If you are injured in an accident, you may not be aware of your rights as a victim. You might mistakenly assume that your incident doesn’t warrant help from the legal system. Every year, people get hurt through life-altering accidents. Whether it’s a workplace injury, car accident, or medical malpractice, you deserve to have someone looking out for your best interests. A qualified personal injury attorney in Bossier City, Louisiana, has the experience you need to ensure your needs are met, and that you receive maximum compensation.
Types of Personal Injury Claims
When a person suffers an injury due to someone else’s neglect, that is considered a personal injury. Not every personal injury case goes to court. Most are settled out of court or may end up in mediation or arbitration. There are many types in which you should consult a lawyer. Here are five common types of personal injury cases:
Auto Accident: Millions of motor vehicle accidents occur each year. Many are from drunk driving, speeding, or reckless driving. If you’ve been injured in a car wreck, the responsibility of proving negligence lands on you and these types of claims usually result in a he-said, she-said kind of scenario. A personal injury attorney can help you navigate this type of claim.
Slips and Falls: Anyone can slip and fall. The elderly are especially vulnerable. Typical culprits include wet floors and broken stair rails. You shouldn’t have to pay the hospital bills because of someone else’s negligence.
Medical Malpractice: Doctors take an oath not to harm their patients but regrettably, it happens. Injuries can result from misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, childbirth injuries, medication errors, failure to treat, anesthesia errors, and surgical errors. These injuries can be doubly heinous because they happen by someone you trust and can be life-altering.
Wrongful Death: One of the worst personal injury claims comes from the death of a person injured through neglect. This situation leaves families without their loved ones and a mountain of medical or funeral bills. Finding an experienced attorney is vital during this type of injury.
Workplace Accident: Employees get injured at work daily. It’s common for them to go unreported, sometimes because businesses are negligent in safety matters. The resulting injuries can be horrific and damage an employee’s ability to earn a living. If this happens to you, don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer to fight for you.
Turn to an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney in Bossier City, Louisiana
When you’re injured, you deserve to have someone with a long track record of success and someone who can get the maximum compensation for you. Speak with David L. White, an experienced personal injury attorney. He has the knowledge and skills to formulate strategies for quick and satisfying resolutions by acting as an advisor and ensuring things go smoothly. David White also handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you only owe fees when he wins your case. Look to him and his staff for support and understanding as you go through the legal process. Call today for a free phone consultation.
Contact a personal injury attorney who will fight for you and can navigate the complex Louisiana laws. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
You often see this on television—a defendant is appointed an overworked and underpaid public defender to represent them. The outcomes are poor, leaving the defendant with years behind bars or accepting a pitiful plea bargain. You may think the character should have hired an experienced criminal defense attorney to ensure their rights were adequately protected and a different outcome was achieved. A private lawyer could probably have gotten a different result, so it’s important to understand the benefits of hiring an attorney instead of having one appointed.
Key Benefits of a Private Attorney (Instead of a Public Defender)
Here are five benefits of hiring a private criminal defense attorney:
You Get to Choose Who Will Represent You: A judge appoints public defenders to cases where the defendant can’t afford a lawyer or they request one. You have no say in who will defend you. By hiring a private attorney, you can find the best fit for your situation.
You Can Experience Communication and a Better Relationship: Public defenders often have large caseloads and spend hours in court, not getting to know you and your case. It’s possible that you may meet with your appointed lawyer so close to your court hearing that they can’t get all the facts in place. Your private criminal attorney will meet with you, ask questions, and consider all options in plenty of time before heading to court.
They Have Smaller Caseloads: Private lawyers dictate how many cases they take. Most have smaller caseloads than public defenders. That means they have more time to dig into facts and evidence and formulate a defense for your case. It’s not that a public defender doesn’t care, but they often have large caseloads that render them unable to give their full attention to each case.
They Have More Resources at their Disposal: Public defenders don’t always have the extra staff and paralegals readily available to assist with your case. Not so with a private lawyer. They have associates, staff, and paralegals handy to file briefs and answer calls. Additionally, they have networks from which they can pull expert witnesses and private investigators.
They Are Fully Vested in Your Case’s Outcome: Your case is only one of many for a public defender. They know they will get more clients appointed to them. They offer representation, but they don’t have the time or any ‘skin in the game’ in which they need to fight harder for you. Your hired attorney will. They know that the outcome of their cases will make or break their reputation and ability to get clients in the future. You can expect to see that they are vested in your case.
Depend on an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney in Bossier City
Don’t leave your future in the hands of one who may not have the time needed to dissect your case and get you justice. Instead, rely on a criminal defense attorney in Bossier City who will aggressively fight for you. David L. White will ask the hard questions and defend you vigorously. He understands you are under a lot of stress and confused by the situation so he and his staff are ready to ease your burden and give you the best possible representation.
Contact a criminal defense lawyer who will fight for you and your rights in the Louisiana legal system. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
Death and taxes are two constants in the world. You cannot avoid either one and if you aren’t careful, taxes will trump all your hard work at your death. Another area that frustrates family when a person dies is what to do with all the stuff. Questions arise about who should get it and what to do about minor children or ex-spouses. An experienced attorney can answer your questions and get you set in the right direction.
Proper estate planning prevents much of the frustration and arguing that happens when a loved one passes away. To ensure your estate is handled correctly, hire an experienced Bossier City attorney who understands Louisiana’s complex estate laws. They can prepare all the necessary documents to make things much simpler and straightforward when you or a loved one dies.
3 Common Questions When Planning Your Estate
Every situation is different, and you should consult an estate planning attorney to see how the law applies to yours. Here are some common questions to help you start thinking about your estate planning needs:
What is the Federal Estate Tax Limit? The law fluctuates, but generally, you may leave up to $12,060,000 of your property to your heirs before the federal estate tax kicks in. Your estate planning lawyer will be able to discuss your particular case and aid you in determining where you stand and what changes to the law may occur.
How Can I Utilize the Federal Exclusion? Currently, estate law allows the federal exclusion to roll over to the surviving spouse. It is considered portable from your “last deceased spouse.” To avoid wasting it, the executor of the estate must prepare an estate tax return. While no estate taxes may be due, this process reveals the taxable estate and the unused exclusion. As long as the tax return is filed, the exclusion is available—no tax return, no exclusion.
I Want to Leave Everything to My Spouse. Can I? Good intentions abound, but outside influences may affect what happens when one spouse dies. However, good intentions can be thwarted, leaving children out and letting someone else in. Generally, usufructs give a surviving spouse a right to use and enjoy a subject property while naked ownership of the property goes to any children. It can get complex on larger estates, so be sure you contact an attorney for assistance.
Work with an Experienced Bossier City Attorney for Your Estate Planning Needs
Get all your estate planning questions answered when you seek out the services of a knowledgeable lawyer in Bossier City, Louisiana. David L. White has much experience with Louisiana’s complex legal system. He can guide you through the process of setting up your will, trust, and successions and answer your questions along the way. When you schedule an appointment today, give your family the gift of being able to grieve your passing without worry about your estate.
Contact an experienced estate planning attorney on Bossier City to aid you in navigating the complex Louisiana estate and probate laws. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
Encouraging Tips from an Experienced Divorce Lawyer in Bossier City
A divorce is a devastating event. It can feel worse than other unfortunate events because you may have to continue interacting with your ex-spouse, especially if you have children. When you’re hashing out who gets what, many people neglect their health during the legal processes. By the time everything is said and done, and the judge has issued a divorce decree, you may be in a state of exhaustion. The stress can cause a loss of appetite and sleep. Now is the time for some much-needed self-care.
Finding a qualified divorce lawyer in Bossier City, Louisiana who walks you through the proceedings is a step in the right direction. They can negotiate on your behalf and get you the best deal for your marital situation. Once their job is complete, you can look after yourself and your kids.
6 Self-Care Suggestions when Recovering from Divorce
While the divorce process is a mentally and emotionally exhausting time, it doesn’t last forever. Use these tips to give your body, mind, and spirit what it needs, and start living life fully again:
Seek Out Counseling or Therapy: It’s helpful to talk through your marriage and divorce circumstances with a third party. You may be surprised to discover how much pent-up emotion you have. A licensed counselor or therapist can help you work through your feelings. It provides a great start toward self-care after your divorce is final.
Make Your Health a Priority: It’s hard to focus on your nutrition and exercise under this type of stress. Now is a good time to recreate healthy habits, including eating nutrient-dense foods, drinking plenty of water, and exercising.
Seek Out Support: Some people throw themselves into their work after a divorce. If you tend to be that type, turn to trusted loved ones to share your feelings and help you heal.
Set Boundaries: Now that the legal proceedings are over, you can establish healthy boundaries. This means you do not have to entertain selfish questions about your life. Instead, you can determine how much or how little you want to engage with your ex-spouse, family, and friends.
Discover a New Hobby: If there is something you have always wanted to do, why not start now? You can travel, learn to paint, take up tap dancing, or run marathons. Discovering new hobbies will help make you well-rounded and increase your happiness.
Start Journaling: Use this quick and inexpensive way to get your thoughts and feeling out of your head and it can be a tremendous stress reducer. It’s an excellent way to acknowledge your feelings and work through problems.
Seek a Knowledgeable Divorce Lawyer in Bossier City
Rarely does a person enter marriage believing it will end in divorce. However, relationships do deteriorate and sometimes going separate ways is inevitable. If you face a failed marriage, seek out the services of an experienced divorce lawyer in Bossier City, Louisiana, who understands the legal system and the strain you face. David L. White and his staff work hard to ensure your rights are protected so that you can move on and take care of yourself. Call us today to schedule a consultation.
Contact a divorce lawyer who will fight for you and can navigate the complex Louisiana family laws. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
Death is inevitable but it is often unexpected. We live our lives knowing that a loved one or we ourselves may pass, but we don’t make the necessary estate preparations. If your mother or father passed away without a will, do you know what your next steps should be?
Louisiana has a complex heirship hierarchy. You may think your dad inherited everything when your mom died but that may not be true. A succession attorney in Bossier City helps you navigate the web of heirship requirements. They understand the raw emotions that come with handling grief while also trying to figure out who gets what when there is no will.
Who Gets to Inherit Mom’s Property?
Succession laws are written so that a family member will inherit a decedent’s property. Rarely will anything go to the state. However, you may be surprised who gets Mom’s property without a will. Here is a basic breakdown of heirship in Louisiana:
Spouse and Children: If Dad is still alive when Mom passes, he retains the usufruct right in any community property. That means he has the right to use the property until his remarriage or death. It also means you and any siblings own the community property in question. You also inherit Mom’s separate property outright.
Children from Many Situations Count: Maybe it has always been you and your brother. That means you two are Mom’s heirs. However, if Mom happened to have other biological children through a separate relationship, they are considered heirs as well. There are many circumstances where other children may qualify as heirs, including:
All children born during a marriage
Biological children born outside of marriage
Adopted children
Any child placed for adoption
Children conceived but not born before the parent’s death
Grandchildren who predecease their parent
Minor Children Get a Bigger Share: If your mother died young and still had children under the age of twenty-four years old at home, they may be entitled to a slightly more significant share of the estate.
Death is not simple and failing to have a will makes it harder for the survivors. A Louisiana succession attorney knows the questions to ask to ensure that all heirs receive what they should according to the law.
Seek an Experienced Succession Attorney in Bossier City for Your Parent’s Estate
Avoid the headache that comes with handling an intestate succession. Seek out the services of a knowledgeable and experienced succession attorney in Bossier City, Louisiana. David L. White can help you get through the process. We will sit down with you and your family and look at all the pieces. We can guide you through what to do with community and separate property, how to handle potential claims, and the needed next steps. We can also help with estate planning so that you don’t face more surprises when the other parent passes. Our dedication ensures all heirs receive what they should. Learn more when you contact us today.
Contact a succession attorney with the experience you need to navigate the complex Louisiana probate laws. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
Facing charges for a serious crime could affect your whole life. You might lose your livelihood and your family can suffer. When you hire a lawyer to help you plead your case, they work hard to ensure all the facts are considered and they help you navigate through the intricacies of the law. The last thing you want to do is make their job harder. You may feel like life is out of control in this circumstance, but they have the situation under control, especially when you give them the information they need to represent you best. Ensure your Shreveport criminal defense attorney can effectively represent you when you offer your full cooperation.
10 Crucial Steps to Aid Your Defense Lawyer
Give your attorney and you a fighting chance when you implement these steps:
Be Honest: Your lawyer’s best possibility to defend you is when you are honest with them. Your discussions are protected under the attorney-client privilege so they will ask questions to which you should provide a truthful answer. Something you say may help with your defense. They know what questions to ask, so answer honestly.
Let Them Know Your Goals for the Case: After investigating your case, your lawyer can give you the strengths and weaknesses and what your options are. Are you willing to take a plea deal, or do you want to fight your case in court? Only you will know this.
Talk about Defense Fees: Defending your case can get expensive. Discuss how much you can pay and what is expected. It can aid your attorney in how they develop their defense strategy.
Give Them What They Need Quickly: Your attorney will need documentation as soon as possible. They will let you know what you need, so be sure to get it to them fast. Delays can hurt your defense strategy.
Communicate with Your Lawyer You don’t need to talk daily but you will want to contact them regularly. You may even have a set schedule. If so, keep those appointments and make sure they have your correct contact information.
Show Up on Time, Every Time: Whether for an appointment with your lawyer or a court hearing, you want to be early. It creates a poor impression in court and inconveniences the one defending you. Also remember to dress appropriately for all hearings.
Don’t Talk to the Police without Your Attorney Present: No matter how persistently the police encourage you to speak, it’s in your best interest to wait for your attorney.
Go on a Social Media Fast: If you don’t have to be on social media, stay away. The prosecutor could search and find something that might hurt your case.
Follow Your Lawyer’s Advice: You can weaken your defense when you fail to heed their advice. You hired them to help you so listen to them.
Pay Your Legal Bills On Time: Honor your payment arrangement with your lawyer. Remember, they provide a valuable service that can help you get your life back quickly.
Experience Matters – Hire David L. White for Your Criminal Case in Shreveport
Choose a lawyer you can trust to help you through the criminal legal system. David L. White is an experienced criminal defense attorney in Shreveport and has a high success rate. You know you are getting someone who cares about your rights and your specific situation. Get your second chance at life with his help.
Contact your knowledgeable and experienced criminal defense attorney in Shreveport, Louisiana, to set up your initial consultation. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
Experienced Probate Lawyer in Bossier City Offers Helpful Tips
The goal of a will is to ensure your final wishes are outlined the way you want them carried out. Having a will makes the most sense, even if you don’t believe you have much to leave. Having a will prevents many arguments between family members and it can help aid families in their grieving process. They can deal with emotions instead of making decisions when they should be grieving.
Key components of a person’s belongings include personal real estate, cars, retirement accounts, and bank accounts. People often believe that the benefits of a life insurance policy belong to the estate. That isn’t necessarily the case. What determines whether an asset belongs in an estate or is paid directly to an individual is if it’s a non-probate or probate asset. Your experienced Bossier City probate lawyer can help you ascertain which is which.
What Is the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?
When you meet with your probate attorney in Bossier City, you’ll want discuss all your assets, not just your home. For example, if you have a life insurance policy or 401k retirement account, you want to account for that. Here is a general breakdown of the two types of assets:
Probate Assets: These are the different assets that would typically pass through a will. These are generally real estate, bank accounts, certificates of deposit, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Other probate assets may include cars, personal property, and any other property you control but is not payable to another person via a separate contract.
Non-Probate Assets: Accounts that you control and can be passed to another person upon your death via the terms of a contract don’t have to pass through a will. Think about when you set up your retirement account. One aspect of the account set-up required you to list beneficiaries. By doing this, you bypass your will and your beneficiary will receive direct compensation. Here is a list of the most common non-probate assets you might have – life insurance properties, tax-deferred annuities, IRAs, profit-sharing plans, thrift plans, and ESOP plans.
Other Considerations: Circumstances change over time. You may have divorced and remarried, or you want to leave things to your minor children. When you talk with your probate lawyer, there will be some questions you need to answer, including:
Have any beneficiaries died?
Have you remarried?
Who are your contingent or successor beneficiaries?
Is the beneficiary a minor?
Choose a Knowledgeable Probate Lawyer in Bossier City
Louisiana probate and succession laws can be confusing. Avoid negating your intent by working with a knowledgeable probate lawyer like David L. White. He and his team will help you navigate the laws and offer you options to ensure your final wishes are noted. Please don’t wait until it is too late to plan your estate. Call us today!
Contact your knowledgeable and experienced probate lawyers in Bossier City, Louisiana, to set up your initial consultation. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
If you watch crime dramas on television, you will hear many different legal terms used where you see an actor portraying an attorney, negotiate whether their client should be tried for a misdemeanor or a felony. In another episode, police officers consider if they have enough evidence to ask a judge for a warrant to arrest a suspect. The shows depict events that can happen in real life, yet it’s not. If you or a loved one is the recipient of a restraining order, do you know what that means?
Understanding some basic legal terminology benefits you if you need a criminal defense attorney in the future. By familiarizing yourself with the different terms used, you are better equipped to ask your lawyer questions. You may not be able to defend yourself in court, but you will know what all the parties are referring to, putting you in a better position and feeling more confident.
6 Common Criminal Legal Terms Defined
Here are six standard legal terms defined:
Arrest Warrant: When the police have probable cause to take a suspect into custody, they will request an arrest warrant from the judge or magistrate. The purpose of the warrant is to protect you from an unlawful arrest as protected by the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment. While having a warrant is preferred, it’s not required to make a lawful arrest.
Felony: For those offenses that are punishable under criminal law, the term felony is used. The federal classification includes Class A-E and range from a life sentence to less than five years of imprisonment. States classify felonies differently based on the seriousness of the crime and the punishment.
Misdemeanor: On the other side of the spectrum from felonies are crimes punishable by less than 12 months of imprisonment. Common punishments include community service, probation, fines, and jail time. Misdemeanors are also classified via letters and are based on the seriousness of the crime.
Disorderly Conduct: These are actions that interfere with public peace, including being drunk in public, loitering, fighting, and damaging public or private property. This behavior causes others to become annoyed, offended, physically injured, or inconvenienced.
Restraining Order: Often used in domestic violence situations, a restraining order indicates to one party that they are not to approach another party. Violation of the order can lead to criminal charges for the person served with the restraining order.
Injunction: This court order requires a person to stop doing a specific action. Injunctions are generally used in exceptional cases. Sometimes, they are issued by judges in the early stages of a lawsuit to stop a defendant from continuing harmful actions.
Hire an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney in Bossier City
It’s one thing to understand a few legal terms but when it comes to understanding how they apply in a Bossier City court, you need a qualified criminal defense attorney like David L. White. He gives you the best possible representation and fights for your rights. Choose David and his team when you need help navigating the confusing criminal justice system. Call us today and get your peace of mind back.
Contact your competent criminal defense attorney in Bossier City, Louisiana, to set up your initial consultation. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
A divorce takes its toll on both parties in many ways – emotional, physical, and financial. Sometimes the marital estate matters get resolved amicably. In a contested divorce however, things can get ugly fast. You may want sole custody of the children or to walk away with the house. Many questions will come up about spousal support, child support, and if it is possible to get out of the marriage unscathed. Having an experienced and qualified divorce lawyer in Shreveport, Louisiana, can make all the difference between coming out with nothing and getting a fair settlement. Help yourself best by helping your attorney by coming prepared for your first consultation. Then work with them to ensure you get the settlement you deserve.
4 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your First Consultation
If your marriage has hit rock bottom and is headed towards divorce, being prepared for your first meeting is paramount. Here are four tips to aid you:
Make a List of Questions: You may not remember everything you wanted to ask your divorce lawyer in Shreveport, Louisiana if you don’t write it down. You might be concerned about child support or who is entitled to jointly held property. Additionally, having questions on paper also gives you the opportunity to write down answers and note any additional questions that may come to mind. This step will also aid you in methodically going down your list during an emotional time.
Write Down Your Goals for the Divorce: It may seem a little odd to have goals going into a not-so-pleasant situation but consider what you envision the outcome to be and record it. Do you want to keep the home? Do you want alimony plus child support? Your lawyer will be able to give you a rundown of how the law works and how it may affect what you hope to see. This way, you will be able to go into the proceedings fully aware of the possibilities.
Pull Together All Financial Information: Your attorney will need a clear picture of the financial status of your spouse and you. Gather together pay stubs, tax returns, debts, bank statements, credit card statements, and retirement account information. If children are involved, it’s helpful to list fees associated with extracurricular activities, medical expenses, tuition, and childcare fees. Finally, pull together a list of all your assets.
Prepare a Written Summary: Some of the information your divorce lawyer will need includes the names of your spouse and children, social security numbers of all parties, dates of birth, employers, addresses, and annual income. You’ll also want to note your date of marriage and the date your spouse moved out.
Have an Experienced Divorce Lawyer in Shreveport, LA on Your Side
Head into your divorce proceedings knowing you have an experienced legal professional working hard to get you the best settlement for your case. David L. White has the experience and know-how to help you with child custody, visitation, spousal support, and property distribution. Not only does he understand Louisiana’s law, he understands the stress this process can take and how to help you through it. Rest assured you are hiring legal counsel with your best interests in mind. Find out more when you call today.
Contact your divorce lawyer in Shreveport, Louisiana, to set up your initial consultation. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
– Helpful Guidance from a Personal Injury Attorney in Bossier City
You may have seen the commercials where well-dressed individuals are peddling their message, indicating you may be able entitled to compensation if you’ve been injured in an accident. This may be true, but it’s not as easy as going to court and being awarded money. The judicial system doesn’t answer to marketing ploys and instead, looks at the facts of the case to determine if it meets the merits of a tort claim, resulting in a need for payment of damages.
When you’ve experienced an injury, you want to know you have options to get your life back on track and your expenses covered. Don’t depend on the television or billboard’s message. Seek out the services of a qualified and experienced Bossier City personal injury attorney instead to review your claim, determine if you have a case, and guide you through the complex laws within the world of personal injury law.
How the Court System Views Personal Injury Cases
Personal injury cases can be a little tricky. You may hear the terms “gross negligence” or “negligence per se,” which means different things and don’t apply to every situation. Additionally, don’t always assumed that because you got hurt, you have a case. There are a few elements the court system looks at which an experienced lawyer can aid you in understanding, including:
It Falls Under Tort Claims: A tort is an act or failure to act that causes an injury or harm to another person. The courts look at tort cases as civil liability and may assess damages generally in the form of monetary damages.
It is Based on Negligence: There are instances when we have a responsibility to exercise an appropriate level of care to provide safe places, be it on our property or in our businesses. The law recognizes standards of care based on the situation. For example, a medical doctor has a different level of responsibility for care than a drunk driver.
Establishing Negligence is the Responsibility of the Plaintiff: It is up to the injured party to prove three elements in a personal injury case:
Duty of Care: The plaintiff must prove that the defendant owed them a duty of care arising from a legally recognized relationship between the two parties. The relationship then places a burden on the defendant to exercise a standard of care to ensure the plaintiff wasn’t harmed.
Breach: Next, the plaintiff must then show that they breached their duty to the plaintiff because the defendant failed to meet the required standard of care.
Causation: Finally, after proving that the defendant breached their duty, the plaintiff must prove that their injury was caused by the defendant’s failure in their duty.
Get Your Life Back with Help from Personal Injury Attorney, David L. White
Ensure you or your loved one gets the representation you deserve in your personal injury situation. David L. White has the experience you want to assess your case, thoroughly answer your questions, negotiate on your behalf, and represent you in court if needed. He and his staff understand this is a trying time. They work with you to ensure you understand the process and communicate updates. They can take the most challenging cases and get favorable results. You get your life back. It is a win-win situation. Don’t delay in contacting David L. White today.
Contact your personal injury attorney in Bossier City to discuss your situation and see if you have a case. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
