2015

Considerations When Filing A Car Accident Lawsuit

If you have recently been in a car accident and wish to file a lawsuit against the offending party, then there are a couple of things that you should know before proceeding. You can later decide if you want to hire an attorney, but for now, you should at least acquaint yourself with the basics of the process. In particular, you should take a look at laws that are specific to your state, since those can help guide your lawsuit, both in getting a rough idea of what kind of compensation you should pursue and creating a timeline for your filing process.

Building A Defense In A Drug Case ~ How To Start By Helping Yourself

Possession and use of illegal drugs can land you in the criminal system facing an assortment of serious consequences. If you are charged with a drug related offense, you would be wise to have an attorney who specializes in drug defense cases represent you. If you want to stop the cycle of insanity that is drug addiction, you are going to want to take extra steps to help your legal counsel defend you.

2 Tips For Avoiding Duress Claims If You Ever Need Your Prenup

Prenuptial agreements offer a solid way to make the division of wealth fair in the event of a divorce. However, there are some circumstances in which prenups can be overturned in divorce court, one of which is a claim that the contract was signed under duress. If your future spouse were to claim they signed your prenuptial agreement under duress, they would essentially be telling the judge that the agreement should be thrown out because they felt pressured or coerced into putting their signature on the page.

3 Things That Can Cause Your Workers Compensation Claim To Be Denied

Whenever someone is injured while on the job, most employers have workers compensation insurance to help cover the injured employee. You and your employer can file a workers compensation claim to help you pay for any medical bills or to supplement your income if you have to take time off from work because of the injury. However, not all claims are approved. Here are three things that can cause your workers compensation claim to be denied.

How Can You Kindly (And Legally) Prevent Your Elderly Parent From Driving In New York?

If you're like many members of the "sandwich generation," you may spend nearly as much time caring for your elderly parent as you do for your young children or teens. What are your legal options if you feel your parent is no longer safe behind the wheel? Read on to learn more about some options New York State has put in place to help adult children gently take the keys from elderly relatives without causing embarrassment or family drama.

A Guide To Fighting Your Driving Under The Influence (DUI) Case

If you are ever charged with a driving under the influence (DUI) penalty, it is incredibly important that you do all you can in order to prevent this charge from staying on your record. If you happen to get charged and convicted with a DUI, it can have an incredibly adverse effect on your life, including jail time, court sanctioned fines and probation. To make sure that you get past this situation, you should take advantage of this guide in order to win your court case and avoid permanent repercussions.

Pros And Cons Of Choosing A Mediated Divorce

Whether you've been married for four years or forty, the desire to keep your divorce amicable is a laudable one, and mediated divorce offers a chance to do just that. But some couples are unsure about mediated divorce because they've heard that it's a longer or more difficult process. It's true that mediation has pros and cons (although it doesn't necessarily take longer than a litigated divorce), but you should learn what the pros and cons are so you can decide for yourself.

Are Debts From Identity Theft Dischargeable?

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 16.6 million people were victims of identity theft in 2012. In addition to ruined credit, victims are often subjected to calls from creditors and collection agencies attempting to squeeze money from them, even though the companies may have been informed that the accounts were opened fraudulently. Luckily, you can eliminate debt related to identity theft by filing chapter 7 bankruptcy. However, there are a few reasons why you may not want to go that route.

Four Social Media Mistakes To Avoid During Your Divorce

If you are going through a divorce, this can be a frustrating time. If your divorce may be going to court because of custody issues or the inability to settle outside of court, your behavior may be scrutinized. It is important that you keep your behavior during your divorce as above board as possible, and part of this is what you post on your social media accounts. Here are for social media mistakes you should try to avoid if you are going through a contentious divorce.

Getting A Divorce? Better Change Your Will Fast

If you are in the progress of getting a divorce and you think you could be dealing with the matter for a while, make sure you have your lawyer update your estate and will. There are things that can happen while you divorce that leave you and your estate unprotected. Your spouse may be bitter about what is going on, and you don't want your life and finances left in their hands because they were your legal spouse when you passed or got hurt.

2 Things To Consider About Your Disability Claim

Making sure you are prepared before you file a disability claim is imperative. Especially since statistics show that 53 percent of claims are denied. Hiring a good disability lawyer is of the utmost importance. But you should also be aware of the following 2 steps you must go through. 1. The Residual Functional Capacity Form The Residual Functional Capacity form is also called the RFC form or the Ability to Do Work Related Activity form.

Lineups And Photo Arrays: What You Need To Know

If you are a suspect in a criminal case, police may want you to participate in a lineup, or they may use a photo of you in a photo array. You should be aware of what things can taint these witness identification procedures, and avoid them if possible. This can become especially important when it comes to crimes involving weapons. People tend to focus more on the weapon and less on the appearance and details of the persons holding them, so misidentifications and unfair imprinting are likely to occur.

Insurance Issues: When Your Child Is Injured At A Friend's House

You don't want to shelter your children, but you also need to be aware of their safety when they are visiting a friend's house. If an injury does occur, who is responsible and who will pay the medical bills? The answer isn't always clear cut, but the following guide can help you better understand your options. Collect As Much Information As Possible This includes the how, when, and why of the accident that lead to the injury.

Take The Stress Out Of Buying Your First House: 3 Tips For Single Parents

Buying your first house is always a stressful experience, but even more so for single parents. Single parents have to face all of the decision making alone and don't always have someone to bounce ideas off of. Keeping these three steps in mind won't make your purchase experience completely stress free, but it will help you make the transition smoother. Get a team together. Unless you're a loan officer or a real estate agent, you're going to be dealing with a lot of unfamiliar territory during the house-buying process.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward In Court During A Divorce

If you are going through a divorce, then you know that it can be an emotional time. If your divorce is headed to court, it will be important to get your point across with professionals backing you up. Working with a law firm that can make sure that you are ready for court is key. Here are four tips for court that can help you get the results from your divorce that you want.

3 Defenses That Can Be Used Against You In A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

When it comes to getting medical treatment, so much can go wrong - this is especially the case in an emergency situation. If you feel that you didn't receive the best treatment and that your health actually suffered more because of it, then you can file a medical malpractice case against the doctor who cared for you. However, you should be prepared to play hardball, because the doctor and medical facility won't take it lying down.

Types Of Veteran's Disability Claims A Lawyer Can Help You With

If you are a veteran suffering from a disability, you may be wondering if it qualifies for disability benefits. You may have already contacted the VA and filed a claim, but had it denied. Now you are not sure if you qualify for any benefits. Until the claim has been denied, you were not able to hire a lawyer to help you with it. However, once you have the letter of denial, hiring an attorney is a good way to determine if your situation entitles you to compensation.

Planning Your Estate When One Spouse Becomes Disabled

While you may have a traditional estate plan that includes joint bank accounts and joint property ownership, this estate plan will need to change if one of you has recently become disabled. You need to protect the disabled spouse financially, in case the other spouse dies and is no longer able to care for them. This means you should take all jointly held marital property and transfer it to the healthy spouse's name only.

You Lost Your Temper And Yelled At An Employee. Does That Create A Hostile Work Environment?

If you lose your temper and yell at an employee, does that automatically create a hostile work environment? A hostile work environment can destroy employee morale and open your business to lawsuits. This is what you should understand about what does and what doesn't cause a hostile work environment. How Do You End Up With A Hostile Work Environment? It takes harassment to create a hostile work environment, but it's seldom a single offensive incident.

3 Ways Your Spouse May Try To Conceal Assets In Divorce

One of the most common services for which family lawyers are often solicited is in regards to divorce. In divorce, one of the most awkward and uncomfortable aspects of the dissolution involves the division of assets. Unfortunately, in many marriages where substantial assets are involved, there is typically one spouse that tries to hide assets, cash, or other valuables from the other. Although this is a fairly common tactic, there simply aren't that many places to hide assets or cash—at least not many places that haven't already been used in the past, and with which attorneys are quite familiar.

Cross-Country Motorcycling? Stay On Top Of Recent Changes In State Laws

If you're planning a two-wheeled trip across the US, or arranging a visit to Sturgis when summer's in full swing, you'll avoid fines and other unpleasant travel experiences by keeping track of relevant states' new motorcycle laws that are implemented prior to your departure date. Several states' legislators have had motorcycles on their radar lately, passing new laws you should know about now. Other groups are pushing for repeals of existing safety laws.

Answers To 3 Common Questions About Living Wills

More and more people today find themselves considering what will happen if illness prevents them from making their own decisions. For many people, the answer can be found in creating a living will. If you would like to learn more about what this type of document can do for you, read on. This article will provide answers to three of the most common questions about living wills. What is a living will?

The Role Of A Family Law Attorney

The realm of family law is an extremely broad category, yet also an exceptionally important one, especially in modern society. It serves an important function in arbitrating decisions regarding child custody, divorce, child abuse, and marriage. In order to get a better understand of exactly how a family law attorney might be of use to you, here is a brief explanation of each category and how it can apply to you:

Taking All The Blame: Who Is At Fault In A Rear-End Collision?

One of the most universally known things about auto accidents involve rear-end collisions. The general idea that floats around is that if you rear-end someone, no matter the circumstances, you're automatically at fault. There's some truth to that, but it's not an unassailable idea. Here's what you really need to know about rear-end collisions. Is What People Say about Rear-End Collisions True? If you rear-end someone, chances are you are 100% liable.

3 Pieces Of Information To Give Your Lawyer After A Car Accident

If you have been injured as the result of a motor vehicle accident, you may want to retain a lawyer, such as Shaevitz Shaevitz & Kotzamanis, get you the best settlement possible. However, hiring your lawyer is not the last thing you need to do; you must make sure that you give your lawyer all the tools they need to get a good settlement for you. Here are three pieces of information to make sure you give your accident attorney after you've had a car accident.

3 Tips For Settling Your Slip & Fall Injury Out Of Court

If you are the victim of a personal injury case where you slipped and fell, there is a possibility that you do not need to take your case all the way to court. Lawsuits can add unnecessary costs to the defendant, especially if the case is cut and dry. In order to increase your odds of settling out of court, make sure to do the following 3 things. Link The Fall To An Injury

Navigating Through The Storm Of Divorce Begins With Taking Care Of Yourself

If you're about to go through a divorce, you're likely pretty stressed out and overwhelmed with all the proceedings and changes that are about to occur. While your emotions are in turmoil and nothing you do can save your marriage, some tasks help you take care of yourself during this long season. This guide explains a few changes to make so you can come out the other side of divorce healthy and with some peace:

Important Reminders When Working With A Social Security Attorney

It's important for workers to realize that the social security taxes they pay are not just for their benefits when they retire, but are also part of general disability insurance that covers them in case they cannot work. Unfortunately many workers don't understand their rights under the law or may be denied their disability benefits when they first apply. Hiring a social security attorney can be the best choice in these cases as it can mean a better chance of getting the benefits you've earned.

Simple Ways To Avoid The Contesting Of A Will

Drawing up a will is critical to ensure that your most-deserved loved ones receive your estate after your passing. Unfortunately, money can bring out the worst in people and those who feel they are entitled to an estate might choose to maliciously contest the will. To avoid seeing such a scenario play out, follow a few careful steps to effectively undermine such misguided attempts. The Basics of a Will  Opening an estate via a will is necessary to distribute assets that are solely in your name.