Author Archives: Blick Law

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Public Relations Specialist

Filing for Bankruptcy Debt

Posted on March 21, 2013 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. While individuals are allowed to file Bankruptcy without the use of an attorney (commonly referred to as pro se), it is strongly discouraged by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Bankruptcy is a difficult process with very technical issues, and individuals are discouraged from attempting to file on their own because they could put themselves in jeopardy by not undertaking the proper steps or simply failing to compile all of the necessary information. If certain technical requirements for Bankruptcy are not satisfied properly, a debtor could be precluded from filing Bankruptcy altogether, may lose the right to file again, and may lose protections in a later case, including the benefit of the automatic stay.

The Bankruptcy Judge can also deny the discharge of all debts if a debtor does something dishonest in connection with the bankruptcy case, such as destroying or hiding property, falsifying records, or lying. Debtors should also consider that Individual bankruptcy cases are randomly audited to determine the accuracy, truthfulness, and completeness of the information that the debtor is required to provide.

A competent Bankruptcy attorney will ensure that the process is undertaken properly and that all necessary information is accounted for in order to successfully receive a proper Bankruptcy discharge.

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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Real Estate: Closing, and 5 Important Steps to Follow

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Blick Law

A Real Estate Closing is the final step of the home purchase process, whereby the buyer and seller sign the papers to transfer the ownership of the home. In order to complete this final phase of the purchase process, it is important to understand the timeline of requirements that take place leading up to the Closing.

First, a buyer must open an escrow account with a neutral third party, whereby the buyer provides earnest money to be held in consideration of the purchase in order to demonstrate good-faith that the buyer fully intends on completing the sale.

Following the opening of an escrow account, the buyer then needs to take 5 necessary steps to protect their interest in the home. These 5 steps are as follows:

  • Completing a Title search
  • Purchasing Title Insurance
  • Completing a Home inspection and Pest inspection
  • Negotiating the Closing costs; and
  • Locking the interest rate of the mortgage.

These steps are important in the completion of any Real Estate transaction, and many times it is important for the buyer to seek legal counsel prior to moving forward with the purchase process. An experienced real estate attorney can provide professional legal advice, and interpret the very complicated language involved in most Closing documents. The attorney is also capable of identifying potential problems with your purchase documentation, and can save you the hassle of dealing with unexpected complications that may arise during the Real Estate purchase process.

If you or a loved one are considering purchasing a home and need advice on what to expect, 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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What is a soft tissue injury?

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Blick Law

Parties to an accident are often times contacted by insurance companies in an attempt to get personal injury victims to settle an injury claim quickly, and for a non-negotiated amount. Before a settlement offer is even discussed, it is extremely important to first know the extent of your injuries.

Usually, the severity of damage sustained in an accident is not easily determined, and in many cases an injured party may suffer soft tissue or latent injuries that do not arise until much later. However, once a settlement agreement is made and tendered, an injured party releases their right to recovery for injuries related to that particular incident.

If you are involved in an auto accident, it is always important to first seek medical attention. After an auto accident, it is best to go immediately to the hospital or other treatment facility to determine the extent of your injuries and pinpoint the necessary steps of rehabilitation that might be required.

Secondly, an injured party should always contact an attorney for legal consultation and general information on how to proceed following an accident. In the event an insurance company contacts you regarding your injury claim, do not offer any recorded statements without first consulting with an attorney.

If you or a loved one have been in an accident and need legal advice, call Blick Law Firm today @ (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer.

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Mayor Buckhorn Proclaims Monday ‘Ride to Work Day’

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Blick Law

Monday, June 18, is not just any ordinary Monday.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has proclaimed June 18 “Ride to Work Day.” Many local businesses, such as Blick Law Firm in Carrollwood, will be participating.

In recognition of the 21st Annual National “Ride to Work Day,” the law firm at 4351 Gunn Highway is hosting an open house on Monday, June 18 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., and will be offering refreshments, free driver’s license checks and opportunities to win door prizes to all licensed motorists.

“At Blick Law Firm’s open house, we are not only promoting this day with the City of Tampa, but we are educating safety to all those who come by,” said Becky Speer, marketing assistant at Blick Law Firm.

There are many benefits to riding to work on two wheels, such as:

  • Commuting to work by a bicycle, scooter or motorcycle provides an effective way of reducing the rising cost of gasoline while lessening the many harmful effects on the environment.
  •  It also cuts a fraction of the parking spaces needed by larger passenger vehicles, thereby reducing parking congestion in the active Tampa Bay community. As prices of fossil fuels continue to grow, the overall supply of these fuels is diminishing. With efforts such as “Ride to Work” Day we are taking a small step towards a bigger cause in support of the use of alternative means of transportation, in turn benefiting the Tampa Bay community in more ways than one.

For more information regarding National “Ride to Work” Day and Blick Law Firm’s open house, please contact Blick Law Firm at 813-931-0840 or e-mail Dana Blickensderfer at dana@blicklawfirm.com.

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Help Patch Give a Ton to Fight Hunger

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Blick Law

Nearly 20 percent of Tampa Bay area residents go to bed wondering where their next meal will come from. Some 30 percent of children struggle with hunger.

Those figures come from Feeding America Tampa Bay, which is a regional food bank that supplies more than 700 agencies throughout West Central Florida with the food their clients need to survive.

According to Debbi McCarthy, director of development for Feeding America Tampa Bay, the agency serves a poverty population of some 700,000 people in a 10-county area that includes: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, Hardee, Highlands and Manatee.

“Florida is ranked fourth in the nation for family hunger in households containing at least one child,” McCarthy said. “In the past 12 months, the food bank supplied more than 2 million pounds of food to its 10-county service area – enough to provide more than a million and a half meals every month to those who would otherwise go hungry.”

With summer just around the corner, the need for support is growing even stronger, McCarthy said.

“Summer is a particularly difficult time for food insecure children, who have no access to the federally funded school meals,” McCarthy said. “Heartbreakingly, many children face a long, hot, hungry summer.”

You Can Make a Difference

That’s why Carrollwood Patch is kicking off the Give-A-Ton Food Drive. It’s our aim to collect a ton of food for Feeding America Tampa Bay to help take a bite out of hunger during the difficult summer months.

To help make sure our neighbors don’t face a long, hot, hungry summer we’re partnering with our 18 sister Patch sites throughout Tampa Bay and businesses right here in Carrollwood to collect nonperishable food items. Feeding America Tampa Bay will in turn distribute our collections through its partner agencies to people in need.

Starting today, these businesses will be collecting food during their normal hours to help us meet or exceed our goal of 2,000 pounds of food:

(We are in the process of finding additional drop-off locations, so we’ll update this story as soon as we confirm them).

So, how far will a ton of food go?

“Two thousand pounds of food provides 1,600 meals,” McCarthy said. “We like to think of ‘missing meals’ for families when doing Hunger Math. One ton of food can gather 400 families of four around the table for a shared dinner. That’s a vision Patch readers can share with us and take pride in.”

To get involved in the Give-A-Ton Food Drive, just drop off nonperishable food items at one of our partner businesses. You can also make a financial contribution to the drive directly on Feeding America Tampa Bay’s website. Just go to the donation page and look for the Give-A-Ton Food Drive option.

Thank you in advance for your help Carrollwood Patch readers! Together we can make a real difference for those who face hunger every day.

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Log on for legal advice

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Blick Law

Whether it’s a problem with a deadbeat roommate, a ticket for underage drinking or any one of a host of other college-age issues, many students inevitably come into legal questions. One thing they usually don’t have: a lot of money to solve them.

That’s where “Minute With Mike” hopes to come in. The free video campaign, created by USF graduate Dana Blickensderfer, is designed to encourage legal discussion with attorney Michael C. Blickensderfer and launches today at oneminutewithmike.com.

Students can submit their legal questions to Dana’s father, who will provide a video answer on the site every Wednesday. The Oracle talked with Dana Blickensderfer, who graduated in May 2010 with a degree in mass communications, about her idea and how she hopes students could benefit from it.

The Oracle: What kind of cases does Mike Blickensderfer, the lawyer who’ll be answering questions on “Minute With Mike,” usually handle?

Dana Blickensderfer: He has extensive experience in personal injury litigation and claims. He also served as a prosecutor both in Florida and in Long Island. Other areas he served were in narcotics, Medicaid fraud and DUI offenses within New York City. He also served as a public defender, practicing criminal law within the felony division in Tampa, Florida.

Other legal experience includes real estate, family law, criminal defense, social security and labor law.

O: How does “Minute With Mike” work?

DB: Well, every week Michael will receive legal questions through our forum, and from those questions, he will pick ones to discuss and answer on the air through our video channel on (the website).

Every week students can tune into “Minute with Mike” at noon to see if their legal question was answered. Students may even remain anonymous. The videos will even remain archived on the website so students can freely view answers to legal questions at their leisure.

O: What kind of legal issues do college students often deal with?

DB: Criminal charges for example, DUI, underage drinking and substance abuse or (they may) be a victim to a crime. They may be victims to personal injury cases such as car and motorcycle accidents, slips and falls, and alike. Usually the average college student deals with legal contracts, for example, promissory notes on school loans, leasing agreements, car notes, bank accounts, etc. Driving laws are also a common issue that may not be understood, and here we offer a chance to educate students for free on these topics.

There are so many instances where an attorney may be beneficial to helping you understand your legal rights as students.

O: Where did the idea for “Minute with Mike” begin, and why did your family firm, Blick Law Firm, want to do it?

DB: We wanted to do this because it makes consulting with an attorney easier for (a student’s) schedule and, well, it’s just more fun. It is great that we can be creative and use social media concepts to create an even better way for students to get free legal consultations.

I want it to be a site where people can feel comfortable enough to ask any legal questions they may be wondering. It is hard when you are a student and you have questions and you do not know who to ask or where to turn to.

O: What kind of difference can professional legal advice make when dealing with problems typically encountered by students?

DB: You go to college to get a better education for a promising future. Unfortunately, on that journey one may make poor choices or find themselves in a situation that may hinder their future goals. An attorney may be able to alleviate the effects of consequences and may offer solutions to a situation that you thought there was no way out (of). Handling things on your own may create more stress and could potentially damage your chances of getting the best outcome possible.

We not only offer this free Q&A format on “Minute with Mike” but also, with a student ID, we offer free consultation in person or over the phone. We really want to help and be available to those in legal need.

O: How has your life changed after graduating from USF?

DB: USF is definitely missed. Being on the outside looking in, I really miss the first week back at school and having a fresh start. The real world has no spring break. But, I am really enjoying the work experience at my job. I am doing what I went to school for, which is very exciting.

I think the biggest challenge is the freedom. The world is your oyster and you can go down any road you want. The tough part is deciding what to do with life after college. I love what I do, but definitely do not know where it will lead. It is exciting and scary at the same time. Heck, I might go back to get my master’s in a few years.

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