Posts Tagged ‘death’

Wrongful Death Lawsuit

wrongful death lawsuit

how long does a wrongful death lawsuit take to settle?

If a person was in a hospital and got bedsores. than they were sent to a nursing home were the sores got worst and the nursing home sent the patient back to the hospital and the patient died from sepsis and bacteremia isn’t this a winnable case.please explain

Two different questions..

First, I have seen lawsuits take years to settle, depending on the number of parties involved (at least 2 defendants here)

Second, without access to medical records I can’t speak to the validity of the suit. It depends on what medical attention was given, contributing factors to the death, level of care, among other things.

Four Loko action: Does Caffeinated drink alcohol death lead to binging? The family of a 20-year-old man in Florida was shot and killed, according to the on the caffeinated malt liquor Four Loko sued the manufacturer of the drink, Phusion Projects, for wrongful death.

Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice

wrongful death medical malpractice

Who can tell me about Medical Malpractice or Wrongful Death Laws in the state of Illinois?

Is it true that in the state of Illinois you have 2 years to file a Malpractice/Wrongful Death Lawsuit against a Doctor in private practice, but only 1 year to file against a Public Hospital?

Any action for personal injury or death against a physician or hospital must be filed within two years from the date the claimant knew or reasonably should have known of the injury. In no instance may a claimant bring an action more than four years after the date on which the alleged act or omission occurred.

If the claimant was under the age of eighteen when the cause of action accrued, the limitation period is eight years from the date of the alleged act or omission, except that in no event may such an action be filed after the minor claimant’s 22nd birthday. If the claimant is mentally incompetent, the period of limitations does not begin to run until the disability is removed.

Wrongful death actions are governed by a different two-year statute of limitations that begins to run on the date of death. However, such an action can only be brought if, on the date of death, the decedent could still have commenced a malpractice action for the injury that caused the death.

In addition, the limitations period in actions brought against a local entity or its employees (e.g., a public hospital) is reduced to one year from the date the injury was received or the cause of action accrued. This takes the place of the ordinary medical malpractice statute of limitations when you’re dealing with public entities.

Wrongful Death Litigation

wrongful death litigation

Wrongful Death Malpractice

wrongful death malpractice

can someone refer me to a good wrongful death lawyer in missouri?

need a lawyer for a wrongful death or malpractice in missouri

I’ve used http://www.badproducts.com to find a lawyer in my area. I know the website says it for drugs and recalled products but they have a pretty extensive list of contacts they can refer you to. I’ve used them twice before and they’ve referred me to two really good lawyers. Everything is free too, just fill out the evaluation form on the website. hope they can help!

Business News: Bank starts recycling effort LAW George Ripplinger, principal of the firm Ripplinger and rooms LLC, of Belleville and St. Louis, an invitation to an Illinois Member of the American Trial Lawyers Association are. Membership is limited to the top 100 defense lawyers from each state. The selection is made on the civil plaintiffs and criminal Defenders extended by special invitation. Ripplinger focuses on …

Medical Malpractice Claims

medical malpractice claims
what is the award limits for medical malpractice in california?

If my family decided to pursue this claim, I have no idea what the limit or cap is or if there is one. We live in california, and I dont know where to look for that law to show my family.

There is no cap on recovery for economic loss (e.g., medical expenses, lost employment, etc.). There is a $250,000 cap on non-economic losses (e.g., pain and suffering). (Civil Code section 3333.2.)

The interesting thing is that juries are not told about this cap, and so can bring in a verdict for as much as they think the plaintiff should be awarded for non-economic damages. As a result of the cap, some jury awards have been reduced by millions of dollars. Whether you think this is a good thing or not probably depends upon whether you think that juries are monumentally stupid or not (and if you think they are, why do you support a jury system at all).

Medical Malpractice Claims: Have your records been altered?

Medical Malpractice Claim Filed By Patient Whose Doctor Did Not Complete Cancer Screening Tests

Prostate cancer affects African-American men differently from the rest of the population. Men of African-American descent are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer. As such, doctors generally recommend that African-American men should begin screening for prostate cancer earlier (the recommended age being 45) so as to increase the likelihood that if they do develop cancer it can be detected at an early stage while it is still curable. When physicians fail to follow the guidelines for cancer screening and their patient is later diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer that doctor may be liable for medical malpractice.

Beyond screening for cancer, physicians also should recognize when a patient has complaints suggestive of possible cancer and follow up. Physicians also should either perform screening testing requested by the patient or inform the patient that they will not perform the requested testing and that the patient should consult with another doctor if he still wants the test. Consider a reported case involving an African-American male, forty-one years of age, who was involved in an ad campaign for raising awareness about the risk of prostate cancer in middle-aged African-American men and who requested of his physician to screen him for prostate cancer.

Doctors generally recommend two tests for prostate cancer screening in male patients. The first test is to use a gloved finger to manually examine the prostate. The other is a simple blood test which is used to determine the level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the male’s system. As per the request of the patient, the doctor physically examined the patient’s prostate gland. On physical examination, the physician did not detect any abnormalities with the prostate gland: the gland was not enlarged, it was not hardened, and there were no nodules present. Blood testing was then ordered by the physician. The tests, however, did not include a PSA test. The patient, given his request and the fact that the doctor had done a physical examination, assumed that a PSA test was also ordered. When he did not hear back regarding the results, the patient simply assumed the results were normal. The patient saw the same doctor two years later. This time the doctor neither performed a physical examination of the prostate gland nor did the doctor order a PSA test.

What this physician did was to give the patient a false sense of security. By performing the digital examination of the prostate gland and ordering blood tests the physician left the patient with the perception that a full screening had been completed. A patient would likely think that a PSA test was been ordered along with the rest of the blood tests from the second visit. Either way, however, a patient certainly would be justified in believing he had undergone a full screening.

Later that year the patient saw a different doctor in the same practice. This doctor performed a digital examination and order a PSA test. The patient was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had metastasized to the bone. This patient did not wish to wait until the age of forty-five which is when most African-American men are first screened for colon cancer. He wanted to do it earlier and the doctor’s behavior lead him to be he had been properly screened as he requested.

The law firm that handled this matter took it to trial and achieved a $2,750,000 verdict. An appeal was filed by the defense. The defense and the plaintiff settled for a confidential amount as the appeals was pending. The exact amount of the settlement is not public knowledge but it was less than the amount of the verdict. This is a way by which both parties can reduce the risk of an adverse ruling by the Appeals Court. In this case the Appeals Court subsequently denied the appeal.

About the Author

Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney focused on catastrophic injury and medical malpractice cases. To learn more about advanced prostate cancer visit www.prostatecancerlaw.com/advanced-prostate-cancer.shtml.

Wrongful Death Legal

wrongful death legal

The Various Facets of Wrongful Death

It is a sad fact that many tragedies occur due to the unaccepted and inexcusable conducts of other people. Such conducts of other people often result to loss of lives. This is termed as wrongful deaths.

Wrongful death is simply defined as a death caused by the fault of another. Wrongful deaths vary on different circumstances – arising from different events caused by negligent individuals.

Most of wrongful death cases happen on avoidable circumstances. The responsible parties who could have had avoided those painful and tragic events may be charged with a wrongful death claim. Surviving family members of a wrongful death victim may sue the person or people responsible for the death of their loved ones.

One may have a wrongful death claim on any of the following circumstances discussed at length below:

Vehicle Accidents

The most common circumstance resulting to a wrongful death is vehicle accidents. Every year, millions of people all over the world get killed from these terrible vehicle mishaps. Since most of automobile accidents are caused by negligence of other drivers, wrongful death torts on the road are prevalent.

Wrongful death involving vehicle-related accidents could be avoided if drivers drove with full attention and extra caution. When drivers are reckless, there is a large tendency that they may hit pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycle bikers, other vehicle drivers and their passengers.

Medical Malpractice

Wrongful death from professional malpractices could also be prevented if practitioners or professionals do not make any mistake or errors with their line of work. Many wrongful deaths arise from this type of negligence, most commonly medical malpractice.

Family members of the deceased victim may sue the health care providers who have breached their duty in providing care, which resulted to their patient’s death. The death could have been due to a plastic surgery malpractice, a misdiagnosis of a severe disease, emergency room negligence, delivery malpractice, and any other form of hospital or medical negligence.

Product Liability

Manufacturers or sellers can be held legally responsible for a wrongful death when the products that they produce and/or sell are dangerous and defective where it caused the death of a family member. A wrongful death claim on the grounds of product liability may be due to a defective drug, malfunctioning auto part, a faulty or missing safety device, malfunctioning medical devices, faulty scaffolding, and others.

Premise Liability

A wrongful death may occur in another’s premises, either in a public or private property. Property owners’ are held liable for a wrongful death arising out of a premise liability accident such as a drowning injury accident, construction accident, amusement park or zoo accident, elevator or escalator accidents, slip or trip and fall accident, or any accident caused by the owners’ breach of their duty of care.

Legal Representation

Wrongful death lawyers can be very helpful for the survivors of a wrongful death victim. They can help family members with their claims. Responsible parties should pay the price for their negligence and carelessness. They owe it to the loved ones of a victim to afford due payment for their pain, suffering and losses.

Henceforth, it is very important that the victim’s family hire their wrongful death lawyer to be able to assure that the death of their loved one will be given justice. The competence of a wrongful death lawyer will also increase the possibility of recovering the biggest amount of settlement or damages from the liable parties.

Our professional personal injury lawyers have the capabilities of expertly handling our clients’ wrongful death claims. For immediate response to your inquiries, please visit our website.

About the Author

Jinky once aspired to become an hotelier. Now, she hopes of becoming a successful doctor. She intends to pursue this dream in the near future. In the meantime, she’s glad for the opportunity to enhance her writing skills while working as a content writer.

Is the death penalty justifiable?

In cases of murder, that is.

I agree with you, 100%.

I live in Texas, and I supported capital punishment for a long time, but the more I learned about it, the more I came to oppose it. In the end, several factors changed my mind:

1. By far the most compelling is this: Sometimes the legal system gets it wrong. In the last 35 years in the U.S., 130 people have been released from death row because they were exonerated by DNA evidence. These are ALL people who were found guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Unfortunately, DNA evidence is not available in most cases. So, as long as the death penalty is in place, you are pretty much GUARANTEED to occasionally execute an innocent person.

Really, that should be reason enough for most people to oppose it. If you need more, read on:

2. Because of higher pre-trial expenses, longer trials, jury sequestration, extra expenses associated with prosecuting & defending a DP case, and the appeals process (which is necessary – see reason #1), it costs taxpayers MUCH more to execute prisoners than to imprison them for life.

3. The deterrent effect is questionable at best. Violent crime rates are actually HIGHER in death penalty jurisdictions. This may seem counterintuitive, and there are many theories about why this is (Ted Bundy saw it as a challenge, so he chose Florida – the most active execution state at the time – to carry out his final murder spree). It is probably due, at least in part, to the high cost (see #2), which drains resources from police departments, drug treatment programs, education, and other government services that help prevent crime. Personally, I think it also has to do with the hypocrisy of taking a stand against murder…by killing people. The government fosters a culture of violence by saying, ‘do as I say, not as I do.’

4. There’s also an argument to be made that death is too good for the worst criminals. Let them wake up and go to bed every day of their lives in a prison cell, and think about the freedom they DON’T have, until they rot of old age. When Ted Bundy was finally arrested in 1978, he told the police officer, “I wish you had killed me.” Khalid Shaikh Mohammed (the architect of the 9/11 attacks) would love nothing better than to be put to death. In his words, “I have been looking to be a martyr [for a] long time.”

5. Most governments are supposed to be secular, but for those who invoke Christian law in this debate, you can find arguments both for AND against the death penalty in the Bible. The New Testament (starring Jesus) is primarily ANTI-death penalty. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus praises mercy (Matthew 5:7) and REJECTS “an eye for an eye” (Matthew 5:38-39). James 4:12 says that GOD is the only one who can take a life in the name of justice. In John 8:7, Jesus himself says, “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Wrongful Death Lawsuits

wrongful death lawsuits
how much should I expect from a wrongful death lawsuit?

It depends primarily on the cause, but generally it’s in the millions, if you can prove it, that is.

THE MEADOWS of Wickenburg – Wrongful Death Lawsuit Deposition 5

Finding Success in Your Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The wrongful death of a breadwinner is such a dismal situation that can bring deep emotional and financial drain to the dependent surviving family members. Being into this situation is not ideal and truly a disaster. 

You want to dispel yourselves from being caught with events like this. Certainly, this can make your life miserable especially with the loss of our source of sustenance and survival. It can be presumed that the wrongful death of the breadwinner is indeed a misery or suffering.

After the death of a loved one, the surviving family member should learn to accept this reality and strive to move on with their lives. Regarding their suit for compensation for such loss, they should be proactive and act expeditiously to attain claim for damages at the soonest.

However, this process is not easy, as it may seem. In fact, it is far complex that the services of a Wrongful Death attorney are extremely necessary. Engaging a professional help will lead your case to the best lights and success.

This article will guide the surviving family members in their judicial pursuit. The following are some information about the considerations, travails and mechanics of wrongful death lawsuits.

All about Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Typically, a wrongful death case involves an accidental or premature death of an individual that can be regarded to causes like the negligence of the defendant. It is far different from a normal negligence lawsuit. In wrongful death cases, the suit is filed by the dependent party, a family member, who has suffered from emotional and monetary damages because of the sudden death.

Each state has their own version of statutes or laws that deal with wrongful death cases, but mostly similar in some respects. 

Common from these cases however, relate that in obtaining compensation from the responsible party, it may or may not require the demonstration of negligence.

In general, the key elements of a wrongful death case that needs to be pleaded, proved and stood in lawsuits comprises of the following:

•    That the death was caused or was the result of the negligence (or other liability) on the part of the defendant;

•    That there is a surviving spouse, children, beneficiaries or dependents (entitled to monetary damages); and

•    That monetary damages have resulted from the victim’s death.

Monetary Damages Component

Generally, the monetary damages awarded to the surviving family covers replacement of financial support. It includes the estimation of other support to the survivors like household and childcare services and companionship.  

Other component damages sanctioned by the law or disposed of by the courts also comprise the entire award for monetary compensation.

Wrongful Death Lawsuits Attorney

Living a peaceful and comfortable life, that is fruitful, delightful and complete is an aspiration of everyone. 

As much as you would like to, you want to free yourselves from any untoward events that would spell terrible hardships in your life. 

However, despite huge amount of self-protection and self-preservation is waged, mishaps and gloomy encounters may still come.

With these, whenever your family breadwinner or any family member dies prematurely due to the negligent conduct of another, it should be known that you have the right to bring a lawsuit in court. This is to ventilate your predicaments in court all for obtaining compensation for your loss. 

However, to do this, you need to heed the help of Wrongful Death Lawsuits Attorney to work with your case to obtain success in your compensation pursuit. This should be done at the soonest time possible in order to preserve your rights under the law.

Conferring with an attorney right in time will greatly boost your case and success in your compensation pursuit.

The wrongful death of a loved one creates a great impact. To lessen the burden, consult our knowledgeable Los Angeles Attorneys to assist you with your wrongful death lawsuit. Visit our website for a free case analysis.

About the Author

Before becoming an online writer, Claysphere worked as a legal researcher, data analyst, and lyricist in a local band in his hometown. He has a degree in law, and worked for several law offices as a paralegal, office staff and as a researcher. He has continued to write topics relating to his learning in law.

Wrongful Death Law

wrongful death law

Get Justice for the Wrongful Death of your Loved One

A wrongful death occurs when a person is killed due to the negligence or misconduct or another individual or group of individuals. A wrongful death action belongs to the decedent’s immediate family members with the majority of survivors being spouses, children, and the parents of the decedent. A suit for wrongful death may only be brought by the personal representative of the decedent’s estate. However, the damages awarded to the estate may pass to different parties as directed by the decedent’s will.

What Makes a Death Wrongful?

For a wrongful death to have occurred, the following four elements must be present:

· The death of a human being

· Caused by another’s negligence

· The survival of family members who are suffering monetary injury as a result of the death

· The appointment of a personal representative for the decedent’s estate

A wrongful death claim may arise out of a number of circumstances:

· Medical malpractice that results in decedent’s death

· Automobile, plane, or some other mode of transportation accident

· Occupational exposure to hazardous conditions or substances

· Death during a supervised activity

If a loved one has died after an accident or serious injury caused by the negligence or misconduct of another individual, company or entity, it is recommended that you retain a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible. There are time limitations (statutes of limitations) in filing your wrongful death lawsuit.

Some of the types of cases related to wrongful death that attorneys handle include:

· Automobile accidents

· Trucking accidents

· Motorcycle accidents

· Work-related accidents

· Deaths due to defective products

· Deaths due to dangerous drugs

· Medical malpractice

· Drunk drivers

Financial injury is the primary measure of damages in a wrongful death action. Financial damages may include loss of support, lost prospect of inheritance, loss of services, and medical and funeral expenses. Most laws provide that the damages awarded for wrongful death be fair and just compensation for the financial injuries that resulted from your loved one’s death. In many cases of wrongful death, punitive damages are also paid to the family of the deceased.

The unfortunate situation of handling a loved ones death creates much emotional distress. If your loved one has died at the fault of another, you may feel the need to seek justice and ensure the person involved ‘pays a price’ for your loss. Experienced wrongful death attorneys can help you determine if you have a wrongful death case.

Wrongful death laws, and the statute of limitations surrounding the filing of a claim, vary by state. For this reason, we highly suggest you seek legal representation from an attorney knowledgeable of laws for the state in which your loved one died. Generally, the time limit for filing a wrongful death claim depends on who and what caused the death; typically, the limit is two years from the date of accident or death.

If someone you love has died and you feel you have grounds to file a wrongful death suit, you need experienced legal counsel handling the complicated aspects of this type of lawsuit.

About the Author

The dedicated attorneys and staff at Robert J. Dewey, P.A. understand how difficult a time this is for you and are sensitive to your special circumstances. While no amount of compensation can bring your loved one back, we will work hard to uncover the evidence needed to win your case and make sure you are taken care of in the future. Please call or email today for a free consultation.

I have a question about civil law…?

I am wanting to sue someone civilly for the wrongful death of my father…I also have a brother and sister. To do this, is it required that they be involved and consent to the lawsuit, if I do not want them to be? Or can they file their own, separate suit?

condolences on your loss but you really need to ask lawyer. i am not sure if you think a qualified lawyer exist on here.

Wrongful Death Suit

wrongful death suit

A Wrongful Death Lawyer Can Help You Through This Emotional Time

The death of a family member or friend is never an easy experience to embark upon. The feelings you encounter following the death of your loved one can be confusing, often including such emotions as anger, frustration, uncertainty, and sorrow. All deaths are difficult to handle in one way or another, but one of the most difficult circumstances a person can bear is the premature or untimely death of a loved one. These deaths can occur unexpectedly, or perhaps the circumstances that resulted in the death of that person were an unexpected occurrence. Either way, deaths that could have potentially been avoided are often (and understandably) the most difficult for families to deal with. Los Angeles is, in particular, an area in which these types of deaths occur all too often. Fortunately, to help you and your family endure this emotional moment in time, there are a number of wrongful death lawyers living right here in Los Angeles. These lawyers specialize in wrongful death cases, so if you suspect that your loved one was the fatal victim of negligence or neglect, you should contact one of these attorneys right away.

A number of circumstances and situations can result in a wrongful death suit. Some of them may include deaths that occur because of defective vehicle parts that caused a fatal accident; contaminated food items that proved to be poisonous; neighboring cars that housed reckless drunk drivers; and even neglect or abuse incurred at a nursing home facility, among many other possibilities. If you at all suspect that the death of your loved one was the direct or indirect result of neglect or negligent behavior, you should immediately contact a wrongful death lawyer to help you and your family obtain a sense of resolution and peace.

Determining whether or not the death of your loved one was truly the result of neglect or negligence can be very tricky. These difficult circumstances will inevitably require the expertise and training of a specialized wrongful death lawyer. He or she will have the education and experience necessary to make that important determination. Your lawyer will also be able to help you determine how much your claim settlement is really worth. This, in itself, can also be a difficult determination. The amount will vary from one case to the next dependent on the unique circumstances in which your loved one died. These circumstances, among several other factors, will determine how much you and your family can justly pursue for monetary compensation.

It is incredibly important for you and your family to contact a wrongful death lawyer immediately following the passing of your relative. There are obviously other obligations you will be required to fulfill at the same time, including the preparation for the burial services, but contacting a lawyer right away may be the best choice. He or she may be able to begin working on the details of your case while you and your family take care of funeral arrangements and other responsibilities.

If you have lost a loved one, contact a los angeles personal injury or wrongful death law firm today!

Bernie Mac’s widow files wrongful death suit
Bernie Mac’s widow has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Chicago against the late comedian’s longtime doctor. Rhonda McCullough alleges that a few weeks before Mac’s 2008 death, dermatologist Rene M. Earles did not recognize signs of respiratory failure and kept the 50-year-old Chicago native at his clinic for several hours rather than call an ambulance to take him to a hospital.

Wrongful Death Claims

wrongful death claims
If you receive a settlement in a wrongful death claim…?

it is not taxed. How do you give some of the proceeds to your children without incuring tax obligations?

Ideally you would want the award to go directly to the child(ren). If they are minors it should go to them with you as trustee for the funds until they reach the age of majority.

If the funds go directly to you you are limited to gifts of $12,000 per year per recipient without incurring a potential Gift Tax liability. However, funds spent on care and support, including educational expenses, are not considered as gifts and do not trigger a Gift Tax event.

KBR Faces Wrongful Death Claims Over Burn Pits

Vital Issues to Consider Before Filing a Wrongful Death Claim

Wrongful death occurs when a person’s reckless or negligent actions result in the death of another person. It can be an instant or immediate death; or it can be a delayed outcome of an accident. It may also be intentional or unintended.

In most cases, a claim for damages may be pursued by the decedent’s family members (surviving relatives of the deceased victim) against the culprit in the case.

Typically, wrongful death cases may arise as a result of personal injury accidents such as: auto accidents, workplace accidents, construction site accidents, medical malpractice, “mesothelioma”, dangerous or defective products or drugs, or any other accidents from similar causes.

Because there are no wrongful death provisions under the common law, many states have adopted their own statutes to address the issue. In Los Angeles, for example, lawsuits and claims involving such cases are governed by the state law on personal injury and wrongful death.

In order to better understand how to pursue a claim in a wrongful death incident, you must consider the following important issues regarding the statute and its application:

1. Statute of Limitations – The state law only allows a person two years to file a claim against a private person, businesses and corporations.

Under California law, the limitations period commences once an injury victim has suspicion of wrongdoing with knowledge of the harm and its cause. When this happens, a complaint must be filed within two years.

2. Standing Requirements – A wrongful death claim may be filed under the following conditions:

a. Only the heirs or the dependents of the deceased victim may file the claim

b. Only one lawsuit or joint cause of action must be maintained

3. Special Rules – Special rules regarding the statute of limitations apply against public entities such as county, city, state, and a host of ‘districts,’ like ‘irrigation district’, ‘fire district’, etc. The time limit for children against public entities is one year.

However, all claimants, including children, must file an administrative claim against the public entity within six months of injury or death. Claimants are allowed an additional six months to file a late claim.

4. Delayed Discovery Rule – Under the law, wrongful death claims must be filed within the two-year limitation period. This means that the statutory clock starts as soon as the plaintiff has knowledge of an injury.

However, in cases when a victim discovers an injury beyond the time set to file a claim, the delayed discovery doctrine will apply. According to the state discovery rule, “the accrual date of a cause of action is delayed until the plaintiff is aware of her injury and its negligent cause.”

5. According to the statute, a wrongful death is distinguished from a “survival action,” as ‘a claim made by the administrator of the estate of the deceased (or if no estate by the successor in interest of the deceased) for economic losses and punitive damages on behalf of the deceased, but excludes any claim for the decedent’s emotional distress or general damages, which expire upon death’.

6. Grief damages are not recoverable.

7. Unlike in some states, punitive damages may be awarded to the victim’s estate under the California law.

Pursuing a wrongful death claim in Los Angeles may require knowledge and experience in the various issues related to these cases. In this respect, you will need the skills of a Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer who specializes in handling cases of similar nature to help you obtain the maximum recovery available for your claim.

For immediate assistance in filing your wrongful death claim, log on to our expert Los Angeles personal injury lawyers’ website and learn how to avail our free case evaluation services.

About the Author

Before becoming an online writer, Manuel worked as a journalist, a newspaper columnist, a scriptwriter, a fiction writer, a magazine editor, and a tutor. He acquired his legal background as a Senate legislative officer and later on, as a researcher and paralegal staff in various law offices. Someday he hoped to go back and devote more time to writing fiction, which is his first passion.