The Benefits of Settling Personal Injury Cases Out of Court

Ebenstein & Ebenstein, a law firm in Hartford, Connecticut, provided a full range of high-quality legal representation. Having focused much of its practice on personal injury law and litigation, Ebenstein & Ebenstein attorneys expertly argued on behalf of clients both in and out of court.

Settling personal injury cases out of court is beneficial for a variety of reasons, one of which is that it is typically less expensive. Not only is the percentage received by the attorney often less when compared to trials, settlements also reduce the number of billable hours an attorney works on the case.

Trials are also very stressful for all those involved. Both sides must complete extensive examinations and cross-examinations while also having their character scrutinized. Trials require being present at various depositions and mediations in addition to the actual court hearing, causing more physical and emotional stress. Further personal details are protected with a settlement and the added option of a confidentiality agreement prevents the case from being spoken about in public at all, whereas trial cases are public record and available for everyone to review.

Personal Injury Cases Resulting from Car Accidents

Based in Connecticut, Ebenstein & Ebenstein provided a variety of legal services. With a results-oriented focus, Ebenstein & Ebenstein represented clients from across the nation and maintained extensive experience in personal injury cases.

Personal injury lawsuits can stem from a number of incidents that commonly occur on the job or during a car accident. In the state of Connecticut, those who have been injured in a car accident that was caused by a driver’s negligence may be able to pursue a personal injury claim. Negligence must first be proven, and so it is advisable for individuals who have been involved in an accident that is not progressing smoothly through the traditional auto insurance channels to contact an attorney, preferably one with experience in personal injury law. Negligence may be determined by the failure of one driver to carry out a specific duty that resulted in an injury-causing accident on the road. If a driver is found to have been negligent, the injured person may be eligible to request personal injury compensation.

Basic Litigation Terms

Ebenstein & Ebenstein, a former law firm based out of Connecticut, provided clients with a wide range of services and legal expertise. Ebenstein & Ebenstein featured a team of multi-talented lawyers, particularly those with litigation experience.

Whether you are a law student, a defendant, or a victim working with the prosecution, the complex litigation process can seem like another language. There are a few key terms that individuals should become familiar with before entering into a court setting. To begin with, an acquittal is an important term for the defense; in the case of an acquittal, either a judge has deemed the current evidence lacking and not substantial enough to continue a trial, or a jury has returned with a non-guilty verdict. In either case, the trial is over. In order for the prosecution to avoid an acquittal, all of the evidence used in the case must be considered admissible. This means that the evidence adheres to the letter of the law and can be presented in court to a judge and jury.

A common litigation term heard in the mainstream is “objection.” The expression is most commonly heard when one side of the litigation breaks procedure in order to make their case, forcing the opposing side to object. If the judge sustains the objection, the offender must cease their line of questioning or withdraw unsanctioned evidence.

What is Family Law?

The longevity of Connecticut’s Ebenstein & Ebenstein law firm can be attributed to its results-oriented approach as well as its experience and expertise in several practice areas. Ebenstein & Ebenstein focused on personal injury cases and also represented clients in real estate law, estate planning, and family law.

Family law is an area of law that addresses domestic matters such as marriages and civil unions, divorce, alimony, child custody, parental rights, and protection from domestic violence. Family law is not always associated with the dissolution of a family; family law lawyers are also very skilled at helping parents through the complicated adoption process. They can also help individuals carry out paternity tests if necessary.

In contrast to some other types of attorneys, family lawyers spend a great deal of time with their clients, hearing their struggles and personal dilemmas, and helping them overcome these challenges. Working at such an intimate level with clients can be highly rewarding as well as emotionally draining. As divorce rates continue to climb in the United States, the need for family lawyers grows as well.

The Difference between State Courts and Federal Courts

Connecticut law firm Ebenstein & Ebenstein provided full legal services to clients around the state for many years. Dedicated to providing exceptional counsel and services, Ebenstein & Ebenstein lawyers had experience in both state and federal courts.

Within the United States judicial system, there are two types of courts: state and federal. Each type handles different types of cases and is structured differently from the other. It is important to know the two types of courts and the different types of cases they deal with when one is going to be involved in legal proceedings. Established by the Constitution and laws of each state, state courts handle specific legal matters, as do juvenile or family courts, for example, and their decisions are eligible for review by the Supreme Court of the United States. Federal courts are given judicial power by the U.S. Constitution and established by Congress. Decisions made in federal courts can be challenged in a U.S. court of appeals.

Federal courts typically handle cases that deal with the Constitution or involve public ministers, ambassadors, treaties, or laws. Federal courts also deal with habeas corpus issues, bankruptcy, and disputes between two or more states. Conversely, state courts handle most contract, criminal, family law, and personal injury cases. They also deal with cases involving estates and wills, and serve as the final deciders in cases regarding state constitutions and laws.

Connecticut Personal Injury Law

Focused particularly in personal injury law, the boutique firm Ebenstein & Ebenstein in Hartford, Connecticut, offered clients the benefit of a full-service law firm. Among its many achievements, Ebenstein & Ebenstein earned a reputation for successfully representing clients involved in personal injury motor accidents.

Personal injury motor vehicle accidents must meet a set of criteria that proves negligence on the part of the person who caused the accident. In Connecticut, legal criteria for negligence include the injured party having experienced damages. Additionally, the accident must be caused by the person at fault failing to perform a duty.

When a claim meets all of the criteria, the injured party may sue for negligence. Persons found negligent in a motor vehicle accident that caused injury to another party may have to pay for such damages as medical expenses, damaged property, emotional distress, loss of future earnings, and any other expenses that occurred as a result of the injury.

Making Sense of Estate Planning

Hartford, Connecticut, law firm Ebenstein & Ebenstein spent many years working closely with clients to provide the best legal advice and guidance possible. Operating at the local, regional, and national levels, attorneys at Ebenstein & Ebenstein had experience in a wide variety of areas, including estate planning.

Estate planning is an important part of making sure that a person’s desires for health care and property are honored when that person becomes incapacitated. An estate typically consists of business interests, real property, savings and taxable investments, retirement accounts, and personal property. By creating a list of desires regarding a person’s estate and beneficiaries, that person helps his or her family make important financial and property decisions. To begin the estate planning process, people should consult a financial planner and an estate planning attorney.

An experienced estate planning attorney can help people complete the necessary documents, such as a will. The will should include information about who will inherit that person’s property, provisions for pets or children, the desired distribution of property, and the individual chosen to manage the person’s affairs.

Family Court in Connecticut

Serving clients for more than 10 years, the Ebenstein & Ebenstein law firm provided attorneys with extensive trial and general practice experience. Ebenstein & Ebenstein achieved results in such legal areas as estate planning, personal injury, and family law.

In the state of Connecticut, the family court decides a variety of matters, including legal separations, divorce, child custody and support, and civil restraining orders for relief from abuse. Unlike some states, Connecticut does not classify juvenile matters or adoptions as family matters.

In uncontested cases, the court reviews the agreement made by both parties and then rules whether it is fair and equitable. If both sides have not come to an agreement, there are a number of ways to resolve the issue without going to trial. If an agreement cannot be made, the case will go trial, and the court will decide the issue.

Although judges issue decisions in most family matters, some cases regarding paternity or spousal support appear before a family support magistrate. Family support magistrates are appointed by the governor and serve a three-year term.

Finding and Choosing a Personal Injury Lawyer

The Hartford, Connecticut-based law firm of Ebenstein & Ebenstein served a wide variety of local, regional, and national clients. As a result, the experienced lawyers at Ebenstein & Ebenstein practiced before all of Connecticut’s state and federal courts, including appellate courts.

Established after a vote approving a constitutional amendment in 1982, the Connecticut Appellate Court’s first five judges were appointed by the governor in August 1983. By October of the same year, the original judges heard the first cases. Originally conceived to ease Supreme Court backlog, the Appellate Court came to enjoy a productive working relationship with the higher court, which led to common rules of practice and sharing of state offices.

Since 1983, the state Appellate Court doubled the number of judges. With legislative changes in 1993, the court gained a growing number of retired judges, senior judges, and Supreme Court justices. By 2003, these judges and justices took part in nearly 3,000 panels and wrote almost 700 opinions.

Applying for Membership to the Bar of the District of Connecticut

A former boutique law firm in Hartford, Connecticut, Ebenstein & Ebenstein balanced personalized attention to clients’ needs with comprehensive services usually expected from larger firms. With a specific focus on personal injury law, Ebenstein & Ebenstein attorneys practiced in all Connecticut federal and state appellate and trial courts, including the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.

As one of the first 13 district courts established in 1789, the U.S. District Court for Connecticut conducts proceedings in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport. The court’s jurisdiction includes the counties of New London, Litchfield, and Fairfield, among others. The numerous legal activities and matters conducted with the district court include application for membership in the bar of the District of Connecticut.

When attorneys apply to become members of the bar of the District of Connecticut, they submit application materials to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Applicants to the bar must submit a Petition for Admission and a Certificate from a Sponsoring Attorney to the Attorney Admissions Clerk at the District Court. In addition to the two forms, each application must include current certificates of good standing from courts to which the attorney is admitted to practice and an application fee paid to the court clerk.