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Restaurant Bankruptcy1/19/2020
Restaurants are among the most financially shaky organizations, and Marie Callender's has shown that again.
Perkins & Marie Callender’s has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, prompting 29 restaurants to close – including two of the last left in Northern California. The restaurant chain announced the filing on Monday, noting that the company had decided to close 10 Perkins and 19 Marie Callender’s stores the day before. The locations chosen to be closed were underperforming restaurants, the company said. No official list of restaurants closing has been released, but both the Citrus Heights and Modesto locations of Marie Callender’s have been removed from the company’s website. The Sacramento Marie Callender’s location on Freeport Boulevard remains open. At least 11 other Marie Callender’s restaurants in Southern California were also closed as part of the bankruptcy, CBSLosAngeles.com reports. A total of 27 Marie Callender’s restaurants still remain open, with most being in California and three locations in Nevada.
Don't Spend Money in Crazy Ways
It took three months, nearly one million pennies, and many bank visits to cover the floor of Lincoln Restaurant completely in coins. But as it turns out, pennies don’t exactly make great flooring material, and the whole thing is starting to fall apart. Now, the 16th president-themed restaurant will be tearing up the pennies—all 996,738, to be exact—and replacing them with a new wood flooring. Owner Alan Popovsky says the coins will be placed in a solvent that’s supposed to remove the epoxy, so he can keep the cash.
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Auto Accident1/19/2020
We think it’s pretty safe to say that no one enjoys driving in the winter. The snow, ice, and sleet make for dangerously slippery road conditions and poor visibility. On top of that, there are more drivers on the road thanks to holiday preparations and travel. Together, these factors increase the likelihood that you and your family will experience a car accident.
Still, there’s no getting around driving: you have to get to work, go to the grocery store, and travel around the holidays. Since you have to get behind the wheel almost every day, we’d like to help you make sure that every journey is a safe one.
What are some of the most common winter driving accidents?
1) Rear-end collisionsIt’s common to try to apply the brakes very quickly when you see a car in front of you slow down abruptly. While this may help you avoid a collision on a clear non-icy road, it actually increases your chances of an accident in dangerous winter conditions. Why? When your wheels stop moving very suddenly on a slick icy surface, you slide. Once you are in a slide, it can become very hard to regain traction and you’ll quickly find yourself smashing into the car ahead of you if you’re not careful. How to avoid a rear-end collisionIn order to avoid a rear-end collision on an icy road, you’ll want to at least double (or even triple) your following distance. Increasing your following distance allows you to apply the brakes slowly which helps your tires remain in contact with the ground. It also helps to drive slower. If you keep your speed down, you’ll stay in better control of your vehicle and you’ll also be able to slow your momentum without slamming on the brakes.
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Work Comp Lawyer8/31/2019
Were you injured on the job? Contact a workers comp attorney today! Delay may affect your award.
1 . Find a certified specialist in Workers Compensation.
You wouldn't go to a dentist for a knee surgery. Make sure that you're retaining a workers' compensation specialist to handle your workers' compensation matter. Workers’ Compensation is its own body of laws, with its own judges. You want someone who is familiar with the intricacies of the laws, familiar with the board, and also the local judges. Workers’ Compensation law firms also have relationships with medical practices that accept Workers’ Comp. patients, which can greatly improve the quality of your treatment. You won’t get the same level of assistance if Workers’ Compensation isn’t an attorney’s primary practice area. 2. Check Yelp and Google Search for Workers’ Compensation attorneys in your area. Look at reviews, browse websites, and read attorney bios online. Many firms have social media presences and blogs. Take advantage of those resources to make sure you feel a connection. 3. Bad support staff is nightmarish. Workers’ Compensation cases generally work on a contingency fee, and that means you’re not paying directly for your attorney’s time. Consequently, more often than not, if you have a question or need help filling out some paperwork, you’ll be dealing with paralegals, case managers, legal assistants, and intake specialists, while your attorney goes to hearings and depositions. Make sure the support staff is knowledgeable and well-trained in the area of Workers’ Compensation. 4. Look for someone who will prioritize your treatment and not just your award.Your financial award or settlement is obviously an important part of your case, but it’s not the most important part of your case. Your health and well-being is priceless, and your lawyer doesn’t get 15% of that. Make sure whoever you retain will help you get the best possible medical treatment -- that means helping you find a doctor who isn't in the insurance company's pocket -- and will fight for you when the insurance company denies necessary treatments. If your case is denied, your attorney should help you find a doctor who will treat on lien. Care is key. 5. Get a free consultation. Most firms offer free consultations to prospective clients! Does the person you talk to make you feel comfortable? Does he or she answer your questions and reassure you? Dealing with a workplace injury and a Workers’ Comp. claim can be incredibly painful and stressful, and you want to retain someone who will help you get through this difficult time.
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PERSONAL INJURY8/31/2019
Getting a great settlement for your injury is dependent on having a great personal injury attorney.
If you require an attorney to represent your interests in court or you just need one for personal consultation on an ongoing negotiation, you should opt for a good personal injury attorney rather than an ordinary attorney. You can build enough confidence with a personal injury attorney to ensure a comfortable legal process.
Today there are many attorneys with sufficient knowledge to successfully tackle a personal injury claim; however you should take time to choose one with the right skills and experience to stand for your interests in a personal injury case. Irrespective of the years of experience, refrain from choosing an attorney who mainly works with an insurance company because it is only normal for these attorneys to put the interest of the insurance company first before yours. There are many ways to go about finding the perfect personal injury attorney to defend your interest. One good way to do this is to compare different law firms. You can contact several attorneys and arrange meetings where you can discuss your claim with each of them. You can then go on to hire the attorney you feel most comfortable working with after the consultation. Why an attorney might not be interested in handling your caseSearching for the perfect personal attorney is no easy task, avoid going for just any kind of attorney. You will need to select an attorney that shows sufficient interest in your case and this would typically involve a lot of research. You will also need to agree on a mode of payment once you have found the right attorney. It is advised that you choose an attorney you can pay based on a contingency fee. This means that the amount of money the attorney is paid depends on the compensation you get. The contingency fee mode of payment may present a number of reasons for some lawyers to decline handling your case. Since law firms are typically very expensive to run, an attorney is likely to reject your offer if he considers your claim too small. However if your claim is really small, you can still hire a personal injury attorney, but this time you can pay your attorney hourly to put you through any complicated part of the case that you do not understand. An attorney may also refuse to take on your case if he feels the chances of winning full compensation is very slim despite your high claim. This is usually the case if the attorney thinks you are largely to be blamed for the situation due to your negligence and it would be difficult to pin the blame on someone else.
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MEDICAL MALPRACTICE8/31/2019
Has a doctor been negligent with you? You might need a medical malpractice attorney. Here are some things to consider;
Selecting the right attorney can often make or break a medical malpractice case; these cases are intensely complicated, and doctors are always represented by tough, aggressive insurance companies and attorneys because they are generally on a hospital's payroll. Even if they're not, their insurance company will put together a terrifying legal team.
Most commonly, medical malpractice cases revolve around a childbirth injury, medication mistakes, wrong or missed diagnosis or surgical errors. Look for a medical malpractice attorney whose expertise matches your circumstances. Most attorneys in medical malpractice law practice one of two kinds:
The attorney will be paid for his or her time only when he or she collects on the judgment. The good news is that initial consultations are free, and many will take on your case with a no win, no fee arrangement.
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Immigration8/31/2019
Want to become a permanent resident? Here's how to find a great immigration lawyer
A good immigration attorney can make all the difference to your case. Many are hard working, honest professionals who genuinely want to help you. They could, after all, potentially be making a lot more money in some other area of law.
However, a bad immigration lawyer can overcharge you, fail to provide the promised services, and/or damage your case in a way you might never recover from. Whether you are seeking to file a petition for a visa or green card, trying to avoid deportation, or applying for some other immigration benefit, make sure you get the right sort of lawyer on your side. Here are some tips to avoid the shadier types of practitioners. Avoid Lawyers Who Approach You at USCIS or Other Immigration OfficesA few "high-volume, low value" immigration attorneys prowl the hallways of immigration offices attempting to solicit business. This is not considered ethical behavior by the legal bar. Besides, any good immigration attorney is probably going to be too busy practicing immigration law and working for their clients to spend their time rounding up new clients this way. Make Sure You're Dealing With a Real Lawyer, Not a "Visa Consultant," "Notario," or "Petition Preparer"Would you ask a neighbor to replace your heart valve, or your doctor to fill out your tax forms? Hopefully not. For the same reasons, only an actual, practicing lawyer should be trusted to handle your immigration matters. Unfortunately, many non-lawyers; even some well-meaning ones, who don't recognize how complex this area of law really is; claim to be capable of assisting foreigners who need help with the immigration process. In many cases, they offer little value other than a typing service. In the worst cases, they may literally take your money and run, or fill out your forms in wrong and dangerous ways without telling you the meaning of what they're doing. Research the LawyerYou can probably find out a lot about your lawyer online: whether he or she is listed as a member of a state bar association (a requirement) and of the American Immigration Lawyers' Association or AILA (a professional organization that most of the best attorneys join); whether he or she gets good reviews on websites like Martindale; whether the lawyer has written professional articles for publication; and so on. If the only reviews you turn up show the lawyer getting arrested or disbarred, you can save yourself a personal meeting. Run From Lawyers Who Give Unethical Advice or Make Illegal OffersBe careful of any immigration attorney who suggests that you do something fishy: perhaps lie on an application or to a USCIS officer, give the attorney extra money with which to bribe an immigration authority, or buy a fake green card from him or her. Such cases have actually occurred. The sad thing is that if you are caught going along with such a scheme, you are likely to get into much more trouble than the attorney. Saying, "But he told me that buying this green card stamp was the fastest way to work in the U.S.!" is likely to get you nowhere, and will create a permanent stain on your immigration record, potentially making you ineligible for any future visas or green cards (inadmissible). Be Skeptical of Unrealistic PromisesNot even the best attorneys can guarantee success. Ultimately, the outcome of you case is up to an immigration judge, the Department of Homeland Defense and/or USCIS. Any attorney claiming he or she has a 100% success rate and guaranteeing you a particular outcome may need to be more closely evaluated. Compare Advice By Talking to More Than One AttorneyWhile most good immigration attorneys will likely be pretty busy, you should be able to talk to them and their office staff to get a sense of their commitment to clients as well as their overall demeanor and impression of honesty. Talking to several attorneys will give you some basis for comparison before choosing the one who will be representing you. It will give you a chance to "feel out" various attorneys to get a sense of their personality and work philosophy to determine if they will be a good fit for you. In some cases, getting a second opinion may actually reveal that the first attorney did not fully understand your case or the law, or was trying to take your money to do something impossible or unethical.
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Bankruptcy8/31/2019
Overwhelmed with debt? Consult with a great bankruptcy attorney
Choose A Bankruptcy Lawyer
So, you’re in deep financial trouble. Behind on mortgage, car and student loan payments. Already maxed out six credit cards and headed that way on the seventh. Finally got another job, but the salary is 20% less than what you were making when you already were in trouble. There is a layer of anxiety wrapped around you every day feels like a belt. All you want to do is scream: “H-E-L-P!” Fortunately, there is good news. You have a shot at a new life by filing for bankruptcy and you might not even have to lose your home or car. All that’s required is successfully choosing a bankruptcy lawyer capable of getting you out of this miserable situation. Just knowing you’re in too deep to manage things yourself is an impressive first step. Bankruptcy courts groan under the weight of desperate debtors who tried to represent themselves. Bankruptcy law is complicated and exacting. Many self-represented filers wind up worse off than they were before, losing their possessions without discharging any of their debts.
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Divorce Court8/31/2019
Who can I turn to, when nobody needs me? It's hard to know where to turn when you’re faced with divorce. Rare is the person who has prior experience with the legal loopholes associated with this difficult process. Finding the right divorce lawyer is key to what could be a faster, less painful divorce, compared to a long, drawn-out emotional and financial nightmare. But if you don’t know what to look for in a divorce lawyer, how do you know you’re investing all of your money, hopes and dreams in the right one?
Here are some strategies 1. Be practical. Your divorce attorney’s job is to represent you in a legal matter. Their job is not to be your therapist or counselor and they don’t want to be. Since your attorney has higher rates and the clock is always running, it’s a gross misuse of your money if this is how you’re using them. And divorce attorneys have seen it all. What seems immensely important to you might barely register for them within the scope of the legal process. So be realistic about the role of your divorce attorney, and what you can expect from them. 2. Consider Alternatives. Before you hire a divorce attorney, consider other options to traditional litigation. If you don't have kids, you could hire a mediator to help you negotiate the terms of your divorce. Mediation is the fastest, cheapest way to get divorced, and you might not need to hire an attorney at all! If your negotiation is more complicated, you’ll have to hire a divorce lawyer to negotiate a settlement with your spouse’s attorney. Or you could consider a collaborative divorce. A collaborative divorce is focused on negotiation with the goal of preserving a co-parenting relationship. Your last resort is a litigated trial. Typically, these are the cases when neither side will compromise. So you need to determine what type of divorce attorney you need based on your unique circumstances. Realize that any divorce attorney you talk to will try to steer you in the direction of their own specific expertise. It’s up to you to know what you want first, so you can make the right choice. 5. Interview and research potential attorneys. Start with an initial phone call. Ask them about their experience and specialization within family law. Ask them about what type of client they typically represent. Ask them about their rates. Most divorce lawyers charge an hourly fee and require a retainer — a fee charged in advance. Some lawyers will also negotiate fees based on anticipated settlements. Don’t waste your time (or theirs) on a meeting if they’re out of your cost range. Most divorce attorneys provide a free consult to discuss your specific situation and what their legal approach would be. So take advantage of it to gather as much legal advice as possible! Typically, the attorney you meet with will not be handling the day-to-day issues related to your case, so ask to meet the colleague or associate that would. The divorce process can also include financial experts, parenting coordinators, coach facilitators, and forensic appraisers. Find out your attorney’s access to these resources and if any would be relevant to your case, as it will affect overall cost. And even if you have no intention of heading to trial, look at the attorney’s trial record and history of success in court. This track record is an indicator of your attorney’s success in negotiation. 6. Look for red flags. Unfortunately, many attorneys will tell you what you want to hear just to close the deal. While this is your life, it’s a business for them. There are no guarantees in this process, so if an attorney is making promises, don’t believe it. If an attorney talks about high-profile clients or divulges confidential information based on other cases, it’s highly likely they’ll do the same to you. If they aren’t respectful of other divorce attorneys you’re interviewing, it’s a sign that they won’t be to you either. And if during your consult, they’re constantly distracted by phone calls and emails and can’t focus their sole attention on you, they likely won’t during your divorce case. Make sure the lawyer you choose acts according to the professional ethics of the industry and treats you with the respect and attention you deserve. This might be their business, but it’s your life. 7. Make your choice. The divorce attorney you choose to represent you is local, professional, knowledgeable, responsive and communicates well. This attorney is someone you trust and feel comfortable with. This attorney supports your basic philosophy toward divorce and has a style that works for you. This attorney recognizes the importance of your children and puts them first in the legal process by not making unreasonable child support demands or custody arrangements. This attorney is affordable. Divorce is a highly personal and emotional process, the outcome of which can have a significant impact on your life. This is an important decision, and there are no guarantees in this process. However, if you follow these steps, you’ll find the right one — the one who listens to what you want, advises you well and has your best interest at heart.
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DUI Attorney8/31/2019
You've been arrested ... how will you find a great DUI attorney to represent you?
Tips for finding a good DUI lawyer
1. Check their experience Experienced DUI lawyers know your rights and what to look for in a case and have been tried and tested. They know what types of arguments are successful in court. DUI cases can be complex, so it is important that the lawyer knows the law. 2. Ask friends and peers for recommendations Speak with friends who have either been charged with a DUI, or have connections to law enforcement. They should be able to refer you to attorneys who have good reputations, and who provided top quality representation to them or another friend in the past. 3. Meet with the DUI lawyer Schedule a face to face meeting with a DUI lawyer. Many DUI lawyers will schedule free consultations. Make sure your lawyer is someone who impresses youbefore you hire them. 4. Check Yelp and Google Reviews Search for online reviews about the various DUI lawyers. Remember to take reviews with a grain of salt, because sometimes a reviewer might have an axe to grind. 5. Ask attorneys for their opinions In searching for a DUI lawyer, ask other lawyers who they recommend and who they warn against. Many lawyers will be very candid about others in their profession. |