If you’re the defendant in a criminal case, the best thing you can do for yourself is choose the most reputable criminal defense lawyers possible. And while we all know that the Sixth Amendment provides criminal defendants with the right to legal representation, the right to a speedy trial, and the right to confront witnesses, finding the best possible criminal defense attorney takes a little more expertise than simply reading the Constitution. While you search for the right criminal defense attorneys for you, here are some essential dos and don’ts to keep in mind.

• • DO: Strongly consider experience
    Experience is one of the most important qualities for a criminal defense attorney to possess. Even if they stayed at the top of their class throughout law school and are more passionate than any lawyer you’ve ever seen, they won’t be able to handle your case unless they’ve handled countless others like it. You wouldn’t trust a heart surgeon to operate on you without having substantial experience, and the same principle applies with criminal defense lawyers. Real life experience is absolutely critical.

• • DON’T: Forget to check references
    Another imperative part of your criminal defense attorney search is making sure to check references. Any confident and established criminal defense lawyer will be happy to give you a list of satisfied clients they’ve personally helped. Better yet, ask your friends and family for suggestions if you feel comfortable doing so. The most professional criminal defense attorneys should always come with a recommendation.

• • DO: Compare fees
    Obviously, comparing lawyer fees is an important part of the research process. While you do want to work with the most professional lawyer you can afford, it’s critical to not let money cloud your judgment. Again, your criminal defense attorney is there to argue your case to the absolute best of their ability, and the fact is some can simply do it better than others. Don’t assume that the most expensive lawyer is automatically going to provide the best service, and don’t assume that the more affordable lawyers are always less qualified.

• DON’T: Ignore your gut instinct
  More often than not, your gut can tell you whether or not a lawyer will truly do what they say they are able to do. If that gut instinct tells you that one criminal lawyer will be better or worse than another, listen to it.

Ultimately, these are just a few important dos and don’ts to consider when selecting a criminal defense attorney to represent you. Keep an eye out for the next post, where we’ll discuss even more tips for finding the best attorney possible.

Finding the “right” lawyer to represent you is often the most critical factor in a successful recovery.

Insurance companies have the financial resources to hire skilled lawyers who specialize in defending personal injury claims. The experience and skills of your lawyer will play a pivotal role in the amount of compensation you receive.

Most injury victims do not know that the best, most successful personal injury attorneys in your community charge fees that are the same as inexperienced lawyers who have no track record of success in the courtroom.

Don’t make the mistake of choosing a personal injury lawyer from ads alone. There are unscrupulous lawyers who will settle your case quickly for whatever the insurance company will offer because these firms work on a “high volume” and “quick turnover” basis. Every community has a number of personal injury “wannabe” lawyers who would like to grab your case and settle it quickly for low dollars for you (but a high return for the lawyer’s time investment).

So how do you find a good lawyer for a serious personal injury lawsuit?

Like most important decisions, you need to do some “homework” on the lawyers in your community. When you decide to meet with an attorney to discuss your case, you need to ask the right questions to find out if the attorney has a proven track record of success.

The purpose of this free report is to provide you with insights that most injury victims never bother to learn about lawyers who handle personal injury claims. If you follow the advice contained in this report, it may make the difference between winning your case or going home with nothing or significantly less than your case is worth.

1. There are sources that rate personal injury lawyers based on what their colleagues say about them.

How do you find a top-notch lawyer for a serious personal injury case? There are resources you can check before deciding which lawyer to schedule a consultation with. One of the most reliable ways to research a lawyer’s qualifications is to check sources that rate personal injury lawyer reviews based on what their fellow lawyers (and their competitors) say about them. Please understand that there is no other official “rating” system for personal injury lawyers besides peer review by other lawyers. Here are the peer review rating systems that you should check out:

• The Martindale-Hubbell Bar Registry (www.martindale.com) has peer review ratings of more than 1 million lawyers across the country. It publishes short biographies of these lawyers. For over 130 years, Martindale-Hubbell has been the most respected source of authoritative and reliable information about members of the legal community in the United States. An “AV” rating identifies a lawyer and a firm with a very high to preeminent legal ability and is the highest reflection of expertise, experience, and integrity and overall professional excellence. Martindale-Hubbell ratings are established by attorneys for attorneys and it states: “clearly indicates a demonstration of the highest professional and ethical standards.”
• The Best Lawyers in America. (www.bestlawyers.com) The lawyers listed in Best Lawyers been selected by their peers as “the best” in 57 specialties, including personal injury and medical malpractice law.
• Superlawyers. ( www.superlawyers.com) Super Lawyers is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Law & Politics performs the polling, research, and selection of Super Lawyers in a process designed to identify lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent (5%) of the lawyers in each state are named Super Lawyers.

2. Ask the lawyer, “What percentage of your cases are referrals from other lawyers”?

If you want to know who the top-notch personal injury lawyers are in your community, ask the lawyers who practice there. It’s important to find out whether a significant percentage of a lawyer’s caseload comes from referrals from other lawyers. In any field or profession, the professionals who work in the field usually know who’s good and who’s not. If you have an attorney or a friend who practices law, that might be a good place to start. Even if he or she doesn’t handle injury cases, they are bound to have colleagues who are familiar with the personal injury or malpractice lawyers who are recognized by their peers as being the best in your community.

3. Be careful about lawyers who send “solicitation” letters to your home following an accident.

Recently, an increasing number of personal injury lawyers have been hiring runners or “gophers” to obtain traffic accident reports prepared by local and state police officers. Once the accident reports are obtained, a member of the law firm’s staff will comb through the report to find the name and address of the accident victim. The law firm will then mail a “solicitation” letter to the injury victim informing him/her that the law firm is ready and willing to represent the accident victim in a personal injury case. In our community, it is not unusual for an accident victim to receive fifteen to twenty solicitation letters from law firms. There is a law firm in southern Indiana that sends a solicitation to every single traffic accident victim in the entire state where there is a police report. There are law firms that will continue to send solicitation letters after the initial letter is sent and will even have a staff member call the accident victim and ask if they received the solicitation letters.

The vast, vast majority of law firms that rely on solicitation letters operate on a “high volume, quick turnover” basis. They have difficulty attracting referrals from satisfied clients or other lawyers so they resort to sending out hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of solicitation letters hoping that they will receive responses to their mass mailings. It’s probably safe to say that injury victims who choose an attorney based on a solicitation letter they receive in the mail aren’t doing a lot of research on the law firm they are hiring. Many states are in the process of enacting rules and laws to prohibit lawyers from sending solicitation letters to accident victims.

4. Virtually all personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation and will not charge a fee unless there is a recovery.

Anyone who has ever seen or received any type of advertisements (TV commercials, yellow pages, internet sites, direct mail solicitation letters, etc.) from personal injury firms quickly learns that every injury lawyer makes the same offers:

• “No fee if no recovery.”
• “Free initial consultation.”
• “We will visit you at home or in the hospital.”

A lawyer who offers you a “free consultation” and tells you that he or she will not charge a fee unless there is a recovery in your case (known as a “contingent fee” agreement) is not offering you anything out of the ordinary. Almost every lawyer who specializes in handling personal injury cases will make the same offer.

5. What does it mean when a lawyer says “no fee if no recovery”?

Almost every personal injury lawyer handles injury cases on a contingent fee basis. A “contingent” fee means that there is no attorney fee unless there is a recovery and the fee is a percentage of the amount recovered. (i.e. usually 33.33% of the amount recovered). That means that the lawyer will not charge the client a fee unless there is a recovery. Sounds simple, right? Not so fast. This is an area where personal injury victims need to be careful before they make a decision on a lawyer for their case.

If a lawyer agrees to handle your injury case on a contingent fee basis and loses the case, there’s not going to be an issue on whether you owe the lawyer anything for his or her attorney fee. You don’t owe anything. One-third of nothing is nothing. However, consumers must understand that there is a big difference between attorney fees and the case “expenses.” Almost every personal injury case will entail some case “expenses” that need to be paid in order to prepare the case properly. Case expenses are monies paid to third parties to keep the case going: expert witness fees, court reporter fees, charges for medical records, charges for physician reports, filing fees and the many other expenses that go into a personal injury lawsuit.

Case expenses are handled differently by different law firms. In a typical motor vehicle accident case, where the settlement is less than $100,000, the case expenses are usually less than $5,000. However, in a serious personal injury case involving permanent or catastrophic injuries, or in a medical malpractice case, the litigation expenses can run up to $50,000 or more. There are different ways these ongoing litigation expenses are handled by different firms, depending, in large part, on the firm’s philosophy and the firm’s financial resources:

• One way is to require the client to pay all or a substantial share of the litigation expenses at the start of a case or on an ongoing basis. That method can create serious financial issues for a client.
• Another way is for the lawyer to pay all the expenses as the case goes along, with the client reimbursing the lawyer out of any recovery at the end of the case, after the lawyer’s contingency fee is deducted. For example, if the recovery is $270,000, and the lawyer and the client have agreed to a one-third contingent fee plus reimbursement of the expenses advanced by the lawyer, and the lawyer has advanced $10,000 toward the case expenses, the final disbursement of the settlement will look like this:- you will receive $170,000
  – the lawyer will receive $90,000 for his attorney fee;
  – $10,000 will be paid back to the lawyer to reimburse expenses.

What happens to the expenses if the case is lost? Some lawyers have a policy of not asking the client to reimburse the law firm for the “out of pocket” expenses. Other lawyers expect the client to reimburse the law firm for all the expenses if the case is lost. As a consumer who has choices, you need to find out the lawyer’s policy on expense reimbursement in situations where the case is lost. If a lawyer tries to tell you “don’t worry about it, I’ve never lost a case,” don’t accept that response. Even the very best personal injury lawyers lose cases from time to time.

Finding a personal lawyer? Just contact us for more information.

A criminal defense attorney has a multitude of roles to fulfill. Your defense attorney is not only in charge of almost every aspect of your case, but is defending you both in and out of the courtroom.

Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the major responsibilities of their criminal defense attorney because they have never had one or are generally unfamiliar with the law in the first place. But, should the situation arise in which you need one, it is important to understand what your criminal defense attorney’s responsibilities are and what they can do to help your case.

The Most Important Responsibility of a Criminal Defense Attorney

First and foremost, the most important job of your criminal defense attorney is to fight for you and defend you in the court of law. According to the American Bar Association, the primary responsibility of a criminal defense attorney is to advocate for their clients and defend their rights. Your defense attorney should not only acknowledge your needs/wants in the situation, but work in favor of your best interests. A defense attorney should protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome for the case at hand.

What Does It Mean to “Work in the Defendant’s Best Interest”?

A criminal defense lawyer is an attorney that is usually hired specifically by the defendant to work with their best interests in mind. To work with the defendant’s best interests in mind means that your defense lawyer will not only be fighting for the best possible outcome by societal standards, but that they will do so with your wants and wellbeing in mind too. Sometimes known as holistic representation, many defense lawyers attempt to help their client by focusing on the whole of the situation, not just the crime at hand. While the outcome the defendant may want cannot be guaranteed by any defense lawyer, part of your lawyer’s job is to work for the agreed upon outcome or best one possible.

Your defense attorney works with your best interests in mind throughout multiple areas of the case. When considering plea bargains, your lawyer can negotiate terms for you that they think may be better. When considering the jurors, your attorney can assess and remove jurors that may be biased towards you or the case. Your lawyer can even interview and use specific witnesses to the case with your best interests in mind, too.

What Does It Mean to “Defend the Client’s Rights”?

Criminal defense attorneys work to defend their clients’ rights in many ways both in and out of the courtroom.

One way a defense attorney can defend their client’s rights is by working to make sure they have a fair trial. Oftentimes, the proceedings of criminal cases and other affairs in the criminal justice system are hectic. It is important that every aspect of your case is looked at with extreme detail and understanding, especially with regard to how it could play a role in your trial.

Another way a defense lawyer will work to defend their client’s rights is by making sure that the defendant remains innocent until proven guilty in the minds of the judge and jurors. Despite the evidence in a case before its trial, our legal system declares all defendants’ innocent until the prosecution is able to prove them guilty without a reasonable doubt. A defense lawyer works to make sure that all information between them and their client is confidential, retaining their innocence throughout the trial.

Even during the trial, a defense lawyer will be working to defend you and your rights. If the prosecution asks questions, they shouldn’t or pushes too far, your lawyer can object. If they present information that’s been passed through too many sources, your lawyer can object it as hearsay. There are a number of things your lawyer can do both in and out of the court of law to ensure that your rights are being protected.

What Other Responsibilities Does a Criminal Defense Attorney Have?

On top of this, your criminal defense lawyer is in charge of almost every other aspect of your case. You can expect that they will:

1. Be Knowledgeable of the Law
   One obvious but major role of your defense attorney is to be knowledgeable of the law. Your attorney needs to know the ins and outs of the law in order to help protect you throughout all points of criminal investigations and court proceedings.
2. Understand the Case Presented
   Initially, your defense attorney will be in charge of learning about you and your case. Their job is to learn what happened from you and understand the details from your side of the story. From there, you and your attorney will most likely discuss the best outcomes of the situation at hand and what outcome you want to attempt to work towards.
3. Investigate and Collect Information
   The next role of your attorney is to investigate deeper into the case and collect information. Your defense lawyer will analyze all aspects of the case, review the prosecution’s evidence, and interview witnesses. The more detailed information your lawyer can find prior to the trial, the better your lawyer will be able to defend you in trial.
4. Defending the Client in Trial
   One of the biggest responsibilities a defense lawyer has aside from working in the defendant’s best interests, is defending the client in the courtroom. Your lawyer can spend a large amount of time developing a strategy for your trial. This includes analyzing the prosecution’s theories and preparing areas in their case to oppose.
5. Keeping the Defendant Updated
   Another large responsibility of your defense attorney is to keep you consistently updated throughout the legal process. Whenever your lawyer is informed of almost anything regarding your case, like for example a new plea bargain, it is their job to inform you as soon as possible.

Choosing a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Ultimately, your defense attorney’s biggest responsibilities are to work with your best interests in mind and defend you both in and out of the courtroom, trying to get the best possible outcome. Here at Patton Law, we always put our clients and their best interests first. We are a team of experienced professionals working to provide holistic representation to those who need it. If you are looking for high-quality, criminal defense lawyers in the Southeast Wisconsin area, contact us .

What Should I Know About My Personal Injury Case?

If you were hurt or a loved one died due to the negligence of another, there are some basic facts you should know if you’re considering legal action. We also welcome you to call us at 303-625-9346 to arrange a free consultation with a knowledgeable injury attorney.

1. Personal injury law is about more than car accidents.

Although car accidents and other types of motor vehicle collisions make up a substantial number of personal injury cases, personal injury law applies to any instance in which a person suffers harm due to the negligence of another individual or entity. Personal injury lawsuits may also relate to defective consumer products, accidents caused by unsafe premises, dog bites and wrongful death.

2. Insurance company settlement offers are not always fair.

Insurance providers often attempt to limit what they pay for medical expenses and other damages in the interest of protecting their own bottom lines. But undervaluing your claim can leave you facing immediate and long-term financial adversity, especially if you’re temporarily unable to work due to your injuries.

3. Working with an experienced lawyer matters.

Victims of severe injuries often find themselves facing tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses, and may be unable to return to their jobs or require long-term rehabilitation. A personal injury claim led by an attorney who understands the physical, financial and mental hardships associated with severe injuries provides the best opportunity for receiving adequate compensation. Working with a lawyer can also relieve some of your personal stress, offer peace of mind, and allow you to focus on your recovery.

4. So does your lawyer’s experience.

The Frickey Law Firm has an extensive record of success in personal injury cases, and our attorneys are consistently recognized as top lawyers in their fields by Martindale-Hubbell, U.S. News & World Report, Super Lawyers and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum among other esteemed organizations. Our attorneys’ legal wisdom, medical knowledge and negotiating skills are backed by substantial trial experience, as well as the resources to thoroughly investigate and aggressively pursue your claim.

5. Compensation can be extensive.

Compensation in personal injury cases may include money for:

• Past and future medical costs
• Loss of earnings
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering

In wrongful death cases, compensation may be awarded for damages including but not limited to:

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of financial support and benefits
• Related medical expenses incurred prior to death
• Loss of companionship or consortium

The compensation varies widely depending on a number of individual circumstances, and your lawyer can help you understand how much your claim may be worth.

6. Every case is different.

There are fundamental steps shared by all personal injury legal actions, but the claims themselves differ depending on the type of injury, the cause of the injury and other factors. Likewise, personal injury cases vary in duration and whether they may be settled or go to trial.

7. Some cases take time.

Burdened with mounting medical expenses and potentially unable to work, injury victims often feel pressured to take the first offer from insurance providers. Before accepting an initial settlement offer, it can be in your best interests to discuss your situation with an attorney who is aware of the challenges that confront injury victims. Many cases are fairly settled in a matter of months, but those that end up in the courtroom may require 12 months or longer in order to recover the financial security you need. Your attorney will personally discuss your expectations with you.

8. Cases may settle out of court or go to trial.

Most personal injury cases are settled out of court, either through negotiations with an insurance provider’s representation or through a mediation process. Our lawyers strive to achieve an agreeable and timely settlement on your behalf, but our attorneys also have the courtroom expertise necessary to take your case to trial when settlement offers are unjust.

9. Evidence and time are crucial.

In the event that another’s negligence caused you to harm or resulted in the death of a loved one, it’s important to consult with a lawyer as soon as possible. The time to pursue legal action for compensation is bound by statutes of limitations, which are generally between two and three years from the date of the injury. It is also critical to collect as much evidence as you can to support your claim; your attorney can guide you through the information to gather, as well as help access any necessary law enforcement reports and medical records.

10. Our injury lawyers work on a contingent-fee basis.

If you’re researching personal injury attorneys, you’ve probably encountered the term “contingent fee.” We know that most clients can’t afford a lawyer who charges them by the hour, especially when medical expenses are mounting by the minute. That’s why we works on a contingent-fee basis, which means we don’t get paid unless we resolve your case.

If you were hurt or a family member was killed due to the negligence of another, please contact us  for your free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to helping injury victims.

If you or someone you are close to has ever been hit by a car, you know how disoriented one can become when it happens to them. If you’ve been hurt or injured by the negligence of another person, company, or driver; it is possible to seek compensation for your medical bills and other related expenses. You don’t have to call a personal injury lawyer after car accidents, but these are some reasons why you should.

They Are Professional and Objective

Car accidents and personal injuries cause a lot of pain and emotional upheaval. This trauma may make it difficult to make objective decisions as far as your accident/injury is concerned. A personal injury attorney will file personal injury claims on your behalf. They will also help bring knowledge, skill, and experience into your case; and this will help you get the settlement you deserve.

They Know How to Negotiate

After an accident has occurred, and personal injury claims have been filed, the offending party’s insurance representative handles these cases daily and can be very persuasive when it comes to bargaining for lower compensation. Negotiating with insurance companies can be very challenging and they have techniques on persuading you to accept their first offer. This is why you need an experienced lawyer to help you through this period. Hiring a personal injury lawyer after you’ve been injured often leads to heftier compensation.

They Can Help You Get Medical Attention

Putting your personal injury attorney’s name as one of your emergency contacts will ensure that they are one of the first ones to be called when something happens to you. If they get this call early enough, they may be able to help you get treatment. The quality of treatment you receive at this point speaks to whether you will have a speedy recovery or not. If your attorney is familiar with medical malpractice and personal injury, they can also ensure that you are receiving proper care. While you are recuperating, your injury lawyer could be filing personal injury claims against whoever ran you over or is at fault for the injuries you suffered.

They Help You Make Better Decisions

If you aren’t a lawyer, filing a personal injury claim may seem like a long and complicated legal process. Sometimes, the offending party owns up to their mistake and is willing to compensate you. In such cases, if the compensation amount is adequate for your injuries, it would be unnecessary to take court action. A qualified personal injury lawyer will analyze your unique situation and inform you of the options that are available to you. They can also provide counsel on the best route of action, depending on the severity of your situation.

They Can Provide You With Legal Coverage

Often, the offending parties contest personal injury claims, and this prompts you to take court action. The other party will have a lawyer, and you not having one will probably turn the odds against you. Having the support of a personal injury lawyer will help level the playing field. An experienced lawyer will give you adequate legal representation after car accidents. They will gather all the evidence you need to win your court case.

They Can Help You Get Faster Compensation

If you don’t have a lawyer, you will have to wait until you have recovered sufficiently before going to seek compensation. This implies that it will take you much longer to get your settlement. You should call a personal injury lawyer immediately after your accident. This way, they can file personal injury claims on your behalf while you are recuperating. A qualified personal injury lawyer has vast experience with similar cases to yours and the legalities involved with those cases, hence they can side-step all setbacks and help you get compensated as fast as possible.

They Give You Peace of Mind

Sometimes, accidents may result in fatalities. Other times, they may cause post-traumatic stress and intense emotional trauma. Following up on personal injury claims at such a time may be very stressful. You should hire a personal injury lawyer after you’ve been injured. Experienced lawyers will handle all the complicated aspects of your claim, giving you the peace of mind you need to put all your focus on getting better.

Final Words

Accidents are a side effect of life. They happen. If you are injured in a car accident, or if you are injured due to the negligence of someone else, you should promptly seek legal help for compensation. Unfortunately; you can’t rely on other’s driving as attentively or as carefully as you are. Road accidents have led to the death of around 40,100 people in 2017. This blog is not to be construed as legal advice and is for general use only. You should always seek advice from an attorney for legal matters.

Remember these five tips to prepare for a personal injury court case. Learning how the procedures will be handled and going over your testimony can be enormously helpful for plaintiffs who are unsure of what to expect.

Help for Plaintiffs: Preparing for an Injury Court Case
Court cases can be brief, but normally, jury trials for civil cases last an average of four days, and bench trials an average of two, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Make sure you know what to expect and try following these five tips for personal injury court cases:

• Compile Documents – The more evidence your case comprises, the better you’’ll be able to demonstrate your situation to the courts. Beginning from the time of the injury, collect all pertinent documents regarding your case and share the information with your attorney.
• Courtroom Procedures – It’’s prudent to familiarize yourself with trial procedures. You even may wish to go over the general courtroom layout with your attorney before your case goes to court so you know what to expect. You may be able to visit the courtroom before the trial to prepare.
• Testimony Practice -– To be fully prepared, work with your attorney to go over sample questions and answers and to practice your testimony. This may help alleviate a lot of nervousness on the day of court.
• Clothing Considerations -– Dress nicely, but your attorney may advise certain types or styles of clothing in some cases. Speak with your attorney about what types of clothing might be most appropriate.
• Ask Questions -– Uncertainty breeds anxiety. If you have questions regarding your injury case or how matters will be handled in court, ask your attorney to reduce or eliminate any uncertainty you may have.

Legal Representation and Help for Plaintiffs

There are a lot of little details about courtroom procedure and personal injury cases in general, and the whole process can seem overwhelming for victims, especially when already preoccupied and dealing with injuries.

Contact us for more information.

The fact that mishaps are fairly commonplace does not detract from the pain and confusion that can result when an accident or injury happens to you or a loved one. If you decide to take steps toward protecting your legal rights after an accident or injury, you may have a number of general questions about a personal injury claim.

What is a Personal Injury Lawsuit? The Basics

Personal injury cases are legal disputes that arise when one person suffers harm from an accident or injury, and someone else might be legally responsible for that harm. The responsible person’s insurance company will pay money to the injured person for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other ongoing medical expenses. If the case involves medical malpractice, your personal injury attorney will be working with insurance companies and hospital attorneys.

A personal injury case can become formalized through a personal injury lawyer representing you at a civil court proceeding. This court session seeks to find others legally at fault through a court judgment or, as is much more common, such disputes may be resolved through informal settlement before any lawsuit is filed.

The likely two outcomes of a case, such as needing medical treatment for a car accident or an injury from property damage, are below:

• Formal Lawsuit – Unlike criminal cases, which are initiated by the government, a formal personal injury case typically starts when a private individual (the “plaintiff”) files a civil complaint against another person, business, corporation, or government agency (the “defendant”), alleging that they acted carelessly or irresponsibly in connection with an accident or injury that caused harm. This action is known as “filing a lawsuit”. Our discussion on negligence and proof is especially helpful.
• Informal Settlement – In reality, most disputes over fault for an accident or injury are resolved through informal early settlement, usually among those personally involved in the dispute, their insurers, and attorneys representing both sides. A settlement commonly takes the form of negotiation, followed by a written agreement in which both sides forgo any further action (such as a lawsuit), choosing instead to resolve the matter through payment of an agreeable amount of money.

Note: The middle ground between a lawsuit and an informal settlement is alternative dispute resolution procedures like mediation and arbitration.

What is a Statute of Limitations?

Plaintiffs have a limited time in which to file a lawsuit, called a statute of limitations. Generally speaking, the period of time dictated by a statute of limitations begins when the plaintiff is injured or discovers the injury. Within that timeframe, you must find a law firm that provides a suitable attorney-client relationship and sue for punitive damages. Once you start the lawsuit you are no longer limited to a timeframe to present the case and have the other person’s insurance policy payout if you win.

Statutes of limitations are established by state law and often vary by type of injury. For instance, the statute of limitations for injuries to an individual in Texas is two years, but five years for sex crimes and one year for libel or slander. It can vary from state to state.

Where are the Laws that Govern Personal Injury Cases?

Unlike other areas of the law that find their rules in statutes (such as penal codes in criminal cases), the development of personal injury law has taken place mostly through court decisions, and in treatises written by legal scholars. Many states have taken steps to summarize the development of personal injury law in written statutes, but for practical purposes court decisions remain the main source of the law in any legal case arising from an accident or injury.

Get Professional Help With Your Personal Injury Lawsuit

Any potential personal injury case requires a detailed understanding of the facts, the processes, and the law. If an accident has impacted your life — and someone else is liable for that injury — then you may be entitled to compensation. Learn more by speaking with an injury law attorney near you.

Squirrels pose a very real liability for homeowners. They are extremely inquisitive and explore everything with their teeth. And then, when they find access and a suitable place, they shew a wider hole, and move inside the attic of your house, bringing their urine and feces with them.

In your attic, squirrels will explore every inch. They especially are attracted to the plastic coverings of wires and like to test those with their teeth. Chewed wires are one of the best ways to identify whether these “Tree rodents” have take over your attic.

As you can imagine, frayed and exposed wires pose a hazard. If you have a handyman in your attic and he is unaware of those wires, he can be electrocuted and injured while in the course of performing his tasks. This opens up the homeowner and his insurance company for litigation.

Additionally, un-managed squirrel damage can create access points for water leaks and can create water and mold damage. Much of this damage may never be found, or might be found so long after the damage is done that your insurance will refuse to cover it. This creates a scenario where the homeowner may spend thousands of dollars either fighting to prove that it should be covered by their insurance or invested in repairing the damage.

The trick is to be alert to your house. Once a month, walk around the outside of your house and inspect the soffit under the eaves for holes or for rubbish such as sticks or hay to be sticking out. This can indicate that an animal has invaded the house.

If you are a landlord, insist that your property management company will inspect the roof, attic, and crawlspace on a regular schedule to look for potential problems.

For animal removal in the Charlotte area, Stafford and Heafner rely on Mullis Brothers to remove squirrels for their clients.

There are certain areas of the country where mopeds are more prevalent. Oceanfront vacation destinations like where I live find many people riding around on scooters. Also, think about when gas prices started moving north rapidly several years ago, and people all over the country started buying scooters. They are quite popular, and different cities have different laws concerning motorists and scooters, especially when it comes to insurance. Do you need to purchase and insurance policy to operate a scooter in Charlotte NC?

Yes, you do need auto insurance from someone like https://jessicarossinsurance.com/ if you are going to ride a scooter or moped in Charlotte. However, this requirement wasn’t made a law until July of 2016. That is interesting to know that it was so recent. It makes sense that there are more laws these days regarding scooters and insurance because more people are riding them around for every transportation. Talk about a cheap way to commute back ans forth.

Do you currently ride a scooter? With more people riding scooters for business purposes and not just for leisure, that means that the scooters are going to be getting around more. People have safety concerns, and there are other laws going into effect everywhere, too, not just insurance laws.

Does that make you not want to ride a scooter? It amazes me how many people are against helmet laws when it comes to scooters where I live. It’s not cool at all because helmets are needed if you are going to be riding a scooter, no questions asked. You might not like the extra expense of having to buy an insurance policy for riding around on a scooter, but that is how it goes.

Liability insurance for a scooter shouldn’t be too expensive. You are still going to benefit from having affordable transportation. You will save money on the purchase of your scooter, and you will also save money when it comes to the gas you buy regularly. That is quite a huge savings. Even though you are now required to get insurance on a moped, you know that it is going to be cheaper than an insurance policy on a vehicle.

So are you set to get a moped? Maybe you already have a scooter, and you just needed to know if an insurance policy was required. One thing about it is you will own your scooter outright, so all you have to purchase is a liability insurance policy. That’s an interesting thought to ponder. So how much is that insurance going to cost you? You will see soon enough as you obtain quotes.

I wouldn’t expect that you’re going to have to pay too much. Soon you will be on your way to driving your scooter. How quickly can you get the insurance? Isn’t it to where you can do so instantly nowadays? That would certainly be nice for sure, and then you would be good to go. Always obey the laws of the road in Charlotte, and that includes getting liability insurance for your scooter.