A hundred years ago, people might not have considered skipping a lawyer. In modern times, however, we have all the information in the world at our fingertips. There are some situations where a bit of research will suffice. Certain legal situations can be handled with your own night-before research, but it’s a dangerous gamble in other cases. You might be able to handle that traffic ticket hearing on your own, but you’d never want to handle a civil lawsuit off your own research.
It’s important to know which situations call for a lawyer, and which don’t. In each of the following situations, the presence of a lawyer could influence the outcome of your case. You wouldn’t want to take any chances, and tackling one of the following instances without a lawyer would be too risky of a chance. Remember to always rely on the help of a professional if you find yourself facing one of the following situations.
Criminal Charges
The split second you’re charged with a crime, you should contact a lawyer. It’s a common misconception that the police are our friends, but as soon as you’re a suspect in a crime, they might act cool and non-suspicious, while recording everything you say. As you’ve heard in so many TV shows, you have the right to remain silent, and you should. Contact a lawyer and don’t try to navigate through any criminal charges alone, no matter how innocent you are.
Complicated Divorce
Some divorces may be straightforward, but in many cases, you’ll want to hire a family law firm to get you through the proceedings. If you’ve been married for a long time, own real estate, or have to deal with child custody, it’s in the best interest of both you and your ex-partner to rely on legal help. Emotions can run high during a divorce case, and you’ll both want an advocate to get you the best solution possible.
Car Accident Injury
Any time you’re injured in a car accident, you should contact a lawyer. While it might not seem necessary, a lawyer can win you a lot more compensation, and if you have to pay for oral surgery or other post-accident recovery fees, you’ll want to contact Morristown, NJ personal injury attorneys. A personal injury attorney will fight for your rights with an insurance company, making sure you get the best possible settlement.
Civil Lawsuit
Most people don’t sue anyone or get sued, during their lifetime. If you find yourself in this unusual predicament, however, you should always have the help of a lawyer. You may want to sue someone, or you may find yourself being sued. Most cases hang on the evidence provided, and a good lawyer will protect you from unjust civil lawsuits.
Complicated Adoption
You don’t need a lawyer in every adoption case, but in certain instances, you’ll want to rely on legal help for your family. You may be adopting a foster child, adopting your own child so they have your last name, or adopting your stepchild, so they have your last name and remain a safe part of your family. You may need to rely on certain evidence in court, such as the results of dna testing in New York, and a lawyer is your best chance at having that evidence presented in a fair manner.
Starting a Business
When you start a business, you should always have a lawyer by your side. There are plenty of things in life you can wing, but the complicated legal side of a business isn’t one of them. There are legal tax breaks you can take, there are intellectual property issues you need to know, and there are federal employment laws you need to stay on top of. It’s too much for someone to “diy” their way through, so you should always consider hiring a lawyer.
Wrongful Termination
A company can fire an employee for almost any reason, but certain reasons are illegal. For instance, if a manager found out one of his employees was pregnant and wanted a maternity leave, firing her because of her pregnancy would be illegal, and considered wrongful termination. You might not know the exact reason you were fired, but if you suspect it was illegal, you can charge your previous place of employment with wrongful termination. A lawyer can help you determine whether a lawsuit is possible, and if it is, they can help you achieve justice. Thus, hiring a workers’ compensation attorney is a must for such cases.
Writing a Will
When someone dies without a will, their property gets allocated according to the ruling of a court. In most situations, the result is something the deceased would not have wanted, especially if there’s a complicated family situation, or they wanted to give parts of their savings to charity. Writing a will can be complicated and confusing, but a lawyer will talk you through every step. No one is too young to figure out estate planning, but no one should try to tackle it alone.
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy isn’t a situation anyone wants to face. If you ever find yourself facing it, however, you should make sure you don’t face it alone. There are complicated legal issues in any bankruptcy case, and a competent lawyer could get some of your debt erased. You can choose between Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 for your bankruptcy filing, but you might not be able to choose the right option on your own. A lawyer who understands bankruptcy cases will be able to produce much better results.
Workplace Discrimination
When you’re turned down after a job interview, it’s often impossible to tell if the decision was based on age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability status. If you’re fired from a job, however, and you believe it was due to one of the previous issues, then you could file a claim. It’s illegal to refuse employment or terminate employment, due to any kind of discrimination. You will need some kind of evidence to settle your claim, but a good lawyer can help you achieve justice.
