Point Rd.
Greensboro, NC 27407-4351
Telephone: 336.790.6322
Fax: 336.285.5425

Continue reading "How Do I Avoid an Auto Accident?"

Social media website usage is up - What is your business doing about it?

nospam@example.com (Laura A. Rogal) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:59:03 -0500

According to Alexa.com, the industry standard for tracking website usage, seven of the top twenty websites in the United States are social media sites. These sites include Facebook (the third most trafficked website in the U.S.), MySpace (#5) and Twitter (#13). It's not just frivolous visits to these sites that is up, however. A recent survey of nearly 3,000 North American professionals by Business.com revealed that there is a shifting trend among businesses in capitalizing upon the increase of the business professional's use of social media. One particular point suggested by the survey is that while there typically exists corporate policies to restrict access to social networks while at work, that trend should be re-examined in light of the business value of social media. The numbers are telling - among survey respondents using social media for business purposes, 55% search for business information on websites such as Facebook and Twitter. In light of this increased usage of social media by businesses, an increasing number of lawsuits have emerged within the past few years. To avoid having your business encounter such a problem, if your company is considering recalibrating its work-based internet and/or social media policies to address the increased business applications of social media, we suggest that you create a structured written policy regarding internet usage in the workplace.

How to Properly Prepare For Your Divorce Law Firm

nospam@example.com (Mitchell A. Byrd) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:51:01 -0500

If you facing a legal separation, divorce, or mediation it is only natural to be concerned about the expensive legal fees and long period of time that typically comes with any dissolution of marriage. Our Chattanooga divorce lawyers have worked with a lot of different families, and we know that one of the best ways to save time, money, and aggravation is to be properly prepared when you meet with your family law firm. While each state’s marriage laws and procedures slightly vary, there are several ways that can consistently help you prepare for when you meet with your family law firm.

Have your questions prepared. Before you begin the legal divorce procedures you will want to have all of your options presented to you. Write down the many questions you want to ask your attorneys before you meet with them to save time. Have your attorneys discuss the differences between a contested and uncontested divorce, and which category you and your spouse fall into.
Bring a list of your assets, debts, and properties. Your attorneys will divide your assets and debts in the settlement agreement. You need to be honest and upfront when discussing these possessions with your lawyer.
Properly prepare for your child custody case. If children are involved the judge will be looking at almost every aspect of your life when deciding custody of the children. You will need to provide how much you make, how much time you spend working, how much time you can dedicate to your children, the cost of living to provide your children, as well as references of your parenting from people close to you. If you have a criminal, drug, or abuse record you need to be upfront with your attorney so he or she can best represent you.

If you have more questions, contact the Chattanooga divorce lawyers of Mitchell A. Byrd, PLLC. Our attorneys are experienced with Tennessee divorce lawyer and help those struggling with family law issues such as child custody, divorce, or legal separation in Chattanooga, Nashville, Knoxville, Franklin, and through Tennessee.

MITCHELL A. BYRD, PLLC - Chattanooga divorce lawyers
622 Georgia Avenue, Suite 102
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
Toll-Free: 888-265-4856
Phone: 423-265-3001
Fax: 423-265-310

Continue reading "How to Properly Prepare For Your Divorce Law Firm"

Tip On How To Avoid Trucking Accidents

nospam@example.com (Drayton D. Berkley) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:44:34 -0500

We have all felt the fear of driving alongside or in front of a massive truck; it is not difficult to imagine how dangerous an accident would be. How can we avoid truck accidents?

Understand the Truck’s Limitations

Every driver should know a truck’s limitations. A truck cannot stop as quickly or within the same distance as an automobile can, and the faster the speed, the longer it takes a truck to stop. A truck traveling at 55 miles per hour will need nearly 300 feet – three football fields – to stop, and that is with good brakes in good weather conditions.

Trucks have very wide blind spots where an automobile is not visible to the truck driver. These blind spots occur alongside the truck, behind the truck, and in front of the truck. If you cannot see the driver’s face in the side mirror or window, then the driver cannot see you. If you are passing a truck, do not move back into the right lane until you can see the entire front of the truck in your rearview mirror.

Make Allowances for the Weather, the Traffic, and the Road

Trucks fare no better in bad weather than automobiles, and in fact, bad weather may increase the truck’s limitations, particularly with respect to slowing and stopping. If you are following a truck, make sure to stay back for at least a ten second count. Start counting when a truck’s bumper has passed a mile marker – you should not pass the same mile marker for at least a count of ten.

Make Allowances for Bad Truck Drivers

We rarely assume that all drivers on the road are good, or even adequate drivers, and so we drive defensively. Despite their training, there are also truck drivers who should not be driving. If you are concerned about a truck driving near you, and you cannot safely put distance between yourself and the truck, get off the road. Pull into a rest stop, or let the truck pass you. Nothing can be gained by challenging the truck driver.

This article is provided by the experienced Tennessee truck accident attorney at the Berkley Law Firm PLLC, 877.224.1131, www.berkleytruckinglaw.com. 81 Monroe, Ste 400 Memphis, TN 38103

Continue reading "Tip On How To Avoid Trucking Accidents"

California Car Fire Kills Parents, Child Near Los Angeles

nospam@example.com (Brett A. Emison) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:21:29 -0500

KTLA has reported that a mother, father and child were killed when their Chevy Blazer struck a parked semi-truck and caught fire on the 210 Freeway near Sunland Boulevard in Sunland, near Los Angeles, California. Two other children were pulled from the burning vehicle and expected to be released.

SUNLAND -- Two children were pulled from the burning wreckage of a freeway crash that killed their father, mother and teenage brother in Sunland Sunday morning, authorities said.

The collision on the westbound shoulder of the freeway just east of Sunland Boulevard happened about 5 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. The GMC the family was riding in smashed into the back of a big rig that was legally parked on the side of the 210 Freeway, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The GMC burst into flames and ignited a small brush fire nearby that was quickly extinguished.

A passerby dragged a boy, 11, and girl, 9, from the burning wreckage, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

The bodies of the father 41, the mother, 40, and their 14-year-old son were later found in the vehicle.

The surviving children were taken to Children's Hospital with minor injuries and were expected to be released to the custody of their grandparents, California Highway Patrol officials told KTLA News.

Our hearts go out to the children who survived this tragic fire and they and their family are in our thoughts and prayers. Fire accidents like this are tragic and should not happen.

A person should not survive a crash only to be burned alive in a vehicle fire.

Car makers know that people should not burn alive in their vehicles, but it happens nearly every day. According to the US Fire Administration, post-collision vehicle fires are the leading cause of vehicle-related deaths. These fires ignite for a variety of reasons, including failure to incorporate anti-siphoning (anti-leak) valves, failure to include fuel filler tube check valves, misrouting of fuel lines, failure to protect fuel lines, improper placement of the fuel tank inside the vehicle's crush zone, and inadequate shielding of the fuel tank.

You can learn much more about vehicle fires... what causes them and how they can be prevented at this previous article: Burned Alive: What You Need To Know About Fuel Fed Fire Defects.

Become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Continue reading "California Car Fire Kills Parents, Child Near Los Angeles"

Louisiana Railroad Crossing Accident Kills Pastor, Wife

nospam@example.com (Brett A. Emison) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:07:38 -0500

WAFB has reported that Pastor Fanley Thomas and his wife, Florence, were killed at a railroad crossing in Le Moyen, Louisiana on Sunday morning on their way to church.

LE MOYEN, LA (WAFB) - A St. Landry Parish pastor and his wife died after authorities said a train slammed into their car Sunday morning.
Pastor Fanley Thomas and his wife, Florence, were killed at a railroad crossing in the town of Le Moyen, which is located in the northern part of the parish.
According to sheriff's deputies, the train hit the car on the passenger side, causing it to burst into flames.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pastor Thomas's family and congregation. This event is a tragic reminder of railroad crossing accident dangers and a call to action for all railroad companies to make their crossings safer.

There have been several tragic railroad crossing crashes in recent months -- many due to defects and problems with the crossings themselves.
There were reports in New Jersey of railroad crossing signal malfunctions that caused warning lights to go off when no train was present. These malfunctions lead to train collisions.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad (BNSF) was fined $4 million for lying to a Minnesota court and attempting to cover up its role in a tragic train crossing crash that killed four people.

Relatives and extended church family of Pastor Thomas and his wife, Florence, are mourning their loss. Pastor Thomas just recently warned his community about the dangers of having a train crossing with no warning lights. Pastor Thomas will be missed by those who knew him.

"If you didn't meet this fellow, you missed a gem because he was one of the greatest people to walk the face of this earth," said Raymon Whitehurst, Thomas's brother-in-law.

Railroad companies should be held accountable for dangers railroad crossings that kill. Is there a different set of rules for railroad companies than for everyone else? If a railroad has a dangerous crossing where large trains speed through, shouldn't they warn approaching motorists? Why did the railroad never put up a proper warning device?

You can learn more about how to protect yourself at railroad crossings at by visiting our railroad safety blog or web site.

Learn more and become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Continue reading "Louisiana Railroad Crossing Accident Kills Pastor, Wife"

Drug Industry Document Archive (DIDA) Adds 15 More Pharma-Related Documents To Collection In November 2009

nospam@example.com (Thomas J. Lamb) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:21:21 -0500

This Archive Contains Some "Secret" Documents Only Made Public In The Course Of Lawsuits Filed Against Pharmaceutical Companies

(Posted by Tom Lamb at www.DrugInjuryWatch.com on November 20, 2009; see http://bit.ly/92jz9s)

Created and maintained by the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), the Drug Industry Document Archive (DIDA) contains over 1500 documents, many of which were previously secret and only made public as a result of lawsuits filed against drug companies.

In September 2009 Kim Klausner, who is the Tobacco Digital Library Manager at UCSF, kindly sent us an email notification about the addition of some Wyeth ghostwriting documents to the DIDA collection.

Now, a couple of months later, Kim Klausner has let us know about 15 new rather "revealing" pharma-related documents that have been added to this DIDA collection. From her recent email:

I’m pleased to announce that we’ve added 15 new documents to the Drug Industry Document Archive (DIDA). You can find them by typing in “ddu:20091112” without the quotation marks in the query box at http://dida.library.ucsf.edu. (A few of the documents in this batch replace damaged ones so are not strictly “new.”)
The documents include:
-- Depositions from Karen Mittleman, the DesignWrite staffer who worked on Wyeth’s publication plan for Premarin products. She responds to questions about how academic authors, her medical communications company and the drug manufacturer implemented its plan. (Parts of these documents appear redacted because the version we received had highlighting which doesn’t OCR well.)
-- A letter from Thomas Sullivan, President of Rockpointe, a medical communications firm, spells out the terms under which his company does business with numerous drug company clients and clarifies his relationship with ACRE, the Association of Clinical Researchers and Educators. He also provides a list of payments from drug and medical device companies for Rockpointe services from 2006 to June 2009.
-- The 1999 Tactical Plan for Paxil which includes participation in ISAAC (Initiative for Social Anxiety Assessment and Care), a disease-based registry of potential patients/customers, for which physicians will be paid $100 for each person recruited.
-- The 2004 Lexapro Marketing Plan which includes this gem: Bylined articles will allow us to fold Lexapro messages into articles on depression, anxiety and comorbidity developed by (or ghostwritten for) thought leaders (page 23).
Feel free to forward this announcement to anyone who might be interested. And please click on the Contact Us link at the bottom of DIDA’s pages if you want help searching.

Once again, we are grateful that Kim took the time to let us know about these additions to the DIDA collection, and we thank all the good folks at UCSF who are involved with the creation and growth of this project.

Attorney Tom Lamb represents people in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving unsafe prescription drugs or medication errors. The above article was posted originally on his blog, Drug Injury Watch – with live links and readers’ Comments.
http://www.DrugInjuryWatch.com
Continue reading "Drug Industry Document Archive (DIDA) Adds 15 More Pharma-Related Documents To Collection In November 2009"

NFL's new brain injury policy is a no-brainer

nospam@example.com (Kim Michael Cullen) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:20:32 -0500

Kudos to the National Football League for announcing a new policy today wherein teams are required to have brain injured players evaluated by independent neurologists before allowing the players to return to the field. Until now, teams were free to have players evaluated by team-selected physicians before giving the okay to play. This practice led to some debate about whether team physicians had conflicts of interest in deciding to allow players back on the field.

As more research becomes available from the medical community, we are becoming more and more aware of the seriousness of injuries to the brain, and particularly the compounding negative effects of multiple concussions suffered by the brain. These types of injuries are not limited to football players, and are often experienced in car and truck accidents. The NFL is admirably trying to stay up with the latest research. Starting this season, all players were required to under basic neurological testing so that a baseline could be established to compare to if the player received a brain injury.

The next step forward for the NFL is to further educate its players to recognize even the minor effects of brain injury. Historically, players are trained to "play through" pain, dizziness, disorientation, and other signs of brain injuries. We have a similar challenge in educating our personal injury clients. Players and clients alike need to realize that any kind of brain injury is serious and deserves attention. Hopefully, the NFL will continue to demonstrate that it cares about the long-term wellness of its players.

For more information, contact us at www.cullen-law.com.

Continue reading "NFL's new brain injury policy is a no-brainer"

Leveling the Playing Field in Injury Cases

nospam@example.com (Dixon R. Gahnz) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:28:54 -0500

If you have been hurt in an accident there are many things you are worried about. You are worried about your medical bills, your job, how you are going to pay your household expenses while you are off work. The insurance companies know you are worried, and they know that the more pressure you are under the more likely you are to settle your case before you know the extent of your injuries.

Insurance companies do not offer to pay you while you are off work. They don’t offer to pay the medical bills as you go. If they did that, there would be a lot less stress in your life, and thus no hurry to settle your claim. However, if you are behind in your mortgage because you can’t work, then the pressure to settle is immense.

There is a tool that may help with this problem. It is a Wisconsin statute, §628.46. It provides that a claim is overdue if it is not paid within thirty days of being presented to the insurance company. There are exceptions of course, and the insurance company jumps at any chance not to pay. If the liability is clear, and you submit written notice of the claim with detailed proof of loss, then the insurance company is required to pay that part of the claim. If the insurance company does not pay it within 30 days, it is subject to 12% interest from the time of the demand until it is paid.

There is another aspect of this statute that puts some teeth in it. If an injured person has to sue to collect her damages she can bring a claim under §628.46. Such a claim makes the insurance adjuster’s conduct relevant. For instance, if the insurance company refused to pay because they believed liability was in dispute, the claims file with that information in it becomes relevant to what the adjuster really believes. Insurance companies are notorious for protecting their claims files. They do not want the public to see how they evaluate injuries, and as a result the prospect of having to turn that file over helps the injured person.

If you have been injured and have questions about your rights, contact dgahnz@lawtoncates.com or go to www.lawtoncates.com for more information.

Continue reading "Leveling the Playing Field in Injury Cases"

Chicago: Wrestler Suing After Stairs Collapse

nospam@example.com (Michael P. Ehline) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:16:12 -0500

Jennifer Fernicola issued a report today November 11, 2009, in the Hot Topics section of the online publication, Chicago Now, under the title, Pro Wrestler sues after he falls out of the ring, suffering personal injury. Apparently, the stairs leading from the wrestling ring collapsed under professional wrestler Gregory Lee as he left the ring. He is suing Windy City Pro Wrestling. I am sure he has a good personal injury lawyer on the said case. In the complaint that was filed last July, the wrestler was in a wrestling entertainment event held at Toyota Park in Bridgeview. The stairs to the ring collapsed and Lee then suffered the personal injury in a fall. For his part, Lee contends that Windy City Pro Wrestling was also negligent when it, "failed to adequately light the catwalk and stairs leading from the wrestling ring."The third defendant in Lee’s case is the Village of Bridgeview because it helped in the building of the stairs and catwalk. By the way, if you are in the hunto for a Chicago personal injury lawyer then I might suggest John Buden. In my estimation he is one of the better such lawyer in the whole windy city of Chicago. Meanwhile, in an unrelated story, the Chicago Sun Times ran a piece today, November 11, 2009, by Mark Brown, titled, Law students' idea grows into godsend for vets. Three law students had an idea to help Veterans. Nicholas Henry, Michael Barnicle, and Ryan Coward wanted to help vets by starting a legal clinic to help veterans get their benefits from the Veterans Administration. Their creating, Veterans Legal Support Center and Clinic, at the John Marshall Law School, is almost two years old and takes hundreds of calls a week from vets needing all sorts of issues settled. Recently claimants included a Lake Bluff World War II vet trying to establish a connection between his service experience and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, a Korean War-era vet from Naperville who believes his asbestosis was caused by his work in the Army motor pool, and a Vietnam vet from South Holland suffering from Agent Orange exposure who seeks benefits for his prostate cancer. Barnicle, Coward, and Henry have flourishing careers as military lawyers. Their legal clinic is evidence that those with an idea, a desire to help, fortitude to persist, can make a huge difference. It just goes to show that many a young lawyer has his heart in the right place, especially in Chicago.

Continue reading "Chicago: Wrestler Suing After Stairs Collapse"

I've got a judgment - Now what?

nospam@example.com (Philip W. Boyko) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:51:13 -0500

You were successful at the trial court level and you now have a judgment in hand against that low-life of a former customer who took your goods or services without paying for them. You took the case to trial and the judge awarded you judgment for the full amount the customer failed to pay, your court costs, and your attorney's fees. The whole amount is accruing interest at the post-judgment rate. The debtor either didn't appeal or your judgment was affirmed on appeal. Wow! Now you're on easy street, right? So you ask your attorney, where's my money? You want the truth? Can you handle the truth? It's still in the judgment debtor's pocket and you are foolish to think that he will part with it any time soon. Welcome to collection litigation, part two, or how I spent another year trying to collect what the judge said the debtor owes me.

If you are one of the lucky few, you may actually receive a check for the entire amount of your judgment. If so, don't ever tell anyone you never won anything. You just hit the lottery! If that does not happen, your next best scenario may be to convince the debtor to enter into a cooperative payout of the judgment in agreed installments in exchange for your agreement to forebear enforcement of the judgment. In essence, you tell the debtor that you'll take regular payments and that you'll stop making life miserable for him. This can be a win-win situation for all involved. Don't forget, for the last few years you have ben involved in litigation against the debtor and you are now looking to turn off the money spigot on your side (it will continue if you don't reach a speedy agreement on payment/payout), and start the flow of money back to you or your company. If the debtor instead thumbs his nose at your judgment, you need to consider your post-judgment options, given the possibility that any of the following events may occur:

the debtor's bankruptcy may be looming just around the corner
the debtor may be insolvent, and therefore, judgment proof
the debtor may have transferred assets to hinder, delay or defraud you

The decision on how to proceed in the post-judgment phase, and what vehicles to employ in that phase, must be based on a careful cost/benefit analysis. You need to talk with your attorney about the available remedies as they all have different costs. What may work against one judgment debtor may utterly fail against another.

Even if you decide to take a breather while you consider your options, there is one thing you should do immediately, abstract your judgment. In Texas, you simply ask the clerk of the court to prepare the abstract of judgment, a one or two page document that identifies the litigation and the fact that a judgment was rendered. What must be included in the abstract is set out in Section 52.003 of the Texas Property Code. Such things as names, birthdate and driver's license number of the judgment debtor, date of the judgment, and the judgment amount, are, needless to say, a must. After you are certain that the abstract meets the requirements of the statute, it should be recorded in each county where the judgment debtor owns property. If properly indexed, the judgment lien will attach to all of the judgment debtor's nonexempt real property in the county of recordation. Generally, the judgment lien continues for a period of 10 years, except if the judgment becomes dormant. "Nonexempt property" and "dormant" judgments are topics for separate blogs).

Nobody ever said collecting a judgment was easy. If you actually heard someone say that, then hopefully, it was not the attorney that represented you during the trial phase of your journey. Look at it this way. Your trial was like a journey on a rough ocean - a voyage frought with potential storms. Obtaining the judgment was like arriving at a sandy beach from that journey with a tropical forest before you. Now you just need to find the riches hidden in that forest. You need a seasoned collection attorney now more than ever.

What Information Will Your Medical Malpractice Attorney Need?

nospam@example.com (Gregg A. Stone) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:29:48 -0500

When you begin the process of filing a lawsuit for malpractice in Newark, your lawyer will need some information. Telling your side of the story is the first step. After that you will need to give your malpractice attorney a variety of documents and paperwork to help determine whether a medical malpractice case exists.

What to bring to your lawyer

The most crucial information for your lawyer pertaining to the malpractice case is your complete medical records. Your medical records are considered your personal property, and you have the right to get a copy from your doctor if you ask for it. The doctor may charge you a reasonable fee for making the copies.

Bring anything else that might seem relevant. Don’t limit yourself by thinking that something is not important. Every detail that you show to your medical malpractice lawyers will help them analyze your case.

Your Newark Medical Malpractice Law Firm

The Newark medical malpractice law firm of Kirsch Gelband & Stone provides complete assistance to you in medical malpractice litigation. We assure you that your case is handled confidentially and respectfully.

Kirsch, Gelband & Stone, P.A., 17 Academy Street, Suite 707 Newark, NJ 07102.

Continue reading "What Information Will Your Medical Malpractice Attorney Need?"

FERS & CSRS Disability Retirement: Hindrances

nospam@example.com (Robert R. McGill) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:41:49 -0500

One would think that the Human Resources Department of the Agency from which a Federal or Postal employee is attempting to file a Federal Disability Retirement application, would be a "helpful" entity. It is indeed a baffling phenomena when one pauses and reflects upon it: What is the purpose of the Human Resources Department? Specifically, what existential purpose does a person serve, who has a positional designation of "Disability Retirement Specialist"? Let me attempt to answer the question in the way it is supposed to be answer: 1. The purpose of the Human Resources Department is to help the Federal and Postal employees of the Agency or Department of which they have been established. 2. The person who holds the designated job entitled, "Disability Retirement Specialist" is one who, theoretically, is there to assist in any way, within the legal confines established by the Agency, in as much as possible, to help the Federal or Postal employee to finalized and complete the disability retirement packet for submission to the Office of Personnel Management. Now, let me pose the following hypothetical: an H.R. person calls up and says, "I cannot forward the disability retirement packet because Box Number ___ on Standard Form _____ has not been checked." Does this sound like the Human Resources Department is fulfilling the existential purpose for which it was established? On the other hand, rhetorical questions are fun to ask, precisely because they are rhetorical, and allow one to expiate some build-up of frustrations on a Friday night, after a long week dealing with multiple agencies. Have a good weekend.

Sincerely, Robert R. McGill, Esquire

Divorce New York Style

nospam@example.com (Lee Rosenberg) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:06:55 -0500

Divorce New York Style

Drunk Driving Arrest: Now What?

nospam@example.com (Harry S. Steinmetz) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:46:31 -0500

Face it. A drunk driving arrest is a serious criminal matter that you should not treat lightly. If you are faced with a violation of DUI laws, you need a DUI defense attorney who knows the ins and outs of the laws. This is not the time to go it alone.

DUI can ruin your life

If you are convicted of DUI, you are in serious trouble. You face possible license suspension, fines, and in some cases, jail. Your insurance premiums may go up significantly, and you may have to attend classes. You may not be able to drive legally at all. In addition, your insurance company may deny you coverage for your accident if you are found to be guilty of DUI.

Think about the restrictions on your freedom. How will you drive your child to activities or school? How will you get to work? What happens if someone is injured and you cannot drive to the hospital? You face psychological and economic havoc that may take you years to correct. A knowledgeable DUI law firm can help you avoid or minimize these consequences

What to do after a DUI stop

After you are stopped for DUI:

Provide the officer with your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance
Tell the officer you will not be answering any questions or making any statements
If you are asked to perform road side tests, you do not need to do so. Refuse. The results of these tests will be used against you. Everything you do and say becomes evidence. You can tell the officer that you will blow into a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) machine at the station if the officer has probable cause to arrest you.
Inform the officer that if you are not under arrest, you wish to leave immediately. If you are under arrest, tell the officer you wish to talk to your attorney immediately.

For those in southwestern Washington, always contact a Tacoma DUI law firm before you give a breath sample or refuse to give one. There are serious consequences to your decision and it is best to have a DUI lawyer in Tacoma involved to minimize the impact of what you are facing.

If you are seeking Tacoma DUI attorneys, contact the Law Office of Harry Steinmetz for straight answers and immediate help.
Continue reading "Drunk Driving Arrest: Now What?"