Posted on January 23, 2019 in DUI

There are many legal ramifications of a drunk driving charge, one potential consequence is that you may lose your license. Thankfully, there are actions you can take to get your license back if you find yourself in this situation. In this article, we are going to talk about how to get your license back after a DUI charge in Illinois.

License Revocation Process

If you’ve had your license revoked because of one or more drunk driving charges in Illinois, you can get your license reinstated. The bad news is that it can take a lot of time and effort.

First you will have to request an informal hearing with a Secretary of State hearing officer, who will check to see if you’ve had a clean driving record during your license revocation. This is also the time to plead your case to the hearing officer as to why you should have your license reinstated.

The next step is to undergo a drug & alcohol evaluation and potentially a treatment program based on the results of that evaluation. You will also need to prove your financial responsibility by obtaining car insurance (which will likely be a high-risk policy).

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 Posted on January 16, 2019 in Criminal Law

When you’re in need of legal help, you want to make sure you find a lawyer that’s right for you. In this article, we are going to outline a few questions you should ask your attorney before you hire them.

What are Your Credentials & Experience?

The first and most basic thing you need to confirm is that your attorney has the necessary credentials and experience. Ask where they went to law school and how long they’ve been practicing law. A young associate who just graduated from law school last year is going to have a lot less experience than an attorney with 20 years under their belt.

Have You Handled Cases Like This Before?

It’s important to hire an attorney who has experience with cases like yours. There are many different areas of law and most attorneys are not experts in every single sub-specialty. Instead, most lawyers focus on a few practice areas. You want to make sure you hire a lawyer who specializes in your area of law. So if you’ve been arrested for a drug crime, ask your attorney if they’ve handled drug cases before. If they haven’t, find another attorney with experience in that area of law.

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 Posted on January 09, 2019 in DUI

Illinois DUI law is a complex topic with a variety of factors at play in any given DUI charge. In this article, we are going to explain the various aggravating and mitigating factors you may face when charged with a DUI in the state of Illinois.

What are Aggravating Factors?

When you get a DUI in Illinois, there are various factors that will be considered before you are officially charged. These factors can contribute to the level of DUI charge you receive. Aggravating factors typically lead to a harsher DUI charge. These factors include:

• This is your third+ DUI arrest
• The DUI event occurred while driving a school bus or a vehicle for-hire carrying passengers
• The DUI event resulted in great bodily harm.
• The DUI crime was committed without a valid driver’s license, without vehicle liability insurance or while revoked or suspended for a previous DUI, reckless homicide or for leaving the scene of a crash with injury.
• This is your second+ DUI committed while transporting a child, or a first offense DUI with a child in which the child was injured in an accident.

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 Posted on January 02, 2019 in Criminal Law

Getting pulled over by a police office is a nerve-wracking experience for most. Many people don’t know how they should act and aren’t aware of their rights. In this article, we’re going to talk about when you should call a lawyer when you’ve been pulled over.

Do You Need to Call a Lawyer

Obviously, not every pull over event requires the help of an attorney. If an office pulls you over for a broken tail light, writes you a ticket, and sends you on your way – it’s probably best to just pay the ticket and move on. But if you find yourself in a more serious situation, such as being tested for drunk driving, then you need to seriously consider involving an attorney.

What’s the Right Time?

If you’ve been charged with a crime, you have the right to consult with an attorney. But when exactly should you ask to speak with a lawyer? The short answer is – as soon as possible. An attorney can help you understand your rights and prevent you from saying or doing something that may help the state’s case against you. If an officer places you under arrest, you should keep quiet and ask politely to speak with your attorney before giving the officer any additional information.

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 Posted on December 27, 2018 in Criminal Law

When you’re in need of an attorney, you want to make sure you hire someone you can trust. But with so many lawyers, it can be tough to decide who is a good fit. In this article, we are going to talk about some qualities to look out for in a great criminal or civil attorney.

Experienced

Experience goes a long way when it comes to representing clients in criminal and civil matters. An attorney who has been practicing law for the past decade is going to have a lot more knowledge of how the process works, as well as the idiosyncrasies of local prosecutors and judges, than a lawyer fresh out of law school. Additionally, make sure that your attorney practices the type of law that you need. Most private attorneys specialize in a specific area of law. So if you’ve been charged with a crime, look for a criminal lawyer.

Respected

You also want to make sure that your attorney is well-respected – both by their clients and their peers. Check the attorney’s website and see if they have testimonials from previous clients and other attorneys. Another great place to look for reviews is the attorney’s third-party online listings, such as their Google business listing, Yelp, Yellowpages, etc.

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 Posted on December 19, 2018 in DUI

When a police officer pulls you over (whether for suspected DUI, speeding, or another charge), it’s important to be aware of your rights so you can act accordingly. In this article, we are going to talk about the steps you should take if you’re ever pulled over by a police officer in Illinois.

5 Steps to Take

Here are five simple steps to take when an officer pulls you over:

1. Don’t Panic. Even though you may be freaking out on the inside, maintain a calm demeanor. Take deep breaths and relax as much as possible.
2. Be Polite. Be courteous to the officer and follow their basic instructions. Show them your license and registration when asked and keep your hands on the wheel at all times.
3. Keep Your Mouth Shut. Other than your basic identifying information, you are not required to answer any questions that the officer asks you. After you have provided your basic information, do not answer any of the officer’s questions and don’t try to “talk your way out” of the situation.

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 Posted on December 12, 2018 in Personal Injury

New research out of the University of Buffalo suggests that the price of your vehicle may help predict your likelihood of getting injured in a car crash. It may sound odd, but when you start to think about it, it makes sense. After all, if a Cadillac Escalade gets in a collision with a Fiat, odds are the driver of the SUV is going to walk away with fewer injuries than the person in the small car. Researchers also noted that vehicle type and total weight also play a significant role in predicting injuries.

“We found that vehicle type, curb weight and price are all significant predictors of personal injury cost,” said Dietrich Jehle, a professor of medicine and biomedical research at the University of Buffalo.

According to researchers:

• For every additional $10,000 you spend on your purchase price, injury likelihood drops by nearly 12 percent.
• For every 1,000-pound weight increase, vehicles were 19 percent safer.

“More expensive cars are typically safer in a crash due to the greater weight of the higher value vehicles, the presence of more sophisticated safety features and the fact that SUVs, which tend to be the safest vehicles on the road, are priced higher than the average passenger vehicle,” Jehle said. “In our study, we found that nearly one-third of this increased safety is due to the greater weight of the vehicle and 11 percent is a result of the type of vehicle driven such as an SUV versus a sub-compact. Sophisticated safety features can explain much of the remaining benefits.”

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 Posted on December 05, 2018 in Personal Injury

Ejection from a vehicle during a car crash is typically associated with the most severe types of injuries. That’s why it’s so important to always wear your seat belt when you’re in a moving vehicle. The problem is, not everyone buckles up all the time, and that can leave you susceptible to major injury. Today, we take a closer look at injuries caused by an ejection.

Car Ejection Causes

Most people believe an ejection occurs when an unbelted rider if thrown forward through the windshield, but that’s not always the case. A person can be ejected from the vehicle through the windshield, through a side window, or out the car door. Some factors that can contribute to an ejection include:

• Vehicle rollover
• Speed at the time of crash
• Seat belt malfunction
• Faulty door latches
• Weak side windows

There are two types of ejections a person can suffer during a car crash:

• Partial Ejection – As the name implies, when part of a body is thrown through the glass or outside the body of the car, this is known as a partial ejection.

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 Posted on November 28, 2018 in Personal Injury

A car accident is a physically and emotionally traumatic experience that can leave you asking the question, “Where do I go from here?” That’s why we’re here; to help you get on the road to recovery. Today, we share some tips for handling physical and legal issues after a car accident.

Steps To Take After a Car Accident

Here are some steps that can help you care for yourself after an auto accident.

1. See a Doctor – If you’ve suffered any type of injury, no matter how minor, it’s important to swing into an injury clinic. This is helpful for numerous reasons. First, they can help diagnose your injury, address your wounds and prescribe medication to assist in the healing process. Also, in the event that you want to file an injury claim, you’ll want to have had your immediate injuries documented by a physician.
2. Rest and Watch for Symptoms – The next thing you’ll want to do is take it easy for a few days and let your body recover. This is also a crucial time to listen to your body, as sometimes injuries and symptoms take a few days to arise after an accident. This is particularly true with concussions, so if you are feeling groggy, confused or have regular headaches, it’s probably worth another visit to a physician.

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 Posted on November 21, 2018 in Traffic violation

Drunk driving is a dangerous choice that can have fatal consequences, but thousands of people make the decision to drink and drive every day. To get a better idea of just how problematic drunk driving is in the United States, we’re sharing this infographic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Contact Appelman Law 

If you are in need of legal representation for a criminal or civil matter, look no further than the lawyers at Appelman Law. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience representing clients for a wide variety of charges – including dui, driving with a suspended license, drug crimes, and more. Contact us today at Appelman Law for a free initial consultation on your criminal or civil matter. Our office is in Naperville, but we represent clients throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

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