Edinburg Law Blog

Criminal defense protections for drug charges

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in criminal defense on Friday, August 17, 2018.

When facing drug charges, it is important to understand that all drug charges are serious. Whether they are possession or distribution charges or are drug charges related to marijuana possession or involve other types of drugs, all drug-related charges are serious.

Drug charges can leave the accused individual with a criminal record which can create significant challenges for them related to housing, education and job opportunities down the road. Additionally, they may face serious penalties and consequences including jail time, fines and other potential penalties and consequences which can impact both their freedom and future. The long-term consequences of drug charges require a serious criminal defense response.

Legal protections are available to victims of distracted drivers

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

Distracted driving is a serious problem on our nation's roadways, including in Texas. There is now a ban on texting while driving in Texas and it is important for victims who have been harmed in a car accident caused by a distracted driver to be familiar with their legal rights and protections.

Unfortunately, the problem is real. The Texas Department of Transportation reports that one in five accidents in Texas involves a distracted driver. During 2016, distracted drivers were involved in a total of 109,658 traffic accidents, which resulted in 3,000 serious injuries to victims and 455 victim fatalities throughout the state. Texting while driving increases the likelihood of being in a car accident by 23 times.

What types of damages are available to car accident victims?

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Friday, August 3, 2018.

Car accidents can leave victims with a host of physical, financial and emotional damages they must face. Fortunately, the legal process provides options to help protect them so that they do not have to face high medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering damages on their own.

When a car accident victim has been harmed by a negligent driver, they may face liability to compensate the victim for the damages they have suffered. Victims may need help with a host of medical expenses they are unexpectedly facing including medical expenses for physical and cognitive therapy if the victim has suffered brain injury; consultations with health care professionals including doctor's visits; ambulance fees; medical accessories including crutches and heating pads; and in-home services. Additionally, victims may also be able to recover compensation for future medical care expenses.

Drunk driving defense options protect accused individuals

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in criminal defense on Friday, July 27, 2018.

Drunk driving charges have the ability to turn the life of an accused individual upside down. As a result, it is important for accused individuals to be familiar with drunk driving defense options and strategies available to protect them when they have been charged with a DWI.

There are some affirmative defenses an accused individual can assert in response to a DWI charge that accused individuals should be familiar with, especially if they think one of the defenses applies to their situation and circumstances. Affirmative defenses include necessity, duress, entrapment, mistake of fact and involuntary intoxication. Because each is a specific criminal defense, accused individuals should ensure they understand what each entails.

What are felony charges?

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in criminal defense on Thursday, July 19, 2018.

Felony charges are the most serious charges an accused individual can face. They can result in significant prison time and steep fines in some circumstances. If you have been charged with a felony, it is important to know what the charges are and what to do in those circumstances.

A felony charge can be distinguished from a misdemeanor charge by the nature of the potential punishment the accused individual faces. Felony charges are punished by a year or greater in prison, whereas misdemeanor charges can be punished by a year or less in jail. In general, at common law, felony charges were considered crimes of moral turpitude.

Personal injury protections for catastrophic injuries

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.

Car accidents can cause catastrophic injuries that can damage the lives of victims. Fortunately, personal injury legal protections are available to help victims recover compensation for the physical, financial and emotional injuries they have suffered in a car accident while they focus on the recovery process.

Damages are something that a car accident victim may be able to pursue through a personal injury legal action against a negligent driver responsible for the harm they have suffered. Catastrophic injuries can result in hefty medical bills, time away from work and emotional suffering. A variety of different types of injuries can result from a car accident including neck, back and spinal cord injuries sometimes associated with whiplash; amputations; serious fractures; traumatic brain injuries; and burn injuries.

When a slip-and-fall leads to injury, seek compensation

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm on Tuesday, July 10, 2018.

Oh no, a crack in the parking lot caused you to fall.

To make matters worse, the fall required medical attention. Stressing at this point is understandable. You are thinking medical bills. At this stage, paying another bill is the last thing on your mind. This sort of dilemma may have people wonder if they should skip getting checked out altogether. In your situation, had there not been a defect in the parking lot you would be okay. When this sort of injury occurs, due to a hazardous public setting, you may seek compensation for your troubles. Your health should come first. There is no reason why you should defer from receiving the proper treatment you need.

In Texas, what is meant by 'probable cause'?

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in criminal defense on Thursday, July 5, 2018.

Anyone who has spent much time with pop culture portrayals of lawyers and police officers -- whether it is in books, movies or on television -- has probably heard the term "probable cause." Initially, at least as far as the law of the United States is concerned, it appeared in the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Fourth Amendment, a cornerstone of criminal defense in the U.S., protects people against "unreasonable searches and seizures" unless there exists "probable cause."

Many states, including Texas, adopted the Fourth Amendment's probable cause requirement in their own state constitutions. Article One, section nine of the Texas constitution also requires probable cause for a search or seizure to be valid in the state. The United States Supreme Court and the state courts of Texas have interpreted these constitutional clauses to mean that all warrantless searches or seizures -- including arrests and detentions -- of people or property are presumed invalid, unless it can be proven that the law enforcement officer had probable cause to do so.

Did texting and driving contribute to your car accident injury?

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

We've all seen them. Distracted drivers out on the road in Texas, paying attention to everything but the actual activity of driving. Whether it be eating food with the steering wheel in one hand, reaching around to grab something in the back seat or another totally irrelevant activity to driving, it can get pretty dangerous out there. While people generally do not mean any malicious intent behind these actions, they can be held liable if their decisions causes a car accident that injures another individual.

One of the most recent distracted driving behaviors to affects many car accident victims is texting and driving. Texting and driving is any behavior that takes the driver's attention off the road and focuses it on their cellphone or a similar device. The driver could actually be communicating with someone over text message or they could be scrolling social media, checking email or even recording a video. Any of these behaviors would count towards distracted driving behaviors and it can be very dangerous for not only themselves, but other drivers on the road.

Fatality on Farm-to-market road leads to manslaughter charge

On behalf of The Sanchez Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Friday, June 22, 2018.

Stories of car accidents involving fatalities are always heart-wrenching to hear. In theory, car accidents and motorcycle accidents and the corresponding effects can happen to anyone, and when someone in our community loses their life suddenly, it really makes you stop and think. Recently, a collision between a vehicle and a motorcyclist resulted in a fatality. After a month-long investigation, criminal charges have been filed.

The man accused of manslaughter is just a teenager, only 18 years of age. The accident between his vehicle and the motorcyclist resulted in the motorcyclist's untimely death. While the Texas state patrol investigated, they determined that the accused was driving a black Nissan Sentra at 107 mph just seconds prior to crashing into a motorcyclist on Farm-to-Market 1925. While manslaughter is not a charge that will be seen in civil court, it does usually indicate that a personal injury suit may be brewing for the loved one's of the motorcyclist who lost his life.

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