Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Fifty percent of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. That's not a great statistic, but it's true. Although divorces may be emotionally combative, most divorces do not end up in a contested trial. With a divorce attorney's help, parties can negotiate settlements for things such as spousal support, child custody, division of property and so on. Finding the best divorce attorney for your particular case is not an easy task. As you can imagine many divorce lawyers will take your case but they have no vested interest in the final outcome. That's why your own due diligence is so important when it comes to finding and hiring the right divorce attorney.
Divorce laws are different from state to state so you need to find a divorce lawyer in your local area to best handle your divorce case. You may know of a great lawyer in California that one of your friends or relatives used but if you live in Massachusetts, that won't do you much good. There are many things you need to consider when choosing a divorce attorney and I've tried to outline what I consider to be the most important factors.
Since divorce is not an uncommon occurrence today, chances are you know someone who has already gone through a divorce. So word of mouth from family members, friends and coworkers would be one of the best ways to narrow the field down.
If you have time, you could visit your local courthouse and witness different attorneys handling their clients divorce cases. As I mentioned earlier, most divorces do not end up in trial, but if yours does, you would certainly want the best divorce attorney to handle your divorce case.
Research the attorney you're considering with the state listing of trials and motions. Since this person will be representing you, make sure everything checks out before you make your decision.
Don't limit your search to one divorce attorney. Interview many. Find the person you're most comfortable with and understands what you're looking for. Ask what kind of divorce attorney they are. Are you and your spouse looking for a settlement, or do you think your case will go to trial? If it will go to trial, you want a divorce lawyer with lots of trial experience.
You could also find out who is on the board of matrimonial lawyers in your local state and the better lawyers are usually on it.
Always have a written agreement with your divorce attorney. Do not hire your attorney on an oral agreement only. This can lead to misunderstandings and could end up costing you more time and money than you bargained for. Make sure your fee agreement, or retainer, is in writing and you understand the terms completely.
Last but not least, get references. There's nothing more important than references.
Needless to say, this list could go on and on, but you should have a good sense of what to look for. Every case is different so make sure the divorce attorney you choose, is familiar with cases like yours and he/she has your best interest at heart.
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Andrew Daigle is the owner and operator of many informational and resource based websites including a Divorce Attorney Resource site and a Mesothelioma Lawyer Resource site and many more.
Pfc. Steven D. Green, Golf and the Burning Bush
The Nation’s First Golfer President George W. Bush announced in his speech to the nation tonight that on top of sending another 20,000 troops to Iraq, he was also requesting another $10 million to send golf psychologists into the battlefield. Here is what President Bush said:
“My fellow Americans. Further to the extra $100 Billion for the extra troops I am also requesting from Congress another $10 million to send 10 golf psychologists to Iraq to prevent further rapes and massacres by American soldiers in the field.”
“Golf is like life only on a larger scale. Every golfer knows that we seem to tie our self esteem, our sense of self worth to our latest score. Every golfer knows that golf can often trigger intense feelings of rage and frustration. They don’t put the water and sand hazards out there so that you can enjoy yourself. Once I was playing with Harvey Penick and my dad at the Greenbrier Golf Club in Moody, Texas, near my home in Crawford, Texas. Dad flubbed his tee shot on the first tee and Mr. Penick refused to give him a mulligan. Dad got so upset that he threw his club. The club whizzed by my head and flew up into the trees but it didn’t come down. Dad ordered Charlie, one of the secret service agents to climb up into the tree and get it. When Charlie had it he called down to my dad, ‘George what club were you playing?’”
“Two years ago we sent a soldier Pfc. Steven D. Green to Iraq. Steven is in the gallery with his family. Steven would you stand please? (lengthy applause). Steven wasn’t feeling well. To his credit Steven sought help from an American army combat stress team in Iraq on December 21, 2005. Steven told the psychiatrists that he was angry about the war, desperate to avenge the deaths and maiming of his comrades, and he felt driven to kill Iraqi citizens. The team found that Steven was suffering from “homicidal ideations”. They gave him several small doses of Seroquel to regulate his mood, and told him to get some sleep, and sent him back into battle.”
“Three months later Pfc. Steven D. Green and a few of his pals, including Pfc. Bryan L. Howard, 23, of Huffman, Texas, were hitting golf balls at a checkpoint. Steven was having an extremely hard time drawing his two iron due to the sandy conditions. We aren’t talking 12 on the Stimpmeter Bermuda grass fairways here. Plus the wind was howling and the sand was blowing into his face. All of this pushed Pfc. Steven D. Green right over the edge. He convinced his pals then and there to have a few swigs of whiskey, put on ski masks, go to a nearby Iraqi home, shoot the father, mother and five year old daughter to death, rape the 14 year old daughter, kill her, set her body on fire with kerosene and burn the house down.”
“Pfc. Steven D. Green and his golfing buddies are scheduled to go on trial soon in Kentucky and the prosecutor may be seeking the death penalty. In the book of Exodus Moses was in the desert tending his sheep when he saw a burning bush. The burning bush told Moses that it was God and that Moses should go and tell the Pharaoh that he was taking all of the Jewish people and leaving slavery in Egypt. The Lord was pardoning the Jewish people from their imprisonment in Egypt. The Lord had an exit strategy which he told to Moses. Moses said to the Lord, ‘When I tell this to my people they are going to say that I am insane. What should I say that your name is?’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell them that my name is “I Am Who I Am.” Moses said, “What kind of a name is that? I Am Who I Am. Who are you, a bush? I’m supposed to tell my people that a bush named “I Am” is going to lead us out of Egypt? Are you insane? They’re going to give me electro shock therapy like the Viet Cong gave John McCain. Forget it. Go find someone else.”
“I am now announcing that I Am giving full pardons to Pfc. Steven D. Green, Pfc. Bryan L. Howard and all of those involved. This morning I spoke with the leading sports psychologist in the world, Dr. Robert Rotella. He told me and I agree that had the army combat stress team given Pfc. Steven D. Green a few simple golf visualization and meditative techniques this unfortunate incident would never have happened. Dr. Rotella has assembled a team of 10 golf sports psychologists to send to Iraq so that outbursts like this do not happen in the future. Thank you and may God Bless you all and especially the men and women of the armed sevices of the United States of America.”
How much compensation money for a Whiplash or Neck Injury?
Whiplash or neck injuries are very common but there seems to be a stigma involved in claiming compensation for whiplash. With the ever increasing traffic on our roads there are more and more road accidents where whiplash is a common injury. Any accident involving the neck and shoulders can be painful and should be compensated for. Claiming compensation for an accident that was not your fault is your legal and civil right.
There are many different types of neck injuries and many are found in conjunction with back and shoulder problems. The most devastating cases may leave claimants very severely disabled and these claims may have a value of £86,500. On the lower end of the scale where claimants may only suffer a minor strain and only suffer for a few weeks the amount could be as little as £750.
Severe neck injury which is associated with incomplete paraplegia or with permanent spastic quadriparesis or where the injured person still has no movement in the neck and suffers severe headaches, the amount of damages awarded could be in the region of £86,500. The compensation awarded to someone with injuries which give rise to severe disabilities could be in the region of £38,175 to £76,350.
With injuries which cause severe damage to soft tissues and or ruptured tendons the amount you could be entitled too could be in the region of £32,000. The precise amount would depend the prognosis and the length of time during which the most serious symptoms are more bearable.
Fracture injuries or dislocations which cause severe immediate symptoms and which may necessitate spinal fusion could fetch in the region of £14,500 to £19,100. Fractures can leave markedly impaired function or vulnerability to further trauma and some limitation of activities.
Moderate cases involving whiplash or wrenching type injuries can result in cervical spondylosis, serious limitation of movement with permanent or recurring pain and stiffness with the possible need for further surgery. For this moderate case the amount you would be entitled to would be in the region of £8,150 to £14,500.
The type of injuries which may have exacerbated or accelerated some pre-existing unrelated condition but they may have made a complete recovery. The amount you may be entitled too could be in the region of £4,575 to £8,150. This will also apply to moderate whiplash injuries.
The more minor cases where a full recovery takes place within a couple of years the amount would be in the region of £2,550 to £4,575. For a complete recovery that takes a few weeks or months the amount would be £750 to £2,550.
If any of these describes your injury and you believe the accident was not your fault then you should claim compensation. Over 2 million people in the UK have accidents each year, and very few claim compensation for their injuries which is ridiculous. Seeking compensation for pain and suffering your civil and legal right. Whatever type of accident, as long as you’re not responsible then you are entitled to compensation and should go about claiming it. The financial loss you would be compensated for could be due to loss of earnings or due to damages to your car or any other personal item. Some people may have to adapt their homes to deal with the injury permanently. Or they may have lost their job and are no longer able to work; stress depression and anxiety are all illnesses that may not have occurred if the accident had never happened. This is why it is ethically right that people should have the opportunity to claim compensation for their injuries however mild or severe they maybe.
No win no fee (Conditional fee agreements) were first introduced in 1995 when legal aid was still available for personal injury cases. The reason it was introduced was to give the people with incomes above legal aid eligibility limits the chance to fund personal injury litigation. People whose income was just about the limit were still finding it difficult to pay for a solicitor. This “no win no fee” agreement eventually became available to fund most civil cases and the consequence of this was that legal aid was abolished 2000. Contrary to popular belief there has not been a compensation boom, in fact the number of claims has dropped since this time.
So if you have damaged your neck and have suffered whiplash you should be seeking out an accident claims solicitor. Ignore the stigma attached, and find yourself a solicitor that offers free impartial advice and one that has years of experience dealing with accident claims.
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Accident claims for the UK market contact Accident Consult for your no obligation consultation. They are experts in dealing with whiplash claims.
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