Understand Your Rights. Solve Your Legal Problems
But because the cost of repairs could be so high, insurance companies sometimes shock their policyholders by not providing what they believe to be adequate to cover their costs. What can a homeowner do at that point?
That is when a public adjuster can step in and help the homeowner. Public adjusters negotiate on behalf of their client, the homeowner, and help them document the damage, understand the legal battles they could be facing, and get the settlement they need to make repairs. More specifically, a public adjuster:
You will be working closely with your public adjuster the entire time, and unlike the insurance company, they will be happy to answer questions for you. Also, public adjusters typically have a background in construction, engineering, or architecture. In addition to explaining the insurance policy to you, they can also shed light on what it will take to repair the damage done to your property.
Your public adjuster will not get paid unless you get the settlement you deserve from the insurance company. Public adjusters are paid a percentage of the settlement that they can get for your claim. Again, each state sets its own laws regarding public adjusters. In the state of Colorado, public adjusters are not allowed to charge more than 10% of any insurance settlement or proceeds.
Public adjusters are independent contractors that represent policyholders in the settlement of homeowner insurance claims. These are individual representatives who advocate on behalf of the policyholder.
The difference between a public adjuster and an insurance adjuster is that the insurance company hires its own adjusters who work on their behalf. An adjuster for the insurance company is more concerned with saving their employer money, which improves their standing with their employer.
Both a public adjuster and an insurance adjuster evaluate and assess the damage reported in claims and develop a proposal for repairs, including the costs, but the public adjuster is hired by the homeowner to advocate on their behalf. Public adjusters are not affiliated with any insurance company. Some public adjusters are freelancers, while others may work out of firms specialising in these services.
Each state sets its own laws regarding the licensing of public adjusters. Public Adjusters recommend that you research whether or not the adjusters are required to hold a licence in your state. For example, in Colorado, a public adjuster must be at least 18 years of age, have filled out a completed application, hold a licence; non-residents have to go through a special process. They are also required to have an adjuster bond for $20,000.
Probate is a legal process that happens after someone dies. It entails proving in court that the deceased person’s will is valid, making an inventory of the property and assets left by the person who died, and having this property appraised. According to the instructions spelt out in the will, once this is done, taxes are paid, debts are settled, and the remaining assets are distributed among the heirs. If there is no will, state law directs where the money is paid.
It is widely believed that it is always a good idea to avoid probate. This belief may be because probate tends to tie property up for a long period, easily over a year. Also, it tends to be quite expensive since legal and court fees can eat up some 5% of the entire estate’s value.
These days, it is common for all states to offer a shortcut through probate when the estate is small. You may also discover that your state even allows you a way around probate altogether when estates are small. Two of these shortcuts are:
If the total value of all the assets in the estate falls below a certain amount, those who stand to inherit anything except real estate may be able to skip probate altogether. The exact amount varies greatly and depends on state law. If the estate qualifies by falling below this threshold, anyone set to inherit can prepare a short document stating they are entitled to a certain item of property under a will or state law. This paper, called an affidavit, is signed under oath. The moment the individual or institution holding the property -which could be a bank where the deceased had an account - receives the affidavit and a copy of the death certificate, the money or other property is released.
As defined by state law, a second option when it comes to small estates involves a faster, simpler version of probate. In these cases, even though the probate court still plays a role, it exerts far less control over the settling of the estate. Additionally, in many states, these more simplified procedures are straightforward enough that anyone can handle them without a lawyer. The result is that you end up saving money and time.Even if your heirs decide to go for any one of the two options described above, and providing your estate falls within the description of your state’s small estate, it is always necessary for you to leave a will.
If the amount of money and assets in your estate exceeds the definition of a small estate according to your state, there are certain actions you can take for your estate to avoid probate upon your death. Here are some ideas:
By placing your valuable property in a revocable trust, the trustee owns the property. After you die, the trustee can quickly transfer the property in the trust to family members or other people to whom you have left it in the trust document.
Turn your bank and retirement accounts into payable-on-death accounts. This is done by filling out a beneficiary form. When you die, the money goes directly to the assigned beneficiary without going through probate. Security registrations, and, in some states, vehicle registrations can work the same way. Over half of the states also permit the transfer-on-death real estate deeds that take effect when you die. Meeting with an Estate Planning Attorney will allow you the opportunity to find out about other strategies to avoid probate. They will help protect your assets after you die.
When people are injured due to the negligence or recklessness of someone else, their first fear is that they will not have money to hire a competent personal injury attorney who will provide personalised representation with empathy and compassion. They often delay seeking legal advice and worry about how they will pay their medical bills or make up for lost time at work. However, if another person or entity has harmed you, you may be entitled to compensation through the legal representation you deserve.
The majority of personal injury attorneys represent their clients on a contingency fee basis. This means that your personal injury attorney does not get paid unless they win damages on your behalf. There are zero upfront charges for your attorney’s services, and you will never be required to make any out-of-pocket payments. Your lawyer will agree to a fixed percentage of the total award they win for you, typically one-third of the recovery of the final amount paid to the client. This also means that your attorney gets paid more if you get paid more, giving them more incentive to fight harder to achieve a successful outcome in your case.
Because you don’t have to pay any fees upfront, it’s essential to seek out a personal injury attorney right away. Each state says its own statute of limitations for personal injury cases, which is the time limit a person has to file a claim. In the state of Georgia, there is a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
No matter what kind of injury you have suffered, there are some steps that you should take in order to help your personal injury case. Any documentation created or received during and immediately after your personal injury should be provided to your attorney.
If you were involved in a car accident, you will need to provide a police report to your attorney. If you were injured in another way and called the police, you should go ahead and request a copy of the police report. If you were injured on someone else’s property after a slip and fall, such as at a hotel or a grocery store, then the property owner or supervisor should have filled out an incident report and provided you with a copy of it.
In a car accident, you are required to exchange information with the other driver who was involved in the collision. You should also get the contact information from witnesses for any type of personal injury. The information you should gather includes your:
Regardless of the type of injury that you suffered, you should take photos and videos of the scene of the accident as well as your injuries. Nowadays, most people have a camera on their phone that can be used to capture images of the damage, the site where the accident happened, and any factors that could have contributed to the accident, such as obstructions in the road preceding a car accident, or dim lighting in an area before a slip and fall.
Your health and wellness are of utmost importance after a personal injury. You should go to the nearest emergency room to have your injuries checked out by a physician. You may be worried about who will cover your medical expenses. That’s why you need to call an attorney right away so they can get started on your personal injury case. An attorney fights for you to get the compensation you deserve so that the liable party pays for your injuries.
In the ruling, Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said that the voting machine company had demonstrated that “it is reasonably conceivable that Dominion has a claim for defamation per se.”
Dominion filed a lawsuit earlier in the year against Fox News claiming that some of the media giant’s employees elevated false charges that Dominion had changed votes in the 2020 election via algorithms in its voting machines created in Venezuela to rig elections for Hugo Chavez. There was no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, a fact confirmed by several election officials across the US.
Dominion says Fox presenters brought on Trump allies who spread the claims, which were also amplified on Fox News’ social media platforms.
Judge Davis said that Dominion’s complaint “supports the reasonable inference that Fox either (i) knew its statements about Dominion’s role in election fraud were false or (ii) had a high degree of awareness that the statements were false.”
Judge Davis also said that despite emails from Dominion attempting to factually address Fox’s allegations, the media giant continued to report Dominion’s “purported connection to the election fraud claims without also reporting on Dominion’s emails.”
In a statement, Fox News said it remained committed to “defending against this baseless lawsuit and its all-out assault on the First Amendment.”
Online mock jury panels are a way for practising lawyers and legal professionals to trial a case before they take it to the stand. Legal experts utilise internet trials to help them build their arguments, explore a case, and develop new insights based on the advice shared with them by their audience panels.
Mock trials are staffed by paid volunteers from across the country. Tasked with reading or watching trial information, and then rendering their verdict on the case, these mock jurors are compensated on a per-case basis. These opportunities offer decent pay for those looking to work from home; the work itself also tends to be more varied and interesting than your typical work-from-home gigs.
We’ve curated a list of the top websites that pay you to work as a mock juror.
Helpfull is a real-time feedback platform offering internet users the ability to earn money by participating as survey respondents. In addition to answering questions about mock online jury cases, participants on Helpfull can get paid for sharing their insights on any number of unique situations - including those not pertaining to the legal profession.
eJury is one of the more popular - but lower-paying - online juror sites. While the pay rate is lower than your typical juror site, eJury is one of the more beginner-friendly platforms. The website features several educational resources meant to educate those who are new to the jury system on how the process works. The average pace for jurors working on eJury is one 6-page sample case completed in about 35 minutes. Users on eJury can access their payments by linking a PayPal account.
JuryTest is another strictly legal-focused platform, offering one-day legal focus groups as well as mock trials. Users who sign up are asked to select which of the two types of activities they’d like to participate in. From there, JuryTest asks users to share personal demographic information - such as gender, religion, and political affiliation - to better target and sample their jurors. Jurors on JuryTest are asked to share their insights and experiences related to the political issue or legal case at hand. Users are paid out on a case-by-case basis.
Users on Virtual Jury participate in online focus groups to trial legal cases. After signing up on the main website, users are randomly selected to participate in mock cases. Much like JuryTest, this service asks participants to share their thoughts and feelings on relevant legal issues and current events.
Mock jurors are mailed their checks within the first two weeks after completing their trial.
ResolutionResearch.com is a market research platform owned and operated by a parent company of the same name. As well as participating on legal panels, ResolutionResearch.com enlists online panellists to consider surveys of all types, across a wide number of industries. The pay varies from job to job, and users can access their funds at any time - no minimum withdrawal amount. Users are compensated whenever a friend they refer completes their first survey.
The best way to determine which online mock jury job service is right for you involves trialling the online services that most interest you. As these services do not demand any sign-up fee or monthly service charge to enrol, trying out a case on each of these platforms can give you greater insight into what your online jury experience will be like. As the work on these signs can be a little sporadic, signing up for multiple services increases the likelihood you will be chosen to sit in on a case.
On Friday, the prosecution will have the opportunity to present a rebuttal before the case goes to the jurors.
Elizabeth Holmes faces 11 charges of defrauding investors, medical professionals, and patients over Theranos’ blood-testing technology, which the company claimed could carry out hundreds of tests with just a single drop of blood. Holmes faces up to 20 years in prison and has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor Jeff Schenk presented the jury with a recap of arguments that Holmes deliberately lied about the capabilities of Theranos’ devices and said the evidence shows that Holmes “made the decision to defraud her investors and then to defraud her patients.” Schenk said the Theranos founder “chose fraud over business failure.”
The defence is set to conclude its closing arguments on Friday, with a jury of eight men and four women to be handed the case following jury instructions. They will deliberate the case over the holiday week.
M&S claim Aldi’s gold flake blackberry and clementine gin liqueurs are “strikingly similar” to its own product in court papers. It lists several features that it says are protected, including the gin’s integrated light feature, gold leaf flakes, a winter forest graphic, and the bell shape of the bottle.
In its intellectual property claim, M&S says that customers were misled to believe the two gins were of the same standard, allowing Aldi to “ride on the coat-tails” of its brand reputation. M&S wants an injunction to prevent Aldi from committing any further alleged infringements of its protected designs.
The British retailer also wants Aldi to either destroy or hand over any product that may breach the injunctions, as well as an investigation into potential damages.
The suit follows a similar disagreement between the two companies. Back in April, M&S sued Aldi over its Cuthbert cake, claiming it was too similar to its well-known Colin the Caterpillar cake.
Under the settlement, Easterbrook has returned the equity awards and $105 million he received as a severance package in 2019.
Easterbrook was sued by McDonald’s in August 2020, claiming he never gave directors a full picture of his relationships with employees at the company. Mcdonald’s said that, when it fired Easterbrook, it was only aware of one, non-physical and consensual relationship with an employee. However, an anonymous tip after Easterbrook’s dismal led to McDonald’s discovering dozens of sexually explicit photographs of women, three of which were employees, that Easterbrook had sent to his personal email from his company account.
Easterbrook claimed that McDonald’s had information about his relationships when his severance package was negotiated.
Following the settlement, McDonald’s said it would dismiss its action against the ex-CEO.
The Ontario Superior Court ruled in favour of Cineplex and awarded the Canadian group damages of £725 million for lost synergies.
Cineplex began legal proceedings shortly after the deal was scrapped, claiming a breach of good faith by Cineworld. The group claimed damages of $2.18 billion minus the value of shares retained by its shareholders. Cineplex said Cineworld abandoned the deal because of “buyer’s remorse” due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business.
Cineworld launched a counterclaim, saying it had scrapped the deal with Cineplex due to the group breaching several of its covenants. It also sued for compensation, costs, and financing costs.
In a statement, Cineworld said it disagrees with the judgement by the Ontario Superior court and will appeal. The company also said it does not expect damages to be payable while any appeal is ongoing.
This entails both parties and their lawyers appearing before a judge to see if the case can be settled without going to trial. This is usually done early on in the proceedings, and if it's not successful, the court will schedule a date for trial. This is how Fortinet reached a settlement with FireEYE in late 2017, just four days before jury selection was set to begin. Both parties agreed with the settlement, which helped avoid a lengthy and costly trial. The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be brought back to court.
Another way to settle out of court is to take the case to arbitration. With this method, a third-party arbitrator hears both sides and decides that everyone agrees ahead of time. To avoid expensive legal proceedings in an actual courtroom, many parties turn to arbitration services for help with their lawsuits.
When it comes to conciliation, both parties use a conciliator who the court appoints. The conciliator's job is to try and help the two parties agree outside of court. If they're successful, then the case won't go to trial.
The conciliator meets each party separately and discusses the case with them. They're there to act as a mediator, trying to determine both parties' views on the situation. Part of their role is also finding common ground between the two sides to agree informally on some issues without having to go before a judge.
The conciliator acts independently of the court system and isn't legally obliged to pass information onto either party's lawyer or directly involved in deciding whether a judge should approve an agreement. Although it may seem like this would give more power over negotiations back into your hands, you do have less control over proceedings if one side fails to reach an agreement. You will still need legal representation during any conciliation meeting for advice about how to proceed.
In this method, an evaluator or mediator is brought in to help the two parties reach a fair agreement. This neutral person can either be knowledgeable about family law or an expert hired for this purpose alone. The evaluator works with both sides, offers advice, and makes recommendations until they decide together.Court sessions are not always the best option for settling a civil dispute. Some disputes can be resolved through other methods, such as mediation or arbitration. If both parties are willing to compromise and settle out of court, the process can be much quicker and less expensive than a trial. If you consider settling your dispute outside of court, contact an attorney for more information on how to proceed. They will be able to advise you on the best course of action based on the facts of your case.
