If you live in Maine, there are different types of lawyers whose contacts you should have. You can hire a lawyer for both business and individual needs. Since Maine does not have a public defense system, hire a private lawyer when you go to court. Here are the different Maine lawyers to hire whenever you have a legal issue.
Personal Injury Attorneys
A personal injury lawyer is an advocate who represents you in court when you get hurt in an accident. They are part of the Maine lawyers to hire when seeking personal compensation after injuries. They will help you get sufficient damages after you are hurt. A personal injury attorney must convince the court that there was negligence or that the accident was intentional. Hire a personal injury attorney for both physical and psychological injuries. Your lawyer will help you to convince the court that you require compensation following your injury.
Your lawyer may pursue different types of personal injury cases. Your lawyer must prove that the injury resulted from negligence for the court to determine damages. A personal injury lawyer can bring a case against individuals and companies. Injuries may arise due to a fall in a building, a lapse in security, incompetence, and medical malpractice. Personal injury lawyers work in the area of tort law.
The lawyer can pursue a range of damages depending on the type of accident that caused injuries to the client. A personal injury attorney can help you get compensation for loss of income or capability to work, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of companionship, and consortium.
To successfully argue their cases in court, personal injury lawyers start by interviewing their potential clients. When the lawyer has all the facts of the case, they may decide to take it or not. The lawyer will investigate the claims and argue in court. They may opt not to go to court and negotiate with the company or individual who caused the accident or their insurance company for damages.
Workers Comp Lawyers
If you get injured at work in Maine, you can hire a worker’s compensation lawyer to sue your employer for damages. You are required to fill out a compensation claim form. After making a claim, you are supposed to get an agreed-upon amount as compensation. However, many employers or insurance companies backing the workers’ compensation system minimize the benefit or refuse to pay altogether. Hire a workplace injury lawyer to help you get your maximum compensation amount.
Certain conditions necessitate the hiring of a workplace injury lawyer. Having a pre-existing condition is one of these reasons. Your employer or insurance company will likely claim that the pre-existing condition is the cause of the injury. Your lawyer can help you counter the claim and get your rightful benefits.
If your employer denies you the compensation or delays it, hire a lawyer. If you cannot work and your compensation amount is insufficient to cover your medical and lifestyle bills, start looking for a competent workplace injury lawyer. You can also hire a lawyer if you do not understand your employer’s workers’ compensation system. Usually, it takes a long time for you to get your compensation. Workplace injury lawyers are the Maine lawyers to hire to increase your damages or speed up payment.
Foreclosure Attorneys
A foreclosure happens when an individual does not make their mortgage payments as agreed. The mortgage lender then takes over the home to auction or sell it to recover the money owed to them. Foreclosure lawyers are the Maine lawyers to hire to help you navigate the process and even save your home if that is what you want. The foreclosure process is long and complicated. While it is possible to handle the foreclosure by yourself, a trusted attorney as your partner makes it lighter.
In Maine, the foreclosure process has two parts. The preforeclosure and the judicial closure. Preforeclosure is when you are behind on your mortgage payments, yet your lender has not started the foreclosure process. In this stage, you have a right to receive notices from your lender, participate in any mediation with your lawyer, and apply for loss mitigation. You can also pay the owed amount to prevent foreclosure and seek military protection. If your home gets foreclosed, you can negotiate for any amount earned over how much you owe the bank.
You will need a Maine foreclosure attorney when judicial foreclosure begins. A foreclosure starts 120 days after you have missed your mortgage payment. Your lender produces a lawsuit to ask the court to allow foreclosure sales. As the property owner, the lender will serve you with summons and complaints. If you fail to respond, the lender will receive a default judgment to foreclose on your property. Hire a foreclosure attorney to help you fight against the suit.
Antitrust Lawyers
Enterprises grow in different ways. Mergers and acquisitions are common in many industries. However, government regulations must be adhered to for the amalgamations to be successful. Countries and regions have antitrust rules and regulatory bodies that ensure no monopolies in specific sectors. Therefore, companies in these industries hire antitrust attorneys to ensure they meet the required regulations during an acquisition or merger.
Additionally, antitrust attorneys are the Maine lawyers to hire for small businesses looking to fight large enterprises for anti-competitive behavior. Antitrust laws and regulations help to enhance competition and block monopolies. Further, antitrust attorneys work for consumer lobby groups to fight against non-competitive practices in the market that prevent favorable conditions.
For example, companies in a particular sector can decide on a price for their services or products. The practice is known as price-fixing. Customers aggrieved by the action can hire Maine antitrust attorneys to stop the practice. Healthy business competition ensures that customers can get similar products and services at different prices from different providers. Bid rigging, illegal boycotts, and market allocations are other non-competitive practices antitrust lawyers can challenge in court.
Antitrust attorneys also help companies to identify and understand when they are involved in uncompetitive practices. Most of the time, they are advisors to companies. However, if need be, they will argue in court from time to time.
Bankruptcy Lawyers
Bankruptcy attorneys are the Maine lawyers to hire if you cannot pay your debts and would like to get declared bankrupt to reorganize your finances. Starting bankruptcy proceedings is a proper way for individuals and businesses to get out of debt and begin a process of better financial management. The proceedings involve a lot of paperwork and legal knowledge to succeed. Therefore, it necessitates the need for a bankruptcy attorney.
Depending on your financial burdens, you have several types of bankruptcies you can choose to declare. Your lawyers will help you decide how you want to get out of debt. The most common type of bankruptcy is known as Chapter 7 bankruptcy. It is also known as liquidation bankruptcy. If successful, the court discharges specific unsecured debts for applicants. Some of the debts you can get rid of with this method include medical bills, credit card debts, personal loans, utility bills, and civil court bills you cannot pay. Others include mortgages and car loans. However, the lenders will have to repossess their assets.
Only a court can grant you bankruptcy. If you go to court without a lawyer, you are unlikely to get the prayers you seek. The best Maine lawyers to hire for bankruptcy suits are competent and take the time to advise and ensure you can get out of debt quickly. They will also advise you on the other loans that do not fall under Chapter 7 bankruptcy, such as student loans.
Accident Attorneys
After a car accident, the best Maine lawyers to hire are accident lawyers. An accident lawyer ensures you are not stuck with medical bills because an insurance company has refused to honor your claim. Accident lawyers ensure that you get all your dues as accident compensation. Additionally, you do not have to pay them before you get paid.
The work of an accident attorney is similar to that of a personal injury lawyer. It is best to hire them as soon as you can after the accident. They will help you contact the insurance company and conduct investigations on whose fault the accident is to ensure proper compensation. They will also communicate with doctors and organize your medical bills and records before and after the accident. They help to negotiate with the insurance company and provide evidence if you have to go to trial. The main task of an accident lawyer is to get their client sufficient compensation after an accident.
When looking for Maine lawyers to hire for accident compensation, confirm that they are a licensed practice. Also, ensure they have the experience to handle a case like yours and get you the compensation you deserve. They should also have integrity as your money will pass through them. A dishonest accident lawyer can steal your compensation funds.
Criminal Defense Attorney
A criminal defense attorney is the best Maine lawyer to hire if you get accused of a crime. A criminal defense lawyer guides you through defending yourself in court. In Maine, you will hire a private defense attorney. However, in other jurisdictions, the accused can get a court-appointed criminal defense attorney or retain a private one. They help you to navigate payment of bonds and bails and court appearances.
A criminal defense lawyer will investigate the facts of the case and argue them in court for their client. They can also help negotiate favorable deals for their clients. The negotiated agreements may include reduced jail terms or bail. They also help to prepare their clients for any outcome of their cases. In court, they work to discredit the evidence and witnesses provided by the prosecution to secure a favorable verdict for their clients.
For the best results, choose an experienced criminal defense attorney. Check for reviews on their website or get a referral. Research their win rate on similar cases before deciding on a lawyer. Choose a good lawyer for a successful defense in court. An inexperienced lawyer may have you sent to jail for many years.
When considering Maine lawyers to hire for criminal defense, find out if you can afford them. A criminal defense attorney charges a fixed fee or by the hour. How much they charge depends on their experience and the complexity of the case at hand.
Military Lawyer
Military lawyers, also known as a JAG lawyer, are in demand for Maine lawyers to hire. They work within the military to defend and judge military members accused of a myriad of things within the ranks. They are qualified lawyers with licenses to practice law. Most of their work revolves around the military.
Military and civilian lawyers are different. A military lawyer has to follow the rules of the army. Some things are illegal for servicemembers that are not illegal for civilians. Therefore, a civilian lawyer will not perform well in military court. There are different rules and laws to follow.
When soldiers have legal problems with rent, court-martial, or when accused of treason, the only lawyer they can hire is a military lawyer. They help their clients navigate military court expertly. They have to be experts in both army law and civilian law. It ensures that they can serve their clients competently. Military lawyers also advise senior members of the army on matters of the law.
If you live in Maine, you need to know a range of Maine lawyers to hire. Hire the right lawyer for the legal service you require. Also, find out their charges before you commit. You want a competent and experienced lawyer in court whenever you have legal issues in Maine.