The Eighth Amendment of the United States states that everyone charged with a crime has the right to a reasonable bail and the right not to be subjected to any type of cruel and unusual punishment. One of the greatest things about the United States, particularly in comparison with the dictatorships of the world and of past history, is our assumption that a person is innocent until it is proved that they are guilty. This is one of the reasons for the lawyers we have, and if you’ve been charged with any sort of crime, it’s in your best interest to hire a lawyer to defend your rights.
Yet sometimes, people are guilty. Possibly of a crime, or possibly of simple negligence. In that case, the law also provides recompense for those whose freedoms have been harmed by the actions of another. If you been injured as the result of another person’s actions, you also have the right to get an attorney and make a case against them.
When You Have Been Injured
If you been injured, it’s important to get at personal injury lawyer. Injuries for which you might need a personal injury lawyer include car accidents where another party was at fault, a slip and fall incident at work or somewhere else, injury because a device failed in some way, or possibly medical malpractice. A personal injury lawyer can help you sort through the many complications presented by these sorts of cases.
How Does It Get Complicated?
Take a car accident, for example. Why would you need a personal injury lawyer? For one thing, it may not be entirely clear who is at fault. Perhaps, even if you are hit by another person’s car, the other driver was not actually at fault. The fault could lie with another person who caused an issue, or even with the manufacturer of the other person’s car if something in the vehicle malfunctioned and caused the accident. You might also need a personal injury lawyer to navigate issues with an insurance company. Even if the accident is quite cut and dry, the other person’s insurance company may attempt to get out of paying anything more than they absolutely have to and leave you in the lurch for medical bills, lost time at work, and other things for which you should be compensated.
When You’ve Been Charged With a Crime
If you’ve been charged with a crime yourself, it’s again very important that you look into attorneys that can help you defend yourself and your rights. If you have been accused of drinking or taking drugs and then getting behind the wheel, for example, this is a very serious charge that could affect you for the rest of your life. In the state of Texas, for example, getting a third DWI could land you in prison for two to 10 years.
How Does It Get Complicated?
Complications can arise in a DUI or DWI case from several factors. For one thing, breathalyzer tests have been known to be inaccurate and to render false positives. For another, sometimes after a serious accident it is impossible to know for sure who was actually driving the car in question. If you were a drunk passenger being driven by a sober designated driver, you may still be accused of having been the driver if another person was seriously injured and is out for blood. Even if you were the driver, the consequences of a DUI or DWI charge can be so serious that it’s important to have lawyers looking out for you who can help you understand your options, consider possible appeals, and get you the best result possible.
Whether you’ve been injured or accused, you need a lawyer. Lawyers are there to protect your rights, to help you understand the legal process, and unwind all the legal complications that can arise in any case. Don’t try to go it alone in any of these serious situations: call the law firm and find out how they can help you protect and defend your rights in any situation.