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Article 3: Social security
disability update: Will access to benefits be delayed?
By: Lori T. Williams, Esq.
I interviewed 2 local social security disability
attorneys who discuss the current law and process for obtaining
benefits, and the impact delays can have on disabled individuals.
Click here to read article.
______________________________
Did
you know....
By: Lori
T. Williams, Esq.
Injury attorneys focus on
different things in their practice. Some only handle serious
car accident cases, others handle medical malpractice exclusively.
Some injury attorneys handle any and all types of personal injury.
Some attorneys represent the injured party, while others
represent the person or company who allegedly caused the injury.
Injury Law includes all of these
areas of the law:
-Worker's Compensation;
-Social Security Disability;
-Medical Malpractice;
-Slip and Fall/premises liability;
-Drug Liability;
-Defective Products;
-Auto Accident cases;
-Toxic torts (Asbestos and exposure
to other harmful toxins);
-Wrongful Death Cases;
-Birth Defect Cases;
-Some consider discrimination
cases, sexual harrassment, or wrongful termination to be within
injury law. Others view these causes of action as part of
employment law.
Injury law cases are typically handled on a contingent
fee basis, meaning you don't pay any attorney fees up front. If
the lawyer you hire wins or settles your case, the lawyer receives a
percentage of the recovery as his/her fee. In Michigan the
attorney fee is usually 1/3 of the settlement or verdict, and the
client receives the remaining 2/3, less any costs involved in the
case.
States can limit the amount of your recovery through
legislation or Supreme Court ruling. In Michigan, medical
malpractice cases are capped and the amount of cap varies year to
year based on the consumer price index. For more information
about caps, read this blog.
If you are injured on the job, Michigan's Workers
Compensation Exclusive Remedy law precludes you from suing your
employer for negligence. You may file a claim for workers
compensation benefits, but you cannot sue for pain and suffering or
other damages. The only exception to this exclusive remedy is
if you can allege and prove an intentional tort. This means proving
that an employer intended an injury by continuously subjecting an
employee to a dangerous condition that the employer knows will cause
injury, yet refrains from warning the employee or removing the
dangerous condition.
Sometimes a wrongful act can fall within the civil law
remedies, as well as criminal law remedies. For instance, an
assault can be both a civil cause of action known as a tort, and a
crime. Both causes of action may be pursued. Usually civil
suits result in money damages if the Plaintiff (injured party)
prevails, whereas criminal actions may result in jail time for the
wrongdoer if he/she is convicted of a crime.
An auto accident is another example of an act which
could result in civil and/or criminal charges. If someone
drives while intoxicated and kills another driver, there would most
likely be a wrongful death civil claim filed, as well as criminal
prosecution for manslaughter or in some cases Murder.
Traffic violations can result in fines and/or a
suspension or loss of a driver's license, depending on the
circumstances (driver's record, whether drugs or alcohol were
involved, fault versus accident, etc.) The City of Troy, MI has
started cracking down on "distracted drivers" who use a
cell phone while driving. While the State of Michigan prohibits
texting while driving, the City of Troy takes it a step further and
fines some motorists who use a hand held cell phone while driving.
Click here to read more about the Troy ordinances,
fines, and an explanation of the ordinance. Click here for the State of Michigan No Texting Law.
If you need an experienced injury
law attorney or other lawyer to advise you of your legal rights, call
me for a referral. As a 22 year attorney, I
take the guess work out of hiring a legal professional, because I
connect you with the right specialist for your situation. Call
me today for a free referral at 248-594-4470.
____________________
Most people know when they need an attorney, and they
might even know an attorney or two. Yet, often they don't
know how to find the right attorney for their situation.
75%
of Americans hire an attorney recommended by their
family.
65%
of them are unhappy with the services that attorney provided.
Don't
you deserve better Odds than that?
Attorney Lori Williams has put together a large network
of lawyers she personally knows and has worked with over the past
20 years, who are located throughout Metro Detroit, and are
ready to serve you. Each lawyer has experience (10-30 years) in
their particular area of law, and will handle your legal issues
promptly, professionally and affordably. You'll receive
a FREE referral to the right attorney for you, whether it be for
personal legal services as an individual, or for your small
business.
Our
team of specialists cover all the areas of law in Metro Detroit,
including:
-Personal
Injury;
-Workers
Compensation;
-Social
Security Disability;
-Malpractice;
-Family Law (divorce/custody/support, etc.);
-Real Estate (including Foreclosures/Loan
Modifications/Landlord Tenant matters);
-Business Law (Set up a corporation or
LLC; protect intellectual property through patents,
trademarks, copyrights; draft/review contracts or operating
agreements or licensing agreements for your business; tax
planning, etc.);
-Estate Planning and Succession planning (wills/trusts/powers of attorney;
buy sell agreements);
-Criminal
matters;
-Etc.
Call today for a free consultation and referral
and get
the legal help you need!
248-594-4470
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