In the year 2016, more than 10,000 people were killed during a drunk driving accident, and another 290,000 were injured. Compensation may not make up for what these victims have lost, but it can help them and their families cover any final expenses, medical bills, lost wages, and treatment or rehabilitation costs that resulted from the crash.

Unfortunately, the path to financial recovery can be long and complex. Worse yet, victims are often denied the settlement that they deserve, as insurance companies regularly make low-ball offers and attempt to shift at least some of the blame for the crash over to the victim. Learn how you can protect yourself from such occurrences while recovering damages after an accident with a drunk driving, and discover how assistance from a seasoned drunk driving accident lawyer can improve the outcome of your case.

Protecting Your Right to Pursue Fair Compensation 

White collar crimes are offenses that occur when a person uses some form of deception to produce financial gain. These types of crimes are usually committed by business people who have access to large amounts of money because of their position. It can take months and even years for prosecution to construct a case against someone before charging them with a white collar crime. The five most common types of white collar crimes include:

1. Tax Evasion. Tax evasion occurs when a person fails to file a tax return, fails to pay their taxes, under reports their income, makes false deductions, or claims fraudulent business expenses or losses. It can be a state or federal crime and lead to a lengthy prison sentence upon conviction. Some defenses to tax evasion are that you were given wrong advice by your tax preparer, you had no criminal intent, or you did not understand the tax forms.
2. Credit Card Fraud. Credit card fraud is committed when a person knowingly uses a credit or debit card to make a payment without consent from the cardholder or obtains funds using a card that is not authorized. It can be a form of identity theft and you may be charged for both crimes.
3. Embezzlement. A white collar crime that involves theft from an employer is known as embezzlement. It can occur when a person misuses an expense account, uses company funds to pay for personal expenses, or makes false entries in order to hide improper disbursements. If you are charged with embezzlement, defenses such as you were not the person who diverted the funds or you had permission to spend them may help your case.
4. Insurance Fraud. Several types of insurance fraud include car insurance fraud, property insurance fraud, healthcare fraud, life insurance fraud, and workers' compensation insurance fraud. Reporting false information to an insurance company, submitting a false insurance application, or obtaining money from filing a false claim are all considered insurance fraud.
5. Medicare or Medicaid Fraud. When a person makes dishonest medical or health claims to make a profit, they may be charged with Medicare or Medicaid fraud. This type of fraud can involve changing medical forms or records, illegal billing practices, purposely reporting incorrect diagnoses or procedure for profit, or prescribing unnecessary treatments.

Contact Our Experienced Joliet Criminal Defense Lawyers

If you have been charged with a white collar crime, your future is at stake. To increase your chances of a favorable case outcome, contact our Joliet white collar criminal defense lawyers today. Call us at 815-666-1285 for a consultation.

Slip and fall accidents lead to millions of emergency room visits every year. A slip and fall may cause a minor injury such as a bruise or bump or something more serious like a traumatic brain injury or even a fatality. Our firm has represented many victims of slip and fall accidents and have found that these are six of the most common causes of such accidents:

1. Hazardous Walking Surfaces

There are a variety of ways a walking surface can turn into a hazard. When a floor or ground is cluttered, has potholes or loose tiles or floorboards, has been recently waxed or mopped and is still wet, or features torn carpeting, someone can easily slip and fall.

If you have been arrested for DUI in Illinois, the arresting officer may ask that you submit to chemical testing to confirm the presence of drugs or alcohol in your system. If you refuse to submit to the testing, you can receive a driving suspension for 12-36 months. Likewise, if you submit to the testing and the test confirms blood alcohol concentration levels of .08 or above, you could receive a 6-12 month suspension of driving privileges.

If you have been affected by a statutory summary suspension, these requirements will terminate once the minimum period passes and once you have paid the $250 reinstatement fee. After your first arrest, you will have to pay a $500 reinstatement fee.

A revocation of a driver's license can be administered by the Secretary of State in conjunction with information from state attorneys located at the county level. You could have your driving privileges revoked without a hearing if the Secretary of State's office deems that it has gotten sufficient evidence from one of these attorneys. A driver might have recourse to contest the results through an administrative hearing.