Here are a few thoughts about dealing with insurance adjusters in Connecticut if you have a personal injury case:
1. Get everything in writing. During your first phone call you should ask for the following information to be put in writing: the claim number, the insurance policy number, confirmation that the policy was in effect on the day of the accident, details regarding what coverage is available and the policy limits of the party they insure. If a settlement offer is made get the offer in writing.
2. Be careful of making statements. The insurance adjusters are essentially investigators that work for the insurance company. Their job is to make you go away for as little money as possible. They are trained at asking questions which may appear to be insignificant but which may ultimately hurt your case. Less is more when speaking with an adjuster.
3. Do not agree to be tape recorded. The adjuster’s motive is to get you to make recorded statements which they can use to reduce or deny your claim. There is absolutely no advantage to providing a recorded statement. Never do this.
4. Do not sign medical releases. The insurance company will often provide a general release which is not limited to the accident. They will attempt to get more information than they are entitled to. Therefore, you are better served by providing the information relating to the accident directly to them. Keep copies for your records.
5. The small check trick. Adjusters often offer you some money (usually a small fraction of the true value of the case) in exchange for you signing a document releasing all claims against their insured. They rely on you grabbing whatever money is available right now hoping that you will not hold out for what the case is really worth. Be careful. Once you sign the release, it is over. You cannot come back for more money when you realize that your injuries have not fully healed or you have missed more time from work.
6. The “you don’t need a lawyer trick.” The biggest red flag of all. “Don’t get a lawyer – you can keep the whole settlement yourself.” Sure – you can keep the whole amount but the amount they will offer is about 20% of what the case is worth. Retaining a lawyer (even after the legal fees) will likely net you far more than accepting their offer.
Please contact me to discuss issues with dealing with insurance adjusters in Connecticut.
Check this out:
Natalie Gregg: Divorce Readiness Questionnaire
How about that? A questionnaire that tells you if you are headed for divorce court or whether the marriage can be saved.
I agree with the author that family lawyers should not be “selling” divorce. Clients should come to us when they are ready to divorce or at least strongly considering it. Divorce lawyers can provide general guidance as to what they might expect in terms of an outcome, how long the process will take and the cost involved. But they cannot (at least they should not) tell you whether to divorce.
Your divorce lawyer should not be your therapist.
Therefore, if you are not emotionally ready for a divorce then you should engage in marital therapy (you and your spouse) or individual therapy (just for you). Get prepared emotionally. Make a decision. Then see a few lawyers for a consultations.
Another thought: How can all the responses be weighed equally? For example, if you answer yes to #7 (being romantically involved with someone else) it would seem that would be much more indicative of trouble in the marriage than say #2 (I have not had sex with my spouse in a month).
Best point about the article is that you may not love your spouse anymore but he or she will remain part of your life if you have kids. Respect him or her as a parent.
Your children deserve that.
Last week was the fourth anniversary of the toughening of Connecticut’s teen driving laws. And, looking at the statistics, it appears the stricter laws have worked to reduce fatal car accidents caused by teenage drivers.
The year before the law was enacted, seven 16- and 17-year-old drivers died in Connecticut car accidents. Since then, the number of fatal teen accidents has continued to fall. Only one teenage driver was killed last year. In total, teenage driver crashes decreased by 34 percent. This is eight percent higher than the national average.
The change in Connecticut driving laws included an earlier curfew (11 a.m.), a longer period of time during which teenagers could not drive with young passengers, stricter training, greater penalties, a mandatory teen-parent safe driving information session and other restrictions.
Reducing teen driving accidents was vital, since traffic accidents kill more teens nationwide than any other type of accident.
Of course, not all teenage car accident fatalities are caused by teen drivers. Some are the result of other driver’s negligent behavior, such as distracted driving, drunk driving and speeding.
If your teen was involved in a fatal car accident, whether or not he or she caused the accident, you may be able to recover compensation for damages, including funeral expenses, medical bills, and pain and suffering. No amount of money will return your teenager back to you, but bringing a personal injury claim can give you the financial support you need during this difficult time. And a personal injury lawyer can take the legal burden off your shoulders.
Source: Connecticut DMV, “4th Anniversary Wednesday of Teen Safe Driving Laws,” July 31, 2012.
Questions about Stamford sole custody? Hopefully this blog will help.
The concept of sole custody can be appear confusing. Perhaps parents have watched too many TV divorce dramas or derived their knowledge from speaking with family, friends and neighbors.
So – what does Connecticut sole custody really mean?
Sole custody gives ultimate decision-making power to one parent. For example, a parent who has sole custody can make all decisions for the child including those relating to medical, education and religion without the input of the other parent. A parent with sole custody can essentially act unilaterally.
However, the other parent retains several important rights:
1. The right to access the child’s academic, medical, hospital and other health records unless a court has ordered otherwise.
2. The right to have a relationship with child through visitation and other forms of contact.
3. The right to modify the sole custody award in the future upon a showing that there is a material change in circumstances, which affects the best interest of the child.
Joint legal custody (joint decision-making) is the preferred arrangement. However, there are instances when sole custody may be appropriate such as when one of the parents is deemed unfit or when the parents have such a tumultuous relationship that arriving at joint decisions would be virtually impossible. Stamford sole custody are often hotly contested and litigated. Therefore, it is typically beneficially to retain an attorney.
Please email me or call me in Stamford at (203) 356-1475 or in Fairfield at (203) 259-5251 to discuss a Stamford sole custody case.
New blood tests are becoming available that can determine paternity as early as the eight week of pregnancy.
Proponents of these tests believe that establishing paternity will allow the mother to terminate the pregnancy if the preferred father is, in fact, not the father. In addition, fathers may be more willing to offer financial support during the pregnancy in anticipation of the birth of their baby.
Opponents argue that the tests will increase abortion rates.
Pre-natal paternity findings may eventually change the timing of child support obligations such that fathers will have to contribute support pre-birth. Advocates for men contend that a father should not be required through court order to render financial support to the mother unless the child is actually born.
The testing may be a bit away. It seems that the science has not been completely accepted in the medical community.
One false test result and imagine the chaos that will follow!
Read more here: Paternity Blood Tests That Work Early in a Pregnancy – NYTimes.com
I just read an article in the Wall Street Journal about divorce lawyers who only represent men. I was curious – how do these lawyers get better results for their male clients? Is there a different approach based on the gender of the client?
Lawyers Carve Out ‘Divorce for Men’ Niche – WSJ.com
There was a time where there was some bias against men in divorce proceedings. It was commonly understood that the mother would be awarded custody and that the husband would pay alimony and child support.
However, times have changed. Now, fathers have equal rights to their children and divorce laws are gender neutral.
I do agree that men are awarded alimony less often than women are. But this is not a product of bias or discrimination but rather reflects the reality that, on average, men still tend to earn more than women do. And there is an increasing trend of men receiving spousal support when the financial circumstances of the spouses support such an award.
To be sure, there are women who prefer to hire women lawyers and men who prefer male lawyers. But this is usually the client’s preference based on the expectation that the lawyer and client can relate better if they are the same gender.
Experience. Knowledge of the law. Preparation. Good reputation.
These qualities are likely more valuable to a favorable outcome.
It is all about the quality of representation. A good lawyer will get good results for their divorce client regardless.
I am not convinced of the need for such specialists but I welcome feedback from those that practice in this niche area as well as those who have hired a male divorce specialist.