Miami Immigration & Naturalization Law Blog

More vehicles recalled for dangerous airbags

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in Products Liability on Thursday, January 17, 2019.

Most Miami residents are aware of the many vehicles that have been recalled due to faulty airbags. Millions of cars have been recalled since 2014 because of a faulty airbag produced by the Takata company. A recent recall affects over a million more vehicles.

Toyota is adding over 1.3 million vehicles to the Takata airbag recall. Toyota 4Runners, Corolla, Matrix and Sienna vehicles are included in the recall, along with Lexus and Scion models. These cars are being recalled because it is believed that the chemicals that are inside the airbags can become unstable over time. This instability can cause the airbags to violently explode and spray sharp metal fragments at drivers and their passengers. So far, at least 15 people have died and more than 250 have been injured because of these dangerous airbags.

Requirements necessary for an L1 visa

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in Employment Immigration on Thursday, January 17, 2019.

There are many companies in the U.S. that have foreign people working for them or are foreign companies with branches in the U.S. It is important for foreign workers to have access to these companies in the U.S., which can sometimes be a challenge with the visa system in the U.S.

An L-1 visa is a visa used by a foreign worker who is in a managerial or executive role. The visa allows the employee to temporarily work in the U.S. There are several requirements that must be met before an L1 visa is issued. First, there needs to be a relationship between a business in the U.S. and the business that is abroad. While the worker is in the U.S., the worker needs to be working for the company that is doing business in both the U.S. and at least one other country. The person who is seeking the L1 visa needs to have worked for the company for at least one year before applying for the visa and that year needs to have been spent in a managerial role.

Tragic accident in Florida leaves 7 dead

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in Wrongful Death on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

When a loved one is unexpectedly killed in an accident, families are left behind wondering what happened. A recent fatal accident near Gainesville recently claimed the lives of seven people.

A semi-truck that was heading north on I-75 veered for some reason into another car and both the car and the semi-truck lost control and went through a center divider, where they hit a van full of children and adults heading to Disney World. Five children in the van were killed, along with the truck driver who veered into oncoming traffic and another truck driver who was also hit. The truck driver who is at the center of this crash was from West Palm Beach and has received several driving citations over the years. From 2000 to 2014 he was ticketed in 5 states for violations ranging from speeding, no proof of insurance, overloaded cargo and driving an unsafe vehicle.

Government shutdown affecting immigration courts and businesses

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in US Immigration Law on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

U.S. immigration law is something that many Miami residents are interested in. There are many people in Miami and Florida who are from another country. There are also many businesses that rely on foreign workers. With the recent shutdown of the federal government, immigration issues are becoming more of a problem and the backlog of cases has grown.

Shortly before Christmas this past year, the federal government shut down due to funding issues. Around 800,000 federal workers are affected by the shutdown, which includes immigration judges. The backlog of immigration cases before the shutdown was long, but it is now estimated that over 800,000 immigration cases will need to be rescheduled. One immigration attorney estimates that one of his client's procedural hearings will not be able to be rescheduled until 2020 because of the backlog. The shutdown has pretty much put immigration cases at a standstill.

Second child dies while in border patrol custody

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in US Immigration Law on Thursday, January 3, 2019.

Many immigrants to the U.S. come here because of the traumatic events they have faced in their home country. These immigrants come to the U.S. as a last resort to escape their dangerous country and find a safer environment to raise their children. Many of these immigrants and their children have recently been detained at the border as they wait to have their asylum request processed.

According to a recent report, a second child has died while being detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. The 8-year-old boy from Guatemala was in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody with his father when he fell ill. The boy was hospitalized and died shortly thereafter. This is the second death of a child in custody with the CBP in December. The first death occurred earlier this month when a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died from the flu. The CPG has now ordered that all children be medically screened in hopes that no more deaths occur among children.

Florida ranks high in pedestrian deaths

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, January 3, 2019.

Many Miami area residents take advantage of the Florida weather and take walks around their neighborhood, downtown and along the beach. Most of the time pedestrians are able to safely walk when cars are around, but occasionally a pedestrian accident happens in which a death occurs.

Smart Growth America has ranked the top cities in the United States that are most dangerous for pedestrians. Eight of the top 10 cities are in Florida, with Fort Myers-Cape Coral topping the list and the Miami area coming in at number 11. In 2014, over 4,800 pedestrians were killed by cars and those who are over the age of 65 are 50 percent more likely to be hit by a car. Smart Growth America believes that many of these deaths are caused by the way streets are designed where cars are traveling too fast and there is no pedestrian infrastructure in place.

Citizenship and green card applications can be filled out online

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in US Immigration Law on Friday, December 28, 2018.

There are many people in the Miami area and across Florida who are interested in obtaining U.S. citizenship. This can be a complicated process that takes years, with any advancement in efficiency being welcome.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Service has announced that people can now apply online for American citizenship or a green card replacement. There are many forms now available to fill out online, including the I-90 to replace a permanent resident card and the N-600 application for citizenship, among others. The advantages to this new online process can mean that there is now a secure way to send applications and to review an application's status. The forms are also compatible with cell phones and tablets, which can make it easier for immigrants. It also streamlines the questions asked to applicants and groups together all related questions.

Broward County family sues Airbnb for daughter's death

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in Wrongful Death on Wednesday, December 26, 2018.

Many Miami area residents use Airbnb when they travel. Airbnb can be a great way to experience local culture and save money while traveling. Most of the time an Airbnb experience is a positive one, but occasionally a visit can go wrong. When a person dies as the result of negligence, a wrongful death lawsuit may be appropriate.

A Broward County family has filed a lawsuit against Airbnb for their sister's death. Their sister was staying at an Airbnb location in an apartment complex in Costa Rica when she was killed. It was discovered that she was killed by a security guard at the apartment complex. The family says that Airbnb was negligent because it didn't do a background check on the security guard, who lacked documentation and legal authorization to be in Costa Rica. Airbnb says they have removed the complex from their platform. The family is seeking an unspecified amount of damages in the lawsuit they filed in the 13th Judicial Circuit of Florida.

Causes of a traumatic brain injury

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, December 20, 2018.

Many Miami area residents know someone who suffered a brain injury. Brain injuries can be life-changing and even deadly. Sometimes, a brain injury is the result of a person's negligence. If this is the case, the victim's family may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

There are many ways in which a person can receive a fatal brain injury. Most brain injuries occur from bruising, tearing or swelling. A person can suffer from more than one of these injuries in an incident. Common causes of a serious brain injury include car accidents, slipping and falling, firearms and any other incident that causes a direct blow to the head.

One green card through marriage requirement may be changing

On behalf of Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. posted in citizenship on Thursday, December 20, 2018.

There are many couples in the Miami area where one person is from a foreign country while the other is a citizen of the United States. Those who are in these relationships and get married may want to obtain a green card. There are many who want to seek permanent residence and one of the requirements for this may soon be changing.

Those who are seeking a green card through marriage may be interested in hearing about a change that is in the works. Initially, a green card issued to immigrants is valid for 2 years and then those who want to seek permanent residence must go through an interview to prove that their marriage is not fraudulent. Under new procedures announced recently by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the interview may no longer be necessary, if certain requirements are met.