Guillermo Avellan, who was driving the street sweeping truck, was killed in the accident after being ejected from his vehicle. Echevarria had a blood alcohol level of 0.10 at the time of the crash, said Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Mark Wysocky. The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at which one is considered to be driving under the influence in Florida is .08. The Audi that Echevarria was driving also spun out of control and hit a Toyota resulting in six more people being injured. Echevarria who is being held without bail is actually charged with 10 counts of DUI in addition to the vehicular homicide charge.
"A DUI like this where someone is killed and others are injured is extremely serious," explained Miami DUI defense lawyer John Musca." Under Florida DUI law, vehicular homicide is a Second Degree Felony which is punishable by a maximum term of 15 years in state prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. Echevarria also faces separate charges stemming from the injuries to the others involved in the accident. A driver who causes injury to another driver can be convicted of a First Degree Misdemeanor which is punishable by up to one year in prison and a up to a $1000 fine. If the other people injured in the accident suffered serious injury, the punishment for causing serious injury to a person in a DUI accident is up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $5000.
Anyone who is facing many years in prison for being involved in a DUI related accident that causes death or serious injury to someone needs immediate legal representation. An experienced DUI lawyer will investigate the circumstances of the accident and look for other factors that contributed to the accident and challenge any chemical tests. An experienced Miami DUI lawyer may be able to get the charges reduced or the case dismissed.
It is important to be proactive in building your defense. A conviction will likely change your life. But, with high quality legal representation on your side, it is possible to put these changes behind you for good. If you have been arrested and are seeking legal guidance, Musca Law is here for you. Contact a Miami DUI Attorney as Musca Law today, to speak with an experienced attorney. We offer a free initial consultation and Spanish language translation services.
Now the police have revealed new details regarding the case. An officer who witnessed Bertonatti flee the scene claims that he clocked Bertonatti's speed at 80 mph according to a report released by the police. The police also indicated that when he was finally arrested he refused to believe that he was involved in the fatal collision with the cyclist. "Your lying to me . . . cops do that stuff all the time," Bertonatti told police.
The new information released also included information that the officer's had to strap Bertonatti to a stretcher to obtain a blood sample. The blood test indicated that his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .122. An adult male the size of Bertonatti would have to consume six beers in an hour to register a BAC of that level. The new report also indicated that Bertonatti was tested for drugs but tested negative for marijuana, cocaine and a slew of other drugs.
Police officer Felix Huertas saw Bertonatti leave the scene of the collision and indicated that the car had "extensive front end damage." The officer also claims that Bertonatti obviously fled when he saw the officer at the scene. "Upon seeing my lights activate, (Bertonatti) began to increase his speed in excess of 80 miles per hour, almost colliding with slower moving traffic ahead of him," said the officer's report. Bertonatti pled not guilty to charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of an accident where someone was killed.
According to Miami DUI attorney John Musca, this case is somewhat unusual because of the details released regarding the officers strapping the suspect to a stretcher to administer a blood test. "Florida DUI law permits law enforcement to use reasonable force to obtain a blood test if a driver refuses to submit to such a test after being involved in an accident where someone is seriously hurt or killed," said Musca. The officer still must have probable cause that a driver is intoxicated and perform the test in a "reasonable manner," explained Musca.
A driver who is charged in a fatal accident where the driver is alleged to have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol faces very serious charges. The maximum prison term for DUI manslaughter is 15 years and 15 years for vehicular homicide as well. While no Miami driver wants to be faced with the consequences of a fatal DUI related accident, anyone who finds themselves in this position should immediately consult an experienced Miami DUI lawyer.
When you are faced with DUI charges in Miami, you will face some serious legal issues where you will need assistance of a Miami DUI Defense Attorney. It is crucial that you have legal representation if you are facing a DUI charge. Don't face this situation without an aggressive attorney fighting for your rights every step of the way. Contact Musca Law immediately.
In 1998, Leonard Little was a defensive lineman for the St. Louis Rams when he was charged with DUI manslaughter following his collision with a woman while he was driving under the influence of alcohol. When news of the incident initially broke, most major media outlets failed to cover the incident or any of the facts pertaining to the story. Little's blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit at the time of the fatal accident. He received a three-month jail sentence, 1,000 hours of community service and four years of probation. Aside from Little's NFL suspension, his case and sentence faced far less scrutiny than criminal cases involving athletes during the last decade.
During the time that Little's transgression occurred, the media was not as critical of professional athletes as it is today. Many articles in the media at the time focused on ones status or title as a professional athlete as opposed to the ethical or moral standards of the athlete's conduct. A fair number of articles that covered the Little incident focused on Little's remorse as opposed to his poor judgement. "It's hard because I've never been in trouble," Little said. "Not a problem kid or anything like that so when you're in the legal system like that, it's always hard on a person the first time to go through some things like that," Little stated in a 2000 Sports Illustrated article.
The media continued to ignore incidents after Little's conviction that would have brought scrutiny and criticism from today's media. Little never formerly apologized to the victim's family following the incident. The media also completely ignored Little's subsequent arrest for DUI five years later.
By contrast, the media heavily criticized Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Donte Stallworth. Stallworth pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and received 30 days in jail for a Miami Beach collision in which a pedestrian was killed. Stallworth was also suspended from the NFL for a year. Stallworth's incident was not only widely covered in the media, but his sentence, which was likely affected by a confidential settlement, was lambasted by the media for being too light. The media did not portray Stallworth in a positive light or focus on his remorse but instead characterized Stallworth as another in a long line of professional athletes who used his celebrity status to secure a lesser charge.
"This shift in the media portrayal of athletes reflects a larger societal change. As the number of deaths caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol has risen, the penalties and consequences facing a driver convicted of drunk driving have increased accordingly," said Miami DUI Attorney John Musca. A driver who is arrested for DUI, especially where someone has been injured or killed, faces very serious penalties. If a driver faces DUI charges in Miami or elsewhere in Florida, where someone has been injured or killed, he or she should consult an experienced Miami DUI lawyer.
When Porter finally complied with the officer's request and got out of the vehicle, he placed his hands behind his back. Porter and his passenger were arrested. The CHP recommended that Porter be charged with DUI, resisting arrest and assault on a peace officer. However, the district attorney's office did not believe that based on the evidence it was likely that the charges could be proven in court. "Based upon the information that was provided to us by the CHP, we did not believe that there would be a reasonable likelihood that a jury would find Mr. Porter guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations," said Supervising District Attorney Mark Pafford. "With this belief, we thought it was not appropriate for us to proceed."
One mistake that Porter did not make when he was stopped was to volunteer incriminating information commented Miami DUI lawyer John Musca. "Many stopped for DUI will volunteer damaging information to the police officer which creates probable cause to escalate the situation or that will become critical evidence used against the accused later in court, " said Musca.
A lot of people arrested for DUI also assume it is inevitable that they will face criminal charges. This is not necessarily the case. If you are arrested for DUI in Miami, you should promptly seek the advice of an experienced Miami DUI lawyer. The lawyer will investigate and evaluate the strength of the evidence supporting potential charges. "Sometimes an experienced DUI attorney will be able to persuade the district attorney not to file formal charges. In other words, a person who seeks legal representation early in the process not only may not face a conviction but may not even face the specter of criminal charges," said Musca.
Musca Law provides the highest quality criminal litigation services to the residents of Miami and the surrounding areas. Our Miami criminal attorneys have successfully tried, defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both State and Federal courts throughout Florida. These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases. Misdemeanor cases, DUI, drug crimes, federal crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes, and motor vehicle offenses.
Stallworth served a 24 day prison sentence that many critics characterized as too lenient. He was also sentenced to 1000 hours of community service, eight years probation and loss of his driving privileges for 5 years. Though Stallworth could have been sentenced up to 15 years in state prison, his attorneys speculate the lenient sentence was a function of Stallworth taking responsibility for his actions. "My mom (Donna) taught us to respect others and take responsibility for our actions and learn from our mistakes," said Stallworth.
Following the accident, Stallworth immediately called 911 in an effort to obtain medical assistance for Reyes. "One of the most important things you can do if you are involved in a DUI where someone is hurt is remain at the scene and obtain medical assistance for the injured person," said John Musca. "If you are involved in a DUI and leave the scene and fail to provide medical assistance to the injured person, you face additional charges and punishment.
The Baltimore Ravens decided to take a chance on Stallworth who was also suspended from the NFL for a year. The Ravens constitute the fifth NFL team for Stallworth since the New Orleans Saints drafted him out of Tennessee as a junior. Stallworth indicates he feels incredible remorse for the incident that haunts him to this day. "It's tough. It's a daily process. It's not something that now that I'm back playing . . . that it's in the back of my mind. It's something that I deal with every day waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night. It's a tough situation for everyone involved," said Stallworth.
Musca Law provides the highest quality criminal litigation services to the residents of Miami and the surrounding areas. Our Miami criminal defense attorneys have successfully tried, defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases, misdemeanor cases, DUI, drug crimes, federal crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes, and motor vehicle offenses.
The attorneys for Epstein alleged the officer was extremely overzealous after the stop and that the officer in his attempt to justify the arrest misstated material facts. Epstein's DUI attorneys aggressively represented Epstein and discovered in the course of their investigation that 7 similar complaints had been made against the arresting officer over the preceding 8 years. Based on these complaints, an investigation of the arresting officer was initiated by the State Attorney's Office. The State Attorney's Office through the prosecutor in the case subsequently recommended dismissal of all charges against Epstein.
While Epstein is grateful that the ordeal is over, the dismissal of charges has not repaired the damage the arrest did to his professional reputation. "Even though all charges have been dismissed, the entire ordeal has been a harrowing experience," said Epstein. "There was a lot of publicity about my case in the media and unfortunately much of the publicity contained highly inaccurate information which severely damaged my reputation. Even though I have never been found guilty of any crimes, one traffic stop has severely tarnished my reputation that I have spent 20 years building as a prominent educator in South Florida," explained Epstein.
Miami DUI attorney John Musca said this case serves as a reminder that police officer's are not necessarily incapable of mistakes or above reproach. "Sometimes an officer's overzealous efforts may violate the rights of the accused including a defendant's due process rights," said Musca. If you are arrested for a Miami DUI, a qualified DUI lawyer will investigate the arresting officer to see whether a defense based on misconduct, inexperience or bias is appropriate
When you are faced with DUI charges in Miami, you will face come serious legal issues where you will need the assistance of a Miami DUI Defense Attorney. It is crucial that you have legal representation if you are facing a DUI charge. Don't face this situation without an aggressive attorney fighting for your rights every step of the way. Contact Musca Law immediately.
A checkpoint must comply with specific written guidelines which delineate how the vehicles will be selected, the appropriate procedures for any additional detention of the vehicle, and the manner in which vehicles will be disposed, which means that the officers in the field have very little discretion. The checkpoint must be utilized in a way that will minimize the intrusion and the length of the stop. Finally, the roadblock must be "significantly more effective" than less intrusive means of preventing crime. Any variation from the written guidelines or procedures established for the checkpoint may form a basis for your Miami DUI lawyer to challenge the checkpoint as unconstitutional.
If the checkpoint is found to be unconstitutional, an experienced Miami DUI attorney can suppress all evidence against you including observations of you and your driving, field sobriety testing, and any refusal to submit to chemical testing (breath, blood or urine). The suppression of the evidence obtained after a driver's stop may be sufficient to have some or all of the charges against you dismissed. "Because checkpoints do not require officer's to have probable cause when they stop a vehicle, a judge will expect very careful checkpoint guidelines that allow little room for an officer to exercise arbitrary discretion," said Musca. A driver who is arrested for DUI at a checkpoint typically has more options available in terms of defenses to the charges so the driver should consult with an experienced Miami DUI lawyer promptly after arrest.
When you are faced with DUI charges in Miami, you will face some serious legal issues where you will need the assistance of a Miami Dui Defense Attorney. It is crucial that you have legal representation if you are facing a DUI charge. Don't face this situation without an aggressive attorney fighting for your rights every step of the way. Contact Musca Law immediately.
Brown was initially pulled over by officers in the early morning hours after he was purportedly observed driving fast and drifting into other lanes. The police report indicates that Brown refused a field sobriety test and that his BAC was .158 when he blew into a breathalyzer. The legal limit in Georgia is .08.
Experienced Miami DUI defense lawyer John Musca indicated that Brown's criminal defense lawyer will carefully investigate the basis for the stop. " ' Driving Fast' is somewhat vague so there may be a basis to challenge the validity of the original stop," said Musca. If the initial stop is not valid, then the breathalyzer results and other evidence that was obtained following the stop may be excluded as "fruit of the poisonous tree," explained Musca. An experienced Miami DUI defense lawyer will also investigate the breathalyzer testing as it also may be challenged as to whether the machine is functioning and calibrated properly. There also may be other grounds that may exist for attacking the breathalyzer results.
If you are stopped by a police officer on suspicion of DUI, you should courteously decline to answer the officer's questions and seek immediate legal advice. What a DUI suspect should not do is disclose to the officer that he or she has been drinking or is drunk. This may be seem like obvious advice, but more people arrested for DUI than you might realize turn weak cases into strong cases by proceeding to make damaging admissions to the arresting officer before seeking the advice of legal counsel. These disclosures sometimes make a qualified Miami DUI defense lawyer's job in having the charges reduced or dismissed much more difficult.
Musca Law provides the highest quality DUI and criminal litigation services to the residents of Miami. Our Miami DUI Attorneys have successfully tried and defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both State and Federal courts throughout Florida. These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases and misdemeanor cases, DUI, drug crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes and motor vehicle crimes.
Wright was booked and released after posting $2000 bail. The Miami Heat responded by saying that this type of conduct by Wright was out of character but that a suspension was still appropriate because his conduct harmed the team. The team suspended Wright for two games. Heat President Pat Riley said, "This is out of character for Dorrell; we feel he's a good person and that he will learn from his mistake." Riley said that team discipline including the suspension was appropriate because Wright's conduct was "detrimental to the team." Wright was averaging 6.3 points and 3.1 assists per game through the first 57 games of the season.
Miami DUI Attorney Musca commented on Wright refusing the request for field sobriety tests. Under Florida implied consent law, a driver may not refuse a chemical test such as breath, blood or urine without serious consequences, but the implied consent law does not apply to field sobriety tests. Unlike chemical test, where refusal to submit may have serious consequences, you are not legally required to take any field sobriety tests. Generally, officers have usually made up their minds to arrest a suspect when they give field sobriety tests so the tests are simply additional evidence which the suspect inevitably "fails." While most people do not refuse, a polite refusal may be appropriate.
Musca Law provides the highest quality criminal litigation services to the residents of Miami and the surrounding areas. Our Miami criminal defense attorneys have successfully tried, defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases, misdemeanor cases, DUI, drug crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes, and motor vehicle offenses.
]]>
Evidence obtained from the vehicle included alcohol containers and mood-altering drugs. Reports indicated that the driver seemed highly intoxicated. There was also evidence of a pattern of addictive behavior exhibited by the defendant. Florida DUI law treats habitual DUI conduct very seriously. A fifth DUI conviction (even with no property damage or injury) can result in a 5 year prison sentence and permanent revocation of one's Florida driver's license with no hardship license available according to Miami DUI lawyer John Musca. Where a driver under the influence of alcohol causes the death of another person, the suspect can be charged with DUI manslaughter which is governed by Florida sentencing guidelines. The state prison term for a DUI manslaughter conviction can range from a minimum of about 10 years to a maximum of 15 years. A conviction for DUI manslaughter will also result in mandatory revocation of the accused driver's license.
A person who has been arrested for DUI manslaughter faces a lengthy state prison term, fines and assessments, license revocation and other penalties. The impact on one's life, family and future of a DUI manslaughter conviction can be devastating. Incidents like the one described in this story make the risks of a DUI manslaughter arrest even more dangerous because of the push for harsher sentencing. However, an arrest for DUI manslaughter does not mean that a conviction is a certainty. An experienced Miami DUI lawyer will investigate the accident, the procedures and methodology of any blood alcohol concentration testing (BAC testing) and other factors so that the lawyer can aggressive defend you against these serious charges.
Musca Law provides the highest quality criminal litigation services to the residents of Miami and the surrounding areas. Our criminal attorneys have successfully tried, defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both State and Federal courts throughout Florida. These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases, misdemeanor cases, DUI, drug crimes, federal crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes, and motor vehicle offenses.
Herrera was charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide and received a sentence of 15 years which was the maximum in an open plea, leaving it to the judge to determine the sentence. Herrera had sought to have the sentence reduced on appeal. However, the judge on appeal affirmed the sentence, and Herrera has now exhausted his appeals. The family and friends of Shore appeared to implore the judge not to modify Herrera's sentence. Those close to Shore were happy with the sentence. "Judge, I'm here on behalf of my daughter to beg you to not let Ramone Herrera serve anything less than a 15-year sentence," said Michelle's mother.
Herrera asked the judge to reduce his sentence saying he was very remorseful. "My sincere apology goes to the Shore family. I never intended for that to happen. This is something that I will forever regret and feel remorseful for," Herrera said. Herrera's mother also made an impassioned plea through a translator to the judge saying, "But he's not a murderer. It was an accident." Miami DUI lawyer John Musca said that DUI manslaughter is a second degree felony which is punishable by a maximum sentence of a $10,000 fine and 15 years in state prison. A conviction for vehicular homicide provides for the same maximum sentence under Florida DUI law according to Musca. Because a conviction of DUI manslaughter can result in a lengthy term in state prison, one who is charged with DUI manslaughter in Miami should retain an experienced DUI lawyer who will investigate the circumstances of the accident and the validity and procedure in any breath or blood testing as well as other potential defenses or mitigating factors.
When you are faced with DUI charges in Miami, you will face some serious legal issues where you will need the assistance of a Miami Dui Defense Attorney. It is crucial that you have legal representation if you are facing a DUI charge. Don't face this situation without an aggressive attorney fighting for your rights every step of the way. Contact Musca Law immediately.
The so-called "walk and turn" field sobriety test requires taking nine steps heel to toe, making a very specific three-part turn, then nine steps back. The driver is told to keep his hands at his side and not use them for balance. The instruction not to use one's arms for balance is very unnatural. If the driver uses his arms for balance as is natural or does not follow the officer's lengthy instructions precisely, the officer will offer this as "evidence of impairment." The DUI defense lawyer will point out that people do not normally walk this way so that it is ludicrous to consider the failure to perform the exercise as evidence that the driver's normal activities are impaired. Since most of the field sobriety tests involve this type of unnatural exercise, the DUI lawyer will try to get the officer to admit that these exercises are unnatural exercises.
Another example of the officer interpreting innocent behavior as "evidence of impairment" would include pulling a driver over for going to slow. The officer will testify that based on his training and experience driving too slowly is evidence of impairment. The officer will try to point out anything that is less than perfect driving is evidence of impairment. A good Miami DUI defense lawyer will point out all of the things the driver did correctly. The defense lawyer will walk the officer step by step through all of the things the driver did correctly. The goal is to get the jury to draw the conclusion that although the driver did a couple minor things wrong most of his driving was perfectly normal.
Once the officer has determined that the driver has failed the field sobriety tests, the officer will handcuff the driver and drive him to the jail to take a breathalyzer test. The prosecutor will not present evidence that the breathalyzer machine is scientifically reliable, and the DUI defense attorney will point this out. The defense attorney will also argue that taking the driver's blood would be a more reliable way to test blood alcohol level. He will explain that a breathalyzer test was used instead only because it is cheaper.
If the driver refuses to submit to the breathalyzer test, the officer will say it indicates consciousness of guilt. However, a DUI defense lawyer will walk the officer through the questions he asked the driver before the breathalyzer test. Police officers never tell the driver anything about the reliability of the machine or how it works. The DUI lawyer will explain to the jury that it is perfectly normal not to want to breathe into this mysterious machine if the driver has even had a sip of alcohol. The defense lawyer will show the jury that it is perfectly reasonable for someone who has already been arrested to not want to trust a machine that he does not understand.
These are just some of the ways a qualified DUI defense lawyer may challenge field sobriety and breathalyzer tests in court. This shows how a good DUI lawyer can make a difference in one's DUI criminal case.
Musca Law provides the highest quality criminal litigation services to the residents of Miami. Our criminal defense lawyers have successfully tried, defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both State and Federal courts throughout Florida. These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases, misdemeanor cases, DUI, drug crimes, federal crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes, and motor vehicle offenses.
Under Florida DUI law, Florida's breathalyzers must match those used by the Federal government. Under this standard, DUI defense attorneys are arguing that the breathalyzer does not meet the Federal criterion. Officials have argued that the discrepancy is a simple typographical mistake. However, it is being argued that law enforcement officials have tampered with the inspection of the devices and covered up failed test results that show the machines are inaccurate.
These allegations were previously raised in 2008 when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement terminated an examiner who was in charge of all breathalyzer machines in Miami-Dade County for "failing to follow protocol." The employee had been unplugging the machines to prevent errors from being reported. Officers in Palm Beach County and Boyton Beach have also previously been found to have tampered with breathalyzer results.
The dismissed inspector had been in charge of all breathalyzer machines in the county so faulty machines might have been used to convict some of DUI offenses. A Miami judge has been asked to order every Intoxilyzer 800 machine be checked. If it is established faulty machines were used, there could be citizens who were wrongfully convicted of DUI.
"This is an example of why it is important to have an experienced MIami DUI defense lawyer when a person is accused of driving while intoxicated," said Musca. "Breathalyzer machines are not infallible and the rules and regulations regarding their use and maintenance are very specific. Challenging the validity of a breathalyzer test is something that one needs an experienced DUI defense lawyer to handle."
Musca Law provides the highest quality criminal litigation services to the residents of Miami and the surrounding areas. Our criminal defense attorneys have successfully tried, defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases, misdemeanor cases, DUI, drug crimes, federal crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes, and motor vehicle offenses.
]]>
Ironically, Stephanie Labarga had just completed a safe driving class related to a prior reckless driving conviction a little more than two weeks before the current incident. During the prior incident, Labarga crashed though the wall of a home owned by Vamir and Irma Santos. The Santos couple was awakened in the middle of the night by a loud crash. The couple is currently in the process of suing Labarga and her insurance company for the damages to their home, which amounted to more than $20,000.
The couple were not surprised when they heard about Labarga's DUI arrest. "It was at, like, at 5 a.m. She just drove into their living room through the wall. Who does that?" said the Santo's attorney. Labarga was fined $166 for the incident and ordered to take a safe driving class.
When Labarga was stopped for allegedly driving erratically, she reeked of booze according to the arrest report. Authorities also indicated that her blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit under Florida DUI law. "While DUI charges are always serious, Ms. Labarga faces an even more difficult situation because of her prior conviction and the recentness of the prior conviction," said John Musca who routinely handles DUI cases in the Miami area. Musca points out that a driver who has prior convictions potentially faces a more serious sentence for a DUI conviction. In such a situation, the need for a DUI attorney is even more compelling.
If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI in Miami, contact an experienced Miami DUI lawyer, for help with your case. The Miami DUI attorneys at Musca Law have over 100 years of combined experience. Musca Law's team of criminal defense attorneys represents their clients with the most aggressive representation available. Contact Miami DUI attorneys at Musca Law for a free comprehensive consultation today.