WE RESPOND TO YOUR NEEDS 414-271-1440
Recent Blog Posts
Top 6 Crimes People Get Arrested For in Milwaukee
By: Watching the local news may lead you to believe that people are constantly being caught and arrested for very serious crimes, like violent felonies and even murder. However, this is not quite true. The most common offenses that people get arrested for may surprise you. While we like to think that jails exist to keep dangerous offenders out of the community where they cannot hurt anyone, the local jails are typically filled with non-violent offenders.
If you have already been arrested, you need not feel alone. Hundreds of people are arrested every day in Wisconsin. If this is the situation you are in, a qualified defense attorney may be able to help minimize the impact your arrest will have on your life.
What Are the Most Common Reasons People Get Arrested?
Note that the most common causes of arrest can vary depending on the season and exactly where you live. The pandemic has also had an impact on what types of crimes and arrests are most common. Some of the most common crimes people are arrested for include:
The Blurred Line Between Trespass and Burglary
By: Even the more serious forms of criminal trespassing are generally charged as a misdemeanor, carrying no more than a year in jail at the worst. Burglary, however, is at minimum a Class F felony, punishable by up to 12 years and six months in prison. The punishments for these offenses are wildly different, but these Wisconsin offenses themselves can be strikingly similar. The line between trespass and burglary is less clear than most people realize. Both involve entering or remaining in another’s property without consent. The difference may hinge on what the state thinks you were planning to do in there. If you are facing either charge, it is important to seek out a skilled defense attorney who can fight to minimize the legal jeopardy you are in
What is the Difference Between Criminal Trespass and Burglary?
First, it is important to note that in Wisconsin, there are different categories of both offenses depending on the type of property unlawfully entered and any offense you allegedly planned to commit inside. The degree of the felony or misdemeanor charged can vary based on a number of factors. That said, the definition of “burglary” may be much wider than you would expect
Avoiding Social Security Scams in Wisconsin
By: Scams are growing more and more sophisticated with each passing year. Avoiding scams can be difficult, due to both how common they are and how convincing they can appear to be. The elderly are perhaps the most common targets for Social Security and Medicare scams, although people of all ages can and do fall victim to scam artists. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that victims lost millions of dollars to social security scams in 2018 alone, and that number is only increasing. Keeping yourself, your family and your elderly or more vulnerable loved ones up to date and educated about current common scams is one of the best ways to stop these predatory criminals from victimizing more individuals. Read the governmental agency links on how best to avoid scams. Contact a lawyer knowledgeable about consumer protection laws for help if you or a loved one were the victim of a scam or identity theft.
COVID Scams to Watch Out For
The pandemic has brought out the best in a lot of people. Communities have banded together to help each other out and look out for the most vulnerable. Sadly, there are those who have taken advantage of the pandemic by inventing creative new scams. Many of these scams are designed to take advantage of more vulnerable people, especially the elderly. Spotting scams can be tricky. Scammers are often adept at creating a sense of panic, forcing victims to act quickly before they have a chance to fully evaluate and think through the situation. People who are already aware of these new scams and techniques stand a better chance of avoiding falling prey to them.
If you already have been a victim, do not be too embarrassed. Scam artists are good at what they do and it happens to a lot of people. If you were harmed by a COVID scam, a lawyer may be able to assist you.
What Scams Based Around COVID Should I Be Aware Of?
A little knowledge can go a long way towards avoiding scams. Make sure to pass on these warnings to anyone you know who may be more vulnerable to them. COVID scams include:
Top Reasons Wisconsin Healthcare Professionals Lose Their Licenses
By: Doctors, nurses, therapists, and other health care professionals work extremely hard to obtain their professional licenses. Between schooling, practical training, and undergoing background checks or even enduring questions about mental health, it is not easy to get a professional license in the health care industry. Losing a license can be devastating, and it can happen for a number of reasons. Both criminal charges, whether or not they are related to your work, and some civil issues can lead to the loss of a medical license. In many cases, successfully defending against a criminal or civil accusation will preserve your license. You may need the skill of an experienced attorney to help you protect your career.
What Criminal Issues Can Lead to the Loss of a Healthcare Professional License?
The biggest reason medical professionals lose their licenses is for committing a crime related to their profession. This can involve anything from stealing narcotics from a hospital to assaulting a patient. Over-prescribing addictive drugs to the extent that patients are harmed is taken extremely seriously. Financial crimes by medical practices, like illegal kickback schemes entered into with pharmaceutical company representatives are not entirely uncommon. Various types of fraud related to billing or in dealing with health insurance companies can result in criminal charges leading to a revoked license.
Legal Options After a Winter Slip and Fall Accident in Wisconsin
Slip and fall accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injury in the winter. Sometimes, these accidents are the unavoidable result of harsh weather conditions. Other times, it is someone’s carelessness that leads others to fall and get hurt. Many slips and falls are entirely preventable when property owners and business operators use reasonable care to keep those on their premises safe. A number of careless practices when it comes to managing winter weather conditions can make accidents more likely.
Demonstrating liability for a slip and fall can be challenging, due to a number of Wisconsin state laws. Whether you will be able to recover is highly dependent on the specific facts of your case. You will most likely need to speak with an attorney first to determine whether you may be eligible for compensation.
What Causes Winter Slip and Falls - and Could I Recover?
Wisconsin land and business owners may not be liable for every slip and fall that happens on their property due to active weather conditions. However, Milwaukee and a number of other Wisconsin cities have local ordinances that require those with properties abutting a sidewalk or other public walkways to clear snow and ice accumulations after the winter storm has stopped. Common reasons people are injured after slipping and falling in the winter include:
Who Is Liable for Truck Accidents Involving Snow or Ice?
During the winter, the roads in Wisconsin and throughout the United States can become very dangerous. Storms may cause snow to accumulate on roads and highways, and cold temperatures may cause ice to form. These conditions can make roads very slick, and drivers will be much more likely to lose control of their vehicles and become involved in collisions. These issues are especially dangerous for large trucks and commercial vehicles, and truck drivers will need to take extra care to drive safely and avoid collisions. When truck accidents occur, victims can work with an attorney to determine who was responsible and take action to recover compensation from the liable parties.
Causes of Winter Truck Accidents
Truck crashes that take place on snow or ice can be deadly. When a massive tractor-trailer truck cannot slow down or stop correctly, it may collide with other vehicles at high speeds, resulting in severe injuries or wrongful death. These accidents may occur because of:
Can Construction Litigation Address Issues Related to Winter Weather?
The winters in Wisconsin can be brutal. Extremely cold temperatures and major storms involving snow, ice, and strong winds can affect people’s lives in multiple ways, and these issues can also have an impact on construction projects. In cases where winter weather resulted in delays or other issues that caused one or more parties to experience financial losses, construction litigation may be necessary. For those who are looking to recover losses or who need to defend against claims related to cold weather, it is crucial to work with an attorney who has experience addressing these matters both inside and outside of the courtroom.
Addressing Delays or Damage Related to Winter Weather
Construction projects may encounter delays for a variety of reasons, and when delays are unreasonable, a property owner, developer, or other parties may take action to address their financial losses. If certain types of work are not completed within the expected time frame, this may affect a contractor’s or subcontractor’s ability to begin other types of work. A delay in the completion of a construction project can affect an owner or developer’s plans to use the property. If a delay results in a violation of a contract, one or more parties may pursue litigation to address the breach of contract.
How Can College Students Defend Against Criminal Charges?
There are a variety of legal issues that may affect college students. Addressing these matters properly can aide students in protecting their rights, continuing receiving education, and pursuing future opportunities. Like all adults, university students can take inadvisable actions, and they may face consequences for certain types of behavior. In addition to addressing violations of school policies that may lead to disciplinary action, students may also need to defend against accusations that they have violated the law. By understanding the potential criminal charges that students may face, they can determine their best options for defense that will help them minimize legal and administrative penalties.
Common Charges That College Students May Face
There are multiple situations where students may be accused of violating the law including:
-
Underage drinking - Alcohol consumption is common on college campuses. Students who are under the legal drinking age of 21 may face charges related to possessing or consuming alcohol or obtaining alcohol by misrepresenting their age or using a fake ID. A minor who violates these laws may face fines of between $100 and $500 for a first offense, and fines will increase for subsequent offenses. These charges may also result in the suspension of a person’s driver’s license for 30 to 90 days for a first offense and up to one year for a second offense.
Can I Pursue Compensation for a Winter Slip and Fall Accident?
As the temperature drops during the winter, Wisconsin residents may encounter a variety of safety issues. Snow and ice that accumulates on sidewalks or other walking surfaces may lead to slip and fall accidents that result in multiple types of serious injuries, such as broken bones or traumatic brain injuries. Victims of these types of accidents may experience a number of difficulties, including costly medical treatment and loss of income if they are unable to work while they are recovering. In these situations, victims will want to determine whether they can take legal action to recover financial compensation from the owner of the property where their injury occurred.
Liability for Slip and Fall Injuries Caused by Snow or Ice
A person’s ability to pursue compensation for a slip and fall accident will usually depend on whether the injury occurred at an establishment that was open to the public, a private residence, or a public area such as a sidewalk. Private property owners are required to take steps to protect the safety of visitors, including addressing slipping hazards on walkways, porches, patios, or decks. If a visitor to a person’s home slips on snow or ice that was not properly cleared, they may be covered under a homeowner’s insurance policy, or they may be able to take legal action to recover compensation for injuries that occurred because of the property owner’s negligence.
