Wednesday, March 31, 2010

How Has Accident Litigation Changed Over the Years in Queens?

Through the years accident litigation has changed significantly in Queens, New York due to various changes in national, state, and local laws along with shifts in cultural attitudes toward accident litigation. The past few decades have seen personal injury and accident litigation grow from a minor inconsequential area of law into a more common, robust, and intricate one, in part due to the growing number of personal injury and accident lawyers.

Trip and fall changes
A large number of personal injury lawsuits in Queens involve trip and fall accidents from a damaged or faulty sidewalks. For years, victims of these slip and fall accidents saw the opportunity to seek a large compensation for their injury from the city.

In 2003, laws were enacted that made faulty and damaged sidewalks the responsibility of the adjoining property owner instead of the city. This now means that if someone trips and falls on a sidewalk in Queens, the party responsible for the injury is not the city but the property owner. As a result, property owners must maintain their sidewalks and people are unable to bring unnecessary law suits in the hopes of winning large sums of money from the city.

If you have been injured in a trip and fall accident, it would be beneficial to reach out to a injury lawyer in Queens who has experience and knows the area well.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

If I know I am innocent, do I need a lawyer?

As you are aware, the United States constitution says innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately in criminal courts, skilled and experienced prosecution will be able to attack your innocence and make you look guilty until proven otherwise. If they are an effective lawyer, he is going to put you among other defendants behind bars, although they ARE innocent like yourself.

Fact one: Our great legal system is not a perfect system

While the innocent-until-proven-guilty principle at the foundation of our legal system is noble, the legal system itself is not a perfect institution. The fact is that innocent people are sometimes convicted in our country. There are countless stories of individuals who have served their entire prison sentence, or many years of it, before some new piece of evidence (such as improved DNA technology) exonerates them.

Fact two: The defense chair is a hot seat

When you have been accused of a crime and you are in a courtroom, seated in a position of judgment, your very position as the defendant subconsciously influences judges and juries to presume that there must be some legitimate reasons why others have concluded that you should be convicted. Without a skilled criminal defense attorney in Arkansas representing your rights and skillfully presenting a case that supports your claims of innocence, these preconceived notions could lead to a guilty conviction.

It would be ideal to instead get representation for a strong defense

Thursday, March 4, 2010

What Not to Do and Say if Approached or Detained by the Police

Dealing with law enforcement officers is not always a negative experience. An officer may approach or detain you in order to assist you, gather facts about a recent crime, or eliminate you as a possible suspect.

Unfortunately, a pleasant conversation can quickly become strained or even dangerous if the police think your statements or actions are questionable. How long the officer detains you may depend on what you say and do.

Some tips for dealing with the police

Los Angeles criminal law attorneys
provide tips to protect your rights and avoid making statements that harm your situation. If the police stop you, they may become suspicious or feel in danger if you:

Act uncooperative before you learn the reason the police stopped you
Argue, act, or speak angrily
Fail to mention any weapons you may have on you or in your vehicle
Get out of the car without the officer telling you to
Make any sudden movements
Move your hands out of sight
Threaten the officer

If you have been in a situation like the one mentioned above, it would be ideal to reach out to a criminal defense law firm who knows how to get you the help you need in the time of your distress.