Like other states, in Colorado, driving with a BAC (blood alcohol content) that is greater than 0.08 percent qualifies as driving under the influence. Most often, DUI offenses in Colorado are treated as misdemeanor charges. This means that, in a good number of incidents, a first DUI might be met with a light fine, community service, suspended license, mandatory alcohol education, or even a bit of jail time. Second and third DU offenses are still misdemeanors, but can be met with slightly harsher penalties, and perhaps up to a year in jail.

Additionally, if you are arrested for driving with a BAC that is greater than 0.15 percent—even on a first offense—you could be treated as if you were a repeat DUI offender on your second or third conviction. Now, when does that become a felony? Usually in one of three instances:

• You have three previous DUI convictions (making the most recent conviction your fourth) OR
• Your impaired driving resulted in serious bodily injury to another person (this is known as vehicular assault) OR
• Your impaired driving caused a fatal accident, which is referred to as vehicular homicide.

Colorado has a “fourth strike” policy, so even if your fourth DUI offense caused no injuries to anyone, it will still be considered a Class 4 felony. It doesn’t matter how long ago your prior three convictions were, as there is no “washout” period for DUIs in Colorado. The state within which you were previously convicted of DUI offenses is similarly irrelevant, nor does it matter whether they had different legal names (such as DWIs or OUIs).

DUI cases that result in serious bodily injury also count as Class 4 felonies. For reference, minor injuries like scrapes and bruises would not typically count as serious enough to warrant a felony offense, but disfigurement, loss of bodily function, breaks and fractures, severe burns, or anything else that significantly impacts the life of another would.

Which leads us to DUI cases that result in death. These are Class 3 felonies, even if you have no prior convictions, and come with the most significant penalties. Speaking broadly, the types of punishments you can expect from felony DUI convictions include a mixture of heavy fines and significant prison time. Those Class 4 felonies, for instance, might come with 2-6 in a Colorado State prison, a 3-year parole period, and a fine of up to $500,000. 

Meanwhile, a Class 3 felony DUI charge might result in a maximum of 12 years in prison, with a 5-year parole period and a fine of up to $750,000. So, to circle back to our original question, yes, a DUI can be a felony charge—one that comes with a rather high price at that.

The post When Drunk Driving Is A Felony v. A Misdemeanor appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

Pedestrians are expected to cross the street within the designated crosswalk areas while obeying the walk signals that tell them when they may or may not cross the road. If you attempted to jawalk and got struck by a vehicle, you might still be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Who Is At Fault in a Jaywalking Accident?

There are multiple things taken into consideration when trying to determine who is at fault for a car-pedestrian involved accident. Even if a pedestrian is within the crosswalk, they must still exercise caution and responsibility by crossing safely and not stopping unnecessarily in the road.

Drivers of vehicles must also practice responsible and safe driving by exercising care for pedestrians, even if they are jaywalking. Drivers that are reckless and show little concern for pedestrians, even if they are jaywalking, can be found negligent and responsible for injuries.

Comparative Negligence 

The state of California operates on a principle of tort law, called Comparative Negligence that applies to accidents in which the fault or negligence of each party involved is based on their contributions to the accident. This law determines what each party’s responsibility is and how each will be compensated.

For example, if a pedestrian is found to be 40% responsible for the accident and the driver is 60% responsible, the jaywalker can only recover 60% of their damages because of their fault in the situation. A Bay Area car accident lawyer can help determine who is responsible for what portion of the accident. 

What to Do If You Were Struck By A Vehicle

If you were illegally crossing a road and were hit by a car, but you believe the driver was at least partially at fault for your injuries, you could still receive a settlement. You and your lawyer must prove a couple things in order to get compensation for your medical bills.

The Driver Owes You Duty of Care

California law states that drivers owe pedestrians due care. Simply put, if someone is operating a vehicle and encounters a pedestrian, even if that pedestrian is jaywalking the driver must approach them and handle the situation with care.

The Driver Violated The Duty of Care

A person operating a motor vehicle has a responsibility to act in a reasonable manner to avoid causing harm to others. If a driver neglects to do so, he or she may be at least partially responsible for the accident. Careless driving, intentional or not, could be the cause of the accident.

Irresponsible Driving Caused Your Injuries

If the driver is found to be irresponsible and as a direct result you sustained injuries and lost wages, you can receive compensation. Although jaywalking is illegal and can contribute to an accident, some responsibility could be on the reckless or careless driver.   

The post What You Didn’t Know About Jaywalking appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

It’s been an issue of interest for some months now, with the matter being reinvigorated by the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many, including the likes of Stonnington Group advisor Nick Stonnington see the havoc wrought by the Coronavirus and reason that reshoring will be a necessary force to help navigate the current and future climate:

“Because the pandemic has been so monumentally disruptive, many countries, including the U.S., will need to recalibrate the delicate balance between onshoring and offshoring to maintain the autonomy needed to survive future crises while supporting a consumer-driven economy and sustainable resources.”

While reshoring has been around as an idea since well before COVID became an issue, the recent pandemic woes have kicked it into a higher proverbial gear, and it suggests that the endeavor will be key to aid economic recovery and generate more opportunities for domestic businesses. Here’s what you’ll need to make some more sense of the current situation.

Reshoring On The Rise?

COVID has revealed some significant cracks in the global supply chain, and caused a large portion of manufacturers to consider or intensify efforts to reshore parts of their businesses. 

There’s a demand for medical equipment, personal protective equipment, and pharmaceuticals within North America, and some 60% of  the US companies that have expressed intentions to return operations to the country have mentioned the pandemic as part of their reasoning.

Some of these efforts are being further bolstered by action from the US Government, which, under the direction of the Biden administration, is trying to enact reforms that will make manufacturing within the country a more attractive prospect for companies across the board.

Aside from fulfilling an immediate need, reshoring efforts may also be getting some boost because of clear economic benefits that reshoring can bring. For instance, reshoring will help businesses save on transportation costs (in addition to keeping their capital from being tied up for too long while products, devices, and components move around).

And in spite of the dire factors that have prompted reinvigorated interest in reshoring, the fact that it has become such a talked about topic also shows that there’s incredible opportunity on the horizon—like helping the country achieve greater manufacturing independence. 

There are some hurdles to be aware of however, especially where long-term success is concerned. Sustained reshoring efforts may require serious reforms to US policies concerning trade and industry. Then there are the challenges of retaining domestic employees, who may require greater rates of compensation than offshore employees.

Overall, however, reshoring presents a clear pathway for mitigating risks to the domestic supply chain, while simultaneously improving the resiliency and responsiveness of manufacturers. All the while, these efforts should continue to drive economic growth and reduce unemployment through a steady influx of new jobs—provided companies are willing to take proactive steps.

The post Understanding Reshoring And Why Its Current Outlook Is Good appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

There’s also the situations that may arise when higher profile clients treat realtors with disrespect or down-right unprofessionally. As someone in the real estate business,it’s in your best interest to understand this unfortunate phenomenon.

What is Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is classified as any unwanted, nonconsesual, or unsolicited comments, gestures, facial expressions, or touching. It’s also any acts of discrimination based on sex, gender, or gender-identity. It can be a demand for a sexual favor or pressuring someone for a date. In short, sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual actions that is offensive to someone.

Real Estate Sexual Harassment Training 

California law requires that all real estate employees participate in anti sexual harassment and anti discrimination training. This includes at least two hours of education on abusive conduct, sexual harassment, and discrimination. Real estate companies must also post these training programs in their office buildings and their websites. 

Clients Can Be Victims Too

There is the potential for sexual predators to find their way into every aspect of daily life. This can include the real estate business. In California, sexual offenders are forbidden from living close to schools, playgrounds and parks, however they are still able to work as licensed professionals such as real estate agents and property managers. 

Why Sexual Harassment Cases Go Unreported

Oftentimes, real estate agencies will either ignore complaints of sexual harassment or sweep it under the rug to prevent the stigma of abuse from being attached to their business. If word gets out, a business could be ruined. The victim is often afraid to lose their job with the company, and will keep quiet in order to stay employed or not be seen as a troublemaker in their industry.

What To Do If You’re A Victim of Sexual Harassment

The first thing you should always do is to get to a place where you feel safe from any further harm. If you find yourself in a situation, don’t hesitate to call emergency authorities. Once you’re safe, report the incident to the police so you have a record that can be used to build your case.

Reporting to the proper authorities will prevent the same thing from happening to someone else in the future. Next, you’ll want to seek professional legal help from an attorney that specializes in sexual harassment case, like Jeremy Pasternak, San Franciso sexual harassment attorney.

Studies show that less than 40% of sexual harassment or abuse cases within the real estate business are reported to the proper authorities. Although reporting the incident to the company is important, this often leaves management to sweep the case under the rug. Having proper representation makes a case more credible and can seriously deter future abuse and harassment. 

The post Sexual Harassment in the Real Estate Industry appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

Lemon Law

If the vehicle you purchased turn out to have a substantial defect, then you’re entitled to compensation under Lemon Law. A substantial defect is one that impacts the safety, value, or drivability of the car. It doesn’t matter if the car is new or used, either.

You’ll need exceptional legal aid, like this California Lemon Law attorney, to win the fight. Dealerships are well known for doubling down on their supposed innocence and hiring an excellent legal defense. You have rights, though, and an attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Lying and Fraud

There are countless scams dealerships use to squeeze more money out of buyers. They may advertise one price and sell you the car at a higher cost, often with added costs or hidden fees. They make pack the contract with options and accessories you never agreed to purchase sellmyhousefast. They could lie to you about the value of a trade-in, lie about your credit score, or lie about financing.

All of these excellent reasons to sue a car dealership. These deceptive practices are against the law, giving you the right to seek compensation. They can be difficult to spot, however, so keep your eyes open for red flags.

False Advertising

The sweet deal you saw on TV for that brand new sedan or SUV is enticing, but it also comes with a ton of fine print right in the commercial. The reason for this is so dealers can’t be sued for false advertisement since the information was available and presented to the consumer.

Some dealers, however, love to promote false deals to reel in customers. Then, they charge an arm and a leg while trying to make it seem as though the buyer is still getting a deal. If you’re advertised one thing but receive another, that’s illegal and entitles you to a lawsuit.

Breach of Contract

You sign a lot of paperwork when financing a vehicle, complete with stringent rules on what both parties can and cannot do during the timeframe of the agreement. If your dealer breaches this contract at any point in time, they’ve illegally acted under a binding agreement. Lawyer up and get ready to sue.

Getting Started

If any of the above has happened to you, your first step is to hire legal aid. You could try to call the dealer, but chances are they’ll just lie to you or use what you might say in anger against you in court. Instead, let a lawyer handle dealing with their shady tactics and pursue the legal route.

Legal professionals can investigate all aspects of your claim, compile that into compelling court evidence, and make your case before a judge. This will also help other consumers from falling victim to the same dealer’s scams or lies. Thousands of people earn compensation from lawsuits against dealers each year, and so can you if you’ve become a victim.

The post Good Reasons to Sue a Car Dealership appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

Before you jump in, however, you might want to educate yourself on some of the options you’ll have when setting up your loyalty program, so that you can better narrow down what will work best for your brand and your clients. Here are some of the specific subtypes you should consider when you’re nailing down the details for your own loyalty program.

The Points Program

Perhaps one of the most well-known loyalty varieties is the points program. In this type of loyalty system, customers are able to build up “points” for every purchase that they make with you, then redeem those points in exchange for a reward once they’ve accumulated enough.

Creating a points program is great if you want something that has a low barrier to entry, presents a low-risk for new sign-ups, and getting a substantial percentage of people to opt-in. 

On the flipside, though, you’ll need to keep in mind that a points program is fairly basic, so engagement might not be all you’re expecting, and you’ll have a harder time distinguishing your program and offerings from your competitors’.

The Tiered Program

Tiered loyalty programs deviate from those bog-standard points programs insofar as they tie rewards not to points that customers must spend, but by the amount of loyalty a customer has shown to your brand. As customers “rank up” they gain access to even better rewards, and this helps higher-tier customers feel like they’re really forging a relationship with your brand.

The Subscription Program

If you have a program where customers are making regular payments in exchange for instant-rewards, then you’ve probably got yourself a subscription program. These are a great way to instantly attract those highly engaged customers and present them with clear value that goes above and beyond the rewards of most other types of loyalty programs.

The Partner Program

In a partner system, you’ll team up with another brand to introduce exclusive rewards that customers can access by doing business with either of you. A great way to co-mingle and gain access to new audiences, if you don’t mind sharing the benefits with a closely related business.

Hybrid Programs

Lastly, you could always choose to hybridize two or more types of programs together to come up with something new. This might be a great option if you see elements of different programs that would gel with your brand and customers, so always keep your eyes peeled for ways to innovate.

The post 5 Types of Customer Loyalty Programs appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

Life insurance scams are abundant, unfortunately, and they have the potential to cause some serious harm to you and your family — if you aren’t careful. 

Knowing what schemes are out there will help you stay safe when you’re shopping for policies, so read on to learn to spot these frauds.

Identity Theft Scams

This is one that you’ve probably heard of before, because it’s not limited to only life insurance. Identity theft is when a scammer steals your personal information and then uses it to commit fraudulent actions. 

They might open new accounts in your name, or use your existing accounts to make purchases without your knowledge — it’s rather pernicious and can seriously mess with your financial situation.

When it comes to life insurance, scammers will often try to nab your personal info by asking you for it while impersonating someone from your insurance provider. 

They might try to convince you that there’s a “problem with your policy” and they need your details to set it right, or that you’re late on some payments and need your credit card to process said payment.

To protect yourself, it’s best to keep your personal details close to the vest and verify the identity of anyone who asks you about handing over your information.

Churning

Sometimes it’s your insurance provider who is being unscrupulous. 

Churning is one such example, in which an agent might approach you and offer to replace your existing policy with one of greater value. 

In actuality, though, they’ll be setting you up with a less valuable policy — hoping that you’ll be none-the-wiser and keep on paying the same amount for lesser policy.

If you don’t regularly check your policy details, then you might fall victim to this sort of scam. Keep your guard up when you receive such requests, and make sure that actions like these come with the proper supporting documentation.

Fake Companies and Fraudulent Agents

Though rare, sometimes scammers will set up entire fake life insurance companies to take your money and run. The counter to this is simple, though — make sure you do plenty of research on an insurance provider before doing business with them.

In other instances, untrustworthy agents may claim to be affiliated with a legitimate insurer and then try to scam you. They might claim that they will set up a policy (but then don’t, and pocket your premiums for themselves). 

Or they might quote you higher than the actual price of a policy and keep the difference. In either case, staying vigilant and performing your own research before agreeing to anything is the best way to safeguard yourself against trouble.

The post Common Life Insurance Scams appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

Sure, it’s not quite the same as driving, but those expertly crafted toys make for fine collectibles all their own, and some have fetched a pretty penny when it came time for their owners to cash in. Here are some of the most expensive Hot Wheel cars the world has seen to date, according to the experts at Car and Driver.

Small Size, Big Prices

In laying out their 2019 list of most valuable Hot Wheels collectibles, Car and Driver picked out 21 options, stretching back all the way to the late ‘60s. Here are their results:

• 1974 Magenta Rodger Dodger — $3,000
• 1968 Brown Custom Camaro — $3,000
• 1968 White Custom Camaro — $3,000
• 1977 White Z-Whiz — $3,000
• 1974 Blue Rodger Dodger — $3,000
• 1972 Pink Superfire Turbine — $3,500
• 1969 Red Baron — $3,500
• 1972 Green Open Fire — $4,000
• 1971 Red Olds 442 — $4,500
• 1968 Pink Beatnik Bandit — $5,000
• 1970 Red Ferrari 312P — $5,000
• 1971 Spectraflame Purple Bye Focal — $6,000
• 1969 Cheetah Base With Python Body — $6,000
• 1969 Brown ‘31 Woody — $8,000
• 1969 Ed Shaver Blue AMX — $10,000
• 1971 Purple Olds 442 — $12,000
• 1969 Brown Custom Charger — $13,000
• 1969 Mad Maverick Base on Mighty Maverick — $15,000
• 1968 Over Chrome Camaro — $25,000
• 1968 Over Chrome Mustang — $40,000
• 1969 Pink, Rear-Loading Beach Bomb — $175,000

Looking over the list, the most obvious question that comes to mind is, “why?” What on earth could make small toys made of metal and plastic so expensive? For starters, the Hot Wheels you see on the list are exceedingly rare and provide guarantee of quality, which in and of itself makes them collectible. When they have interesting color combinations, that makes them rarer still, and when they’re in good condition, that ups the price even more.

Of course, there’s the added bonus of never having to worry about insurance for these vehicles, or having to call up Easton & Easton personal injury attorneys because you got into an accident, so as a collector, the Hot Wheels option should be pretty appealing to you, all things considered!

The post Most Expensive Hot Wheel Cars Of All Time appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

Other issues, like manufacturer defects, could cause you to need the lemon law attorneys at Conn Law. So, you’ll want to spend wisely. Here are the top types of used cars to avoid at all costs.

The Crossover SUV

A crossover SUV is a sport utility vehicle that has a unibody construction, similar to a passenger car. Because they have better interiors, smoother rides, and better fuel economy than traditional truck-based SUVs, they’re extremely popular right now. Sellers of crossover SUVs have a strong advantage over the buyer. Instead buy a new crossover when dealers are offering incentive packages.  

Unique, Trendy, or Fad Cars

Although they might be cute and quirky, fad cars like the Ford Flex or the Nissan Cube might not retain their value. Even though they’re fairly cheap, to begin with, you might not get much of anything when you go to sell. In turn, they’re not really worth much on the used market. If you’re going to invest in a used car, go for a more established and well-known model.

Discontinued Brands

There’s a possibility that you might find a great deal on a brand that is no longer sold in the United States, like Suzuki or Saab. However πορνο, think before you spend the cash. Not only will you pay more for maintenance, parts, and repairs, you could find it nearly impossible to find a mechanic that can work on it if something goes wrong. 

Popular Models of Pickup Trucks

America loves its pickup trucks. In fact, new pickup trucks are selling in record numbers. Due to their popularity, you’ll likely pay more for a used truck than for any other used vehicle. Unless you need a pickup for work or another particular reason, you’re better off to consider another type of used vehicle. 

High-Powered Sports Coupes

Although it can be a lot less expensive to purchase a used sports car than it would be to buy a brand-new model, buyer beware if you’re on a budget. Not only will you pay more for maintenance and repairs, but your monthly insurance will go up. Unless money is no option, stick with a sporty sedan or hatchback. If money is no object, splurge and buy a new sports car.

Recently or Newly Released Models

Having a brand new never before seen car might look really appealing, but most brand-new never released before models will likely have defects or issues during the initial release period. Whether you’re considering buying a recently released model new or used, you’re better off to wait a year and let the manufacturer work out any problems. You’ll save yourself money in the long run.

The post Types of Used Cars to Avoid at All Costs appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.

The Facts On Marital Rape

First things first, we need to define what we mean by marital rape. Divorce mag defines the act as non-consensual sexual activity between two spouses. While the exact specifics will vary from state to state, there are some generalities between states in how the act is defined, which include the following:

• Intercourse between two married individuals occurred
• Intercourse lacked consent from one party
• Intercourse occurred by way of force, duress, or violence
• Intercourse occurred when one party was incapable of providing consent
• Defendant spouse should have reasonably been aware about the consequences of their actions, and no reasonable person would have preyed upon the victim’s inhibited mental state.

Despite the straightforward definition, marital rape can be difficult to prove as it’s tricky for an external party to establish whether or not consent was given prior to intercourse in many cases and finding evidence of the crime can be quite the task. 

What’s more, according to this report from AP News, it wasn’t until 1993 that all fifty states had laws against marital rape, and even after those laws were established, they still contain loopholes — age, relationship, use of force or the nature of the penetration, etc. — that make proving criminality difficult.

And if this wasn’t enough, societal attitudes in many areas still deem marital rape as “less damaging” than other forms of assaults, even though this line of thinking is a myth, as most credible organizations against sexual assault note.

Far-Reaching Consequences

As you may have surmised, marital rape is extremely damaging to survivors. First and foremost, it’s a betrayal of what is supposed to be an intimate and supporting relationship. According to experts like Bloomington divorce attorney Strange Law, it’s often a catalyst for the end of a relationship, and rightfully so.

What’s more, marital rape can cause all manner of physical and mental detriments — like intense fear and self-doubt — that can last for years before the relationship ends and the abuser is held responisble for their actions. It’s important to understand just how damaging this crime is, and take action against it whenever it might occur.

The post How To Prove Marital Rape appeared first on Baltimore News Journal.