5 Laws You Probably Didn’t Know You Were Breaking

There are laws that everyone knows should never be broken such as murder, stealing, or even driving without insurance. Yet there are many laws that people do not realize they are breaking. Here are the most common laws that you, and probably me, break on a daily basis.

Connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi

This is major folks. Society is so tied to the internet, people will do almost anything to be connected. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is pretty broad in the way it defines when someone has violated regulations. Connecting to an unsecured WiFi network or even visiting pages that violate your company’s terms of service could potentially get you a felony charge. So, next time you need to like a status or want to share a post, think twice about when, where, and most importantly how you do it.

Gambling at home

Most states do not allow people to hold poker games at home. In Texas, however, home poker games are legalized by specific exceptions in the unlawful gambling laws. Although gambling is illegal in Texas it seems that playing a little Texas hold’em at home never hurt anybody. Fun fact: Texas hold’em originated in Robstown, Texas at the Hotel Brendel!

SPEEDING!

I think we can all say we have been guilty of this one. Although major efforts have made progress in terms of drunk driving and the use of seat belts, speeding is still a major factor in road fatalities.

Pirating music

It has been many a moon since the days of Limewire and Napster, yet that doesn’t mean people aren’t finding other ways to get their music. This particular breaking of the law borderlines with theft and makes it considerably immoral to some people.

Littering

From tossing a cigarette butt out the car window to spitting your gum out on the sidewalk. These are still acts of littering which most of the nation considers being a major no-no. Littering is illegal in the U.S and is punishable by some pretty hefty fines especially here in Texas. Remember, Don’t Mess With Texas!

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Personal Injury Terms You Ought to Know

If ever you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of needing a Personal Injury lawyer, there are a few terms that you should get familiar with. Most of these are used throughout your case and can be used by both sides. Which is why it is crucial that you brush up on your legal lexicon. No need to worry, however, as most people that have been in your shoes of needing a personal injury lawyer have never dealt with this sort of situation before and as a result have never heard of any of these terms. This list will help you understand what you are getting into and how to communicate effectively with your lawyer.

• Affidavit: A written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court.
• Answer: Defendants file a formal answer to the complaint, which serves to notify the plaintiff and the court of the defendant’s position regarding the allegations.
• Complaint: First document filed with a court by a person or entity claiming legal rights against another. States the factual as well as the legal basis for a claim.
• Contingency Fee: A sum of money that a lawyer receives as a fee only if the case is won.
• Damages: What a plaintiff is seeking to recover in a lawsuit. There are two categories: economic, such as medical expenses, wage loss, replacement services, and auto repair bills. The other is non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.
• Defendant: The party allegedly liable for the plaintiff’s injuries.
• Deposition: Involves a witness being asked questions about the case. To find out what the witness knows and to preserve that witness’ testimony. To learn all facts before going to trial.
• Discovery: Pre-trial procedure in a lawsuit in which each party can obtain evidence from the other party or parties by means of discovery devices such as request for answers to interrogatories, request for production of documents, request for admissions and depositions.
• Negligence: A failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances.
• Litigation: The act of bringing a case to court to settle a dispute. The actual legal process where parties argue their case against each other in our court system.
• Plaintiff: The party or group of parties bringing the lawsuit.
• PIP: Stands for personal insurance protection. An extension of car insurance that covers medical expenses and lost wages. Often referred to as “no-fault” coverage.
• Power of Attorney: The authority to act for another person in specified or all legal or financial matters.
• Prayer for Relief: A portion of the complaint in which the plaintiff describes the remedies that the plaintiff seeks from the court.
• Statute of Limitations: a statute prescribing a period of limitation for the bringing of certain kinds of legal action. In other words, the time allowed to pass between the arising of a legal claim and the filing of a suit.
• Tort: A civil wrong that unfairly causes someone else to suffer loss or harm resulting in legal liability for the person who commits the tortious act, called a tortfeasor.

The list provided is but a small sample of some of the terms used in personal injury law. Yet by knowing the above-mentioned terms you can at least feel more comfortable when speaking with an attorney and have the confidence to proceed with your case.

If you have been injured please call 361-882-4357 for a free consultation and to speak with one of our experienced attorneys.

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33rd Annual Beach Cleanup

The Coastal Bend  Adopt-A-Beach Fall cleanup is coming up on Saturday, September 21, 2019. This twice a year event is aimed at helping keep the beaches clean for the general public as well as keeping nature’s habitat safe for living.

It’s not just in the Corpus area that this happens. There will be an opportunity all along the beach coast for Texans to volunteer to pick up trash in this fun-filled day. The beaches in Texas are some of the most beautiful in the nation and without these cleanup events and people taking responsibility in the appearance of their local beaches, these Texas beaches would begin to lose their sparkle.

Texas beaches have visitors from all over the country and everyone should do their part when they can to help keep it around for years to come where their kids and grandkids can enjoy these same beaches.

Registration begins at 8:30 am and the cleanup is from 9 am to 12 pm. If you would like to sign up as a volunteer and find a location near you go to www.texasadoptabeach.org.

If you have not participated in the past, please look into volunteering for the beach cleanup as there are many many items that get tossed daily by polluters. Coastal cities do what they can to enforce the law, but not everyone is caught, and trash continues to be thrown and pollute our beaches.

For 33 years, twice a year, the cleanups happen and it is simply amazing to witness what is able to be picked up and how much of a difference it makes. A few hours of your time can mean a world of difference. Many animals get trapped and killed by trash and these cleanups are essential to helping those animals stay alive as well.

Let’s make 33 become 34 and have more and more people contribute their part in these cleanups. Since every person has probably enjoyed a beach or two here in the state of Texas, why not take a few minutes to give back and make it cleaner for the next person or for when the next time comes that you want to enjoy the beach because its worth it.

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Lack of Transportation Hurting Healthcare in the Rio Grande Valley

Top public officials in the Rio Grande Valley have been struggling to improve healthcare in the region. One leading factor to this issue is the lack of transportation provided. This is not a shocking discovery to those who are native to the region. It is well known that those who seek healthcare will have difficulty because of the time and distance it takes to reach destinations here in the Rio Grande Valley, an area that stretches over 200 miles.

So much of the population lives in rural areas and doesn’t have immediate access to public transportation, and many healthcare facilities do not provide transportation making it a struggle for those who lack transportation. This is a continuous issue that has not reached a solution, heavy studies need to be done regarding new facilities and programs so that residents can live comfortably and maintain access. With this roadblock, the steps to better healthcare will be very difficult.

While some may think that healthcare costs are the number one issue residents face, that is not the case any longer. Transporation has become a leading issue in terms of healthcare. Not to mention the roads infrastructure hasn’t been exactly updated, there are many colonials without access to paved roads and expressways. Starr County is a perfect example of that being one of the leading rural counties in the area.

In the Personal Injury field, this issues come up quite often, where not all facilities carry transportation for clients while they are undergoing repairs to their vehicle. This certainly brings up a challenge with everyday healthcare services that are needed, to those who have been affected by an accident or simply just do not have the means. The local governments and healthcare facilities need to come up with a plan to fix this ongoing issue, everyone deserves to receive basic health services.

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