Month: May 2017

What Damages Can I Claim After a Drunk Driving Accident

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Being injured in a drunk driving accident can be life-altering. You need to hire a professional personal injury attorney. Only he can educate you regarding the legal process and eventually help you win the case with the best possible compensation.

As per the Florida law, you are a victim of a drunk driving accident if the accident causes you loss of any form that demands compensation. Under Florida Statute for victims of DUI crashes, there are certain “allowances” provided for the victims. However, the victim or his lawyer often requires to pursue these allowances he is subjected to!

You must be aware about the multiple ways through which a victim can obtain benefits. A set of Qualification Requirements has been established by the Florida’s Bureau of Victim Compensation for receipt of funds under its Crimes Compensation Act. Here are the requirements:

  • The reporting of the crime to law enforcement needs to be done within 72 hours.
  • It is necessary for the victim to have suffered some form of personal physical injury. There is an automatic reduction in the funds for those who have just suffered psychiatric or psychological injury due to the accident.
  • Application needs to be filed within the time period of one year after the crime date. In case a valid cause is shown, the time period might be expanded up
  • to 2 years.
  • The victim must cooperate with law enforcement, State Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office fully.
  • The victim must not have been engaged in any form of unlawful activity at the time of the accident.
  • The victim must not be responsible for the accident in any way.
  • The victim must not have a record of felony conviction.

What are the benefits available to the victim?

You need to meet all the above criteria in order to be proven as the victim. Only then, as per the Bureau you are entitled to the following benefits:

  • Loss of wage
  • Loss of support such as the death of a close relative etc.
  • Disability of any form
  • Expenses related to funeral
  • Expenses pertaining to medical treatments
  • Mental health counseling
  • Compensation for any kind of Property Loss

However, the truth is that you and your lawyer need to pursue your compensation actively in order to avail all the benefits available under the Florida Law. This specific statute helps to save you a good deal of your medical costs.

An injury caused due to drunk driving accident might cause you loss of time at work and subsequently loss of high wages. You might have to struggle to pay the bills. When your general bills are added on by your medical expenses, you might lose your sleep at night. So, it is more than essential for you to claim lost wages in a drunk driving accident. This includes future wages If the injuries you suffered leaves you disabled or incapable of functioning properly to provide output to the company, you need to count your future wages as well for compensation.
You are also entitled to seek damages for pain and suffering caused by such an accident. This involves the physical or mental distress caused due to someone’s death. You need to prove the nature and severity of your injury as well as the prognosis issued by the doctor with the intent to claim such damages.
Out of all the damages claimed, those related to medical expenses is the most common. This is because in most cases, medical expenses can add up at a striking rate into a lump sum. The situation might be the same even when you have medical and auto insurance. You can demand reimbursement for ambulance rides, consultations, medical equipment, physical therapy, in-home medical care and all other expenditures.
What to do just after a drunk driving accident occurs?
  • Dial 911

When you find out you are the victim in the crash, dial 911. Make sure to receive treatment for your injuries instantly, if possible. Police officials soon test the other driver for the accident.

  • Gather contact information

Collect important contact information. It includes the other driver’s name, contact number, address, and details related to insurance. Also, gather relevant info from the witnesses on the scene. Gather their basic contact information as well since it might come handy later.

  • Gather every possible piece of evidence

Click pictures of the crash scene, the vehicles or vehicles that were involved, and any injuries that you suffered. If there are other pieces of evidence like torn clothing, crashed debris etc., make sure you keep those handy as well.

  • Hire a drunk driving accident attorney

Only the qualified drunk driving attorney has an absolute knowledge on law. At first, the case might seem to be simple but things might get tense with the progression of the case. So, be on the safe side and get yourself a proper attorney with specialization in this field.

Who is usually responsible for drunk driving accidents?
If the person who apparently caused the accident is found to have a BAC that is higher than the legal limit, you can go ahead in filing a lawsuit against him. You can also file a claim against a restaurant or bar if it is responsible for providing alcohol to the person accused for the accident.
  • The accused person needs to be Under 21 years of age.
  • The accused need to be someone who is “habitually addicted” to alcohol.

It is pretty difficult to put the blame or a part of blame on the third parties that might actually be liable for the drunk driving accidents.

Texans Save Yourselves: Get Affordable Health Insurance Now

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Even Superman should have health insurance. Amusingly, most of us who struggle with health coverage are similar to Superheroes and their woes. We encounter problems with obtaining health insurance for a number of reasons. Either our employers do not provide it, the costs are too high, or the plan does not adequately suit our needs. Superman is self-employed, does not produce an income, and has an incredibly risky profession, which includes daily injuries and a high possibility of death each day.

If Superman attempted to get health insurance from most companies in the United States, it is rather probable he would get rejected over and over again.

Some of us believe we are indestructible, like Superman, and we do not opt for health insurance because it seems unnecessary. However, a lot of people would love to have the security knowing their well-being is covered, yet simply know they cannot afford it. Regardless, whatever the reasoning behind your choice to ‘wing-it,’ is, it is crucial to your health, security and emotional state that you reconsider.

It is no secret the United State’s health care system has flaws. Politicians have been trying to amend these flukes for decades, and it is constantly an issue that resurfaces during each presidential election. While it will be some time before any revolutionary changes are observed in our system, now is the time for you to change your outlook on health insurance options.

Certain states are worse off in their status’s of having heath insurance. Health insurance companies need to come to rescue for Texan inhabitants. Texas has one of poorest ratios of those who have health insurance coverage to those who do not. Currently, 1 in 4 Texans do not. That is 25% of the population!

Every individual comes with a unique situation. Be smart. Protect yourself. Indestructible or not, you never know when a freak accident or sickness will occur and leave you broke and emotionally shattered.

The Search For a Defense Attorney

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If you watch much television, the odds are you seen a program where someone gets arrested and read their Miranda rights. Included in these is the right to an attorney, even if the court has to appoint one. This is a very important right in our country and if you are arrested in San Antonio, guilty or innocent, you will need to find and hire a San Antonio defense attorney.

Granted, it would be wonderful if every attorney was as talented as the fictitious Ben Matlock or Perry Mason, however in reality, all lawyers differ in regards to talent, perseverance, and overall passion for law and defending the rights of American citizens. Whether their client is guilty or innocent, a defense lawyer must not only have the skills to build a good defense for their client, but also be able to present that case effectively in trial. Unfortunately, some lawyers are simply more skilled and accomplished than others.

When you’re on the prowl for a good San Antonio attorney, the best way to get a good idea about the capability of a lawyer is to have a look at their history. For instance, read up about the results of their past cases and determine whether more cases are won or lost by this lawyer. Pay particular attention to the cases which are most similar to yours. You may find that some lawyers with exceptionally high win/lose ratios and well-known reputations will usually charge more for their service, especially if the attorney uses public advertising such as TV and radio commercials. But regardless of the lawyer’s price range, it is important that you do choose proper representation rather than attempting to represent yourself in trial, particularly if it is a criminal offense.

In jail, you are likely to find many different people from different backgrounds. Talk to some of them about who they have as attorneys. This will help you to decide on the best San Antonio criminal defense attorney for your case and increase the odds that you will get off or have a less than maximum sentence for the crime you are accused of committing.

Dental Health Activities

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Dental health activities are designed to encourage good dental health practices and to help avoid dental cavities, gum diseases and oral cancer. State dental health programs are the primary entities responsible for conducting the core activities with regard to oral health conditions within different states. Local health departments in association with the dental community and public/private schools also arrange various dental health activities. The promotion of dental sealants and monitoring of the fluoride content in drinking water are examples of disease prevention activities. The American Dental Association provides a great deal of resources for dental health activities.

Classroom dental health activities are an integral component in the development of a child. Dental health activities to provide valuable oral care education and to promote the importance of proper dental hygiene among children are conducted with the help of posters, interactive dental health games and contests, health fairs and classroom presentations. Health educators present programs on topics such as brushing and flossing, bad breath, good nutrition and how to overcome the fear of visiting the dentist. The organization and administration of school-based fluoride mouth rinse programs and the promotion of school dental screening are examples of additional dental health activities focused on children.

Organizations such as Oral Health America develop, implement, and facilitate educational and service programs designed to raise awareness of the importance of oral health. Nationwide activities and campaigns coordinate schools, governments, care providers, and corporate and community partners in the fight against tooth decay and oral disease prevention. Many state dental health programs are involved in epidemiological surveys, applied research projects and community needs assessments. This information is important in developing an appropriate and responsive community programming. Many public health systems operate independent public health dental activities. These activities vary in scope and size across each state depending on population requirements. State grants are allotted to develop innovative dental activities and programs specific to individual states? needs, and improve access to oral health services.

Home Improvements on Your House

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Home improvement projects are ways to make your home more beautiful, attractive, cleaner and more cozy and comfortable to stay and live in. They are not just ways to improve or beautify your home, they also assures security and protection. Improving your home offer many benefits, one thing is that it can also be a reasonable investment. Home improvements in addition, can make a house more livable and may even increase the value of your home.

Here are the top most important home improvement projects to help improve your homes:

Home repair involves the diagnosis and resolution of problems in a home. It also includes home maintenance to avoid problems. Most types of repairs are Do it-Yourself projects, where you can simply maintain and repair it by yourself in order to cut down your repair and maintenance costs. It is best that you handle your home repairs and maintenance because other types may be complicated and usually time consuming and risky because you need to hire professionals or handyman to the job. Home repair includes heating and cooling repair, plumbing repair, exterior home repair, electrical and plumbing repair.

Part of improving your home is energy saving. Normally, energy used in homes is responsible for over a quarter of all emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change. That’s why making your home as energy efficient as possible will reduce carbon emissions and could also save you money on your fuel bills. Insulate your home to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels which add to the greenhouse effect. By doing so, you are actually helping the environment. Insulation is also an excellent sound absorbed and can assist in reducing noise transmission through walls, ceilings and floors making your home or your work environment quieter and peaceful.

The most important project in improving a home is security and safety. It’s undeniable that crime is increasing every year and is invading any home even those considered safe communities. Keeping your family safe is always the first priority. Install electronic devices such as home alarm systems for doors and windows. Attach motion detectors that sense movement or the heat given off by one’s body. The most common incident that could happen into your home is fire. That’s why it is necessary to be aware of fire safety measures. Be prepared by installing fire alarm systems, purchase fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

Improving a home can make you spend hundreds of dollars, but the return on investment is all worth it. A beautiful, comfortable and safe home is what matters most. Anyway, it is a very rewarding feeling seeing the great results of your newly improved home.

Questions to Ask When Hiring a Contractor

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When choosing a contractor, it is important to know as much as you can about the contractor’s qualifications, experience and reliability. These are just a few of the questions you should ask when choosing a contractor for your home improvement or home repair project.

Is the contractor licensed in your state/county/city?

Some states require contractors to have a license, while others will accept trade organization membership, job experience and education credits in lieu of a license. If the contractor is licensed, you can verify their credentials by calling your state licensing board, or by visiting the license boards website (available in most states). Also, the requirements vary from state to state, so it may be helpful to know whether the contractor was required to pass a licensing exam, or simply pay a fee for the license.

Is the contractor a member of any professional trade organizations?

If so, you can verify that the membership is in good standing.

Is the contractor well insured?

Most states require contractors to maintain certain insurance levels as a condition of the license, and you can often view insurance information on the state’s website (in the same place you verify the contractor’s license information). You should verify that the contractor has at least general liability coverage (property and injury), workmen compensation coverage, and automobile coverage.

Is the contractor familiar with current building code requirements?

The contractor should be familiar with building code requirements for your area, and should know what permits will be required.

Does the contractor have references and a portfolio of previous work?

Contacting previous customers is a great way to verify the reliability of the contractor and the quality of work that you can expect. Also, a portfolio of previous jobs with detailed photos can help you see the quality of work that the contractor is capable of.

How long has the contractor been in business?

A contractor that has been in business for several years will generally be more stable, with less risk of sub-standard work or leaving a job unfinished. It can also be helpful to verify the contractor’s financial standing via a bank reference, to insure the contractor will have the means to pay for supplies and materials.

The answers to these questions will be a good start towards finding a qualified contractor to help you with your home repair or home improvement project.

Large Dogs in Small Apartments

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As the mom of a 75 lb Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, I’m constantly hearing about how big my dog is. To me, he’s just “Cooper,” a part of my family, and will be moving with me regardless of where I land. Then we moved from a town requiring a 45-minute commute to get work done (hello carbon emissions) to a swanky new apartment in an exciting suburban city, Birmingham, MI.

This meant our big space became a small (albeit gorgeous) space. With this move, Cooper’s backyard was nixed for a bit of a new lifestyle. I’ve compiled six must-do’s for keeping our big dogs happy and healthy even in the smallest abodes!

  1. Make the small walks with your dog count. Getting the mail is an opportunity to stretch. In fact, take the long route. Think of it the same way you might a store-park in the back and get the extra steps in.
  2. Give your dog (or her) his own space. Even his small bed is a place to call his own. It’ll make him feel more at home.
  3. Chose an apartment complex with a courtyard. City life doesn’t often offer a backyard or park across the street. Even if it did, you wouldn’t be as inclined to visit as you would if it were literally outside of your door. I chose an apartment complex with an almost completely enclosed courtyard, which allows Cooper running space to fetch a ball. (Thankfully Cooper’s recall trained. Never let an unleashed dog run without this critical skill.)
  4. Chose a first floor apartment. Early mornings are early. Don’t fool yourself. Keep slippers by the door and eliminate falling down stairs before breakfast.
  5. Play tug. Tug games don’t require much space and can wear your big dog out without giving you frostbite (or sunburn if you’re not here in the North).
  6. Keep chewies around. Though there’s some controversy regarding rawhides, makes sure to keep the chewable toys around for restless moments. You’ll avoid losing your favorite shoes and keep your dog-human relationship happier.