DUI Law - Your Miranda Rights

The fifth amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees, among other things, the right of any person accused of a crime to not testify against himself. This amendment has been a part of the U.S. Constitution since 1791. However, it was not until the 1960s that law enforcement were forced to really take this Constitutional Right seriously.

In 1963 a man named Ernesto Arturo Miranda was arrest for robbery. During the course of police interrogation, Miranda confessed to another serious crime. Ultimately, the courts decided that since Miranda had not been informed of his fifth amendment rights and had not waived them, his confession was not valid.

It is because of this case that law enforcement officers today read what is known as the Miranda Warning to anyone they arrest. The Miranda Warning is simply a statement of every citizens rights to avoid self-incrimination and to legal representation under the U.S. Constitution. Almost everyone is familiar with this warning, having heard it on television or in movies if never in person:

"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you."

It is unlawful for a police officer to take a person into custody without reading that warning. Neither is it advisable that anyone being arrested confess to being aware of that warning should police fail to read it to them. This is because, if the Miranda Warning was not read to the person being arrested then there could be very serious ramifications on the ensuing criminal case.

In many instances, determination of whether or not an individual suspected of driving while intoxicated is over the legal limit or not is still done by a field sobriety test issued by the arresting officer. Field sobriety tests are good at help an officer decide if a person is too impaired to drive. However, they do not give the officer any idea of just what that person's blood alcohol level really is.

Is the person very drunk? Are they just slightly over the limit? Are they even over the limit at all? The officer has no way to know for sure from just a field sobriety test. In most instances the police officer, telling you that the field sobriety test demonstrates that you have been drinking, will attempt to get you to confess to drinking and to how much you have had to drink. However, if you answer these questions and your Miranda Rights have not been read to you nor have you waived those rights then your confession is not admissible in court.

Even if the addressing officer does use a breathalyzer test to determine if your BAC is over the limit, he still has to read your rights to you. If he fails to do so then your case may end up being dismissed. If your rights were not read to you when you were arrested it is important to let your attorney know.

What You Need to Know About Credit Repair Sample Letters

Ok, I am going to go through a quick run down of what you need to know about credit repair sample letters. There are free sources on the internet as well as paid more specialized sources. But here is the gist of it.

First of all, be polite and straight to the point. Open the letter with the regular everyday letter openings. Dear credit bureau, To whom ever it may concern, etc. What ever floats your boat.
Then state the obvious: This letter is a formal complaint that you are reporting inaccurate data.
State that you are distressed, frustrated, angry, how ever you feel about it, that this incorrect information is on your credit report.
Be sure to remind them that credit reporting laws require them to report only accurate data.
Credit agencies receive over 10,000 letters a day. So they tend to give the most attention to seriously wronged consumers. So tell them how this error has wronged you. Turned down for a load that you really needed. The embarrassment of rejection. Your dog died because you couldn't get a loan for a new kidney. You get my point.
Show proof. Bank records should do. Refer to them in you letter and attach them.
Give the name of the creditor and the account number and stress that the data needs to be removed immediately.
Sign your name and have your social security number underneath.
Keep a copy of the letter for your own personal records and send it registered mail.
Again, be sure you have proof that the reported information is wrong.

Panama Instant Passport and Residency Programs

Panama offers a multitude of programs enabling one to fairly easily obtain a Passport, Visa, Residency and Citizenship. Panama is an excellent place for a second passport (2nd passport). The plans are outlined below. Do feel free to ask questions. We do not advise attempting to deal with the immigration authorities without adequate legal representation by a competent attorney.

Warning: All of our passport programs require you to be physically present at the immigration department for fingerprinting and photographing. These are NOT the "Pay someone off in the dark" programs you see on the internet which do not require you to go to the country physically and come with a passport, identity card and driver's license. There are numerous stories on the internet if you look for them of people getting arrested all over the world when they attempt to travel on these passports. What is often done is passport blanks that come back from the manufacturer slightly defective (bad printing, stitching etc.) are marked as not usable by the government and are then sold by unscrupulous immigration officials through third parties. The problem is when the country that issued those does an audit of their immigration department they pick these things up and then the passports are flagged as fraudulent or stolen and this is sitting in some unfortunate person's wallet waiting to be used and can cause a police detention with likely arrest to follow. There was just a raid recently in Guyana and the corrupt immigration officials there were issuing hundreds of passports daily. Now along comes some guy who bought one of these "officially issued" passports and he goes through immigration in say the EU. Well he doesn't appear to be a Guyana type so they query around a bit and he gets arrested. Months after the scandal we still see Guyana Passports being sold on the internet which makes one wonder.

We even see Diplomatic passports being sold on the internet for $50,000 and up. This is ridiculous. What the buyers are not aware of is in almost all countries travel using a Diplomatic passport requires a visa so the country you intend to visit will require you to physically submit the diplomatic passport to their embassy for a visa which will involve scrutiny. So when they contact the diplomatic passport issuing government to verify the purpose of your visit, duration, whether or not you will be attached to the embassy, etc. what do you think is going to happen? Do you think the issuing government is going to provide official documentation for all of your journeys? Do you think they will even know who you are? They will most likely remain non responsive and your passport will probably never be returned as a best case scenario but this would most likely be followed by a knock at the door shake you up or arrest you visit by some authorities depending on where you live, admittedly some countries will not care what you did but others that are terrorist sensitive will get really interested in you and your whole life and you should expect to be added into the watch/stop list making airport travel a nightmare for the next ten or twenty years. The government that issued this diplomatic passport may also contact you after they get contacted for a $10,000 bribe or they will make trouble for you and on it goes. Remember why do you see Nigerian Scam Emails - because they work. There are a lot of stupid people out there so don't be one of them.
How can you tell if a second passport or residency/citizenship program is real?

Be careful when buying a second passport (2nd passport). First thing to look for is the statues in the law that contain the laws spelling out the program you are considering. If there are no statues run the other way. If you are told about a special program not for everyone, run.

Next make sure when buying a second passport (2nd passport) you will be going physically to the immigration department in the country for processing, photographs and fingerprints. This will greatly cut down the odds of a scam. Normally the country will want to know who you are, and like to see and copy a valid passport as a minimum. If the deal is you give them pictures and they send you the documents run away, this is probably a scam involving a counterfeit passport blank or a stolen one. I have even heard of them applying for passports in the name of a dead person using your picture. What if he was a dead criminal with warrants outstanding?

When buying a second passport (2nd passport) never agree to get a name change and a second passport all in one shot unless it involves court appearances for the name change. If not this probably involves a corrupt government official and will surely be trouble. If you do a name change in court in some jurisdiction make sure it is not public record or it is greatly diminished in value. Never carry two different passports with your picture in both that have different names unless you enjoy being detained at airports, border crossings etc. A lot of scams involve a story that goes like this; Ok Mr. Gringo you want the passport to be able to travel and open bank accounts and not as a citizen of the USA, EU, Canada etc. Ok well it is best to do so using a name that sounds like someone's name in our country, here let me suggest this name: Enrique Haeverra. Hey that sounds great you say. Now what you don't know is they got Enrique's name off of a tombstone and they are going to identity theft the dead guy for you. This will probably blow up when a cross reference is made or something causes a record check like you trying to enter the country some day and then you are in for it. Remember you don't talk, look, act or have a story like someone from their country should. Some jerk criminal buys such a passport and then gets caught doing something no regular person would do like money laundering 25 million dollars and then they pull his papers, scrutinize them, see the fraud and the pull all the fraud papers of the corrupt official who signed the bad guys papers and then start canceling all the passports this corrupt official processed illegally for fraud, theft, corruption or just to shake you down for money for playing games with their country and of course you better believe they are going to think you are a millionaire.

Another scam is selling second passports (2nd passport) from non-existent or non-recognized countries. This is done a lot usually for $1000-$2000. There are very few countries who will ever accept these passports and then usually only at border crossings. Usage is hit or miss, mostly misses. People buy these to open bank accounts with offshore. This sometimes works but usually in small countries with small banks. The problem comes when the bank examiner looks over their files and sees one of the fantasia passports as an identity document. He hits the roof and says I want to see real passports for all these people in here in 30 days or lock down these accounts. Now what do you do?
Below you can read about all the Panama Passport, Residency and Citizenship programs that are all in the Panama Laws.
Immediate Panama Passport

This program allows foreigners to obtain immediate Panamanian Passport (there is no citizenship that goes with this) under the condition that they make a 5 year certificate of deposit (CD), at the Banco Nacional de Panama (Panama's Government Bank), which earns a minimum of US $750 per month in interest income which currently requires about $175,000 to be deposited. This is a relatively simple, direct program. A visit to Panama is required. One must already have a valid passport that enables them to come into Panama. Getting your Passport in 30 days from time of completion of all required documentation is possible but time frames vary according to workload, holidays etc. The visa and passport is renewable every five years, which requires the CD to be renewed.

The Tourist Pensioner Visa (Turista Pensionado)

This visa is designed for persons whose pension from a government entity or private corporation is $500 or more ($600 or more for a couple per month). You will have to prove this under scrutiny. Usually a pension statement from the government or private pension will suffice but backup bank deposit records could not hurt. The Pensionado Visa is granted indefinitely but it is necessary to prove to the Immigration Department on an annual basis that the income is still flowing from your pension. The benefits include one-time exemption of duties for the importation of household goods (up to $10,000) and an exemption every two years of duties for the importation of a car. There is also a basket of other benefits and discounts available to those holding this Visa. However, please note that under this visa you cannot qualify to acquire Panamanian citizenship or passport, but you do get a Cedulla (national identity card). This would greatly facilitate the opening of bank accounts, financing of real estate, cars, etc. Legal Details of the Pensionado Program follow:

The following are the benefits and privileges for all those classified as Jubilados & Pensionados (irregardless of age) and for all other residents of Panama be they Panamañian or foreign nationals residing in Panama in their 3rd and 4th Ages. It sets the age at 55 for women and 60 for men. Law No. 6 of 16 of June 1987, modified by subsequent changes in the law by Law 18 of 1989, Law 15 of 1992, Law 37 of 2001 and Law 14 of 2003. (As a matter of practicality most establishments will offer the Pensionado discounts to anyone who has the Pensionado id irrespective of their age. Some people are retired at an earlier age.)
SUMMARY IN ENGLISH OF BENEFITS AND DISCOUNTS:

Article I
To receive these benefits, it sets the age at 55 for women and 60 for men for all residents of Panama be they Panamañians or of different nationalities irregardless of age. And it states that all Jubilados and Pensionados (irregardless of age) are also entitled to these benefits:

1. Discount of 50% of price charged for entrance to recreation and entertainment activities, such as movies, theaters, sports and other public productions. This discount is not applicable for those events marked as benefits for the youth, homeless or those specifically authorized by the competent authorities.

2. Discounts for the following means of public transportation:

* Inter-Urban buses, 30%

* Trains, 30%

* Launches and boats, 30%

* 25% discount in air fares in public and private national and foreign Airlines.

3. A minimum discount of the regular prices of hotels, motels and pensions:

1. 50% from Monday to Thursday

2. 30% on Friday, Saturday and Sunday

3. 25% discount of food consumed by the individual in all restaurants except for the Fondas which do not require license to operate.

4. 15% discount in those rapid food establishments.

5. 15% discount in the total cost for services of hospitals and private clinics.

6. 10% discount in pharmacies for those medications obtained with a medical prescription.

1. Discounts in the following medical services:

1. 20% in consultation fees of general medicine doctors and medical and surgical specialists.

2. 15% for dental services.

3. 15% for optometry

2. Insurance companies that include in their policies health benefits for illness shall adjust their fees to include the necessary adjustment so that the benefits of these discounts are transferred in the payment of the premiums when the insured is 55 years old if female, and 60 years old if male and to the Pensionados & Jubilados.

3. 20% discount for technical and professional services.

4. 20% discount for all prosthetic devices as well as those items and accessories of personal assistance.

5. 50% discount in cost of passports.

6. 25% discount in monthly electrical consumption of private or public entity up to 600KW's and the normal tariffs will be applied to anything above that amount.

7. Discuss discounts to properties owned by associations of jubilados and pensionados and the different discounts they are entitled.

8. 25% discount to the basic phone service charges when:

1. the phone service is in the name of the individual

2. is for a residential phone

3. is for one and only one phone. The normal tariffs will apply for anything more.

9. 25% discount in the water bill as long as:

1. the consumption does not exceed $30.00

2. by bill is in the individuals name

3. the bill is residential and is the prime residence. The normal tariffs will apply to all other residences.

Private Income Retiree Visa (Rentista Retirado)

This visa is for persons who don't have a monthly pension, are no longer working, and have received a retirement lump sum. As a visa requirement, that money is to be deposited on a five-year certificate of deposit with the National Bank of Panama, to yield at least $750 a month (at current rates the face value of the CD would need to be approximately $175,000). The visa is renewable every five years, as long as the CD is renewed. The Private Income Retiree Visa includes such benefits as a traveling Panamanian passport (that however does NOT grant nationality), a one-time exemption of duties for the importation of household goods (up to $10,000), and an exemption every two years of duties for the importation of a car.
Person of Means Visa (Solvencia Económica Propia)

Designed for those who wish to live in Panama off their own means, without the need or desire to work or start a business. The person must have a one-year certificate of deposit in any local bank of at least $200,000. $80,000 of the $200,000 can be in the form of a home purchase. Upon applying for the first, provisional renewal of this visa, the certificate of deposit must also be renewed for one more year. After renewal, the visa is granted permanently with the right to a cedula (local identity card). Five years after obtaining the permanent visa, holders will be eligible to apply for Panamanian nationality.
Investor Visa (Inversionista)

Designed for those who wish to establish a business in Panama (note, though, that some retail businesses and some professions are reserved to Panamanians). There must be a minimum investment of $150,000 and minimum of three, permanent Panamanian employees hired. It is granted provisionally for one year and after renewal is granted permanently with the right to be issued a cedula. Five years after obtaining the permanent visa, holders will be eligible to apply for Panamanian nationality.
Small Business Investor Visa
(Inversionista de Pequeña Empresa)

Designed for those who wish to establish a small business in Panama (note that retail businesses and some professions are reserved to Panamanians). There must be a minimum investment of $40,000 and minimum of three permanent Panamanian employees hired. It is granted provisionally for one year, and needs to be renewed three more times before it is granted permanently with the right to a cedula. Five years after obtaining the permanent visa, holders will be eligible to obtain Panamanian nationality.
Self Economic Solvency Visa

Law Number 16, of June 30, 1960 created this program to offer international investors the opportunity to obtain legal residency, citizenship (and passport) in Panama through certain investments in the Republic of Panama.

The Self-Economic Solvency Visa offers three (3) different investment options to qualify for residency status in the Republic of Panama;
Agricultural Investor Visa

Law number 16 of 1960 created this program ("Visa en Calidad de Agricultor") as a means to offer foreigners the opportunity to become permanent residents and citizens in Panama by investing in farms and agriculture in the Republic of Panama.
Small Business Investor Program

This program allows foreign business owners to obtain legal residency in Panama under the condition that they invest a minimum of US$40,000 in either a new business venture, or an established company in Panama. Part of the requirement is that the business must employ at least 3 Panamanian employees paying them at least minimum wage, with social security benefits.
Tax Free Processing Zone Investor Progam

This program allows foreign investors to obtain legal residency in Panama under the condition that they must rent a plot of land or an office or building (rented through a 10 to 20 year concession) within one of the new tax free processing zones in Panama, for the purpose of operating a business from Panama that exports its products or services.
City of Knowledge Work Visa Program

This program allows foreign investors to obtain up to 5 work visas (valid for an initial term of 2 years, and renewable for an additional 2 years) for their company in Panama under the condition that they must rent an office or building within the City of Knowledge of Panama (located within the former Fort Clayton military base), for the purpose of operating a business from Panama.
Temporary Immigrant Visa
Student Visa

This program allows foreign students to obtain legal residency in Panama under the condition that they will be living in Panama for educational purposes, such as attending a Panamanian university, school, etc.

For more infomation on Panama Passports, Panama Residency, Citizenship or Visas click here:
http://www.panamalaw.org

Detecting Reckless Drivers

It is estimated by the National Highway Traffic Administration that a fatal car accident occurs every 13 minutes on American roadways, making car wrecks the number one cause of death for persons between the ages of 2 and 34. For these reasons, it is important to always remain alert and attentive when behind the wheel. Knowing how to detect and avoid a reckless driver can help protect you and your family from a tragic accident.

What to Look For

In order to stay safe while driving, one must follow all traffic laws, remain alert, and be able to detect and avoid other hazardous driving conditions, one of which may be a reckless driver. Statistics indicate that younger, less experienced drivers are the most likely to develop poor driving habits. When you are driving, be on the look out signs of a reckless driver, such as:

Excessive speeding
Weaving in and out of traffic
Ignoring or disobeying traffic laws
Following too closely, or "tailgating"
Abrupt lane changes

Detecting reckless drivers is relatively easy; however, avoiding them may not be.

Avoiding a Collision

If you encounter a reckless driver, do your best to remain a safe distance away. Let them pass you, do not speed up in an attempt to prevent them from darting in front of you. It is best to slow down, change lanes, or turn to avoid an accident. Reckless drivers are unpredictable and oftentimes aggressive, so protect yourself and your loved ones by steering clear.

Accidents and Liability

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident that was caused by another driver's negligence or recklessness, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your losses, including:

All related medical expenses
Lost wages (both past and future)
Pain and suffering
Property damage
Wrongful death of a loved one

Washington Domestic Violence Law

Domestic Violence Charges in Washington

A charge of domestic violence can initiate not one, but a series of criminal prosecutions, setting actions in motion that can have very serious, long-term consequences. Washington state law provides for vigorous prosecution of anyone charged with the crime of domestic violence (DV). It is, in fact, one of the most zealously prosecuted crimes in the state. As in many criminal prosecutions, competent legal counsel is critical to assure that the person charged is provided an effective and timely defense that will generate the most successful resolution possible.

Washington state law defines DV as any crime committed against a family member, someone living in the same household, or against someone with whom you have or have had a dating relationship. While the majority of domestic violence cases involve couples who are in or have been in an intimate relationship, the scope of the law is not limited to that scenario. It can also apply to parent-child relationships, sibling relationships and various other established associations or domestic affiliations as defined in RCW 26.50.010 and RCW 10.99.020.

Washington state law, specifically RCW 26.50 and RCW 10.99, deals with domestic relations and defines the applicable relationships as well as the behavior considered to be in violation under the law. Harassment, intimidation, threatening, bodily injury or harm, physical or sexual assault, and stalking are just a few of the listed violations. Misdemeanor or felony charges can be filed as a result of any of these actions based on the circumstances and severity of the crime.

Once an arrest for DV has been made, the court will schedule an arraignment proceeding where formal charges will be filed by the prosecution and the defendant will be required to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. Upon accepting the plea and assuming a not-guilty plea was entered, the judge will determine the conditions of release. Conditions could include participation in a treatment program, electronic home monitoring, or adherence to a no-contact order. The judge may issue a no-contact order at this time if there is not one already in place. A date is set for the pretrial hearing and the defendant may be released based on the judge's conditions. If, on the other hand, a guilty plea is entered, the defendant may be remanded into custody until sentencing.

No-contact orders are issued by the court for the protection of the victim in a DV case. Adherence to the court order is absolutely essential, whether the victim deems it warranted or not. For example, when law enforcement responds to a DV incident and an arrest is made for criminal conduct, the court will determine whether a protection order is warranted. That order must be honored by both parties or a subsequent arrest and prosecution will be initiated for violation. The victim does not have the authority to reverse a no-contact order and must abide by the judge's order or incur additional criminal prosecution.

At the pretrial hearing, the parties will review the charges and any progress in the case to determine its readiness for trial. At this point, the prosecution and defense have the opportunity to amend the charges or the plea, and the case will either be resolved or will proceed to trial. Motion hearings may be set before trial to hear various issues and then, barring settlement or pleading out to a lesser charge, the case will proceed to trial. At trial evidence will be submitted by both parties, and the judge or a jury will enter its judgment accordingly, either for conviction or acquittal.

The laws of the State of Washington are enacted to protect the victims of domestic violence. The court system works in concert with the district attorney to prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law and protect the victim. If you have been arrested for domestic violence, your first response must be to seek qualified legal counsel who can prepare an appropriate response to the charges filed against you. Procedural and legal responses will need to be presented to support your case and these require the experience and expertise of a professional with years of familiarity with the law. A criminal conviction is a lifelong issue and affect everything from your right to vote and be in possession of a firearm to your future freedom and the ability to work at the job of your choice. It is critical to consult an experienced Washington attorney if you face domestic violence charges. For more information about the legal implications of domestic violence charges, visit http://www.vancouverlaw.net

The Battle Royal

Being waged by three Goliaths and one David is the ongoing clash over Medical Malpractice. The Goliaths on the battlefield are the American Medical Association (AMA), the Medical Malpractice Insurers, Medical Malpractice lawyers, and then there stands David and sometimes all David wants is an apology from the medical professional who was responsible for causing his injury. Case in point is a new Virginia (VA) law that allows doctors and hospitals to apologize to the people they hurt by medical errors. The premise behind it is that .if someone had simply been honest and outwardly caring, many times the patient would not contact a personal injury lawyer at all and that's because patients are more upset by how they were treated, than what has happened to them from the standpoint of the medical result.

Interestingly, the medical malpractice insurance lobby pushed this law to passage. See, not everything lobbyists come up with is bad. Does it really matter if the only reason they did it was to earn the huge fees paid to them by their masters? If the results are good then why should anybody care why they did it? Unfortunately, the results are not always so good. A case in point is California that adopted the purposed tort reform caps with abysmal results. There has only been one true beneficiary of California's "tort reform" law and that's California insurers who have profited wildly from it. Now, not to pick on insurance companies as they are mandated to maximize profits for the stockholders, but why do doctors, who see little if any benefit in their liability insurance premiums, continue to wittingly or not, do the insurers' political dirty work for them? If that's not a question that begs for an answer I don't know what is, unfortunately though I can't answer it unless the answer is one of simple 'hubris'. In which case the latest push to exclude jurists and regular run-of-the-mill judges from medical malpractice cases would make a great deal of sense.

Ok, then, let's stick with 'hubris', as we consider that there is presently legislation pending before congress to set up pilot programs which would divert all medical malpractice cases to special courts where they would be judged by "medical experts" chosen by the hospital in which the alleged malpractice occurred. And should it be that a patient or, in a wrongful death, a family member is dissatisfied with the result, well, they then have the option to have their case heard in another special court presided over by a "medical expert" judge. In effect, never again would a doctor have to answer to anyone that was not a medical 'expert'.

In which case let's take a further look at 'experts' who preside over making medical decisions for us non-expert types:

After 27,000 strokes and heart attacks that, according to the FDA, were tied to the use of Celbrex, Vioxx, and Bextra, 32 'pharmaceutical experts' gathered to discuss the problem. Not to say that the intentions of these drugs were not good as they were supposed to provide pain relief to arthritis sufferers without the side effect of an upset stomach. To that end the drugs succeeded, however the unexpected and dramatic spate of strokes and heart attacks among the drugs users was problematic.

Just as an aside and in case you're curious, of the 32 'pharmaceutical experts' 27 of them had direct financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Of course, no one least of all me, would accuse them of bias, however their solution to the problem of strokes and heart attacks seems somewhat questionable. But who am I to question these experts in deciding that the perfect solution was not to take the drugs of the market but to put more warning on the label.

Now, just in case you are trending towards the idea that 'medical experts' called in to settle medical malpractice cases as the AMA and Medical Insurance Companies are asking for, would not be such a bad idea, you might want to rethink your position. Unless, of course, you happen to be a Goliath and not a David.

Auto Accident Injury Lawyer - Do I Need an Attorney to Get an Automobile Accident Settlement?

Are you thinking about hiring an auto accident injury lawyer? In this article we are going to answer the question "Do I need an attorney to get an automobile accident settlement?" There are many things that race through people's minds after a car crash. You may be in shock and not sure what is going on. What is going to happen after the wreck? Am I badly hurt? Is everyone in the car alright? Just are just a few things that are go through people's heads. One of the things that you are probably not going to think about right after a wreck is if you should hire an auto accident injury lawyer. Let's go ahead and look at some things that should answer your question of "Do I need an attorney to get an automobile accident settlement?"

Are There Serious Injuries Involved?

If there are serious injuries involved then you most likely will need to hire an auto accident injury lawyer to get the automobile accident settlement that you deserve. The insurance company will try to get you to sign papers are quickly as possible but never do this before you talk to someone that knows what they are doing. When someone is too eager to give you money you should ask yourself why. The most common reason is because they know that you can demand more and get a better settlement if you knew your rights according to the law.

Is The Insurance Company "Acting Funny"?

As briefly talked about in the above point, the insurance company may begin to act funny. Maybe they are rushing you to sign papers. They may not be returning your phone calls in a timely manner. If any of this sounds familiar then you may want to contact a car wreck lawyer. Never take any chances when it comes to getting what is rightfully yours.

Are Your Confused About What To Do Next?

Even if you have started working on your claim, it's not too late to talk to a professional. They may have to backtrack to fix a couple of your mistakes but they won't mind. If you do not know what to do next and you are confused by the situation you should not go any further on your own. You may actually hurt your chances at get a good settlement. I am sure you would rather take the time to talk to someone that can help you get your money.