Learn How to Avoid Relying on a Faulty Employment Lawyer
While it might not be the most pleasant topic to consider, it is often the case that employees must reach out for help when standing up against injustice at the hands of their employers. When this occurs, the assistance of an employment lawyer can be an extreme boon. Yet, how can you determine if your attorney is worth his retainer fee before you agree to his terms? Consider the following tips if you ever find yourself taking your employer to court. Do Extensive Research First Talk to your friends, family, and other reliable sources to create a list of potential attorneys that have a solid record of good standing. While a lawyer may have an impressive website or commercial, nothing is as believable as firsthand experience. Don’t be afraid to investigate unbiased websites, such as Lawyers.com or Attorneys.com, to get an even broader insight on the exact lawyers that are in your area. Finally, state bar associations in every state typically offer educated referrals. Talk to Them Personally As soon as you have completed your list of potential attorneys, make an appointment to speak with them yourself. Be certain to ask about their certifications, membership in NELA, and their familiarity with current employment law. Ask to see these credentials, as pretending to have them is fairly easy. Get to Know How Familiar Your Attorney is with Cases Such as Yours Employment law is not a simple field. It involves an ever increasing number of legal areas, each of which complex in and of itself. Does your case concern labor disputes, harassment, wrongful job termination, or whistleblower protection? More often than not, a single employment lawyer will tend to focus only on one area. Inquire as to how familiar your attorney is with your specific type of concern. Know Your Rights Knowing your rights is the best way to be sure you and your lawyer are on the same page. As an employer, you are entitled to privacy of possessions and mail, the right to be free of discrimination and harassment, the right to work in a safe environment, and the right to fair compensation. Be sure that whomever you decide to work with knows which rights have been violated, so you can both defend them from the same vantage point. Make Your Payment Arrangement Clearly Understood Most employment lawyers in Los Angeles offer free consultations, but during this time you should discuss how much they will expect for their major services. Whether you will need to pay via contingency or the hour can vastly change the amount you can expect to incur. The last thing anyone wants is to be confused as to how much money they will be spending when it comes to a legal debate.
How Pre-Settlement Funding Can Make Life Bearable
No one wants to consider what would happen in the event of being part of an automobile accident, but being safe is always better than being sorry. One topic that deserves a bit of attention is that of pre-settlement funding. Pre-settlement funding is a loan product that is given to those waiting for their lawsuit to reach a conclusion or an out-of-court settlement. Simply put, it can be understood as a cash advance given to the plaintiff if they seem likely to win the case. Assuming that they do win, the plaintiff must repay the loan and any additional fees that may have been agreed upon. If the plaintiff doesn’t win their case, however, they are not expected to repay the debt. Most commonly, pre-settlement funding is intended to assist in lawsuits that involve personal injury of some variety. If the victim is injured to the point of being incapable of working or maintaining their income, they may require monetary assistance until a settlement is awarded. This funding makes it possible for the plaintiff to cover their bills, eating expenses, and other unavoidable necessities. In certain situations, an insurance company may try to prolong the time before a settlement is reached in an attempt to have the plaintiff agree to a reduced amount. Companies that offer legal finance services such as these can be a great deal of help when someone is in a tight financial situation while preparing to receive their settlement payout. Typically, the lender will get in touch with the plaintiff’s lawyer in order to receive information needed to determine if the case is eligible for pre-settlement funding. Documentation required includes the plaintiff and attorney’s retainer agreement, an incident report, proof of the plaintiff’s insurance, medical bills, and potentially other related items. This information is used by the lender in conjunction with the opinions of the lawyer to determine the likelihood of winning the case. A Purchase Agreement is then signed, assuming the application is approved. When the lender receives the signed agreement, the money can finally be transferred to the plaintiff’s account. This process can take anywhere from a few days to several months, determining on the specific severity of the case. If the case happens to continue for longer than the loan can support the plaintiff, they may apply for additional funding. If you feel as if you are applicable for pre-settlement funding, contact your local accident lawyer in Los Angeles to discuss your case. More often than not, well trained lawyers are able to form a general opinion as to whether or not your specific situation will have a chance to be approved. If you are struggling to maintain a bare minimum livelihood due to being injured, take action and get the money you deserve today!
The Three Most Harmful Myths People Believe about Workers’ Compensation in California
How much do you think you know about workers’ compensation? Most people think of it in rather simplified terms, and assume that a worker somehow gets hurt on the job and then is able to easily obtain money from his or her employer or the government. That system may be a nice dream, but it certainly isn’t the reality for people who file for workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation can take a significant amount of time to file for, often due to the months of doctor’s appointments and legal negotiations. There are currently many people in the state of California dealing with workers’ compensation, and any misinformation that they encounter could affect how their cases work out. At Rawa Law Group, we want to help our clients avoid these commonly held myths about workers’ compensation and get the facts! Myth: There are millions of people in the state looking for workers’ compensation This is the commonplace belief that there are tons of people trying to “play the system” by falsely claiming workers’ compensation so that they no longer have to work. California has a population of over 38 million people, yet only 10,581 applications have been currently filed for workers’ compensation. Considering the many millions living in the state, that number seems quite modest. That misconception usually goes hand-in-hand with the myth that… Myth: People are filing for workers’ compensation to get rich Some people believe that filing for and getting workers’ compensation is like winning the lottery. They think that people apply, regardless of their health, because they want to sit back and get millions from their employers. The vast majority of people that are applying for workers’ compensation aren’t doing it to get rich; they’re doing it so that they can get by. Most claims merely cover enough for the filers to be able to pay off their medical bills and have a little bit of money to support them while they’re out of work. Myth: People filing for workers’ compensation don’t need attorneys Some people assume that the process of getting workers’ compensation is short and simple, and that they won’t really need a lawyer to help fight their case. They think that their employers will make the process easy, or that they have a simple case that should go through easily. Nothing could be further from the truth! Ask any workers’ compensation attorney in Los Angeles or any other city how well their clients were doing before they found a professional to help them with their cases. An attorney is paid to look out for the best interests of the clients and, if you hire the right one, you’ll be amazed at the help you get. At Rawa Law Group, we can look over the details of your workers’ comp case and ensure the best chance of success! Our solid representation and particular knowledge of employment and personal injury law will help clients to get the financial help that they need!