What You Can Expect from a Criminal Defense Lawyer

21 September 2020

When you are charged with a crime, it’s really a struggling situation to deal with the case. It is a serious concern, and you shouldn’t take it casually. If you don’t take the right steps on time, you may have to stay behind bars or pay hefty penalties. Even if you have some understanding of the legal system and have the intellectual ability, but it does not act in your favor when you are accused of a crime.

In such situations, you should find the best possible criminal defense lawyer in your locality, hence make sure to do proper research and then communicate with the lawyer clearly. If you are looking for a criminal defense law firm in San Francisco, CA, you should know what you can expect from them.

Contents

1 What They Can Do for You:
2 Conclusion

What They Can Do for You:

Apart from collecting information from you and the witnesses, the criminal defense lawyer can help you in many ways that you may not do yourself. They try to contact clients with emails, phones, meetings, reading evidence, etc. Here is what you can expect from a criminal defense lawyer.

Make You Understand About the Legal System
Explain You About Possible Consequences
Plea Bargaining
Communicating With Witnesses
Dealing With Investigators and Experts
Negotiate Case Outcomes
Sentencing

Do you understand each of the above terms and are able to deal with them? Well, you may have knowledge about these terms, but an experienced and qualified defense lawyer can help you to deal with it in a better way. Now take a look at each of these terms and understand them properly,

1. Make You Understand About the Legal System

The criminal legal system is really complicated, and many people are not aware of it. But a criminal defense lawyer in Miami can make you understand the law system. If you don’t know anything about the rules and regulations and deal with the case yourself, you may have to face serious consequences. You can ask about different theories and rules to the criminal defense lawyer and he/she will help you understand them.

2. Explain You About Possible Consequences

You can also know about the possible consequence of the case. This informations will help you get prepared for the situations in advance and you can become confident to deal with the case.

3. Communicating With Witnesses

Most of the time, witnesses may not feel safe ad comfortable sharing the information with you. Again, you might not able to collect the true information from the witness. But the defense lawyers are trained and experienced to collect the evidence or useful information from them.

4. Dealing With Investigators and Experts

Dealing with the investigators and expert witnesses is not easy. An experienced defense lawyer can deal with them on your behalf.

5. Plea Bargaining

The criminal defense lawyer may help you to negotiate a “plea bargain” with the prosecutor. It can reduce the sentences or some charges against you. Most of the time prosecutors don’t want to bargain with a defendant directly, but they can deal with a defense lawyer.

6. Negotiate Case Outcomes

The defense lawyers can also help you to negotiate case outcomes with the jury. As the lawyers are qualified and experienced, they know what are the possible outcomes during a proceeding. So the lawyer remains objective to deal with the outcomes and make a favorable decision about the plea bargain.

7. Sentencing

Last but not least, if you are proven guilty, the criminal defense lawyer may be negotiating your sentence and reduce or change it.

Conclusion

Now you can see that a criminal defense lawyer can help you and fight for you to deal with the case easily. They work towards improving your chances of winning the case and provide you favorable decisions from the court.

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Lucia Patterson

Lucia Patterson is the woman behind TheLegalGuides, a blog solely focused on legal guides, tips, and advice. Lucia loves essay writing and blogs at EssayWritingGuides from her college days.

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What Are The Effective Ways To Communicate With A Personal Injury Lawyer

Did you know that many people do not contact a personal injury lawyer because they are unsure about how to do so? While this might not be the only reason why people don’t hire a personal injury lawyer, it is certainly one of them. Not knowing what to say to a lawyer makes them think their case is out of their hands and simply sit, hoping for the best. Or even people do find the courage to call a lawyer; they call the very first number they get from their friends and family members and will stick with that. Personal injury lawyers are expensive but become even more expensive when you don’t choose the right one for your case. In addition, if you do not have the right representative in the courtroom, you may never be able to collect the compensation you want to recover. Hence, it is important that you hire the right personal injury lawyer. And for that, you need to communicate with the lawyer effectively. Effective Ways To Communicate With A Personal Injury Lawyer The goal here is not only to hire the right personal injury lawyer for your case but also the one that understands your case to the core. This can only be achieved with effective communication between you and the lawyer. That being said, we have listed down the most effective ways to communicate with a personal injury lawyer. 1. Prepare A List Of Questions You will never feel comfortable, whether this is your first time or you have already experienced filing a personal injury lawsuit. Every case is different and comes with different complexities. Hence, you probably want to know - What are the responsibilities?What can be the best-case scenario.?What can be the worst-case scenario?How long can it take to solve the case?How much will the lawyer charge?How often does the lawyer update you about the case?What are your rights? There are just too many things that you need to be aware of. The best thing is to prepare a list of questions like the above and ask them one by one. While it’s true that some personal injury lawyers might not seem approachable, you must avoid them. Instead, choose some like a Personal Injury Lawyer in Pasadena. Every member is friendly and will never make you feel you are talking to a lawyer. 2. Share Every Piece Of Information If you keep certain information to yourself and do not tell your lawyer, you might risk your case. Most people are afraid that they are at fault and fear the consequences of coming out if they tell everything to the lawyer. Guess what, it probably will. It will cause more problems for you if your lawyers are unaware of certain information where they cannot defend you. On the other hand, you must know that your lawyer is a professional and probably has a number of ways to pull you out of a difficult situation. What you think might be devastating for your case - but as a lawyer, they are dealing with it every day. If the case is so clean, why do you need a lawyer then? So, instead of hiding any information from your lawyers, tell them everything you know about the case. 3. Communicate Your Desired Result Sometimes it's hard to come up with the desired result. You want to fight the case, but at the same time, you want the desired result. This mostly happens when the other party is someone you know. If that is the case, it is possible that the case will not even reach the courtroom and will be solved during the mediation phase. If you want to return to work, tell your lawyer. There might be some provision of the laws that affect your choice. The better you keep our lawyers informed, the better positions they will be in to help you out. Be Honest With Your Personal Injury Lawyer When you file a personal injury lawsuit, you need to provide extensive information to the lawyer so that they can build the case effectively. The document also helps them to prepare arguments made by the insurance company. The information that you are asked to submit is as follows. Financial Situation: Yes, discussing your past or current financial situation might not help your personal injury lawyer, but it will certainly help them give you better advice. For instance, if you are suffering from any financial hardship, your lawyers can ensure that the settlement is structured in such a way that it protects you from creditors. Medical History: It is important that you be transparent about your medical history. An accurate medical history will help your personal injury lawyer build the perfect case for you. You must know that a preexisting condition doesn’t prohibit you from seeking compensation. If your lawyer is aware of the past injuries, he can accurately evaluate the compensation. Criminal History: If you have any past criminal history, disclose it. This will help your personal injury lawyer build the case on the past data as well. In addition, you will even have an idea of what the outcome of the case will be. Potential fault: There can be multiple parties at fault, depending on the circumstances. However, the court evaluates the severity of the fault by Comparative Negligence Law and then looks at the compensation claim. That means, even if you are partly at fault, if it is less than the other party, you recover the compensation claim. Ask Questions! While talking with a personal injury lawyer, you might stand among legal terms you don’t understand. Instead of just nodding your head that you understand, ask your lawyer about the meaning and how they are used. Letting your personal injury lawyer know will help them get a better idea of your understanding of the case. Remember your aim is to understand the legal framework around the personal injury lawsuit. Asking questions to your personal lawyer is the best way to communicate. You will eventually find yourself having a valuable conversation related to your case. Additional Resource: Top 10 Colorado Springs Personal Injury AttorneysWhat Personal Injury Law in California InvolvesFiling a Personal Injury Claim in Chicago5 CRITICAL THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS IN ANN ARBOR

Steps to Take After Being Involved in a Ridesharing Accident

Ridesharing is revolutionizing the way people get from point A to point B. Whether it's just to have a safe ride home after a night of drinking or a great alternative to purchasing your own vehicle, ridesharing is gaining in popularity. With more people getting rides than ever before, more car accidents are involving ridesharing vehicles. Understanding what to do if you're involved in a ridesharing accident can help to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve for the injuries that you sustained. Check For Injuries And Call The Police The first steps that you want to take after being involved in any sort of car accident are to check for injuries and call the police. You should start by checking yourself and other passengers. Then, check the other parties involved to see if they have any injuries. If anyone has severe injuries, you should be contacting emergency medical assistance immediately. If you have slight injuries, it's still a good idea to get them checked out by a medical professional at the accident scene. This way, your injuries are documented right from the start. Once everyone is checked for injuries, it's time to call the police. The officer will be responsible for creating an accident report. While you may not think that a report matters since it's not your vehicle that was involved, think again. Any ridesharing accident lawyer will tell you that having access to the accident report is a vital part of your claims case. Even if the drivers involved don't want to contact the police, you should do so yourself to ensure your future safety is looked after. Take Pictures And Collect Information West Coast Trial Lawyers will advise you to take pictures to document the scene. While you may have no stake in the property that was damaged, you should still have photo evidence of it. This can come back into play later when determining who was at fault for the injury. This way, your Uber accident attorney knows who to go after to seek compensation for the injuries that you sustained. Talk with witnesses and gather their contact information. Witnesses tend to leave the scene of the accident once an officer arrives. Therefore, speaking with them before the police arrive can ensure that you get the information you need before they leave. The more witnesses you have, the better chance your ridesharing accident lawyer will have at proving your case for injury compensation. You'll also want to get the information about the people involved in the accident. Start by collecting the contact and insurance information of your ridesharing driver. Then, get the same information from the other parties involved. If the other driver had passengers with them, then get their information to. Be sure to write down or take pictures of the license plates of the vehicles that were involved. Understand What Insurance Pays For Your Injuries One of the most confusing parts of being involved in a ridesharing accident is understanding what the insurance company pays for the damages and injuries that were a result of the accident. Does Uber's insurance cover the problems or does the Uber driver's personal insurance cover your injuries? Let's take a look at the different scenarios below. Hit By A Ridesharing Driver If you're in a vehicle accident that is determined to be the fault of the other driver who was in a ridesharing vehicle, the other driver's insurance is responsible for paying for your injuries. Keep in mind that each driver's insurance policy will have coverage limitations. If your compensation amount is above the coverage limit for the ridesharing driver's personal insurance, the ridesharing company's insurance will cover the excess if the driver was working at the time of the accident. Your Ridesharing Driver Is At Fault For Your Injuries When the ridesharing driver that you're riding with is determined to be at fault for your injuries, their personal insurance will cover your compensation. In the event that your compensation amount is over what the driver's personal insurance will cover, the ridesharing company will cover the excess if the driver was working at the time of the accident. What Is Considered Working By Rideshare Companies? West Coast Trial Lawyers will inform you that the ridesharing company will only pay if the driver was determined to be working. If the driver was not determined to be working at the time of the accident, the ridesharing company's insurance will not cover the excess of the compensation you get. Rather, you'll have to go after the driver of the vehicle personally for anything their insurance won't cover. Ridesharing companies like Uber and Lift have their own technology that allows them to communicate with their drivers. Drivers are required to update their status on their mobile device to tell the company what they're doing. As long as the ridesharing driver was logged into their application, the ridesharing company's insurance policy will kick in. However, there are some restrictions to their coverage limits. If the driver is logged into their application but has a status of waiting for a ride request, the ridesharing company's insurance has limited coverage. For Uber specifically, the limited liability coverage is 25,000 dollars for property damage and 50,000 dollars per injury up to a 100,000 dollar limit. In most events, a combination of the driver's personal insurance and the ridesharing company's insurance will take care of the compensation for your injuries. However, if they don't, your Uber accident attorney will take up suit against the ridesharing driver personally for the excess. In cases where the ridesharing driver has a status of being in route to pick up their passenger, then the ridesharing company's full insurance policy kicks in. Both Uber and Lift have a 1,000,000 dollar personal injury insurance policy. Remember that this policy kicks in after the driver's personal policy reach its coverage limits. Why Contacting A Lawyer Is So Important As you've found out above, there are many things to consider when you're involved in a ridesharing accident. Navigating the legal waters and determining what insurance policy or policies will be paying for your injury compensation can be difficult. Employing a ridesharing lawyer to help you along the way will ensure that you get the compensation that you need for your injuries. Your lawyer will be able to collect the necessary evidence from the ridesharing application to determine what insurance is covering the accident. They'll be able to take up suit against those companies and assist you in determining a proper amount of compensation for the injuries that you sustained from the accident. Most importantly, a lawyer will be able to do all the heavy lifting with your claims case so that you can physically and mentally worry about getting better. You don't want to be dealing with lawyers, insurance companies, and educating yourself on laws when you're injured. Being involved in a ridesharing accident may not be something that you've thought about before. However, since ridesharing is becoming more popular, you should be prepared with what you should do in the event that you find yourself involved in one. The above steps will help you to figure out how to proceed after an accident occurs. Read Also: Expert Advice: 5 Crucial Things To Do Immediately After An Automobile Accident 5 Types Of Damages You Can Claim After A Car Accident What To Do When You’re Involved In A Car Accident In Albany

Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Chicago

Have you been injured in a car accident in Chicago? If so, it is important to know what your legal rights are. This blog post will go over the steps that need to be taken when filing a personal injury claim in Chicago. Seek medical attention as soon as possible after an accident Immediately after the accident, it is important to seek medical attention. This will ensure that you receive the necessary treatment for your injuries and have documentation of your injuries if you need to file a personal injury claim. Keep in mind that minor injuries can translate into serious problems if not treated properly. Gather evidence at the scene of the accident If you can, gather evidence at the scene of the accident. This includes taking pictures of the scene and collecting witness statements. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case will be. Having evidence will also help speed up the process of settling your claim. Contact a personal injury lawyer If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Chicago as soon as possible. A personal injury lawyer will advise you on what steps need to be taken next and will represent you during the legal process. Here are other reasons for including an attorney; Fight for fair compensation- You deserve to be compensated for your injuries. An experienced personal injury attorney will help you fight to get what you deserve in compensation, whether it is through negotiation or litigation if necessary. Be protected- Skilled lawyers are committed to protecting our clients' rights under Illinois law. Go for attorneys who take pride in their work ethic and performance standards when representing accident victims throughout Chicago and surrounding areas Protect your interests- You should not have to deal with insurance companies on your own after an automobile accident. This can lead to confusion regarding information that needs to be submitted along with claims which could ultimately slow down the process of settling your claim. It's important that someone knowledgeable about dealing with car accidents step in and ensure that everything is done in a timely fashion so that your life can get back to normalcy as soon as possible. File a police report It is also important to file a police report after an accident. This will provide documentation of the accident and can help when filing a personal injury claim. Wait for the insurance company's offer The insurance company will likely reach out to you after the accident in order to get your side of the story and try to settle the claim quickly. However, it is best to wait until you have spoken with a personal injury lawyer before accepting any offers from the insurance company. Filing a personal injury claim in Chicago can be confusing and overwhelming. That's why it's important to have an experienced lawyer on your side who will guide you through the process and fight for your rights. The lawyers will review your case and advise you on what steps to take next. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, and they'll work hard to get you the money that you deserve. Read Also: Personal Injury Attorneys Denver How to Find a Personal Injury Attorney On Any Budget Learn How Personal Injury Claims Are Resolved in 5 Steps

What You Can Expect from a Criminal Defense Lawyer

What They Can Do for You:

1. Make You Understand About the Legal System