When Should I Review My Estate Plan? If you have a will, chances are you haven’t read it or thought about it much since the day you signed it. But what if it’s outdated and no longer fits your needs? The best way to make sure that your estate plan still works for you is […]
Hourly Fee vs. Contingent Fee As is the case with doctors, carpenters, mechanics and just about every other occupation, attorneys typically charge a fee for their work. Sometimes clients are charged an hourly fee for work their lawyer performs. The hourly rate lawyers charge can vary considerably depending on a number of factors, including the […]
Lewis, Lewis & Falkner is proud to announce that Albert G. Lewis III has again been granted an “AV Preeminent Rating” by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings. Awarded to less than ten percent of all attorneys across the United States, the AV Preeminent Rating is the highest possible rating given by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review for […]
Are you disabled but don’t think you can afford to pay an attorney to help with your disability application or appeal? The good news is that in general lawyers do not charge upfront fees to work on a Social Security disability claim. Instead, most disability attorneys are paid on a contingency fee basis, which […]
Mary Lane Falkner of Lewis, Lewis & Falkner has been selected to the 2018 Mid-South Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Alabama are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than […]
Who Makes My Health Care Decisions If I’m Too Sick to Speak for Myself? Adults in Alabama have the right to make decisions about their own medical care. But what if you’re too sick to talk or to make choices for yourself? An advance directive, also called a “living will,” is a document you can […]
What happens to a minor child when both of his parents die? As with most estate planning issues, this is something that is unpleasant to think about but very important. If one parent dies then generally the surviving parent will have custody of the child. But what if both parents die while the child is […]
How long do I have to appeal a denial of Social Security Disability Benefits? If your application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is denied, you have 60 days to file an appeal, unless you have “good cause” for failing to do so. “Good cause” could be found if: you […]
What if I was in a car wreck and wasn’t wearing my seatbelt…can I still win damages? In Alabama you are required to wear a seat belt if the car is in motion and you are in the front seat. Interestingly, if you are seated in the back seat of a car and over 15 […]
How long does the social security appeals process take in Alabama? In Alabama’s region it takes an average of 15 months for an Administrative Law Judge to become available to hear a claim. Wait times are dependent on the workload in a geographic area and the amount of staff available to handle the number of […]