Pre-Settlement Funding – Solutions For Litigants With Personal Injury Claims
Aug 31, 2009 Legal Finance, Personal Injury
Are you considering filing a personal injury lawsuit, or perhaps have done so already? If you find yourself in financial trouble, pre-settlement funding may be a solution you want to consider. While it is not for everyone, it is often a method that will allow you to continue your lawsuit and not simply settle because of financial worries.
Litigation financing companies offer funding to those whose case qualifies. This money is an advance that is determined on how much you expect to win in your lawsuit. You may need a small amount, or you may need a significant amount of money to live normally while your case is settled. Pre-settlement funding is not a loan as many people think. There are no monthly payments to add additional worries to your already stressed financial situation.
Many people involved in personal injury lawsuits are unable to work because of the nature of the injuries they have received. Household bills are mounting, medical expenses are adding up, and then there are attorney fees to consider. It just seems easier to settle with the insurance companies to avoid getting further into debt. Litigation financing companies help you avoid this scenario, so that you can get the full compensation you deserve.
Do you have to wade through red tape to go this route? Absolutely not. Lawsuit loans are not like conventional loans. There are no credit checks, past employment history, or collateral to worry about. Even if you have filed bankruptcy, this is not an issue. Again, you make no monthly payments. You only repay the litigation funding company when you win your settlement. If you do not win, you owe no money at all.
Pre-settlement funding is a very simple process that is not time consuming or confusing. Your attorney can submit the needed information to the funding company. They will then review it carefully to see if your case merits an advance. The decision is normally made that same day, and if approved you receive your money the next morning. There is absolutely nothing hard about it, and it is not like pulling teeth as conventional bank loans are.
Litigation financing companies realize that this is a risk on their part, but that is part of the reason they scrutinize the details of your case. This way, they can be fairly certain that you will win. You can have money to pay your monthly obligations, without the additional stress and worry that you do not need while engaged in a lawsuit. Talk to your attorney about pre-settlement funding, or go online to learn more. It is a suitable option for many, and will perhaps help you proceed so that you can get every dime you deserve in your case!
Probation Officer Pleads Guilty To Extortion
Aug 31, 2009 Criminal Cases, Legal Finance
In Atlanta area legal headlines, a County State Court Probation Officer
identified as Natalie Nicole Dunn pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit
extortion in a criminal charge fixing scheme.
Dunn and her accomplice and co-defendant Keith L. Hughes were caught after
an FBI sting was put into effect, with a man that had pending criminal
charges, according to U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias. Dunn contacted the
man that had been arrested for drug offenses and told him that his pending
charges could be dropped for $25,000 payment to her and Hughes. During the
plans, the FBI put into place the man with pending drug charges paid Dunn
and Hughes two $5,000 installments on the dismissal of his criminal
charges. In another meeting in December Hughes told the man that he and
Dunn would make false reports to the DeKalb County District Attorneys
Office that he was cooperating in other investigations. By the way if you
find that you need a Atlanta injury lawyer let me humbly recommend
the Law Offices of James Rice. He is an outstanding Atlanta injury lawyer.
He can also help if you require an auto or car accident attorney.
Dunn and Hughes were indicted in March 2009 and Dunn pleaded guilty to one
count of conspiracy to commit extortion under the color of official right.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of
up to $250,000.
Tags: Atlanta injury lawyer
Personal Phone Call May Have Been the Cause of Midair Crash in New Jersey
Aug 27, 2009 Auto & Car Crashes, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death - Murder
It has been determined that the cause of a midair crash last week between two small planes in New Jersey could potentially have been a personal phone call between an air traffic controller and a woman from the local airport office. It was less than three weeks ago that a private helicopter carrying five tourists and a pilot, and a small plane carrying three relatives collided in midair and crashed, killing all nine people involved in the accident. As soon as the planes collided, they careened down into the Hudson River where authorities later found all nine bodies in the planes’ carnage. Although blame for the accident has not yet been placed on any one person or entity, it is possible that a personal phone call between an air traffic controller at the New Jersey Airport and a female employee at AvPORTS, a section of the airport office.
The air traffic controller at the New Jersey Airport first made a personal phone call to a woman in the airport office less than twenty minutes before directing the small plane over the Hudson River. Soon after directing the plane in that direction, the air traffic controller at the New Jersey Airport handed off responsibility for communication with the plane to the Newark Airport. Almost immediately the New Jersey controller called back his female friend and began yet another personal conversation at work. Within a few minutes, the Newark air traffic controller called back the New Jersey controller with concerns about the safety of the small plane as there was other traffic in the area. It was literally only seconds later that the small plane collided with the helicopter.
Although the personal phone call between the air traffic controller in New Jersey and the woman from the airport office may not be the direct cause of the accident, many people are upset that he was making such a call at work while he should have been evaluating the flight traffic situation for that small plane. It is still unknown at this time whether or not the man will be charged with negligence or anything other type of misdemeanor. For now, he and his supervisor have been placed on administrative leave as officials continue to investigate the case.
Plane crashes have become all too common over the last few years. Some of these crashes have been directly due to the negligence or reckless behavior of those who are in charge of ensuring a safe flight and a safe landing. If you have a loved one who has been killed in a plane crash, you should contact a personal injury lawyer. Personal injury lawyers are experts in all types of accidents, injuries, and wrongful death claims, and they will work to ensure that your injured or deceased loved one will receive just compensation for their circumstances. If it is eventually determined by officials that the cause of the accident was due to the negligence of the New Jersey air traffic controller, he could be facing civil charges by personal injury lawyers for the wrongful death of nine people.
If you or someone you love is injured or killed in California or elsewhere, consider hiring a California airplane accident attorney to help you protect your rights and get you reimbursed for the lost wages that you deserve.
Tags: airplane accidents
Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Awards Los Angeles Students $1.6 Million in Compensation
Aug 27, 2009 Assault & Battery, Personal Injury
Three students have received approximately $1.6 million in financial compensation from the Los Angeles Unified School District for a sexual abuse lawsuit brought against them. Parents filed the lawsuit with personal injury attorneys following the conviction and arrest of the sexual abuse perpetrator who was an employee at the school the three girls attended in Los Angeles. The man was charged with and found guilty of the molestation of at least three girls back in 2002 and 2003. In 2005 he was sentenced to spend 15 years in prison for his crimes. The girls were all between the ages of 5 and 7 when the sexual abuse took place.
This was not the first time the man had been suspected or even accused of the sexual abuse of children. He was accused just one year earlier in 2002 of molesting another young girl at the school where he was later convicted of molesting the three additional girls. He had also been accused of sexual abuse and molestation back in 1995. The fact that the Los Angeles Unified School District was aware that sexual abuse was occurring was grounds enough for them to fire the employee immediately and file charges against him themselves. However, they shamefully ignored the issue. Following the reward of $1.6 million in damages that the young girls have received, the district has continued to have a blasé attitude under which they have stated that they did not believe the crime of the man was so severe to require such compensation. Depreciating the significance of the sexual abuse crimes will not stop these crimes from happening at the Los Angeles Unified School District.
This is not the first time the LA school district has had problems with sexual abuse occurring in their schools, however. Just earlier in the year, the school district allegedly transferred one of their assistant principals to a new school when he was accused of sexual abuse at another school. At the new school, however, more sexual abuse took place. It is unheard of that a school employee being accused of the Los Angeles sexual abuse of young children would not be put on leave, at the very least, in order to avoid additional conflict. Yet the district simply moved the assistant principal to a new location where he could continue to abuse children in the LA area. He was later charged with approximately 13 counts of felony sex abuse.
Parents trust teachers and school administrators to take good care of their children as they attend school. But when that trust is betrayed by employees and members of the school district, it is difficult to recover again. The parents of these three girls were able, with the help of Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, to receive financial compensation for the crimes that occurred against their daughters. This financial compensation will be important to the present and future welfare of their children because of the potentially devastating emotional effects this sexual abuse will have.
Tags: Los Angeles sexual abuse
Lawsuit Loans – A Simple, Easy Solution That May Be Just What You Need
Aug 20, 2009 Legal Finance, Personal Injury
People hear the words ‘lawsuit loan’ and they think to themselves that they simply cannot afford another monthly payment. Litigation funding is designed exactly for that reason. Those who are involved in a personal injury lawsuit can get the money they need without worrying about additional monthly financial obligations.
Many who are injured in an accident cause by another party often feel that they simply do not have the means to file suit. They may be unable to work due to their injuries, and feel that hiring an attorney or pursuing justice is simply not an option. While this is understandable, you should never let the guilty party get away with what they have done. If you are seriously injured, you may be disabled for life and never work again. Do not let this happen to you!
The thing is that lawsuit loans are ideal for situations like this. Litigation funding companies work with people in these same types of cases every day, and provide a way for them to seek financial compensation. Pre-settlement funding allows you to get the money you need up front, and never worry about repaying the money until your lawsuit is complete. Even at that point, if for some reason you do not win, you owe nothing! Essentially you have nothing to lose, and much to gain by pursuing your claim.
Plaintiffs in lawsuits often find themselves being pressured by insurance companies to settle for less than they deserve, and that can be very tempting when a case seems to be dragging on forever. You’re hurt, perhaps you cannot work, and the bills keep mounting up. You know you cannot afford to keep going on for months with your lawsuit, and you just don’t know what to do. Settlement Loans are an option you definitely need to consider.
Litigation funding companies make getting the money you need easy. You don’t have to get tangled up in red tape like you do with traditional loans. There are no credit checks and past employment history to worry about, no monthly payments, and no collateral. Your collateral is actually a portion of the money you expect to win in your claim. When you get an advance, everything is decided at the very beginning, so that you know what you owe the settlement funding company and there are no surprises.
Have you been injured because of the negligence or carelessness of a third party? If you need money to pursue justice and feel that you cannot afford to go after what you deserve, speak to your lawyer or go online and learn more about lawsuit loans. You can go after those that have put you in this situation, without the additional worries of how you are going to pay your monthly bills. Litigation funding companies are your saving grace in many instances!
Tags: affordabel settlement loans, why lawsuit loans are easy
Hit and Run Car Accident Leaves Young Boy Dead in Inglewood, California
Aug 17, 2009 Auto & Car Crashes, Personal Injury
Just last weekend a 14-year old boy was left for dead after being struck in a hit and run accident in Inglewood, California. The boy was said to have been dragged at least fifty feet by the car that hit him, causing injuries so severe that he later died. The impact of the car was so severe, in fact, that the boy was actually thrown out of his shoes when the vehicle struck him. The car that did the damage was apparently a red Ford Focus, but the identity and location of the driver is still unknown. Authorities have high hopes that, with the help and cooperation of the community, the hit and run driver that caused the boy’s death will be found.
This is not the only hit and run accident that has occurred in California this year. During the month of March, an 18-year old USC student was also left for dead in a hit and run accident. She and her 19-year old friend were walking outside of the USC campus when a woman driving a vehicle with her husband in the passenger seat struck both students, which killed the young woman and inflicted severe injuries to the young man. The impact of the crash was so intense that the young man actually became stuck on the hood of the car. The woman, however, did not stop until driving with the young man on her hood became an inconvenience. At that point she stopped the car long enough for her husband to throw the young man off the hood. She then drove away as soon as her husband got back into the car. Almost right away she and her husband went to Mexico for nearly three weeks in order to avert suspicion for the crime. On their way back into the country, however, the couple was arrested.
It was because the community stepped in to help local authorities that the woman and her husband were caught and charged with felony hit and run. The woman who was driving was also charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. The parents of the 14-year old boy who was killed in the hit and run accident last weekend are hoping that a similar reaction from their local community will help in the identification, capture, and arrest of the mystery driver that took the life of their child.
There have already been a number of fatal hit and run accidents in California this year, and those numbers are not likely to fall anytime soon. Those who have relatives that have been killed or injured in hit and run accidents would be wise to hire a California car accident lawyer. The fact is that Santa Monica personal injury attorneys help their clients make sure that those responsible for hit and run accidents are held accountable for their crimes. They can also help you receive financial compensation to help with medical bills and even funeral arrangements that may have been incurred following the accident.
Tags: california car accidents, Santa Monica personal injury
Fair Warning Was Given to North Tustin Teen before Fatal Drunk Driving Accident
Aug 17, 2009 Auto & Car Crashes, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death - Murder
It was last year that a teenage boy from North Tustin caused a fatal car accident in which a close friend of his was killed. The boy was having a party at his parent’s house where alcohol was served and where he drunk enough to become intoxicated. A few friends of his from the party wished to return to their homes, and the boy insisted on driving them. All three of the girls initially refused to be driven on the boy, warning him that he was too drunk to drive anywhere safely. The boy argued that their observation was not true, and continued to pressure the girls into letting him drive them home. One of the girls finally gave in, fearing that she would not make it home before her parents found out she had been out partying where alcohol was being served. She got into the car with the boy and never made it home.
While driving, the boy’s judgment, and likely his vision as well, was impaired by the alcohol he had consumed at the party. He was speeding when he lost control of his vehicle and careened over the median in the center of Newport Avenue. He hit two road signs and sped into a utility pole before the vehicle finally stopped. The car was split in half around the utility pole because of the strength of the impact. The girl in the vehicle suffered massive blunt force trauma and died before rescuers could save her. The boy suffered injuries as well, but was released soon after being treated at a local hospital.
The police reported that at the time of the accident, the boy’s blood alcohol level had reached .11 percent. For individuals over 21 and legally able to drink, the maximum blood alcohol level that is allowed while driving is .08. The boy, who was 18 at the time of the accident, was both under the legal age for consuming alcohol and had exceeded the maximum blood alcohol level limits for driving as well. Although .03 may not seem like such a significant difference in the blood alcohol level, for a person as young as this boy, it was a huge factor in the crash. He had likely had very little experience drinking and was unable to cope with the effects of alcohol in the same way that an older adult would who has been drinking for some time. The boy will soon be facing charges as an adult, and the deputy district attorney believes he should be charged with second-degree murder because of the extensive warnings he received prior to the crash.
Drunk driving accidents happen every day in California, and many victims and families hire personal injury lawyers for help. Tustin personal injury lawyers expertly help their clients by making sure that justice is served to drunk drivers that cause injury or death. If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident, or if you have a loved one who was killed in one such accident, a California personal injury lawyer can help you.
Two Years after Pedestrian Accident, Victim Remains in Coma
Aug 17, 2009 Auto & Car Crashes, Pedestrian Accidents, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death - Murder
Over two years ago a 55-year old man was struck on a street in Corona while he was walking in a crosswalk. The man, who was accustomed to walking everywhere he went, stopped at the crosswalk and waited for the vehicles going in both directions to stop and let him pass. Without warning, however, a vehicle darted out from behind all of the stopped cars, wishing to pass them and continue in his journey. In his hurry, the man behind the wheel struck the 55-year old man with such great impact that the victim went into a coma. Two years later, the man remains in a coma in a hospital in Corona.
The sister of the victim has taken up the cause for crosswalk safety campaigns. Devastated by the accident that has left her brother in a coma, the woman has worked with the Corona police department to conduct pedestrian and crosswalk safety education operations at least once a year. Thanks to her efforts, the Corona police department is actually conducting crosswalk safety education operations three or more times per year.
During these safety operations, undercover police officers patrol the city’s most bustling intersections in order to catch those drivers that do not recognize or blatantly ignore pedestrians and the safety measures necessary to avoid accidents and injury. On a single day this summer in which the safety operations were conducted, over 40 tickets were issued to drivers that proved to be unsafe in pedestrian and crosswalk zones. On another day last year when safety operations were conducted, over 50 tickets were issued. These operations each lasted approximately five hours a piece, making it apparent how many people really ignore pedestrian laws and other safety matters on the road.
It is alarmingly and surprisingly how many drivers in California and elsewhere ignore pedestrian rights when it comes to crosswalk safety. As police in Corona have continued to conduct crosswalk safety operations in the area, they have noted the large amount of vehicles that do not notice or, in some instances, completely ignore pedestrians at crosswalks, even after they’ve already begun to walk out into the street.
The sister of the man who was injured so severely two years ago that he still remains in a coma is on a personal mission to make people aware of crosswalk and pedestrian safety on all the roads in the United States. Although she no longer lives in the Corona area, she is pushing for extensive crosswalk safety education in her new home in Hawaii as well. There are many other families who, like this woman, have either lost a family member to a pedestrian accident or who have a family member that has been severely injured in a similar type of accident. If you’re one of these family members or a victim yourself, you should contact a Los Angeles personal injury attorney to help you protect your rights and financial safety. Personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles handle pedestrian accidents on a regular basis and have the ability to help you and your family receive compensation for your injuries.
Drunk Driving Accident Killed Three People on Highway 99
Aug 13, 2009 Auto & Car Crashes, Drunk Driving, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death - Murder
Two weeks ago three people were killed in a drunk driving accident on highway 99. The multi-car accident began when a man, who was driving a Nissan X-Terra, was heading south on the highway at approximately 70mph. The driver apparently began to drift into the left lane where traffic was heading north at approximately the same speed as him. The man crashed his vehicle head-on into a Ford Mustang. The driver of the Mustang did not have time to swerve out of the way of the Nissan. The Ford’s driver was a man from Orisi in Tulare County and carried in the vehicle with him two other passengers. Police have not released the age of the driver of the Mustang, but his passengers were a 12-year old boy and a 26-year old man. The driver of the Ford, as well as his two passengers, died in the accident, despite the fact that they were all wearing seatbelts and there is no evidence that the driver was driving at all recklessly or breaking any traffic laws. If you are ever in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to contact a Los Angeles wrongful death law firm
The impact from the Nissan X-Terra was so great that the Mustang was pushed into another lane of traffic going north on highway 99. When this occurred, the Mustang was also pushed into a Chevy Tahoe which was pulling a trailer behind it. The additional crash caused the Mustang to turn over. There were also three people inside the Chevy that was struck. The driver, along with his 12-year old and 8-year old passengers, thankfully did not die, but all three suffered injuries. The driver of the Nissan that started it all also incurred serious injuries in the crash, and his single passenger sustained moderate injuries. The Nissan driver is still receiving medical attention in the Modesto hospital, but will likely be taken to the Merced County jail after he is released from the hospital. Since it is suspected by police that he was driving drunk at the time of the crash, he will likely be held on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol and felony driving under the influence of alcohol.
Police have yet to report whether or not this is the man’s first time being caught driving under the influence of alcohol. If it is, in fact, determined that he has been cited for drunk driving before, it is very possible that the man will be charged with murder rather than vehicular manslaughter. Those who choose to continue driving drunk when they’ve already been cited for driving under the influence are, under California law, liable for murder in the instance that someone dies because of their negligent or reckless driving. If one of your loved ones has been killed by a drunk driver, a Los Angeles personal injury attorney can help you and your family receive the compensation you need to cover the expenses you will inevitably incur because of their death. Criminal charges against drunk drivers can help ensure that the perpetrator does not harm other people, but criminal charges along will not help you and your family pay for funeral expenses and medical costs.
Tags: Los Angeles drunk driving injuries, los angeles wrongful death accident
How to Recover Damages After California Auto / Car Accidents
Aug 12, 2009 Auto & Car Crashes, Personal Injury
Every day, thousands of people are injured in automobile accidents on California roads. Many of them will never recover all of the damages that are legally due to them because they make one or many mistakes after the auto accident. This article contains important information about what you should do if you are involved in a California auto accident. It does not constitute legal advice. Only a California lawyer with experience and expertise in handling California auto accident cases is qualified to give you legal advice about a particular case. However, this advice can help you preserve your right to recover damages after a car accident on California roads.
At the Scene of the Auto Accident
1. Get as much information as possible about any other automobiles and/or drivers involved in the accident. Take down license plate numbers and exchange insurance information if you are capable of doing so.
2. Immediately contact an experienced trial lawyer to get legal advice on what to do.
3. Accept offers of medical examination at the scene, or seek the advice of your own doctor. Regularly, injuries sustained in a car accident don’t become evident for 12-24 hours after the crash, and sometimes even longer.
After the Auto Accident – How to Make and Preserve a Record of Your Accident
1. Make sure that you fill out an accident report and file it with the proper authorities. This is part of the record and will be important in any court case.
2. Don’t assume that you’re “okay, just a little shaken up”. Call or see your doctor to report any pain or other symptoms. The doctor’s may also be important if there is a court case.
3. Follow your doctor’s orders to the letter. Don’t substitute your own judgment for “the best treatment”. It’s important for you to be able to show that you did not contribute to worsening your own injuries by ignoring medical advice.
4. Seeing your doctor after the accident serves two purposes. First, you’ll get a preliminary diagnosis from your doctor that will be part of your record of the accident. More importantly, your doctor’s advice can minimize your discomfort and may reduce the amount of medical care that you’ll need later.
5. Always be completely honest with your doctor about your symptoms. Lying to your doctor and/or making up symptoms and then filing a claim based on them is fraud, and you could be prosecuted for it.
6. Take photos of the accident scene, the automobiles involved and any debris or wreckage left over from the car accident. Do this as soon as possible, even if the police have already taken photos at the accident scene. You should try to get photos of any skid marks or impending skid marks on the pavement or road, and views of the road from the point of view of each approaching driver. Be sure to have another person with you to watch for traffic.
How to Talk to Insurance Adjusters
There is one simple rule for talking to an insurance adjuster for the other person or people involved in the accident – don’t. Insurance adjustors are not on your side, and their job is to get you to settle an California auto accident claim as cheaply as possible. If an insurance adjustor for the other person’s insurance company calls, don’t say anything at all beyond, “Thank you for calling but I’m not prepared to discuss this. Please make all of your communications by mail.”
If you have been involved in an automobile accident with an under-insured vehicle, then it’s especially vital that you immediately retain an experienced California auto accident attorney to make sure that all of your rights are preserved.
