Posted on November 23, 2020 in Personal Injury

If you are injured in a car accident, you may be left with high medical expenses related to emergency treatment, surgeries, medication, and rehabilitation, among other things. You may also be forced to miss significant work time, affecting your ability to earn an income. A personal injury claim can help you pursue compensation for these economic damages, but it is also important to note that you may be entitled to non-economic damages if you are experiencing ongoing pain and suffering. It may be more challenging to make the case for these damages, but with your attorney’s help, you can fight for compensation that can help to ease your burden.

Pain and Suffering and Other Non-Economic Damages

Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may be unable to return to your previous quality of life after your accident, even after receiving the best medical treatment available. In a civil lawsuit, non-economic damages are meant to provide compensation for lasting physical and mental hardship.

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 Posted on November 18, 2020 in Family Law

As a parent, one of the many important decisions you will need to address during your divorce is how parenting time will be distributed between you and your spouse. Even in the most amicable of divorces when both parties are committed to their children’s best interests, shared parenting time can still be challenging to manage. However, you can take steps both during and after the divorce process to make it easier.

Suggestions for Successful Co-Parenting

Taking the following suggestions into consideration can help you create and maintain a parenting plan that works for everyone involved.

• Consider both parents’ schedules. A successful parenting plan allows both parents to maintain a strong relationship with their children. When determining the parenting time schedule, it is important to consider when each parent will be working or attending to other commitments so that both of you can make the most of the time you have with your kids.

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 Posted on November 16, 2020 in Personal Injury

Falling on someone else’s property, perhaps at a restaurant, store, or other business, is a fairly common occurrence, especially as winter approaches and snow and ice may accumulate around sidewalks, parking lots, and entrances. If your slip and fall accident results in injuries that require medical attention, you should consider hiring an attorney who can help you determine whether the property owner or another party may be considered liable.

Negligence in an Illinois Slip and Fall Case

According to Illinois law regarding premises liability, a property owner has a duty of care to take reasonable measures to promote the safety of lawful visitors to the property. Fulfilling this duty generally means that the owner should:

• Avoid contributing to a dangerous environment. For example, an owner should take care to ensure that debris, loose objects, obstructions, or wet or slippery floors are not left in an area that the owner knows is likely to see foot traffic.

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 Posted on November 09, 2020 in Immigration

The fear of an arrest by ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is something that many immigrants must live with on a daily basis. In part, this is a fear of the possible consequences, but it is also often a fear of the unknown, as you may be unsure of what will happen and how you should react. While it may not fully alleviate your fears, knowing your rights if you are detained can at least remove some of the uncertainty and help you avoid making a scary situation worse.

What Should I Do If I Am Arrested?

Regardless of your immigration status, you have certain rights if you are stopped, questioned, or detained by an ICE agent. These include:

• The right to remain silent. You are not required to answer an agent’s questions about your immigration status, your criminal record, or any other subject. Doing so, whether truthfully or untruthfully, can provide information that may be used against you in an immigration hearing. If you wish to invoke your right to remain silent, it is usually best to state this clearly to the agent.

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 Posted on October 29, 2020 in Family Law

If you are concerned about the possibility of a difficult divorce involving a long, stressful trial, you may be relieved to learn that many divorcing couples are able to reach an agreement through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and avoid a protracted court battle. You may find that you and your spouse are able to communicate well enough to negotiate an agreement on your own, or that you benefit from the services of a neutral, third-party mediator to guide the conversation. Regardless of the approach you choose, achieving your desired outcome through ADR still requires that you go into the process fully prepared.

Tips for Getting Ready for Alternative Dispute Resolution

Before you enter negotiations with your spouse or any other form of ADR, you should be sure that you know what to expect and that you have a plan for how to approach the conversation. All of the following can help you make the most of ADR:

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 Posted on October 23, 2020 in Personal Injury

The Federal Highway Administration reports that in the 10-year period from 2007 to 2016, weather was a factor in 21 percent of all vehicle accidents, 19 percent of all crash injuries, and 16 percent of all crash fatalities in the United States. It is clear that weather plays a significant role in car accidents, and as the late fall and winter months approach in Illinois, wind, rain, snow, sleet, and hail can make driving conditions increasingly dangerous. If you are injured in an accident during inclement weather, it is important to know how it may affect your claim for compensation.

Weather Is Not an Excuse for Negligence

Although weather conditions can make driving more dangerous and increase the chances of an accident occurring, in most accidents involving two or more vehicles, a driver may still be considered negligent despite the weather’s impact. Negligence is defined as a situation in which one party owes a duty of care to another and fails to uphold it, thereby causing injury or other damages. When weather conditions are poor, drivers have a duty to take the necessary precautions to ensure they are driving safely, which may include:

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 Posted on October 20, 2020 in Immigration

If you are a U.S. citizen in a romantic relationship with someone from another country, it is understandable that you would want your partner to be able to live with you in the United States. Fortunately, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers a couple of options that can make this possible, but it is important that you understand which is best for your situation and the different requirements involved with obtaining either a fiancé or spousal visa.

Requirements for a Fiancé Visa

A fiancé, or K-1, visa is an option in most cases where a U.S. citizen is engaged to a non-U.S. citizen who is currently living outside of the United States. To be eligible to apply for a K-1 visa, you and your partner both must be legally able to marry, you must have met each other in person within two years of your application, and you must intend to marry within 90 days after your fiancé arrives in the United States.

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 Posted on October 14, 2020 in Family Law

If you are getting married at a point in your life when you already have significant assets or children from a previous marriage, a prenuptial agreement can provide you with important protections in the event your marriage fails. However, the hardest part of getting a prenuptial agreement may be raising the subject with your partner in the first place. You can make the conversation easier if you are careful about how you approach it.

Tips for Talking About a Prenuptial Agreement

If you are not careful, your partner may view your request for a prenuptial agreement as a sign that you do not trust him or her, or that you expect the marriage to fail. In order to assuage these fears, here are some suggestions that can lead to a more positive discussion.

• Include your request in a larger conversation about finances. Marriage means that you and your spouse will share at least some financial assets and debts, so it is in the best interest of any couple to discuss finances openly before deciding to get married. As you start to learn more about each other’s financial needs and goals, you may find a good opportunity to raise the subject of a prenuptial agreement.

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 Posted on October 09, 2020 in Personal Injury

Driving over the speed limit is such a common occurrence that you may not even think twice about it, and chances are that you have done it yourself from time to time. However, this casual attitude toward speeding is concerning given the fact that speeding was a factor in 42 percent of all fatal car accidents in Illinois in 2018, which is a greater portion than all but five other states. Speeding poses a clear danger to everyone on the road, and those who have been injured in a speeding accident may face a difficult path to recovery.

The Dangers of Speeding in Illinois

Speeding is dangerous both because it increases the risk of a crash and the severity of injuries that may result. A speeding driver takes longer to stop when an emergency situation arises, which may lead to a rear-end collision, and speeding drivers may also have more difficulty controlling their vehicle, especially when road conditions are poor. Driving at faster speeds also increases the force of impact in a collision, which may result in catastrophic injuries to the brain, spinal cord, and extremities, many of which can be fatal.

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 Posted on October 06, 2020 in Immigration

If you are an immigrant living in the United States as a lawful permanent resident, you may still have family and friends whom you wish to visit in your native country, or it may simply be important for you to return to your country of origin occasionally to maintain a connection with your heritage. Fortunately, international travel is often possible for permanent residents, but it is important that you plan accordingly to ensure a smooth reentry and avoid negatively impacting your immigration status or chances of naturalization.

Preparing for International Travel as a Permanent Resident

Before traveling outside of the United States, you should make sure that you have all of the necessary documentation for exit and re-entry. This typically includes your passport from the country where you currently have citizenship, or in some cases your refugee travel document, as well as your Green Card and any travel visas required by the country to which you are traveling.

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