Important Facts About Probate

Important Facts About Probate

After an individual dies, their will is subject for probate. This is a legal process utilized to help settle estate that a deceased person has not delegated. Assets that have not been put into a trust are the portion of the will that will be taxed. The probate process is a crucial step so that assets can be moved to beneficiaries. Probate is not often appreciated because it is so expensive and takes quite a bit of time to complete. Accessing a will or estate planning can be difficult, so contacting a lawyer, like an estate planning attorney trusts, can help give you guidance and support throughout the probate process. The details of probate can vary depending on the state that you live in and is vital to remember that probate can be circumvented.

Many assets are not required to go through probate. This is the case when inheritances, money gifts, and life insurance policies come into play. The beneficiary named on the deceased’s accounts, like retirement or joint bank accounts, are given to them upon … Read the rest

Changing Your Will After Receiving a Personal Injury Settlement

Changing Your Will After Receiving a Personal Injury Settlement

Personal injury settlements are compensation granted to someone who filed a claim against another person or company for causing an injury. Sometimes the settlement amount is large, and depending on the details of the agreement, it could be paid out in a payment plan or all at once in a lump sum. Once you receive the total and use money to cover your medical bills from the injury, you may have some extra money remaining. You may want to change your will to account for this new asset, but there are a few scenarios you may want to think about before making any alterations.

Relationship Changes

Unfortunately, a serious personal injury could leave someone with a long term or lasting disability. A disability changes a victim’s life in many ways, usually structural adjustments must be made to their home in order to make it more accessible for them. If they are unable to return to work, this makes those renovations doubly important. Personal relationships may transform as well due to the … Read the rest

Business Name Trademark

A Business Name or Do You Make it a Trademark?

As a small business owner, you understand the importance of protecting your business name. There are several ways your business could be damaged by a competitor using your name or logos. If you’re building a brand, investing in advertising and hoping customers can find you, you’ll want to make sure you’ve properly protected your business name so no one else can use it.

First, after applying to be a corporation or an LLC, the Secretary of State’s office is going to check to make sure that your proposed corporate name isn’t already in use by a different business in your state. Every state has its own laws about just how different a name must be from other business names. For example, some states will allow “Lori’s Nails” when there’s already a “Nails by Laurie” registered. Other states will reject it and consider the second to file as deceptively similar.

Once your LLC or corporation application is approved, your name is protected in the state: No other business will be able … Read the rest

Top 5 Major Mistakes that Drivers Can Make After a Car Accident

Top 5 Major Mistakes that Drivers Can Make After a Car Accident

Experiencing a car accident can be a traumatic incident for many people.Even though you may be shaken after an accident, there are some important things that you need to do so that you can minimize the aftermath. Forgetting to take pictures or videos, not obtaining contact information from the other driver, immediately speaking with the other driver’s insurance company, failing to contact the police and not contacting a lawyer, like a car accident lawyer  trusts, are a few major mistakes that you can make after a car accident.

Failing to Notify the Police

After assuring that everyone involved in the incident is safe and that you have moved your car out of harm’s way, you should notify the police. The police will create a documented report about what occurred in the accident and if someone gets hurt or there is any type of damage to your and your other driver’s property. This will be very helpful as you begin to sort out the paperwork and claims from the … Read the rest

Job Opening – Entry Level Legal Assistant

Job Opening – Entry Level Legal Assistant

Minimum Education Requirements: Associate’s Degree or higher

Job Requirements

• Experience not required but preferred.
• Must be people oriented with commitment to customer service.
• Must communicate effectively with customers and attorneys.
• Ability to pay close attention to detail.
• Proficient editing skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Demonstrate initiative and ability to work independently.

Job summary

Patterson Bray is medium-sized boutique law firm.  A Legal Assistant’s primary responsibility is to support Attorneys and the Litigation Coordinator in any manner that allows them to be more effective and efficient.  The position involves general office work such as scheduling, filing, editing, preparing correspondence, and basic research. The applicant must be detail oriented and able to juggle multiple tasks while independently keeping track of, and following up on, open items.  A Legal Assistant serves as a primary point of contact for clients and customers, and is responsible for answering incoming phone calls and identifying and addressing customer needs.

Patterson Bray employees receive 12 days paid leave annually.  Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 … Read the rest

Do You Have a Medical Malpractice Claim? What You Should Know

Medical Malpractice Cases

A study from Johns Hopkins Medical suggests that errors and omissions from medical malpractice are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Medical malpractice cases are some of the most strenuously defended claims in the law of personal injury. They’re time consuming, and they’re expensive to bring and win. In order to prove that medical malpractice occurred, you’ll need to show:

There Was a Physician and Patient Relationship

Establishing a doctor and patient relationship is more contractual than medical. You’re required to show that you wanted to hire the doctor, and the doctor agreed to be hired. The question of whether there was a physician and patient relationship might get confusing if the doctor was a consulting physician who didn’t directly treat and care for you.

Negligence

The mere fact that there was a bad result doesn’t mean that a doctor was careless and negligent in treating his or her patient. There are several important points to keep in mind:

• We’re required to show that the physician who treated you or your family member

The Role that Forensic Accident Reconstruction Plays in Personal Injury Claims

The Importance of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

The number of car accidents has increased over the years. A recent report by the Arizona Department of Transportation report showed an increase of 7% in the number of deaths caused by vehicle accidents. Many victims of car accidents sustain serious injuries that lead to permanent damage. To protect their rights, many victims will hire a personal injury lawyer, to help them obtain compensation for their damages.

Personal injury claims involve complex legal issues that may require the help of experts who specialize in forensic accident reconstruction. Without the critical information gleaned from such investigations, a personal injury lawyer may be compelled to rely on conflicting testimonies from eyewitnesses. Forensic accident reconstruction helps determine the cause and fault of an accident.

What is forensic accident reconstruction?

It allows the attorney to identify contributory negligence by one or both parties that is caused by faulty road conditions, carelessness, or aggressive actions. Accident reconstruction has become an invaluable part of personal injury claims. Forensic accident reconstruction experts come equipped with the latest software to … Read the rest

Food Poisoning at a Catered Event: Who’s Liable?

Food Poisoning

Good food can turn a simple event like a budget meeting into something that everyone wants to be on time for, as a quality event venue relies on can attest. However, food poisoning is not something that a person envisions when eating those delicious ribs or baked beans. If a person does get sick at a catered event, who is liable for damages?

Why Did the Victim Get Sick?

In a personal injury case, an individual is only entitled to compensation if he or she can prove that negligence occurred. One element to proving negligence occurred is that a duty of care existed and was breached.

However, an injured victim is also responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect his or her health and safety. Therefore, the circumstances surrounding the food poisoning incident are important when determining liability. For instance, if a person ate meat that had been sitting in the sun all day, he or she may be partially liable for his or her own illness. This is because a reasonable person knows or should know that … Read the rest

Why an Experienced Attorney is Necessary for Slip and Fall Accidents

Why an Experienced Attorney is Necessary for Slip and Fall Accidents

When you encounter a slip and fall or any hazards on someone else’s premises, it is imperative that you hire an experienced attorney. There are many different routes slip and fall accidents cases can go. These cases can go many ways for many different reasons so it is wise to be aware of the possibilities of your case and always deal with someone with experience.

Possibility of Litigation:

While every case is different, most slip and fall cases go to litigation (trial). If you plan to file a claim, you will need an attorney who has the will to fight in the courtroom. Slip and fall cases often see a courtroom because there are rarely any good faith negotiations that occur in these instances. It is very important to hire someone that has experience in the courtroom.

Denial of Liability

In car accidents, in most cases it is clear who is at fault. Because the evidence is not always as clear in a slip and fall accident, companies or … Read the rest

What You Should Know About Rollover Accidents

What You Should Know About Rollover Accidents

Modern cars are designed to withstand many different kinds of accidents and forces, but it is still possible that a car will rollover – perhaps multiple times – under the right conditions. While the overall percentage of accidents that include a rollover is very low (2%), the death rate associated with rollovers is disproportionately high at 35 percent.

The most common causes of rollover accidents are “tripping” where the driver clips a guardrail or curb and the car flips as a result. Tripping also occurs if a driver drifts onto a sandy surface or softer soil and attempts to correct and get back on the road. Other rollovers can result from product defects, usually in tires, weather conditions including slick roads and ice, or poorly maintained roads.

The reason rollover accidents are responsible for such a high rate of deaths is because in some cases, drivers or passengers are ejected during the crash or the roof of the car collapses. While there are upgrades mandated for newer vehicles, older vehicles are not likely … Read the rest