Personal Injury
Criminal Law
Medical Malpractice
Divorce
Bankruptcy
Sports/Entertainment
Business/Corporate

Personal Injury

How long will it take for a settlement check?

Depending on the severity of the injuries and the length of treatment needed to restore your health, it could take a few weeks after treatment or several months in more serious cases.

I was injured in a car accident and want to know what I should do to preserve my rights and preserve the evidence in order to secure a favorable recovery in my personal injury case.

Whenever you suffer a personal injury as a result of someone else's negligence, you should take the following steps: (1) get the name, address, and phone number of the other person; (2) get the vehicle's license plate number, make, model, and color; (3) get the other person's complete insurance information; (4) get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses; (5) write down anything the other person says about causing the accident; (6) you should not speak to anyone about the accident until contacting your attorney; (7) take pictures of the cars, the accident scene, and your injuries immediately; and (8) seek the help of a police officer in gathering this information as well.

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Criminal Law

If I am not under arrest, do I have to answer a police officer's questions about an incident or suspected crime?

No. You have the right to remain silent with regard to any questioning by a police officer. Under the law, you can have a "consensual conversation", meaning that you voluntarily decide to speak to an officer about something that does not incriminate you. On the other hand, if you are being questioned as a suspect by a police officer about an alleged crime, the officer must inform you of your Miranda rights before any questioning so you may secure legal counsel before any questioning takes place or just remain silent. If you believe you may be a suspect in a crime, you should always remain silent and state clearly to the police officer that you "want your attorney" before answering any questions.

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Medical Malpractice

How long do I have before it's too late to file a suit for medical malpractice?

You have two (2) years from the date of the incident. The incident is to have occurred when the injury is sustained. There are a few exceptions for foreign objects, fraud, concealment, or intentional misrepresentation.

What do I need to do if I believe I have a medical malpractice case?

1). Obtain copies of all available medical records and any other records relevant to the action; and 2). Make a chronological outline of the dates and times of events leading up to the incident. (Be sure to include all names, phone numbers, and addresses of individuals, if possible.)

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Divorce

Can I file for a divorce while my spouse is in another state?

Yes. If you have been a state resident for at least six months, you are entitled to file for a divorce. The type of service that your spouse receives (i.e. personal or substitute) will determine what authority the Court has in ordering spousal support, child support, custody, visitation, and equitable distribution of your assets.

How long does it take to get a divorce once it is filed?

It depends if the divorce is contested or non-contested. A non-contested divorce is faster due to the fact that there are no lingering disputes legally to keep you married. A contested divorce takes longer because detailed information must be exchanged between the parties as well as investigation of the circumstances that give rise to the contested nature of the divorce.

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Bankruptcy

What type of documents do I need to bring with me to expedite the process?

Copies of latest bills, Creditors' name, addresses, amount owed, account number, date the debt was incurred, recent credit report, tax and employment information. We can obtain a credit report for you, with your permission, if you do not have a recent one available.

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Sports/Entertainment

Do I need an attorney to negotiate a record contract?

Yes, absolutely yes. Recording contracts are very complex agreements that involve an initial investment of funds in order to produce, package and distribute the recording. The recording studio will obviously try to maximize the return on its investment and the artist will need to position his or herself to protect their "artistic freedom", maintain flexibility and control in future projects, and receive all of the appropriate royalties and distributions from the play and sale of the recordings.

Many recording agreements contain music video riders as well to determine the rights of the artist concerning videos used to market the recordings. There are other considerations such as trademarks on the name of the artist and logos used by the artist. All of these issues should be thoroughly discussed and understood before an artist commits him or herself to a multi-year binding contract.

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Business/Corporate

What type of business entity should I use to operate my business?

In determining what type of business entity to choose, first we must consider what type of business you are operating. The size of the business, the number of employees, the method and nature that the business receives income and makes disbursements all play a factor in choosing the best type of business entity. The main reasons to form a business entity are to protect the operators of the business from personal liability and to take advantage of tax laws which will allow the business to perform more profitably.

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