Brunswick, GA (Law Firm Newswire) May 18, 2012 - As summer kicks in, building owners are more likely to have construction teams out doing property maintenance and even renovation projects.

Warmer months outside the rainy season provide the greatest opportunity for owners and municipalities to get the most work done in the shortest amount of time.

Those construction projects can create a hazard, though and work sites can be dangerous for pedestrians walking past or employees trying to get back and forth to work. Construction crews are obligated to put up warning signs and rope off dangerous areas to help keep people from getting hurt.

“Many slip and fall accidents or other injuries happen near work sites that have not been made safe,” said Brunswick dangerous property attorney Nathan Williams. “It is important to call a personal injury attorney immediately following the accident so that photos can be taken of the scene to determine whether enough was done to warn foot traffic. I recommend the victim even take photos with their phone of what the scene looked like when the accident occurred.”

There are many things that need to be investigated in workplace accident cases and construction site accidents are no different. There needs to be some evidence that the building owner or the construction company was negligent and put people in harm’s way. A hole without a barrier, a stack of construction materials in the middle of a walkway or even a puddle of standing water left behind after a landscaping project can be negligent behavior on the part of the building owner.

“The bottom line is that construction projects must be clearly marked so that employees and pedestrians are sufficiently warned of danger,” Williams said. “Without clearly marking a safety hazard, there can be the potential for a real safety risk. Construction season can often brings more risks as crews set up to do projects.”

Nathan Williams is a Brunswick personal injury lawyer, Brunswick divorce attorney, criminal defense and Brunswick DUI lawyer in Southeast Georgia. Visit http://www.thewilliamslitigationgroup.com or call 1.912.264.0848.

The Williams Litigation Group
5 St. Andrews Court
Brunswick, GA 31520
Phone: 912.264.0848
Toll Free: 877.307.4537
Fax: 912-264-6299

Houston, TX (Law Firm Newswire) May 18, 2012 - While the U.S. Supreme Court deliberates about what it will do with Arizona’s controversial immigration law, SB 1070, journalists and opinion-makers have been pouring over every word from the oral arguments to try and determine what the court’s decision might be.

The press on the day of the court’s oral arguments was that the justices seemed to indicate that they generally agreed with Arizona on the issues. “Closer reads on the day’s events show that only one of the issues before the court had the justices sounding sympathetic to Arizona,” remarked Annie Banerjee, a Houston immigration lawyer.

The court was looking at four provisions of the Arizona law.
1. The law obligates law enforcement to verify the immigration status of people stopped during detentions, arrests or just traffic stops.
2. It would be a state crime to be in Arizona illegally and not have papers explaining your status.
3. The new law makes it a state crime for people to work, look for work or apply for work if they are not in the country legally.
4. The authorities in Arizona can arrest people without first obtaining a warrant if they have cause to think they need to be removed from the country.

Among these provisions of the state’s law, the court is charged with trying to determine if these laws conflict with federal law and therefore would be invalid because of the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.

Many observers believe the court will have a hard time making a case that the last three provisions of the state law do not interfere with the federal governments’ ability to implement its policy. The first provision may slip by, since it does not necessarily interfere with federal government policy.

“It is my sincere hope that the close look this issue is getting from the Supreme Court will finally push Washington to come up with a comprehensive immigration policy that works both for skilled workers and those seeking asylum, as well as otherwise law abiding foreigners that have been living in the United States for years,” said Houston immigration lawyer Annie Banerjee.

“Perhaps all of the attention about immigration will put us in a position to change the rules across the board or separate the policy issues so that legal immigration can be addressed without having to be lumped in with illegal immigration reform,” she added.

The Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling in the Arizona case this summer. That decision inevitably will become part of the presidential election-year political landscape.

Annie Banerjee is a Houston immigration lawyer specializing in helping people become United States citizens. The law offices assist in visas and other legal immigration requirements as well. To learn more, visit http://www.visatous.com.

Law Offices of Annie Banerjee
131 Brooks Street, Suite #300
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
Phone: (281) 242-9139

Los Gatos, Calif. (Law Firm Newswire) May 17, 2012 - In a case that took place on January 20, 2012, a settlement amount of $657,500 was awarded to Joe Egan for damages incurred during an auto injury accident on March 8, 2007.

At the time of the accident, Egan, a construction site trash hauler, was stopped at a red traffic light in Campbell, Calif. When the light turned green, Egan paused long enough for the cars in front of him to proceed. As he was preparing to move forward, his motorcycle was struck from behind by an SUV owned and driven by Joy Bowen. Upon impact, Egan’s motorcycle was propelled forward one to two car lengths. Eventually, Egan went down on his right side.

Bodily damages to Egan as a result of the accident include two lumbar disc bulges, a wedge-shaped T-12 fracture, strains and sprains, as well as aggravation of a pre-existing “spinal degeneration” back condition. His mobility, including bending, lifting and stretching -- as well as his enjoyment of life – have been affected as a result of the accident.

Egan sued for motor vehicle negligence, claiming that Bowen began moving her vehicle before it was safe to do so. Although defense counsel argued that all injuries, except the soft tissue injuries, were either pre-existing or caused by the subsequent accident, it was found that Bowen was 90 percent liable. The defendant’s insurance company made a pre-trial offer of only $7,500. It was determined that Egan's damages that amounted to $573,329.78, reduced to $515,996.80, per Egan's comparative fault offset. Post-trial, the case was settled for $657,500. Note: This settlement amount includes pre-judgment interest and costs of pursuing the case.

About Abronson Law Offices
Abronson Law Offices (http://redhouselawyer.com) is a Los Gatos, CA-based civil litigation firm focused on Personal Injury, Business Litigation, Fraud, Legal Malpractice and Medical Malpractice. The firm takes cases throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and beyond, to champion its clients in legal battles through trial or settlement, arbitration or mediation, litigation or dialogue. Abronson Law makes certain that each client thoroughly understands their options so that they can make informed decisions regarding the progress of their case. The firm is distinguished by the ease with which clients are able to contact the attorney handling their case, as well as the degree of personal attention provided to each and every one of its clients.

Abronson Law Offices
236 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite 227
Los Gatos, Calif. 95030
http://www.redhouselawyer.com