It is the law in Pennsylvania to buckle up

Section 4581 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code requires all front seat drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.

These seat belt laws do not preclude you from getting compensation for personal injuries sustained in a car accident that occurs when you were not wearing yours.

Your injuries may have resulted because you did not wear the seat belt or they may be more serious than they otherwise would have been.  Drivers or passengers not wearing seat belts risk ejection from the vehicle.  Potential injuries can include the following:

• Fractures
• Broken bones
• Bulging, protruding or herniated discs
• Head, neck or back injuries
• Orthopedic injuries
• Brain injuries
• Paralysis or spinal cord injuries
• Death

Unlike other states, Pennsylvania law does not allow a jury to learn that you were not wearing your seat belt.  Nor can the insurance company use this against you when ascertaining damages during settlement negotiations or trial.

Of course, all occupants of a vehicle should wear their seat belts while driving.  Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death and injury to children in the United States.  In Pennsylvania, approximately 7,000 children under age five are involved in crashes each year.  A driver or passenger who is not wearing a seat belt can die instantly when the vehicle speed is as slow as twelve miles per hour.

The driver of the vehicle is responsible for making sure that children use legally appropriate restraints for their age.

Serious injuries require serious and experienced attorneys with an excellent reputation for handling these cases.   Philadelphia car accident attorneys have been representing victims of accidents since 1978.   They litigate complex issues and know how to navigate their way around insurance companies and adversaries.  They use every available resource in the preparation of your case.

But headlines and tweets are reserved for the household names, Maria and Tom, Jennifer and Marc, Eva and Tony are just a few of the names on the list of famous folks to split this year.

Recent headlines belong to reality television star Kim Kardashian and basketball player Kris Humphries—is it divorce, or annulment?  Ms. Kardashian filed for divorce based on irreconcilable differences on October 31, 2011. Her petition makes note of a prenuptial agreement and that each party will pay their own attorney fees. On December 1, Mr. Humphries filed a request with the Superior Court of California seeking to annul his marriage based on a claim of fraud and, failing that, for legal separation.  Documents filed by Mr. Humphries make no mention of a prenuptial agreement, and indicate attorney fees are the responsibility of Ms. Kardashian.

Did Ms. Kardashian commit domestic violence when she slugged Mr. Humphries after he trod upon her toe?  Will Mr. Humphries make a property claim despite a prenuptial agreement?  Only their divorce lawyers know for sure.  Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, or Santa Fe—when the ring comes off the finger, the next ring is the cell phone of experienced legal counsel to sort through prenuptial agreements and potential property battles.

While the wedded bliss of Ms. Kardashian and Mr. Humphries endured only 72 days, the marriage of Two and a Half Men actor Ashton Krutcher and actress Demi Moore lasted six years.  Amid allegations of infidelity by Mr. Krutcher, Ms. Moore filed for divorce on November 17, 2011.  Despite the presence of a prenuptial agreement, Ms. Moore is rumored to seek a share of monies earned by Mr. Krutcher.

The coming year will reveal the outcome of divorce for these unhappy couples as well as the names of more unhappy couples yet to break up.  While the trials of these high profile, high-asset celebrities are momentarily entertaining, their difficulties dramatically illustrate the painful and emotional process of divorce experienced by those with no celebrity and few assets.

Divorce is common.  If considering divorce in California, do what celebrities do—seek experienced advice from a good Santa Barbara divorce attorney.  Get help protecting yourself, your children, and getting the best start you can on the next season of life.

A bankruptcy of the Madoff type goes well beyond the usual filing for bankruptcy. However, it is important to note that it is not just the Bernie Madoffs of the world who can be caught up in complex bankruptcy filings that lead to litigation under bankruptcy law in Pennsylvania. Litigation involving bankruptcy requires the skilled advice of attorneys who are used to handling complex multi-party disputes, as well as complicated issues under both federal and Pennsylvania bankruptcy laws.

Issues arising in bankruptcy litigation

If problems arise in your bankruptcy, and you are drawn into litigation, seek out attorneys familiar with PA bankruptcy laws, ones with experience in the courtroom litigating complex bankruptcy issues. Every aspect of bankruptcy, reorganizations, and workouts can lead to litigation and include issues such as the following:

• Multi-party disputes
• Actions brought by secured and unsecured creditors and committees, debtors, trustees, ad hoc bondholder committees, regulators, strategic investors, equity interests, equity committees, and examiners
• Actions brought by lessors and lessees of real and personal property
• Issues relating to insider trading and transactions
• Fraudulent transfers, sales, and dispositions of collateral

When creditors do not want to accept what they are awarded, or if creditors think they are victims of fraud, they can bring a lawsuit. Angry creditors can attempt to seize assets, place liens on bank accounts or retirement funds, and garnish wages. Skilled attorneys can guide you so that you can avoid accusations by creditors that you violated bankruptcy laws or committed fraud and can represent you in case litigation does arise.

Let our bankruptcy attorneys help you

Whether you have questions about federal or Pennsylvania bankruptcy laws, or are seeking to defend a complex multi-party bankruptcy lawsuit, the attorneys of Harold Shepley and Associates, LLC can assist you. Our law firm is a full service debt relief law firm comprised of bankruptcy attorneys who can help resolve your bankruptcy issues no matter where you live in Pennsylvania. Contact us at 877-533-3389 to speak to one of our lawyers. We are happy to answer your questions about how federal and Pennsylvania bankruptcy law may apply to your particular situation.

Of course, average people who worked hard and acted responsibly for their entire lives—and who operate on much tighter budgets—can all too easily fall into financial trouble.  But for individuals facing debt, foreclosure, or other financial difficulties, an Alpharetta bankruptcy attorney may be able to help.  An experienced bankruptcy attorney can thoroughly evaluate your individual financial situation and offer solutions designed to suit your unique situation.

Georgia Celebrities and Bankruptcy

In 1989, actress Kim Basinger purchased the entire town of Braselton, Georgia.  But 20 years later, she found herself filing for personal bankruptcy and selling Braselton at a $19 million loss.  Her financial troubles were largely due to a $9 million breach of contract judgment levied against her after she backed out of the starring role in the movie Boxing Helena.

More recently, in 2011 former TLC singer Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in a Georgia bankruptcy court after conducting two estate sales and attempting to sell herDuluth,Georgia home.  She withdrew a previous petition she filed earlier that year.  Her current debts include arrearages on two mortgages as well as outstanding payments on two cars.  She also suffers from several health issues that may have contributed to her financial woes.

Fortunately for them and thousands of other residences and businesses in Georgia, bankruptcy law provides protections that give financially troubled people the chance to get out of debt.  Sometimes even the possibility of bankruptcy is enough to make creditors take a softer line in negotiating new payment plans or debt reduction.

To be sure, bankruptcy does have drawbacks and is not a decision to take lightly.  But if you are an individual or business facing collection actions, foreclosure, or other financial issues, an Alpharetta bankruptcy attorney may be able to help you get back on the right track.

Players and coaches assume that concussions and other injuries that result from collisions on the field are unfortunate—but inevitable—parts of the game. An injury lawsuit filed by four former National Football League (NFL) players may change that attitude. Each one of the four players is coping with the disabling consequences of brain injuries, including sleeplessness, memory problems, and headaches. They are suing the NFL for not doing enough to protect players from injuries that cause long-term symptoms.

One of the plaintiffs also produced a short documentary called Bell-Rung about NFL head injuries, including an interview with Ellis Hobbs. His mission? To raise awareness about the high price professional players often pay when they are on the receiving end of repeated traumatic brain injuries like concussions and to urge the NFL to institute more effective safety precautions.

No such thing as a minor head injury

Many of the players interviewed in Bell-Rung describe a tough-guy culture where players anxious to get back into the game, even after a concussion, often get the green light from their coaches. Some players end up with multiple concussions—up to 20 in one football career.

A blow to the head can cause soft brain tissue to slam against the inside of the skull and damage neurons. Less than 10 percent of concussions involve loss of consciousness, but even so-called minor concussions can result in dizziness and headaches that can linger for months. While the brain is healing, the worst thing that can happen is another concussion.

Football fans hold their breath when a player is knocked flat, but they cheer the brutal tackles and bone-crunching blocks—and coaches and owners know this. Hopefully, young athletes will be more aware of the high price of injuries like the following:

• Concussion
• Memory problems
• Headaches
• Sleep disorders
• Depression
• Mood swings

Any experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorney who has represented clients with head injuries understands the devastating long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury all too well. These injuries take a long time to recover from and can cause recurring health issues for the rest of the players’ lives.

• Football players Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith, and William Bleakley were lost in the Gulf of Mexico when their boat overturned in March of 2009.
• Former Louisiana State University defensive end Marquis Hill (who later played with the New England Patriots) drowned when he fell off a boat in Lake Ponchartrain in May 2007.
• The assistant coach of the LSU cheer squad suffered a significant spinal cord injury from a boating accident on the Diversion Canal in St. Amant, Louisiana in August of 2011.

What this proves is physical prowess is sometimes no match against the forces of nature. The U.S. Coast Guard reports that more than 4,000 boating accidents annually result in 500 to 700 deaths, with 88 percent of victims failing to wear life jackets. Wind, waves, speed and, at times, inexperience with boating equipment and safety devices can still add up to tragedy, regardless of athletic accomplishments.

Jones Act lawyers work with recreational maritime (boating) accident victims

All navigable waterways in the United States are governed by maritime or admiralty law, which applies to recreational as well as commercial accidents (fishing boats, cruise ships, tug boats and oil rigs included). It is this set of rules that apply to personal injury cases in both commercial and recreational accidents.

In Louisiana, Baton Rouge personal injury attorneys who work in this area seek the same thing for their clients as they do in land-based personal injury cases. The goal is fair compensation for the injured and their dependents and survivors.

In the case of professional athletes, the considerable salaries of the victims can raise the financial stakes to a high level. However, the rules are the same for all victims. If there was negligence on the part of a manufacturer, distributor or retailer, or any third party involved in the operation of the watercraft involved, there needs to be fair compensation.

Tabloid newspapers and check stand magazines offer daily news of the next celebrity marriage on the rocks.  Madonna got divorced again some time ago, and the break-up rumors of Brangelina, super-cool couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, are perennial gossip fodder.  An industry floored by the dissolution of Jennifer Lopez and Marc Antony moved quickly last summer to the gossiped split of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher.

Amid the couplings and de-couplings, the hit movies and best-forgotten songs, children are born and raised.  While celebrity relationships may pass in the blink of an eye, childhood is not quite the same.

When the party—and the marriage—is over, celebrities endure the same divorce issues faced by splitting couples across the country. These include negotiation of child support, property division, and spousal support.

Consider Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.  Both high-profile personalities, married 25 years with four children, the painful discovery of Mr. Schwarzenegger’s infidelity played out online and in the press last summer in the form of an innocent child fathered out of wedlock by Mr. Schwarzenegger.  Although both parties have significant wealth, Ms. Shriver is receiving child support and has enlisted forensic accountants and child support attorneys to ensure appropriate asset division, and support awards, as allowed under California law

Also in California, late summer revealed the split of singer Melissa Etheridge and her partner of nine years, Tammy Lynn Michaels.  The two disagree on property division, child support, spousal support—and whether the two were actually ever legally married.

In August of this year, supermodel Linda Evangelista asked a New York court to award her $46,000 per month in child support for her four-year-old son fathered by Francois Henri-Pinault, a multi-millionaire businessman who is also the husband of actress Salma Hayek.  In cases of high income, New York courts do not base child support awards on net income, but on the needs and resources of the child at issue.

Tomorrow will bring gossip of another celebrity break-up, or a newly formed couple—like Texan Sandra Bullock and longtime co-star Keanu Reeves.

Laws differ by state, but divorce issues faced by splitting couples in California are similar to those contemplating divorce in Texas.  In Fort Worth, if considering divorce, speak with child support attorneys who can help you move on with your life—and help your children enjoy their childhood.

Offering comprehensive and compassionate representation on divorce, child custody, domestic violence and other matters, the Fort Worth child support lawyers provide strong legal advocacy to clients.

While celebrities may have the wherewithal to cover medical bills, many people do not.  When motorcycle accidents are a result of someone else’s negligence, you have the legal right to recover damages.  A Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer can investigate your case, determine fault, and seek compensation on your behalf.  Most attorneys offer free initial evaluations and take cases on contingency, meaning you owe no fees unless they recover through settlement or verdict.

Information in this post presented by a Bucks County personal injury attorney.

Restitution is payment that a criminal court orders a criminal defendant to make to the victim in compensation of financial losses.  Restitution sometimes comes into play in the work I do representing innocent accident victims in Pennsylvania.

I represent people in civil claims for money damages to compensate them for injuries, lost wages, medical expenses, loss of the ‘pleasures of life,’ inability to perform ordinary duties and activities, etc.  Sometimes the defendant’s negligence is also criminal – such as when someone who has had too much to drink gets behind the wheel of a car.  In those circumstances, in addition to the civil claim for money damages which I am pursuing for my client, the District Attorney may also be prosecuting the defendant for the crime of DUI.  Restitution may occasionally be ordered by the criminal court in addition to the civil money damages claim I am making for my client.  Similarly, Michael Jackson’s doctor may perhaps be ordered to pay money to the legal heirs of Michael Jackson above and beyond the civil suit which has been brought against him by the Jackson family.

If you have been injured in an accident, call me for advice.  I have been practicing personal injury law in Bucks County for more than 30 years.  I will answer your questions accurately and honestly.

Here’s a list of five celebrities who experienced domestic violence during their marriage:

• Tina Turner: One of the most well known cases of domestic violence in the celebrity world is that of Tina and Ike turner. During their marriage, Tina was the victim of harsh beatings, rape, and cigarette burns. What is especially disturbing about this case of domestic violence is that it was widely known by other celebrities. Eventually, after sixteen years of marriage, Tina left Ike.
• Phil Hartman: Beloved Saturday Night Live star Phil Hartman ultimately died because of domestic violence. His wife shot him in 1998 after eleven years of marriage. After calling the police, Brynn Hartman, his wife, later committed suicide. Both drugs and alcohol were found in her system. Sadly, once again celebrity friends of Phil Hartman were aware of the violence.
• Pamela Anderson: Pamela Anderson married Motley Crue front man Tommy Lee after dating him for four days. Lee abused Anderson many times over the course of their three-year marriage. Eventually, Pamela Anderson helped convict Tommy Lee of domestic violence and the rocker spent four months in jail.
• Whitney Houston: The relationship of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown is one of the most well known in Hollywood. Accusations over who hit who went back and forth for years. Then, in 2003, Brown was arrested for battery.
• Rihanna: One of the most recent celebrity cases of domestic violence involved Rihanna and Chris Brown. Rihanna appeared in public with visible injuries after claiming ex-boyfriend Chris Brown had abused her. Brown later turned himself into police.

No one should be a victim of domestic violence. But if you or some you love suffers abuse at home, it is in your best interests to contact an experienced family law firm. Attorneys strive to help clients resolve family law conflicts as quickly as possible. Knowledgeable and compassionate, Manassas divorce lawyers are ready to serve you.