How Does a Product Recall Impact a Personal Injury Case?
October 30, 2013 | Adriel B. VillarrealIf you’re facing a personal injury case because of a defective product you may be wondering whether a company’s decision to recall that product has any bearing on your case. Don’t worry! A product recall is certainly not going to hurt your case. A product recall cannot, for example, simply make your case go away. The product has already hurt you. The recall simply helps to reduce the number of injuries that the product may cause to other people in the future. If anything, if the recall notice may be treated as an admission of responsibility on the part of the manufacturer, though they aren’t always admissible in court. Your personal injury attorney can advise you on whether or not the recall will have a positive impact on your case. Of course, if you’re injured after a product has already been recalled the situation changes quite a bit. If you keep using a recalled product after the notice has gone out then you are assuming the risks associated with using it. This is a good reason for keeping your eye out for recall notices for any products you use on a regular basis. If you’ve been injured by a defective product you may be entitled to compensation. Don’t face high medical bills, lost…
Read MoreWhat Should I do if I’m injured in a Boat Accident?
October 24, 2013 | Adriel B. VillarrealBoat accidents can generate a personal injury case just as a car accident can. The waterways have “rules of the road” just like the streets do, and many accidents are caused by people who either ignore those rules or boat under the influence. In fact, boating accidents are common, especially in Minnesota. It pays to understand what to do since you can often receive compensation under the law for injuries sustained during a boating accident. Treat a boating accident like any other accident. Follow these steps: Seek prompt medical attention. Document whatever you can about the accident. Follow all medical advice. You may wish to call an attorney as soon as possible. Proving fault in a boating accident can be difficult, so make sure that you are careful about what you say. “No-fault” doesn’t apply on the waterways. You’re also required to call the Sheriff’s office if there was more than $2000 in property damage or any serious injuries at all. Of course, you should make sure that you do everything in your power to avoid causing accidents when you’re boating. Minnesota is statistically a very high-risk state for boating accidents. Make sure you are doing your part to keep our waterways safe and fun for everyone. Brush up on the rules of…
Read MoreWhat is a Revocable Living Trust?
October 21, 2013 | William F. HuefnerA revocable living trust is one way to approach estate planning. People use revocable living trusts to bypass the probate process. Think of a trust as a sort of legally created box. Once you create the box you can start filling it with your assets. This is known as “funding the trust.” The assets could be anything: bank accounts, real estate, cars, boats or anything else that you own. To fund it property is retitled into the appropriate trust. As long as you’re still alive you’ll maintain total control over these assets. For example, if you place your house in the trust you would continue to live in the home, repair it or update it as you saw fit, and pay any and all bills associated with it. When you die, control of these assets will be in the hands of the successor trustee who can then transfer your assts to the beneficiaries. Revocable living trusts will not end up in probate at all. They’re also harder to dispute than wills are, which makes them very attractive to people who are in difficult or complicated family situations. However, revocable living trusts can’t handle every aspect of your estate planning process. You will still need a will. A will is the only document that…
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