Finding a Good Divorce Lawyer
No one wants to hire the wrong divorce lawyer, but people do so every day. The reason is simple: they do not have the experience to understand what defines a quality family law or divorce lawyer—or how to find one.
Start by asking around
There are 3.4 divorces for every 1,000 people in the United States annually. Divorce is an increasingly common fact of American life, so chances are you know someone who has been through the process. Ask him or her for an opinion about the attorneys involved on both sides of the divorce case. Compile a list of likely attorneys, along with a list of those not recommended. Then ask some specific questions to help you gauge whether these attorneys would be good to work with, such as:
- How easy was the attorney to contact?
- Was the staff pleasant to deal with and knowledgeable?
- Would they use this attorney again?
Meet face to face
Once you have a list of potential divorce lawyers, meet each one face to face. Remember, this is their job interview, not yours. Again, ask specific questions.
- How many cases similar to yours has the attorney handled? Use the number and ages of your children, your financial situation, and the type of divorce in your case as measuring sticks.
- What is their fee schedule?
- Will they handle your case themselves, or pass it off to an associate?
Make it a point to personally interview all of your potential attorneys. And remember, everything you say to a divorce lawyer is confidential.
Make your choice
You should have enough information now to make your decision. If you do not, keep looking. However, when you do make your final call, consider the feeling you had in your face-to-face meeting with each attorney. This is someone with whom you will deal very closely for an extended period. Your comfort level matters.
Pennsylvania Truck Accident Settlements
Many truck accident cases settle before trial if the parties can agree on a fair value for all sides. Here are a few recent settlements in Pennsylvania trucking accident cases:
Double-death case of dump truck that ran red light settles for $900,000
Norwood Peters, 75, and Betty Hein, 74, died after a dump truck with faulty brakes drove through a red traffic signal and hit their station wagon at an intersection in South Whitehall Township in October 2006. In the 2009 settlement of the case in Lehigh County Court, the driver, Ronald S. Whitman, Sr. and his employer, Houser Construction Services, contributed the bulk of the settlement amount. Hein, who died instantly, received $300,000 of the settlement, but Peters, who lingered in the ICU for two weeks, received $600,000 for additional pain and suffering damages.
Truck driver’s family settles for $3 million
Raymond Lee Conley was crushed to death when the front-discharge cement truck he was driving blew a tire and tipped over, causing the mixer drum to come loose and crush the cab where Conley sat. The drum was full of concrete and weighed approximately 40,000 pounds. Conley’s family filed suit in Northampton County, Pennsylvania against the manufacturer of the truck for design and manufacturing defects, against the company that retreaded the tire for negligence, and against the driver’s employer and a related entity. The settlement was approved in September 2009. The driver was survived by a 3-year-old daughter.
Truck-unloading accident yields $2.35 million settlement
Michael Baird, a union glazier who jumped from the truck he was helping to unload to avoid being crushed by a 2,000-pound crate of glass, settled his personal injury case in June 2011 for $2.35 million. Baird, who injured his left heel, knee and hip, is permanently disabled. Baird’s claim in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas included past medical expenses and past lost wages, plus future medical care and future lost wages.
If you have been involved in an accident and sustained serious injuries, seek the advice of an experienced Philadelphia truck accident lawyer.
License Suspension Penalties for Drunk Driving in Maryland
In Maryland, those who have been accused of driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) are at risk of suffering from serious consequences. While DUIs and DWIs are separate charges with different penalties, punishments upon conviction of either may entail losing more than just your driver’s license. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can give you a chance to beat the charges and costly fines. He or she can also help you protect your social and professional lives.
If your alcohol concentration is .08 or higher at the time of the testing, your Maryland driver’s license will be confiscated and you will be issued an Order of Suspension. Your license will also be suspended if you refuse to submit to the test. The suspension period on your license varies, depending on your alcohol concentration level.
- If your alcohol concentration level is 0.08 but less than 0.15 the suspension period will be 45 days for your first offense, and 90 days for a second or subsequent offense.
- If your alcohol concentration is over 0.15 the suspension will be 90 days for your first offense, and 180 days for a second or subsequent offense.
- If you refuse to submit to a test, the suspension will be 120 days for a first offense and one year for a second or subsequent offense.
DUI and DWI charges in Maryland can be complex. Retaining an experienced, knowledgeable criminal defense attorney from a Rockville DUI law firm is imperative if you want to protect your rights.
Types of On-the-job Injuries in Texas that Qualify for Workers Compensation
Some types of jobs are inherently more dangerous than others, and unfortunately work injuries are fairly common. When employers carry workers compensation, their insurance coverage generally pays for employees’ injuries. However, an injured worker has a better chance of receiving adequate compensation when retaining an experienced workers comp lawyer.
Workers compensation covers numerous different types of job injuries and accidents, such as:
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Injury definitions
To better understand what injuries are compensable, Texas Workers Compensation Law clarifies the meanings of the following terms:
- Injury as damage or harm to the physical structure of the body and a disease or infection naturally resulting from the damage or harm, including an occupational disease
- Occupational disease as a disease arising out of and in the course of employment that causes damage or harm to the physical structure of the body, including a repetitive trauma injury, but not a disease or infection to which the general public is exposed outside of employment
- Compensable injury as an injury that arises out of and in the course and scope of employment for which compensation is payable under this subtitle
- Disability as the inability because of a compensable injury to obtain and retain employment at wages equivalent to the pre-injury wage
- Impairment as any anatomic of functional abnormality or loss existing after maximum medical improvement that results from a compensable injury and is reasonably presumed to be permanent
A workers compensation attorney can assist you in receiving the following medical help through the workers compensation system:
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By contacting an experienced Dallas workers comp lawyer, you can protect your rights and ensure you receive entitled benefits.
A note on subscribing and non-subscribing companies in Texas
Under current Texas law, employers are not required to carry workers compensation insurance to protect employees in the event they are injured. This means that filing a workers compensation lawsuit may be the only way for you to obtain compensation for your economic and intangible losses following an injury if your employer chooses not to carry workers comp insurance. If you find yourself in a situation where your employer is a non-subscriber, your best course of action is to seek legal counsel from an attorney who understands the particulars of Texas workers compensation law.
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