If you are the parent with whom your child lives, it can be extremely upsetting to have your child claim that he or she does not want to visit the other parent. The child may cry when the parent arrives for visitation and refuse to even get in the car. You may be tempted to cancel the visitation. Your sympathy will obviously be with your child. You wonder if something serious has happened when the child was with the other parent, causing you some anguish and resistance to requiring visitation. But court ordered visitation cannot be canceled by one parent without risking serious … [Read more...]
Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Those who are named personal representative of an estate, such as an executor, administrator, or guardian, have a fiduciary duty to the estate. This means personal representatives of an estate must always act in the best interest of the estate. Whether you are an executor who wants advice on how to fulfill your duties, or a beneficiary who believes an executor breached his or her fiduciary duties, our attorneys at Springer & Lyle can help. Fiduciary Duties Some fiduciary duties a personal representative of an estate has to the estate include: Acting expeditiously in … [Read more...]
Swimming Pool Accidents in Texas
With COVID-19 stay-at-home recommendations, more people are building swimming pools and more people are staying at home swimming in them. They may have a few people at a time over to share the outdoor swimming experience. Along with increased pool usage comes increased incidents of drowning or near-drowning cases. Unfortunately for Texas, it ranks first in the list of states for pool drowning deaths. It is important for everyone, especially adults, to know what drowning looks like, and what the aftermath may be for those who survive a near drowning experience. What Drowning Looks … [Read more...]
Tips to Make A Divorce Less Painful
The American Institute of Stress uses a chart developed many years ago by psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. The doctors assigned different points to 49 life events and then added them up to see how much stress a person was experiencing. They determined that getting a divorce is the second most stressful life event a person can experience. Separating from a spouse is the third. At Springer & Lyle, we work with our clients in ways to reduce the stress as much as possible. Two ways of divorcing we assist with that help spouses separate amicably are … [Read more...]
Contingency Fees and Other Options
If you are injured by the negligence of another, you may need the services of an attorney. You may hesitate to get legal counsel, assuming you cannot afford to pay a lawyer. But personal injury attorneys, like those at Springer & Lyle, usually work on a contingency basis. But, what does that mean and how does that work? What are Contingency Fees? When personal injury attorneys agree to accept a case on a contingency basis, this means the client will not owe or pay any attorney’s fees if the attorney does not win a monetary settlement for the client. A fee is only charged if the … [Read more...]
Do I Need a Living Will?
A living will is a document you prepare that informs your family and health care professionals, in writing, what medical treatment you want to have under certain circumstances. At Springer & Lyle, our estate planning attorneys can assist you in preparing this document. Why You Need a Living Will If you become unable for any reason, whether from an illness or an accident, to make your own health care decisions, your living will gives instructions to medical professionals of how you want your health care to be managed. This is different than a durable power of … [Read more...]
Wrongful Death: What Does it Mean?
It is always sad when a loved one dies. When that death was caused by another person’s negligence, the grief can be compounded. At Springer & Lyle, our attorneys recognize that no amount of money will substitute for losing a loved one, but you have the right to hold people accountable and deserve to be compensated for your loss. What Does Wrongful Death Mean? According to Texas law, a person is liable for an injury that causes another person’s death if the injury was caused by the person's or his agent's or servant's wrongful act or failure to act, neglect or carelessness. The … [Read more...]
Slip and Fall Cases: What Should I Know?
More than one million people visit emergency rooms every year due to a slip and fall injuries. Fractures, particularly hip fractures, are the most common injury suffered by those who fall. At Springer & Lyle, we want to help those who have suffered such an event to get the compensation they deserve if it was caused by another’s negligence. Elements of a Premises Liability Case Premises liability law applies when your injury was caused by the negligence of a property owner or manager. To collect for damages for an injury you incurred when you slipped and fell, you … [Read more...]
How Much Does It Cost to Get A Divorce?
Divorce attorneys can discuss with you the circumstances of your case and give you an estimate about how much a divorce will cost. This estimate may not be accurate since there are many variables and each case is different. Attorneys generally charge by the hour for the time they spend on various aspects of your divorce. A divorce cost includes things like court costs that are set in stone and other costs which you have no control. How you and your spouse approach your divorce affects how much it will ultimately cost. Overview of Possible Costs Some costs vary. Others are … [Read more...]
What Is Power of Attorney?
The basic definition of a power of attorney is a legal document in which you give someone else the power to act for you in specified ways. Two common types are a financial power of attorney and medical power of attorney. In Texas, we have a statutory durable power of attorney frequently used when needing a financial power of attorney because its form is approved by statute and offers some protections for those relying on it. A power of attorney is often referred to as a “POA”. A Financial Power of Attorney In this document, you name someone you trust … [Read more...]