Law

Injury is a part of life. You can get injured anytime. Fortunately, the worker’s compensation laws in Australia ensure that you get compensated for your injuries at work. About 120,355 workers filed claims of serious injury from 2019-20. 37% were due to excessive stress on the body, 23% were due to falls and slips, and 16% were hit by moving objects.

While the compensation laws are clear, it is best to hire an expert compensation lawyer to get fair payment for your injury. You can get expert advice on lawadvice.com.au for all kinds of worker injuries. Here is how an expert can help you:

Hasten the Claim Filing Process

In Australia, you can file a worker’s compensation case yourself, but it requires a gamut of reading and understanding the laws. With you already being injured, you may not be in the right state of mind to do so. Therefore, an expert can take care of the filing for you quickly. They are professional lawyers because they have handled many cases and can file them properly. Remember, the quicker you file, the faster you get the compensation.

Paperwork Handling

Compensation lawyers will handle all the paperwork required to file your claim. Apart from legal forms, you must submit bills, receipts, photos, and other documents. Organizing these documents can be tedious given your injury, and an expert lawyer can make it simple. They will also coordinate with the insurance company to settle your hospital bill.

No Win No Fee Rule

Most compensation lawyers have a no-win, no-fee policy. Since their fee is at stake, lawyers will put their best efforts into getting you the highest payout possible. It also means that their fee will be a percentage of the payment. Therefore, the more you get, the better their fee and vice versa. This policy ensures that your lawyer does not neglect your case and works hard to bring you justice.

Get Maximum Benefit

Since compensation lawyers handle cases regularly, they will get you the highest compensation possible. If you try to do it yourself, you may not get the fair payout you deserve. They will look at the cause of injury, the extent of damage, the number of days you will miss work, loss of pay, treatment expenses, special equipment, domestic help, rehabilitation costs, and so on. You will be eligible for compensation based on these factors. Their expertise will ensure that you do not miss on a single dollar you deserve.

Free Assessment

You can get a compensation lawyer to assess your case without any obligation. Once they have evaluated the case and given you a brief of what to expect, you can decide on hiring. They will not charge you for such assessments.

Getting injured while at work is something that you cannot avoid, but you can be assured that such injuries are compensated fairly. Hiring expert compensation lawyers can help get you the best possible remuneration at the earliest. You can focus on recovery and getting back to work while your lawyers handle the claim process.

It can be stressful to sustain injuries in a slip-and-fall accident. There are likely to be serious injuries or substantial medical bills that you want to be compensated. Although the decision to hire an attorney after a slip and fall accident is personal, there are important reasons you should do so.

Liability Can Be Proven

To prove slip and fall, you have to show that someone was liable for your injuries. You must prove negligence. It can be difficult to determine if someone is responsible for your injuries in a slip-and-fall case. An attorney can help you determine the cause of your injuries by investigating and gathering evidence. After a cause is established, a lawyer will determine if the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition. This is a difficult task and requires a lot of legal experience. Abrahamson & Uiterwyk has handled thousands of slip-and-fall cases and knows the steps to follow to prove liability.

A Slip And Fall Attorney May Prove Damages

It is crucial that you properly document all damages. An attorney can organize and collect documents about your lost wages, medical records, and bills. An experienced lawyer in slip and fall cases can evaluate your case and determine how much compensation you should pursue. An experienced lawyer can help you determine if further medical treatment is necessary and whether expert witnesses are required.

A Premises Liability Lawyer May Manage The Insurance Company

It is important that you hire a lawyer to handle your slip and fall case. Without having to fight for compensation, you should be able focus on your healing. An attorney can help you communicate with your insurance company and present evidence of your injuries to it. Abrahamson & Uiterwyk has experience dealing with insurance companies and knows the best way to deal with them.

This post was written by Kelly-Ann Jenkins of Jenkins Law P.L. Kelly-Ann is an insurance claim Lawyer. The information on this site is not intended to and does not offer legal advice, legal recommendations or legal representation on any matter. Hiring an attorney is an important decision, which should not be based on advertising. You need to consult an attorney for legal advice regarding your individual situation. Click here to learn more! The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.  Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.  This website contains links to other third-party websites.  Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.

You may have heard of EDD audit if you are a California business owner. Or, perhaps you received notices that your company is being audited. Although an EDD audit can be stressful, it is possible for your business to survive and you can take steps to avoid another one in the future. Let’s take a look at EDD audits and what your company needs to do in order to pass them.

EDD audits are when the California Employment Development Department launches an investigation into California state payroll tax records of a business to determine if a worker has been classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee.

Many businesses outsource work to freelancers or independent contractors. Sometimes business owners believe that this is cheaper than hiring employees and providing benefits and a salary. It allows them to temporarily hire someone with special skills.

However, the law has changed significantly and many taxpayers are now liable. Business owners may be held personally responsible for the payroll taxes of employees they consider independent contractors. This occurs when the EDD, after an audit, determines that these workers actually are employees.

This could apply to you if you have ever employed an independent contractor. You could also be subject to a significant financial penalty if your business is not protected.

Here are some steps to follow if your company is subject to an EDD audit.

1. Talk to a tax attorney who is familiar with EDD audits. To help you prepare your defense, the attorney will tell you to gather all relevant records.
2. You should have all documentation, including employment questionnaires, payroll records and federal income tax returns. Also, bank statements. Wage information for the audit period. It will be easier to pass the audit process with as much documentation as possible.
3. Inquiry Regarding Records Notice from the EDD and the Pre-audit Questionnaire must be responded to promptly. These forms should be completed by your tax attorney and submitted by the deadline.
4. Discuss any tax liabilities that may arise from the EDD audit with your tax attorney. These tax liabilities could include unpaid taxes as a percentage, dollar amounts for unreported employees and independent contractors, and many other things. An experienced tax attorney can help you to review the audit documents and reduce the assessment.
5. Your tax attorney can help you appeal the EDD’s proposed assessment if you disagree with it after the audit.

It can be scary and confusing to receive a California payroll tax audit. Working with a tax attorney and knowing what to expect will ensure that your business is able to withstand the EDD audit.

This article was written by Alla Tenina. Alla is a top tax attorney in Sherman Oaks, CA in Los Angeles California, and the founder of Tenina law. She has experience in bankruptcies, real estate planning, and complex tax matters. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.

Did the decedent designate you to admit their last will or testament to probate? Perhaps you are the beneficiary to the decedent estate. If so, hiring a probate attorney in San Antonio is invaluable.

Dealing with the passing of a loved one can be challenging. However, this can be mind-boggling when you have to navigate the probate process. Furthermore, there’s a lot to do when winding up an estate.

To wind up an estate, undergoing the court-supervised probate process of validating a will is a must. It involves identifying decedent assets, paying obligations, and distributing estate assets to beneficiaries. Frankly, the process can be long, stressful, expensive, and time-consuming.

But how do you go about the probate process without any background experience? Well, this is where a reputable probate attorney becomes invaluable. These attorneys have in-depth knowledge of the process and know what to do, when, and how to do it.

But every probate lawyer is different, and some are better than others. Making the wrong choice only makes the process more intricate, expensive, and longer. This isn’t what you want, is it?

Here are six questions to ask before hiring a probate attorney to make the right choice.

1. How Long Have You Been Practicing Probate Law?

One of the utmost considerations during the probate process is the experience of the probate attorney. Keep in mind you will be relying on the counsel and guidance of the attorney to ensure everything is on track and the process is successful. However, if you hire an inexperienced attorney, you’ll be rubbing salt to the injury.

An experienced estate probate attorney has in-depth knowledge about the entire process. Furthermore, they have helped numerous clients wind up estate and have gained crucial insights during this time. They already know all the right procedures to follow in completing the process successfully.

Also, if a problem arises, chances are an experienced probate attorney has already dealt with it and knows the possible solution. And don’t forget they can also advise what you need to do to hurry up the process.

Prior to making the final choice of your attorney, you must confirm they are adept with the entire process. Ask about how long they have been practicing, the number of clients they have helped, and probate attorney fees. If possible, ask for contact details of their past clients to learn more about the experience of working with them.

2. What Documents Do I Need?

Before you meet up with the potential probate lawyer, this is a vital question to ask. Without the necessary documents and paperwork, the probate process could delay. After reaching out to the attorney to schedule the first meeting, ask them what you need to bring with you.

Some of the required information for the probate process include;

• Death certificate

• Original copy of decedent last will and testament

• Copies of any document already filed with the probate court

• Copies of an existing living trust (if applicable)

• Names and addresses of the beneficiaries listed in the will

• Copies of property deeds owned by the deceased

• Copies of all bills and financial obligations owed by the deceased

• Copies of the recent financial statements of the deceased. (life insurance policies, bank accounts, retirement, and investment accounts)

3. What Are the Executor’s Legal Duties?

In most cases, the individual meeting with the probate lawyer is likely to be named as the will executor. The attorney should describe all the duties of the administrator or executor.

• These may include

• Managing the estate property

• Paying the outstanding financial liabilities

• Distributing funds to beneficiaries.

Also, ask the attorney about fiduciary duty concerning the executor’s actions. If you are the executor, you get to know what is expected of you and how to go about it.

4. What Does Probate Involve?

Before getting started with the process, you want the probate attorney to explain to you what to expect in the probate process. The aim is to get a basic understanding of what the process involves from start to finish.

Their description should include;

• What needs to be filed and by when

• Who needs to be involved or present, and when?

• How long the process might take

All this information should help clear any doubt, misconception, or concern you may have about the probate process. Also, ask if the process is necessary as not all states require it.

5. How Are Creditors Handled?

During your first appointment with the attorney, ask about the payment of any outstanding obligations. Normally, any creditor owed by the deceased receives payment from the estate’s proceeds.

Suppose there are not enough liquid assets to settle the obligations. The executor may decide to sell the property to cover them.

While most people aren’t aware, the probate court has an outlined order for handling creditors. Getting all the details from a probate lawyer is key to ensuring all creditors are paid as required. This can go a long way to prevent future liability.

6. What If Someone Is Mishandling the Estate?

A person other than the executor can meet up with the probate attorney in certain cases. This might be in such a case where a concerned beneficiary believes the named executor is mismanaging the estate assets.

If this is the case, you’ll need to work closely with an experienced probate lawyer who will offer legal remedies. This action should be taken as soon as possible to protect the estate from misuse or abuse. However, it’s crucial to have adequate proof to back your concerns.

The Above Are Questions to Ask Your Probate Attorney in San Antonio

Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be a painful process. Going through the probate process during such time can be stressful and overwhelming. However, it doesn’t have to be this way with an experienced probate attorney.

Here are questions to ask your potential probate attorney in San Antonio.

Did you enjoy reading this article? If so, check out more informative blog posts from our website.

Life may not be smooth all the time. It will be full of ups and downs. Some people may be mentally strong to overcome these hassles but for many people it may be a difficult task than they sound to be. In order to get rid of these hardships, they move for divorce. In some cases, it may be mutual divorce and in some cases it may not be. In some cases it may be domestic violence, custody battle and several other problems. Obviously divorce is the best solution to get rid of all these problems. In order to process the divorce case legally, one must approach the divorce lawyers.

Practice area

One of the most common mistake done by many people is they may not choose the right attorney for their case. The people who are in need to process their divorce case must remember that only the divorce attorney can handle their case at the best. And the other important aspect that is to be noted is there are many different sections in divorce case. The attorneys will also be specialized in specific sector of cases. Hence before handing over the case to any attorney, their practice area should be taken into account for choosing the right one.

Awards and ratings

In current trend, it is quite easier to point out the divorce attorneys as they are found everything in the market. But in order to win the case, the most efficient attorney who tends to have better exposure in divorce case should be chosen. In order to find such kind of attorney without any kind of compromise, the awards attained by them can be taken into account. Today there are also ratings for attorneys in the online sources. One can also make note of these ratings in order to know about their winning ratio over their previous cases.

Communication and consultation

While considering a lawyer, the way they communicate with their client is more important. They must convey and explain each and every legal procedure to their client and must also help them to overcome these procedures in the most effective way. They must also provide proper consulting time for their clients in order to know about their opinion in the case. In case if the hirers tend to have questions like how long does it take to finalize a divorce in california, they can sort it out during the consulting session.

Client reviews

One of the easiest ways to know about the attorneys in the market is making note of the client reviews. The feedbacks left by their previous clients will help in knowing about their way of handling the case. People who are very much serious in handling their divorce should never make any kind of compromise in hiring the attorney. This is because the attorney will be the triumph card for them to win the case. It can also be said that the chance of winning the case greatly relies on the attorney who is chosen. Hence one must consider all the essential factors including the reviews for choosing the best legal expert for their divorce case.

If you feel like someone’s stolen your identity, then it’s probably a good idea to trust your instincts.

After all, you don’t want your credit and financial history to go down the drain! Not taking action can ruin your livelihood and prevent you from rebuilding it in the future.

But you might still want better confirmation for your suspicions. You’ll either ease your mind or understand that you need a plan of action — this time, in the form of legal support.

So keep reading to learn more. Below, we’ll explain four signs that you’ve become a victim of identity theft. If any of them resonate with you, then call an identity theft lawyer today!

1. Being Denied Credit

You might be a victim of identity theft if you’re unexpectedly denied credit. When identity thieves get hold of your personal information, they can open new accounts. They’ll open new credit cards or lines of credit using your information.

Once they use these accounts, they’re highly unlikely to pay bills in your name too. For this reason, your credit score will most likely drop quite a bit. Your credit history won’t look too great to future creditors and it will be harder for you to obtain new sources of credit.

It’s difficult to know whether you’ve become a victim of identity theft until after they’ve committed some damage. But if you notice some unexplained drops in your credit score or aren’t able to use/open credit when you would otherwise be able to, then it’s time to call an identity theft attorney.

2. Debt Collector Calls

After an identity thief obtains your personal information, they’ll most drain your finances fairly quickly. When they do, you’ll get plenty of calls from debt collectors for debts that you don’t owe. If you’re suddenly getting debt collector calls for bills that aren’t yours, then it’s time to take action.

First, ask for documentation. This way, you’ll know for sure if the debt they’re trying to collect is not yours. If you realize that the documented debt is not yours, then send them as much documentation as you can proving that you’ve fallen victim to identity theft.

But don’t stop at trying to convince your debt collectors. Having an identity theft attorney on your side will double your defense against these debt collectors. This is especially if you’re not sure what the best strategy is for convincing them that your identity has been stolen.

3. Credit Company Calls

Your credit company will do what it can to ensure identity theft protection. Credit companies don’t have the same authority as law enforcement do, but they’ll be on high alert for any suspicious charges to your account.

Such suspicious charges include those in large amounts or from faraway places. They’ll give you a call to confirm that any charge they deem suspicious was meant to happen. If the charges they’re calling for aren’t yours, then you might have a case of a stolen identity on your hands.

If these signs are the earliest and only signs of identity theft you experience, then you’re in luck. You’ll be able to file claims, reports, freeze your credit, and more. All before identity thieves can do anything worse to your credit.

However, there’s still a good chance that they’ll do worse things to your credit until then. Then, it’s time to call an identity theft lawyer, who’ll have all the expertise and knowledge necessary to defend you and your personal information.

4. Suspicious Credit Usage After Using Public WiFi

Public WiFi is convenient — even necessary to some. But it’s not always the most secure kind of network to use. For that reason, many identity thieves will deliberately stake out any potential identity theft victims in coffeehouses, hotels, and more.

There are several ways you can prevent this from happening, besides avoiding public WiFi networks altogether. You can research or ask a reputable travel guide source (if traveling) which cafés or hotels are the most secure WiFi spots.

If using a public computer, then delete your online history, cookies, and caches before you leave your spot. Even if you’re only using a social media account, that might be all a savvy identity thief needs to eventually steal your identity.

Using your own device is a different story. Make sure all your devices are protected with a password. If your devices are stolen in public, they’ll have a much harder time accessing your information before you can conduct additional security measures to protect it.

You should also have the latest security software installed. It’s also a good idea to install a VPN, though they can be pricey. This way, your data will be encrypted and thieves won’t be able to access your data through public WiFi networks.

Of course, it might be too late to prevent this problem if you’re on this page. Though these are great tips to use for the future, calling an identity theft attorney is a great one to use now.

Call an Identity Theft Lawyer TODAY!

These are only a few out of many indications that you’ve fallen victim to identity theft. But once you’ve figured out that you are, then there’s absolutely no time to wait before you get an identity theft lawyer by your side.

This article should have covered some signs that you need an identity theft lawyer. If it did, then check out the rest of our blog! We’ve got plenty of other articles for readers such as you.

Every citizen of the country needs to maintain the law and order framed. People come across different legal and illegal issues in their daily life. The court appoints lawyers to deal with civil and criminal cases and to maintain peace in the country. They enact and co-ordinate with the rules and laws framed by the court and they typically have the role of fighting for justice and truth. There are different categories of lawyers available to deal with various divisions of cases people face in their daily life. The Lawyers Gold Coast contain well-talented professionals to deal with various cases related to the fields of business, property, tourism, leasing, divorce, family laws, and so on.

Reasons To Hire Them

• The team of lawyers mostly tries to complete the case by providing legal advice instead of taking them to the major crime issues or laws. They try to solve the issues through talk or conversation to convince both sides of the parties legally. When the clients do not co-ordinate with the conversation, then they appeal the case in court to get legal justice.
• They have their trusted local representative to handle the case from start to end causing no risk. They take over the project in a positive approach and deal with every case with the full potential of winning them.
• The professionals in Gold Coast have complete attention to every new law or rule framed. They consciously notice every change or law framed and act accordingly to win the case they deal with. Sometimes, people may face different legal issues in business, in such cases, you can deal with the business lawyers here to solve the issue in a short time.
• People may face a big issue in the business transaction. The lawyers here will make a thorough check of the entire transaction and collect the original track records and bring instant solutions for the issue. They will initially start the process with complete reading and analyzing the client and case.
• After thorough study and research, they will enter the case and start collecting the track records to appeal to them in court. Any type of case will not sustain in the case if you do not have any proper proof or evidence. So, it is important to make a thorough check and collect proof before moving into the case.
• The Lawyers Gold Coast are highly talented and act as the best legal advisors in dealing with all the project risks and issues you face. You can hire them by making online calls or chatting through their official site and these lawyers are readily available at all times to help their clients. They can tackle different issues by making talks with both the opposed and legal parties.

Ideas are slowly changing the world, and in the process, they are making people rich, which is a win-win in all respects. But what most founders agree on is that an idea is only as good as the team that helps steer it forward. A startup needs professionals in its team who add value, including lawyers. A good startup lawyer will not only add value but will help the team get better deals. It is important for you as a founder to pick the right lawyer. How do you know your startup needs a lawyer? This can only be answered by looking at what a lawyer brings to a startup.

Company consultation services

An attorney is not merely the conventional type of consultant who advises on management and strategy, operations, and marketing aspects of a business, to mention a few. The attorney is a special type of consultant. They help you decide on the most suitable type of company for your startup, especially when the startup involves two founders collaborating. An attorney’s advice on equity rights and the appropriate corporate structure would be invaluable in this case. It would be advisable to allow the same attorney to set up the company for you.

In some instances, you may need help with intellectual property such as trademarks and copyrights. IP is one fundamental aspectthatall startups deal with as most of them have IP, and a unique one at that,as the core of their business. Your preferred business attorney can directly handle your IP concerns or direct you to IP professionals who they can vouch for.

Drafting and reviewing contracts

We previously mentioned that an idea is only as good as the team you build to steer it forward. That being said, an attorney’s role is crucial when it comes to the employment of staff. They may not be part of the process of scouting for talent; but they can come in when you want to tie down the singled-out talents to a contract. Most startup employees are engaged on a contractual basis, especially if the startup is at its early stages.

But employment laws are rapidly changing, and the contractor might as well be an employee according to state laws. New York has a wide range and complex employment laws designed to protect employees. Failure to comply with these laws will spell trouble with federal and state authorities. This means you would need a knowledgeable attorney to ensure specific contracts are drafted in line with the law and your requirements. Additionally, they will explain to you what the contract means to you as the founder/employer so that you remain aware.

General legal advice

A business attorney is an invaluable asset to any founder, especially when two founders decide to go at it together. Picture this; two founders decide to work together, but one has more shares than the other. In this case, who would benefit from a lawyer? Both would benefit—the attorney advises both of them on their rights under the specific agreement. If the inverse happens, in that both have equal shares, a business lawyer would still be a useful asset. The lawyer will help in arbitration when issues arise between the founders and help them make decisions that would benefit both of them.

Regulation

If your startup is in a field, like fintech, for example, that is heavily regulated with constantly changing laws; then you need a corporate lawyer. Ignorance of the law is no defense. This means that if a law changes and you don’t know about it and fail to implement the changes, you will still be held liable.

Who is the right lawyer?

The right lawyer should essentially have experience dealing with startups and must be well versed in the law. Other than this, they should show their willingness to grow with you.A lawyer is essentially a business partner; picking the wrong one can be costly. The attorney you want to settle for understands your business model. Their understanding of your business model will mean they can decipher your marketing opportunities and will, in turn, help you make decisions that will favor the company.

If you are in New York with a startup, please contact the Kokolakis Law Firm Today. We are an Astoria-based New York law firm who are willing to grow with your startup. Wish to learn more? Simply visit us at kokolakislaw.com

Are you hoping to learn more about special needs trusts and how they work? A special needs trust fund is a financial structure set up for someone with a disability.

If you are hoping to learn more about special needs trust rules so that you can decide whether or not this is the best option for you or a loved one, keep reading. In this guide, we will go over the basics when it comes to a special needs trust and how it works.

Special Needs Trust: The Basics

A special needs trust is also referred to as an SNT trust or a supplemental needs trust and it is a legal structure that is for someone with a disability. This kind of trust fund can include any current assets or it can be set up so that you receive the funds the beneficiary will receive in the future. The goal of these trusts is to protect and hold assets for the beneficiary that has special needs.

This legal structure is used to work to manage and collect assets by receiving funds from a variety of possible sources. One of the most common sources of funding in a special needs trust is from a family member during their lifetime. In some cases, this will be in the form of an estate plan in which the parents or relatives of the individual with special needs wish to provide life insurance or assets for the beneficiary in the case of their death.

These funds could also be from a legal settlement. When the trust is no longer needed, it will end. This will typically occur when the funds are completely spent on the beneficiary passes.

Working With a Special Needs Trust Lawyer

Working with a professional special needs lawyer is recommended for those that are preparing for this process, as it’s important to be as careful as possible when handling this legal process. If you want to leave money, assets, or property to a loved one with special needs, you will want to work with a lawyer in this field for the best results. This is because by leaving them a gift without professional assistance, you could be risking their ability to receive supplemental income such as Medicare and security income or SSI.

If the individual owns a car, house, furnishings, and other assets, they could lose their SSI benefits. Also, leaving beneficiaries cash gifts in the bank can also cause them to lose certain benefits, making setting up a special needs trust properly with the assistance of a lawyer to ensure that the beneficiary and your funds are in good hands.

Special Needs Trust Rules: Follow Them For Best Results

If you are hoping to navigate this legal structure, following the special needs trust rules is key to ensuring that your beneficiary is able to receive your gifts without risking their eligibility for government assistance programs.

Head to the “Lawyer” section of our site for more legal info, tips, and tricks today.