The Best Questions to Ask Your Criminal Defense Attorney If Accused of a Crime

Facing criminal charges might be the most frightening experience you have ever had. If you are in trouble with the law, regardless of whether you innocent or you were involved in something illegal, you need the assistance of an Atlanta criminal defense attorney.

The best way to choose a defense attorney who is right for you is to discuss in advance the details of your case and get to know the attorney and his or her approach to cases. These questions can help:

1. Do You Have Experience Dealing with Cases Like Mine?

Arguably the most important thing you can do is find out if an Atlanta criminal defense attorney has defended clients in situations similar to yours. It might be possible for someone who has never dealt with cases like yours to help you, but you are almost always better off working with someone who has the specific experience you need in your case. This also means he or she will be familiar with how the local court system deals with cases like yours and whether there is anything you need to know based on the specific details of your case.

2. Is a Plea Bargain Right for Me?

In some cases, negotiating a plea bargain will be the best option you have. This means you admit to a crime of a lesser extent or you agree to do something in order to have the charges against you in their current form dropped The goal is to reduce the penalty you face, even if it means accepting a penalty of some kind. You give up the opportunity to be declared innocent and allowed to go without any repercussions, but you end up with a “sure thing” that might be far less than the risk you face. Your attorney should be able to tell you whether this is the right option based solely on your best interest.

3. Will I Be Working Directly with You?

There are some Atlanta criminal defense attorneys that pass you off to other members of their team once they have your business. This is not always a bad thing if all of the lawyers in the firm are qualified and experienced to deal with your case. However, it is always best to know in advance whom you will be working with.

4. Do You Need Anything from Me?

Make sure you know what your Atlanta criminal defense attorney needs from you and make sure you supply it to him or her in a timely manner. Your future hinges on fulfilling your responsibilities.

5. What Do You Charge?

Lastly, you need to understand the attorney’s fee structure. This way you will know if you can avoid his or her services and be able to plan in advance before you begin your professional relationship. Some Atlanta criminal defense attorneys are willing to work with you on fees if your case is solid, but you need to know exactly what to expect.

For more information or to schedule a consultation to discuss your options, contact Joel Baskin at www.joelbaskin.com.

John Panico
www.joelbaskin.com/

How to Comply with HIPPA

HIPAA is in place to create safeguards for patient privacy. Anyone providing medical service or dealing with medical information must comply with HIPAA requirements. This can be especially challenging as more and more providers move to electronic systems and storage of medical records, but a healthcare attorney in Orlando can help. Complying with HIPAA requirements is a multi-step process that includes:

1. Establishing a Privacy Policy
Your organization needs to have a basic privacy policy in place before it even begins to address the technical issues. It also needs to be followed and include all security and privacy issues, and be documented and noted when a breach occurs.

2. Assign a Privacy Officer
Assigning a privacy officer or officers ensure that someone is responsible for overseeing HIPAA issues. In some cases this can be a healthcare attorney in Orlando, but it can also be a member of your staff. There can also be multiple people doing the job so there are numerous checks and balances. This gives you internal controls and creates a barrier between your facility and HIPAA regulators.

3. Conduct Risk Assessments
The strongest systems are assessed for their risk and then those risks are addressed. These should be done on an ongoing basis, even if you think things are running smoothly.

4. Implement Electronic Communication Policies
You need a policy in place that addresses texting and email communication to ensure it meets HIPAA guidelines. Any private information that is transmitted via email or smartphone texting must be protected. A healthcare attorney in Orlando can help you design and implement a program that meets your requirements.

5. Educate Employees
A policy is only as good as the employees using it. All the policies and safeguards in the world will not help if they are not applied by those handling the information. Employees should be trained and educated and should be required to participate in education programs on an ongoing basis.

6. Establish Breach Protocols
As nice as it is to assume a breach will not occur, chances are there will be one sooner or later. Dealing with is successfully means having a plan in place that mitigates the damage. A breach plan could details about when to report a breach, how to investigate it, who to tell, and how to find the root cause and fix it. A breach is serious, but if you anticipate it happening and you know what you will do when it does happen, there will not be any reason to panic.

7. Implement Technical Safeguards
It is important to have technical safeguards in place that make it more difficult for wrongdoers to commit a breach of your data. This might include making the information unreachable, unreadable, or unusable. Some safeguards include encryption, audit controls, access control, auto log-off devices, and authenticating PHI.

Understanding the framework of HIPAA compliance and knowing what tech requirements are needed on your end ensures you are prepared no matter what happens. A healthcare attorney in Orlando can help.

To learn more about HIPPA compliance or to discuss your responsibilities, contact Tracy Mabry at 407-347-9988.

Tracy Mabry
https://www.tracymabrylaw.com/

Top 5 Reasons to Use Alternative Dispute Resolution instead of Litigation

Choosing alternative dispute resolution can be one of the smartest things you ever do when involved in a legal dispute. Although it is not right in every situation, it can provide a number of benefits. In some cases, courts even require you to attempt alternative dispute resolution in Indiana before moving forward with litigation. They might order disputing parties into mediation or arbitration in an attempt to resolve the dispute more efficiently and remove the burden of the court system.

If you are considering alternative dispute resolution in Indiana or the court is requiring an attempt at ADR, why should you be willing to try it with an open mind?

1. Saves Money

One of the primary reasons people opt to use alternative dispute resolution in Indiana is because it costs less than litigation. Both mediation and arbitration almost always saving those involved in dispute money. In some cases, it is a significant amount of money. When you add up the cost of working with a lawyer for several months, court fees, and any other expenses of a long, drawn-out court battle, it is easy to see how much less expensive alternative dispute resolution will be.

2. Saves Time

A big reason why alternative dispute resolution costs so much less than litigation is that it saves so much time. You are not using the resources involved for as long as a period of time as you would when taking a case to court. Not to mention the time it saves you. Imagine being able to get back to your regular life without the burden of a lawsuit hanging in the balance. It is why so many people opt for ADR.

3. Preserves Relationships

Alternative dispute resolution in Indiana, especially mediation, helps to preserve mutually beneficial relationships. Whether you are involved in a business dispute or you are trying to resolve a family legal issue, you are more likely to be able to move forward and enjoy the benefits of the relationship pre-dispute when you use ADR to resolve it. There is less animosity than in litigation and unlike going to court, there is less of a sense of winning and losing. There is also more flexible, so even if an arbitrator finds in favor of one party, it is possible to create a custom solution that still makes the other party comfortable.

4. Gives You Control of the Outcome

Many instances of alternative dispute resolution in Indiana will put you completely in control of the outcome of your situation. There will be no judge rendering a decision and you will not be forced to abide by the conditions of a resolution unless it is stated in advance that the decision of an arbitrator is binding.

5. Keeps the Dispute Confidential

In both mediation and arbitration, parties involved can agree to keep the process and the outcome private. This is beneficial in personal family law matters as well as in business disputes. You are able to keep sensitive details from becoming a matter of public record and you prevent personal details from being known to the public.

To learn more about the benefits of alternative dispute resolution and learn why it might be right for you, contact John Panico at 317-759-7464.

John Panico
https://www.panicoadr.com/

When Is It Time to Hire a Bankruptcy Attorney?

Financial problems are some of the most stressful a person can experience. Knowing when to hire a bankruptcy attorney in Kennebunk and to move forward with filing makes all the difference when it comes to getting financial stress under control.

How do you know the time is right to hire a bankruptcy attorney?

You Hear from Creditors on a Daily Basis
It is no secret that creditors and bill collectors tend to be aggressive when you owe them money. Most people can live with the occasional call or notice from debt collectors, but if those calls are coming in a daily basis, it is time to reach out to a bankruptcy attorney in Kennebunk. This is true, too, if creditors have attempted to contact you by phoning an employer or a family member. Chances are you provided this information when you applied for the loan or credit card and creditors are not afraid to use it to track you down for repayment.

You Have Received Notice You Are Being Sued
Let a debt go unpaid for too long and you will be subject to legal action. When debt collectors feel they have exhausted their other options, they will turn to the court system to get repayment from you. Ignoring this will only cause more problems, even if you are not legally obligated to pay the debt. If you are dealing with legal action taken by creditors and you are concerned about what to do next, it is time to contact a bankruptcy attorney in Kennebunk.

Your Wages are Garnished or Your Accounts Have Been Levied
Should a creditor or debt collector be successful in court after suing you regarding a debt, they could be given the opportunity to garnish your wages or take money directly from your accounts. IRS debt collectors are especially good at using these methods of collection. The problem is once you are not getting the total amount of your income or you siphoned your money from your account, it will be impossible to ever get caught up on debts. It is time to contact a bankruptcy attorney in Kennebunk.

You Are Facing Foreclosure
If you are at risk of losing your home, you need the help of a bankruptcy attorney in Kennebunk and you need it as quickly as possible. Filing for bankruptcy stops all debt collection efforts against you, which includes foreclosure efforts. Even if you ultimately lose your home, you will have time to regroup and take control of your situation.

A bankruptcy attorney will ensure that collection efforts against you stop and help you decide what to do next. In some cases, that will include negotiating a repayment plan and staying in your home. Unfortunately, many people wait too long to reach out to an attorney and their ability to remain in their home is no longer an option, only because they dragged their feet. Do not let this happen to you.

To learn more or to schedule a consultation to discuss whether you need to be working with a bankruptcy attorney, contact Lee Anne Graybeal at 207-985-4644.

Lee Anne Graybeal
https://www.graybeallaw.com/

How to Find a Lawyer for Medical Malpractice Claims

Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional is negligent in their medical duties and care or fails to reach the standard of practice required by profession and, as a result, causes injury or loss to a person. These cases are challenging to win, and if they go to trial, the verdict usually goes to the defense.

Personal Recommendations
Many practices and law firms are trying to gain business with claims that they can win you thousands by succeeding in winning personal injury or malpractice claims. Some advertise, “No win, no fee” it is important to note these should not be confused with medical malpractice which is more specialized. It pays in medical malpractice cases to hire the right lawyer who will listen and understand your claim.

An excellent place to start in finding a medical malpractice attorney in Anchorage would be to ask around friends and family. If you have a friend who is a lawyer, they may be able to recommend someone to you. There is much networking in law and lawyers have many contacts from years of practice and training, it is likely someone will know a suitable attorney that could help you.

The Local Bar Association
If you are unable to find an excellent medical malpractice attorney via personal recommendation, then the next places to try will be either the state or local bar associations. These associations will have a referral service that helps to connect clients with qualified lawyers. Lawyers who have specialty practices such as in medical malpractice will be required to demonstrate specific experience within the area to be listed within the field. To be referred to a lawyer via this method, all you would need to do is to phone or email the relevant association and request to be put in contact with a qualified lawyer.

Online Research
If you are researching online to find your bar association, then you could research yourself for a lawyer. Many websites now provide features for clients to initiate chats or send requests for callbacks to give an overview of their case. This service could then lead to the client becoming connected with the most appropriately qualified lawyer for their situation.

A Good Fit
Once you have been put in touch with a medical malpractice attorney who could work on your case, it is vital to reassure yourself that they have the right experience and that you would both be able to work together.

Find out from your lawyer or the firm what proportion of medical malpractice cases they take on against other cases. It does not have to be 100% medical malpractice, but it should a more significant part of their workload.

You should enquire about the type of cases your lawyer has taken on in the past, how many years of experience in the field, how many have been won, settled, how big were the settlements, has he/she been to trial, and if so did they win?

It is wise to make sure you and your lawyer will be able to get along. It is best to be honest with yourself and your personality, whether you can allow your lawyer to handle everything or if you would prefer to be more involved with regular updates and input. Will your lawyer respect this is how you want to manage the relationship?

Michael Schneider
https://www.aktriallaw.com/

The 5 Things You Need to Know After an Auto Accident

If you are involved in an auto accident in California, there are several important things that you should know.

You Need to Report the Accident
California law requires you to report any auto accident that causes:
• Death
• Injury
• Property damage greater than $750

Additionally, the accident report will be an important factor in making a claim. The accident report will help establish that the accident happened. Additionally, the law enforcement officer who prepares the accident report may provide important information, such as stating that the other driver was cited for a traffic violation for the accident.

The Accident Scene Will be Quickly Cleaned Up
Law enforcement will work to quickly clean up the scene of the accident so that it does not pose a danger to the public or obstruct traffic. Therefore, you need to be prepared to document the scene of the accident within a few minutes of it occurring. Take pictures of the accident scene from various angles, including pictures of the damage to all vehicles and any property, your injuries, skid marks and nearby traffic signs. Also, ask for contact information for any witnesses who observed the collision.

The Insurance Company Probably Will Not Offer a Fair Settlement
Accident victims should not expect the insurance company to quickly resolve their claim, pay their medical bills and settle the claim for its full value. Insurance companies are for-profit companies. Adjusters are trained to resolve claims for as little money as possible in the interest of increasing the insurance company’s profits. Insurance companies may not provide a fair settlement until you involve the assistance of an experienced personal injury lawyer.

You Can Recover Compensation Even if You Were Partially at Fault
California uses a system of pure comparative negligence, which allows accident victims to recover compensation for their injuries even if their own negligence contributed to the accident. The “pure” aspect of this system means that the accident victim can recover compensation from another negligent person even if he or she was 99% at fault for the accident. However, your damages will be reduced by your own degree of fault. A car accident lawyer can work to diminish your own degree of fault to maximize your award.

You Do Not Have a Lot of Time to File a Claim
In most situations, you only have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. This is the statute of limitations. If you fail to file a lawsuit within this time limit, you can be barred from recovering compensation from the at-fault party – even if liability is crystal clear. You do not want to wait too long, either. Doing so can make the insurance company think you are not serious about the claim. If you hire a lawyer, he or she will need time to investigate the claim, make a demand to the insurance package and prepare legal documents if the insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, so do not delay.

Because you do not have a lot of time to file a claim, it is important to contact a qualified car accident lawyer. You can learn more about your rights as an accident victim at www.heitingandirwin.com.

James Heiting
https://www.heitingandirwin.com