Welcome to the DBD tip jar.
The more you know going in, the better things will turn out.
1) How much of the lawyer’s practice is devoted to family law? Many attorneys consider themselves “general practitioners.” As such, they handle all kinds of cases, such as personal injury, criminal matters, wills, etc. While many of these attorneys are knowledgeable and devoted to getting the best resolution for their clients, these general practitioners are sometimes unaware of recent updates in the family law field, and as a result, they’re generally less experienced in unusual family law issues. Before you choose the right divorce lawyer for your case, review his or her bio to see if they specialize in family law.
2) Does the lawyer’s practice style align with your goals? What kind of lawyer do you want?
Think of it like dating, though who wants to think about dating when you’re getting divorced, right? Still, the analogy works here – and not all first dates end in true love. If you don’t think an attorney is the right lawyer for you, then you’re best served to talk to others.
3) Did the lawyer make you feel comfortable during your initial consult? Simply put: did you like the lawyer during your initial contact with him or her... and do you trust them to represent you? On average, most divorce cases take approximately a year from start to finish. So it's likely you’ll spend a lot of time with your divorce lawyer. You don’t want someone you don’t like or, more importantly, someone you don’t trust knowing detailed information about you and your family. Far better to move on.
4) Was the attorney referred to you by a former client or a trusted advisor? Just like a great hairdresser or a general contractor, the best recommendations for the right divorce lawyer can often come from those who have seen him or her in action. If you have an accountant, therapist, life coach, or other professional whom you trust, ask him or her for a recommendation. They often work with divorce attorneys, witness client interactions and the results achieved. If you don’t have someone to ask, that’s okay. However, make sure you review the lawyer’s bio and be ready to ask questions about their expertise.
1) Do your homework – You want to choose an attorney with the right expertise for your legal matter. The law has many different specialty areas, and to determine the best attorney to represent you, you need to research what kind of lawyer is best suited to handle and resolve your case. A specialist will know the latest developments and legal nuances pertinent to your particular matter.
2) Choose your attorney wisely – Naturally, you want a lawyer with a record of success with your type of problem — but you also need to feel comfortable and have a positive connection with your attorney. During your consultation, you are in the driver's seat. Be honest and open, gather information, advice, and make sure you feel good about the relationship
3) Be prepared – Before your meeting, make notes and list out everything you’d like to discuss with the attorney. Share as much information as possible — even if you think something is unimportant, embarrassing or too trivial to mention, it could prove to be very helpful. Gather any documents you think might be relevant and jot down timelines for reference. Full disclosure and copies of paperwork can help assess the situation.
4) Know your goals – Articulate what you want to happen, but be ready to learn in return. During the consultation, the attorney will listen to the facts of your case and review the options to best approach each issue. Most lawyers do not offer specific legal advice in an initial consultation, but they will explain the possible strategies for handling your case as well as offer a general overview of the steps to follow.
5) Ask questions – Ask about experience with similar cases, track record, approach/strategy, possible outcomes, and cost. Ask the attorney to explain the firm's fee structure, billing procedures and methods. Getting answers to these questions up front is essential to having a positive experience and a strong client-attorney relationship.
1) Make sure you are okay. Remain calm and thoughtful. Take note of any injury you may have obtained or any aching you might be experiencing. Note that while you could be feeling okay at the moment, you might feel soreness later.
2) Wait for the police and medical help. You never know at the moment the implications of the accident and you want to have a record of everything just in case you need it in the future.
3) Record driver and witness names, address and phone numbers. If you physically cannot get the information suggested on this form, have a passenger do it or call a relative or friend to come to the scene.
4) Notify your own insurance company immediately.
5) If injured, get checked out. No matter how small of an injury, it’s always a good idea to go to the hospital and have a doctor examine you. Many times we don’t realize that we are hurt because we are shocked or distracted by the event.
6) Consult an attorney before agreeing to any settlement from an insurance company.
1) Get information to your attorney in a timely manner. — Your attorney will likely ask you for supporting documentation, a summary or explanation, and/or other needed information during the course of their representation of you. Ask your attorney when he or she would ideally need the requested information and provide it in a timely manner. Failing to do so may result in delays in your case and/or additional legal fees.
2) Be a planner! — Though emergencies do happen, they are few and far between. Most issues will not be deemed a true emergency in the eyes of the court. If you anticipate an issue arising in the future or may need to take a course of action in the near future, notify your attorney as soon as possible. He or she will need time to either negotiate a resolution with the other side, or get a hearing date.
3) Be judicious with your communications. — We live in world of instant communication and access. While your attorney is there to address your legal needs, remember that legal fees associated with multiple communications to your attorney can add up. If you have questions, grouping several clear and concise questions in one e-mail can be more cost-effective than several emails regarding various topics throughout the day.
It is often hard for clients to recall exactly what his/her attorney explained regarding a legal concept or course of action during a phone call or meeting. If having something in writing would make it easier for you to thoughtfully consider an issue or response from your attorney, tell him or her so. Your attorney will be happy to send you a letter or email with his or her thoughts instead.
Fair is considered the F word in employment law. Translated: your employer can do many things that are perfectly legal but clearly unfair. Here are 3 tips to help you know where you stand from your employer’s point-of-view.
1) Know your status.
The At-Will Employment Doctrine governs most employees in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Doctrine can be explained as meaning that an employee works at the will of the employer and that the employee can exercise full control over whether they continue working for any given employer. An at-will employee is distinguished from a contractual employee, a union member or an independent contractor.
These characterizations have significant legal implications and often come to play if have difficulties on the job.
2) Understand your Employer’s Obligations.
Under Pennsylvania law employers are mandated to display a simplistic Employment Rights Chart that employees can reference with regards to workers’ compensation, health and pension benefits, workplace drug testing, the payment of overtime, and many other employment law topics.
3) Know your Rights
At-will employees can be terminated from employment for almost any nondiscriminatory reason. However, termination from employment does not end your legal rights. You maintain rights to extended healthcare under COBRA. You may also be entitled to unemployment compensation if your termination does not arise from “willful misconduct”. If you are separated from long term employment you may receive a Separation Agreement which needs to be examined carefully.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry is the state agency responsible for enforcing many employment standards in Pennsylvania. They maintain an electronic library of employment laws and workplace regulations. Often it is a good place to start with any question as to unemployment or workers’ compensation, overtime or workplace safety matters. Here’s the link.
If you have employment law questions, please reference the link above or contact us directly.
Auto insurance can get very expensive, especially if you have multiple vehicles or young drivers. But not having the proper auto coverage can result in financial disaster for you or your family. Many feel that insurance is just another bill to pay—a necessary evil. They purchase “just enough” coverage and may not even talk to an agent. We have handled way too many cases where families purchase cut rate coverage to save short-term costs.
When purchasing auto insurance coverage, consider the following to protect you and your family. And if you have questions along the way, don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email – anytime.
1) “PIP” or personal injury protection – This coverage is designed to pay your medical bills or wage loss if you are injured, whether the accident is your fault or somebody else’s. Many people do not have disability coverage and, without wage loss coverage, your income may stop if you can’t work as a result of your injuries. Most companies also offer bundled work and wage loss coverage, at a very reasonable price, which can provide protection up to a combined one million dollars.
2) UIM (underinsured) and UM (uninsured) motorist – This coverage is critical. Do not waive this coverage or purchase this coverage with lower limits than your liability coverage. It is designed to protect you. For example, if you are involved in an accident with a negligent driver, and that driver has the minimum liability coverage of $15,000, your recovery may be limited to that amount. Most times, drivers with this low coverage have no assets and there is no other source of recovery. If you have UIM (underinsured) coverage, after recovery of the $15,000, you can proceed under your own policy, up to your UIM (underinsured) policy limits. UM (uninsured) offers additional protection if you are injured by a negligent driver with no insurance or you are involved in a “hit & run” and the negligent driver is never identified.
3) Full Tort – Always select this option. “Limited Tort” cases can be very difficult and may result in lower recovery or none, at all. With limited tort, unless your injury is a permanent impairment of a bodily function, you may be precluded from any recovery for your pain and suffering. Full Tort is really not that much more expensive and well worth the extra cost for the protection.
4) Stacking – This option will allow you to “stack” the UIM or UM coverages on your policy according to the number of vehicles. For example, if you purchased $100,000 of UIM coverage and have two vehicles in your household, stacked coverage will allow you to recover $200,000 (2 x $100,000). Non-stacked coverage will limit recovery to one vehicle or $100,000.
5) Liability limits – Purchase the highest liability limits you can afford and make sure your UIM and UM limits are equal to the liability coverage. Many times, the cost difference between $100,000 and $300,000 is fairly minimal. Most of the expense of your policy is based on the protection of your vehicle and not you. That is why different vehicles cost more than others. The declarations page that arrives with your policy will contain a breakdown of your coverages. If you are a high-earner, consider the purchase of an umbrella policy. These policies are usually fairly inexpensive and provide you with an additional layer of protection.
6) Single policy – Consider insuring you and your family members on one policy rather than separate policies. If you must have separate policies, try and keep them with the same company. This may serve to offer you better protection in the event of a UIM or UM claim.
7) Review your coverage – Review your coverages on a yearly basis. If you need to make changes, make sure you receive verification. Keep all your forms in a safe place. We will need to review them in the event you have a loss. If you are involved in an accident, report the loss to your agent or carrier as soon as possible.
And remember – purchasing proper auto insurance not only protects you if you cause an accident, it also protects you if somebody else causes it.