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Recent Blog Posts
Majority of Motorcycle Crashes Are Caused by Passenger Car Drivers
Motorcycle riders know the look – the one that passenger car drivers give them. That shake of the head as your engine revs next to them, catching them off guard. They assume that, because you ride, you are somehow reckless, or that you are bound to experience an accident, simply because you do not drive a “sensible” vehicle. Mostly, they are wrong. However, they do have one thing right: you are more likely to experience a traffic accident. Sadly, that crash will most likely be caused by another driver.
Motorcycle Riders More Likely to Experience a Crash
Ride long enough and you could probably tell a dozen or so stories about the near-misses. Incidents where another driver did not see you coming and you had to lay your bike down, slam on your brakes, or maybe even skidded out of control. If you were lucky, these were minor occurrences that did not lead to injuries beyond a few scrapes and bruises. However, there are many who are not quite as lucky.
The Truth Behind Forensic Evidence: It’s Not Infallible
If you ever watch popular crime and police shows on television or streaming internet, you would assume that forensic scientific evidence is irrefutable. The experts speak with certainty, and the test results and staggeringly high probabilities of correctness overwhelm, and suspects are convicted based upon this evidence so provided.
While this happens more often than not in real life, the American public would be surprised to learn that the science behind the supposedly definitive forensic opinion which seals the case on the TV show is not as clear-cut and certain. And sometimes, the scientific opinion is later called into question and is shown to be invalid. This is not all that uncommon, as many people in the criminal justice system have been wrongfully convicted of serious crimes. Based on little more than a hair, tool mark or fingerprint comparison, some have spent years of their lives behind bars.
Safety Advocates Pressing to Make Collision-Avoidance Technology Standard in All Vehicles
How would you feel if, while purchasing your next vehicle, you were told that the seatbelt was a “luxury” feature – one that would cost you extra? What about the airbag? It seems ludicrous to consider, yet this is exactly the issue that new car buyers are facing. New technology, such as forward collision warning, blind spot detection, automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control, are not considered “standard” vehicle features. They cost extra. Safety advocates are speaking out and pressing to change this. They believe safety and car crash prevention should not cost more.
Collision Avoidance High on the Agenda
Each year, more than two million drivers experience serious injuries in an accident, and another 19,000 are killed. Rear-end collisions account for about 1,700 of those fatalities and 500,000 injuries. In fact, rear-end accidents are one of the most common types of accident in the United States, accounting for about 1.7 million of all roadway crashes each year. Around 80 percent of them could be avoided, safety advocates say, if car makers would simply make collision avoidance technology standard in all vehicles.
The Wells Fargo Scandal: Identity Theft and Misuse of Consumer Information
By Bank accounts being secretly opened in your name by bank employees. Credit cards opened in your name, charges made, bills never received and never paid, and your credit rating taking a hit for something you never even knew about. How could this be?
Letters from your mortgage lender warning that payment of your property taxes, water, sewer and special assessments are overdue and must be paid immediately. But wait, all of my taxes and property-related bills are paid. What gives?
These scenarios are not the stuff of overseas hackers stealing your identity and running a scam. These things were done to hundreds of thousands of consumers and bank customers around the United States, including thousands in Wisconsin, by the customers’ own bank, the Wells Fargo Bank. This scandal came to light in September 2016, when the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau imposed a $185 million fine and penalties on Wells Fargo Bank for illegal banking practices.
Racism Is a Serious and Pervasive Issue in Criminal Law
Based on 2015 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 61.6% of Americans are White, 13.3% are Black or African American, and 17.6% are Hispanic or Latino. Yet, based upon those who face criminal charges and incarceration each year, one could easily assume that the country is predominantly comprised of African Americans and Hispanics.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 35% of state prisoners are White, 38% are Black, and 21% are Hispanic.
Unfair Targeting of Minorities
Study Finds Children with Head Injuries May Be at Risk for Long-Term Complications
Each year, around 62,000 children sustain a head injury. Of those, around 2,500 will suffer fatality, 37,000 will be hospitalized, and another 435,000 will simply be treated in an emergency room and then released. Those that suffer fatality are, by far, the most devastating of all cases. However, even when children survive the injuries sustained during an auto accident, fall, abuse, or while playing sports, their road to healing can be a difficult one. A new study, published in the medical journal, PLoS Medicine, indicates that journey may be even more complicated than previously realized.
Disability, Psychiatric Problems, and Early Mortality
In a study that tracked the life trajectories of more than a million Swedish children, researchers examined the likelihood of long-term complications and difficulties in the lives of those that had suffered a head injury before the age of 25. Results showed that these individuals, when compared with their peers, were more likely to have a shorter, more difficult life.
How Much Is Your Personal Injury Case Worth?
When you have been injured, and the medical bills and other expenses start to pile up, you may start to wonder just how much your case might be worth. There are many factors, and every personal injury case is unique. However, there are some cases that may bring more in damages than others. The following information can help you decide if you have a valid claim, and what kind of damages you might expect in your case.
Is Your Claim a Valid One?
Cases that are eligible for a personal injury claim must contain some element of negligence. It can be a driver who was texting when they crashed into you, a store owner that failed to clear off their walkway, a pet-owner that let their dog run loose, a doctor that was intoxicated while providing services, or any other form of reckless, careless, or irresponsible behavior that places others at risk for injury. Only an attorney can tell you for certain if your case contains this element of negligence, but most victims have a pretty good idea as to whether it played a part in the accident that caused their injury. At the very least, they may suspect possible negligence was a factor.
Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Vehicle (OWI-DUI Homicide)
When you make the mistake of driving while under the influence and then experience an accident that ultimately results in the death of another, the lives of two families are significantly altered: the victims, and yours. The type of impact is very different, however. For the victim’s family, there is the grief of losing a loved one. For you and your family, there is the guilt that often follows such accidents, the possibility of a prison sentence, and lives that are forever altered by the consequences of a criminal record. Each must find their own road to healing. Yours should begin with skilled legal representation for your OWI-DUI homicide case.
What Constitutes an OWI-DUI Homicide in Wisconsin
Although you had no intention of killing anyone, your alleged use of an intoxicant is, by legal statutes, considered reckless and/or negligent behavior. It is this factor that turns an accident into a homicide. Of course, this places a stipulation on the prosecution: they must be able to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you were intoxicated above the legal limit, and that your behavior directly caused the death of another. This can be a critical element in your case. In some cases, it may even mean the difference between exoneration and severe penalties in an OWI-DUI accident case.
Child Car Seat Safety
Car seats are designed to protect children in the event of a crash. However, studies reveal that as many as 95 percent of all car seats are not being correctly installed or fully utilized for child safety. Know how to ensure that you have installed it accurately, and how you can make the most of the safety features available to protect your baby, should you ever experience an automobile accident.
Use a Car Seat for Every Ride
Nearly every parent has faced the temptation of forgoing the car seat. Maybe it is just for a quick drive around the corner. Or maybe it is because your car has stalled out, you had to call a tow truck, and you do not want to hassle with moving the seat, just to put it back in later. Do not give in! Children’s bodies are smaller and still developing. They are simply not able to sustain the impact of a crash in a regular seat belt, and holding them could actually increase the risk of serious injury to both you and your baby. So, no matter how inconvenient it may be, use a car seat for every ride, long and short, near and far.
What You Need to Know about Criminal Damage to Property Charges in Wisconsin
Property damage, including accidental damage, damage to one’s own property, or threat to damage certain property, is considered a serious offense in the state of Wisconsin. In fact, under the right circumstances, damage to property could lead to felony charges. The following information can help you understand what might constitute criminal damage to property charges under Wisconsin state law, and what the potential consequences might be if you are convicted.
What Constitutes Criminal Damage to Property in Wisconsin?
Generally, any act that somehow damages or devalues the property of another is considered a crime. This can include graffiti, arson, bombing, demolition, and many other types of destruction. This charge also encompasses a wide range of property, such as schools and highways, art and rock sculptures, and can even include one’s own property, under the right circumstances.
