Tag Archives: carrollwood lawyer

Halloween Safety Tips

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Blick Law

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and while preparing to celebrate with close friends and family it is always important to take extra precaution to ensure your safety, and the safety of others. Halloween can be a particularly dangerous holiday, and many times injuries can be prevented by taking simple precautions.

Statistically, Halloween contributes annually to an increased rate of accidental injury, especially to pedestrians and children. In an effort to reduce the risk of potential injury, everyone should be aware of helpful Costume Safety tips, including:

  • Make sure your costume is visible at night by including bright clothing or reflective tape.
  • Ensure that masks do not obstruct breathing or impair vision; and that the Costume allows you or your child to move around freely.
  • Ensure that the costume material is fire resistant; in the event the costume comes in contact with fire, you can reduce the risk of severe burn injury
  • Avoid costumes that include sharp objects; and for children especially, avoid accessories that are easily swallowed.

Remember, reducing the risk of injury does not always prevent accidents from happening, but it is always better to employ precautionary safety measures.

If you or a loved one is injured during the holidays and you have questions or concerns regarding your rights, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick!

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Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Law Changes Florida

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Blick Law

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is a mandatory coverage on Florida car insurance policies that covers medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. The original purpose of PIP coverage was to make sure that anyone injured in an auto accident would quickly receive money to treat their injuries. In Florida, all drivers are obligated to obtain a minimum of $10,000 PIP coverage for medical bills and lost wages following an auto accident.

Due to rampant fraud and misappropriation of PIP coverage in Florida, insurance companies have lobbied to pass PIP insurance reform to limit the types of treatment available to crash victims covered by PIP, and limit the amount of coverage in order to avoid abuse and fraud.

In 2012, the Florida legislature passed into law PIP reform that bans the use of PIP dollars to pay for massage or acupuncture treatments and will limit the payout for non-emergency treatment of accident-related injuries to $2,500.00. A widespread concern is that accident victims with serious injuries won’t be able to get the care they need if they sustain an injury such as a whiplash or herniated disc because these injuries may not qualify as an emergency.

Nonetheless, supporters of the bill insist that the reform will contribute to overall lower insurance premiums and provide much needed relief to Florida drivers.

If you or a loved one have been a victim of an auto accident and have questions concerning your rights, call Blick Law Firm today at 813-931-0840 to schedule a free 15 minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick! 813-931-0840.

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What is Bankruptcy?!

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Blick Law

Bankruptcy is a complex area of law and involves many considerations, including whether to file, determining which type of Bankruptcy to file, the use of exemptions, understanding the protections of the Bankruptcy Code and using them to your advantage.

Available Bankruptcy claim types vary depending on your particular position, and understanding the differences is important.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is a liquidation proceeding whereby the debtor turns over all non-exempt property to the bankruptcy trustee who then converts it to cash to pay off the creditors. Usually, within four months the debtor then receives a discharge of all dischargeable debts. These dischargeable debts include your credit card debt, old medical bills, utilities bills, unsecured loans, pay day loans, and most other types of unsecured debt.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is generally available when the debtor has little property aside from the basic necessities like furniture and clothing; and the debtor has difficulty making payments on basic expenses, or has very little money left after doing so.

The advantage to filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is that your unsecured debt is completely eliminated, the process is fairly quick, and the automatic stay that takes place after filing prohibits creditors from making collection efforts.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is more of a reorganization process that is available to debtors who have significant equity in a home or other property and want to keep it, or maintain a regular income but simply can’t keep up with the scheduled payments on their debts. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy allows the debtor to restructure the debt to have it paid off over a period of three to five years.

The advantage to filing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is that you can maintain your property while spreading out the payments, you will have three to five years to catch up on delinquent accounts, and during that time you will make only one monthly payment to the bankruptcy trustee for payment to all creditors involved.

No matter what your situation is, obtaining quality legal consultation from an experienced bankruptcy attorney is beneficial. Contact Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15 minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer to assess what option is best for you. Think quick, call Blick!

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Bankruptcy: Advantages and Alternatives

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Blick Law

Bankruptcy is a complex area of law and involves many considerations, including whether to file, determining which type of Bankruptcy to file, the use of exemptions, understanding the protections of the Bankruptcy Code and using them to your advantage.

Many people utilize bankruptcy as a strategy for resolving unmanageable debt. Today, it is more common than most realize and can be a refreshing solution to a debt-ridden life.

Advantages and alternatives to consider:

Elimination of Debt: The main advantage to filing for bankruptcy is the discharge of most debt. The discharge totally eliminates the obligation to pay many types of debt including your credit card debt, old medical bills, utilities bills, unsecured loans, pay day loans, and most other types of unsecured debt. ***Note: Certain types of debt cannot be avoided by filing for bankruptcy including Student Loans, Child Support and Alimony Payments, Court Fines, DUI judgments against the debtor, and debts incurred by Fraud.

Avoid Creditor Harassment: Once a debtor files for bankruptcy, there is an automatic stay on the collection of debt and most creditors must terminate their collection efforts immediately. The stay is an automatic court order that prohibits all sorts of collection attempts by creditors, and postpones most actions against the debtor, including repossessions, garnishments or attachments, utility shutoffs, foreclosures, and evictions.

Get a Fresh Start: You will be able to pay the things that are important to you, and begin rebuilding your credit in peace!

Alternatives to Consider: Bankruptcy is not the only method of dealing with insurmountable debt, and other methods may be more advantageous for your particular situation. Such alternatives may include an out-of-court settlement with creditors, reduction of payments to creditors, consolidation of debts, or payment of debts by sale of assets or borrowing on assets. However, the availability of these methods varies depending on the severity of your financial difficulties, and also requires cooperation from creditors.

If you are having trouble meeting your debt obligations, consult an experienced Tampa Bankruptcy attorney to discuss your options.

Call Blick Law Firm today at 813-931-0840. Make an appointment for a free 15 minute consultation with Michael Blickensderfer to see if Bankruptcy is right for you.

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Bankruptcy: Advantages and Alternatives

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Blick Law

Bankruptcy is a complex area of law and involves many considerations, including whether to file, determining which type of Bankruptcy to file, the use of exemptions, understanding the protections of the Bankruptcy Code and using them to your advantage.

Many people utilize bankruptcy as a strategy for resolving unmanageable debt. Today, it is more common than most realize and can be a refreshing solution to a debt-ridden life.

Advantages and alternatives to consider:

Elimination of Debt: The main advantage to filing for bankruptcy is the discharge of most debt. The discharge totally eliminates the obligation to pay many types of debt including your credit card debt, old medical bills, utilities bills, unsecured loans, pay day loans, and most other types of unsecured debt. ***Note: Certain types of debt cannot be avoided by filing for bankruptcy including Student Loans, Child Support and Alimony Payments, Court Fines, DUI judgments against the debtor, and debts incurred by Fraud.

Avoid Creditor Harassment: Once a debtor files for bankruptcy, there is an automatic stay on the collection of debt and most creditors must terminate their collection efforts immediately. The stay is an automatic court order that prohibits all sorts of collection attempts by creditors, and postpones most actions against the debtor, including repossessions, garnishments or attachments, utility shutoffs, foreclosures, and evictions.

Get a Fresh Start: You will be able to pay the things that are important to you, and begin rebuilding your credit in peace!

Alternatives to Consider: Bankruptcy is not the only method of dealing with insurmountable debt, and other methods may be more advantageous for your particular situation. Such alternatives may include an out-of-court settlement with creditors, reduction of payments to creditors, consolidation of debts, or payment of debts by sale of assets or borrowing on assets. However, the availability of these methods varies depending on the severity of your financial difficulties, and also requires cooperation from creditors.

If you are having trouble meeting your debt obligations, consult an experienced Tampa Bankruptcy attorney to discuss your options.

Call Blick Law Firm today at 813-931-0840. Make an appointment for a free 15 minute consultation with Michael Blickensderfer to see if Bankruptcy is right for you.

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May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Blick Law

May means school is out and flowers are in bloom. But May also welcomes more motorcycles on the road as a result of Florida’s sunshine weather.

On May 1, 2012 many on two wheels began a very important awareness. Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

Due to the increase in the amount of motorcycles on the road, this causes a new set of safety concerns, which launched this nation-wide campaign.

This national awareness month aims to bring attention for motorists to be mindful and cautious of motorcycles on the road. Not only does this month hope to bring a general awareness but it also sends a message of comradery for all to “share the road” with one another, safely.

This national initiative lasts the whole month of May and is being promoted from state to state.

As a motorist remember:

-       Be mindful on the road
-       Look twice before changing lanes
-       Remember to look for the one-eyed headlight on a motorcycle
-       Drive defensively
-       Blow your horn

As a motorcycle rider remember:

-       Be mindful on the road
-       Drive defensively
-       Wear your helmet for further protection
-       If you are riding in a group, stay close with one another –no gaps for motorists to intrude

At Blick Law Firm we encourage Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, celebrated the month of May. As a Tampa personal injury law firm, we see serious injuries or even lives taken all too often due to serious motorcycle accidents.

How to prevent this? It starts with awareness.  Take time to share with others this month and what it represents for your safety and those you ride with.

Look Twice. Save a life. Call 813-931-0840 for more information regarding motorcycle safety tips and how to stay safe on the road. If you find yourself in an unfortunate motorcycle accident, call Attorney Michael Blickensderfer today to assist you with your claim due to others’ negligence.

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