What to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer

The following is a guest post from Sam Payn. Sam is a reputed blogger who specializes in writing topics related to law and finance. In this article, he shares the top four questions that should be asked while hiring a personal injury lawyer. Thanks for the great article, Sam. 

Have you experienced a personal injury due to the fault of someone else or at the company where you work? 

If the answer is yes, it is imperative to hire an excellent personal injury attorney as soon as possible in order to be justly remunerated by those who have caused you damages. If you don't you might be offered no compensation at all. Too many attempt to fight the legal battle on their own and end up losing to the insurance companies.

Some succeed. But even those who do are often given amounts insufficient to cover all your expenses and lost wages. Since it is a must to hire an injury attorney in this situation, you need to know how to find the right professional for your needs. 

Here are some questions that you should ask your lawyer. 

Have you Dealt with These Cases in the Past? 

At times, lawyers give advertisements claiming their specialization in a particular field of law in order to attract more clients. But don't consider these ads to be absolutely true. Check if the lawyer has actually dealt with cases similar to yours in the past and what the results were.

If possible, ask for a list of his former clients and contact some of them to know if they got satisfactory results by working with him. Make sure you are not intimidated or unduly influenced by your lawyer. 

Remember, you are the one who has undergone the accident and going to pay his/her fees.

What is the Contingency Fee? 

The agreement for most of the personal injury cases depends upon the contingency fee, meaning you don't have to pay any legal fees until you get a monetary recovery. 

If your case is strong enough, it is most likely that a personal injury lawyer will take up the case on a contingency agreement. Though this fee is negotiable, usually it ranges between 25% and 40% of the total payout that you finally get.

Do I Need to Pay Case Costs in Advance? 

At times, the lawyers charge some up-front costs added to the contingency fees and usually it is deducted from the share of the client. Make sure your lawyer agrees upon a term that you won't be responsible to pay the costs, even if you are not successful. 

When Will You File the Suit? 

Most of the lawyers don't prefer to work on cases that don't have a deadline. However, there are many instances of feasible cases waiting for a year or two as no pending statute of limitations was there. If you see that there is no justified reason in delaying the filing of the case, ask your attorney if he can file it within two weeks. 

He/she might ignore your query and won't give a proper answer, but make sure he gives a specific response regarding when he can file the case.

Photo By: StockMonkeys

Simple Ways to Cut Car Insurance Costs

If you are a car owner, it is mandatory to have car insurance coverage (at least, if you plan on driving on roads built by the Government.)

But just because it is mandatory to have insurance doesn't make it cheap.

At compounding returns we believe the best way to cut expenses over time is to focus on the small, recurring costs that add up. Car insurance falls into this category.

But rather than slashing coverage, here are five ways you can significantly reduce your car insurance costs.

Shop Around: One of the best things you can do is shop around for car insurance quotes online. By researching your options before committing to any provider, you can source the cheapest car insurance that will suit your lifestyle.

While this may seem like a time-consuming activity, it may end up saving you hundreds of dollars in the long run while providing you with peace of mind. And that’s what car insurance is all about.

In the market? Learn more about IFA and other online insurance options.  

Be Smart with Modifications: Modifications to your car will affect the premium. Anything that will enhance your car’s performance or appearance is considered a green light for thieves, and you are more likely to make a claim for a stolen or damaged car.

However, installing a factory-fitted car alarm will significantly reduce your car insurance costs as your vehicle will be much harder for vandals to steal or damage. Following on from this, when you park your car, ensure it is in a well-lit area or garage to avoid these situations occurring.

Raise Your Deductible: Offer to pay a higher deductible. If you have confidence in your driving ability and obey all road signs and rules, then you are less likely to be involved in an accident that you will need to claim. By paying a higher deductible, you will save a lot of money in premiums. 

Bundle Your Insurance: Try to have more than one insurance policy with the same insurance company. If you can manage to insure your car and your house with the same company, it’s more likely that they will offer you a discount on one of your policies.

Keep an Eye on the Competition: Car insurance quotes are constantly evolving, so don’t stop looking around for better offers from competing companies to always have the cheapest policy. Make sure you compare car insurance policies. 

The Bottom Line: 

By being a smart consumer, it is likely that you can save a bundle on auto insurance. Just following the five tips above is likely to get you started saving today.

Photo By: Adrian 8

Easy Ways to Spend Smarter

Do you shiver every time you receive your monthly bills? Many people do, but still struggle to cut their expenses. If you fall into this category, or worse, have a family teenage family member who does; you can use the following list of tips to budget or help budget your teen's finances.

Save on Fuel: How much did you pay last time you filled up your car tank? You can save up to $100 per week if you use your car less. Start biking and walking more. These activities would not only save your money, but make you a healthier person. Don’t take your car if you need to go to a pharmacy or a place five minutes away from your house.

Shop Responsibly: Sometimes its hard to spend smart. A shopping list would keep you from buying things that you don’t really need. Stick to your shopping list and you will avoid overspending. Many people spend a significant amount of money in supermarkets. Buy things that you really need and stop the impulsive shopping.

Eating healthy means buying fresh fruit and vegetables. You can buy great healthy food for less from the local market. Supermarket food is overpriced and not the best quality. You can get some fresh apples and seasonal vegetables at the local market. You will also support the entrepreneurial spirit of the community.

Get Rid of Old Stuff: Many people have things that they don’t really need. Do you have a designer outfit sitting in your closet? Open your wardrobe and get out the clothes that you haven’t worn in a while. If you haven’t used something for a year, you won’t use it in the future. There is no need to throw these things away, you can sell them online. Get an account on eBay and start selling all your designer clothes that you no longer wear.

Become a DIY Expert: DIY items can help you save some money on things that you can make at home. Many people enjoy creating something new. You can search for various DIY ideas online and try them out with your children. You will learn how to re-use old candles and wine bottles; how to renovate your house and plant flowers in your garden. These skills are invaluable.

Reconsider Insurance Coverage: Many homeowners don’t know what’s included in their insurance plan. In some cases people end up overpaying a lot of money on insurance. There are a lot of insurance plans that may suit your needs. Use homeowners insurance calculator to customize and estimate the cost. It is an easy tool that would help you in saving a lot of money.

Adopt the “Do I Need This” Approach: When you enter a store and decide to purchase something, ask yourself if you really need it. This simple question would help you clear your head and avoid overspending. Even if you see something on sale, it does not mean you actually need it.

This is a guest contribution by freelance writer Lisa Peteres. If you have any questions to her, feel free to drop her a comment, she’ll be happy to help!

Photo By: Images of Money

Get Rich. Act Poor.

Can the key to building wealth really be summed up in two words? I believe it can be summed up by the words:

Act poor. 

The authors of The Millionaire Next Door: Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy, Thomas Stanley and William Danko discovered in their groundbreaking book, that the one thing that the wealthiest Americans have in common is their overall frugality.

Armed with the knowledge that living below our means can make us rich, how can we apply this groundbreaking knowledge in our own life? Acting poor is a lifestyle and a mindset. In an epic irony, acting poor is the single best thing you can do to become rich. 

Acting poor means different things to different people, and can be applied in numerous ways. 

I have chosen to apply this advice in my own life in the following way: 

The strategy that I have chosen is to always try to live on my previous salary. 

Since I began at my current employer, I have been promoted several times. Each time I have received a raise or a promotion, I have banked, invested, or used the difference to pay down debt. This strategy has worked great for me. 

When I started learning about personal finance, I was highly in debt, living paycheck to paycheck. Since developing my first budget several years ago, I have been able to essentially stabilize my expenses, while paying off almost 60K in debt and investing over 30% of my monthly income. All of this has been accomplished by living as if I had never been promoted. 

I plan on continuing this strategy. Although as life changes come along and inflation increases, changes to the line items in my budget may need to be made, this strategy has so far offered a simple way to painlessly put my financial well being first, without too much heartburn.

Do you have an acting poor strategy? If so, please share

Photo By: Dan Moyle

Save Money with Solar Technology

Energy costs today are one of the single biggest expenses for the average American.

Between the requirements of heating and cooling your home, filling your vehicle with gasoline, and keeping the yard green it becomes readily apparent that besides your mortgage energy expenses are one of the leading costs of the modern American lifestyle. 

There are numerous ways to reduce both your carbon footprint and your recurring energy costs. Many are simple and common sense techniques that do not require major changes or expenses. 

Simple things like buying compact fluorescent lights or an adjustable thermostat can make a big difference over time. 

But for some, these small changes may not be yielding the desired long-term cost savings. Others are just not satisfied by the reduction in their carbon footprint that results from small lifestyle changes. 

If you find yourself looking for some major green technologies that can help you save money while saving the environment, you may want to look into solar technology. This is particularly true if you live in an area like Southern California or Arizona. In that case, you'll certainly want to look into Southern California solar power companies. 

Here are two common solar additions for your home, and how they can save you money. 

Solar Panels:  Also known as photovoltaic cells, solar panels are one of the best ways to reduce pollution and lower your electricity expenses (if you have the cash to spend). 

The average cost of installation for the typical solar array comes in at around $30,000, before green energy tax credits, rebates, and incentives, which help you recoup much of the initial expense. How much of the expense? Well, for a typical family, money spent on a solar array can expect to receive a 30% federal rebate. In addition, many states offer their own tax credits and rebates for installation. 

Initial cost: Around $18,000 (after tax rebates)
Time to recoup initial expense: 6-10 years (on average)

Solar Water Heater: Not many people have the $30,000 or so it costs to install a solar array laying around. For those with a smaller budget, a solar water heater can provide many of the same benefits at a fraction of the costs. 

Installing a solar water heater can be a great way to cut down on energy costs at a much lower initial expense. The costs associated with the installation of a solar water heater are actually recouped much faster than the costs associated with photovoltaic technology for power generation. This is due to the increased efficiency of solar water heating systems, as well as their reduced expense when compared to the large solar array required for powering a home.

Initial cost: Around $2,000 to $5,000
Time to recoup initial expense: 2 years (on average)

Long story short, if you are looking to save money it may be worth it to consider solar energy. And, if you aren't ready to make the commitment to solar, at least remember to turn the lights out when you leave the room. 

Photo By: David Nikon vs Canon