#Bankruptcy & Medical Bills Riverside

[empirebankruptcylawyer]

Navigating Credit Card Debt Relief In Riverside, CA: What You Need To Know?

Navigating credit card debt can be overwhelming, especially when you're dealing with increasing interest rates, missed payments, and constant creditor calls. For individuals holding plastic cards, the situation can become even more stressful if not addressed on time. However, there are effective ways to manage this burden, and one of the most helpful solutions is seeking assistance from a professional bankruptcy attorney. These experts can help you understand the options available to you and guide you through the process of finding relief.

When considering Credit Card Debt Relief in Riverside, CA, it’s crucial to know what possible options you may have at your disposal. Attorneys specializing in this area often explore various alternatives before recommending a course of action. Depending on your specific circumstances, they may suggest negotiating with creditors, consolidating debt, or working on a repayment plan that better suits your financial situation. An experienced attorney will also ensure you’re aware of your rights and protections throughout the process, which can relieve much of the emotional and financial pressure.

For those dealing with significant credit card debt, hiring a professional bankruptcy attorney can be a wise investment. Not only do these legal professionals have the knowledge and experience to navigate complex legal procedures, but they can also save you time and money by negotiating more favorable terms or even getting some debts discharged altogether. By choosing a local attorney, you can rest assured they will be well-versed in state-specific regulations and court systems, which can greatly enhance your chances of a successful outcome.

In conclusion, navigating Credit Card Debt Relief in Riverside doesn’t have to be a battle you face alone. A qualified bankruptcy attorney can help you evaluate your financial situation, advise on the best course of action, and offer guidance every step of the way. Whether through debt consolidation, negotiation, or bankruptcy, professional legal assistance is often the key to securing long-term financial relief.

[shirlleycoyle]

FTC Sues Major ISP for Lying About Broadband Speeds

The FTC and a coalition of law enforcement agencies from six states have filed suit against Frontier Communications, accusing the broadband provider of advertising broadband speeds the company repeatedly failed to deliver, while charging consumers higher prices for broadband speeds they never actually received. 

According to the full complaint, Frontier violated the FTC Act and various state laws by misrepresenting the speeds of the digital subscriber line (DSL) service the company provides 1.3 million customers across 25 states. Unlike fiber, dated DSL technology provides even slower speeds depending on distance and the quality of the copper lines used.

The FTC stated these limitations consistently weren't made clear to consumers, and Frontier repeatedly billed consumers for higher speeds they weren’t able to obtain. The suit was filed in cooperation with attorneys general from Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, and the district attorneys’ offices of LA County and Riverside County, California. 

In a statement, a spokesperson for Frontier stated the FTC lawsuit was “without merit.”

“Frontier’s DSL Internet speeds have been clearly and accurately articulated, defined and described in the company’s marketing materials and disclosures,” the company said.

But the FTC’s latest complaint is far from the first of its kind.

U.S. telcos have been accused repeatedly of failing to adequately upgrade or repair their aging DSL lines. But because many of these companies enjoy a regional monopoly over broadband access, they face little pressure to upgrade these networks, provide quality customer service, or charge affordable rates. The FTC says it has been inundated with such complaints for years.

In 2019, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson released a report based on over a thousand complaints and half a dozen public hearings, accusing Frontier of neglecting its deteriorating phone and broadband networks. Filled with photographic evidence of disrepair, the AG stated Frontier’s negligence not only harmed consumers, it posed a public health risk. 

“Frontier customers with these outages include those with family members with urgent medical needs, such as pacemakers monitored by their medical teams via the customer’s landline,” the AG said.

  The company last year struck a $900,000 settlement with Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, after the state accused Frontier of advertising speeds it couldn’t deliver, and using sneaky fees to drive up the cost of consumer bills post sale. 

Frontier has also been accused of misusing federal taxpayer subsidies in states like West Virginia, intended to improve the condition of the company’s network. At the same time, Frontier executives and lobbyists have hindered and impeded local community efforts to bring better broadband service to many of these long-neglected areas.

In 2015, Frontier Communications announced it would be buying Verizon's unwanted broadband and phone customers in Florida, Texas, and California for $10.5 billion. Those customers also consistently complained of slow service, lengthy outages, spotty repairs, and high prices.

Swamped by the debt from those deals, Frontier filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2020, allowing the company to shed $11 billion in debt and emerge with a relatively clean slate this year. But the company’s latest earnings report shows the company continues to bleed phone and broadband subscribers frustrated by slow speeds and high prices.

At the telecom lobby’s behest, the Trump FCC voted in 2017 to not only eliminate net neutrality rules, but to neuter the agency’s consumer protection authority. That left policing big telecom in the lap of the FTC, an agency that has limited authority and can only take action if it’s very clear an ISP has engaged in "unfair or deceptive” behavior under the FTC Act. 

“As important as this case is, it also shows why the FTC can never fully fill the regulatory gap left in the wake of the repeal of Net Neutrality at the FCC, the expert agency on telecommunications services,” Acting Chair Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said of the lawsuit. 

“The FTC will do what we can to hold broadband providers accountable,” she added. ��But the pandemic has underscored the essential nature of internet access; just like the country’s water, electricity, and phone services, ISPs require direct and on-going oversight. That active oversight by the proper regulator may have prevented these violations.”

The FCC is limited in its ability to police the telecom sector until it restores net neutrality rules and its Title II authority over broadband providers. But that can’t happen until the Biden administration fully staffs the FCC and appoints a permanent agency boss.

FTC Sues Major ISP for Lying About Broadband Speeds syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[thekillerblogofkillers]

Dana Sue Gray (1957-?)

Dana Sue Gray is an American serial killer that murdered 3 elderly women in 1994. She was caught after an intended victim survived and identified her. Gray committed the murders to fund her shopping habit, and she is now imprisoned in California Women’s Prison in Chowchilla.

Dana Sue Armbrust was born in December 1957 in Southern California. Her parents were Beverly Armbrust (a former beauty queen) and Russell Armbrust (a hairdresser), and they had experienced several miscarriages before Dana’s birth. Dana’s mother, Beverly, was an aggressive woman and she and Dana’s father divorced after Russell found her fighting an older woman who had annoyed her. Dana Sue was 2 years old at the time and barely saw her father following the divorce and she began to act out to get attention. Whenever she was disciplined by her mother, Dana would retaliate by stealing money for candy or flying into a fit of rage. At school, Dana Sue didn’t get along with the other students and did badly in all classes. She was eventually suspended from school many times after being caught forging notes to skip classes.

Dana’s mother developed breast cancer when Dana Sue was just 14 – this convinced Gray to become a nurse after watching how the hospital nurses treated her mother. Following Beverly’s death Gray moved in with her father, Russell, but he forced her to leave when his new wife found drugs in her bedroom. A few years later, Dana Sue was in a relationship with a skydiving instructor and fell pregnant twice – he convinced her to abort both times, something she was angry about.

In 1976 Dana graduated high school and went to live with her skydiving instructor boyfriend, Rob, for the next few years and he helped her with nursing school. She became very good at skydiving. In 1981, after graduating from nursing school, she began an on-and-off relationship with Chris Dodson, a windsurfer. Again, Dana Sue took this up and excelled at it. In October 1987, Dana Sue married Tom Gray at a winery in the Temecula region. He was a sports enthusiast who had been interested in Dana Sue since high school. Dana got into a lot of debt not long after marrying Tom, but couldn’t turn to her family as they weren’t speaking following a dispute over an aunt’s will.

Dana was a midwife at Inland Valley Regional Medical Center, and lived with her husband in the gated community of Canyon Lake, where they operated several businesses under the name Graymatter. Dana left her husband in early 1993, moving in with their friend (and her lover) Jim Wilkins, and his young son Jason. In June 1993 Dana filed for divorce (this was not finalised until Dana Sue was already in jail). Shortly after, Dana and her husband filed for bankruptcy to prevent their house being foreclosed on. Despite the value of the house having increased since they bought it, they owed more on it than it was worth. In November 1993, Dana Sue was fired from her job for stealing Demerol and other opiate painkillers.

In February 1994 Dana sent word to her husband Tom, through his parents, since Tom wouldn’t give Dana his address or phone number, and said that she wanted to meet. Gray agreed, but stood her up. Dana committed her first murder later that same day (Norma Davis, an elderly woman that Dana had lived with for a while). Gray later discovered that Dana had taken out an insurance policy on him – the balance of which would have paid off the home in the event of Gray’s death – and he realised he had had a lucky escape.

Norma Davis, 86, is considered Gray’s first victim, despite the fact that she was never convicted of this murder due to lack of evidence. Normal was the mother-in-law of Dana’s stepmother, Jeri Davis. Jeri’s first husband, Bill Davis, who died in the early 1980s, was Norma’s son. Dana knew Norma well due to the fact that Jeri cared for her even after getting re-married (to Dana’s father, Russell). On February 16, 1994, Norma’s body (which had been there for 2 days) was found by her neighbour with a utility knife sticking out of her neck and a fillet knife sticking out of her chest. Her only other injuries were a broken fingernail. A bloody afghan lay on the floor beside her and there were no signs of forced entry. Detectives discovered that Davis always left her door locked except when she was expecting a visitor. Detectives found a Nike shoe print moving toward the kitchen, and Davis’ $148 Social Security check. On the first floor of the condo, a blood smear was found on an armchair, and the phone cord had been ripped out of the wall.

Just 14 days after the murder of Norma Davis, 66-year-old June Robert was killed. Roberts, like Davis, and like Gray, lived in the Canyon Lake gated community. Dana visited Roberts asking to borrow a book about how to control a drinking problem. While Roberts was looking for the book, Gray unplugged the phone and used the cord to strangle her. When Roberts was dead, Gray stole her credit cards, and just one hour later, went on a shopping spree in Temecula.

Less than two weeks later, Dana Sue attacked Dorinda Hawkins in the antique store where she worked. Hawkins was working alone that day when Gray came in to buy a picture frame for a photo of her mother. Gray strangled Hawkins with a telephone cord, took $5 from Hawkins’ purse and $20 from the cash register. Less than an hour later, Gray went on another shopping spree with June Roberts’ credit card. Hawkins survived the assault and was able to give police a description of Dana Sue. The story was all over the papers the next day.

6 days later, Gray killed Dora Beebe, 87. Beebe had just arrived home from a doctor’s appointment when Dana pulled up in front of her house. She knocked on the door and asked Beebe for directions, and was invited inside to look at a map. Once in the house, Gray attacked and killed Beebe. Beebe was found later that day by her partner, Louis Dormand. Again, within the hour, Gray was shopping, this time using Beebe’s credit card.

The residents of Canyon Lake were terrified, some even moving in with family until after the murders were solved. A group of single, elderly women even banded together and slept in designated homes together, believing there was safety in numbers. Some residents believed the murders were the work of a cult who were engaging in ritual sacrifice.

In the beginning of the investigation, detectives struggled to find suspects, even asking a psychic for help. For a while, after the death of Norma Davis, Jeri Armbrust was a suspect. Armbrust told detectives she was previously married to Davis’ son, and continued to take care of her mother-in-law after his death. Davis was in poor health and was recovering from a triple bypass surgery. Detectives found it difficult to believe that Jeri would take care of an elderly woman who was not a blood relative, and Jeri was known to wear Nike shoes, like the footprint found at the crime scene. Detectives asked Jeri if she had been in the house before the murder, and Jeri admitted to being there to drop off groceries in the kitchen, but did not go upstairs to say hi. After weeks of interviews and investigation, Detective Greco realised this was not the killer they were looking for. Jeri and Greco became good friends and this friendship also helped to solve the case.

Gray was eventually caught because her description was given by several store owners in the Temecula area, where she had been shopping after each murder. Dana had spent so much money that the credit card company called June Roberts’ family to alert them. The detectives went to each store that the card had been used in, interviewed the cashiers, and collected descriptions of Gray. They also found out that the killer had dyed their hair lately and had a little boy named Jason. Detective Greco was relaying this description to his new friend, Jeri Armbrust, who mentioned that this sounded a lot like her stepdaughter, who had just dyed her hair, and whose boyfriend had a son named Jason. Detective Greco got a search warrant for Gray’s home and asked ARCNET (Allied Riverside County Narcotics Enforcement Team) to stake out Gray’s home.

As officers began to collect evidence against Gray, she was murdering Dora Beebe. After seeing Dana go to the bank with Beebe’s card and then go shopping, police had enough to arrest her, and they did the next day, while Gray was cooking dinner. Greco took Dana into custody, and officers also detained her boyfriend and his son for questioning.

During interrogation, Dana claimed to know nothing about the credit cards being stolen, saying she had found Roberts’ and Beebe’s cards. She stuck with this story, saying that the reason she kept the cards she had “found” was that she had a compulsion to shop. She also appeared very unsympathetic to the victims.

Detective Antoniadas tried to get a confession from Dana after Greco’s interview, but was unsuccessful. Greco eventually charged Gray with murder. At trial, Gray pleaded insanity on all counts, until a witness claimed to have seen Gray at Roberts’ house the day of her death, and she changed her plea to guilty of robbing and murdering 2 women and attempting to murder another (Dorinda Hawkins). By pleading guilty, Gray managed to avoid the death penalty and was sentenced to life without parole on October 16, 1988.

[mcnicholaslaw]

Lawsuit Filed Against Los Angeles Department of Water & Power For Victims of Creek Fires

– Lawsuit alleges LADWP failed to maintain and inspect power lines, as well as heed severe weather warnings of potential dangers associated with drought and high winds –

LOS ANGELES – Trial law firms McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, Frantz Law Group, APLC,  Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian and Becker Law Group have filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) and the City of Los Angeles on behalf of victims of the “Creek Fires,” after the utility company’s electrical long-distance transmission lines ignited 15 miles of widespread fires. The lawsuit alleges that LADWP negligently installed and maintained its electrical equipment for the area with disregard to the known wildfire risks, as well as failed to heed high wind weather warnings from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (“CalFire”) and the National Weather Service to safeguard the impact to the overhead power lines. The plaintiffs involved have suffered economic and non-economic damages, including extreme property damage and loss, personal injury, emotional distress and more.

During the days leading up to the fire impact, one of the many weather and wildfire experts, including Bill Gabbert of Wild Fire Today, primitively warned, “If fire ignition occurs, there will be the potential for rapid spread of wildfire with extreme fire behavior that could lead to a threat of life and property.”

“The National Weather Service issued a multitude of ‘Red Flag’ warnings and ‘Fire Weather Watches’ across Southern California due to the low humidity, record-high temperatures, and anticipated 50-mph wind gusts in the region. Such warnings should have created significant concern and preventative action from LADWP,” said Patrick McNicholas, Partner at McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP. “They failed to take reasonable precautions to protect residents from a clearly foreseeable risk, and their conscious disregard for safety caused devastation throughout nine communities.”

Background Information

Beginning on December 5, 2017, a 10-day-long blaze destroyed 15,619 acres of land across nine communities within Los Angeles County, including Santa Clarita, Olive View, Lake View Terrace, Sunland-Tujunga, Shadow Hills, Sylmar, Pacoima, Lopez Canyon and Kagel Canyon. The “Creek Fires” destroyed or damaged 204 homes and non-residential structures, and threatened thousands more.

The fires became ignited and spread wildly as a result of the intensity of the annual Santa Ana winds that whipped the high-voltage power lines, which contained an excessive amount of slack caused by heat stress and LADWP’s failure to inspect and maintain proper tension of the lines. In turn, the aluminum and steel lines snapped in the extreme weather conditions, creating a perfect fire starter to dry ground vegetation coupled with the high temperature and low humidity of the season.

As the largest municipal electric utility in the nation and supplier of over 24 million megawatt hours of electricity a year for 1.4 million LA customers, LADWP has a duty to consistently maintain a high standard of safety for the communities that it serves, at all times. Had LADWP followed the necessary standard of care in inspecting, maintaining and repairing its ultra-high-powered transmission lines, the “Creek Fires” catastrophe could have been mitigated. Instead, it has left residents struggling to secure basic living necessities and return to their regular way of life.

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McNicholas & McNicholas, a Los Angeles-based plaintiff’s trial law firm, represents clients in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, employment law, class actions, sexual abuse and other consumer-oriented matters such as civil rights, aviation disasters and product liability. Founded by a family of attorneys spanning three generations, McNicholas & McNicholas has been trying cases to jury verdict on behalf of their clients for more than five decades.

McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP

10866 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1400

Los Angeles, CA 90024

Phone: 310-474-1582

Fax: 310-475-7871

3558 Round Barn Blvd., Suite 215

Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Phone: 707-236-6316

Fax: 619-525-7672

www.mcnicholaslaw.com

Frantz Law Group, a California-based law firm with offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield and Riverside, represents plaintiffs in personal injury litigation cases throughout California and nationwide.

Frantz Law Group

402 West Broadway, Suite 860

San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: 855-930-2626

3558 Round Barn Blvd., Suite 215

Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Phone: 707-236-6316

Fax: 619-525-7672

www.frantzlawgroup.com

Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian is a Los Angeles-based trial law firm, specializing in business, insurance, employment, trust and estate, real estate, personal injury, wrongful death and construction defect.

Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian

26 Corporate Plaza, Suite 250

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Phone: 949-831-6611

Fax: 949-831-6622

3558 Round Barn Blvd., Suite 215

Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Phone: 707-236-6316

Fax: 619-525-7672

www.bridgfordlaw.com

The Becker Law Group is a California-based law firm, specializing in personal injury, wrongful death, bankruptcy, immigration, IP law, international trade law, medical malpractice, business law, employment law and fire property damage.

Becker Law Group

117 E. Colorado Boulevard, Suite 500

Pasadena, CA 91105

Phone: 626-777-7700

Fax: 626-714-7603

www.beckerlawgroup.com

The post Lawsuit Filed Against Los Angeles Department of Water & Power For Victims of Creek Fires appeared first on McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP.

[empirebankruptcylawyer]

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney: Protect Your Valuable Assets

When you have to file for bankruptcy, it is a challenging experience, especially, when not sure what will happen to your assets. Many people worry that they will lose their valuable essentials such as homes or cars, while filing for the process. However, it is essential to understand that certain laws provide relief and you are not left empty-handed, giving long-term relief. Connecting with a reliable attorney who understands the complexities will protect your assets for longer.

The Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney in Riverside, CA is essential to safeguard those things that matter the most to an individual. Chapter 7, also refers to the liquidation bankruptcy, and majorly involves selling non-exempt assets to creditors. Since many items are liable to be kept under the law, so, you can have those assets. Lawyers will assess your case thoroughly and explain essentials that can be protected while dealing with insolvency. That is why their role is necessary to save homes, cars, and personal belongings in such challenging situations.

One of the major advantages of connecting with a bankruptcy attorney is the protection of exempted assets. Since each state has its limitations, an expert thoroughly understands laws which ensures you will get the maximum advantage. It will be easier to protect your vehicle and other household items after being insolvent under their guidance. Along with this, they can easily handle the complex settlement process and negotiations with creditors for a smooth experience, minimizing the risk of losing essential items.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney in Riverside, CA will be supporting you as a professional throughout the journey for the best outcomes. They know how to file the necessary documents with court, and can deal with the creditors on your behalf. Additionally, they remove a great amount of stress and there will be fewer chances of errors. By working with an expert, you remain confident as everything is managed per the law.