Legal Blog

California's busy highways make it a state with 3,104 people killed and 223,128 people injured in traffic collisions in 2013. Whether you're a driver that causes an accident or a passenger involved in an accident that you had no fault in, you need to follow the appropriate steps to protect your rights after an accident.

The steps you'll want to take immediately following an accident, include:

1. Call 911 to report the accident, or call the local police if no injuries are apparent.
2. Obtain the name, number and address of all witnesses and drivers involved. Obtain license plate numbers for all vehicles involved in the accident.
3. If safe and there aren't further concerns of injury, take photos of the vehicles involved in the accident. You'll want to take photos of the accident scene, roadway and anything else of importance following the accident.
4. Write down the events that led to the accident in detail and reiterate these details to the officer who is present at the accident.
5. Contact your insurance company or your agent immediately to file your claim.
6. Report your accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days if damages or injuries exceed $750. Failure to report the incident to the DMW may result in suspension of your license.

Accident scenes are filled with emotions and tension. There's risk of ""permanent injuries and loss of income are often the unwanted consequences that follow a car accident,"" states the Law Offices of Zappenttini & Bradley.

You'll want to avoid:

• Arguments with the opposing driver or anyone at the scene of the accident.
• Telling your side of the story to the other driver – save your story for the police.
• Don't sign anything from the opposing driver offering to pay your deductible.

The best thing that you can do in these situations is to remain calm and wait for the authorities to come to the scene of the accident. If you're injured, you should wait for help and avoid any actions that may lead to further injury.

These days so many talk about concealed carry low. The debates are as strong as when the mass shootings happened. Unfortunately, the big problem is that people do not actually know much about the law but they do tend to believe what others say. Because of this, various misconceptions and myths appeared. Remember the fact that there are differences between the laws that exist in different US states so you will need to be aware of current situations based on where you get your CCW free course done. However, the common misconceptions you should not believe are the following.

Guns Can Be Carried Everywhere

This is simply incorrect and laws will vary based on state, although there are different places that will be off-limits for the permit holders. This does include government properties as guns fall under federal law. We also have concealed guns that are prohibited in some states in courthouses, school grounds, at worship places and where alcohol is served.

Gun Training Is Not Needed

In most of the states you actually have to prove that you went at least through basic training that covers gun skills in order to get the carry permit. You can also offer proof of equivalent experience. Military training is the best example of that.

When it comes to whistleblower statistics the truth is that not much is known. Unfortunately, we are at a relatively new level when referring to knowledge about the whistleblower protection act. The statistics below are bound to change that. They should be highlighted more and promoted so that employees would know that they have rights.

Whistleblower Award Stats

• Ever since 1986 the government paid over $4 million to reported whistleblowers.
• The highest payout for one whistleblower was in 2012 under IRS for a huge payment of $104 million.
• Under the False Claims Act we had the highest payout offered for one individual of $96 million in 2010 to a whistleblower in the health care industry. Under the same act the highest payout was $170 million but it was split between a mortgage firm and 3 individuals.
• Zero reward is offered in 80% of the cases that are filed. According to the work of lawyers in Myrtle Beach, SC, after taking out taxes, the average bounty the recipient receives is $150,000.

Statistics About Compliance

• In the year 2015 there were 1.3 reports for every one hundred employees about wrongdoings.
• The US organizations learned that fraud happened in 32% of cases through accidents or through external measures.

Data About Retaliation

• The top Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint appears when discrimination was reported. This covers close to 45% of the cases.
• Whistleblower retaliation reports submitted to the OSHA increased during every single year from the year 2009.
• Internal retaliation reports are normally sustained through special corporate investigations in over 25% of cases.

Securities

Selling a small business is a complicated process that requires the help of a broker, accountant and an attorney. Contrary to popular belief, the sale of a business isn't necessarily a profitable one. If the business is taking a downturn or you sell at the wrong time, you may walk away empty-handed.

These six considerations will help you navigate the selling and negotiations processes.

1. Why are You Selling the Business?

Why are you selling your business? This is one of the first questions buyers will ask, and your answer will almost certainly affect the buyer's interest.

Maybe you want to enjoy an early retirement, or you feel you're overworked. Maybe you're bored with the business or a dispute with your partner has made it impossible to work together. In some cases, business owners sell because of an illness or a death in the family.

Of course, some businesses are put up for sale because they are no longer profitable. In this case, finding a serious buyer can be a challenge. Taking steps to increase profits before you sell may improve your chances of finding a buyer.

Car accident attorneys offer a service that is often misunderstood by clients. It is important to understand that whenever a car accident happens and there is even a slim possibility that you will need to deal with legal problems, this attorney should be contacted. However, this does not mean that you can simply hire the very first one you find. When looking for such a service you are interested in high quality, as with Baumgartner Law Firm. With this in mind, you do want to base your research on finding the highly experienced attorney. This is normal. Besides this, you also want to look for the following qualities that are signs that the car accident attorney will do a good job.

A Good Listener

It is vital for practically any attorney to actively listen to what clients are saying. Those attorneys that do not listen are those that are practically interested in making money fast and not in getting as much as possible for their clients. You should always pay close attention to whether or not the attorney is listening to everything you say and engaging in active conversations. If not, you want to look for someone else. The very best car accident attorney will always try to learn as much as possible about the case before offering indications. When you are instantly offered solutions without knowing much about the case, the attorney is not a good one.

An Ethical Approach

Unfortunately, there are so many car accident attorneys out there that first think about shady practices and then about what is actually ethical. You want to work with those attorneys that have a strong code of ethics. If you are told that you should fake some injury, the best thing that you can do is look for someone else and even report that attorney since this is completely illegal. Do not be tempted by the premise of getting more money. If illegal practices are used, your case will suffer and you are not going to receive much in return for what happened to you.

One of the very first things that you notice when you start looking for a car accident attorney is that there are literally thousands that you can choose from. The majority will tell you that they are the best so it is up to you to figure out exactly which one should be hired. You are mainly interested in quality and being properly represented all throughout the process. This is why you do need to ask the following questions, according to the specialists at Diederich Law Firm. They will help you make a better choice.

What Are Your Plans For The Case?

Free consultations allow you to ask any question you might have. This meeting is actually about you interviewing the considered car accident attorney as much as it is for him to get details about what you are faced with. The attorney that did handle various accident cases in the past is always going to be able to tell you exactly what plan is the best in your case. There won’t be a delay in answering and you will be told what the next steps should be for a good outcome.

How Many Similar Cases Did You Handle In The Past?

Keep in mind that the question is not about how many car accident cases were handled in the past. The difference is very important since there can be so many things that differ from one case to the next. With this in mind, your main focus is to discuss with the attorney and see if he did handle cases that are similar to yours. For instance, if the case is not going to go to trial, you are interested in an attorney that did manage to negotiate many good deals for clients as they were talking with insurance companies. This is the type of actual experience you are looking for.

In the US, out of all the charges, DUI charges are among the really common. Prevalence is really high so it should come as no surprise to see that various DUI misconceptions appeared along the years. The law offices of Thomas, Webb, and Willis present the most common ones that they met from hundreds of past clients. These are the ones nobody should believe.

Different Foods Or Drinks Diminish Alcohol Effect

There are way too many that think they can remove alcohol impairment by simply splashing water on the face or by drinking coffee. Such food and drink related tactics can help people remain awake and not fall asleep while driving, but impairment levels are not going to be influenced. Drinking effects do take time in order to wear off.

It is Possible To Measure BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) Alone

There are many that think they have the ability to estimate BAC levels and will take this into account when saying that they are impaired or not. We do have some formulas that are used in order to estimate how much alcohol you have in your body but the truth is that they all offer just estimates. It is impossible to guess how impaired you are. Police officers will never care about what you think you should drink. Precise information is needed. Remember that two people that drink the same amount of alcohol will be impaired differently, even if they have the same age, weight and many other factors.

Trucking accidents, when they involve big rigs, are more complex and deadly than a simple car accident. The number of individuals involved in the accident adds to the complexity even if it's just you and the opposing truck driver,

When a truck accident occurs, the parties responsible can include a number of people, including:

• The driver
• The truck's owner
• The employing company
• Manufacturers
• Shippers or loaders

Complexity leads to lengthy, costly legal battles. If you're in an accident, you may have numerous parties that are held responsible for the accident.

Manufacturers, Shippers and Loaders

Not only will the driver, owner and employer be potentially responsible for the accident, but manufacturers, shippers and loaders may also be involved. An investigation into the cause of the crash will need to be completed.

There are times when these parties may be held responsible:

Many people have made mistakes in their life. They might have committed a crime when they were very young and foolish. Having a criminal record is something that can haunt you forever. It can prevent you from getting a job or accepted into a good school. It can also seriously limit your ability to travel to foreign countries. There is no reason why people who have only committed a single crime that was very small should have that one mistake ruin the rest of their life. Fortunately, people in Canada have the ability to apply for a pardon. A pardon does not completely erase your criminal record. The crime will still be there. However, the crime will be removed from the criminal database that is visible to the public. In other words, it will appear as if you have no criminal record to anyone performing a background check on you. Receiving a pardon can be a very complicated process. Obviously, not every person will be able to qualify. Here is how you can go about hiring a company that specializes in helping people in Canada receive a pardon.

1.  How long has the company been in business? How many previous clients have they helped to receive pardons?

It is important for you to know exactly who you will be dealing with if you hire a company to assist you with your pardon application. Therefore, you should avoid getting involved with a company that does not have an established track record. There are many fly-by-night companies in Canada that will be happy to take your money. Unfortunately, they will provide you with an application that will not put you in a good position to get your pardon approved. Some people deal with these shady companies because of their low prices. However, you always get what you pay for. It will be worth it to pay some extra money to get help from an experienced and qualified company that has helped thousands of people to get a fresh start where their criminal records are concerned. Ideally, you should only do business with a company that has been helping Canadians with their pardon applications for no less than 10 years.

2.  Talk to people you know who have received pardons.

You can get some valuable advice about companies that offer pardon services by talking to people who have already been through this process. Do you have any friends, family members or work colleagues who have been pardoned? If this is the case, you will be able to learn from their mistakes. You would be wise to talk to these people at length and find out everything you can about their experience. Ask them how they found the company that helped prepare their pardon application. How long did the process take? How much did it cost? Did the company stay in constant contact to keep them informed of developments in their case? Would they recommend that you hire the same company to help you with your pardon application? If the answer is yes, get the name and contact info for the company.

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