Criminal Cases

If you have been charged with a crime it is vital to make an appointment quickly to discuss the charges with an attorney experienced in criminal defense.

The first Court appearance in a criminal case is an Arraignment which is usually set within 20-30 days of your arrest. An attorney must make an appearance for you at, or prior to, the Arraignment, or you must be present at this hearing. In the event you do not have representation and you do not appear, the Judge will issue a Bench Warrant for your arrest which only compounds your problems.

An attorney will file a Plea on your behalf, which begins the process after the Arraignment. The State Attorney will then have 20 days from the date of the Arraignment to provide to your attorney their "discovery", or, the information they have which they are using to prove the charges against you. After that you will have an opportunity to review this information with your attorney, and to make decisions with him or her as to the best way to proceed so that the case can be resolved with the best possible solution for you.

If You Have Been Involved in a Vehicular Accident

After being in an accident it can be a traumatic time. You may be injured, dealing with damage to your vehicle, rental cars, and/or problems with transportation. It is important to speak with an attorney regarding these matters as soon as possible.

If you feel that something in the area where the accident occurred may have contributed to the cause of the accident, return to the scene and document this by taking photographs. Also, take photographs of the roadway from the direction you were traveling on the roadway, and also from the opposite direction, also making note of anything in the surrounding area which you feel may be important to your case. Also, take photographs of any damage to your vehicle.

If You Have Fallen

Again, this can be a traumatic time; you may be dealing with personal injuries, insurance companies, medical bills, problems just going about your day-to-day activities. Document your injuries and, if possible, return to the area of the fall in case there is a condition that may have contributed to your fall. Make note of anything that could have caused your fall, and take photographs.

Injuries

Make sure that you let your physician know about all of the areas of your body that you feel have been injured as a result of your accident. Also, document your injuries by taking photographs. All of this information may be of help to you and your attorney in resolving your claim. Inform your attorney of all physicians you are treating with so that your case can be kept current with the treatment being rendered by your health care providers. Keep copies of all bills and insurance statements, and make sure your attorney has all of this information as you receive it.

Statements

It is likely that an insurance agent may request that you give a written and/or recorded statement regarding your accident. We prefer that this statement be given at our offices where we can be present, and so that we may follow up with the agent to request a copy of the statement.

Certain time restraints exist for the filing of a claim. Statutes of Limitation can vary from State to State, and therefore it is very important that you contact a personal injury attorney quickly so that your claim can be filed timely and protect your rights.

Product Liability

Injuries can also occur as a result of a defect in a product. These cases are known as product liability cases, and arise when a product is used in the manner for which it was intended but because of defective manufacturing, defective design or a failure by the manufacturer to warn of a danger or defect, causes injury to the person using the product.

Medical Malpractice & Statute of Limitations

Medical malpractice can occur in any medical field or specialty. Because of the time frame within which you have to file a medical malpractice claim, it is extremely important that you contact an attorney experienced in these matters as soon as you believe you may be involved in such a claim.

The McGill Law Firm

The McGill Law Firm has more than 35 years experience practicing personal injury and wrongful death law in Manatee County (Bradenton, Anna Maria, and Palmetto), Sarasota County (Sarasota, Englewood, and Venice), and Charlotte County (Punta Gorda). In addition to personal injury and wrongful death law, the McGill Law Firm specializes in medical malpractice, legal malpractice, mediation, and criminal defense of DUI, drug charges, and other criminal charges.