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Personal Injury: Tips to Get the Compensation You Deserve

Personal injuries cause more than just physical pain. With expensive medical bills and having to take time off work, you can easily find yourself financially overwhelmed. What do you need in order to get compensated for an injury caused by an individual’s or company’s negligence?

Time, evidence, and a skilled Providence personal injury attorney.

Time is a significant factor in determining the amount of compensation you will receive for your injuries. In Providence, the statute of limitations to file a personal injury claim is three years.  Aside from the fact that your case will be thrown out if you do not meet this deadline, waiting to file a personal injury claim can result in you and your attorney not having as much evidence to work with. This includes the possibility of losing documentation or witnesses no longer being able to testify.

Remember, the more evidence you have, the better chance of a higher compensation payout for your personal injury. After the accident, it is essential to get the contact information of all the witnesses at the scene, a copy of the police report, medical information, and financial documentation. In regards to financial documentation, the courts will need to see evidence of the financial strain that has been placed on you and your family. Not just medical bills, but any other financial obligations that resulted from the accident and have negatively affected you and your family. Medical information and financial documentation will be the largest factors in determining the amount of compensation that you receive from insurance companies.

Insurance companies are a business; they are not your friends so appealing to their ‘humanity’ is a waste of time. They will take the necessary steps to ensure that you get as little compensation as possible. In order to overcome the turmoil of a personal injury, getting a seasoned personal injury attorney will best prepare you to get the compensation that you deserve.

The Truth About Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents can be detrimental; the minimal protection motorcycle riders have puts them at a disadvantage when going against automobiles. When collisions between cars and motorcycles do occur, the riders may find that the deck is stacked against them when it comes to motor vehicle laws in Providence.

On the road, it is very common for drivers not to take the time to look for motorcycles that could be passing by. To add to this lack of responsibility, there is a wide perception in both the social and legal context that motorcyclists play an active role in any accidents they are involved in. Although this perception may seem like a factor that you would have no control over – having an experienced motorcycle accidents attorney is vital if you want to receive full compensation for your injuries.

The legal term that translates to blaming the motorcyclist for the accident is called “pure comparative fault.” What this means is that if the defense proves that you were partially to blame for the accident, then the court will only give you partial compensation. For instance, if it is determined that you are thirty percent at fault, then you will receive only seventy percent of the total compensation. Although no one wants reduced compensation, this is especially damaging to motorcyclists where compensation is needed to cover extensive medical bills and motorcycle damages.

In order to contest “pure comparative fault,” you and your attorney would need to indicate that opposing counsel cannot prove beyond reasonable doubt that you were partially at fault.  It can be done by emphasizing that the car driver was completely negligent and therefore caused the accident. One of the many factors that can be used to prove negligence includes speeding or driving while under the influence.

Despite the bias against motorcyclists, there is a way to succeed. With a Providence motorcycle accidents attorney, you can get the compensation that you deserve.

Tips to Prevent a Motor Vehicle Violation Conviction in Providence

Tickets are a major inconvenience. We might grumble, but in most cases, if the ticket is for a low dollar amount we find it easier just to pay and move on.

But what if the ticket was for several hundred or even thousands of dollars? Also, being charged for a motor vehicle violation can result in more than just the initial monetary loss. Penalties can include license suspension, community service, driving courses, incarceration, and an increase in auto insurance rates. Accepting these charges and paying the fine may not always be the best course of action.

So how do you go about contesting these charges in Providence, RI? Two things: immediately schedule a hearing and gather the necessary evidence.

After you receive a notification of the motor vehicle charge, you must plead “not guilty” and schedule a hearing where you can be physically present. There have been cases where individuals have scheduled hearings without looking at the address and found out at the last minute that they cannot make it to that location in time.  After they are a no-show to the hearing they themselves scheduled, they may possibly end up with a warrant out for their arrest– make sure that you do not end up like this!

Also, because courts may be booked for weeks or months in advance and rescheduling is not only difficult but may be used against you, make sure you can make it to the hearing.  Before the hearing even begins, you and a Providence motor vehicle violation attorney need to go through your case to show that your actions did not warrant the charge. Evidence can include but is not limited to photographic evidence, witness statements, and documentation that indicates mitigating circumstances. Photographic evidence could possibly show that there weren’t proper signs to indicate that you would be breaking the law by parking in a certain area or stopping at an intersection. This kind of scrutiny needs to be applied in most motor vehicle violation cases – the key is to remain vigilant.

Basically, the more evidence you have to support your case the better chance you have of getting the charges dropped. Keeping these facts in mind, you won’t have to accept the consequences of a motor vehicle violation.

Have You Been Injured? How to Get Compensation in Providence

Dealing with an injury is a burden that some have to endure, every day, for months or even years after an accident. In these circumstances, it is important that you seek compensation so that you can have what you need to recover.

It may not be as easy as it sounds.

In regards to filing a claim for compensation in Providence, there are limitations that you need to be aware of. There is a statute of limitations, for a general personal injury or medical malpractice, you have a time limit of 3 years after the incident occurred to file for compensation. Wrongful death claims also have a three-year limit. With product liability claims, such as if you were injured by a defective product, you have ten years from the date of the injury to file a claim for compensation. But keep in mind, the sooner, the better. When you are filing a claim for compensation, it is important that you’ve kept track of all the evidence that surrounds your case; such as witness testimony, photo evidence, medical bills, etc. If a significant amount of time has passed, then it will be increasingly difficult for you and your injury attorney to receive the compensation that you need.

Remember: when you file a claim, you are essentially asking the insurance company involved to provide you compensation for the injury. Often times, it is the insurance company of the person who caused the accident, unless the negligent party was uninsured or underinsured. In the case that it is the negligent person’s insurance company, you will be or will have been in contact with the insurance adjuster. Their job is to settle on the lowest possible amount by using your conversations as evidence that the accident was not as severe as perhaps you are claiming in court.

With a Providence injury attorney, you can be protected from insurance companies and get the support to receive the compensation you need.

Hurt in an Accident: What Injured Pedestrians Need to Know

The feeling of numbness surrounds you only moments after the accident. Did this really happen? You look at your body for a chilling moment. It seems as if an accident like this would only happen in the movies.

After the initial shock dissipates – you recognize that your life could be irreversibly altered. Whether the injury was serious or minor, you are suddenly faced with day to day expenses that you can’t pay for because you were forced to take time off of work. Or even worse, you can’t afford the medical bills for the medical treatment that you desperately need. How will you get through this?

You need to fully understand pedestrian rights so that you can correctly file for compensation. Understand that after being hurt in an accident, where you had little protection from injury, that the courts will be sympathetic to your cause. However, you and your Providence attorney still need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the driver’s negligence. Unlike bicyclist laws, pedestrians have a set of laws that disallow drivers to claim a pedestrian was negligent if he or she is a minor or to pass a car that has stopped for a crossing pedestrian.  It’s also against the law to participate in reckless driving or to drive under the influence. Although some of these laws seem obvious, drivers break these laws all the time and need to be held accountable for when they do hurt someone in the process of their irresponsible behavior.

In order to ensure that you receive the most compensation possible, the documentation of the accident needs to include: your own physical state, the state of the car, the street itself, witness statements, etc.  You need to show the court that not only was the driver negligent but that the impact their negligence had on you was so severe that you need ample compensation to recover.

Life happens, but with these tips, you won’t have to deal with the pain by yourself when you are hurt in an accident in Providence.

Hurt at Work? How to Get the Compensation

When negligence comes into play, workplace injuries are bound to happen. You could have been the most cautious employee at your job, but when others failed to take proper precaution, you suffered. In Providence, the Workers Compensation Act will ensure that you get the financial support you need, automatically, no matter whose fault it is. However, depending on the severity of the injury, the Workers Compensation Act may not cover everything. Without question, you need a workers’ compensation attorney to make sure you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled after getting hurt at work.

First task you need to complete, is to report your injury to your employer as soon as it happens. Through immediate communication and photo documentation of the injury, you allow your employer to formally document the accident and inform the insurance company.  Whether or not workers’ compensation can fully support you, you need to take that step to get the basic coverage that you need.

Now, if you realize that your workers’ compensation is not enough, there is another way you can seek further restitution – by filing a third party claim lawsuit. If you were injured by a defective product or a toxic substance, you might have the legal grounds to sue a third party for their negligence. Unlike the Workers Compensation Act, you can receive additional compensation for “pain and suffering” as well.

Of course, there needs to be a distinction between the insurance company and third parties. The insurance company from your employer will automatically pay you compensation no matter whose fault it is.  With a third party suit, the defendant needs to be proven negligent and that it was that negligence that caused the plaintiff to suffer.  If successful, you may receive another payout in addition to the workers’ compensation.

Remember: you can’t prevent everything that life throws at you, but you can definitely make choices that will put you in the best situation possible when you are hurt at work in Providence.

The Truth About General Law Practices in North Kingstown

The distinction between a general law practice and other practices is, to put it simply, that general law practices cover different areas of law while other practices specialize in one area of law. It may seem that you would want to invest in a practice that is specialized in one area of law so that you can get attorneys with the most experience possible in that one area. They think so too. In fact, many specialized law firms will justify charging you additional fees to maintain the perception that they are the only firm that can provide you the best legal advice possible. But such perceptions are flawed.

Many attorneys do not launch a general law practice in order to provide vague service to their clients.  They do so, to offer a well-rounded service where the multiple areas of law converge to create a legal strategy that takes into account the complexities of certain unique cases. Most legal actions have different areas of law overlapping, having knowledge of these different areas of law is importance to be able to understand every factor that can contribute to the outcome of the trial. In North Kingstown, general law practices can be your support system to ensure that you get the best protection and support possible as you navigate through the various aspects of your trial.

What if the general law practice is truly not as well informed as a boutique firm? Well, when covering different areas of law, it is not surprising that general law practices may not necessarily have the in-depth knowledge of a boutique firm. But there is the difference between how boutique and general practice law firms get their information – general law practices hire experts to work on the specialized parts of the case without any extra cost to you. With North Kingstown general law practice, you are still able to get the specialized care in addition to a well-rounded service that will create the best possible strategy for your case.

Charged with a DUI? How to Prevent Conviction in North Kingstown

Choosing to combine drinking and driving is a choice that, if pulled over, will very likely have lasting consequences. Driving while Under the Influence not only takes a financial toll but an emotional toll that can affect you and your family. In North Kingstown, there are a plethora of factors to take into account if you are charged with a DUI. The most important step you can take if you are charged is to get a DUI attorney – and fast.

There are two elements that need to be dealt with right away. Without swift action, a driver’s license suspension and breathalyzer test results can drastically change your life. First, having a driver’s license suspension will affect your day to day life by limiting your ability to go places. It will put a strain on your family as they adjust to the inconvenience of having to drive you around. After you have been initially charged with a DUI, it is important to hire an attorney so that you can request a hearing in court to appeal the license suspension. The circumstances surrounding the nature of your DUI will determine whether you can avoid a driver’s license suspension or not, in some situations you may have the option of a Drivers Improvement Program that will allow you to avoid a driver’s license suspension completely.

A breathalyzer test result is a critical factor that can either make or break your case. Since it is a mechanism that determines you Blood Alcohol Level, there is an assumption that positive test results will automatically lead to a conviction. That is definitely not true! There are a lot of factors that can interfere with an accurate breathalyzer test. Breathalyzer mechanisms are not all the same; different models have specific manufacturing guidelines that need to be followed for them to be used correctly. If police, for example, have not calibrated the breathalyzer by the manufacturing guidelines, you may have a case to prevent a DUI conviction. With a seasoned North Kingstown DUI attorney, beating a DUI conviction is possible!

When Dogs Attack: How to Receive Compensation for Dog Bite Incidents in Providence

Being attacked by a dog is a traumatic experience. Or, even worse, watching your child be attacked by a dog. What happened to “man’s best friend”? Why did the owner let this happen? You deserve compensation.

To best prepare yourself for filing a claim, there are a few key factors in every dog bite case that you need to know. In Providence, there is a “strict liability” statute that states that the owner is automatically liable for any damages that were incurred from an attack by their dog. Of course, there is a stipulation in order for this statute to be valid. The attack has to occur outside the owner’s enclosure. What this means is that if you are on the owner’s property, then the owner holds no liability for the damages you may sustain if their dog attacks you. In a case where you or your child were invited onto a property that had a vicious dog of whom you had no knowledge, the owner might not be held liable. Not fair, is it?

For these types of cases, there is a “one bite rule” that enables victims to still file a dog bite incident claim even if the attack took place on the dog owner’s premises. In the “one bite law,” you must prove that the owner knew about the dog’s vicious behavior before the incident. Through witness statements and previous police records, you and your attorney may be able to prove that the owner knew about the dog’s behavior.

However, even with the “one bite rule, you must also prove that this attack was unprovoked – that means no teasing, tormenting, or assaulting the dog before the incident. In this respect, you must gather witness statements that concretely show that you or your child did not interact with the dog in a way that would cause the dog to attack.

With all the complexities that are involved in a dog bite incident claim, it is important to consult with a Providence attorney seasoned in dog bite incident cases.

The Best Way to Confront Your Divorce in Providence

“I’m getting a divorce,” you tell yourself, almost in disbelief. “Where do I start? Will I be able to get custody of my own children?” As you start going through the complexities of divorce, it can be difficult to find the right answers in the midst of the emotional turmoil.

Courts in Providence strive for an equitable division, but this does not necessarily mean that you will be able to split everything 50/50. Much of this depends on certain factors such as pre-marital and marital agreements, child custody, child support, assets, alimony, etc. With all this at play, hiring a considerate and a strategically minded divorce lawyer is essential for a beneficial divorce settlement.

Although you may feel anger, betrayal, even rage – it is essential that you remain civil, yet cautious of your spouse. Gather all financial documentation, medical documentation, etc. This includes keeping documentation of all your correspondence with your spouse.  If they provide you with a written agreement, have it looked over thoroughly by a lawyer. Not only will you protect yourself, but a strategic Providence divorce lawyer will be able to use the language of the agreement to work in your favor.

If you wish to get alimony for reasons concerning salary, medical issues, or other legitimate reasons; keep in mind that there is a distinction between rehabilitative alimony and indefinite alimony. Since the court is trying to be as equitable as possible for both parties, alimony may only be provided only for a short amount of time as you get accustomed to your new lifestyle. Only in special medical cases can the alimony be indefinite.

If your main concern is child custody, which can affect your future relationship with you children, understand that the courts will determine the best possible situation for your child based on standard of living. If the initial decision is unfavorable, you will be able to apply for child custody modification after three years.

Despite the difficulties of a divorce, using the right strategies while remaining composed will allow you to leave the divorce better off than you were before.