Why do you need an Estate Lawyer in Edmonton, Alberta

It is essential for each one of us to have a will, at some point or other, in order to ensure that one’s personal assets are distributed according to their wishes after the death.

What is a Will?

A will is a legally binding document, which contains the details regarding handling your assets after your death. In addition, a will may also be used to appoint a guardian to take care of children until they are “of age”.  If a Will is not made in time, it may create a lot of confusion for the family members after death. Moreover, this is maybe a cause of conflict as the assets would then be divided as per intestacy rules.

Learn more about the differences between the Power of Attorney and Directive Principles.

“ Intestacy is the condition of the estate of a person who dies without having made a valid will or other binding declaration. Alternatively, this may also apply where a will or declaration has been made, but only applies to part of the estate; the remaining estate forms the “intestate estate”. Intestacy law, also referred to as the law of descent and distribution, refers to the body of law (statutory and case law) that determines who is entitled to the property from the estate under the rules of inheritance.” – Wikipedia.

The person willing to create a Will is often referred to as Testator. A lawyer would ensure that the Testator is in a healthy physical and mental condition while he/she is drafting the will.

Also, it must be noted that a Will should be drafted as a part of estate planning and not strictly as per the statutory rules. It is always recommended to have a legal advice prior to having an estate planning. An experienced lawyer provides expert advice in all the matters related to family and estate planning. They can help you to create the most effective estate planning considering the financial, social & economic factors such as taxes, insurances, premiums, mortgages, debts, inflation of the family. Moreover, working with an Estate Lawyer will ensure that you can change or update the will if any of the rules of Wills and Succession Act changes.

Our experienced Estate Lawyers at Right Legal in Edmonton, Alberta help you create an effective Estate Plan.

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Personal Injury – Long Term Disability Coverage in Edmonton, Alberta

Rising number of cases for a Trip and fall or slip and fall accidents has been a worry in Edmonton, Alberta. Every year thousands of people visit hospital emergency rooms after facing serious injuries due to fall.  Whether you trip and slip or fall and get injured by someone or on someone else’s property, you are eligible to compensation for your losses.

You can claim your compensation in the following cases:

1) if you have sustained genuine losses as a result of  serious injury by someone or

2) an injury was caused due to an unsafe condition on other’s property.

In either of the cases, the owner/occupier of the property may be found liable for your damage.

Read more about Personal Injury Law in Alberta.

In cases of a severe injury, you may be eligible for a Long Term Disability Coverage.

In case you have experienced an injury at your workplace, you may claim for Workers Compensation Board (WCB) benefits as a part of your Long Term Disability Coverage (LTD). Understanding the benefits of LTD and WCB can be confusing and often the injured party may not have all the information at once.

 

Differences Between LTD and WCB Benefits

Individuals working in Alberta have access to several types of disability coverage, as well as WCB benefits. WCB benefits are often regulated and stated in terms of qualifying criteria for an individual, their net income loss and the duration of their benefits. WSIB also covers the medical expenses.

On the other hand, LTD benefits are offered for accidents that occur outside the workplace. It involves impairments that affect a person’s ability to perform his/her daily tasks. It is important to note that although an LTD may cover for a person’s loss in income, it may not cover their medical expenses. Also, the LTD payouts may take 2 to 3 years to a maximum of 65 years (the retirement age).

Most LTD policies cover a large proportion of an injured person’s benefits. Therefore, in some cases, an LTD claim may not allow you to have other disability benefits. While the policy differs from case to case basis, the claims may not be guaranteed in all the cases. However, with few co-ordination clauses in place, you can benefit from both LTD as well as WCB.

Our experienced Personal Injury Lawyers at Right Legal can help you to find the right program and assist you to file a disability claim.

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Understanding Personal Injury Law in Edmonton Alberta

If you are a victim of a car accident, who might be eligible for compensations for injury payments under the Insurance Act of Alberta. It is extremely important to understand the laws governing the Insurance policy. There are different ways where you can receive compensation. For instance, you may be eligible for car accident benefits irrespective of someone else’s fault. Moreover, insurance companies may cover expenses regarding health-care, income and housekeeper for an at-fault driver.

You may receive personal injury rewards even before moving to a court.

However, filing a personal injury claim can be a tedious process and you may have to keep track of every minute thing. Keeping in mind the complexities involved with the process, we encourage you to get in touch with a lawyer to work on your case.

One of our experienced Injury Lawyers at Right Legal can help to file your claim. They can assist you in getting proper access to care, benefits and highest possible value for your claim.

 

Injured party

 

Under the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims program (MVAC) of Alberta, you must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for the claim :

 

1. Motor vehicle accident, resulting in severe body injuries. (No property damages are covered).
2. Be a resident of Alberta or be from a jurisdiction that has a program similar to MVACthat would cover Albertans out-of-province.
3. The accident must have occurred within the province of Alberta.
4. The accident must be the fault of an uninsured or unknown driver.
5. Liability for the motor vehicle accident must rest solely with an uninsured or unknown driver.

 

Providing Notice of Potential Claims

 

Although Motor Vehicle Accident Claim Act requires you to submit the claims earlier than 90 days of the accident, yet it is highly recommended that you contact Motor Vehicle Accident Claim (MVAC) as soon as possible.

 

Filling a Lawsuit

 

In order to seek compensation, under Motor Vehicle Accident Act, you are required to sue all the persons involved in or are liable for the accident. In general, you have 2 years to file the lawsuit.

 

You can refer to this article, to learn more about the Motor Vehicle Claims Act in Alberta.

 

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Are you eligible for Bankruptcy in Edmonton, Alberta?

There might be situations where you are under financial pressure and fail to repay your bills and mortgages. Collection agencies start calling you and it might be a time of think for alternate options. One of the options can be filing for Bankruptcy. Bankruptcy filings in Edmonton, Alberta are governed by the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Learn more about the Bankruptcy Act here.

One important qualification for filing Bankruptcy is to be an Insolvent.

To qualify as an insolvent, you must:

• Owe at least $1,000 in debt
• Unable to pay your dues, and
• Have more liabilities than assets.

 

Apart from individuals, even corporations can also be considered for Bankruptcy. These businesses can be assigned into bankruptcy at the sole discretion of their shareholders or directors or petitioned into bankruptcy by a creditor.

Also, a person must be a Canadian Resident having a registered business here or have a property in Canada in order to be considered as an Insolvent.

Learn about Asset Protection Tips in Edmonton, Alberta.

What is the role of a Trustee?

Only a Licensed Insolvency Trustee can administer a bankruptcy in Canada. These professionals are federally licensed and follow a stringent code of ethics to mediate any dispute. Also, the cost of dealing with a Trustee is lesser compared to that of independent consultants as Trustees fee are regulated by the government.

Two main roles of a Trustee:

1. To sell Debtor’s assets
2. To recover and distribute money to Creditors at the end.

 

Apart from this a Trustee can also act as a debt consultant and can :

• Provide debt counseling
• Prepare proposals for creditors
• Negotiate settlements

 

Length of Bankruptcy

There are several factors that affect the length of bankruptcy in Alberta, yet most bankruptcy charges are for a minimum of nine months, except in cases where it is extended on court orders. In other cases, if your income is higher than the limit set by the government, the length of bankruptcy can be extended.

Since bankruptcy laws are confusing, you might be willing to take an expert advice to file your case. Our trusted and experienced Bankruptcy lawyers at Right Legal can help you with advice on your case.

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What should you do in case of a Sexual Assault Case

Sexual assault against women is a crime. These are cases which can leave victims under emotional and physical stress. Studies show that a number of sexual assault cases against women go unreported as the accused belongs to the family of the victim while others go unreported as the witness doesn’t wish to testify in front of court proceedings. Various sexual assault centers offer help in terms of counseling services, court support, diversity & inclusion and public education.

What is a Sexual Assault?

According to the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual contact without voluntary consent. Sexual contact here includes:

• Unwanted oral contact or “kissing”
• Unwanted touching, grabbing, groping, or sexual rubbing
• Unwanted oral-genital contact or “oral sex”
• Unwanted vaginal or anal penetration

What Should you do if you are a victim of a sexual assault case

Your first call of action should be getting in touch with Sexual Assault Centres as soon as possible. You can also choose to call police if you think the case is of a severe nature. A sexual assault center has trained volunteers who can provide you with a moral or emotional support and help you prepare to call the police.

 

Also, learn when to file a civil lawsuit in case of a sexual assault.

 

In case you need medical attention:

Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) has trained nurses who can provide you with specialized education in terms of sexual assault care. They can offer you a physical examination to look after your injuries and prepare you to take tests for pregnancy and other sexually transmitted infections. You can get in touch with SART nurses in any of the following hospitals listed below:

·     Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital (9401 86 Ave, Fort Saskatchewan, AB T8L 0C6)

·     Grey Nuns Community Hospital (1100 Youville Dr. W Northwest, Edmonton, AB T6L 5X8)

·     Leduc Community Hospital (4210 48 St, Leduc, AB T9E 5Z3)

·     Misericordia Community Hospital (16940 87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5R 4H5)

·     Northeast Community Health Centre (14007 50 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5A 5E4)

·     Royal Alexandra Hospital (10240 Kingsway NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 3V9)

·     Strathcona Community Hospital (9000 Emerald Dr, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 0J3)

·     Sturgeon Community Hospital (201 Boudreau Rd, St. Albert, AB T8N 6C4)

·     University of Alberta Hospital (8440 112 St NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7)

·     Westview Health Centre (4405 S Park Dr, Stony Plain, AB T7Z 2M7)

Sexual Assault cases are of severe nature and must be acted upon.

You can always connect with one of our Edmonton based criminal lawyers at Right Legal who can help with your case.

 

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Obtaining Power of Attorney for your parents

Your parents might need more assistance as they are getting old. By taking care of their daily lives to managing their financials, you can ensure that they can lead a healthy life. It is always advisable to obtain a Power of Attorney on behalf of your parents at an early stage.

The process of obtaining a Power of Attorney can be difficult to navigate, hence it is essential to know the details of it.

What is Power of Attorney?

Power of Attorney is a process of obtaining a nomination on behalf of someone to manage their livelihood and finances when the person is not capable of handling it themselves. The tasks may include dealing with finances such as Banks, revenue agencies, Insurance, Investments and other legal matters involving personal life choices and health.

There are specific guidelines that must be followed by the agent when it comes to the principal they are looking after.

Read about the differences between Personal Directive and a Power of Attorney.

Why Would Your Parents Need One?

It is unfortunate that one in eight-person, over the age of 65 years suffer from diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. Click here to read more about the statistics. Given their inability to make right choices, legally, a person suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s cannot consent to have a Power of Attorney. Therefore, it of prime importance to obtain a legally binding Power of Attorney at the right time.

How do You Go About Obtaining Power of Attorney?

Discuss it with Your Parents

The first step is to have an agreement with your parents regarding their wish and your roles and responsibilities. It might be unclear at the start, yet having an informal agreement is advisable. You must ensure they are in a healthy state of mind to agree on things.

Determine the Type of Power of Attorney

Various types of Power of Attorney in Edmonton, Alberta:

1. General Power of Attorney
2. Special or Limited Power of Attorney
3. Springing Power of Attorney
4. Durable Power of Attorney

Choosing the right Power of Attorney for your needs is extremely important. It can vary from case to case basis. For example, a Springing Power of Attorney comes into effect only after a certain qualification is met, whereas an intermediate Power of Attorney effective immediately. Hence hiring an agent at this stage would be helpful to know the best possible type that suits you.

Understanding Requirements for Obtaining Power of Attorney in Alberta

A powerful document such as “Power of Attorney” is extremely important in one’s life. Each province in Canada has its own rules while documenting Power of Attorney and hence it becomes essential to hire a lawyer to document your case, who can ensure all the details are available. Our Edmonton, Alberta based Estate Lawyers at Right Legal can help you to create a Power of Attorney.

Get your documents Notarized

Once you or your lawyer have drafted the Power of Attorney, you must get it notarized with the registry in Alberta. You can use multiple copies to present the same to financial institutions such as Insurance, Revenue, Banks etc. However, it must be noted that you should obtain a true copy for Alberta Lands.

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Sexual harassment: When to file a Civil Harassment Lawsuit

According to Alberta Human Rights Act, Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual behavior that adversely affects, or threatens to affect, directly or indirectly, a person’s job security, working conditions or prospects for promotion or earnings; or prevents a person from getting a job, living accommodations or any kind of public service.

Cases of sexual harassment have been rising and it is time for you to be aware of the laws in place. As a human, it’s your right to feel safe in your society and at the workplace. Although it is easy to file a lawsuit under sexual harassment in Canada, you must know few important points before starting the process.

Various types of sexual harassment:

According to Alberta Human Rights Commission, following acts qualify for sexual harassment :

• suggestive remarks, sexual jokes or compromising invitations;
• verbal abuse;
• visual display of suggestive sexual images;
• leering or whistling;
• patting, rubbing or another unwanted physical contact;
• outright demands for sexual favors; and
• physical assault.

 

You may also refer to your employee manual for more details as most of the employers maintain a separate sexual harassment manual, under OHS Act, Regulation, and Code. In case of any confusion, you may always consult to your HR department or the grievance officer before approaching a lawyer.

 

Your First Step – Warning the Harasser

In case, you feel uncomfortable with any of the above-mentioned acts by someone, you may first choose to speak to the individual in order to let them know about the unwanted behavior. If you feel the case needs attention you may speak to the management of the organization and let them know about the act.

Organizations have this duty towards building commitment of a safe workplace. They must ensure measures are taken to prevent Sexual Harassment, yet they must have proper policies in place to punish the offender.

 

Filing a civil Harassment Lawsuit

You can choose to file a civil harassment lawsuit if you feel it’s the best way to remediate the act. Filing a civil harassment lawsuit is not similar to the one against a criminal suit. It gives you more control over the case. You can get in touch with of our Civil Litigation Lawyers at Right Legal to know more.

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