Life can throw you curveballs sometimes. Events like accidents, illness and even bankruptcy can happen without warning. While it is almost impossible to be prepared for all such eventualities, finding a good local attorney to represent you can help you to achieve the best possible outcome under the circumstances. In situations such as bankruptcy, accidents or injures, you have enough to deal with at the personal level without having to worry about the legal aspects of the situation. With an experienced attorney to help, you can get a handle on your problems and move forward with your life.
How can an auto accident attorney or a bankruptcy attorney help you? In almost every case, you can achieve a better outcome if you have an experienced local attorney representing your interests.
- Bankruptcy claims
Personal bankruptcies are becoming increasingly common. Most Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck and have practically no savings to cover the costs of any emergency situation or illness. As a result, personal bankruptcies are on the rise, accounting for 97% of all bankruptcies filed today. The number of business bankruptcies has declined from 13% of the total in 1980 to just 3% today. U.S. bankruptcy court statistics show that more than 1.5 million bankruptcy claims are field each year on average.
Student loans and medical bills are the two most important causes that lead people to file for bankruptcy. As of 2104, the largest number of bankruptcy claims were filed in these states: California, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio. The filing fees for bankruptcy claims are $335 for a Chapter 7 case and $310 for a Chapter 13 case. In total, filing for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy can cost between $1,500 and $3,000.
In all cases, having a bankruptcy lawyer present you offers a much greater chance of success than filing pro se (on your own). For Chapter 7 bankruptcy claims filed by a local attorney, the success rate is more than 95%. By contrast, the success rate for pro se Chapter 7 bankruptcy claims is only 60%. For Chapter 13 claims filed by an attorney, the success rate is is 55%, while those filed pro se succeed in only 0.04% of cases. - Workplace injuries and workers compensation
Workplace injuries can have serious consequences, affecting an individual’s ability to work. They may involve medical bills, and may diminish the individual’s earning capacity in the future. This is why in almost three fourths of all the states, or 74%, businesses are required by law to have workers comp.
More than 3 million workplace illnesses and injuries were reported in the year 2013 alone – 3,007,300 to be exact. The commonest workplace injuries are due to workers slipping on slick floors. Such injures can result in medical bills and lost days at work, as well as more serious long term consequences. Even with state and federal workplace legislation to protect workers rights, having a local attorney file a claim for you can affect the outcome, making sure that you receive the full compensation due to you. - Personal injury and torts
Drunk driving, drugs, texting, speeding, bad weather and heavy traffic are all very common causes of traffic accidents. If you have been injured in a traffic accident, injured by a product or suffered from medical malpractice, you should find a local attorney to represent you in court. While a very large number of personal injury tort cases are filed, only a very small number – a mere 2% of those filed – go to trial. The rest are settled out of court.
If you need to file a personal injury claim, an experienced attorney can represent your interests, to ensure that you get the best possible settlement.
Injuries, illnesses, bankruptcies and such unexpected problems can be altogether too much to deal with alone. With an experienced local attorney on your side, you can surmount your problems and carry on with your life.
