Here are 7 things you should know before hiring your injury lawyer

1) The sooner you hire your lawyer the better. Begin looking for your personal injury lawyer within a week or two after your accident. If you're not physically capable you should have a friend or loved-one start looking. The sooner you start building your case the better.

2) Hire a personal injury lawyer that specializes in your specific type of injuries. Do your homework before signing the retainer agreement. Visit the firm's website and read up on it's history and each lawyer's biographical information. Ask the lawyer for some referrences and ask how much experience they have in handling cases with similar injuries. What settlement awards did they get in those cases?

3) Have a face-to-face meeting with your prospective lawyer. Your personal injury lawyer is going to be your closest advisor during this difficult time. You must feel comfortable and trust your lawyer. The only way you'll get a feel for the lawyer is by having a sit-down to discuss your case. Any good personal injury lawyer will give you an initial consultation free of charge.

4) Hire a lawyer that will take your case on a contingency fee basis. This means that your lawyer won't get paid unless you get paid. He will take his fee out of the money you receive for your injuries. You can expect your lawyer to take about 33% of your final settlement - that's after expenses are taken off the top. Make sure you clearly understand the payment structure before you sign the retainer agreement.
Find out the other three at Personal Injury Survival

Immigration Reform

n the days following the 9/11 attacks there have been many changes in the organization and how the government handles the flow of people coming into the country.  The INS was first started as the organization that was responsible for handing the people who were applying for citizenship and residency.  INS stands for Immigration and Naturalization Service, the organization charged with respecting the safety of the USA.  

The INS is now responsible for many tasks that it never had before, including inspecting travelers who are entering and exiting the United States gates through more than 300 points of entry nationwide.  Whether you are coming or going from the United States, you are likely to be passing through an INS worker who is responsible for helping make sure anyone who is wanted by the law is not able to gain entry to the country.  Although largely a precaution, it is thought that this will be most helpful in preventing possible threats to national security.
Find out more at Current Legal Issues

What does law mean to you?

Although we all have an understanding of what law is, and generally why it's appropriate that it should be in place to serve and regulate our conduct in society, we seldom think of what law actually means in an everyday context.  What is law for the average Joe in the street?  How does law impact on our lives from day to day?  Indeed, is the law a distant concept with which we find it hard to relate?
Read about this and other legal topics at Current Legal Issues