For the majority of people, life isn’t like the movies, and you don’t always have a number for various lawyers on hand. For the most part, people will live their lives without needing legal assistance to choose how they live.
However, there are some exceptions to this, and from time to time, you might find yourself in certain situations when a lawyer is exactly who you need to help you. But what type of lawyer do you need, and what are the circumstances when legal assistance can make a world of difference?
This post will examine a few times in your life when calling a lawyer is recommended for the most favorable outcomes.
Divorce
Even amicable divorces would benefit from the guiding hand of an expert divorce lawyer. However, suppose it is going to get complicated, or relationships have completely broken down. In that case, it’s best you retain the services of a lawyer as soon as possible to fight your corner and get the best outcome possible, especially if there are children involved or vast sums of money or intertwined finances and assets.
You want someone who can guide you through the process with ease and be your support so the divorce is completed legally and nothing is left uncovered.
Car Accident
No one wants to imagine themselves in a car accident. However, over 16,000 accidents happen on the roads every day, which means many people find their lives upended due to vehicle-related incidents every day.
The result of a car accident, especially one in which you weren’t at fault, can range from minor bumps, meaning you can walk away unharmed with relatively minor damage to your vehicle, to serious accidents that result in the destruction of your automobile as well as physical harm and life long injures or even death of those involved in the collision.
A personal injury attorney can work with you to detail the aftermath of the accident, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight to help you get the compensation you deserve. This can provide a profound sense of relief and peace of mind, helping you to move forward with your life and afford the cost of ongoing expenses related to the incident, i.e., medical bills, care, support, rehabilitation services, etc.
Writing a Will
Anyone can write a will at any time. However, to ensure legality and reduce the risk of the will being contested, you need to have it completed legally. A lawyer is the best person to oversee the writing of an airtight will.
Hiring a lawyer to write your will means you can get expert advice on how to divide your assets, what needs to be included, who receives them, and anything in between. The more money or assets you have, the more complex your will becomes, meaning it is really in your best interest to get legal advice. A lawyer can guide you through the process, ensure the will is legally sound, and help you avoid potential disputes among your beneficiaries.
Your will still needs to be written while you are of sound mind and not under duress from other parties, and it needs to be witnessed and signed to be legally binding.
Buying a House
While the majority of states don’t legally mandate you to have a lawyer when buying a house, there’s no denying they can be worth every cent you pay them to help you avoid issues and complications with the process. Lawyers specializing in real estate will be well versed in the contracts and paperwork associated with buying property, and they can go over everything to ensure you know exactly what you are agreeing to before purchasing property, and they can draw up any contracts you need when selling.
There could be clauses, phrases, and terminology you don’t understand or are aware of, and if you miss anything, it can backfire on you and land you in hot water. So, even though your real estate agent can help you through the process, having a real estate lawyer on hand can give you the backup you need to ensure you understand everything and that it’s all above board and legal.
Criminal Charges
Even law-abiding citizens can sometimes find themselves on the wrong side of the law, and regardless of what you are being charged with or accused of, you need legal representation.
The law doesn’t always get everything right, and you only have to see one true crime show to realize that you need legal advice and representation to stop you from being convicted of something you’re not guilty of. Even if you are guilty, you still need expert legal advice and counsel to help you get the most favorable outcomes of your circumstances.
Get a lawyer from the very beginning and avoid talking to the police without legal advice. This proactive step can ensure the best outcome from the very beginning and at any other stage through the investigations and conviction, if applicable.
Civil Lawsuit
If you are being sued, you absolutely need legal advice. Attempting to defend yourself in court when someone is suing you can lead to disaster, and you are losing your case. If someone informs you you are being sued in any capacity personally or a business you operate, then you need a lawyer as soon as possible. They can advise you on the right strategy for you moving forward, and they will be aware of the complex laws and rules surrounding cases like yours so you can go through the process with ease and be the best team fighting your corner. Without legal advice, you risk losing the case and facing financial or legal consequences.
Wrongful Termination
If you’ve been terminated, and you believe your employer didn’t handle the situation correctly, then you absolutely need to talk to an attorney. This step can help you understand the circumstances and ascertain if any laws were broken, empowering you to take control of the situation.
But there is a difference between being a jilted former employee and wanting to get revenge on who terminated you. And being the victim of a crime. Sadly, most employment is “at will,” meaning you can be fired for any reason your boss sees fit. Or even no reason at all.
However, circumstances infringe on your rights, and if your employment isn’t “at will,” then you need legal help to understand if you have a case you file against your former employees.
Bankruptcy
No one expects to have to go bankrupt in their lives, either for personal finances or business-related issues. And it’s the last place you want to find yourself financially. However, sadly, many people find themselves in this position for various reasons.
Bankruptcy is a legal process that aims to discharge some or all of one’s debts. It’s complex, and trying to figure it out on your own can make things worse.
So, if you want to know the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy or understand the legal impacts, you need an experienced bankruptcy lawyer to help you through the process and all the paperwork you will end up filling out.
Discrimination
If you have faced any type of discrimination, then you might find you have legal recourse against those who discriminated against you. Now, this is more than simply feeling you have been discriminated against; you need proof and evidence this has occurred for any reason. Be it denied entry for discriminatory reasons, i.e., based on race, skin color, disability, gender, etc., or you might experience discrimination in the workplace, which can cover a great many issues again, such as unwarranted behaviors and actions directly due to your gender, your look, your race, religion physical limitation, etc.
A lawyer can help you understand if you can make a claim against those who discriminated against you and what happens next. There will be some processes you might need to follow first, such as in the case of workplace discrimination, but getting your case assessed by a legal expert can help you move the process along to get the right resolution.
Starting A Business
If you are starting a business from scratch, getting a business lawyer to help you is highly advisable. They can be a source of support and a guiding light to help you avoid issues when drawing up contracts, hiring employees, making promises safe for employees and customers, trademarks, copyrights, and more.
The more compliant you are from the beginning, the easier it will be to operate correctly and be confident that everything is above board.
Whether you need help understanding employment law, health and safety aspects of operations, taxes, or anything relating to your new venture, a business lawyer can be the right-hand man to help you avoid making massive mistakes.
These are just 10 instances in which you might need to consult a lawyer. For the most part, these incidents will be few and far between, if even a reality at all. But suppose you find yourself in one of these circumstances. In that case, it’s imperative you obtain legal advice as soon as you can to help you move forward with ease and know and understand your rights and your options to come to a favorable legal resolution.
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