Hotard & Hise, LLC Attorneys at Law

When Your Injury Is Someone Else’s Fault

When careless or negligent actions on the part of others result in an injury to you or the death of a loved one, you may have grounds to file for financial compensation. At Hotard & Hise, we make sure that people are held accountable for their actions. We have a strong track record of successfully trying serious injury cases. From the initial consultation to the final settlement, we are by your side every step of the way putting our knowledge and experience to work for you.

Motor Vehicle Accidents And Other Personal Injury Claims

Personal injury cases often become complicated and stressful for the injured. A typical claim involves dealing with insurance companies, medical bills, and proving negligence. You may also face the stress of lost wages, physical pain, and funeral expenses in wrongful death cases.

The most common personal injury cases our clients bring to us include:

• Car and motorcycle accidents
• Trucking and commercial vehicle accidents
• Construction accidents
• Wrongful death claims

Accidents involving commercial vehicles have their own set of challenges. They usually involve examining the driver’s logbook and driving record for signs of fatigue or a history of reckless driving. These cases also involve checking the vehicle’s maintenance record and investigating the possibility of a manufacturer defect. When you’ve been injured in an accident with a truck or commercial vehicle, Hotard & Hise can help you navigate the claim process and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Documenting What Happens After The Accident

If you’ve been injured due to the negligence of another, it’s important to document everything associated with the accident. Records, bills, and any other information to keep include:

• Information about doctor visits and hospital stays
• Medical bills
• Insurance statements
• Conversations with your insurance company
• Any contact from the party at fault
• Time missed from work and lost wages

Whether your injury happened at home, at work, or out in public, we can provide the legal guidance you need to get the compensation you deserve.

Contact The Personal Injury Attorneys At Hotard & Hise

For a free consultation, call the law offices of Hotard & Hise at 1-706-754-0985 or fill out our online contact form.

Legal Guidance Through Adoption, Divorce And Family Law Issues

At Hotard & Hise, we understand the emotional, financial, and legal impact that family law cases have on children and their families. We take a personal approach, focusing on the specific needs and wishes of each client. If you need help with divorce, paternity, child support, or child custody, we can put our energy and experience to work for you.

Legal Guidance In Divorce Proceedings

Divorce is a long and often emotionally draining process. From the beginning, there are a lot of practical details to deal with, especially when children are involved. Regardless of whether your divorce is contested or uncontested, you should consult an attorney before you start the legal process of dissolving your marriage. Our attorneys can help with all aspects of divorce proceedings, including:

• Division of marital assets
• Child custody and support
• Protection orders
• Alimony

Divorce is rarely easy for anyone, but the attorneys at Hotard & Hise can help guide you through the legal process and protect your rights.

Child Custody Arrangements

Child custody involves both legal custody (making life decisions for the child) and physical custody (where the child lives). Traditionally, the courts grant primary physical custody with one parent and grant visitation rights to the other. Parents usually share joint legal custody in making decisions about a child’s health, religious life, extracurricular activities, and education.

By listening to your needs and understanding the unique dynamics of your family, we help build a parenting plan that makes sense for you and your children. No matter how contentious the relationship is between the parents, we provide calm and steady guidance through child custody hearings.

Our goal in every child custody case is first to make sure that custody decisions are in the best interests of the child. Second, we make sure that our client’s wishes are known by the court and factored into the judge’s decision.

Establishing Paternity In Georgia

Georgia law presumes a man is to be a child’s legal father if he is married to the child’s mother at the time of the child’s birth. Paternity can also be established through a paternity affidavit which must be signed by both parents. In a child support case where paternity has not been established through either of these methods, the Georgia Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) requires a paternity test.

Before signing a paternity affidavit or starting the process of a paternity test, make sure you understand the legal ramifications of your actions. At Hotard & Hise, we can explain the pros and cons of each option so you can make the choice that’s in the best interests of you and the child.

Contact The Family Law Attorneys At Hotard & Hise

To schedule a free consultation to discuss your family’s legal needs, call Hotard & Hise at 1-855-LAW-WIN-1 or contact us online.

Northern Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers

While they say that America is the land of second chances, people with a conviction on their record may beg to differ. Most employers, banks, and landlords run background checks on all applicants; a criminal record often eliminates you from consideration. If you are facing criminal charges, it’s vital that you get a defense plan in place as quickly as possible. Ideally, we work to get the charges dropped. At a minimum, we work to get the charges reduced.

Fighting Traffic Tickets And DUI Charges

You should never simply pay a traffic ticket without considering the consequences. When you pay, you are pleading guilty and accepting the penalties associated with your offense. Pleading guilty to a DUI or moving violation may result in:

• Adding points on your driver’s license
• Long-term increase in your car insurance rates
• Suspension of your driver’s license
• Jail time and/or suspension of your license for a DUI
• Job loss for commercial truck drivers with a CDL

At Hotard & Hise, we will review the details of your violation and work to keep violations off your record and prevent points from being assessed. Remember that points on your driving record accumulate over time, so even penalties for minor violations add up and may cause your insurance rates to go up for several years.

Domestic Violence And Assault Charges

Our law firm donates countless hours to the victim advocacy groups: Circle of Hope and FAITH (Fight Abuse in the Home). We understand the sensitive nature of domestic violence and assault charges. Whether you are a victim or have been charged with a crime, we have the knowledge and experience to protect your rights and help you get the resources you need.

Assault, sexual assault, and domestic violence convictions can result in prison time and substantial fines depending on the severity of the charges. It’s important to understand the penalties for the varying degrees of different charges and how it impacts the case and protection orders. We use our knowledge and experience dealing with assault and domestic violence to protect your rights and help ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Representing Clients Charged With Drug Offenses

The state of Georgia has some of our country’s most severe penalties for drug offenses. Even possessing a small amount of an illegal drug carries a stiff penalty, especially if the accused has been charged in the past. Guilty verdicts can result in fines, job loss and lengthy prison terms.

When we represent clients charged with drug offenses, we do everything we can to try to get the charges dropped. If that is not possible, we investigate all the options for reducing the charges and penalties. This includes looking into alternatives to jail and prison time such as electronic monitoring, treatment, and day reporting centers.

Contact The Criminal Defense Attorneys At Hotard & Hise

For a free consultation, call Hotard & Hise at 1-706-754-0985 or fill out our online contact form.