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April 2022

Law

Do you qualify for the common conditions for LTD in the U.S?

by Kai Alana on

A long-term disability (LTD) is a disability that lasts more than 12 months or is proven fatal. The LTD can be illness-related, genetic, or caused by injury, but if it limits a person’s ability to work or make a living for himself, they qualify for LTD insurance benefits in the U.S.

Before the LTD benefits, an employee must be out of work for 3 to 6 months. Many employers provide LTD insurance to their employees, or individuals may purchase their private LTD insurance. Any insurance gives you monthly payments to help you make a living. In this article, we will see the conditions that qualify for LTD in the United States. 

Some types of conditions that make you qualify for LTD and its benefits

Cancer: Cancer is an uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in the body that invade healthy tissues and organs. You may qualify for long-term disability benefits if you have certain types of cancer, such as:

  • Lung Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Leukemia
  • Lymphoma
  • Melanoma

Autoimmune Disorders: An autoimmune disorder occurs when your body’s immune system, which protects against foreign viruses and infections, mistakenly attacks its tissues as a foreign virus. In this condition, your immune system attacks and damages its healthy tissues. Some common autoimmune disorders are:

  • Lupus
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Type 1 Diabetes
  • Rheumatoid arthritis

Neurological Disorders: Neurological disorders affect the nervous system, including nerves, the spinal cord, the brain, and muscles. Impairment causing common neurological disorders includes:

  • Migraines
  • Stroke
  • Epilepsy
  • Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Bell’s palsy

Chronic Illness: Chronic condition means a condition that persists for a long time and requires ongoing medical attention. Some chronic conditions can qualify for LTD benefits, such as:

  • Asthma
  • Chronic lung disease
  • Heart disease
  • Kidney disease
  • Fibromyalgia

Mental Illness: Mental illness causes changes in thought processes, mood, or behavior. Among the mental health disorders that may qualify for long-term disability benefits are:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Personality disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder

Degenerative diseases

It is a disease in which the structure or function of the affected organs or tissues deteriorates over time. Some the degenerative diseases include:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • ALS
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Huntington’s disease

Some other conditions that make a person qualify for LTD insurance benefits are:

  • Deafness
  • Blindness
  • Chronic pain
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Certain long-term injuries

Note that some long-term disability (LTD) policies may limit the time of your benefits. For instance, if you even have soft tissue muscular-skeletal problems or fibromyalgia, a psychiatric condition, your policy may limit the payment of those benefits to 24 months.

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Attorney

Hiring a Philadelphia, PA Personal Injury Attorney: Know Why It Matters

by Kai Alana on

If you have sustained an injury in an accident, you must know when to involve a lawyer. A serious accident can be traumatizing. You may find it hard to process the events that occurred. During such time, insurance providers will try to finalize and process your claim as quickly and for as little money as possible. If you know when and how to hire one of the best Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys, you can be sure your rights to compensation are protected. 

Speaking with Attorney As Soon as Possible

If you suffered an injury in an accident, prioritize your safety and ensure your immediate health needs are met. Then, start thinking about which attorney to work with. Keep in mind that you will be facing immediate medical bills, questions from law enforcement officers, and pressures from an insurance provider that may want to get a recorded statement from you. You should consider having a legal representation if you were harmed in an accident, the other party sustained an injury, the accident resulted in significant damage, and you get a call from an insurance company regarding the accident. 

Remember that insurance companies are for-profit businesses whose main priority is to make a profit. This is possible as they take in more money from policyholders in the form of premiums than they pay out in claims. Thus, it is in the best interest of an insurance company to pay you less than what you deserve. Also, the company will want to settle your claim early to avoid spending more money when facing lawsuits. 

When to Hire an Attorney

A personal injury can leave you facing significant medical bills, vehicle damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Your injury’s cost can add up quickly or stretch out over months or even years of therapy. Although you may have a long-term injury, there is a timeline to address your injury claim with an insurance company. In Pennsylvania, you only have two years from the date you got injured to file an injury lawsuit. If you do not agree to an insurer’s settlement offer, the company will stretch out the claims process until the statute of limitations expires, which means it can be free from its obligations to you. One of the reasons you must work with a lawyer right away is to have an expert reviewing an insurer’s initial offers. Also, your attorney can handle communications with an insurance representative to make sure you do not settle for less than you deserve. 

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Lawyer

3 Things You Should Know About Construction Lawyers

by Kai Alana on

Construction lawyers are a vital part of the construction industry. They help contractors, property owners, and other individuals involved in the construction process navigate through complex legal issues. If you are considering hiring a construction lawyer, it is important to understand what they do and how they can help you. In this blog post, we will discuss three things you should know about construction lawyers!

Things to Know About Construction Lawyers:

  1. Construction lawyers help their clients by providing legal advice and representation.
  2. They are knowledgeable in a variety of areas, including construction law, contracts, tort law, and real estate law.
  3. Construction lawyers can help you with a variety of legal issues, such as drafting and reviewing construction contracts, negotiating construction disputes, and litigating construction claims.

Things to Consider:

  • If you are involved in the construction industry, it is important to have a lawyer that you can trust. Construction lawyers can provide you with the guidance and representation you need to navigate through complex legal issues. Hiring a qualified construction lawyer is an important step in protecting your rights and interests in the construction process!
  • Some common questions that clients ask their potential construction lawyer are:
  1. What experience do you have with construction law?
  2. What is your success rate in construction cases?
  3. What are the fees associated with your services?
  • An experienced construction lawyer will be able to answer these questions and provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not to hire their firm.

When meeting with potential lawyers, be sure to ask about their experience, success rates, and fees. This will help you narrow down your options and choose the best lawyer for your needs!

The Educational qualifications of a construction lawyer:

  • Most construction lawyers have a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school. In addition to their JD, many construction lawyers also have a Master of Laws (LLM) in Construction Law or a similar field.
  • Some construction lawyers may also be certified by the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Construction Lawyers Division as “Construction Lawyers Board Certified.” This designation signifies that the lawyer has demonstrated significant experience and knowledge in the area of construction law.

Endnote:

Construction lawyers can help you with a variety of legal issues related to the construction process. If you are involved in a construction project, it is important to have a lawyer that you can trust. Hiring a qualified construction lawyer is an important step in protecting your rights and interests!

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Attorney

What Can You Expect From A Criminal Defense Attorney?

by Kai Alana on

Hiring the best criminal lawyer can seem challenging because every lawyer or criminal law firm has “experience” and “aggressive representation” and will likely display a list of cases they have worked on in recent years. You’ve been arrested! You have a criminal case pending and are now faced with deciding who to hire to represent you in court or at the police station.

This is one of the scariest and most important decisions you will make, and you want to make sure you are hiring the best criminal lawyer for your city.

It seems obvious, but many people, even at these times, end up procrastinating and leave it for later. You should look for a criminal lawyer like Law Offices of Alan J. Tauber, P.C. as soon as possible after being arrested, subpoenaed, accused, or suffering a crime.

The first thing to do if you, or a relative or friend, is arrested is to remain calm, as required by your right to call a family member and remain silent and inform that you want to be accompanied by a lawyer.

If you’re one step away from prison or a heavy criminal sentence, you’ll probably rush to hire the best criminalist in your city, right? Since no criminal case is exactly like another, the best criminal lawyers are trained to pick out the particular parts of each case that make them unique. Furthermore, you can expect a reasonable defense attorney to detect specific arguments and factors that could minimize or deny any potential crime you have committed or suffered.

Why Hire A Criminal Lawyer?

 If you’ve been arrested or charged with a crime in violation of the law – no matter how serious – it’s good to contact a criminal law attorney. Depending on your financial situation, you can consider hiring a private lawyer or using a public defender’s office to represent your defense; the important thing is to have a qualified professional.

When researching, give preference to a criminal lawyer who has already worked on your particular type of case, an expert in the area, to ensure a better defense. The best lawyer will also know what information you need to prove your innocence, including whether any legal rules justify your actions.

How To Know Who Is The Best Criminal Lawyer

 It is very easy for anyone to qualify themselves as the “best” criminal lawyer. But the fact hiring the best criminal lawyer is a personal choice that goes far beyond the lawyer being famous or having recognition awards. The relationship you will form (soon) with your criminal defense attorney will be intimate. You will tell them that you wouldn’t tell anyone else. It is essential that you feel comfortable with your attorney. This is a personal choice that no one else can make for you. We generally recommend that you contact several attorneys before making your final choice. However, there are some crucial factors that we will highlight below that you should also take into account when weighing the scales when hiring your lawyer.

Infographic Created By Zoukis Consulting Group, Providing Experienced Legal Assistance With Federal Crimes and Charges

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Law

Establish Your Objectives When Marketing Your Law Firm in Digital Platform

by Kai Alana on

The objective of advertising and marketing is to get more customers as well as increase your law firm’s income. Nevertheless, not every person understands that to write objectives that specify, attainable, pertinent, quantifiable, as well as time-bound.

Let’s say your general goal is to boost your gross profits. Grow Law Firm suggests a few ways to how you can make it S.M.A.R.T:

  • Details: Instead of stating that you intend to increase your law firm’s gross earnings, show how much increase you want. For example, increase the law office’s profits by $500,000.
  • Measurable: This describes when and how are you most likely to gauge your success. Do you desire all of that income rise to come from your advertising efforts? Are you most likely to set landmarks for each quarter?
  • Obtainable: Do not fall into the trap of establishing difficult objectives. So, if you want to boost your law firm’s gross profits by $500,000, examine if you were able to achieve such a feat in the past. Or else, seek a development fad throughout the previous 3-5 years and begin with there.
  • Relevant: Not all objectives are worth seeking. When it comes to your law practice, an increase in gross profits can be pertinent because that would suggest better settlement for your workers, greater returns, for your capitalists, or more funds that you can utilize for done for free situations.
  • Time-bound: Naturally, every little thing needs to have a deadline. And you won’t be able to chase an objective for the remainder of your life, will you? For this instance, you can claim that you want to increase your law practice’s gross earnings by $500,000 within the following 12 months.

Why do you need a S.M.A.R.T. goal? That’s since your goal will establish your marketing direction.

In a situation you do not have one yet, your law office must have an official internet site. This will be the starting factor of your online visibility. As a matter of fact, your law firm’s site is what connects your online marketing techniques together.

So much of the various other elements of an advertising and marketing strategy, like SEO, PAY PER CLICK, as well as e-mail advertising, connect back to your website.

Bear in mind that your internet site needs to have the following features:

  • Easy to navigate
  • Loads quick
  • Mobile-friendly
  • Concise web page
  • Visible contact details

This is something you must interact with your internet programmer. If you already have a website, is a good time to upgrade, as well as modernize it.

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Lawyer

How Do I Check The Status Of My Social Security Disability Claim?

by Kai Alana on

If you are disabled and you have applied for Social Security benefits as a result of that disability, you may find yourself in a bit of a waiting game. Typically, it can take months for a decision to be made on your disability claim, and during that time, waiting can be difficult. After all, depending upon the nature of your disability you may be unable to work at all – even though bills keep coming in, and you still need to provide for yourself and your family. Anxiety about the decision process and how long it will take is understandable.

        For that reason, it is important to be proactive and intentional about checking in and tracking the status of your claim as it moves through the Social Security system. The truth is, mistakes can happen. Sometimes, paperwork is lost.  In other situations, Social Security may have denied your claim, but simply failed to notify you of the denial. In those scenarios, a case might simply be stalled, and without checking in on the status of your claim, it might take much longer to discover that this is the case. There are any number of reasons why you may remain uncertain about the status of your claim, so checking in never hurts. The question is, how do you go about doing that?

There Are A Few Ways You Can Check The Status Of Your Social Security Disability Claim, Including:

  • Calling your local Social Security Office and talking with a designated disability claims representative;
  • Directly speaking with the disability examiner who has been assigned to your case;
  • Checking the progress of your claim on the Social Security website;
  • Contacting your Social Security disability lawyer.

Generally, by utilizing one of these options, you will be able to determine if a decision has been made on your claim, or if it is still pending. If you are advised that your case is still pending, it is always wise to ask if there is anything you might do to help move the process forward. Sometimes, additional information or documentation might be needed, and asking directly is always an easy and effective way to find out.

Of all options available for checking in on the status of your claim, retaining a Social Security disability lawyer is one of the best, as your attorney will be able not only to make the appropriate and necessary calls on your behalf but also ensure that all necessary details are discussed and that nothing is overlooked. Having a knowledgeable and experienced attorney on your side can make all the difference between a smooth and successful claims process, and a stressful one. At The Clauson Law Firm, we’re here for you.

Your Social Security Disability Attorneys

Having a disability isn’t easy. It can be a stressful, life-changing experience, to say the least. That’s why The Clauson Law Firm is here to help. We can help you streamline the process of seeking the benefits you need and deserve, and we would be honored to help. If you have questions about checking the status of your disability claim, or any other aspect of the Social Security disability benefits process and need excellent, experienced legal representation, we’re here for you.

Francis Babet loves pursuing excellence through writing and has a passion for Legal. He currently writes for The law Firm, a USA Based Law Firm that provides SSD, SSI, SSDI, Personal Injury, and Drugs and Devices. His work has been published on various sites related to Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income and more.

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News

Ways Electronic Legal Filing Can Benefit Your Law Firm And Boost Success

by Kai Alana on

In the last few years, most states have implemented or plan to implement electronic legal filing systems for their courthouses. While the final realities of this change might take time to reach all courts, electronic filing is a significant move towards a more improved system for case filings. Further, attorneys and their assistants are not tied to the same routines and traditions that dictate their time and energy.

What are the Benefits of Electronic Legal Filing?

Electronic filing benefits are evident in some Federal and state court systems. So, if your law firm is new to the world of eFiling, or if your court is about to adopt the approach, here are the things you can look forward to.

Time-Saving

Improved efficiency is one of the most significant things electronic filing can bring to your business. You can transfer all your legal documents through a secure connection. This eliminates the need to wait on a courier or stand in line at the court. Also, you’ll not have to leave your office to file some documents at the last minute.

Court clerks also go through the documents easily without additional time transition between filers. With a few clicks, your document will be processed faster and more conveniently than shuffling through the papers as you wait. This way, you free up some valuable time to concentrate on your work.

Better Use of Resources

As a lawyer, it is frustrating to print out the final version of a document only to spot some mistakes on the first page. That means editing and reprinting the document, which makes it possible for papers to pile up. Various studies show that the average law firm uses up to 100,000 sheets of paper per attorney annually.

Luckily electronic legal filing is revolutionizing the industry. It eliminates the need for printing, searching and finding errors, reprinting, changing some information, and so forth. It makes it easier to address an issue, save your document, and resume filing. Better still, it eliminates the storage needed for keeping printed documents. It offers automatic and secure storage.

Enhanced Accessibility

Imagine having to go through piled-up paperwork to look for a file you need for the next court appearance? This can be pretty overwhelming. Electronic case filing is here to take the burden off your shoulders. When you digitally file your legal documents, you can easily access them whenever need be. In addition, multiple people can review the case simultaneously from wherever they are at. For instance, the jury, court staff, and the opposing party can review the case files, allowing everyone to move forward on the same boat.

Ultimate Security for Documents

Anyone with a valid license can take case documents from the court. This makes it challenging to track modifications to the file. You might not know when pages are added or removed, which can inconvenience a case.

Fortunately, e-filed documents are difficult to modify. You can also do regular audits on the filed documents to make sure none is tampered with or altered. The original date and time of submission have a layer of verification linked to the entire case.

Better Connection to Information

Printed documents rely on the reader’s perception and ability to read and retain keywords. It is also an essential aspect of digital documents, but reading screens opens up more possibilities. Readers have greater control over the information due to text searchability. They can locate keywords and phrases and use bookmarks to aid navigation. This way, you can create a document that appeals to the court staff reading it.

Greater Control

It is easier to track electronically logged files. Involved parties can view status changes, schedule submission dates, and mitigate risks with greater transparency. Electronic legal filing will enable your law firm to have minimal dependence on couriers and third-party delivery services that might not deliver their promises. You also do not have to rely on the availability of the court staff because your documents are filed once you click “submit.” You’ll also have a timestamp as proof that you met the deadline.

Scalable

When submitting legal documents to the court does not involve a lengthy cycle, your law firm can achieve more. Electronic case filing replaces what could be days of waiting and traveling with a draft, upload, and submission process that takes a few minutes. Better still, your assistant staff can handle the whole thing.

The process frees up resources and time that you and your support staff can commit to streamlining other workflows, meeting your clients, and increasing your law firm’s reach.

Electronic Legal Filing Mistakes To Avoid

Mistakes are relatively common in electronic case filing, with the most frustrating being those that lead to court rejections. That’s why we have shared the mistakes to avoid so that you can have a smooth process.

Discrepancies and Missing Information

While technology speeds up the filing process, it also opens doors for forgetting small things. Some of the common problems include irrelevant and missing information. Therefore, it is essential to double-check your information for clean filings. You can also use legal software and document automation tools to ensure that incorrect and unrelated information is not left in the file.

Incorrect File Formatting

File formatting is a prime thing that requires attention in electronic filing. Each court has requirements around the files and the documents you must include with a case. Therefore, it is vital to understand the file format, file type, file format, and file content your court wants. It is also crucial to ensure that additional documents are associated with the filing if necessary.

To Sum Up

 Electronic case filing is significantly faster to process and brings a range of advantages to your law firm. Therefore, your best bet when digitally filing is to familiarize yourself with the territory and even consider hiring an electronic legal filing expert. These professionals understand the intricacies of the process and will go above and beyond to avoid some of the common mistakes involved with e-filing.

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