The Case For Hiring A Real Estate Lawyer

“Why would I pay for something when I can do it myself – for free?” That’s the question most folks ask when someone suggests hiring a real estate lawyer. Here are five compelling reasons to rethink this inquiry.

1. Contracts Are Complex

There is absolutely nothing that prevents buyers and sellers from negotiating the terms of an agreement on their own. But to make it legally binding, they must memorialize their agreement in writing. In addition to transcribing the actual content of the contract, an experienced attorney will also ensure that it adheres to all state laws. While it is true that real estate agents can help with standard contracts, they may not have the legal knowledge or experience needed to catch serious errors before an agreement is finalized. As such, it is often a good idea to have the contract reviewed by an attorney before either party signs it.

2. Liens May Be An Issue

Anybody can put up a “for sale” sign, but not every owner has the right to sell. Because it is often a family’s largest asset, the home is an obvious target when creditors are owed money they cannot collect. Whether that creditor is a bank or the IRS, property and judgment liens may stand in the way of a sale. As they are a matter of public record, anyone can search for them. But since they work closely with title search companies, attorneys can provide this vital service much faster and at a much lower cost.

3. Paperwork Must Be Filed

Even the simplest land deal requires both parties to file paperwork at the state and/or county level. An experienced real estate lawyer will make sure all legal documents are submitted quickly and efficiently. Most importantly, he or she will ensure that the real estate deed is filed with the appropriate state agency, and that it is duly recorded. Failure to complete this crucial step could prevent a new owner from selling the property, taking out a home equity line of credit, or refinancing the mortgage.

4. Government Red Tape

When the transaction involves a commercial property, there are several additional steps a new owner must take. An experienced real estate lawyer can help in establishing a valid business entity, obtain a tax identification number, and secure an actual business license through the local municipality. All of these important actions can help the new owner focus on the grand opening, rather than wasting time on government red tape.

5. Emotion Clouds Judgment

Unlike the real estate agent who is motivated by commission to make a deal happen, a reputable attorney has no such conflict of interest. He or she simply dispenses advice based on the law, not on individual wants and needs. That kind of dispassionate, level-headed presence is often sorely needed during negotiations.

An experienced real estate lawyer can help save buyers and sellers time and money on property transactions.

Work Injury and Workplace Accident Heroes: Nominate Workers That Saved Lives

Coworkers rushing to save fellow employees in a construction work accident

I recently posted about the heroic efforts of several workers in a trench collapse at a wind farm near Rainier, Washington. The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) cited and fined several employers for the incident. Most importantly, we must remember that several construction workers risked their own lives. Those brave workers jumped into the trench to try and rescue their fellow workers.

Police officers saved lives after public shooting

Similarly, three police officers were recognized in the news and other media outlets for lifesaving efforts in Des Moines, Washington. Very recently, on July 13, 2020 there was a shooting incident near a Metro stop in Kent, Washington, injuring six people. An off-duty Des Moines K-9 police officer, Doug Weable, was in his patrol car. The police dispatcher flagged him down to help. Immediately, the officer went to work using a shirt to apply a chest seal to 15-year-old victim. In parallel, Officer Weable directed a bystander to move another 16-year-old victim onto his side to aid in his breathing.

Two other officers, Johnny Tyler and Shay LaMarsh responded to the scene and used advanced medical training to assist with other victims. Luckily, these officers were trained in combat first aid alongside Army Rangers and Special Forces medics at Joint Base Lewis McChord near Lakewood, Washington. Consequently, following their quick actions, the officers saved the lives of the shooting victims. There’s no question that these officers acted heroically to save the life of others.

There are many work-injury heroes among us

While these officers received public credit, there are many workplace heroes that did not. For example, those fearless construction workers that helped after the trench collapse accident. However, that’s why every year, the Washington State Governor honors workplace heroes at the Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board (GISHAB). This year, the Governor is presenting the awards at the virtual GISHAB conference occurring September 21-25, 2020.

Workplace hero nominations

If you know of live-saving incidents that occurred between June 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020, then you can nominate your fellow workers. All workers of a state-funded or self-insured employers are eligible for nomination. Here, the most important nomination criterion is that a nominee performed hands-on aid. This is especially important for law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians (EMT). To qualify for consideration, those and other similar professions must perform a lifesaving action beyond the call of duty.

This year, the deadline to nominate is July 31, 2020. Furthermore, the Governor will give out a humanitarian award to workers who tried to render lifesaving assistance to others, unsuccessfully. Workplace hero nominations can be submitted on the GISHAB website. Finally, the registration for the Virtual Governor’s Industrial Safety & Health Conference opens in August.

This article was first published on https://tarareck.com/work-injury-heros-in-washington-state/

Types of Visas For Australia

A visa is a government sanctioned permit to enter, stay and exit a country granted to foreign nationals who wish to visit the concerned country. It is considered to be the entry ticket to a country which is mandatory irrespective of the nature of the visit. Just like almost all first world countries, an Australian visa is indispensable for a foreigner who wishes to visit the country. Surely, the Government of Australia has segregated the applications for the country’s visas depending upon the nature and tenure of the visit.

Visas in Australia are legally classified as follows –

Instant Tourist Visa

These visas are issued by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection for periods of 3, 6 and 12 months. The tenure of the visa depends on the nature of the visit. The Instant Tourist Visas are generally provided to visitors who bear the sole purpose of business or come as tourists.

It is necessary for visitors to hold a valid passport and are often supplied with an Australian ETA, which stands for Electronic Travel Authority. The ETA visa electronically links with the visitor’s passport for a fixed duration of time. Immigration authorities are thus, provided with prior knowledge about a visitor’s visa status.

Transit Visas

These visas are provided to travelers that use Australia as a means of transit, say, in case of a layover or if a visitor intends to join a merchant navy or ship crew in the country. Transit visas are generally permitted for a duration of only about 72 hours.

Working Holiday Visas

These visas are meant for people within the age of 18 and 30 years who wish to travel as well as work in Australia for a year. Working Holiday visas are particularly oriented towards catering drop-year travelers who wish to explore and at the same time, work their way to supplement their expenses.

Business Visas

Business Visas are provided to people with established businesses in Australia or people who are sponsored by a governmental or multi-national company with the purpose of conducting business operations in Australia under the purview of their employer.

Student Visas

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection are particularly cautious while issuing Student visas. The government permits a visa to a travelling student only after the submission and acceptance of a thorough, detailed analysis of the concerned student’s course of study and financial backing. This visa is classified according to the nature of the study. Separate visas are issued for international students who intend to travel to Australia for their graduate or postgraduate degree as opposed to a student travelling for a high school exchange program.

Students holding this visa are not permitted to work before the commencement of their study and can only apply for a job with a cap of up to 20 hours a week.

Skilled Migration

These visas are a permanent migration permit which allows foreign nationals to migrate to Australia under the pretense of being skilled in a domain of significance according to the Government of Australia.

Hiring a DUI Attorney Who Is Familiar With the Court

In case of a DUI case, you may want to hire the professional services of a DUI attorney. Without any doubt, DUI charges may have a lasting impact on your routine life. For a while, just figure out all the money that you are going to spend on court fees, fines and other things. In this article, we will shed some light on an important matter: is it a good idea to hire a DUI attorney who is familiar with courts? Let’s know more about it.

What Can Happen?

In a DUI case, you may have to lose your driving license or you may have to get SR22 insurance. No matter what, the first thing you need to do is get in touch with a good legal representative. As soon as you get arrested you will get a lot of flyers with a lot of ads of law firms on them. These ads come from law agencies that approach clients like you to provide their services.

Good DUI attorneys

This is how law firms get their clients and make money. However, you shouldn’t choose a one based on the bright slogans and colorful ads. How can you choose a DUI attorney to get the best results? What you need to do is hire the best DUI attorney. The good ones know how to handle such cases and approach the court.

Now, let’s discuss an important thing: is it important for him to be familiar with the court where you are going to face your case? The fact of the matter is that the law is the same for all. This is true and the fact that he knows the judge or the court won’t guarantee that you will win the case. But if he knows how the court functions or how the judge handles the case can be advantageous.

Settlement out of court

Many people get arrested in DUI incidents and most of the cases don’t go to trial. Most of the cases get settled outside the court. The thing is that you should get the best offer in order to settle the matter with the other party without taking the matter to the court of law. If he knows the court, they will know what the offer will be like. And they will try their level best to deal with the party and reach a settlement.

So, if you are going to hire a DUI attorney to handle your case, make sure you hire one who knows the court. Aside from this, you need to make sure that the DUI attorney has the expertise and skills to help you. For a positive outcome, his skills, experience and witness plays a great role. So, he should be hired based on the factors we have given above. Remember: you are not required to hire the top DUI attorney. All you have to do is make sure the professional is qualified and is familiar with the court. Hope you will find the DUI attorney you need.

A Social Security Disability Attorney May Be Necessary to Protect Your Rights

Consulting a Social Security disability attorney is a smart move for workers who’ve become incapacitated due to injury or illness and are no longer able to do their previous jobs. Applying for support is a five-step process that can be complicated and cumbersome. Having sound legal advice can help make the process less confusing for claimants and their families.

The claim should be filed as soon as possible after the accident, illness, or injury. The qualification process can take a year or more, and the sooner a claim is filed after the disability occurs, the better. It’s important to establish a timeline early on so that it’s clear that the incident or illness caused the disability. The applicant will need to prove that they are no longer able to perform the main duties of the previous job and that the disability prevents them from gaining meaningful work in another or related field. Information like doctor’s reports, an official job description, and specific details about the illness, injury, or accident can help establish the validity of a claim. All of this information will be useful during the initial application process and interview.

The application will be reviewed, and the Social Security office will determine:

– Whether the applicant is able to complete his or her former job functions.

– How the work the applicant did compares to how the job is done nationally and whether the applicant can complete the same job in a different way.

– How the injury or illness has affected the applicant’s ability to do his or her job effectively.

– Whether the applicant can be trained to do a different job.

In order to determine the answers to these questions, the office will look over medical records, laboratory test results, and other information provided. A Social Security disability attorney can help the applicant understand what is necessary. It’s important to turn all forms and information in on time. The applicant is responsible for ensuring the disability office gets all the information it needs to make a determination.

Once the application is accepted, an interview will take place, either by phone or in person. The application process can take three to five months. It’s an arduous process, but a necessary one if one is disabled and unable to work. Once the application has been fully processed, the office will make a determination based on whether the applicant’s condition matches one on an existing list of disabilities, and the individual’s ability to work, either in the previous job or in another job.

Seventy percent of claims are denied, which is why it’s important to have an experienced Social Security disability attorney on hand to answer questions and help with the appeals process. Once the claim has been denied, the applicant can file an appeal, either online or by mail. New and updated information from doctors, physical therapists, and others may be helpful when filing an appeal. A Social Security disability attorney can advise claimants on the proper steps to take and documentation to provide when appealing a denial.

All About Taking Assistance From an Arm Injury Attorney

We use our arms, shoulders and hands for most of the regular tasks and jobs. Quite obviously, any injury to the arms can put us off work and activities of daily life. Arm injuries can occur under various circumstances, but if someone else is to be blamed for your condition, you would want to get compensated. This is exactly where an arm injury attorney can come in handy. In this post, we will talk about the things that need your attention.

Knowing Your Case

If you have injured your arm at work, workers’ compensation laws are applicable. On the contrary, arm injuries caused in an auto accident will be considered under the personal injury law. In many cases, people get injured in a trip & fall case, which again comes under personal injury, and if you can prove the negligence of the property owner, you can get compensated. The compensation you get from the other party depends on many factors, including the nature of accident, the extent of injury, and expertise of your lawyer. It is always best to take the initial steps as early as possible, and the first obvious task is to hire a lawyer.

Getting Help

Finding an arm injury attorney is easy if you check online. Or else, just talk to your friends, colleagues and other contacts to find reliable references. When you visit your lawyer for the first time, you need to ask a few questions. Below are some of the aspects to consider.

1. Experience and expertise. Every lawyer has his own areas of expertise. Some are better at criminal cases, while others may deal in divorces and family matters. Since we are talking about arm injury here, you need a lawyer who understands personal injury law. Ask questions like – How long have you been practicing? Have you handled cases similar to mine? What are my chances in the case?

2. Availability. A lawyer should be available to take your case. In many cases, the law firm may select a lawyer based on the aspects of the case, but you need to know if the appointed lawyer will be around to take questions and complete the judicial work as required.

3. Fee. Legal fees are higher than ever, and as someone who is dealing with medical bills and other expenses, you would want an affordable lawyer. In most cases, the concerned lawyer will charge a part of the compensation amount, but there are other arrangements too. Talk to the concerned law firm, and they can explain things better.

Finally, be realistic. There’s a limit to the amount of compensation you can get for a physical arm injury, and a lot of it depends on your lawyer, because he will convince the court of the wrongdoing of the other party. Talk to your lawyer in detail about the things you can expect from the case, and whether you should go for a settlement. In some cases, a settlement may come handy, especially if you don’t want to wait for long years of litigation to get compensated.

Are We Sinking the Jones Act?

As a former merchant mariner, I continue to follow issues relating to the shipping industry in general with a particular interest as to matters touching on the survival of America’s merchant marine. I was surprised to recently learn that Senator John McCain, a man whom I admire, has introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to repeal the Jones Act restrictions against foreign flag vessels carrying cargo between U.S. ports. His bill, entitled the Open America’s Waters Act of 2017, would allow foreign flag vessels to compete within U.S. waters for goods moving between American ports. I can’t help wonder why the Senator believes such a repeal is good policy, maritime or otherwise.

Surely, Senator McCain isn’t worried about an uneven playing field between American ships and their foreign competitors. He must certainly know that the overwhelming majority of ocean borne commerce between the U.S. and our foreign trading partners enters or leaves our shores on foreign flag vessels. Such vessels employ lower cost crews and their owners enjoy favorable tax treatment from their country of registry; hence, such vessels operate at cost levels which U.S. operators simply can’t match. Recognizing this reality, Congress has historically reserved waterborne commerce within the U.S. to American ships as a means of ensuring the survival of some semblance of an American merchant marine. Call it protectionism or what you will, the Jones Act does serve to ensure the existence of an American commercial fleet of vessels.

My own education and experience in things maritime persuades me that this is a good policy. A viable American merchant marine is an essential component of our national security, a fact that is generally ignored until it becomes necessary to find the ships to carry the goods to supply the troops who have been sent overseas to protect American interests.

Without the Jones Act’s restrictions against foreign flag vessels carrying domestic cargos, our already minimal merchant fleet risks further shrinkage to practically nonexistent levels. Happily, Senator McCain’s bill appears to have garnered almost no interest on Capitol Hill; no other senators have opted to cosponsor his legislation. It intrigues me, though, why an ex-Naval officer such as Senator McCain would target the very ships we may need one day to protect interests far distant from our shores.

For additional information, I recommend reading RealClear Defense’s article which expresses views contrary to those of Senator McCain.

© 9/27/2017 Hunt & Associates, P.C. All rights reserved.

Cyber Bullying – The Curse of New Age Technology

The technological abuse

With the emergence of technology, computers, laptops, tablets and Smartphones have become a part of our everyday life. Today, literally no individual can stay without these gadgets. The communication sector has revolutionized in the past few decades sort of shrinking the whole world. The internet web has enabled the far ends of the earth to connect with each other just at a click of a button. The social media networking has further helped the people to connect with each other from different locations of the globe, know about themselves and establish a friendly bond for a lifetime. These sites and platforms have even helped the people find out long-lost friends and family members and brought them together again. But along with the benefits, the new technology has come along its curse too. And that curse is cyber bullying. It is a form of a cyber abuse that is deliberately used in a hostile manner to harass and threaten other people. With the increased use of technologies, cyber bullying is also on the rise.

The Menace

This problem has become an increasing menace, especially among teenagers. Cyber bullying comprises the use of text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing images, videos, websites or fake profiles. Individuals who are cyber bullied are at times bullied in person as well. Additionally, it is sometimes pretty hard to get away from being cyber bullied since the source is unknown and cannot be restricted by us. It can happen 24*7 and can reach a person even when he or she is alone. Vulgar messages and photos can be posted anonymously and can spread out rapidly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source. Erasing improper or pesky messages, texts and pictures is extremely hard after they have been posted or sent.

The Mental Impact

Though the social media sites, themselves do not promote these kinds of activities, but they are utilized as a tool to carry out such horrendous work. Kids and women are the main victims of cyber bullying. It can lead to major negative impact on the mind. Teenagers or kids who are victims of this appalling crime can undergo behavioral changes like the sudden and extensive use of alcohol and drugs, tendency to skip school, experience in-person bullying, unwillingness to attend school, have poor grades, lower self-esteem and erratic health problems.

Another form of bully

Cyber stalking is another form of cyber bullying. It may include false allegations, uncomfortable observation, making threats, identity theft, and damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors for sex or gathering information in order to harass. Women are the main victims of cyber stalking.

The aftermath

It can be as threatening and frightening as any other type of crime even though there is no physical or verbal contact with the stalker. Victims of this crime can experience extreme psychological as well as emotional reactions. It can result in changes in sleep patterns, depression, anxiety, anger, paranoia, shock and disbelief.

Precautions and steps to be taken

If anyone is a victim of any of these two bullying patterns, they should not keep it to themselves. The help of family members, close friends or professional counselors cope with this issue. Legal help should be taken, as this should be reported to the cyber security cell departments of the police so that the culprit can be traced out and apprehended at the earliest. Parents should be open with their children and monitor their social activities from time to time especially if they are underage. Proper scrutinisation and protection of your email and personal data be taken care-off so that they are not hacked and used abusively. Hence, with little caution and awareness you can protect yourself and your loved ones from cyber bullying.

Online Legal Forms

In the past, people obtained legal forms only through attorneys, public notaries and government offices. In our time and age, legal documents became very accessible on the internet. This provides the consumer with the ease, convenience and inexpensive access to the forms form the comfort of one’s home or office computer.

Depending on the forms, some forms can be obtained from government offices and now websites as in the case of court related forms. These forms can usually be obtained at no cost. Other forms such as business forms can be obtained from attorneys websites, law firms websites and business legal websites. The prices and quality of legal forms vary from one website to another and one must exercise due diligence when shopping for legal forms online.

Websites offering legal forms differ not only in price but in content as well. Some websites offer a wide range of forms while others specialize in one specific form. The latter are one form websites. One might think that larger websites are more credible while another might conclude that the one form website is more specialized. The fact of the matter is, it does not matter where you obtain the form as long as you do your research about the website and it’s trustworthiness. This can be done by Googling reviews about the website in question as well as by testing the website’s customer support reliability by contacting them for information. Some websites offer form samples for free which provides user with an idea of what they are getting.

There are Pros and Cons to buying legal forms online. Some of the Pros include:

– Saving Money

– Saving Time

– Ease and convenience (Especially when forms are downloaded instantly after purchase)

There are also disadvantages to buying legal forms on the internet, some of which include:

– Unprofessionally drafted documents

– The lack of guidance or instruction on how to complete the forms

– Not having the software (such as Word or Adobe) in which the document is formatted

For the aforementioned reasons, Online users have to be browse multiple websites in order to make the most educated decision. As well, it is imperative to thoroughly investigate the credibility and reliability of the website before making the purchase. Whether it is temporary guardianship form or a bill of sale one must exercise due diligence and good judgment because if the form were poorly drafted, it may be legally invalid and therefore useless or worse it may have negative legal ramifications on its user.

How to Expunge a DUI Record

Getting behind the wheel while you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a very stupid decision. This mistake can cost you a hefty fine or your freedom. You can get arrested for drunk driving and this charge may result to expensive fines, community service, jail time and a permanent record.

A DUI conviction in your record can have a negative impact which may affect many areas of your life. Even after you have paid the fines, attended drunk driving classes, and served your sentence, you may realize that a DUI conviction on your record can become a form of punishment on its own. For instance, a permanent record can keep you from getting a job, a loan, or from renting a decent apartment. To that end, you may want to have your DUI record expunged.

What Is Expungement?

When the court agrees to expunge a criminal record, it basically means that the conviction is sealed or erased. To that end, when a background check is performed, the record won’t appear. This is very helpful for those who are seeking employment, applying for a loan, or for other purposes.

Remember though that the record is not completely erased. It can still be seen by law enforcers and court officials to check whether the person has previous run-ins with the law. But an expungement will keep the permanent record from ruining the individual’s life.

How To Expunge A DUI

1. Understand what it means to expunge a DUI record: As previously mentioned, DUI is a permanent record. If it gets expunged, all the information about the case, including the files, records, and criminal charges will be sealed. This means that in case you apply for a job, you can tell your potential employer that you have never been arrested, charged, or convicted of DUI.

2. Learn about the laws involving the expungement procedure: You need to understand that expungement process may vary from state to state. To that end, you must check with your country’s court or law enforcement agency where the arrests are expunged. Ask about the requirements, such as a certificate that proves you have completed probation and how many years before you can get your DUI expunged. There are some states that allow immediate expungement for some cases, such as a first offense in DUI.

3. Complete the process: It is crucial to fill out all the necessary forms and requests for expungement, such as the Motion to Expunge. After filling out the formal request, you will need to submit the application to the court and pay the fees necessary. You must then attend the expungement hearing once it is scheduled by the court. Lastly, you may also need to appear in front of a judge.

If everything went well, the judge will agree to the expungement plea. He will then give a court order to expunge the DUI record.

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