There are countless attorneys throughout the country practicing law, and countless more individuals who require their help. Most of the time, lawyers are the people we hope to avoid, since most people turn to them only after something bad has happened. However, it’s highly likely that you will find yourself choosing a lawyer at some point or another throughout your life.

In this two-part series, we’ll cover the top 10 most common and important times to consult a legal professional for help. Here are the first five:

1. Car Accident
Car accidents can happen at any moment, any time of day, on any road in America. They may be caused by any number of factors, but one thing is for sure: distracted driving because of cell phone use is on the rise. At any given daylight hour, there are approximately 600,000 drivers on the road using their phones or other electronic devices. Each one is an accident waiting to happen.

2. Fall Injury
All landowners in Kentucky are required to maintain reasonably safe premises, whether for business or residential purposes. Fall accidents from hazardous environments can result in serious injuries and expensive medical bills requiring legal compensation.

3. Wrongful Death
The loss of a loved one from a fatal accident may be devastating, but it’s also one of the most important times to consult a legal professional. Seek justice for a wrongful death by hiring an experienced lawyer for your case.

4. Medical Malpractice
When the doctor’s orders turn out to do more harm than good, you may suffer physically and financially. Finding a legal team with medical experts on board can help you in your malpractice case.

5. Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
We put a tremendous amount of trust in caregivers for our parents and elders. A violation of that trust through abuse or neglect may lead to serious injuries or death; when you seek legal action against the responsible parties, you can prevent that heartache from happening to another family.

These are five of the most common, and perhaps most obvious, times when it’s important to hire a good lawyer. In our next post, we’ll reveal five more vitally important times to consult a legal professional that you might not have thought of right away.

The law of the land provides more than just the right to sue someone after a traumatic accident or injury. Lawyers are also important for handling more subtle liability claims and mishaps. Continuing from the previous post, here are five more important times to consult a legal professional that may not be the most obvious ones.

6. Wrongful Termination
If you’ve been fired from a job because of discrimination or employer retaliation, you may have a case of wrongful termination on your hands. Consult with a lawyer to learn about your rights as a worker and the finer details of HR policy.

7. Liquor Liability
Establishments that are licensed to serve alcohol, such as bars and nightclubs, can also be held responsible for over-serving a guest who then later causes injury or damage to herself or to others. These cases can be incredibly complex and difficult to prove, so have a quality attorney on your side.

8. Defective Products
Poorly manufactured goods are not only dangerous, they can be quite expensive for the responsible party. Every year, civil lawsuits cost the U.S. economy a combined $239 billion. Cases of this kind often require testimony from multiple witnesses, legal professionals, and experts in the field, and might drag on for months at a time.

9. Insurance Bad Faith
If an insurance company denies your claim or provides less than what your coverage guarantees, you may argue that they have negotiated in “bad faith.” This may qualify not only as a case of civil wrongdoing, but a breach of contract as well.

10. Dog Bites
In Kentucky law, any dog owner whose animal causes damage to a person, livestock, or property can be held responsible for that damage, even if it is a first-time offense for the dog. As a dog bite victim, you are entitled to compensation for all of your medical bills, injuries, or other damages you may have sustained.

If there’s one thing we can reliably expect in life, it’s for the unexpected to happen at any time. When accidents, injuries, or other misfortunes fall into your lap, find a legal professional to help you right wrongs, seek justice, and get you back on your feet for whatever life may have in store for you next.

Getting fired from a job is never easy, but it might be even worse if you feel that you were wrongfully dismissed. State and federal laws hold protections for employees maintaining that a person cannot be fired from their job for certain reasons, including discrimination, retaliation, or refusal to commit an illegal act. However, the strength of those odds largely stems from the fact that most wrongful termination attorneys will only take on cases that they think they can win.

Therefore, choosing a lawyer to represent your case is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make. Here is some advice on how to choose an employment lawyer for your best chances of success.

Find someone who specializes in your situation
There are many different kinds of employment lawyers out there, and even those who specialize in wrongful termination cases. However, try choosing a lawyer with as much experience in the specifics of your case as possible: another discrimination case, for example, or another whistleblower case with past records of success. Ask for references when possible.

Discuss a payment arrangement upfront
Many lawyers offer free consultation sessions, during which time you should ask about fees and rates. If you’ve been wrongfully terminated, chances are money could be tight due to your lack of employment. Accordingly, many attorneys also work on a contingency basis, meaning they don’t get paid unless your case is settled.

Familiarize yourself with your own case 
The more details you can put together about the circumstances of your firing and the more you try to familiarize yourself with your rights as an employee, the better equipped you’ll be to build a case. Choosing a lawyer based on what you already know can be much easier than trying to start from scratch.

In the end, if you’re not sure whether you have a case, don’t hesitate to contact an employment lawyer to discuss the basics of your situation. While handling a job dismissal might be stressful, you don’t have to do it alone.

Many of us slip and fall from time to time, and usually it’s no big deal. We might suffer a little bruise or a sore wrist, but we can get along just fine. Other times, slips and falls can result in serious injuries. In fact, fall accidents are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Rates are especially high for young children up to age 4, and for older adults age 75 or older.

Furthermore, sometimes slip and fall cases are not your fault. They might have been caused by unsafe structures, slippery conditions, or a lack of warning signs. If you have suffered significant harm or injury from a slip or a fall, you may be interested in seeking the advice of a legal professional to find out if you could be entitled to compensation.

Not all slip and fall cases are foolproof, however. In order to help your lawyer make the strongest case possible, there are certain steps you can take to provide testimony and gather evidence — even before you meet with an attorney.

1. 1. Seek Medical Attention
      You need to take care of yourself first. Get the medical help you need to address your injuries. But as you do, make sure to keep a meticulous record of all treatments, procedures, tests, etc. A file containing your medical information will help your lawyer plot the best plan of action for your case.
   2. Survey the Area
      You will want to look for indication that your slip or fall was not your fault, but rather caused by some negligence on the part of the property owner. If you can document dangerous conditions with pictures or get written accounts from eyewitnesses, all the better. Without proper evidence, these cases can easily become a battle of he-said/she-said.
   3. Get a Lawyer
      Starting the claims process sooner rather than later may also be important to your case. Not only will you want compensation for medical expenses or lost wages as soon as possible, but a timely filing will indicate that your needs are dire and legitimate. Wait too long, and you may surpass the statute of limitations on slip and fall claims, or may have a more difficult time convincing the judge that your injuries were as severe as you say.

Every case is different, but there are a few ways you can prepare to build a strong case for yourself to help ensure the success of your claim. Talk with a lawyer about your options and learn how you can get the legal representation you need.

Traffic accidents involving large trucks can often be much more serious than other kinds of car accidents. Around 333,000 large trucks in the U.S. were involved in crashes in 2012, causing many potential dangers to the smaller vehicles around them.

Dealing with the aftermath of an accident is never easy, but one of the first things you should do is find a professional attorney to help you understand your legal rights and options. Car accident law and trucking accident law can be very different, however — so it’s important to find a trucking accident lawyer with ample experience to take on your case.

Liability
In most car accident cases, the driver of the vehicle is held solely responsible for his or her actions. But when a commercial truck is involved, the company that hired the driver might also be held responsible. If a driver received insufficient training or if the company violated labor laws, the company itself could be implicated as at fault for the accident.

Evidence
There are many more factors at play in trucking accidents, such as the driver’s employment history, credentials, and past drug tests or performance records. A professional attorney familiar with trucking law will investigate any and all angles of the case to ensure that your interests are best represented.

Injury
It probably comes as no surprise that more serious injuries can commonly occur as a result of trucking accidents, such as traumatic brain injury or death. These might result in extensive medical needs or impair your ability to work. Having a professional attorney on your side can make the difference in getting you the compensation you need to move past your accident and live your life.

Large trucks, rigs, semis, tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles are an important part of our economy, but they also pose an intimidating threat to other drivers on the road. Driving safety is the number-one priority of many trucking companies, but accidents can still happen. If you’ve suffered from a truck accident, don’t hesitate to reach out for legal help right away. The better you understand your options, the better you’ll be able to cope with your situation.