Apollo and General News

June 10, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

Los Angeles hit and run lawyers announced yesterday that recently there was an Assembly Bill that was sponsored by Los Angeles Assembly Member Mike Feuer, which can affect every driver that is convicted of driving under the influence.

This new bill will require the installation of alcohol ignition interlock systems on vehicles owned or operated by drivers who have been convicted of driving under the influence.

In reports the State Executive Director Matthias Mendezona of MADD in California stated that this shows that Los Angeles is taking serious action and using technology that is proven to work.

According to research that has been done on these interlock systems there is believed to be a proven 90 % effective rate to keep drivers from starting the vehicle when there is alcohol in their system.

In the year 2006 there was 1,276 deaths that were related to drunken driving accidents in California according to information that was released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These drivers that were included in this information were drivers that had a blood alcohol over .08%.

According to reports the current amount of convicted DUI drivers that are using this type of mechanical technology device is approximately one out of eight drivers that were convicted of drunk driving.

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence and are seeking an experienced Los Angeles DUI Attorney or Orange County they can be reached at 888-400-9721.

March 16, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

The latest in celebrity DUI news relates that Scott Weiland who was arrested in 2007 for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs during a car crash pleaded innocent. Police stated that they observed that he appeared to be under the influence and at the time Weiland refused to submit to a blood or urine test and was arrested.

Weiland who did not appear in court entered a plea last week through his defense attorney in a California court, which could later sentence the singer to a maximum of one year in prison. The next court date that has been set for him to appear is April 4^th.

When Weiland was arrested he was released on $40,000 bail and according to a statement from the Los Angeles City Attorneys Office the reason he could face up to one year in prison is that this will be a second conviction for driving under the influence.

When you are involved in a DUI or DWI crash there are Orange County attorneys and Los Angeles DUI attorneys who are experienced in these types of cases and can be reached at 888-400-9721.

Licensing For Boating-Bill AB2110 

 March 16 (by Otto Symth)

According to reports by Los Angeles Boat Accident Lawyers, there has been a new bill that has been drafted by State Assemblyman Mike Duvall that will if passed have boaters of all kinds from the professional to the fisherman who has a motor on his boat.

   This bill is AB2110 if passed will require anyone operating a boat that is motorized to take classes that will include boating safety in the course, once this course is passed the boater will take a state approved test and will receive a card that will be good for life.

   One of the reasons that the State Assemblyman penned such a bill is due to the amount of boating accidents that have occurred in the state.

   While the statistics are not in for the 2007-year, from the year 2001 up to 2007 there have been approximately 845 boating accidents that have resulted each year in about 43 deaths and 464 injuries.

   It has been reported that according to Duvall boating should be treated the same as motorcycle riding and hunting and that the water while different than hunting is not all that different than riding a motorcycle and people using watercrafts need to be aware of this to be safe.

  Should you or a family member be involved in a boating accident there are experienced Orange County attorneys waiting to speak to you about your case that can be reached at 888-400-9721.

March 19, 2008 (Otto Smyth)

Tuesday afternoon on Highway 154 in the vicinity of Santa Ynez is where an accident took place between a car and motorcycle crash that ended with two fatalities.

According to the California Highway Patrol the accident occurred when a vehicle struck a motorcycle head on near the intersection of Alamo Pintado and Highway 154. The vehicle was known to have been traveling in the wrong direction and was driven by and 87 year old woman who passed away. Her identity has not been released pending notification of her next of kin.

The motorcyclist was identified as Larry Lovejoy aged 73 who was transported to the hospital and later died of injuries sustained during the accident.

When a loved one is involved in an accident that involves a fatality there are personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles and Orange County that are experienced in wrongful death and can be reached at 888-400-9721.

March 19, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

According to Los Angeles car accident attorneys, in early morning traffic yesterday, there was a multi-vehicle accident in the southbound lanes that created a SigAlert that lasted approximately 45 minutes.

The accident occurred on Interstate 5 in the vicinity of Brookhurst Street two lanes were involved including the carpool lane, which was blocked for nearly an hour that included five vehicles and a motorcycle.

One car was overturned on its side and blocked the two lanes according to a dispatcher from the California Highway Patrol and the accident had been reported at approximately 7:30 am.

In reports a supervisor from MetroNet had stated that two of the accident victims were transported to the hospital, although it is known if there were any other injuries it was unknown at the time of the reports. The lanes were cleared at approximately 8:14 am, it was known that there was a motorcycle, a van and a red pickup truck involved in the accident.

When you are involved in an auto accident there are experienced Orange County attorneys who are waiting for your call at 888-400-9721.

 Here is some legal news from the Golden State as well as Seattle/Pacific Northwest…..In the space of just a single hour, southbound Interstate 5 was the scene of three very serious accidents, a pair of which led to traffic alerts. A twenty-three year-old Los Angeles woman suffered extremely serious head injuries when she was thrown from her car as it tossed after one of her tires blew out, unfortunately. That was the signal for the California Highway Patrol to issue a traffic alert. Just ten minutes later in Carlsbad, a collision between two vehicles on south I-5 near Tamarack Avenue left a car on top of the center divider. Another traffic alert was then issued.About 10:30 a.m., the 3rd accident took place on southbound I-5 near the Border Patrol checkpoint. Hopefully someone has a good lawyer…Was there a dui involved here?

Yikes, was it a full moon or something? Was there something in the water that day?

Meanwhile, in legal news from over in Seattle and the Tacoma area, as initially published in the highly respected and widely read ‘Seattle Post Intelligencer’ newspaper, it was written that The Seattle Police Officers’ Guild has filed a legal motion with the Public Employment Relations Commission alleging that the city of Seattle has been trying to undermine the union in labor negotiations. Incidentially, if you are in the Seattle or the Pacific Northwest/Washington region of the country and need a top rated and highly respected Seattle dui lawyer then I suggest that you assuredly examine the Law Offices of Kirk C. Davis. What really makes them stand apart from the rest in my opiniomn is the fact that you recieve not simply premium level Criminal representation, but also their commitment to a number of important principles in general. So if you find yourself needing a super Seattle dui lawyer then do check these gentleman out, you will be very happy you did and you can be sure that your legal case in question (whether a dui or something else such as a personal injury, etc) will be very carefully reviewed. The goal is to achieve the best concievable outcome in your case…alright it is back to the article….This complaint follows a decision by the Mayor’s Office Tuesday to dispatch top-level police administrators to officer roll calls to present a contract offer that the union had rejected. All in all,  the guild lawyer claims that Seattle officials acted because they were aware that guild leaders and shop stewards were attending a training session.

The complaint meanwhile asks for sanctions like legal fees, etc.

    In legal/technology related news, California’s hydrogen suppliers along with automakers met with the Air Resources Board recently and they were to come to an agreement to open a group of fueling stations for automobile owners of non-polluting fuel cell powered autos to refuel on roads….
   A single fueling station which was recently closed will reopen as an agreement with energy firms that were present at the meeting who agreed to supply the needed funds and staff to reopen this station.
   Meanwhile, the Golden State’s latest attempts to reduce their carbon emissions via legal measures received a double blow following planned rules concerning emissions from automobiles…As expected,
 the EPA followed through on their plan to put a halt a planned California law which would force vehicle makers to turn out vehicles with substantially improved fuel efficiency from next year.
These particular rules in question were made under the Clean Air act which permits California to substantially tighten air pollution rules to deal with its major smog problems which are somewhat unique to the state.
     By the way, if you live in California, have been in a car accident and require a first rate accident lawyer Los Angeles then you may very well want to inspect the Law Offices of Steven Sweat. There you can find a more than competent Los Angeles Auto Accident Attorney or dui lawyer Santa Monica. The lawyers there can also help you if you have suffered injuries such as bus crashes, motorcycle crashes, elderly abuse or even a pedestrian accident of some sort.
So if you need an accident lawyer Los Angeles you should certainly check them out. They come very highly recommended. Well, back to the news story….
   The Air Resources Board has $7.7 million dollars in place for these proposed projects that they will be taking bids, along with and additional $6 million dollars that they have requested from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger upcoming budget to complete their plan of constructing and opening more of these stations. 
By the way, if you happen to live in the city of Los Angeles, there is a strong chance that you will at some point be involved in an automobile accident sometime during your lifetime, unfortunately. This is according to an interesting story reported in the ‘American Chronicle’ news publication and written by superb journalist Reza Torkzadeh. He stated that while you may think that the chances of being involved in an automobile accident is not especially likely, in fact it is a strong possibility, sadly enouph…..
Just a fact of life here in the greater Los Angeles area. we have to deal with negligent drivers, dangerous construction sites, bad weather conditions, Drunk drivers, mobile phone users and speed contests, among other accidents causes. While it is indeed vital to see the relative dangers of driving and being certain that you are following the relevent laws and so forth, it is equally vital to be prepared to take some sort of action if you are involved in an accident.

How Much Money Can I Get For My Personal Injury Case?
By Michael Ehline

In order to determine how much money can I get for My Los Angeles personal injury case, there are many factors to look at. One major factor is whether or not the person who caused your serious injuries in Los Angeles even had insurance.

This is true whether it is a premises liability case, car accident, or airplane crash mishap. You must first consult the below checklist to secure your rights and build the value of your Los Angeles personal injury attorney’s ability to recover money damages.

1. What Should I Do If I Am Hurt in a Car Accident?
You must take pictures with your cell phone camera, make a diary about your injuries. The law requires you make a report of the accident to the DMV. Never give a recorded statement to anyone, never admit responsibility. Only talk to your attorneys and only if you are in a confidential relationship with no conflict of interest (i.e., if you were a car passenger, make sure the car driver is represented by another lawyer, as he is potentially conflicted with your interests.)

2. How Long Will it Take to Get Money in My Case?
Before your Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys can get you money, or send the insurance company a settlement demand, make sure you have completed all necessary medical treatments. Normally, your attorney will get the property damage portion of your claim settled within a few months after your accident.

3. Does Failing to See a Doctor Immediately Hurt Your Insurance Claim?
Even if you’re not feeling pain right away, you must take an ambulance to the hospital. The human body produces adrenaline, a natural pain killer, when it is under the trauma of a serious auto accident, or other injury caused by negligence or willful neglect. Make sure to document when the pain started in your diary, and all your doctor visits. Failure to do the above gives the defendant an argument you are committing insurance fraud!!

4. Do I need Experienced Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys, or Should I Hire that Guy on the Back of the Bus or 12:00 Midnight TV?
It is always in your best interest to consult an experienced attorney. But remember, the defendant’s insurance company has a very experienced adjuster, law school graduate who never took the Bar, or full blown lawyer negotiating for them. Many TV attorneys and face men on the back of buses actually don’t even practice law. Instead, they simply have a phone bank sign you up and then get a referral fee for sending you to an inexperienced attorney. Alternatively, they have so many cases, you don’t get the personal attention you deserve. It is better to retain a boutique law firm who learned law in a law office on the California State Bar Law Office Study Program

5. The Guy Who Hit Me Didn’t have Auto Insurance; How Do I Get Paid Now?
If the Defendant was uninsured (”UM”) or underinsured (”UIM”) in a California car accident, you will need to seek recover from their personal assets. However, if you were smart, you already purchased UM, or UIM motorist coverage on your own insurance policy. Your attorneys can seek recovery against that insurance policy in that case.

6. Who Will Pay for My Medical Bills While I Wait to Get a Verdict or Settlement?
Sometimes your own insurance will pay right away. But usually they will seek reimbursement from your award. Experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorneys will review your medical coverage and discuss that option when appropriate.

7. How Do I get Around When My Car is Being Repaired?
Look at the declaration of coverages and exclusions in your insurance policy. Your policy may contain a rental car clause. Sometimes you’ll end up with a crappy car unless you pay extra. Make sure to track the expenses that went over. You may be able to get loss of use coverages for a similar car as you lost in the auto accident case.

8. I Can’t Return To Work; Are Unemployment Benefits Also Available?
Normally no, unless it was a work related injury. But often you may be able to seek state disability benefits in California.

9. Who Pays me for Dangers in the Roadway Like Potholes?
Sometimes defects in the roadway cases damages to your car due to improper maintenance or repair. Often you will need to file a government claim. There is a statute that requires you to file a claim within six months of the damages. Good luck!!

10. How Much Money Will I Get if I do the Above Things?
There are many considerations to determine the amount of an award or settlement. You are usually entitled to seek lost of wages, pain and suffering, property loss, like your car. Assuming it’s not a Prop 213 case, all damages will be considered. Your attorneys review the case and do a work up in order to give you an estimated amount of reasonable jury verdict or settlement in your accident claims.

11. Is It Better to Settle Instead of a Jury Trial?
Not usually. A jury trial in California courts can take months and sometimes you’ll get less than the insurance company was willing to settle the case for. Plus the attorney’s contingency fee will normally go up and you could even end up paying the defendant’s costs and attorney’s fees even if you win!! (See Code Civ. Pro. Sec. 998.) You must weigh the risks and benefits.

12. What if The Defendant’s insurance company offered me money. Should I Accept the Settlement and Cut Out a Lawyer?
Only if you want to get ripped off. Insurance companies know you have no idea what your case is worth. They will offer you a fraction of what an experienced personal injury attorney in Los Angeles would get you. Contact and retain an attorney and watch insurance company’s offer increase. Never take money from an insurance company unless you consult with a lawyer first.

13. But What If I Can’t Afford an Experienced Attorney?
Los Angeles personal injury attorneys usually work on a contingency fee basis. Normally, in cases like that, you pay nothing unless there is a recovery. If your lawyer wins your case, you get a percentage less the contingency fee. You and your attorneys agree on this in advance with consent after consultation. How much money can I get for my Los Angeles personal injury case depends upon the above factors, so it is imperative that you get a lawyer before the statute of limitation expires in your civil cases.

Personal Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles represent injured victims in California and are recognized as by their clients as the best Los Angeles car accident attorneys

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Ehline
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Much-Money-Can-I-Get-For-My-Personal-Injury-Case?&id=645940

Norovirus Case And How To Prevent A Cruise Ship Illness
By Michael Ehline

Often in the news, we recently have seen cruise ships infectious diseases resulting in cruise ship litigation and sexual assaults. Especially news stories involving Princess Cruises and lawsuits about them are seen in the news.  Sometimes we even hear about cruise ship rape and murder, or even disappearance from a cruise ship. But if recent concern is the widespread virus outbreaks it would be norovirus and Swine Flu. Are all these claims media sensation, or are cruise ships putting profits over people? Are cruise ships failing to properly clean and disinfect ships after a norovirus outbreak? Where can you find a qualified California cruise ship lawyer to sue for a mysterious illness?

The Evidence Shows That More and More People Get Sick on Cruise Ships

Princess cruise ships must be filed in California. Preferably, you need to retain a Los Angeles Personal injury attorney who litigates cruise ship injury cases. This is because normally a cruise ship illness becomes gastro intestinal in nature. The symptoms usually involve low grade fever, vomiting blood, nausea, dizziness, stomach cramps and diarrhea. One reason could be from the close proximity the passengers are in relation to one another.

Other reasons could be due to the failure to properly disinfect the cruise ship when the previous cruise resulted in an outbreak of Norovirus, a highly infectious disease. Noroviruses can be spread by people, and often from those who have had human or animal waste put in their mouth. This could be from unwashed food, bad water, like Mexican water for example, or from person to person contact.

Also, on a cruise ship, there is usually only one doctor and sick bay. This means every infected person goes to the same clinic. This cam cause the disease to spread faster as well. All of the people suffering from this cruise ship illness go to the same doctor, who may or may not end up helping the illness to spread.

The upside for most passengers is that cruise ship Norovirus typically spreads and ends withing 24 to 60 hours. Also, most people make a full recovery from cruise ship infectious diseases. This is called Cruise illness by most and there are many ways to avoid contracting it, like not going on a cruise at all.

Other Methods of Avoiding Cruise Ship Noro Virus
One, wash hands and sexual organs or anus.
Two, try not to shake hands with other passengers. If you like to shake hands, use disinfectant right afterwards
Three, disinfect your cabin, your curtains, carpet, bed and furniture to be safe.
Four, bring a first aid kit that has medicine, which will assist you if you catch Norovirus on board a cruise ship, like things for stomach flu, such as antacid, diarrhea meds, etc.

If you get cruise ship virus, get a diagnosis from the on-board physician. The law also says if more than 3% of the ship gets sick, (Including passengers and employees) the cruise ship has a duty to report the outbreak to the Center For Disease Control (CDC). You can even look online at the CDC website to see who has the most disease ridden cruise ships.

The CDC checks sanitation of all ships carrying 13 passengers or more from USA to foreign ports and calls. All U.S. Ships are inspected for water sanitation, as well as jacuzzi and swimming pools. They also monitor food contamination and other supplies. The CDC also checks the personal hygiene practices of the ship’s staff and godliness and cleanliness of the cruise vessel. The CDC is also responsible for monitoring cruise ship training programs and health habits, customs and practices. Cruise ships are rated on a 100 point scale. They need to maintain a health score higher than 86 out of 100.

If you have were seriously injured by a cruise ship virus like norovirus and you need a quality cruise ship attorney because you want compensation, you must often file a cruise ship claim within a reasonable time from the date of injury. You must immediately contact a Los Angeles personal injury attorney if your were injured on board a Princess Cruise Ship.

About the Author
Personal Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles at Ehline Law represent injured victims in California as highly experienced Los Angeles cruise ship accident attorneys.

http://www.ehlinelaw.com/pages/3240/PracticeAreas/Admiralty-Maritime-Law.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Ehline
http://EzineArticles.com/?Norovirus-Case-And-How-To-Prevent-A-Cruise-Ship-Illness&id=613777

What Is A Personal Injury Under California Law?
By Michael Ehline

Have you ever wondered what a personal injury is under under California law? This article explains what a personal injury is and why you should hire a California personal injury attorney if you are hurt in California as the result of negligence of a wrongdoer.

What is a Personal Injury?

A personal injury is part of the the law of torts. Tort” is an ancient Latin word. It means inter alia: “A negligent or intentional civil wrong not arising out of a contract or statute. These include “intentional torts” such as battery (striking someone) or defamation (saying untrue things that are hurtful about another to others), and torts for negligence. . .”

A tort action allows you to sue someone for civil wrongs, as opposed to criminal wrongs, for money damages.

Inter Vivos View

Under English Common Law, a person’s family members were not allowed to sue one another for torts because the church felt that this could create a breakdown in familial relations. Modernly court feel and many state legislatures believe that if a family members has hurt another family member, there is already a breakdown in family relationships. Therefore they can usually sue eachother.

Often, tort lawsuits against a spouse are brought separate and apart from any divorce, annulment or other family law case. Alabama, Georgia, Nevada, New York and Tennessee, however, allow or encourage combining the tort case with the family law case; New Jersey requires it.

The jurisdictions that still prohibit one family member from suing another include Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. These places may make an exception when the tort is intentional. See, for example, Bounds v. Candle, 611 S.W.2d 685 (Texas 1980); Townsend v. Townsend, 708 S.W.2d 646 (Missouri 1986) and Green v. Green, 446 N.E.2d 837 (Ohio 1982).

An injury; a wrong; hence the expression “an executor de son tort”, of his own wrong.

Torts can be caused by force, trespasses to property or chattel, or by a physical injury to a person, like assault, battery, imprisonment; to the property in possession; or they may be committed without force. Torts of this nature are to the absolute or relative rights of persons, or to personal property in possession or reversion, or to real property, corporeal or incorporeal, in possession or reversion: these injuries may be either by nonfeasance, malfeasance, or misfeasance.

What California Personal Injuries are Torts?

There are many different types of tort injuries that occur in California. Most tort injuries are the result of someone’s negligence. However, there are also intentional torts such as battery, assault, or intentional infliction of emotional distress. Negligence is how the great majority of California Personal Injuries occur and is the term used in California Courts and includes but is not limited to:

Car Crash;
Deglove Injury;
Truck Accidents;
SUV Rollovers;
Wrongful Death;
Survival Actions;
Premises Liability Injuries, which include slips and falls;
Automobile Accident Injuries, which makes up a large majority of civil case filings in Marina del Rey Courts for negligence;
Airplane Accidents;
Products Liability Injuries, etc.

To learn more about tort laws, you should contact Los Angeles personal injury attorneys who are a cut above the excellent Los Angeles personal injury lawyers Don’t hesitate to drop by and visit our car accident attorneys Los Angeles as your surfing this site and reading the great legal articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Ehline
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Is-A-Personal-Injury-Under-California-Law?&id=599518