Posted on October 08, 2014 in Personal Injury

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol is an offense that happens all too frequently. While no DUI infraction should be taken lightly, there are those that are arguably more serious than others. For example, cases that involve a first-time offense or a driver who is just past the legal limit are likely to be considered less serious than those cases that involve repeat offenders or extremely high blood alcohol levels. Perhaps the most disturbing are those cases where DUI-related car accidents occur that cause serious bodily injury or death to another person. One would expect such offenders to face not only significant criminal penalties, but civil consequences as well. However, a recent article suggests that the inconsistent enforcement of DUI laws by local officials may result in little criminal consequence to DUI offenders, and often puts the safety of other drivers at risk.

Contravening the Purpose of DUI Law

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 Posted on October 07, 2014 in Family Law

Marital strife, separation, and divorce can affect all types of families, and a study shows divorces within military families have been on the rise in the last few years. In fact, the study reflects high divorce rates among families that in the past have been found to be more stable. Length of deployment was considered a major factor in most of these military divorces. Post-traumatic stress disorder and other health issues were also cited factors.

The reasoning behind the increased divorce rate is linked to the continual withdrawal of troops from the conflict areas of Iraq and Afghanistan. Families who have been apart for many years are now being brought back together and is therefore creating an adjustment period and causing marital strife rather than marital unity.

The Divorce Rate Throughout the Military

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 Posted on October 03, 2014 in Immigration

Until very recently, non-citizens who were in the U.S. unlawfully and who wanted to become a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) could not apply to adjust status from within the country, even if the individual’s spouse and children were U.S. citizens. Applicants had to leave the country, allow a three or 10-year bar to take effect (depending on how long the applicant was in the United States unlawfully), and apply for an immigrant visa abroad, in addition to an I-601 Waiver of Inadmissibility for his or her unlawful presence. However, in March 2013, a new program was enacted to help non-citizens with immediate U.S. citizen relatives, which may significantly shorten the required time abroad.

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 Posted on October 01, 2014 in Personal Injury

Personal injury claims can arise from any number of accidents, including those involving cars, motorcycles, trucks, boats, trains, and even pedestrians. No matter how your injuries occurred, there are certain constants in every personal injury case. Of course, other considerations and factors are sure to vary on a case-by-case basis.

Those who have been injured in an accident often have many questions about the legal and practical considerations they must now face, as well as the time limits in which they must act. Sometimes, people even have misconceptions about personal injury cases, perhaps due to unrealistic and inaccurate expectations set by culture or society regarding such cases. Here, we try to dispel some of these misconceptions and set the record straight on some of what an injured person can expect throughout a personal injury case.

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 Posted on September 29, 2014 in Personal Injury

As states across the country follow a trend that leads to more relaxed marijuana laws and legalization of the drug for limited purposes, an interesting question has arisen. Some are wondering whether the change in marijuana's legal status will cause more people to die in crashes at the fault of drivers who are high on pot. Researchers seem to be divided on the issue.

The Studies

Researchers are attempting to determine whether there is a correlation between marijuana use and being involved in a car accident. More specifically, experts are trying to determine if marijuana use typically leads to car crashes and crash-related fatalities. Studies found that the effects of marijuana include slow decision-making, decreased peripheral vision, and an inability to multitask well, all of which prove to be useful, if not imperative, skills for driving a vehicle.

However, research has also found that drivers who are high on pot are more likely to be cognizant of the fact that they are impaired and proceed with caution while driving, generally unlike drunk drivers who do not compensate in such a way. Another concern then arises from the situation in which a driver is both drunk and high—the mixture of substances will most likely cancel out any cautious behavior and result in driving that is more impaired than would otherwise result from being under the influence of one of the substances alone.

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 Posted on September 24, 2014 in Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an American federal law enforcement agency, largely deals with immigration-related issues within the United States. In fact, there is a common misconception that ICE deals with all immigration issues, although this is not entirely true. If you have questions about immigration law in the United States or about ICE in general, the following is meant to help you understand what ICE’s role is, and what it actually does.

What ICE Actually Does

The Border Patrol, a sister agency to ICE, actually maintains a website designed to answer that question. However, its language is somewhat difficult to parse. There are several subdivisions within ICE itself, the largest of which are Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). They are responsible for myriad operations, according to the website.

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 Posted on September 24, 2014 in Family Law

In a past study, findings showed that married women who had a stronger educational background than their husbands would be more likely to experience divorce. The statistics were based largely on the gendered stereotypes, which in the past led to marital unrest where traditional gender roles were being tossed aside. However, a new study published in July 2014 suggests that the previous research may be the exception and not the rule.

The study suggests that due to the increase in the egalitarian nature of male and female relationships, educational disparities are no longer associated with a higher possibility of dissolution. The study also finds that couples who have similar educational backgrounds are now more likely to succeed then they were in the past. The numbers found in current demographics suggest that women serving as breadwinners and with the same educational background (or higher) than their spouses has become the new normal. A Pew Research Center study estimates that four out of 10 households has women as the chief moneymakers. Therefore, the question now asked is, what are the factors that lead to divorce these days?

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 Posted on September 24, 2014 in Personal Injury

Accidents causing injury and death can occur in a number of ways and involve any mode of transportation. And although car accidents may be the most common form of crash, there are notable examples of Illinois train accidents which resulted in injuries.

Information Accessibility

On August 22nd, Governor Quinn signed a bill to reform Illinois' mass transit hiring policies. In addition, citizens of the state will have easier access to information online, including mass transit employee salaries and safety and budget information. One benefit touted by the Governor in regards to the new bill was that it would result in increased government accountability. Other proponents of the bill say such legislation will likely prove beneficial to taxpayers, as it promotes a checks-and-balances process regarding large amounts of taxpayer dollars. The increased access to information about the transit system is seen as a victory to taxpayers.

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 Posted on September 19, 2014 in Personal Injury

Illinois railways can be the site of several serious accidents, including crashes involving trains or accidents with vehicles or pedestrians. As means to create an awareness of vehicle and pedestrian safety, Governor Quinn declared the week of September 14–20 as "Illinois Rail Safety Week." The week is meant to specifically address safety concerns about vehicles and pedestrians around trains and railroad tracks.

In 2013, there were approximately 126 crashes at railroad crossings involving cars in the state of Illinois. The crashes resulted in at least 40 injuries and 21 deaths. Also last year, 52 crashes involving pedestrians, who may have trespassed onto railroad property, ended in 27 injuries and 25 deaths. Across the country, Illinois came in third when ranked among others regarding fatalities from both car crashes and trespasser incidents.

Many state agencies have joined the cause, including the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Chicago Police Department, and both local and railroad law enforcement, as well as first responders and representatives from railroad companies. All of these entities are working together to educate Illinois citizens about railway safety.

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 Posted on September 19, 2014 in Immigration

If you are interested in emigrating permanently to the United States, there are certain actions you must take. You must file a petition with all of the appropriate supporting documentation, including proof of identification. However, even after you have submitted your information and received a favorable outcome, you may still have to wait before your petition can be granted. Only so many green cards can be issued in any given year, and in order to keep track, a system of dates has been created. It can be confusing, and sometimes an expert’s assistance is a boon.

Preference Categories

Immigrant visas for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are always unlimited. But if you are not a spouse, parent, or minor child of a U.S. citizen, your petition likely falls into what United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) calls a preference category. Preference categories are capped at 226,000 visas or green cards per year (not per category). Because of this cap, individuals who apply for a visa generally will not receive it within the same year.

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