It always amazes me the number of people who do not realize that they need a lawyer. If you are asking yourself if you need a lawyer, then you do. Plain and simple, you need a lawyer any time you are dealing with any questions regarding laws, court proceedings and contracts. Any time you have to deal with anything to do with a law whether civil or criminal you should have a competent lawyer represent you.
Most of the time, most people only think about hiring a lawyer when they need a lawyer to defend them in a criminal case. So many people just never think about hiring a lawyer to defend their best interest on a day to day basis. Now sure most of us do not need, much less afford, a lawyer to be at our beck and call every day. But, what about hiring a lawyer to read over a real estate contract, or the nondisclosure agreement that the boss wants you to sign? What about hiring a lawyer to help you negotiate a business deal or go after a nonpaying customer. Many people simple only think about using a lawyer when the need criminal defense or when they want to sue someone.
The legal system awards those that understand how to work within its confines. The statement "we are a nation of laws" is probably one of the most prophetic statemnts ever uttered by an American. Why? Because, we are a nation of laws. Just about every aspect of our life is touched by at least one law. So, why wouldn't you have a lawyer represent you?
There are three reasons why people shy away from having a lawyer represent them. First, lawyer in general have a bad reputation. Lawyers are not known as the defenders of the weak and poor. This is truly one of the biggest myths in America today. Every ground breaking case that added to our legal rights were surrogated by well intentioned lawyers. Most big class action lawsuits were spear headed by lawyers that would not have been paid if they did not win. The bad reputation of the legal profession really boils down to juries in civil cases giving huge awards. There are bad apples in the cart that do spoil the basket but all in all most lawyers know and do their job with honor and dignity.
Second, some people think that all you need is a hand shake to seal a deal. And, if you hire a lawyer to represent you to close a deal then you are being rude to the other party involved. Nothing could be further from the truth. Long gone are the days where you could trust a man at his word. Long gone are the days where you could expect both parties in a business deal to follow through with their end of the agreement.
Third, lawyers are just too expensive. This is just flat out not true. You can find good competent legal representation at a decent price. Just because a lawyer charges more does not mean he or she is better than the cheaper on and vice versa.
Most of the time lawyers are called in to sort out issues after the fact. If a lawyer would have been used in the beginning of that business deal then it would have been easier to get both parties to follow through. Or for that matter get one party to pay the other. If a lawyer would have been braught in at the beginning of the a situation it may not have escalated to a point where both parties are suing each other. Lawyers have the reputation they do because we call them in too late. We don't have them look at that real estate contract BEFORE we sign it. We don't have them look at that NDA before we sign it. So now the lawyer has to fight for your rights from a disadvantage. The worse a position you put your lawyer in the more expensive it will be. The point is, if you have to question whether or not you need a lawyer, then you do. Get legal representation before you start that business deal or legal proceeding. Get legal representation early and you will not regret the decision.
MESOTHELIOMA: DO YOU NEED A LAWYER? If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in the last five years, you may wish to meet with an attorney to discuss your legal rights. Anyone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma should consider this option. If you have a loved one who is deceased because of mesothelioma, their spouse or an executor of the estate should also consider legal representation. There are different avenues to consider regarding representation and the possibilities of obtaining compensation. We believe it is important that you choose representation by a firm that is exclusively devoted to mesothelioma claims. We believe you should choose a firm that has years of experience and a proven track record with mesothelioma claims. Some people do not want to file a lawsuit. For such people, they may want to know that a number of companies have filed for bankruptcy protection and have established bankruptcy trusts that pay smaller amounts to mesothelioma victims. Sometimes, if it is too late to file a lawsuit or if the mesothelioma victim is strongly opposed to filing a lawsuit, we can recover some compensation by filing claims with bankruptcy trusts. This is a decision that should not be made quickly and should only be made after consultation with an experienced legal representative. STATUTES OF LIMITATION All states have statutes of limitation that provide that a claim is barred if it is not timely filed. Some states require that a claim must be filed within one year of the date of diagnosis, while other states provide that the individual has as long as five years from the date of diagnosis. This not only varies from state to state, but sometimes varies depending upon the state of exposure or where the lawsuit is filed. It may be necessary, if some period of time has expired after the date of diagnosis, to file the claim in a different jurisdiction to avoid the running of the state of limitations. As a general rule, it is always better to get the process moving as quickly as possible to avoid any potential issues with a statute of limitations. WHERE WILL THE LAWSUIT BE FILED? A lawsuit will not necessarily be filed in the state where you live. Some jurisdictions are more liberal in awarding substantial jury awards. If you or your loved one live in a state where juries tend to be more conservative, it might make sense to discuss bringing the case in an alternative jurisdiction. Oftentimes cases can be brought in another state where there was exposure or where a defendant may be located or incorporated. If there is a potential problem with the statute of limitations in the state where you live, the problem can sometimes be avoided by filing in another state. This should only be decided after meeting with your legal representative. DO I HAVE TO GO TO COURT? Typically, we can do all of the work on your case in or near your home. If your deposition is taken, this can also be done in your home or in a conference room near your home. Only if the case is not settled, might you have to be present in court for any period of time. Even if your case goes before a jury, you generally only need be present for a small portion of the trial. In the overwhelming percentage of these cases, however, settlements will be reached prior to the trial date. Because of this, it is always best to hire experienced counsel with a track record of success. Experienced counsel who have obtained substantial awards in the past may be more likely to obtain significant settlement offers from the defendants prior to going to trial. WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP? Because mesothelioma cases have become more lucrative, the number of law firms that are seeking mesothelioma cases are on the increase. You may encounter lawyers that you know who now claim to be interested in taking your case. It is important to have experienced legal representation from lawyers who have experience negotiating settlements in mesothelioma cases.If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma in the last five years, talk to an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to discuss your legal rights today.
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