Bailey & Galyen

To draw an analogy, think of a burst pipe in your kitchen — water gushing everywhere, running into the next room and ruining your rugs and furniture, and creating a large mess. You want to bring in a plumber who can fix the problem at the source, not merely put a Band-Aid on it. We all know this is the right way to go about it because we know how it plays out if we do not — the numerous plumber visits, the time taken off from work to meet the plumber, the mess you’re left to clean up.

One fact is that women are five times more likely to get osteoporosis than men. Physicians know there is no way to stop osteoporosis or to cure osteoporosis. Physicians do know that their patients can slow down this process by taking enough calcium, vitamin D, exercising, not smoking and limiting alcohol intake to no more than one glass per day.

From the moment you are sued, your debt is growing. Cardholder agreements and other loan documents all contain language making you responsible for creditors’ legal fees and expenses. Put another way, you are paying them to collect money from you.

Unfortunately, one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcy is divorce. This reflects the ugly reality that, after a separation, income remains the same but there are typically increased housing and living expenses. Add to that the legal expense of the divorce itself and many people find themselves in a financial black hole following a difficult emotional crisis. The good news is that bankruptcy can give you a fresh start and a higher degree of financial separation from a former spouse.

Someone uses your credit card to charge a Caribbean vacation. Or accesses your bank account and drains it of funds. Or uses your ID while committing a crime. Identity theft refers to a broad range of crimes, including misuse of your financial information, name, Social Security Number and reputation. Identity—it’s more than your name, it’s life as you know it.

In December, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called for a nationwide ban on all cell phone use while driving. This goes beyond the hands-free laws enacted by ten states. Considering the dangers, why isn’t there such a ban in place? Cell phone use spread at almost an epidemic rate before the dangers were documented. Distracted driving causes more 6000 crashes and 3000 deaths each year.

You may want to talk with the debt collector once to be sure the debt involved is yours or to discuss a way to resolve it, but you can refuse contact. If you inform the collector you are represented by a bankruptcy attorney or other counsel, the collector must contact your lawyer rather than you.

Would you spend $15 to save your child’s life? Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3-14, child booster seats save lives, and a safety-rated booster seat costs less than a pair of cheap shoes or a video game. Yet many parents either do not purchase approved child seats or don’t enforce their use.

Currently the wait time on immigration court cases could be as long as 18 months. Many of these immigrants will be eligible for employment authorization but this will be a separate process. These immigrants will be left in a limbo status that are not eligible to be deported but also are not lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens.r.

The Texas legislature in 2007 amended the laws that deal with medical malpractice cases. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Sec. 74.151, entitled Liability For Emergency Care, now states that a person who in good faith administers emergency care is not liable in civil damages for an act performed during the emergency unless the act is wilfully or wantonly negligent.

When you decide to take care of your Estate Planning or Probate matter yourself you are flirting with disaster. You do not have the many years of experience with finances and family dynamics to make the best choices. You do not have the background to know if a document is outdated or based on law that has changed.

Earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court once again cast its arms around Big Business and shoved Texans out the door.

Many who read the headline of this article might question the premise of a bankruptcy leading to the hottest selling car in the world. It would be a stretch if this was a fictional story. The amazing thing about this article is that it is absolutely true.

Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 42 specifically authorizes Texas citizens to bring class action lawsuits. A case cannot be pursued as a class action, however, until a Texas trial court determines and certifies that the requirements of Rule 42 have been met.

The US Supreme Court correctly held in its 2010 decision in Wyeth v Levine that state tort laws do not conflict with federal law and can be used to hold the pharmaceutical manufacturers accountable for the serious injuries and damages caused by their dangerous drugs. The legalese for the legal issue made the basis of that decision is preemption: Are claims brought on state tort laws inconsistent with and therefore preempted by federal law.

As I write this article I am having a good week and a great last few days. The reason for my stellar job satisfaction is simple. I have been able to help people. Each of the last several days I have met with people who had needs that I could address.

Social Security was created by FDR in 1935 as a part of the New Deal plan. This program was created to assist aging workers in the post-depression era economy.

In a divorce, it is often necessary to conduct “discovery” – which is the method by which a party can “discover” information about the other party that is relevant to the divorce. Conducting discovery allows us to obtain full disclosure of particular facts, such as income and liabilities of the parties, the value of certain assets of the parties, and facts relevant to child custody and support issues.

Any Texas drug conviction carries very harsh consequences for Immigration purposes. A conviction for a drug conviction makes you inadmissible to the United States for both entry and permanent residency. Moreover, it also makes you deportable. However, certain noncitizens with one simple possession can avoid some of the harsh consequences.

The rules of the road in Texas are governed primarily by the Texas Transportation Code. This is the law, along with city ordinances, that police officers are trained to enforce. The only review of these laws for most Texas drivers was in their driver’s education course. Below are some of the traffic laws that are violated in very high numbers simply because drivers do not know that they are the law.

At about age twelve we develop the ability to think in the abstract. Later, marriage and family serve as a wake up call to adult responsibility. Discuss how you will plan for the future with significant others. Talk to your spouse and other trusted family members about what would happen in the wake of death or disability.

During this era of record high home foreclosure and unemployment rates, many Americans are behind on mortgage payments and are understandably concerned about losing their family home.