What is the Difference Between DUI and DWI?

DUI (Driving Under the Influence) and DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) are two terms that are commonly used interchangeably, however, they have different meanings and consequences.

DUI refers to the crime of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This can include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and illegal substances. A person can be charged with a DUI if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is above the legal limit, or if their ability to drive is impaired by drugs or alcohol.

DWI, on the other hand, refers specifically to driving while impaired by alcohol. Unlike a DUI, a person can be charged with a DWI even if their BAC is below the legal limit, as long as the police officer determines that their ability to drive is impaired.

The consequences of a DUI or DWI can be severe and include fines, jail time, license suspension, and increased insurance premiums. In addition, a DUI or DWI conviction can stay on a person’s criminal record for many years, affecting their ability to find employment or housing.

It is important to note that the specific laws surrounding DUI and DWI vary by state. For more information on the specific laws in your area, it is recommended to consult an attorney or visit a website such as hartlevin.com.

In conclusion, while DUI and DWI are often used interchangeably, they are two distinct crimes with different consequences. If you have been charged with either a DUI or DWI, it is important to take the charges seriously and seek the guidance of a qualified attorney.… Read the rest

Posted in Law

How Do I Get a Criminal Record Expunged?

Getting a criminal record expunged can be a complicated process, but it is possible. Expungement refers to the process of legally sealing or destroying the record of an arrest or conviction, effectively erasing it from your public record. This can have a significant impact on your future prospects, as having a criminal record can limit your ability to find employment, housing, and other opportunities.

To get a criminal record expunged, you typically need to go through a court process. The first step is to determine if you are eligible for expungement. In general, you may be eligible if you have been arrested but not convicted, or if you have completed your sentence and have stayed out of trouble for a certain period of time. The exact eligibility requirements vary by state, so it’s important to research the laws in your area.

Once you have determined that you are eligible, you will need to file a petition for expungement with the court. This will require you to provide details about your case, including the date of your arrest, the charges against you, and the outcome of your case. You will also need to provide a statement explaining why you believe your record should be expunged.

It’s important to note that not all criminal records can be expunged. Some convictions, such as certain violent crimes, cannot be erased. It’s also important to understand that even if your record is expunged, it may still be accessible to certain organizations, such as law enforcement and government agencies.

If you’re looking for help with the expungement process, consider contacting a local law firm like SoCal Criminal Law. An attorney can help you navigate the legal system and increase your chances of getting your record expunged. With their help, you can take the first step towards a better future and a clean slate.… Read the rest

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Workers’ Compensation: Occupational Injury Cases

Common Injuries in Workers Compensation Cases by Mel Vatz

Workers’ compensation is made available for those who’ve been injured in the workplace and are eligible to receive benefits. There are several occupational injury cases that California’s Orange County allows for cover. Occupational injury relates to workers who have been caused physical harm due to an accident or incidence that occurred while at work. Here are the different occupational injury cases where you could be entitled to compensation.

1) Injured Occurring at Construction Sites

Crane injuries are a fairly common occurrence happening in California. These are often due to slips and falls, overturns, contact made with power lines, and mechanical issues. When inspections aren’t carried out as required or proper maintenance procedures aren’t followed at construction sites, risks increase.

2) Back Injuries

Back injuries are one of the main reasons workers file for workers’ compensation. It could be caused as a result of a one-time incident or strain that happens over time. Either way, it can interfere with your ability to carry out your work responsibilities as normal. It’s one of the main reasons for time spent off work for employees in the U.S.

3) Injuries Due to a Slip and Fall

Slips and falls are actually one of the main reasons for death at work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that more than one million people in the U.S. slip or fall at work, with more than 17,000 dying, as a result, every year. 15% of injuries on the job are due to this very cause.

4) Neck Injuries

Most states require that you meet both of the following for you to be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits:

  • You have to be employed
  • You’ve had a neck injury while at work

There are many reasons why neck injury might occur. The main ones include whiplash, degenerated discs, herniated discs, osteoarthritis, and strains.

5) Trauma

Trauma happens when a reaction occurs as a result of a situation leading to damage to psychological damage or impaired brain function. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can be related to injuries at work and is often characterized by the following:

  • Sleep issues
  • Anxiety and panic attacks
  • Headaches
  • Stomach pains or digestive problems
  • Removal of oneself from social situations

Worker’s Compensation Attorneys in California for You

California Work Injury Law Center operates within California and helps those who are suffering due to occupational injury. Find out more by checking out the website … Read the rest

What You Should Know Before Hiring a Tax Attorney

Before you conduct something extremely serious, you must first understand the many terminologies, correct? So, what is tax audit? A tax audit is a formal review done by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to validate all data or detect fraudulent or erroneous tax filings. The tax department’s official inspection or audit of a taxpayer’s tax return is filed as legally required.

Individuals, and especially huge corporations, might find tax season to be a challenging period. Whether this is your first year filing complicated taxes or you’ve accumulated years of tax debts, you must always consider seeking assistance from someone who truly knows what they’re doing. Whenever it comes to engaging a professional with your tax issue, you will have several options. And that is why knowing which would be suitable for you is so crucial because it all comes right down to your individual needs and goals, as well as the State of your IRS case (IRS).

Always keep in mind that paying taxes is a serious concern. It would be best if you always chose the right tax expert for your case to protect yourself or your business.

If you’re still unsure which option is best for you or your company, you’ve come to the right place for information on what you should know before hiring a tax attorney.

Tax attorneys are all lawyers who have earned a degree in law. They’ve all successfully passed the bar exam and focused on the legal aspects of tax planning. All tax attorneys assist clients in resolving disputes. They are familiar with and understand the complexities of dealing with the IRS and other financial organizations. They can also help your company with the legal issues of tax planning. That is why, if you are looking for a Tax Lawyer in Los Angeles, you have come to the correct place since Hillhurst Tax Group is one of the largest and most trusted tax law firms in the country, and we actively assist taxpayers before the IRS and the State. We are experts in all IRS and state tax matters. Apart from that, our main aim and goal are to provide our local clients with the opportunity to visit our office for a free consultation and see a licensee to learn about their options and assist them in determining the best course of action. We are primarily concerned with meeting your objectives and … Read the rest

Posted in Law

Can an employer retaliate against you for a protected disclosure?

If you work within an organization and you realize that corruption exists there it can make you uncomfortable. In fact, your conscience may prod you to make a report of fraud or other illicit activity to the appropriate body.

If you have evidence that your company is acting in a way that’s unethical or violates the rules of your state, you can take action by reporting it. You are protected by the law if you make this type of disclosure.

What if your employer retaliates?

There may be situations where the type of information that you have access to is such that your employer will know that you are the person who blew the whistle. Sometimes they may not be absolutely sure but they may suspect.

In this case, they may decide to retaliate by sabotaging your work or taking other forms of indirect action against you. You may even be fired from your position without due cause.

if your employer retaliates, you should get help from a lawyer in immediately. If you need a whistleblower attorney Los Angeles law firms that specialize in this area can help.

Can you seek help from an attorney before making a disclosure?

You can get help from an attorney before making a disclosure. In fact if you feel that the type of report you’re about to make would fall in the category of a protected disclosure, you can consult with a lawyer and ensure that this is so.

Whistleblower attorneys can guide you with each step. Unfortunately there are several people who find themselves in the position of becoming whistleblowers because fraud is taking place within their organization. You can learn and benefit from what they’ve been through. You’re not the only one taking a stand against corruption and with legal assistance, you can ensure that you have the full protection of the law in play at every step.

Take Legal Action Against Your Employer

All employers know that employees who report wrongdoing are protected by the law. They know that they’re not to penalize employees who have reported fraud or take any form of action against them to hinder their progress in the workplace.

You can claim damages if your employer takes action against you for blowing the whistle. Your lawyer can help you to receive financial compensation in this case, ensuring that you don’t suffer economically because you stood up for … Read the rest

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The Situations When You Need Real Estate Lawyer

When you are buying or selling a property, you are going to need a lot of help from the experts. The legal issues are most important in the case of real estate properties. It is better to have legal representation when you are buying or selling any property. In some cases, it is crucial to have a real estate lawyer with you. Some of these cases are given here.

When buying a commercial property

Buying a residential property is different than buying a commercial property. Commercial property can have a lot of complications regarding rent deals or taxation. It is better to have a real estate lawyer with you. A law firm can help you in all these situations related to commercial properties. You can call them to get assistance.

When you are unsure about the deal

Financial advisors can help you make a profitable deal. To know about the legal requirements of the deal, you have to contact a prestigious law firm. It is better to contact them whenever you are unsure about any legal requirements. It is better to stay safe in case of legal aspects of the properties.

When a huge amount of money is involved

Most of us have experience in dealing with small property Investments. The laws dealing with large property investments are different. It is also important to avoid fraud when a large sum of money is involved. You must hire a real estate lawyer when you are dealing with a situation like this.

When it is mandatory

In some states, you must hire a real estate lawyer to finalize the deal. In this case, it is impossible to close the deal without the involvement of a licensed real estate lawyer. You can get the services of a law firm at an affordable rate.

In case of property legal issues

It is most crucial to get the service of a real estate law firm when there is a property dispute. You should hire the best service so they can help you win the case. It is better to select a law firm like Stone & Sallus Law that has handled many property disputes. They can help you because they have handled a lot of situations like your case. If you are trying to save the fees of the lawyer in this situation, you may lose all your investment.… Read the rest

Posted in Law

Why Should I Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

If you have had an accident while riding a motorcycle and you are not insured, it means that you will incur high costs for medical bills, especially if you are unable to continue working. An accident lawyer is at your disposal to show you your options for recovering medical bills and other losses after a motorcycle accident. You must contact an accident lawyer immediately after the accident so that he can start collecting the necessary documentation on time. An accident lawyer will gather all the necessary evidence to substantiate your claim for damages.

An accident lawyer will help you build a claim for damages by doing the following:

  • Collect a report from the scene of the accident;
  • Collect statements of witnesses who were at the scene of the accident;
  • Photograph the whole scene;
  • Investigate the driving history of another driver who was involved in the accident;
  • Reconstruct the site of the accident;
  • Will review medical records;
  • Experts will be consulted;
  • He’ll talk to insurance companies on your behalf.

For this kind of work, you need a professional accident lawyer who is familiar with the laws governing motorcycles, and you can find it on this page riderzlaw.com.

RiderzLaw has a professional team made up of a large number of motorcycle lawyers who have extensive experience working with insurance companies. Get to know their team and how they work on their website riderzlaw.com. You must hire an accident lawyer who has access to top medical professionals and accident reconstructors. Choose a lawyer who has a lot of successful results in recovering compensation for injured motorcyclists – riderzlaw.com.

What can an accident lawyer help me with?

When it comes to negotiating or litigating against an insurance company or a negligent party, an accident lawyer can help you compensate for the following:

  • As a motorcyclist, you can claim compensation for the salary you could have earned if you had not been injured in the accident. The compensation is valid for the recovery period from the accident in which you were prevented from working;
  • You can claim reimbursement for current and future medical expenses. The fee is valid for hospital care and surgery due to an injury after an accident;
  • You can claim compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced during and after the accident. It is determined based on factors such as the nature of the injury and the duration of the
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Posted in Law

Do I Need A Personal Injury Lawyer?

Personal injury lawyer

The term personal injury reference to diminishing and damaging someone’s property, preventing its increase, as well as causing mental or physical pain or fear to another person (non-pecuniary damage). By hiring a lawyer to represent your interests in the process, it ensures that you, without direct engagement, receive adequate financial compensation in cases of causing damage.

Compensation for traffic injury; Traffic accident

In certain cases, when it is not possible to obtain monetary compensation, and there is its basis as in traffic accidents, you need the help and engagement of a lawyer for compensation – Kermani LLP strongly recommends this. The task of this type of lawyer is to apply legal measures on the basis of his legal knowledge in order to ensure that you, as the injured party, get compensation for the damage caused by the traffic accident.

Namely, when a traffic accident occurs, the participants themselves can often complicate the later collection procedure, and the most common cause is not calling the traffic police to the scene of the accident. There is usually a situation in which the two parties agree on an amount, and since they have agreed, they do not call the police. Later there is a non-compliance with the agreement, and the injured party finds himself in a situation where it is very difficult to prove the cause of the damage because there is no police record or any documentation. Another common mistake is not reporting injuries when giving a statement to the police record.

Injured citizens often try to obtain compensation peacefully on their own hands, and in these cases, insurance companies often minimize the amount of compensation by relying on the fact that the injured often do not know enough about their rights. Also, insurance companies further damage citizens by making such payment additional by requiring the injured party to waive further claims. In the case of consent to such an out-of-court settlement and a clause on waiver of further claims, court proceedings, unlike full compensation, can no longer be conducted.

If the injured party does not have the financial means to bear the high court costs of fees and expertise, our Kermani LLP law firm accepts to finance the entire court procedure, and we charge our services upon completion of the entire procedure. from the culprit personally. Always ask for the help of a lawyer, so you will know … Read the rest

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Things You Must Consider When Choosing a Private Money Lender

What do you understand by the term “hard money”? This is a short term loan given by private investors to borrowers and secured by a real estate property. It’s a type of financing that comes as a savior to people who needs funds to buy a property but can’t get their mortgage loan approved. 

Nowadays, hard money loans have become increasingly popular among property investors due to the many benefits they offer. However, it’s important for investors to understand that they can only enjoy such benefits only when they choose the licensed hard money lenders for their business. Fraudulent private lenders are on the rise today to take advantage of the desperate, unsuspecting borrows who need quick cash. In this article, we have rounded up some top tips to help you select the right hard money lender for your property investment project.

1. Check for Licensing Information

All hard money financiers need to have a valid license from the Housing and Real Estate department, and you should check this before doing business with them. Ask for the copy of their license and examine it carefully to confirm its validity and authenticity. Check with agencies like BBB to find out if there are any complaints that have been raised against the company. If the company is hesitant to give you a copy of their certifications, then this is a red flag. Also, check out the company’s name in reputable sites to find out about their professionalism.

2. Limit your search to local companies

Normally, Los Angeles hard money lenderwill inspect in person the property you’re taking the loan for before approving your loan. So, it’s goo to choose a local hard money lender. While big lenders have branch networks all over, their flexibility is less than that of local lenders. Some even demand to be reimbursed for all their visiting expenses.

3. Do a comparison of several lenders

Compare the financial rates and terms with other money lenders. On average, money lenders charge an interest of 10-15% and usually don’t ask for loan processing fees. Ensure you read carefully the terms and conditions to avoid repayment issues. 

So if you are a resident of Los Angeles and looking for money to finance your real estate property, you can benefit from Los Angeles hard money lenders. Just ensure they are licensed, reputable, and with reasonable interest rates. Visit californiahardmoneydirect.com today for … Read the rest

Posted in Law

Why Is It Important To Hire A Family Lawyer When Making Any Big Family Decision

Family law spans plenty of sensitive issues like divorce, child support, and child custody, to name a few. This fact alone highlights the importance of being seeking the support of a family law firm, for they immediately give you the edge of having a specialization for that particular area of the law. 

Undergoing any kind of legal procedure is draining and exhausting enough as it is; all the more so if it involves family matters. You will find that with the help of a family law attorney, your burdens will be significantly lessened. As to why this is so, 

Family law covers a big portion of the law that only a handful of lawyers are knowledgeable about.

A lot of states in the US still don’t require people to hire legal representation when dealing with a family law case. While this arguably is an indirect cause as to why most lawyers prefer to steer away from this area of the law, there are actually more valid reasons as well. 

For one, handling family law cases can be extremely stressful for lawyers as well. There is always a tendency to get caught up in the innately emotional nature of such cases, after all, which often almost always have a sole conclusion: the break-up of the basic unit of society. This rings truer in cases where murder or foul play within the family is involved. 

Once you decide to avail of the services of a family law firm, you will immediately gain the advantage of having the support of the specialized knowledge that family law firms have. The excellent attorneys working in BLSAPC (a good family law firm we heartily recommend) are a good example this. And the testimonials of their clients promptly reveal this fact. 

It provides that much-needed protection for you and your children.

This is especially applicable when you are dealing with a case that involves abuse or in majority of child custody. An experienced family law attorney will be able to inform you about the protections that you can use specifically for cases where abuse is a primary element. 

More or less, this also requires empathy from the lawyer, and very few law firms actually prioritize this. BLSAPC lawyers are an exception, as you’ll learn from the client-centric and caring attorneys they have in their team. 

The financial aspect of family law cases is often complicated.

In cases … Read the rest

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