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A good lawyer can go a long way. On the other side of the coin, a bad lawyer can really hurt. Although we’d like to think  our legal profession is full of hardworking, honest, upstanding people; the truth is (like any field) we have our high performers and our low performers.

When picking an attorney, be sure to do your homework. Picking the wrong attorney can cost you thousands, sometimes millions of dollars.

Although her name has been changed to protect those involved, the following recounts a real story that happened in New Jersey a little over 15 years ago. We had Dawn recount her horror story.

“My son was in a bad car accident about 15 years ago. In his normal walk to work, he had to cross a busy highway in Central Jersey. While he had completed this walk hundreds of times, that day there was an obstacle. The local prison decided to have its inmates picking up trash in the wide median.

 As the see of orange jumpsuits expanded towards the cross walk where pedestrians frequent, my son attempted to avoid trouble by crossing further down the street. Having to balance his apprehension about crossing a busy highway with his need for safety, my son stepped out into the road and was struck by a car doing about 50 miles per hour.

 In a pure act of God, he survived. He sustained major injuries, injured that would affect the rest of his life. After stabilizing him and returning my son home, we began investigate if we have a legal case. With a small fortune in medical bills, we were looking for some relief. This was before the internet became what it is today. I didn’t use Google to find our attorney, instead I took a recommendation from a friend.

We hired our first attorney, provided him a retainer, and he got to work. In the beginning, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But after a few weeks, we’ve heard nothing. Wanting to check the progress of our case, I attempted to contact him.

 I tried for two days in a row.

 No answer.

 On the third day, at the risk of coming off as a crazy ex girlfriend, I called again. I got a receptionist that informed me my attorney was working on my case and would be in touch…

I was rushed off the phone, getting the feeling that the office was too busy to handle our claim…

 About a week later, our legal savior surfaced (I say that sarcastically). At that time, we demanded to meet in person; face to face,  in order to review the progress of our case.

 Our attorney showed up to our house (my son was unable to leave his bed) an hour late. Just looking for answers, I didn’t fault him at the time for his lack of punctuality, I just wanted a glimmer of hope. Our hospital bill exceeded $300,000. Coming from modest means, there was no way I or my son could ever afford to pay that.

 Our attorney shuffled through a large stack of papers, attempting to locate our file. We were one of many cases. As we reviewed the case, he clearly showed he didn’t have a firm grasp of the details of the case. At some points, I wondered if he even remembered anything about the case. To add insult to injury, for the length of our visit, he called my son by the wrong name. In pure embarrassment, I didn’t even correct him…

 Over the course of the following months, I began to lose hope. Our attorney was hard to get in touch with. He lacked professionalism and bedside manners for what had happened. We ended up being told that there was no real case, and recovered nothing from the state or the driver. While I am unsure if this was justice according to New Jersey law, I sure do know this—picking a lawyer who is attentive and will give your case all his or her attention is paramount.

 I’ve longed wondered if I would have enjoyed a different outcome should I have picked a better attorney… My son may have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because of a poor choice in legal representation.”

 Picking a qualified, dedicated, and seasoned attorney can make all the difference. We’ve heard horror stories over the years, and will surely add this one to the list. While it is unclear if there was a case in the situation you read above, people have the right to a professional service. Many lawyers chose the profession as they are called to serve. At The Law Offices of Jerrod Paul, we believe in providing personal service. Our clients can reach us 24/7. We put our clients first every day. Should you have a legal matter that needs review, please give us a call.

In the wake of the largest mass shooting in American history, Orlando and the country is already beginning the healing process. Over the next few days more details will emerge regarding the domestic terrorist attack that happened in downtown Orlando.

As more details roll in about the Pulse Shooting, here’s a quick list of things you can do to help along with some things you should know.

• Give Blood- there has been a massive outpouring in people coming together to help in any way possible. Should you have the following blood types, look into donating.
  • Needed blood types: O Negative, O Positive, AB Plasma.
  • Visit OneBlood.org for more information.
• Support people giving support- One of the lone bright spots in such a horrible travesty is the outpouring of support the community is demonstrating. At OneBlood downtown, local supermarkets and individuals provided food and water for those who waited outside the facility to give blood. If you can do anything to help, do it!
• Counseling– Grief is a product of tragedy. Should you find yourself needing to speak to a mental health professional contact Victim Services of Central Florida. The mental health community goes above and beyond during tragic times. Should you need services, please reach out.
• Facebook– The folks at Facebook have provided people that live in the Central Florida community the ability to mark themselves safe. Marking yourself safe helps put out of town family and friends at ease.
• Support– Lean on close family and friends in times of tragedy. If someone is processing their sadness, anger, and/or grief do your best to listen. Simply talking about your feelings is therapeutic and healing. This horrific and senseless act affects us all.
• Tips– Should you know anything about the shooter or have any information that will help the cause, contact the FBI.

Our Central Florida community is strong, we are resilient, we will get through this tragedy together. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected.

THE LEGAL BATTLE THAT FOLLOWED THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC

Did the sinking of the Titanic, sink the shipping company that operated the vessel? This is a question that books, movies, and popular culture has not addressed.

Rewind 104 years ago and you’d surely be hearing the headlines about the famed Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic. While most know the story of the Titanic, little is talked about the legal aftermath of one of history’s most famed disasters. We’ve come to accept that our modern day society is quite litigious. But what about in 1912?

Could you imagine if a major cruise line sunk today, killing thousands of people? The lawsuits that would follow would surely range in the hundreds of millions. Just last year, a Seattle jury awarded a Springfield, Illinois, man $21.5 million in lawsuit settlement after the man suffered a mild traumatic brain injury when he was hit by an automatic sliding door on board a Holland America Line cruise.

While the amount of consumer protection at the turn of the century left a lot to be desired, it didn’t stop people from suing after the sinking of the Titanic.

While reports are conflicting, it is generally accepted that the shipping company that managed the Titanic only had to endure 13-16 million dollars in claims.

The accident contributed to thousands of people perishing; the loss of life and property was astonishing. While adjusting for inflation puts the numbers in the 135 million dollar range, many of the cases were settled out of court for much less than the original claim. Even for 1912 standards, the legal process was drawn out. The first legal hurdle both sides had to tackle was which countries laws applied. Britain’s laws allowed for up to 2 million dollars to be paid out, while American law was much more generous to the shipping company, capping damages at $96,000.

In the aftermath of the Titanic, victims had to fight to receive compensation from the White Star Line (the shipping company). While the United States had legal disputes to tackle in regards to the case, the main trial took place in Britain. The courts ultimately ruled in favor of damage caps that favored the shipping company, the plaintiffs settled out of court. In modern times, victims and their respective families would have a much easier time in court. Trying a case is never easy, but with today’s technology, coupled with advancements in consumer protection, the likelihood of a favorable outcome is higher.

While technology has come leaps and bounds since the Titanic first set sail, that doesn’t mean cruise ships are entirely safe. In 2014, 31 people died on a cruise ship. While some of these deaths were accidental or due to natural causes, the cruise ship industry did not escape liability. Each year, the mainstream media catches wind of someone falling overboard. There is technology available to the cruise companies that detects overboard passengers. However, some ships are not equipped with it. At The Law Offices of Jerrod Paul, we are interested in protecting your rights as you set sail. The cruise lines have a responsibility to ensure a safe environment for their passengers to enjoy the sail. Bottom line is, should you have suffered an injury on a cruise ship or vessel, make sure you call The Law Offices of Jerrod Paul, you may have a case.