Motorcycle accidents often result in serious injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries. These injuries may be expensive to treat. When a victim has received pushback from the insurance company regarding his or her alleged damages, mediation can be an effective way to humanize the case.

Before mediation begins, the mediator will explain his or her role, as well as any relevant background on how he or she is familiar with motorcycle accidents. Then, the other parties will introduce themselves so everyone is familiar with everyone else who is present at mediation. Often, the defendant is represented by an attorney or insurance company and may not personally attend, but in some cases, the defendant may attend.

The mediator may ask that all participants sign confidentiality agreements. This ensures that the parties will not be able to discuss what was stated during mediation outside the mediation process. Having confidentiality during the process is vital since the parties do not have to worry about saying something that can later be used against them in court.

The plaintiff or his or her attorney will begin the process by giving an opening statement about why they are at mediation. The defense attorney may then give a statement. Depending on the mediator’s style and the relationship between the parties, the next step will either be a joint or individual session. In joint sessions, all parties participate together. In individual sessions, the mediator talks to one party at a time and then talks to the other party. During these sessions, the mediator shares important information and may communicate offers and counteroffers to the parties.

If the parties reach an agreement, the mediator draws this up and the parties sign, saying that they agree to settle the case on the terms described. If the case was pending in court, the lawyers will draw up the necessary paperwork and the case will be over.

Truck accident claims are often complex and may involve multiple parties and state and federal laws. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution that can help the parties reach a settlement. It offers many advantages over the court system.

Mediation is faster. Even if complex issues are involved, the parties may choose to ignore them for the sake of reaching an amicable resolution of the case. Mediation can be scheduled early on in the process before the parties go through the expensive and time-consuming discovery process. This can save both parties from months or years of litigation.

Additionally, mediation is more affordable. The parties can split the costs of the mediator and avoid hefty litigation expenses. Insurance companies will have less billable hours to pay lawyers and the plaintiff may have a lower contingency fee percentage to pay if the case resolves through mediation early in the process instead of litigation, according to his or her retainer agreement.

Mediation is private. The parties can talk freely about the case without worrying that their confidential medical information will be released to the public or that negative publicity will affect their business. This also makes the process more personal. The insurance company and trucking company can see the impact the accident had on the victim.

Perhaps most importantly, mediation allows the parties to retain control of the case. When a jury is assigned to a case, anything can happen. When the parties agree to mediate their case, they can prevent a jury from denying the claim altogether or awarding frivolous damages to the victim.

Divorce is a major decision – potentially the most important you will ever make. Unlike deciding to get married, you are breaking up a family and people other than you and your spouse are involved. There are also financial issues to consider. A divorce lawyer in Rochester MI can help you evaluate your situation and ensure that your financial interests are taken into account as you embark on your divorce.

Your divorce could be the largest financial transaction you will ever make and you need to understand what the future holds in terms of your finances during and after your divorce.

No matter your situation, there are certain things you need to consider before filing for divorce. Your relationship might be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean you need to be careless when it comes to money. Here are the top 5 financial issues to keep in mind as you move forward with your divorce:

1. Divorce is Emotional – Your Financial Issues
Should Not Be

There is no denying you will be upset about your divorce, no matter how long-coming it might have been. But this does not mean that your emotions should bleed over into the issues in dispute. Acknowledge your emotions and then move forward with a sensible approach to finances. Working with a professional can help you avoid crucial mistakes.

2. Do not Assume Support is guaranteed – Get Some Kind of Insurance to Back up the Unexpected

In most divorces, one spouse pays alimony and/or child support and the other receives it. This money will likely be crucial not just for sustaining your standard of living after the divorce but also to surviving. You need insurance to cover whatever you are being paid if something should happen. An insurance policy protects you in the event of a death or other event that puts a strain on your support payments.

3. Get Professional Help When Dividing Your Assets

The division of assets is one of the most contentious issues in a divorce. Having a cost-benefit analysis is crucial to helping you avoid problems in the future. Property divisions often look equal but actually not be at all equitable. You need to consider issues like liquidity and how you will manage in the future. A divorce lawyer in Rochester MI can run projections for the assets in question and take a variety of factors into consideration so you have the clearest understanding of a settlement.

4. Don’t Overlook Tax Issues

Keep in mind the disparities in how the IRS treats real estate versus financial assets. Otherwise, you will find an “equal” split is anything but. Also, take into account things like property taxes. If you are paying an exorbitant amount on an asset you received and your former spouse is not, that’s far from equitable.

5. Your Lifestyle is guaranteed to Change

There are very few instances in which divorce does not alter a person’s lifestyle. It is just a fact of life. A divorce lawyer in Rochester MI can help you minimize the effect as much as possible.

Are you considering divorce? Contact Randall Shepard to discuss your options and address your financial concerns.

Randall Shepard
http://randallshepardlaw.com/

Ending a marriage is a difficult decision and despite many relationships ending in divorce, there are some that go through a difficult phase that ends. These couples put their relationship back together and reconcile after a legal separation. In these instances, a Houston family mediator can help.

Family reconciliation is an option for couples who have separated, possibly with the intention of ending their marriage, but who later decide to rejoin one another in the marriage. It is important to realize during reconciliation that there is more than the emotional reunification at stake.

Though it can be a joyous experience, re-establishing the relationship can be challenging, especially when legal issues are involved. Remember, despite legal separation not being a divorce, there are legal arrangements made to achieve the separation. Many of these issues will need to be addressed during the reconciliation. And in some cases, couples choose to reconcile even after divorcing. This means their marriage was legally ended, but they chose to rejoin and begin again.

What causes couples to reconcile? It varies. Sometimes their time apart helps them explore their true feelings. Others simply needed time alone to mature and have experiences apart from their spouses. Others face a family challenge that brings them back together. No matter the reason for the reconciliation, it is important to have assistance when rebuilding a relationship and re-establishing a marriage.

When should you turn to a family reconciliation mediator to help you with the rebuilding process?

You choose to reconcile during the divorce proceedings after legal proceedings are in action. Once a petition has been filed, you will need to go through a process to stop the divorce proceedings. If you have made a financial investment in the divorce process you will likely lose this money. And should the reconciliation not be successful, you will need to begin the divorce process again from scratch.

You are not sure if reconciliation is the best option. Both people must genuinely want reconciliation for it to work. If someone is agreeing to reconcile because of a fear of what divorce will bring or because he or she has ulterior motives, reconciliation can prove to be a disaster.

You need help communicating. Chances are you have had communication issues with your spouse or former spouse. These issues might even be what led you to consider separation or divorce. A Houston family mediator can help the two of you work through your initial issues and deal with the legal considerations of reconciling.

You need to negotiate an arrangement for your assets. Many people who separated and chose to reconcile consider themselves wiser for the experience. They are not quick to enter into a relationship that can have such severe financial ramifications. A Houston family mediator can help to create an arrangement that protects everyone involved.

Finally, a reconciliation mediator can assist with family issues that are not necessarily related to divorce or that might have arisen as an offshoot of a struggling marriage. Houston family mediators can assist with reconciliations with parents, children, in-laws, and other estranged relatives.

Sharon Bayus
http://innovativealternatives.org/

Buying or selling real estate is a big decision. Before you sign the deal, there are multiple factors that you should consider. For example, you might think about the size of the property, the price, and the condition of the building. However, you might also want to get a Maumee business attorney to scrutinize the deal. Let us look at some of the benefits that this will provide.

Understand the Arrangement

When you agree to buy or sell a property, you might also be agreeing to other conditions. Once you sign the contract, it will become a legally binding document. For this reason, you should discuss it with a business attorney. This discussion will ensure that you understand the terms of the agreement and any obligations that you will be accepting.

If, after discussing the arrangement, you are not satisfied, the attorney will also be able to help you restructure the deal. When negotiating the contract, you will be able to trust your attorney to act in your best interest. Restructuring the agreement will ensure that you will be able to create a settlementwith which both parties are happy. In some cases, restructuring the deal might be able to help you avoid a lawsuit.

Contract Disputes
The laws around real estate can be highly complex. This complexity can often lead to contract disputes, as people might misinterpret the arrangement. Misinterpretation of the contract is especially common in commercial agreements, where there are multiple aspects to consider. For example, there might be a disagreement about who is required to pay for the property to get inspected. Alternatively, there might be an issue with the way that the land has been zoned, which may prevent you from performing certain business activities in the future. When these types of problems occur, you will want to have a skilled Maumee business attorney on your side.

Your attorney will be able to put forth your position. If necessary, they will be able to take the matter to court. Our firm also has many years of experience, which means that we are very familiar with how the law works. Our experience increases the chances that the case will be settled in your favor.

Help with the Paperwork
Buying or selling a property is often associated with much paperwork. Because many of these are essential documents, a small mistake can turn into a big problem. Also, many of these documents might be very complicated. When you choose to hire a Maumee business attorney, they will be able to help you take care of the paperwork for you. Handling paperwork for you is especially important if you aren’t comfortable filling out official paperwork. Furthermore, the extra assistance your attorney provides will make the real estate transaction much more convenient.

Guiding You Through the Transaction
Finally, first-time buyers will get a great deal of value from hiring an attorney. This experienced professional will be able to guide you through the transaction. A legal representativewill ensure that everything goes smoothly, and any problems are handled correctly.

John P. Gouttiere
www.gouttierelaw.com

Mediation is an attempt to settle a legal dispute. It relies on the parties involved in the case actively participating and being guided during the process by a skilled conflict resolution specialist. Before participating in this process, it is important to know what to expect from truck accident mediation.

Truck accidents often involve many parties, including the accident victim, the truck driver, the trucking company, the cargo company and others involved in the trucking business. These parties may participate in mediation or have a representative such as an insurance adjuster represent their interests. In many cases, the parties have given the representative the authority to settle the case up to a certain amount. To exceed this amount, the representative may need to contact the party and get this permission. The accident victim and the defendant may also have their lawyer present during mediation so the lawyer can advise them of their rights and negotiate a fair resolution.

The mediator is an unbiased professional who uses conflict resolution skills to help the parties reach an amicable decision about their case in a way that satisfies all parties. The mediator may meet with the parties individually or in a joint meeting. During these meetings, the mediator tries to discover the parties’ underlying interests so that he or she can guide the parties to a mutual agreement that satisfies the interests of all parties involved.

During mediation, it is not uncommon for the defendant and its attorney to paint the plaintiff’s case in the most negative light. This is a common strategy for the defendant to try to minimize the value of the claim. However, this information can provide useful feedback about the challenges the plaintiff may encounter if he or she decides to proceed with litigation.