A personal injury lawyer near Tracy can handle a broad range of cases, including auto accidents and attacks by dogs. If you’ve suffered an injury and you believe it may have been the fault of another party, you can consult a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal options. For this type of case, your injury lawyer will need to prove that the defendant should be held liable for your injuries. Additionally, he or she will need to provide evidence of the nature and extent of your losses. Quite often, however, attorneys can negotiate a favorable settlement for plaintiffs before the case goes to trial.

Auto Accidents

The majority of personal injury cases in the U.S. result from car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle collisions. Bicycle accidents and cases in which pedestrians are struck also form the basis for many personal injury lawsuits. Often, a lawyer can assist the victim of a crash by negotiating for a fair settlement from the auto insurance company. At other times; however, a personal injury lawsuit is necessary to justly compensate the victim. A lawyer can also represent the family members of an auto accident victim. In the event that a victim lost his or her life in the crash, the lawyer can file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the surviving family members. Compensation from a jury award or settlement deal can pay funeral expenses and medical expenses.

Dog Bites

Even a well-trained, mild-mannered dog can bite. Dogs often attack because they feel threatened, because they’re hurt, or because they’re trying to protect something or someone. Dog bite cases are complex and often hinge upon where the attack took place, such as whether it was on the owner’s property or in a kennel. If you’ve been attacked by a dog, it’s imperative to work with an attorney who has experience handling these types of cases.

Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall cases can also be complicated. An individual may slip or trip and fall on a public sidewalk, inside a private building, or inside a retail establishment. A personal injury lawyer can investigate the case thoroughly to determine which parties may be held liable for the accident. This may include property managers or building owners, for example.

You can consult an estate planning attorney near Tracy for legal guidance on a variety of matters. Estate planning involves arranging for the transfer of assets after your death , such as your home, savings, and investments. Estate planning also involves establishing a trust, living trust, and living will. You can turn to your estate planning attorney when you need to draft your last will and testament.

Watch this video for more helpful information on estate planning and the services your attorney can perform. This expert explains how careful estate planning can minimize the burden placed on your heirs. He also discusses why families might turn to an estate planning lawyer after the passing of a loved one.

Estate planning is often thought of as matters pertaining only to the drafting of a last will and testament. But in fact, estate planning near Tracy may also involve making provisions for the continuation of your business and planning for your own future. Estate law is a complex area. When it’s time to organize your affairs, turn to a lawyer with expertise in estate planning.

Taking Care of Your Family

There are many ways in which estate planning can benefit your family. Often, when a loved one passes on, the surviving family members experience financial difficulties, which can be compounded by the will being stuck in probate. A skillful estate planning lawyer may be able to use state laws to your family’s advantage, such as by enabling them to receive partial payments while they wait. You can accomplish much more with your will than just distributing your assets. If you have children under the age of 18, you can use your will to designate their guardian in the event of your death. Of course, it’s customary for spouses to name each other as the guardian in the event of a death. However, you can also name a secondary guardian, such as an adult sibling, aunt, or uncle in the event that both you and your spouse pass on before your children become adults.

Planning for Your Future

An estate planning attorney can help you express your personal preferences in the event that you become physically or mentally incapacitated. You can designate durable healthcare powers of attorney to make medical decisions in accordance with your preferences. You can also have a living will drafted, which will specify which medical treatments you want or don’t want in the event of certain circumstances.

Facilitating Succession for Your Business

Many small business owners rely on estate planning lawyers to help them plan for the succession of their businesses in the event of death. If you own a small business, planning these matters in advance will spare your loved ones the burden of deciding what to do about your business.

When estate planning, most people mistakenly believe that trusts are reserved exclusively for the wealthy. In fact, nearly anyone can benefit from setting up a trust. A trust simply gives you control over how your assets are distributed after you pass. In addition to giving you that extra control, trusts can help your beneficiaries avoid estate taxes and probate proceedings. In this infographic from Bakerink, McCusker & Belden Law , attorneys offering estate planning in Tracy, you’ll learn how trusts work and who can benefit from them. To find out which kind of trust is right for you, contact one of our lawyers. You can also arm your family and friends with the knowledge they need for estate planning by sharing this information with them.

Brinton R. McCusker, a lawyer serving Tracy , has been providing legal guidance to California residents since 1997. As a founding partner of Bakerink, McCusker & Belden, this injury lawyer has helped hundreds of clients reach favorable resolutions of their cases. Mr. McCusker has extensive experience with all types of personal injury cases, including auto accidents, motorcycle crashes, truck accidents, dog bites, slip and falls, and defective products. Mr. McCusker also represents property managers and landlords in eviction cases, along with civil litigation involving real property disputes and breach of contract.

Before Mr. McCusker began serving residents of Tracy and nearby areas as a skilled lawyer, he served his country in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1989 as a Russian linguist. Later, in law school, he worked as a law clerk for the County of San Joaquin. Upon becoming a lawyer admitted to the State Bar of California, Mr. McCusker also became a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California, an organization dedicated to fighting for justice on behalf of those who have suffered losses due to negligent acts.

If you have been injured in an accident, it’s essential that you take immediate action to protect yourself and your rights. One of your first steps should be to contact a personal injury lawyer near Tracy to set up a consultation. During that initial meeting, your attorney can help you determine whether you have a case and who should be held responsible for the harm you have suffered. Your attorney can also inform you of how much compensation you may be entitled to for your injuries, which will help you decide whether your case is worth pursuing. Bringing a legal case can be a complex process, and a seasoned attorney will have the expertise and knowledge of California law that is necessary to navigate the legal system and bring your case to a satisfactory conclusion. No matter what kind of accident you have been involved in, an experienced accident attorney can help you.

In a perfect world, no one would be killed as a result of another’s recklessness or negligence. However, thousands of people die every year as a direct result of unsafe conditions and wrongful actions. Though nothing can be done to bring these people back, their dependents can seek financial compensation. If you believe that your deceased loved one’s death was caused by negligence, consider having a Tracy personal injury lawyer at Bakerink, McCusker & Belden to help you file a wrongful death claim.

There are a number of negligence-related circumstances that might result in a person’s death. For example, an individual might be killed during an accident with a drunk driver, or an irresponsible medical professional may fail to diagnose a well-known fatal disease while it’s still treatable. Whatever the cause of the person’s death, the victim’s family may choose to hold the guilty party accountable by filing a wrongful death claim. The family might demand compensation for the loss of income, funeral expenses, and emotional distress they incurred in the wake of their loved one’s wrongful death.

Probate is the process of sorting through the assets of a deceased individual and passing them on to inheritors and creditors. Probate is supervised by a court. It can be a lengthy, complicated process, and many individuals who are chosen as executors feel overwhelmed by the idea of handling these affairs. If you have been named an executor, contact a lawyer with Bakerink, McCusker & Belden right away to discuss probate and your responsibilities. The first step your attorney will take is to arrange for the court to officially designate you as the executor.

Once you are officially designated as the executor, you have a number of tasks ahead of you. As your lawyer in Tracy with Bakerink, McCusker & Belden can explain to you, you’ll need to file the original will, death certificate, and petition for probate in the court. You’ll need to publish a notice of probate and mail notices to all known creditors, along with the beneficiaries and heirs. Then, the court will require you to file proof that you did indeed fulfill those responsibilities. Your lawyer with Bakerink, McCusker & Belden will walk you through handling other responsibilities, including dealing with taxes, resolving debts, and distributing remaining assets.

It’s all too common to delay creating a will until a serious illness strikes or an individual celebrates a milestone birthday. Many people delay consulting a lawyer regarding estate planning because they expect to lead a long, healthy life. While this is certainly ideal, a catastrophe can strike at any time. It’s advisable for all adults to work with Bakerink, McCusker & Belden a lawyer in Tracy to create a will. By establishing a last will and testament, you can protect your family’s future.

Evaluating Your Assets

Before you sit down with your lawyer to write your will, make a list of all of your assets. This list should include your bank accounts, real estate, retirement funds, life insurance policies, and various investments. It should also include personal assets such as your vehicle, art collections, jewelry, and other items of significant financial or sentimental value.

Designating Beneficiaries

Once you have a complete list of all of your assets, it’s time to decide who your beneficiaries will be . You can designate as few or as many beneficiaries as you wish. You may bequeath your liquid assets to your children, for example, and your real estate to your spouse. You may wish to divvy up family heirlooms among your beneficiaries. Bear in mind, however, that certain assets cannot be distributed with a will. This includes any property that you hold jointly. By law, this property will pass to the surviving owner. For example, if you own a house with your spouse, your spouse will automatically receive full ownership of the house upon your death.

Designating Legal Guardians

It’s widely known that wills are used to bequeath assets; however, many people overlook another important aspect of a will: Designating legal guardians. If you have children under the age of 18, you can use your will to designate a legal guardian upon your death. It’s common to designate a spouse as legal guardian and to designate another family member, such as a sibling, as the secondary guardian in the event that your spouse does not survive.

To protect your assets and your family’s financial future, you may wish to speak with a lawyer with Bakerink, McCusker & Belden who specializes in estate planning. A lawyer in Tracy with Bakerink, McCusker & Belden can help you establish a living trust. A living trust is much more than a document. It’s a funded entity. With the help of your living trust attorney, you will need to transfer your assets to the trust . Since you can serve as the trustee of your own trust, you will maintain full control over your assets.

As you’ll learn by watching this video, you should consider transferring assets such as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, securities, and other investments to the trust. However, for tax reasons, it’s usually best to avoid transferring annuities or IRAs to a living trust.