In most states an insurer is able to deny coverage if the policyholder does not cooperate in defense and it causes prejudice to the insurer. I would serve the subpoena first, provided state law allows that. You need to know whether this is really a lack of cooperation.
Right I know that. If they never tried to contact him and his pleading gets struck because of it they could get sanctioned to the high heavens
If the insurer appointed the firm or they are actual insurer employees, seems like the insurer’s problem to me.
my highly competent paralegal is about to get poached by another firm offering her an almost 50% raise.
lol just called to trial in fort worth next week. got a call from the allstate lawyer last friday about how the lawyer who had been working the case left allstate and she was asking for a 30 day continuance. said i was agreed, but they haven't filed anything yet. could be interesting.
Comp cases are always a gamble. Have client who had TBI but after 3 years doc released her full duty basically wiping out claim value
Any lawyer in the estate realm, I suddenly find myself potentially needing to be in a position to be the decision maker for my mother's estate (she doesn't have a will). Long story short, she's in the hospital and if the worst case scenario happens, my dad (they're still married) is not physically or mentally capable of handling any kinds of next steps. I'm her only child and all family assets are in her name only. It was suggested to get these advanced directive forms completed asap. There are no retirement accounts, investments, or anything else of that nature. Only real assets are the house (and everything inside it) and her car. Is this the way to go? https://www.aaapbtc.org/sites/default/files/documents/Caregiver Page/floridadurablepowerofattorneyform.pdf https://fhfstore.blob.core.windows.net/documents/reports-guides/documents/LivingWill.pdf https://fhfstore.blob.core.windows....ocuments/DesignationofHealthCareSurrogate.pdf
In MS where I practice if she died without a will her estate would be probated under the laws of intestacy. Meaning she died intestate. Intestate means without a will. Under the laws of intestacy everything would go to her husband and children. Husband would take a child's share. You would get a lawyer to file a petition to have administrator appointed, have heirs determined, you'd have to publish notice to creditors. If no creditors come out of the woodworks then you could sell the house and car and the funds could be paid out to the heirs and the estate closed. You could be appointed administrator of the estate and explain that your father isn't in good enough health to do it. Your father could sign a joinder/waiver as well as the other heirs joining in your petition to be appointed administrator. If dad isn't of sound mind to sign a joinder waiver might have to set that issue for hearing and explain it to the judge or get some letters from your dad's treating physicians saying he's not of sound mind.
There's a process here called a small estate affidavit that allows you to avoid most of that and having to probate estate if the estate value is under $75,000.
You’ll never guess who was magically able to locate their client and provide deposition dates the day after a compel was filed
God speed. My paralegal got snagged last year. It took me months to find a replacement. Everyone I interviewed was asking for close to $100k in salary, as well as the ability to work 100% remotely.
we keep trying to hire a competent paralegal as one of our prior paralegals left for more money. not been an easy process
i'm thankful that i have two who are awesome. they were both doing other stuff for like $10 an hour and after a few years with us theyre both at $28/hr with probably like 15k of bonuses throughout the year.
I routinely see ads in major markets near that amount and i get it. A really competent paralegal is worth it. I started applying for new jobs as soon as she told me. This job would be unbearable without her.
The first firm I was at which is one of the best boutique firms in the country pays their paralegals around that much and some make quite a bit more. They are all fantastic and worth their weight in gold.
My partners just got another verdict, this one 1.2 million, for an ankle and knee scope. Georgia juries are just the best.
I had a commercial vehicle claim few years back with awful facts for defendant , knee scope, and a neck injury and settled for $350k. No way I would have gotten 7 figures from a jury.
I had plaintiffs’ depos scheduled this morning in Columbus, GA. Opposing counsel just never showed up. I called his paralegal twice, and she confirmed that it was in his calendar but she has not been able to contact him. Kind of concerning.
I litigated a Colorado case against a Texas atty who was representing a woman from New Mexico. He was pretty stereotypically Texan. In October, while the case was still litigating, he offered up his Crested Butte, CO vacation home to me for a weekend after I told him I was going to go down there. I declined, because that's weird. But I guess very nice. Anyway, we settled that earlier this year. Today, he sent me a pecan pie from Texas.
I don't know where he is based out of. They have offices in Victoria, Corpus Christi, and Houston. that's what he sent me.
We have a client for whom we do coverage work that told their counsel that the firms will be off their panel if they accept gifts from plaintiffs.
That's almost a 3 hour drive for you. I don't know if I'd be able to stomach just acting like it was some minor inconvenience. That's a pretty big fuck up.
In bro’s case just seems like harmless client development. Guarantee he will remember that attorney from now on. But they’re also in different states and won’t likely be facing each other again. Giving gifts to someone that you repeatedly face might be a different issue
it was weird during the case. like, we were a few months from mediation. I wasn't going to stay at his vacation home. After the case resolves, feel free to send me pie!
Guilty as charged. Just strengthening my well earned boomer reputation. I was like who the hell watches those shit ass ESPN mid afternoon shows.
Way less embarrassing to listen to pardon the interruption than Barstool sports as a 30+ functioning (allegedly) member of society.
Anyone have a recc for someone who specializes in negotiating federal tax liens? The IRS is about to blow up my settlement.
Is your client already on a payment plan or is he just living like the lien doesn’t exist? if he owes less than what the settlement is then you’re most likely screwed
Outstanding liens in excess of the settlement. I can't imagine a scenario in which I don't get a fee after getting the money in the first place.