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Recent Blog Posts
Can I Get Arrested for Having Legal Cannabis in My Car?
Adult residents of Illinois are now permitted to possess and use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes. THC products are generally regulated similarly to the manner in which alcohol is regulated. These regulations control how people in Illinois can handle and use cannabis. A few important rules include those governing how cannabis may be transported in a vehicle. Most Illinois residents know that they cannot drive with an open beer or glass of wine in their cupholders, as allowing people to do so would make it very easy for drivers to become intoxicated while behind the wheel.
Similar open-container rules apply to cannabis. Even if you are not actively under its influence, you could be charged with a misdemeanor drug offense for having open and accessible containers of THC products in your vehicle. You can also be charged with a DUI for driving after using cannabis based on the concentration of THC in your body. If you are charged for possessing cannabis in a vehicle or driving under the influence of cannabis, it is important to secure legal representation as soon as possible.
How Improper Maintenance Causes Car Accidents in Will County
Maintaining a vehicle is an important duty of drivers who own their cars. When a vehicle is properly maintained, it is far less likely to experience a critical malfunction in the course of operating it. When a vehicle is improperly maintained, it is far more likely that a mechanical or parts failure will occur in the course of operation. Vehicle malfunctions can cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle, increasing the odds of a collision exponentially.
While accidents stemming from a parts malfunction are sometimes the responsibility of the failed part’s manufacturer, or even the mechanic who installed the part, it is also quite common for the fault to lie with the driver and owner. Drivers often have some form of warning that a breakdown is imminent - rarely do these accidents occur entirely unexpectedly. If you have been injured in a car accident involving a vehicle parts malfunction, you may be entitled to compensation. An attorney can help you decide how best to proceed with a claim.
Top 5 Causes of Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents are a severe form of traffic accident in which at least one vehicle is flipped upside down or sent rolling. Inversion is not a normal result of a motor vehicle accident. Rolling over occurs only as a result of collisions involving extreme forces. As the roof of most personal automobiles offers little protective material, occupants of flipped vehicles commonly sustain life-altering injuries such as spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. Wrongful death lawsuits brought by a victim’s surviving close family members are often born out of these terrible wrecks.
If you have been injured in a rollover car accident caused by another driver, it is very likely that the at-fault driver was negligent, if not reckless, in causing your injuries. You may be entitled to recover compensation for your current and future medical expenses, lost wages and lost future income, pain and suffering, and more. It would be wise to consult an attorney when dealing with a claim of this magnitude.
What to Do When the Police Arrive With a Search Warrant
Hearing a knock on the door when you were not expecting anyone can be anything from annoying to alarming. When the knock is aggressive and followed by a call of, “Police! Search Warrant!” it is normal to feel afraid. You may or may not know why the police are interested in searching your home, but the search will occur either way. Having your home searched can be terrifying, or even deadly in some cases. It is important to respond correctly when the police arrive with a warrant to search your living space. Common errors made by a suspect during a search could impact any criminal prosecution that may result from the search.
It is difficult to retain composure during this frequently intimidating process. You will need to maintain a cooperative demeanor - even if you are arrested - without inadvertently making an incriminating admission. As soon as possible, you must then contact a criminal defense attorney.
3 Ways to Defeat a Domestic Violence Charge
Domestic violence is one of the most serious misdemeanor criminal offenses. As does society, courts look down on those who assault and batter a current or past romantic partner, a family member, or a household member. There are stereotypes attached to a domestic violence conviction that may close off educational or career opportunities. You may suffer severe collateral consequences far beyond any judicial sentencing imposed.
Those who are convicted of offenses related to domestic violence may be incarcerated for up to a year - or more, if domestic violence is charged as a felony - in addition to being fined and placed under the close supervision of a probation officer. The consequences can be severe and life-altering considering the circumstances under which many are arrested. Police officers may respond to a chaotic scene and errantly arrest someone who was not the aggressor. If you are facing domestic violence charges, the importance of reaching out to a qualified attorney as soon as possible cannot be understated.
Top 4 Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents in Will County
If you have been involved in a commercial truck accident, you know just how bad these crashes can be. Semi-trucks are enormous vehicles capable of causing extreme destruction in an instant. The responsibility truck drivers have to drive safely is extremely important. Truck driving is a job that requires careful attention at all times, because a single mistake can cause serious harm to others or even lead to fatalities.
Often, commercial truck accidents because a driver has either broken a law that was meant to prevent trucking accidents or driven in a careless manner. On other occasions, it was the trucking company that is to blame for failing to maintain its fleet in a safe condition. One of the things your attorney will need to do is try to get to the bottom of what caused your accident through careful investigation.
Most Common Reasons for Truck Crashes
There are a few very common mistakes drivers and trucking agencies make that put everyone on the roads in danger. These common mistakes include:
What Kind of Medical Evidence Is Used in Personal Injury Cases?
No one signs up for a personal injury case. Rather, people become plaintiffs in a personal injury lawsuit because something out of their control has happened to them - due to another party’s negligence. Dealing with your injuries is likely already painful and difficult. Fighting to force the party who injured you to compensate you can also be challenging in many ways. It is necessary to introduce substantial evidence to prove the extent and nature of the physical harm that was done to you.
If your case goes to court rather than settling, this may mean that you necessarily will lose some privacy in your medical information. If you are naturally a private person, this may be difficult for you. Understanding the ways that medical evidence may be used in your trial is important so that you are well-prepared. Our attorneys do, of course, always make an effort to secure a settlement you are happy with first.
How Much Trouble Will I Get in for Stealing Makeup From a Drugstore?
In recent years, news headlines in many states have announced that minor shoplifting is not being seriously prosecuted and defendants charged with stealing items valued under a certain amount are only being charged with a misdemeanor offense. Certain cities in Illinois have taken a similarly lenient approach. In 2016, Kim Foxx told Cook County prosecutors that the vast majority of retail theft under $1,000 would only be prosecuted as a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
While news like this may make it seem like stealing products of little value from retail stores is not a big deal, many drugstores have closed because of an inability to prevent theft and previously lenient prosecutors are now taking a firmer stance against minor theft. Theft laws in Illinois still remain strict and, in Will County, prosecutors are still going after retail thieves aggressively.
Robbing Someone at an ATM in Illinois Carries Serious Consequences
For criminals unschooled in federal case law, robbing someone at an ATM might seem like the perfect opportunity to get easy cash without having to commit the more serious crime of holding up a teller at a bank. If you can catch someone at an ATM with their debit card, you may think you can access account funds without risking more than charges of basic robbery.
This turns out to be a huge mistake. While most personal robberies do indeed fall under state law, robbing someone at an ATM will likely be treated the same as robbing someone at a bank. While courts are still somewhat divided over this issue, rulings exist that have allowed ATM robberies to fall under federal law and jurisdiction, bringing much harsher penalties. If you have been charged with robbing someone at an ATM in Illinois, make sure you have an excellent criminal defense attorney.
Improperly Restraining Nursing Home Residents Can Lead to Dangerous Bedsores
When elderly adults reach the point that they need live in a full-time residential care facility, their health and well-being can easily be put at risk by improper care or monitoring. Although many Illinois nursing homes have well-trained staff who are responsive to the needs of their patients, the news is full of stories about nursing home residents who have been seriously injured or even died because staff are untrained, overworked, neglectful, or abusive.
One early sign that nursing home abuse or neglect may be present is the appearance of bedsores. Fortunately, the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act guarantees nursing home patients a basic standard of care, and there are legal remedies available to take action if patients are being treated poorly.
What Are Bed Sores?
Bed sores, also called pressure ulcers, are injuries that happen when someone has been lying in the same position for too long. A person’s body weight puts pressure on the areas where the body comes into contact with a bed or wheelchair, cutting off circulation and causing sores to develop. Generally, sores first appear on a patient’s elbows, buttocks, back, or legs, and sores begin to worsen in gradual stages.
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