Legal Insights

Can Law Firms Survive in a Post-Pandemic Marketplace?

The legal landscape across the United States has changed drastically and suddenly in the past several weeks. While some of these changes will only be temporary, others may last for months, years, or may even become permanent. Now is the time for law firms to plan for the future. Even without knowing exactly what that future will look like, some very strong assumptions can be made. The effect of the pandemic on the legal market In some jurisdictions, certain kinds of work, such as litigati...

Divorce Mediation: A Virtual Alternative

In these weeks of “shelter at home” as a result of the coronavirus, marriages that were experiencing difficulties are being pushed to the breaking point. The stress of staying in close quarters with family, not being able to leave home other than for essentials, trying to work from home while home-schooling children, financial pressures brought on by employment changes, and anxiety about when the lockdowns will end, put powerful stresses on every married couple, especially those already ...

What Should You Do After a Car Accident? Checklist

A checklist after a car accident can serve you as a tool to organize and keep track of all the tasks you are going to have to face. By maintaining a comprehensive checklist, you will be able to stay more organized, making sure you don’t skip or miss any important tasks or deadlines and put an end to the accident nightmare in a more efficient manner. The question is, should you prepare a checklist now or wait until you are in an accident to create one? That’s up to you but you have to kno...

Overview of Personal Injury Law

You have seen the advertisements on television and on billboards featuring attorneys who espouse an ability to get you a lot of money for an accident. People are injured in traffic accidents every day and insurance companies do not always want to give accident victims their due, hence, there are law firms specifically dedicated to fighting on behalf of injured people. Each state has specific personal injury laws, so it is important to hire an attorney who is especially well versed in Califor...

Attorneys: Setting Boundaries When Working from Home

The number of people working from home has skyrocketed over the past few weeks in response to the public health crisis created by the coronavirus. While many lawyers in solo and small firm practices may be used to working from home or other remote locations for extended periods of time, large firm lawyers may not be. Although large firm lawyers may be used to performing discrete tasks from home, working from home for an extended period of time brings an entirely different set of challenges. ...

What Kinds of Damages Can I Get in My Personal Injury Case?

In a personal injury lawsuit, the injured party (the plaintiff) may be permitted to recover several different types of damages from the person responsible for the injury (the defendant). Although each state’s rules may be slightly different, there are general categories of damages that plaintiffs may be able to recover.  Most damages in a personal injury case are divided between what is known as general damages and special damages. General damages, also known as non-economic damages, ...

Can I apply for a Green Card by myself?

As an immigrant, a Green Card is an extremely desired document to own. It means that you are not only a legal resident of the United States but are allowed to stay here permanently and get a job. There is also a straight line from obtaining a Green Card to becoming a United States citizen. Before deciding whether you can apply for a Green Card, it is vital for you to determine whether you are eligible to receive this immigration status. What are the eligibility requirements to obtain a Gre...

How Long Will My Injury Claim Take?

After you suffer any type of injury that is covered by an insurance policy, one of the most important steps for you to take is to submit a claim to the insurance company, whether your own or the responsible party’s insurance company, in order to be compensated for the damages that you incur. The wait can be excruciating between when you initiate your claim and when you finally receive compensation, but even this initial claims investigation may not be the entire time that you will need to ...

Who is Liable in a Truck Accident

If you have been injured in a truck accident you are undoubtedly dealing with a lot of pain, multiple doctor’s appointments and time missed away from work. You are probably wondering how you are going to pay for everything. If the truck driver was at fault, the trucking company’s insurance should pay the accident-related bills.There are two different insurance rules in the United States: fault and no-fault. In a no-fault state, a driver’s own insurance company will pay their bills no m...

What Makes up a Fair Personal Injury Settlement?

If you have been injured in an accident, you have probably spent a lot of time at the doctor’s office and your car has spent some time in the shop. You may have missed hours from work and important social events. You are probably wondering if auto insurance will pay for everything. In order to get a fair deal from an insurance company, you will need to document everything well, and know a bit about the law. A fair settlement will include money for injuries, property damage, and expenses. N...

Who Can Sue for Wrongful Death?

No matter how many books or movies deal with the subject of death, nothing can really prepare you for the passing of a loved one. No matter how important someone may have been to you, you can only sue for wrongful death if you are an immediate family member of the decedent or if you were financially dependent upon them.Spouses, children, and parents may sue for wrongful death and so may dependent blood relatives and dependent adoptive siblings. Life partners, close friends, and other relativ...

Are All Felonies Federal Crimes?

A felony can be either committed at the federal level or state level, and it is possible to commit a crime that is considered both. A felony is one of the most serious crimes a person can commit to another person or property. If convicted of a felony, you will face jail time, heavy fines, and a few permanent restrictions of freedom. Federal felonies are defined by the government as having punishments that last at least a year. Almost all over “lesser” crimes, which include temporary puni...

What Is Considered Personal Use of Drugs?

Federal and state laws prohibit the possession and sale of illegal controlled substances such as cocaine, “club” drugs, heroin, LSD, marijuana, and methamphetamine. You can also be charged if you are in possession of accessories used for making or consuming drugs, such as pipes or rolling papers.  The Controlled Substances Act  Signed in 1970 by President Richard Nixon, this federal statute regulates the manufacturing and distribution of controlled substances such as narcoti...

3 Myths About Personal Injury Cases

When someone suffers a personal injury, they will have a lot of questions about what comes next. They will wonder how much the medical bills will cost, how they will make up for any lost wages, and how long the injury will last, among other concerns. A personal injury case is the answer to many of those questions because it can provide you with the compensation you need to take care of any medical expenses and to recoup lost wages.Since personal injury cases are so important, you will want a...

Do I have to be a certain age to file for bankruptcy?

When you first start to consider the possibility of filing for bankruptcy, many thoughts go through your mind. You may start by feeling scared, almost lost in a maze that doesn’t seem to have an ending. You may feel uncertain as to how to proceed because you are sure no one else that you know has ever done it and therefore there is no one that you can talk to in confidence about your critical financial situation. And if you through your age into the mix, you may truly start feeling terrifi...

What Is Criminal Negligence?

Most people know what criminal intent is from movies and television. The majority of crimes committed are intentional, with one actor intentionally using force or coercion against someone and/or their will. Recklessness, however, is a different reason for a crime having been committed. In criminal negligence cases, there was a known understanding that the plaintiff was in the care of the defendant, and was also aware of the substantial amount of harm that could come to the person. To prove c...

How to Use LinkedIn to Get More Referrals

Most lawyers have a profile on LinkedIn, but how many know how to use LinkedIn to generate more referrals for their practice? Create a Complete and Accurate LinkedIn Profile The first step in getting referrals through LinkedIn is your profile. Your LinkedIn profile is more than just an online resume. Use an up-to-date, professional photograph on your LinkedIn profile. Include both your practice areas as well as some indication that you are lawyer in your LinkedIn headline.  Make sur...

All About Security Deposits

A security deposit is money the tenant gives the landlord at the beginning of the lease term to reduce the landlord’s risk that the tenant will not cover some of the tenant’s obligations under the lease agreement. Most residential landlords will require tenants to put down a security deposit when the lease agreement is signed.   Each state has its own laws governing residential real estate agreements and security deposits, but in general, a security deposit may be taken by the landl...

Transferring Assets to a Minor: UTMA or Trust?

There are many circumstances under which minors might acquire or inherit property before they become adults. But what is the best way to transfer that property to a minor? Two options include using the UTMA and creating a trust. The UTMA The Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) is a model law created by legal scholars that permits you to name a custodian to manage property that you leave to a minor. Almost every state in the United States has adopted some form of the UTMA. Under the UT...

Special Rules for Suing a Municipality

Did you know that if you have a claim against a municipality (a governmental entity, such as a city, state, town, or village), there are special rules that apply? And if you don’t follow those rules, you may jeopardize your ability to bring a lawsuit or to be compensated for your injuries or damages, regardless of how badly injured you are or how egregious the behavior of the municipality is. Let’s go through some of the rules that might apply if you have been injured or damaged by a sta...