Why You Might Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident
Getting into a car accident is very stressful and there is a lot you will need to manage afterward. It can be difficult to do this all on your own. Hiring a lawyer after a car accident can be helpful in many ways, and it may even be necessary.
Determine the Value of the Damages
After an accident, one of the first things you need to determine is the value of the damages you have suffered. This can include damage to your vehicle as well as any injuries you and anyone else suffered as a result of the accident. A lawyer can be very helpful in this process. Most often, your lawyer will help you determine the damages based on similar cases they have seen in the past. They can even help you discover other damages that may apply to you. For example, your injuries may cause you to miss work and you could be eligible for coverage of lost wages. All in all, a lawyer can help you see what compensation you deserve.
Fight an Insurance Company Refusing to Pay
One of the hardest parts of post-accident negotiations is dealing with the insurance company. Often, you will need to work very hard to prove your case and receive compensation. An attorney can improve your chances of winning a settlement. When an insurance company sees that you have brought an attorney on board, they are more likely to take your case seriously. Additionally, your attorney has the expertise that can help you find ways to prove your case. They also understand how to negotiate with the insurance company in your favor.
Handle All the Legwork
If you were injured during an accident, you might not be fit to handle everything on your own. Additionally, the trauma of the accident can make it difficult for you to approach the situation and think clearly. If you hire an attorney or lawyer, they can handle everything for you. They can take care of the paperwork, filing documents, and gathering evidence. They are the experts and you can count on them to get everything done. You also don’t need to worry about the time-consuming work. Overall, it can be a major relief to have someone helping you through the process.
Accidents are very stressful when they happen, but it doesn’t end there. A lot needs to be taken care of post-accident and it can be hard to do on your own. Hiring a lawyer will be in your best interest.
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How Business Owners Can Stay Compliant with Local Regulations
There’s no two ways around it – being a business owner takes a lot of work. At the end of the day, the buck stops with you, which means that you are ultimately responsible for everything involving your business. One of those things that you need to stay on top of in order to remain in business is regulatory compliance.
Consult with Attorneys
It’s pretty tough to stay in compliance if you don’t know what you’re supposed to be complying with. Consulting with a compliance attorney can help you understand what your business needs to do in order to be in compliance with regulations. Compliance attorneys can help with compliance documents and compliance issues as they relate to partners and vendors. They can also help you if you need legal support if you’re facing an audit. Being audited can be intimidating, but they have an important role to play in making sure your business is operating as it should.
Create a Safe Workplace
When you think about organizations that govern workplace safety compliance regulations, OSHA is probably the one that comes to mind first. There are a lot of different things that go into making a workplace safe for your employees, and it all starts with identifying risks so you can address them. Employers are responsible for placing labels on objects or areas that pose a risk to employees. They’re also responsible for making sure that employees have the appropriate PPE to get their jobs done in a safe manner.
Know Your Industry
Some regulations are applicable in an overarching way to virtually every business. When you start to dig into the nuances, however, things can change from business to business and industry to industry. If you want to stay in compliance, you need to know what regulations apply to your specific industry. For example, if your industry deals with known fire hazards, the idea that you must provide appropriate PPE applies to you, but it will mean something different for your business than one that works with animals.
Staying compliant with regulations at every level, from local to national, is essential if you want to stay in business. Consulting with attorneys, creating a safe workplace, and knowing the regulations that govern your industry are just a few of the things you can do to help your business stay in compliance. It can be a lot of work, but it’s all part of the responsibilities of being a business owner.
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Legal Issues a Manufacturing Facility Needs to Understand
Navigating legal matters is a natural aspect of doing business. It doesn’t really matter what industry your business operates in—legal issues are bound to come up sooner or later. One of the things that will help a manufacturing facility navigate them is understanding what issues you’re likely to face. Here are a few important issues you should be aware of!
Environmental Impact
Manufacturing, by nature, is going to produce some degree of waste. Even if your facility works hard to minimize the waste you produce, it’s inevitable that you’ll still end up with some. Waste production and the consumption of natural resources takes a toll on the environment. Regulations are often put in place to encourage businesses to use more environmentally responsible practices. Failing to do so could result in your facility being fined or even sued, depending on the outcome of your failure to comply with regulations.
Employee Injuries
While it’s not the most dangerous industry out there, manufacturing isn’t the least dangerous industry either. Working with heavy machinery tends to increase the risk of employee injuries. Slips and falls can be a big issue too. Taking steps to prevent employee injuries is an essential responsibility for any employer, and one that you are legally obliged to undertake. The lockout/tagout process can prevent serious injuries from occurring around heavy machinery. Using warning signs for slippery surfaces and installing guard rails where falls might happen can also help reduce the rate of injury. Don’t forget to provide the proper protective equipment for your employees too.
Product Liability
The purpose of manufacturing is to create a product. The hope is that it is done correctly, that the product functions as it is meant to, and that whoever buys it uses it as it was intended to be used. That’s not always the case, though. A problem with any one of those areas can result in a manufacturing facility being put on the spot for a product liability suit. This is why it’s a good idea for any manufacturing facility to carry product liability insurance, and also do more than a few tests on a product before it ever hits the market.
Understanding the legal issues that pertain to a manufacturing facility is an important step in protecting the facility. These are just some examples of what legal issues a manufacturing facility could find themselves facing. If you don’t understand your responsibilities well enough, or if your facility finds itself in trouble, be sure to consult with a lawyer who has experience dealing with your specific concerns.
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Life Settlements Are Trending, But Are They Legal?
A major concern for senior citizens in our society is outliving their financial resources. Many seniors worry that they will become a financial burden to loved ones in their later years. This concern has caused spawned the life settlement industry.
What Is A Life Settlement
A life settlement is the sale of an unwanted life insurance policy. The seller of the policy will receive a lump sum amount of money and the buyer will become owner and beneficiary of the policy. As the owner of the policy, the buyer becomes responsible for the payment of all future premiums.
This arrangement provides seniors with a financial boost that is considerably more than the cash surrender value of the policy while also providing a future profit for the buyer.
The growing popularity of life settlements for seniors and investors alike has caused many to seek more information regarding this type of financial arrangement. Many have also questioned the legal and ethical merits of life settlements.
History of Life Settlements
The United States Supreme court determined in 1911 that life settlements were private property and could be legally transferred, based on the case of Grigsby versus Russell. This marked what would be the beginning of the secondary market for life insurance policies.
Prior to these events, holders of unwanted life insurance policies could either sell the policy back to the life insurance company at a loss or allow the policy to lapse and receive no compensation for it.
Benefits to Investors
Life settlement investing offers a number of exciting potential benefits.
- Value of life settlements unaffected by other markets
- Major life insurance companies are amongst the most stable corporations in America
- Provides portfolio diversification
- No active management required
- Regulated by the state department of insurance
Risks to Investors
Risks associated with investing in life settlements are minimal but do exist.
- Non-liquid asset
- The longer the insured lives, the less value the policy holds
Legal And Moral Concerns
The sell and purchase of life settlements in the United States are completely legal but still make some investors uneasy due to moral and ethical concerns. Many investors are simply turned off by the idea of profiting only at the ending of a human life.
Those who would counter argue this position point out the fact that death is a part of life and that investing in life settlements provide seniors with a living benefit to their life insurance policies.
Conclusion
Most people familiar with the life settlement market believe these transactions to be a win for all parties involved. Seniors are given access to much-needed funds to provide them with financial security in their later years. And investors get to purchase a stable buy and hold asset with good profit potential. The growth of the life settlement market should continue for the foreseeable future.