An understandable fear that many people have, especially in Los Angeles, California, is being arrested and sent to jail. You don’t have to be guilty to have this fear. In fact, there are many situations where people all over the world and not just in Southern California have a legal issue or dispute where they could use the counsel of a good attorney, even if they are not facing jail time.
Especially when it comes to motor vehicle accidents, child custody cases, and business litigation, you want to have a solid legal position and an attorney fighting on your side. Here are several examples of folks who got themselves into sticky situations and could have used the exceeding law services of Jewels J. Jin, Esq. APC.
1. Hit and Run Driver Takes Out Motorcycle
A motorist in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania will learn the hard way that it is never a good idea to break the law and flee the scene of an accident. According to the Daily Item newspaper, the accident occurred in June 2019 when the driver of a black Nissan pulled out from a Wendy’s hamburger restaurant and drove across five lanes of traffic causing an SUV and a motorcycle to crash. However instead of stopping to assist the accident victims, wait for police and exchange information, the driver of the car fled the scene. The driver, described by witnesses as a woman having gray hair and driving with two small children could face a misdemeanor for fleeing the scene of an accident. However, if the injuries sustained by the motorcyclist prove to be severe, the penalty could be a felony.
2. Bus Driver Charged With Drinking And Driving In Morning Crash
A bus driver in Park City, Utah is facing the consequences for allegedly drinking and driving while on the job. According to the Park Record newspaper, on a Saturday morning in June, 2019 Jason Benjamin Parker was operating a Park City transit system bus when the large vehicle crashed into a ditch, hanging precariously over the creek. Luckily nobody, including the passenger on board was injured. However, Parker was charged with a DUI. He told authorities that he had fallen asleep at the wheel but also admitted that he had been drinking until 11PM the night before. Even with some alcohol still in his system, he could still be held liable for the accident. The percent of blood-alcohol limit in the system varies from state to state. In Utah the limit is .05 and in California the BAC is .08% for a DUI. Always know your state’s legal limit for operating a vehicle, or better yet get a designated driver if you plan to drink alcohol.
3. Landlord Settles Bad Faith Insurance Claim
A landlord in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania found out why it is important to have a solid attorney working for you when you try to take on insurance companies in bad faith insurance claims. According to the Penn Record, William Wolverton of Overbook Properties owns and rents out units in his building in Philadelphia. Back in 2009, he had taken out a Landlord’s Package insurance to cover damage to his property, which generated a monthly income of $2,200 each. However, in 2017 when three of his units suffered severe water damage from a broken toilet on the third floor, the insurance company refused to reimburse his claims which caused things to spiral out of control. According to the Penn Record, “As a result of the water damage, plaintiffs sustained repair costs of $32,671 and loss of rental income of $24,200 over a time period spanning Jan. 12, 2017 to Nov. 20, 2017. Subsequently, Overbrook was unable to pay the mortgage on the property and was forced to sell it at a loss of $75,000 on Nov. 30, 2017.” Unfortunately for the landlord, the lawsuit was later dismissed.
4. Two Small Businesses Fight Over Trademark In Business Litigation Case
With so many products on the shelves, it can be tough for consumers to know the difference between similar sounding brands. These situations often lead to intense business litigation that requires having an excellent attorney on your side. Take the case of a small Northern California brewery, Far West Brewing LLC which owns the Fieldwork Brewing brand. They were upset to find out that Deciduous Brewing out of Newmarket, New Hampshire is making a “Fieldwork Indian Pale Ale” without their permission. According to Law.com in a statement, the law firm representing Fieldword Brewing Co. said, “In addition to causing actual confusion in the market by infringing upon Fieldwork’s Mark and brand for craft beers sales under the name ‘fieldwork,’ Deciduous also uses an image of a leaf as its design or logo that is confusingly similar to Fieldwork’s long-established logo.” The lawsuit filed in 2019 seeks to have Deciduous Brewing stop using the Fieldwork name.
5. Police Take $10,000 From Couple In Civil Forfeiture Case
“Civil Forfeiture” is a little-known law that can infringe on individual and civil rights. According to the Washington Post, a couple in West Virginia had $10,000 in cash taken from them by police, despite not being charged with any crime. Tonya Smith and Dimitrious Patlias were pulled over during a routine traffic stop in 2018, when they were on their way to a casino and were driving with the large amount of cash. The officers asked them a series of questions if they were in possession of drugs, guns or stolen property. Despite not finding any illicit items, the police were able to legally take the money due to the “civil forfeiture” law that allows them to do so if they suspect illegal activity. They were not able to get the money until they contacted a local newspaper and publicized their ordeal. This led to the police finally returning the money. According to the Washington Post, this sort of asset seizure happens all the time and normally the only way to retrieve it is through litigation, “The vast majority of people don’t get this kind of attention, but in a few days of announcing a lawsuit, law enforcement will opt out and give back the property,” said Dan Alban, an attorney at the Institute for Justice.
If you end up in any of these types of situations, please contact Jewels J. Jin, Esquire, A Professional Law Corporation.