You don’t always need a lawyer for personal injury claims. Get the basics on negotiating a claim on your own, and when you’ll need legal help to get fair compensation. Millions of people are injured every year because someone else was careless or made a bad decision. Car accidents in the U.S. are responsible for at least three million injuries each year. ¹ Slip and falls account for over a million emergency room visits. ² When you’ve been injured, you have the right to expect the at-fault person or business owner to compensate you for your damages. Deciding whether to hire an attorney or represent yourself in a personal injury claim can be a tough decision. Every case is unique. Some...
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Every year, thousands of Americans find themselves drowning in debt and in need of filing for bankruptcy. Michigan residents often wonder if they can file bankruptcy on their own. To them, the idea of attorney’s fees seems out of the question. They think if they can take the attorney’s fees out of the equation, filing for bankruptcy would be a lot more doable. And to be perfectly clear, by law, you don’t need a lawyer to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. However, it is most definitely not recommended. According to the United States Courts, “Individuals can file bankruptcy without an attorney, which is called filing pro se. However, seeking the advice of a qualified attorney is strongly...
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If you think attorneys are only useful to review mortgage agreements or to draft tenant leases, you better think again. Owning an investment property takes a lot of time, but it can also open up your liability as a landlord. Part of protecting yourself as well as your real estate investments is finding and retaining a great attorney. Selecting the right laywer in something that many investors struggle with and experience definitely counts. There are many situations why you need a lawyer when you own investment property. Keeping yourself out of legal situations or fighting for your legal rights is one of the less attractive jobs of a real estate investor. Why You Need a Lawyer When You Own...
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We’ve all heard of — or, unfortunately, witnessed — the family drama and blood feuds that spark up after a loved one has moved on. If your grandmother promised you a family heirloom but your cousin snags it up shortly after her death, you might be inclined to leave the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood on your cousin’s voicemail. Inheritance disputes can last literal decades and can turn a time of mourning into a family feud that not even Steve Harvey could quell. Unless you put a will into place. But should you write a DIY will or hire a lawyer to draft one? What is a Will? While you’re probably familiar with the concept of a will, let’s talk about the nitty-gritty...
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Selling your property privately has a number of advantages from your end–and one of the most important is that you’re able to reduce your overall costs to sell, which means that you end up with a larger percentage of the sell price of the property. A real estate lawyer isn’t essential, but it can help protect you during and after the sale of your residence. Do you need a lawyer to review your private sale? The short answer is, yes! Having a lawyer might cost you more money up front, but in the long run, it can save you a ton–especially if undisclosed problems arise with the property or with an unfamiliar law during the selling process. When you work with a lawyer,...
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When looking to keep costs down, it’s only natural to contemplate whether or not you actually need to hire a lawyer to review a commercial lease you are considering. Surely it can’t be too hard to look over the lease yourself, can it? That depends. Can you afford for the additional expenses (management, insurance, property taxes, parking, maintenance, etc) to fluctuate from month to month? Do you have the time and the knowledge to look over every.single.word. of the lease yourself in case your landlord has tried to skew the lease in his or her favour? Have you thought about what would happen if your landlord rented out a space in your building to one of your competitors? More importantly,...
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5 Reasons Why You Need a Lawyer for Your Adoption Every year, thousands of couples will try to expand their families through the process of adoption, and while it can be a wonderful thing to do, adoption is generally not a smooth ride. Extensive paperwork, home and reference checks, and waiting periods can put strain on even the most patient of couples. Thankfully, there are great adoption attorneys in Melbourne, and across the country that are prepared to help you with your case. Here are a few reasons why you should hire a lawyer for your upcoming adoption: Adoption is a wonderful idea, but often people lose sight of the reality of the legal procedure. Having an experienced attorney by...
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Writers: Do You Need A Lawyer? Like death and taxes, lawyers are one of those unpleasant necessities in life. At some stage, whether it’s buying a house, writing your will, starting your own business, or getting into a dispute, you will probably need the help of a lawyer. And it’s not the lawyers themselves that are unpleasant (can I admit to a little bit of an ironic laugh whilst typing that?), it’s just that the fees they charge aren’t something your average American can afford. So, as an author, will you need a lawyer? Like any question involving the law and lawyers, the frustrating answer always is: it depends on your circumstances. In the case of authors, it...
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For the majority of you reading this, chances are you're not far from your smartphone. They've become a quintessential part of our daily lives and have integrated into navigating everything from banking to meal tracking. For aspiring developers, building an app can be a way into financial security, or even springboarding into other opportunities with both start-ups and large corporations that are interested in making their services easily accessible to their consumer base. But it's not all sunshine and puppies for developing your first app, especially when it comes to protecting yourself, your intellectual property, and your customers. If you're planning to jump into app development, your...
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After eight years my wife and I are getting divorced. We are childless and are selling our shared house. So far it has all been reasonably amicable, but we haven't got to the record collection yet. Should we hire lawyers, or can we do without? Will it all end in acrimony? An honest solicitor advised us to attend family mediation as we had three children, not much spare cash and some equity in the house. I bought the Which? Guide to Divorce and the whole process was surprisingly trouble-free. As the petitioner, I completed the initial paperwork and avoided any surprises by showing it all to my then spouse before sending it to the court. The court sent the papers to him and he brought them...
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