Los Angeles & Van Nuys Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Attorneys
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Do you handle both felony and misdemeanor cases?
The Law Offices of Gilbert R. Geilim proudly accepts both felony and misdemeanor cases on behalf of clients living in and around Los Angeles and Van Nuys. The attorneys at the firm defend clients against a wide range of crimes, including both state and federal drug crimes, violent crimes, sex crimes, theft offenses, and white collar crimes, such as mortgage fraud, counterfeiting, embezzlement, insurance fraud, and Internet crimes.
2) What types of penalties do I face if I’m convicted? Will I go to jail?
The penalties for a criminal conviction will depend on many factors, such as whether you were charged with a felony or a misdemeanor, whether any weapons were involved in the crime, if children were involved in the crime, if you have any prior criminal convictions or arrests on your record, and much more. That being said, misdemeanor crimes (lesser offenses) will typically result in fines less than $1,000, probation, community service, and possible time in jail. Felony crimes, which are much more serious offenses, will result in at least one year in prison, stiff fines, hundreds of hours of community service, mandatory counseling or treatment, and much more.
3) What is the difference between state crimes and federal crimes?
Federal crimes are committed on federal property or against a federal employee. Federal crimes are also made illegal by U.S. federal legislation. Federal crimes are heard in federal court and are prosecuted by U.S. federal prosecutors. Common types of federal crimes include immigration crimes, tax crimes, arson, terrorist activity, hate crimes, anti-trust violations, kidnapping, treason, most white collar crimes, drug trafficking, and federal DUI.
State crimes are prohibited by state law, and are heard in the state court system. Common types of state crimes include domestic violence, prostitution, DUI, some drug crimes, shoplifting, and much more.
4) Can I get my charges reduced or dismissed?
Absolutely! At the Law Offices of Gilbert R. Geilim, there is nothing more important than clearing clients of their criminal charges. The attorneys at the firm will always negotiate aggressively with the prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement officials handling the case for a reduction or dismissal of the charges.
5) What is personal injury?
Personal injury is an area of law that awards compensation to accident victims who have become injured as the result of another person’s negligence. In a personal injury case, a victim files a claim against the defendant, the person allegedly responsible for causing the accident. If the victim can prove the defendant’s negligent actions caused the accident, the victim will be awarded damages.
The Law Offices of Gilbert R. Geilim handles a variety of personal injury cases, including those involving auto accidents, slip & fall accidents, premises liability, medical malpractice, and more.
6) What types of damages can I recover?
Victims of personal injury accidents can collect damages for their pain, suffering, mental anguish, current and future medical expenses, medication costs, expenses for any adaptive equipment, treatment costs, lost wages, future lost wages, and decreased quality of life.
7) How much money is a personal injury case worth?
Every personal injury case is different, so the value of a case depends on the specific circumstances of that case. The best way to estimate the value of your case is to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. An attorney with many years of experience in personal injury law, like the ones at the Law Office of Gilbert R. Geilim, will be able to evaluate your case and give you a better idea of how much your case may be worth.
8) How long do I have to file a personal injury case?
In the state of California, victims of personal injury accidents only have two years to file a claim, depending on the type of accident. If the claim is being filed against a state or local government agency, victims typically only have 180 days to file their claim. That being said, there are exceptions to these rules. The best thing to do is to contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you contact a lawyer, the sooner he or she can begin filing your claim and helping you recover the compensation you deserve.
Contact our Los Angeles Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Attorneys!
|
