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 September
2009
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Why Are You Getting This Newsletter?
This free e-mail newsletter is sent to current and
former clients of our law firm, to those who
have specifically asked to receive it, and to
those who have contacted our firm for legal
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law firm.
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Tougher New Driving Laws in Texas --
Especially for Teens
September 1,
2009, was
the day
quite a few
new laws
went into
effect in
Texas. Many
of these
laws will
directly
apply to
vehicle
drivers and
passengers.
The goal of
each of
these new
laws is to
increase
safety on
our roads
and
highways,
and to
decrease the
number of
car wrecks
and serious
injuries.
The greatest
impact of
the new laws
will be felt
by teenage
drivers, but
everyone
needs to
know about
them because
it's true
that
"Ignorance
of the law
is no
excuse."
The new laws
cover such
subjects as
teen
curfews,
cell phone
use in cars,
seat belt
usage, and
child safety
seat
requirements.
Click
this link
for a brief
summary of a
few of the
most
important
laws.
Free Legal Advice?
Yes, at Kraft &
Associates we are glad to provide our clients
and friends with free information on a variety
of subjects. If you want details about how to
lower your automobile insurance rates,
Texas Workers' Compensation law or
Social Security Disability claims, please
contact us and we will send you any of these
brochures without charge or obligation. |
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Suite 1300
2777 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 999-9999
(817) 999-9999
(800) 989-9999
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FOR THE RECORD |
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How Can I Rebuild My Credit After Going Through Bankruptcy?
Having a bankruptcy filing on your credit report is obviously not a positive event. The bankruptcy notation stays on your credit report for 10 years, and does have the effect of lowering your credit score. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the negative effect of the bankruptcy notation, and rebuild your credit after your bankruptcy case is over.For many people, a bankruptcy notation may not make much of a difference at first, since they may be behind on credit cards, have a foreclosure or repossession on their credit report, or have a high debt-to-income ratio. The bankruptcy discharge generally wipes out the delinquent debt, which improves the debtor’s debt-to-income ratio. Some people even find that their credit score is higher after bankruptcy than it was before.
Here are steps you can take to help your credit score improve more quickly after a bankruptcy:
- Pay Your Secured Debts On Time. The most important step you can take to improve your credit score is to make on-time payments on your mortgage, cars, and any other secured debt you have, such as furniture payments. Prompt payment of secured debt has a positive impact that grows over time.
- Get One Credit Card. At first, the credit card offers you receive after a bankruptcy will have very unattractive rates and rules. Often, you may be offered a credit card with a low limit, usually around $250, but the card may arrive with most of that limit already eaten up by an array of fees. Shop around, and find a card without such unfavorable terms, and consider a “secured” credit card, which ties a savings account to the card so the issuer can easily pay itself from the account. Sites such as Bankrate.com can help you search for a card that meets your needs. Charge a small amount on the card each month, and pay it off completely.
- Buy a Used Car From a Reputable Dealer. Many “tote-the-note” car lots do not report your payments to the credit reporting agencies, so your on-time payments have no effect on your credit score. However, reputable car dealers often have a wide selection of used cars, and if you have a reasonable down payment, you can negotiate an affordable interest rate.
- Consider a Mortgage. If you do not already own a home, you may find it difficult to get a mortgage within the first two years after a bankruptcy. However, with the high number of foreclosed properties, many banks are being more flexible about bankruptcies. Loans guaranteed by the FHA may be available more readily than other home loans.
The most difficult thing for many former bankruptcy filers to resist is the onslaught of credit offers they will receive right after their case is concluded. Many creditors will take a chance on a bankruptcy filer, because they know that those people cannot apply for bankruptcy protection again for up to eight years. Thoroughly investigate any credit offers before accepting them, and avoid the temptation to take on too much debt at one time. By working logically and steadily to improve your credit, you can recover from your bankruptcy quickly and maintain the fresh start that your case gave you.
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| FOR
YOUR INFORMATION |
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ALS and Social Security Disability
A number of our Social Security Disability clients suffer from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's Disease. Individuals suffering from this disorder frequently experience the following symptoms: weakness in the hand, foot, arm, or leg; difficulty speaking and swallowing; and difficulty walking.The course of prescribed treatment can include night-time breathing assistance, a prescription of Riluzole (believed to reduce the damage of motor neurons), and stem cell or gene therapy. While not all individuals who have been diagnosed with ALS will be found disabled under Social Security rules, one source of information for people with ALS that we recommend is the ALS Association. The ALS Association is a non-profit with great information and resources for those suffering from ALS, and you can learn more about symptoms and treatment by visiting their Web site.
Recently we have assisted individuals with severe ALS in getting Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits. Their cases were among the more severe of those suffering with the disease. The degree of frequency and severity of an individual's symptoms are unique in each case and will determine, to a large degree, whether an individual claim will be granted benefits. Please contact us if you want more information about ALS and Social Security disability. We'll be glad to talk with you, at no charge or further obligation.
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| FEATURED
EMPLOYEE |
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 Sole
Rodriguez
Legal
Secretary
E-mail:
srodriguez@kraftlaw.com
Ms. Rodriguez was born and raised in Dallas. She has
worked as a legal secretary and legal assistant for
more than five years at local law firms. She
has experience in Personal Injury and in Medical
Malpractice. She is currently working in our
pre-suit personal injury department. Ms. Rodriguez
joined our law firm in 2008. She is fluent
in Spanish.
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| FEATURED
CASE |
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Attorney Eugenia Ponce of our firm attended an adjustment of status interview last month with our client, based on the client's approved I-360 VAWA petition. A VAWA petition (Violence Against Women’s Act) allows the spouse, parent, or child of a U.S. citizen, or a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) who was battered or subject to extreme cruelty to self-petition independently of the abusive U.S. citizen or LPR. The VAWA self-petitioner must meet the statutory requirements which include:
- she or he has resided with the U.S. citizen or LPR spouse/parent;
- was subject to extreme cruelty or battery (or in the case of a child, the child was battered or subjected to extreme cruelty) during the marriage with the U.S. citizen or LPR;
- the marriage was entered into in good faith;
- she or he is otherwise eligible for immediate relative or preference status; and
- is a person of good moral character.
We submitted many different kinds of evidence in proving the VAWA case. We submitted reports and affidavits from the police, photos showing visible injuries, medical reports, affidavits from school officials, an order of protection against the abuser, and other supporting evidence to establish our client was subject to battery.
Because our client was married to a U.S. citizen, there was an immediate visa available, and Form I-360 VAWA and Form I-485 Adjustment of Status were filed concurrently. Although our client had entered the United States without inspection in 1996, an approved self-petitioner of Form I-360 VAWA is eligible to adjust even if he or she entered without inspection or parole.
Our client’s 16-year-old daughter was also eligible to adjust her status to permanent residence since the daughter was accorded derivative status based on her mother’s approved I-360 VAWA petition. Both individuals are now permanent residents of the United States.
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| HOW
CAN WE HELP YOU? |
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Our law firm has helped thousands of clients
over the years. Sometimes clients who use
our firm for one type of case may not
realize that there are other legal problems
we could help them solve.
We handle
most types of injury claims — including
automobile collisions, "slip and fall"
cases, injuries suffered as a result of
defective products, injuries resulting from
inadequate security, medical malpractice
claims, nursing home negligence claims,
prescription drug injuries, and many others.
We invite you to call us about any
serious injury to see how we can help you.
Kraft & Associates also represents people
who have been denied their Social Security
Disability benefits. We can help at the Initial
stage, the Reconsideration stage or the Hearing
stage.
Our law firm also represents people who have immigration
problems of any kind, whether family-based
immigration or employment-based immigration.
Our firm can help you understand your rights under
Federal and Texas consumer protection laws and
assist you with stopping creditor wrongdoing,
obtaining compensation for wrongful acts by
creditors, or with correcting your credit report. We
can also help you evaluate your options and decide
whether a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy case
might be your best option. Most clients can protect
all of their property, income, and assets in a
bankruptcy case, and obtain the "fresh start"
promised by the United States Bankruptcy Code.
Please feel free to call us with any
legal questions you may have. If we cannot
represent you, we will attempt to refer you to
another attorney or to a government agency that can
help you. There is no
charge or obligation for that first phone
call.
Kraft & Associates is
a federally designated Debt Relief Agency under the
United States Bankruptcy Code. We assist people with
finding solutions to their debt problems including,
where appropriate, assisting them with the filing of
petitions for relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. |
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Copyright
© 1997- 2009 Kraft & Associates : Injury &
Disability Lawyers, P.C. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Personal Injury,
Automobile Accident, Car Wreck, Wrongful Death, Social Security Disability,
Immigration, Bankruptcy, Consumer Law.
DISCLAIMER:
This newsletter is presented by Kraft & Associates for
informational purposes only, and not as legal advice.
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