Wednesday, March 28, 2012

HOW TO CHOOSE A LAWYER WHEN YOU HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT


 I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT! NOW HOW DO I CHOOSE A LAWYER?


You have been involved in a car accident now you must choose an attorney.   Different attorneys can bring different results and some can even ruin your case!  So when you are selecting an accident attorney, whether you are the Plaintiff or the Defendant, you should find the best and most competent accident attorney in your area.

I always suggest starting with your State Bar Association.   Every state has one, many states have more than one, and they will invariably have a lawyer referral program.  Some Bar Association Lawyer Referral Programs are better than others, but most have a list of requirements for the lawyers who are involved in their referral programs.  The Bar Association Referral Programs generally make sure the lawyer is competent, has tried cases in your area, has no record of misconduct, and the lawyers that you find from these programs are usually very solid, dependable and competent.

In many State Bar Association Referral Programs you can even choose your lawyer by the length of time they have in practice, their gender, their age, their location and the languages they speak!  So short answer, you’ve been involved in a car accident and now you need to choose a lawyer – start with your State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program.  They’ve already done the research and screening for you!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

WHAT TYPE OF ATTORNEY SHOULD I TALK TO ABOUT REFINANCING MY MORTGAGE?

The short answer is, talk to a Real Estate Attorney about refinancing your mortgage.  Many States require that title attorneys and not a title company issue a title policy. Your Real Estate Attorney will analyze your title, and all the documents.  Importantly, because you are the attorney’s client, and they are specifically representing your interests and NOT the interests of the bank or refinance company, your attorney will make sure you truly understand the documents, all the fine print, and what the real world effect of the new interest rates and terms mean for you.  Not the greedy bank or the lender!

When refinancing a mortgage that is probably in excess of U.S. $100,000.00 or more, don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.  It’s definitely worth the U.S. $250 bucks or so a competent Real Estate Attorney may charge you for going through the refinance with you to make sure that no one takes advantage of you, and to ensure that you get the best possible outcome from your refinance.  The more monetary value at stake in the refinance of your mortgage, the more sense it makes to pay even a little higher amount for a competent advocate in your corner.  It’s totally worth it to make sure that no one takes advantage of you in the refinance process.  If you think the banks or mortgage loan companies never pulled a fast one on someone who went through a refi without a lawyer in order to make a profit, check out the Bank of America and Countrywide mortgage loan fraud case. That alone should be enough to show you that it’s worth it to have a Real Estate Attorney by your side through the refinancing of your mortgage.     

At the end of the day the attorney's duty is to make sure that your title is clear, that you TRULY understand what you are signing, and that you have considered and are aware of the ramifications of the refinance. At your closing, your attorney will explain each document to you that you sign. When your refinance closes, your attorney will return all the mortgage documents to the lender, and ensure that everything regarding your refinance is done properly and in order.  Most importantly, your Real Estate Attorney makes sure no one takes advantage of you during the refinance process.

Understanding Buying and Selling Structured Legal Settlements

HOW DOES THE BUYING AND SELLING OF STRUCTURED LEGAL SETTLEMENTS WORK?

The ability to sell your structured settlements for a lump sum is a quite regular occurrence.  Companies buying structured settlements will usually give a high value “now” in order to collect a guaranteed payment “later”.  Remember that the courts must approve all structured settlement sales.
If you sell your structured settlement know that you will lose between 15-25% of the total value of your structured settlement. This is because of devaluation.  One dollar now will not have the same buying power in 10 years or even 5 years, so companies buying your structured settlement have to make up for that.
The Beauty of Structured Settlements
Structured settlements are wonderful to have.  If you suffered a great physical trauma and got a structured settlement in return they provide some restitution for your pain and make up for income you may have lost.  The law makes sure that you get money on a steady basis.  It’s like having a paycheck that you don’t have to go to work to collect. Structured settlements are well protected by the law and largely free of market volatility, but they come in a series of smaller payments over time, instead of one lump sum.
“Cashing out” or selling your structured settlement gives you one big payment all at once. The court may analyze your reasons for cashing out but once approved you can use the money any way you want.
Conclusion
If you are willing to give up 25% of the total value of your settlement over time in order to get paid out all at once and enjoy your money now, then selling your structured settlement is probably right for you.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

ALLNIGHTLEGAL.COM

WHY PAY AN ATTORNEY WHEN YOU CAN GET ADVICE FOR FREE?

BLOG YOUR QUESTIONS AT ALLNIGHTLEGAL.COM AND GET A PROFESSIONAL OPINION FROM LAWYERS, ATTORNEYS, PARALEGALS, LEGAL SECRETARYS, LAW OFFICE MANAGERS -- WHOMEVER IN THE LEGAL FIELD YOU WANT.  AND GET IT FOR FREE!

DAY & NIGHT - IT'S ALLNIGHTLEGAL.COM